Walking India - Land of 1000 Dimensions 2012

We are excited about our inaugural visit to India! This is a culture that engages the senses in a powerful way, yet goes beyond the physical to challenge the mind and tug at the heart. India is a land that defies typical travel superlatives. Over 122 native languages are spoken throughout India. A host of ancient religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, trace their origins here. Poverty in the cities can be numbing, yet the Indian middle class is one of the fastest growing in the world. This is a powerful place of dramatic diversity and fascinating contradictions — we invite you to explore incredible India with us in 2012!

Our program starts and ends in Delhi, a metropolis with a 3000-year-old history that has been home to seven different cities. We visit Agra, with the incomparable Taj Mahal, then continue to Ranthambhore for two game safaris in search of tigers in the reserve along the biosphere of the Chambal River. Along with Delhi and Agra, the Pink City of Jaipur is the third leg of the so-called Golden Triangle, the most frequently visited region of the country.

The journey gets even more interesting when we continue deeper into the colorful state of Rajasthan. The second part of our Adventure explores the villages, small towns, and nature areas of this quilt work collection of former Rajasthani kingdoms. From Udaipur, the main tour returns by air to Delhi to connect with flights back to North America. You are invited, however, to continue on a 4-day optional extension to Mumbai for a voluntourism opportunity.

Optional Mumbai Voluntourism Extension
We are working with an organization called Family Care Foundation (www.familycare.org), based in California with an affiliate member in Mumbai, that provides aid and inspiration to several literacy and health awareness programs in the slums of Mumbai. The program involves 4 days (3 days in addition to the India tour) as outlined below, and includes some basic sightseeing in Mumbai, in addition to our involvement in the slum projects. We hope you will consider adding this high-value, potentially life-changing optional extension to your visit to India!

Second Departure
Two departures are available for Walking India 2012 and space is available on both departures!

How to Register
To save yourself a spot on this Adventure, contact us to register with a $500 payment as soon as possible! Reservations will be accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis!  Click here for more registration details.

Should I Go to India?

Walking India

Day 1: Feb 6 and Nov 1: Arrive Delhi, India

Travelers arrive into Delhi today for a two-week exploration of India – Land of a 1000 Dimensions. As you exit customs, you will be met by a representative of WAI and transferred to our strategically located hotel in New Delhi. Since flights generally arrive late into the evening, no group activities are planned until tomorrow.

Day 2: Feb 7 and Nov 2: Activities in Delhi (BD)
#1: New Delhi Rajpath Walk – 9 km, rated 1+

Following a post-breakfast Get Acquainted Orientation Meeting, our first walk takes us along the tree-lined streets of New Delhi, remnant of the colonial days of Great Britain. We continue down the Rajpath, ceremonial boulevard for the Republic of India connecting the Rashtrapati Bhavan (residence of the President of India) with the majestic India Gate. The walk finishes at peaceful Lodi Gardens, verdant mausoleum for the 15th century Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties. A visit through Old Delhi to the massive 17th century Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque) precedes a rickshaw ride through colorful, crowded Chandni Chowk, a bustling warren of markets and trade workshops.

Day 3: Feb 8 and Nov 3: Delhi – Agra (BD)
#2a: Taj Mahal & Agra Fort – 5 km, rated 1

This morning’s drive to Agra provides a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of transportation on every imaginable wheeled conveyance and beast of burden. Agra was capital of the Mughal Empire and remains home to what is arguably the most admired piece of architecture on the planet – the Taj Mahal. The grounds are extensive and our walk here offers many dazzling perspectives of this 17th century mausoleum for the favorite wife of Emperor Shah Jahan. We also visit Agra’s other highly regarded monument – Agra Fort – from the same era, sited dramatically on the banks of the Yamana River.

Day 4: Feb 9 and Nov 4: Agra – Ranthambhore (BD)
#2b: Keoladeo National Park – 5 km, rated 1+

Our first stop today offers a stroll in Keoladeo National Park. Due to its location on migratory flyways, this Unesco World Heritage site is considered among the top bird watching sites on the planet! Depending on the time of year, between 230 and 360 species of birds inhabit the reserve, plus a plethora of other flora and fauna. Our final destination is Ranthambhore, base for two game safaris tomorrow in Ranthambhore National Park.

