Archive for the ‘Featured Tours’ Category
As you may have read in our monthly newsletter, Sri Lanka is the August Featured Tour. Many of you have started reserving your packages to the “Emerald Isle” and saving $100 per person!
Sri Lanka is the teardrop island nation that rests at the toe of India. With rows of coconut palms, dense forests and clear waters of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is an incredible offshore garden. In this package, spend 8 days exploring Colombo, Habarana, Kandy and Bentota. Also included is a visit to Pinnawala, the famed elephant orphanage that houses retired, abused, or orphaned elephants. John Richardson once wrote, “Sri Lanka has long been described as a paradise by travelers.” And remember – reserve
Only a few days remain to take advantage of our special savings! In January, many Sodha Travelers took advantage of our $150 discount off ANY Featured Tour, Adventure Itinerary, Specialty Package, Religious Trail, or Customized Itinerary. We decided to offer it again, as a thank you to our past and new clients. Where do you want to explore and save $150 per person? Remember, to receive the discount, your package must be reserved by July 31, 2011.
Our June Featured Tour is the popular Ganges River Rafting and Elephant Safari! Spend 9 days/8 nights on an adventure itinerary that also incorporates bonfires, cliff jumping, and hiking an ancient pilgrim route to Badrinath.
Ganges Rafting
Originating in the Himalayas, the Ganges is an ideal river for rafting in India. Its many tributaries add to the volume of water while its step and pool make it one of the safest expeditions. Additionally, the Ganges is considered the most sacred river in India, worshipped by Hindus as Mother Ganga. Together with an elephant safari in Corbett National Park, one of India’s legendary wildlife reserves, enjoy an extraordinary journey through the foothills of Northern India. Reserve this package in the month of June and receive $100 off per person! Please note: the Grades are II, III, IV and the rafting season is September – May.
Thank you to all who participated in voting for our newest tour! The winner – by only one vote – is Splendors of Leh/Ladakh.
Recently,I wrote about Leh/Ladakh being awarded the #1 Destination in India in the Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Awards. Why the popularity? Many travelers are now choosing Leh/Ladakh as an alternate destination to Tibet. One of our clients, Lauren R., explains why she selected Leh for her recent vacation:
I was always fascinated by Tibetan culture and had planned a trip to Tibet. However, the constant border closures made me nervous. I read an article on Ladakh in a travel magazine and was instantly intrigued. There were no additional visas, no border concerns, and it was an easy flight from Delhi. It was so different than any other part of India I had visited. The extensive history and religion mirrored that of Tibet and I am so glad to have made the trip.
As a thank you, Sodha Travel will be sending each voting participant an exclusive discount toward any future tour to Leh/Ladakh. We appreciate your contribution!
Recently, Trip Advisor posted the Traveler’s Choice Awards Top 25 Destinations in India. I particularly love reviewing an award list when selected by everyday travelers. Admittedly, I expected to see a few of the destinations, including #2 Varanasi, #9 Jaipur, #12 Udaipur, and #16 Goa. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see #3 Manali, #11 Hampi, #15 Shimla, and #25 Kodaikanal.
The #1 destination was Leh, the capital of Ladakh. And so it seems this hidden treasure is now becoming a popular haven for travelers! Back in 2009, I wrote about Leh’s untouched splendor in Destination: Ladakh. Over the past couple years, we have seen quite a surge in the interest to experience this remote region in Jammu and Kashmir.
I was also happy to see Darjeeling awarded as the #4 destination. Many travelers are quite familiar with the Darjeeling tea varieties but seldom include a visit to this Himalayan region that blends Indian, Tibetan, Nepali, and Bengali traditions. I have discussed the attractions of Darjeeling in many of our posts, and our Eastern Odyssey tour is featured in our most recent video, An Indian Experience.
One year from now, I will be interested to review the 2012 awarded destinations and compare the trends of travelers worldwide!