india- golden triangle, beaches and backwaters itinerary

www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: [email protected]


WHY TRAVEL WITH US

Adventure travel trips specifically geared for working professionals from the same city. Odyssey Treks provides authentic cultural trips involving travel to remote, exotic areas with elements of physical participation and exploration of a new experience with optional volunteering opportunities. The great thing is everyone on the trip will be from the same city where you can share, relive, and get together back home after the trip.

What we want to create with this company is a community for you in your city where you can meet new friends, create meaningful relationships and have life time memories of unforgettable trips and journeys. We’ve met some truly remarkable people, shared some amazing experiences and have had some fantastic relationships through all our years of travel. The problem is all those people are scattered throughout the world. There’s amazing people, incredible friendships and wonderful relationships ready to be made right in your own city. Why not connect with them through travel and develop something meaningful and lasting.

All of our tours will incorporate our trip essence. This trip essence includes adventure, culture and volunteering opportunities. As well we promise to follow our guiding principles and core values on all of our trips.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

QUALITY Our accommodations, local guides, pre-departure service and suppliers are constantly monitored and consistently evaluated to ensure we uphold the standard of excellence. We will always ask for traveler suggestions, requirements and any safety concerns you may have for all our trips to make this the most memorable experience possible. FLEXIBILITY All of our tours offer optional activities throughout with plenty of free time to do your own thing. Of course we want you to do as many activities as possible with the group but we also understand that having time on your own is important as well. Our small groups can venture beyond the well-worn tourist paths and experience a destination’s less publicized but equally rewarding attractions. Our itineraries are creative and responsive and make the perfect one or two week vacation so you can take full of advantage. SMALL GROUPS Limiting our groups to no more than 16 participants plus one Odyssey Treks Tour Leader means we can maximize cultural immersion while minimizing environmental disruption. As food always plays an important role in the local cultural experience, we make a


point of avoiding large hotel buffets in favour of smaller, local restaurants. VALUE Since we design, develop and work with local partners in each country no one is more familiar with the intricacies of our product than ourselves. When you book with us, you take advantage of this first-hand knowledge and an extensive network of worldwide contacts; you’ll be in good hands with Odyssey Treks.

What Odyssey Treks does is make everything easy for you from the moment you land in the country to the time you get back on that plane to go home. There’s no need to do hours and hours of planning. Let us take out all the stresses of traveling so you can enjoy your time away. Remember it’s a vacation for you. We’re going to make sure you have a fantastic time! If something were to go wrong going we will be there to help you, support you and make sure whatever challenges there are you won’t be alone. We’ve found our travel experiences sometimes things can go wrong unfortunately- that’s the nature of traveling in foreign countries.

Our CORE VALUES

Develop Friendships and Community

Create Happiness

Responsibility

Provide Opportunities

Explore and Challenge

We hope you choose to travel with a purpose and to travel with us!

Here’s a quote from the Dalai Lama- his words I truly believe in. “We’ve lost something along the way. Our society focuses on material things and for some reason people measure others by what they have instead who they are. I wish everyone happiness and finding it can be difficult. The happiest people I’ve met are those in villages that have nothing. It’s remarkable seeing these happy kids. For them they have family, friends and an imagination.”

Ryan- Owner Odyssey Treks


Overview

Come, seek and discover why all your senses will come alive. Match India’s rhythms to your

heart, its colours to your mind, and find a travel experience that is yours alone. India offers a

different aspect of her personality – exotic, extravagant, elegant, eclectic, inspire, frustrate,

thrill and confound all at once. India presents an extraordinary spectrum of encounters for each

traveler to the country.

An India like no other is friendly, warm, welcoming … and uniquely your own.

Tour highlights

The Golden Triangle- Experience the magic of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur. The Golden Triangle covers

three golden cities of India- historical Delhi, enchanting Agra and the colourful Jaipur. This

triangle has been dubbed “golden” for the extraordinary wealth of cultural and historical

splendour on offer in each of the three cities.

We then take you on an adventurous journey as India offers a plethora of activities. Adventure

lovers indulge in whitewater rafting in the rivers of the upper Himalayas as well some excellent

trekking and mountaineering await. We will head to the desert town of Bikaner in Rajasthan.

This is where your camel safari awaits you.

Kerala, located in the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, is the greenest state of the

country. Besides being blessed with abundant natural beauty, the state is also known for its

exotic culture and lifestyle that seems to take you away from the hectic city life. The hill

stations and the wildlife sanctuaries of Kerala are very popular with tourists. One of the finest

options is to soak up the natural charm of Kerala by taking a houseboat cruise across its verdant

backwaters.


TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1 Arrival at New Delhi. Welcome to India, arrival in New Delhi. You will be met by our

representative / driver at the airport and transferred to your hotel. City sightseeing tour (City

Walk) participants of City Walk get to go on a journey through the enchanting streets of the

inner city of Paharganj and the area around New Delhi railway station, led by a child who was

once living and working on the streets. This walk takes you on a journey through the

backstreets of Delhi with a child who has been fully trained as a local guide. It’s a unique way of

providing an insight into the lives of these children and an opportunity for them to improve

their communication and speaking skills. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKcSrtFKnr8

Day 2 Morning drive to New Delhi airport to catch flight to Dehradun. On arrival in Dehradun

our driver will meet you at the airport and transfer you to Rishikesh Camp. Afternoon activities

include rafting and hiking. Overnight stay at Rishikesh Camp in swiss tents. (THE CAMP IS 50KM

FROM RISHIKESH)

http://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/city-walk.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKcSrtFKnr8


Day 3 Rishikesh After breakfast you’ll have the opportunity to kayak or relax and checkout the

city. Overnight in Train. Night train on day 3 to Bikaner at 7:10pm. You’ll get to experience how

millions of locals ride the rails here in India. Arrival in Bikaner the next morning 10:50am.

Day 4 Bikaner (Camel Safari)


Day 5 Bikaner (Village Tour & Cooking course) afternoon drive to Jaipur

Day 6 Jaipur Volunteer opportunities (optional) helping in Jaipur with the elephants. You will

mostly be feeding them, helping to make chapatis as the elephants eat special bread made for

them, washing them, cleaning stables, painting their faces for traditional ceremony and working

with the mahouts (caregivers)

http://www.khayavolunteer.com/volunteer/india.html

Day 7 Jaipur Volunteer opportunities (optional) in Jaipur with the street children project where

you can assist with teaching, games and sports activities. Individual attention, playing a game

and getting int contact with these children can really make an impact on them as well you. Both

options are available to you on either of the days. If you decide you want free time or to go

sightseeing we will arrange a local guide for you on either of the days.

http://www.khayavolunteer.com/volunteer/india.html


Day 8 Drive to Agra (Agra Fort sunset trip to Taj Mahal)

Day 9 Morning drive to New Delhi airport to catch flight to Cochin. (Taj sunrise optional) On

arrival visit Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue and Chinese fishing nets. Overnight stay in Cochin

Day 10 Munnar After breakfast drive to Munnar. On arrival visit Mattupetty Lake & Dam, Echo

Point, Kundale Lake, Blossom Garden, Rajamalai, Tea Plantation, Punarjani Traditional Village.

Overnight stay in Munnar at Camp Noel.

http://youtu.be/6GpJ5rH59QI


Day 11 Alleppey Backwater Morning drive to Alleppey to be dropped off at your houseboat.

Rest of the day at leisure on the houseboat. Sit back and relax while the boat cruises through

the narrow serene backwater canals. Lunch, evening tea/coffee with snacks, dinner and enjoy

your evening on the sundeck away from polluted cities and maddening crowd. Overnight stay

on houseboat


Kerala houseboat experience

“Great food and relaxing! Do it!”

“Our day on the houseboat in the backwaters of Kerala was great! The houseboat are

luxuriously equipped and the on board chef really knows how to cook some of the best food

we've had in India! That's a great experience you should not miss.”

Day 12- Off to the beach to enjoy a free day.

Day 13- Flight to New Delhi Morning drive to Cochin airport to catch flight to New Delhi. On

arrival to New Delhi you’re able to go your separate ways and catch your connecting flights or

check into hotel for a farewell dinner. Overnight stay in New Delhi.

TRIP/ROUTE MAP


PRICING $2999USD WITH MY OWN ROOM ADD $899USD

DEPARTURE CITIES AND DATES

Please check our website for the latest dates and departure cities.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING RATING: 3 out of 5

THIS TOUR IS FOR EVERYONE

Cultural Rating: 4 out of 5

Accommodations

3 star comfort hotels, guesthouses, bungalows

Meals Included

All breakfasts are included.

All meals are inclusive in Rishikesh swiss tented camp and on

houseboat in Alleppey. 2 additional dinners are included

Meal Budget: Allow USD15-50 for meals and drinks (including bottled water) not included.

What’s included

1. All transport related expenses to and from airport as well on tour. This also includes all

internal flights:

A. New Delhi to Dehradun

B. New Delhi to Cochin


C. Cochin to New Delhi

and Dehradun to Bikaner overnight train

2. Excursions on the way like Fatehpur Sikiri, Amber Fort, Tea Plantation, Punarjani Traditional

Village, all sightseeing tours in each city, including City Walk with street kids etc.

3. All rafting, kayaking, hiking, camel safari and houseboat excursions

4. Cooking class and village tour in Bikaner

5. Volunteering opportunities in Jaipur with Khaya Volunteer Projects

What’s Not Included

International flights, airport/departure taxes, visas, pre or post tour accommodation, optional

tours sightseeing or activities during free time, transfers outside of the tour program, tips and

items of a personal nature, laundry and any alcohol purchased or consumed.

Some places that we visit charge additional fees if you are entering with a camera or camcorder

- your city guide will advise on these and they can be paid for locally.

Any travel vaccinations that are required.

Travel Medical Insurance (this is mandatory and must be shown to our tour leader before trip

begins) If you need travel insurance please go to our website and get a free quote

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/india

india- golden triangle, beaches and backwaters itinerary

Documents

local cultural experience

us adventure travel

authentic cultural trips

new experience

years of travel

trip essence

local guides

meaningful relationships