Day 5: Feb 10 and Nov 5: Activities in Ranthambhore National Park (BLD)

Ranthambhore National Park is considered one of India’s most reliable tiger watching spots. And even if the tigers are playing shy, we’ll enjoy a wide array of other wildlife, including monkeys, peccaries, several kinds of deer and antelope, abundant and beautiful peacocks (India’s national bird), and a host of other colorful birds. A sunrise drive in game vehicles is followed by breakfast, lunch during the heat of the day, then a return to the park in the late afternoon for our second safari.

Day 6: Feb 11 and Nov 6: Ranthambhore – Jaipur (BD)
#3a: Ranthambhore Fort – 3 km, rated 2+

We return to the park this morning for a pre-breakfast walk through the dramatic ruins of Ranthambhore Fort. This slice of India feels like a Rudyard Kipling novel - dramatic 10th century stone ruins surrounded by abundant vegetation and inhabited by peacocks and a host of hovering gray langur monkeys, always hopeful for a handout. Following a late breakfast, we continue to Jaipur, the Pink City. The afternoon visit takes us to 18th century Jantar Mantar, a series of massive stone astronomical instruments designed by astrologer king Jai Singh II, founder of Jaipur. Tonight's special dinner experience is hosted by a local noble family who were feudal lords up until independence in 1948, collecting rents from tenants and supporting the King of Jaipur.

Day 7: Feb 12 and Nov 7: Activities from Jaipur (BL)
#3b: Jaipur Countryside Walk – 8 km rated 1+

One of Jaipur’s many wonders is picturesque Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal), conspicuous for its 953 multifaceted windows and niches, allowing ladies of royalty to see and not be seen. Leaving Jaipur, today’s walk takes us through tiny farming communities past fields of wheat and mustard seed. Towards the end of the walk, an optional elephant ride is offered over the last kilometer or two before we cross an elephant polo field, arriving for lunch at a hidden rural resort. Estimated price for elephant ride: $90

Day 8: Feb 13 and Nov 8: Jaipur – Deogarh (BD)
#4a: Deogarh Villages Walk – 7 km, rated 1+

Another memorable drive takes us deeper into the colorful state of Rajasthan. Upon arrival in Deogarh, we reach our hotel by walking through fascinating markets too narrow for our coach. Our hotel, Deogarh Mahal, is a converted 17th century palace owned by the local feudal lord. After familiarizing ourselves with these stately surroundings, we drive to a nearby village for a walk between farming communities where the sands of time have had little impact on the way of life. We never know what we’ll encounter – a potter at work, preparation for a wedding ceremony, but always a joyfully curious and uninhibited group of children eager to interact with the unexpected spectacle of foreigners.

Day 9: Feb 14 and Nov 9: Activities from Deogarh (BL)
#4b: Phulad Valley Walk – 4 km, rated 2
#5a: Deogarh Market Walk – 3 km, rated 1+

Today begins with a nostalgic train journey through tunnels, along mountain cuts, and past tiny one-man stations with sweeping views over the valley below. We disembark at a Hindu temple and trek through forests and villages to a lake where we'll enjoy a picnic lunch and more bird watching opportunities. Following time to rest at our castle hotel, the afternoon stroll winds through mesmerizing markets past cobblers, seamstresses, potters, jewelers, and other craftsmen displaying labor-intensive skills long lost in the West.

Day 10: Feb 15 and Nov 10: Deogarh – Kumbhalgarh (BD)
#5b: Challenge walk: Seengh Sagar Walk– 5 km, rated 2+

This morning’s walk covers rough terrain from Deogarh -  cross country over brushland and granite outcroppings, through villages, and down a country road to a delightful manor home. Here, we breakfast in style, surrounded by a pond rich in wildlife. Leaving Deogarh, we continue by coach to more unique lodgings, set amongst massive subtropical trees on the edge of Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Day 11: Feb 16 and Nov 11: Kumbhalgarh – Udaipur (BLD)
#6: Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary Walk – 10 km, rated 2

A jeep ride takes us deep into Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary to the start of today’s walk. We continue on foot along single track roads through pristine forest – huge statuesque trees, a wide variety of colorful birds, antelope retreating into the bush, and maybe a crocodile gliding through Thandi Beri Pond below our picnic stop. From Kumbhalgarh, we continue by coach to the 15th century Ranakpur Jain Temple (an offshoot of Hinduism), noted for its nearly 1,500 marble pillars, turrets, and cupolas. Our destination this evening is Fateh Garh, a luxury lodge owned by a noble family and set on a hill offering dramatic views over Udaipur and Lake Pichola.

