Vacations with a Purpose

Other than just having fun.

From Outlook Magazine, 17 January 2011, Hobos Ride a Hobby by Smita Mitra, Page 62. I just copied these down while waiting for 2 hours at a doctor's clinic - if there are no Web sites given for anything, it means it wasn't given in the magazine, you will need to google and find out contact details. If the site id is wrong, google for the name and get the correct one - I corrected a few, they were actually .in and not .com. Am sure most of these places will have a Facebook page, so search for more info there.

Culinary Tours

Rushina's Masala Trails

www.holidayonthemenu.com

www.nimmypaul.com

Rural Holidays

www.traveltocare.com

www.namastay.in

www.rusticholidays.co.in

http://www.grassroutes.co.in

http://www.grassroutesjourneys.com

Hobby Holidays

Pottery at the Andretta Pottery and Craft Society in Himachal

Painting at Cholamandal Artists' village in Chennai

Short-stay getaways like Hide-Out and Art Escape.

http://www.brokencompass.in offers bespoke holidays to offbeat locations that revolve around activities like music, dance, tribal art.

Spiritual Holidays

Tushita meditation centre at Dharamshala

Tureya Ashram

Karuna Farm at Kodaikanal

Vipassana meditation courses at Igatpuri (www.dhamma.org)

Volunteer Vacation

Ecomantra

Journeys with Meaning

www.ecotourism.org

http://www.grassroutesjourneys.com

Adventure Tours

http://www.getoffurass.com

Temple Pilots in Mumbai

www.diveindia.com

www.laccadive.in

Photo Journeys

www.earthtoskyphotosafaris.com

www.photographyonthemove.com

www.phototours.in

Light and Life Academy in Ooty

Travel to Bhutan

All info from a friend -

How to get there

It's a deceptively large country! If you want to see all of Bhutan, then exit from east Bhutan to Guwahati, while entering from Phuentsholing. An overnight train from Calcutta can get you to Hasimara Junction. From there it's a short jeep or bus ride into Jaigon, the Indian border town. Stay in Jaigoan, or drive into Phuentsholing in Bhutan. Stay overnight, or drive upto Thimphu, if you can leave early enough for the 6 hr ride. Permits are done in Phuentsholing. It takes half-a-day. Within Bhutan, it is best to hire a cab and drive around. There is public transport, but is very sketchy.

Another option is to enter Bhutan from Guwahati and exit from Phuentsholing. Entry permits from Guwahati might be harder to get, but it's worth checking.

Recommendations

Contact: Mindup, an experienced tour operator at : mindupg@yahoo.com or 17609768 or Dorji, a seasoned driver and guide at 17621214

Always go with a Bhutanese Travel Agency for everything – car, guide, reservations. There are Indian operators, but they are mostly out of their depth, as we discovered rather expensively. Any operator that you pick will take care of both the permit and the accomodation.

Different regions will need separate permits, as also the different monasteries. A impulsive trip will be difficult to pull off, you're better off knowing where you want to go, at least broadly.

Prices

Coffees and teas might seem expensive (going from India), but food is affordable, and the portions are always large, and substantial. The cabs start at Rs 12 per km if you drive more than 100 kms a day or a flate rate of Rs 1200 per day. Hotels range from Rs 800 per night all the way to Rs 12,000.

Indian currency is accepted everywhere, and in fact, Bhutanese currency is accepted in Jaigaon.

Travel in North East India

A friend of mine went for this fantastic trip spanning Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam, through these people - Gypsy Feet - they specialize in North East India.

http://gypsyfeettravels.wordpress.com/about/ -

a group of young enthusiastic people who provide you a personalized itinerary, which can include off-beat experiences and much contact with the local people, customs, crafts and food.

Travel. Adventure. Photography on the move

Check out Santosh's amazing combination of offers -


http://www.getoffurass.com