Golden Triangle 7 day tour in India

Planet

* We put a lot of thought in working with local providers, making sure that everyone involved in your trip is committed to sharing advice on how best to leave a lighter footprint. We promote excursions which foster a more sustainable tourism and commit to maintaining small-group sizes to limit negative environmental impacts in accordance to the carrying capacity of the visited site.

* We are trying to keep the extra unneeded waste to a minimum in all our tours through our “bring it in, bring it out” policy for litter and rubbish such as food packaging and recycling wherever possible.

* We have a recycling policy in our UK and local offices and re-use or recycle the information booklets we provide to every client on arrival wherever possible. Moreover, we do not produce a glossy brochure, concentrating on a comprehensive website, and providing as much information to our travellers as possible electronically, reducing the use of paper and inks.

* On your trip we will include transport modes like traditional cycle rickshaws or train rides, which will reduce our carbon footprint and will also give you the opportunity to meet and interact with the local people.
Whenever possible we will give preference to slow, possibly non-motorized forms of mobility, such as city walks or bicycles. If motorized forms are unavoidable, we make sure that vehicle sizes are as small as appropriate and proper licensing on vehicles and certifying to national emission standards are maintained.

* For your tour we have chosen responsible hotels such as family-run boutique hotels or small boutique homestays. The Coral Court in Agra for example is a colourful homestay that offers historical heritage and matchless Indian Hospitality. Or the Ikaki Niwas in Jaipur, a family-run hotel offers traditionally decorated rooms with local art. The Ikaki Niwas hotel also works with Ikaki Bagh, a farm on the outskirts of Jaipur which is run with the objective to inspire small and marginal farmers to adopt organic farm practices, sustainability initiatives and environment conservation.
Active involvement in the overall development of the area has led the Ikaki Bagh team to facilitate better education for poor children and empowering the women of the village. You can contribute to the multiple projects in process by choosing to visit and experience the farm during your stay.

* Through this trip you will contribute to the preservation of precious ancient monuments, knowledge and Unesco World Heritage sites. You will visit the Red Fort for example, demonstrating the exceptional results achieved in planning and architecture.

* During this tour you will also stay at the UNESCO Awarded Heritage Haveli in the heart of Old Delhi. Haveli Dharampura revives the many traditions and art forms staying true to its ethos of providing a platform for the authentic art of India.
The historic Haveli, which was built in 1887 AD, was restored from the brink of dereliction and was awarded UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The goal behind renovating this haveli was to engage traditional ways of construction with modern knowledge to preserve the architectural heritage. Protection of the potential archaeological deposit in the land was always a top priority. At all times, drawings and photographs of archival quality have been maintained of the physical works carried out during renovation as documentation of precious history. All the old furniture found before renovation has been carefully preserved and a new one designed keeping in mind the elegant style of the period the haveli belongs to.

People

* On your trip you can live special experiences which will help keep local wisdoms and traditions alive, encouraging local artisan and culture, for example by participating in the experience of the traditional block printing of Jaipur, in going on your food tour of Chandni Chowk - one of the oldest and most colourful markets in Old Delhi, or in a traditional cooking demonstration and sharing dinner with a local family in your Ikkaki Niwas hotel. You can get up close and personal not only with Indian cuisine, but with the people behind it. You learn about the secret home recipes and culture over an exclusive time booked with the family - learn about spices, about the Indian lifestyle, about the ingredients and techniques that are age old, time tested and good for your health...

* We make sure we only work with local guides that come from the very region you are visiting. Through this trip you are hence giving back to their families and communities. While many operators pay per day or per tour, our guides receive an hourly rate which allows a fair and fruitful reward for their expertise. We provide staff with written employment contracts and fair working conditions (e.g. overtime payment, national wage requirements, no discrimination, grievance mechanisms in place and no child labour).

* Furthermore we ensure that our drivers do not more than 9 hours of driving per day and are provided adequate accommodation and do not drive at night (with the exception of airport pick-ups/drop-offs). After a driving period of 4.5 h the driver must take a break of at least 45 min.

* Our tour guides receive special training in how to leave a lower impact on the trips and in regional conservation projects.

* If you want to do additional shopping, we will take you to local markets where locals of that very region craft their products to help keep the money earned in that very community. When we take you to local shops or markets we change the selected shops on a rotating basis. Also we make sure food stops are at locally owned cafes or restaurants and give customers recommendations on locally owned shops and restaurants, especially new start-ups.

* We ensure customer awareness by familiarizing our guests with local history, culture, religions and traditions, by informing on culturally appropriate behavior, (e.g. dress codes for religious sites, taking photographs of people, language tips, etc.).

* By travelling with us, you help us support the Sharp Memorial School for the Blind in Dehradun. It´s India's oldest school for the visually impaired set in a wonderful location of the Indian Himalayas. Unfortunately the school's residents do not have the opportunity to see the wonderful surroundings but are cared for admirably by Mr Samuels, his wife Sumana and their wonderful team.