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INDIAN ENCOUNTERS
Northern India

In the foothills of the Western Himalaya, overlooking the Kangra valley, we meet the Hindu Gaddi shepherds who lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle. During the summer months they travel great distances by crossing high passes in search of good grazing grounds for their animals. We spend 3 days walking and meeting the Gaddi people in their villages. After the village walk, we travel to Palampur in the Kangra valley and stay in style at the Taragarh palace, formerly the private residence of the Maharaja of Kashmir. Homeward bound we board the narrow gauge 'Goddess' train on a spectacular journey down the valley. In Agra we will see the Taj Mahal at sunset, visit Fateh-pur Sikri, the deserted city of red sandstone that was built by Emperor Akbar and stay at Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, one of the finest in the world and home to more than 360 species.

INTRODUCTION

Overlooking Dharmsala and the Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh lies Dharamkot (7,200ft/2,195m), home to the Butterworths whose family have lived in India for many generations. The area is renowned for wildlife. In recent years a leopard killed the Butterworths' chickens! But besides leopards, there exist black bears, porcupine, various types of deer and mountain goats, langur and rhesus monkeys, jackals, pine marten, and the local equivalent of the yeti known as a Gye. The bird life is fantastic, ranging from a host of brightly-coloured small species to parrots, griffon vultures, lamagier, eagles and different types of forest pheasant. Home to the Gaddi people who live a semi-nomadic lifestyle, the village walk takes us through the valleys that lie between the Dhaula Dhar range of mountains and the Kangra valley. It is an enchanting region of heavily wooded glades of pine, oak and rhododendron trees, green meadows and shrines dedicated to the Goddess Durga.

Christina Noble's book 'Over the High Passes' gives a perfect description of the Gaddi people and this region: Publisher: FORTANA/COLLINS. ISBN 0-00-637350-X

The Gaddi shepherds migrate annually with their small flocks of sheep and goats in search of grazing areas, a search that will entail covering mountainous terrain and crossing high passes for six months of the year. A proud and hospitable people, the Gaddi shepherds are superstitious and devout worshippers of the Goddess Durga, whose name they invoke for protection against evil spirits and to ensure a safe journey over mountain passes. During the walk we camp close to Gaddi hamlets and sometimes share a campsite; visitors are always welcome.

This is a very pretty walk in an unspoilt part of the Himalaya. You are unlikely to see any other Europeans. The village children do not beg and locals generally love having their photo taken. The spring walk enjoys a wealth of rhododendron: the locals collect the petals to make jam.

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1 DEPART LONDON. Fly to Delhi.

DAY 2 ARRIVE DELHI, SIGHTSEEING THEN TRANSFER TO OVERNIGHT TRAIN. The flight arrives around midnight. Transfer to your Delhi hotel (for information on Delhi hotels please see the notes at the end of the itinerary). You check out at midday and in the afternoon we provide transport and an English-speaking guide to take you on a sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi. The heat, dust, sights and sounds of India's frenetic capital are quite an initial culture shock! This is followed by an evening (approx. 19.00 hours) transfer to the railway station to board the express train to Pathankot, travelling in air-conditioned sleeper compartments. The express is due to depart at 21.00 hours.

DAY 3: ARRIVE PATHANKOT, DRIVE TO MCLEOD GANJ. The train arrives at 07.20 hrs. A two and a half hour taxi ride takes us to McLeod Ganj (6,200ft/1,890m). You break your journey to have breakfast at Kotla. McLeod Ganj is home to a thriving Tibetan community, who settled here with the Dalai Lama in 1959. In the afternoon there is a sightseeing tour laid on for those that wish, otherwise the time is yours to explore the town or relax at the Hotel. Overnight at the Hotel Tibet.

DHARAMSALA & McLEODGANJ

Population approx. 16,000. Founded in 1855, it has one of the most spectacular settings for a Hill Station. It is built along a spur of the Dhauladhar range and varies in height from 4,500ft at the bazaar to 5,900ft at McLeod Ganj. It is surrounded by trees and is set against a backdrop of peaks rising to over 15,600ft/4,755m on three sides. The great granite mountains almost overhang the town. Views are superb, not only of the mountains but also over the Kangra Valley and Siwaliks. There are two sections to the town, the upper part is McLeod Ganj and the lower is called Dharmsala. The distance between them is almost 10km by road from centre to centre but there is a shorter, steeper path that takes about 40 minutes to cover. In both there is a strong Tibetan influence.

The Dalai Lama settled here after his flight across the Himalaya following the Chinese invasion of Tibet in October 1959. There is a monastery at McLeod Ganj, a short distance along from the Dalai Lama's residence, and a Library.

