Ten steps to choosing the right holiday for you
Establish what time of year you are looking to travel. If you are completely flexible, then choose either the country, region or activity which interests you (walking, trekking, culture and general interest, leisure, wildlife safaris and birdwatching, riding etc). If you are not flexible and need to travel in certain months, then look at our where and when to go for guidance on what is best at that time of year.
Look at our calendar list on where and when to go and see what the highlights are for each month, which may determine your choice.
Let us know your interests, as an individual, as part of a group or a family. We can then discuss what will be most appropriate for you. Often, a good idea is that everyone writes down on a piece of paper exactly what they want to get out of their holiday, and we marry the ideas together.
What sort of accommodation are you looking for? Five star luxury or Palace hotels? Heritage mansions or genuine high quality home stays? Small atmospheric hotels? Luxury resorts with all mod cons? Private tented camps or plush lodges for the wilderness holidays? There is a great amount of choice. For further information on what each offers, look at accommodation guidance. And go through the downloadable documents that short list our recommended places in each region with a short description
Are you looking for a relaxing holiday or an active one? Or a mix of both?
Would you like to cover as much ground as possible or localise your travels spending more time in each place and really enjoying and exploring each destination?
Would you like to get off the beaten track and explore in areas not often visited like the tribal country of Bastar in central India, diving and fishing off the Andaman Islands; traveling to great ruined cities like Mandu or Hampi; doing something special like an elephant safari through the jungles of Kumaon or a snow leopard trek in Ladakh; spend time learning the art of tracking in the jungle or enjoying the spectacle of the high Himalayas from a microlight? Look for the possibilities under our Holiday Ideas and tell us what kind of holiday you enjoy.
We have some sample itineraries which you can download which are meant purely to give you some ideas as no two holidays are ever the same, as no two people are the same! I.e.: Honeymoons/ Family Holidays/Horse Riding Safaris/complete relaxation/walking and trekking/wildlife safaris/spa and yoga retreats. Is there any particular charity or aid organization you support whose work you would like to see? Or one of the charities that we support for that matter? We have a strong interest in using tourism as a sustainable but positive economic factor in helping conservation, local economies and sustainable lifestyles. Certain lodges and hotels are focused on such an approach and we can specifically include these in an itinerary.
Do look at the geography of an area when you are putting together your wishlist. We are here to ensure that your travels are arranged in the most logical, efficient and cost effective way but it will be helpful to you if you familiarise yourself with the areas as well.
Do not attempt to do too much - you will be doing both yourself and the country a disservice and only end up requiring a holiday at the end!
And ultimately - pick up the telephone and call us, or get us to call you! If you are part of a group, then we shall come and see you, if you prefer, or do come and see us. There is no substitute for first hand knowledge, and often a telephone call saves sifting through reams of information that one simply has to digest especially when time is short!