Day 12: Feb 17 and Nov 12: Activities from Udaipur (BD)

Udaipur was one of the few kingdoms in northern India to remain independent of the Mughals and resist annexation by the British. This morning, we visit the 16th century City Palace, a labyrinth of royal structures, some still inhabited by the royal family. From the Bodi Gate, we stroll through one of the most colorful markets we’ve seen yet. The afternoon activity is a cruise on lovely Lake Pichola, returning to Fateh Garh to enjoy these palatial surroundings and a swimming pool ranked by Conde Nest magazine as one of the top 7 in the world for ambience and view.

Day 13: Feb 18 and Nov 13: Depart for Home - OR - Continue on for Mumbai Extension (B)

Departure day will be leisurely, with more time to enjoy the hotel before leaving, with regrets, for an afternoon flight to Delhi. Once in Delhi, you connect to flights back to North America, leaving behind this Land of 1000 Dimensions but taking with you a lasting impression of its complex conundrums and contrasts, its vibrant color and culture.

Optional Mumbai Voluntourism Extension

We fly south to Mumbai early on the last day of Walking India, leaving behind the lap of luxury and embracing the opportunity for a deeper understanding of the culture and contradictions of India. We spend the next four days in the greater Mumbai area, using as a base a comfortable hotel in an area with many stores and conveniences within easy reach.

Schedules are still being firmed up but will be organized in conjunction with Family Care Foundation (FCF), a charitable organization headquartered in California with operations around the globe. Our partner in Mumbai is an American named Mark Hanson, the manager of the FCF project there, who is helping us to weave the following activities into a fun, meaningful, eye-opening, and certainly unforgettable experience in Mumbai:

• Sightseeing tour of South Mumbai, center of historic Mumbai and 19th and early 20th century British colonialism
• Visit to the house Mahatma Gandhi called home whenever he was in Mumbai to learn about this social reformer who had a world-changing impact and led India to independence from Great Britain
• Walking tour through Dharavi, largest slum in Asia. This sobering experience takes us through both the commercial and residential sectors of this human beehive, and introduces us to the slum lifestyle in India. Dhavari figures prominently in the 2008 Hollywood movie, Slum Dog Millionaire and several of the child actors are residents of the Dharavi slum.
• Presentation by Mark Hanson about challenges facing India, and the potential solutions that present themselves; Q & A session to follow.
• Visit to Kalwa slum literacy classrooms organized and funded by the REAP Trust, founded by Doctor Trevor.
• Visit to a Start Early classroom in Kalwa slum designed to give younger children, ages 4 and 5, a head start learning English. English is the language of business in India and an avenue to admissions into the better private schools. Here, our WAI group will likely be involved in some kind of presentation or interactive activity with the children for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Participation in an Equal Opportunity Program (EOP) with about 100 kids enrolled in the REAP Trust literacy project. The program will involve presenting some kind of education or health-related message to the kids in a fun and interactive way – games, skits, songs, etc. Our group will be involved at some level and WAI will fund this program.
• Participation in an EOP fieldtrip designed to take children out of the slums, expose them to the larger world around them, and keep them motivated to stay engaged in the literacy projects. This fieldtrip will also be funded by WAI and will likely involve an open top bus tour through South Mumbai with live entertainers (face painter, balloon artists, etc). WAI travelers will be part of the chaperone team, providing another wonderful opportunity to connect with these beautiful children growing up in circumstances far more challenging than any we can imagine in North America.

On our last day in India, we'll enjoy a final activity, have time to freshen up at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for late evening flights to North America.

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Email us at fun@walkingadventures.com
Call us at 800-779-0353
PO BOX 871000 VANCOUVER WA 98687-1000 USA