Dharmsala was one of the 80 hill stations established by the British between 1815 and 1847 though it was not on a par with Shimla, Nainital and Mussoorie in terms of popularity and size. The Church of St John-in-the-Wilderness (1860) is a short distance below McLeod Ganj on the way to Forsythganj. Along with other buildings in the area it was destroyed by the earthquake of 1905 but has been rebuilt. The 8th Lord of Elgin, one of the few Viceroys to die in office, is buried here. Apparently, it was his wish as it reminded him of his beloved native Scotland. There are some very attractive stained glass windows.

Nowadays McLeod Ganj is home to a large community of Tibetans who settled here in the years following 1959 with their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

DAY 4 WALK TO GEHRA (6,000ft/1,829m). Approx. 5 hours walk. After breakfast you leave Mcleod Ganj behind and ascend into pine and rhododendron forest before reaching Dal Lake. The highest point of today's walk is just before Dal Lake at around 6,700ft/2,042m (not to be confused with the Kashmir lake!) for an early lunch. To continue our journey you pass several hamlets before descending towards Gehra, your first campsite. There is a chance to swim and rest tired feet in the nearby river. You may well see monkeys in this area.

DAY 5 WALK TO NOLI. (7,000ft/2,134m). Approx. 5 hours walk. Morning tea is brought to you first thing. After a leisurely breakfast, you make your way along winding shepherd trails, through a valley dotted with villages and cultivated terraces until you reach Kereri, a small village inhabited by Gaddi shepherds where you have lunch. Here there is a one hundred year old Forest Officer's bungalow. Built by the British, it was part of a system of local administration. Many villages have Water Buffalo and you may well see the men and women spinning and weaving wool. In the afternoon you have a gradual ascent through pine, oak and rhododendron forest to reach Noli, gateway to the domain of the Gaddi shepherds. Camp beside wooden bridge at Noli.

DAY 6 WALK TO DHARAMKOT. We walk past village hamlets and cultivated terraces before reaching Dharmkot (7,200ft), home to the Butterworth family Approximately 5 hours walk. Picnic lunch along the way. Camp or stay in stone cottages.

DAY 7 AT LEISURE IN MCLEODGANJ. There is a 1 hour walk down through the woods from Dharamkot to McLeod Ganj. The day is spent exploring the Tibetan handicrafts centre run by the Dalai Lama's sister.

DAY 8 STAY AT THE NORBULINGKA CENTRE. A 1 hour drive down the Kangra valley takes us to the tranquil and charming Norbulingka Institute set in a park inspired by the Dalai Lama's summer residence in Tibet. Situated in the valley below Dharamsala, it is modelled on traditional Tibetan styles. Surrounded by green fields and villages of the Kangra Valley, the Institute stands against the backdrop of the towering Dhauladhar range of the outer Himalayas in Northern India.

Dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture in both its literary and artistic forms, the Institute comprises workshops where masters, artists, crafts people and scholars pass on the traditional knowledge and skills of statue making, thangka painting, appliqué, tailoring, woodcarving and metal craft in a unique bid to preserve the endangered heritage of the Tibetan people.

The Institute includes the unique Seat of Happiness Temple, a centre for higher learning for Tibetan students and a museum of hand-crafted dolls displaying the elaborate costumes of old Tibet. The Norling crafts outlet provides the opportunity to obtain original and affordable hand crafted gifts in the Institute.

Set among beautiful gardens and tumbling streams, your overnight stay in the comfortable Norbulingka Guest House will be distinguished by the personal touch and beautiful decorations and furniture made by the crafts people themselves. Tibetan and Indian Cuisine will be prepared by a Tibetan Cook taking your personal preferences into account.

DAY 9 DRIVE TO PALAMPUR. Today we go back in time to the days of Maharajahs. We first drive for about two hours in a private vehicle through ever-increasingly well-cultivated land. Outside the busy town of Palampur, the old palace of the Maharaja of Kashmir stands in beautiful gardens and is surrounded by tea estates. Its faded glory is an intensely- interesting insight into the wealth and style of the old Maharajas of India. Overnight Tarragarh Palace Hotel.

Day 10: AT LEISURE IN TARRAGARH. In the afternoon we will have the opportunity to visit the nearby local tea factory to buy and try some fresh local tea.

Day 11: DRIVE TO ANDRETTA, TOY TRAIN TO PATHANKOT. We drive to Andretta, (half hour drive) a picturesque village surrounded by tea gardens to embark on a spectacular 3 hour journey through the foothills of the Himalayas on the narrow gauge toy train called the 'Goddess' train (so called because of the many shrines and temples it passes en-route) until we reach the ancient town of Kangra. Our journey continues by taxi to Pathankot station to board the overnight air-conditioned sleeper train to Agra.

