Indian Odyssey by Rail Adventure Tour

Travel like a local on this 54-day trip, exploring India by train from the northeast to the southwest. Skip the backpacking and let the train ' and the innumerable beautiful sights ' move you, from the Taj Mahal to the colours of Rajasthan to the ruins of Karnataka. This trip will hit some of the country's highlights, with loads of time to hop off and get to know your surroundings in a way only a Rail tour allows. The trip won't last forever, but the memories definitely will.

Highlights

Witness the famous India
Pakistan border ceremony, see Delhi on a walking tour led by a former at
risk youth, Explore the Bundi Fort and stepwells, ride the toy trains of Shimla and Darjeeling, Indulge in the amazing food of seaside Goa, Experience a homestay in the Kerala Backwaters, Visit the ghats of Varanasi

What's Included

Your G for Good Moment: Women on Wheels Transfer, Indira Gandhi International Airport Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group. Golden Temple visit. Wagah border ceremony. McLeod Ganj orientation walk. Dalai Lama Temple visit. Bhagsunag visit. Rewalsar Lake orientation walk. Taj Mahal visit. Agra Fort visit. Jaipur orientation walk. Amber Fort visit. Udaipur orientation walk. Jagdish Temple and City Palace visit. Rajasthani cultural show. Bundi Fort and stepwells visit. Colaba area walking tour. Gateway of India visit. Beach time in Goa. Walking tour and ruins visit in Hampi. Hazararama Temple visit. Mysore Palace and Chamunda Hill visits. Namdroling Monastery visit. Coffee plantation tour. Madikeri Fort and Raja's Seat visit. Fort Kochi and Chinese fishing nets visit. Backwaters canal ride. Vivekananda Rock and Ramkrishna Ashram visit. Meenakshi Temple visit. Cycle tour to Shore Temple and Mamallapuram Beach. Charminar and Golconda Fort visit. Jagannath Temple visit. Raghuraj Pur village visit. Victoria Memorial visit. Visit Mother Teresa's House. Tiger Hill sunrise visit. Tea estate visit. Mahakal Temple visit. Peace Pagoda visit. Toy train ride. Rumtek Monastery day trip. Deolo Hill visit. Evening ghats visit. Sunrise boat trip on the Ganges. Bara Imambara visit. Orientation walks in Darjeeling, Gangtok, and Kalimpong. Internal flights. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Accommodation

Hotels/guesthouses (47 nts), sleeper trains (5 nts), homestay (1 nt).

Meals Included

3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners

Transport

Train (seats), train (beds), Shatabdi Express train, toy trains, private van, walking

About our Transportation

TRAINS The best way to see India is at ground level on the railway system. In fact, no visit to India would be complete without the experience of tavelling on a train and negotiating the busy railway stations. The chaos in the Indian Railway stations is a replica of the life in India. Indian trains are not merely a conveyance they are an odyssey so sit back relax, be patient and enjoy the show. G Adventures uses a combination of AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier and sleeper class (for overnight journeys) and AC Chair car or second class seats for day journeys. Indian railways operate with a centralized reservation system. This means that G Adventures cannot control how seats are assigned within a class. Despite our requests to seat the entire group together, often times seats are spread out in the coach or throughout different coaches. This is all part of the adventure that is travelling India by rail. Take advantage of the opportunity to chat with locals and remember you always have the support of your CEO. There are no restaurant or buffet cars on Indian Railways, but on long distance trains an attendant will appear in your coach and ask you if you would like to order food. Regular stops are made at stations where food is also available and on some trains many vendors board the train selling chai, cold drinks and crisps and biscuits. Don't expect pristine western standards anywhere in India, but you'll find AC2, AC3 and AC Chair class fairly clean by Indian standards, with both western
style and squat toilets usually in a reasonably sanitary condition. Sleeper Class and 2nd class toilets may be a different matter! Bring your own toilet paper and hand wash soap or antibacterial lotion. Indian trains are quite safe to travel on, even for families or women travelling alone, and you are unlikely to have any problems. Having said that, theft of luggage, although rare is not unheard of, so just for peace of mind you might like to take along a chain and padlock to secure your bags (readily available at all Indian stations). Generally, Indian Railways are very efficient, but Indian trains do run late particularly in winter time when fog is heavy, and sometimes it's hours rather than minutes. Make sure you have something to occupy your time ' a good book, music, a magazine or photos of your home country and family to show the Indian travellers also waiting for the train. You should also have snacks and water for the journey. Please note that you MUST be comfortable carrying your own luggage, as there will be a lot of up and down stairs on this trip due to the size and layout of train stations in India. Most often, you will not have access to escalators or elevators. You will also be required to carry your luggage short distances between transport start or end points and hotels. ROAD Traveling by road in India is certainly not what people are use to in Western countries. Rules are not always followed, drivers appear to speed, do not stay in their lanes, overtake in seemingly dangerous situations, rarely use their mirrors or driving lights at night time. The horn however is used very frequently and can range from the latest Bollywood tune to Britney Spears! In India, although the government is investing large sums of money improving the road infrastructure, there is a lot more to be done. As a result, in India, some of the roads are poorly maintained, pot holed and uneven. This gets even more pronounced particularly during and after the monsoon. Travel time covering relatively short distances is very long in comparison to Western countries.

Group Leader

Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout, local guides.

Emergency Fund

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Solo Travellers

We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi
share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Spending Money

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

What to Take

You will be on the move a lot, so our advice is to pack as lightly as possible. We highly recommend using a backpack or whatever you find easiest to carry, plus a small daypack. Remember that luggage space on public transport is limited. You must be prepared to carry your own bags and be comfortable carrying them between transport and hotels, hopping on and off trains and public transportation, and up and down stairs. Standard luggage allowance for internal flights is 15kg (33lb) for checked luggage, and is 7kg (15lb) for carry
on luggage. Any charges for additional luggage or weight is the responsibility of the passenger.