Day 12: SIGHTSEEING IN AGRA. In Agra you will be met on arrival and transferred by taxi to the 4 star Oberoi Trident Hotel. During this time your guide will accompany you on guided tours of the Taj Mahal. This magnificent monument to love was built in 1653 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in everlasting memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Soon after the Taj was built (it took 22 years to complete) the emperor was deposed by his son Auranzeb and spent the remainder of his life a prisoner in Agra Fort, from where he could see the Taj from across the river. We have time to wander in the beautiful gardens whilst watching the sunrise on this wonder of the modern world. In the afternoon we make the drive to Fatehpur Sikri, the ancient capital city of the Mughal Empire that was built by the Emperor Akbar. Built in 1570 the entire city was abandoned because the water supply (or so it was thought) dried up. It now stands as a perfectly preserved example of Mughal architecture. Overnight the Oberoi Trident Hotel.

Day 13: DRIVE TO BHARATPUR BIRD SANCTUARY, VIA FATEHPUR SIKRI. We drive today to the 29 sq kms Bharatphur Bird Sanctuary, one of the finest in the world and home to more than 360 species. En route we will visit Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted city of red sandstone that was built by Emperor Akbar as his capital and palace in the late 16th century. It was a veritable fairytale city and its ruins are still in pristine condition, giving us an idea of what court life must have been like in its heyday. We will also visit the 41m-high Buland Darwaza, the largest gateway in the world, built around 1576 to celebrate Akbar's conquest of Gujarat. On arrival at Bharatpur, we will check in to the Laxmi Vilas Palace, a hotel converted from a palace, which was built in 1899 for the younger brother of the Maharaja of Bharatpur. This afternoon we travel to the bird sanctuary that used to form the hunting estate of the Maharajas of Bharatpur, where the daily shoot was reputed to be as high as 100,000 birds. However Maharaja Brajendra Singh converted the estate into a bird sanctuary in 1956. He had inherited both the crown and an interest in wildlife from his deposed father, Kishan Singh, who was dismissed in the early 1920s for gross misrule. This is the best time of year to visit the sanctuary, when it attracts Northern hemisphere migratory birds. This afternoon we will take a tour to see some of the many resident species that include egrets, ducks, coots, storks, kingfishers, spoonbills, Sarus cranes and several birds of prey, such as falcons, greater spotted and Pallas eagles and marsh harriers. The sanctuary is also home to other wildlife, including chital deer, wild cats, hyenas, wild boar and some very large rock pythons to be found near Python Point! Overnight at the Laxmi Vilas Palace.

Day 14 AT LEISURE IN BHARATPUR. A guided tour of the the park will be arranged in the afternoon. Overnight the Laxmi Villas Palace.

Day 15 RETURN TO DELHI. Drive to Agra (Approximately 60kms) in the morning. Late afternoon train to Delhi. (Approximately 2 hours by train) Arrive Delhi in the early evening and transfer by taxi to your Hotel. After dinner transfer by taxi to the airport.

Day 16 FLY TO LONDON

Meal Plan: B&B in Delhi, Palampur, Agra, Bharatpur, Full board during village walk.

Max altitude during walk: 2250m (7200ft)

SPENDING MONEY: Allow about £3 a day for incidentals and tips, perhaps a little more if you enjoy a few beers as these are comparatively expensive in India.

SIGHTSEEING: There are guided tours of Delhi and places of interest as specified in your itinerary. Not included: Entry fees to monuments of historical importance.

TRAIN TRAVEL. Train travel is by air-conditioned carriage. Bedding is normally provided free of charge on the train (sheets, pillows and blankets)

ACCOMMODATION:

DELHI: We use the Siddarth Hotel, a comfortable 4-star hotel. Facilities include swimming pool, bar, coffee shop, restaurants room service and it is fully air-conditioned.

MCLEODGANJ: Hotel Tibet. Basic clean comfortable accommodation and friendly service in one of the best local hotels.

NORBULINGKA: En-suite Guest House accommodation.

PALAMPUR: Tarragarh. Former summer residence of the Maharaja of Kashmir. En-suite accommodation. Facilities include bar, dining room, lounge and small swimming pool.

AGRA: We use the Oberoi Trident Hotel, comfortable with restaurant, bar, swimming pool, room service and it is fully air-conditioned.

RATHAMBORE: The Ankur Resort. En-suite accommodation. Facilities include restaurant (multicuisine) bar and travel desk.

BHARATPUR: We use the Laxmi Vilas Palace, a hotel converted from a palace built in 1899 for the younger brother of the Maharaja of Bharatpur.

EQUIPMENT PROVIDED. We provide 'A' frame or dome tents which have room for two people plus all of your equipment. There is also a dining tent, a toilet tent exclusively for our group use, and a kitchen and staff tent. There are camp chairs or stools, a kerosene/gas lamp or candles for reading in the dining tent at night, stainless steel crockery and tableware and foam sleeping mats. We strongly recommend you bring your own karrimat or therma-a-rest as well. The staff complement of cooks and assistants are always in attendance. They put up and take down the tents, make the tea, cook the food, wash the dishes, load the porters and carry a load of their own. They work extremely hard and are always willing to help. If you want to join in putting up tents and taking them down, you are free to do so, but it is not expected.

TIMINGS GIVEN ARE APPROXIMATE ONLY