India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (33 page)

MOTORBIKE SAFARIS
Motorbike safaris are increasingly popular; if you can handle the fabulous Enfield motorbike, get in touch with
Shepherds Realms Camps & Adventures
(C-8/8115, Shepherd’s House, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi;
011/2649-2849
or
98-1871-2970;
www.asiasafari.com
), operated by ex-army captain, Raj Kumar; he’s not the suave sort, but provides an excellent service for his bike tours into the Himalayas. Also specializing in motorcycle tours is
Blazing Trails
(
www.blazingtrailstours.com
), which, in addition to the Himalayas, also heads south and into Rajasthan.

SPA VACATIONS & WELLNESS RETREATS
Ayurvedic getaways—particularly in the south Indian state of Kerala—have long been a major draw among European vacationers looking for the type of rejuvenation and healing that falls outside the scope of Western medicine. Ayurveda inevitably involves plenty of massage, which translates as a deeply pampering form of medicine. Ayurvedic spas and hospitals are now available practically anywhere in India. The best intensive Ayurvedic retreat in the country is
Kalari Kovilakom
, which offers a variety of extremely upmarket and authentic rejuvenation, healing, weight-loss, and antiage packages. Kovilakom was conceived by CGH Earth (
www.cghearth.com
), an eco-conscious Kerala-based hotel group which also runs
SwaSwara
another swish Ayurveda and yoga resort, this time on the coast of Karnataka. Both places are highly recommended, as are the Ayurvedic centers at all CGH Earth properties.

Among the specialist tours offered by
On the Go
(
www.onthegotours.com
) there are spa breaks in the Himalayas and Ayurvedic breaks in Kerala.

For more ideas about places in India to cleanse mind and body, see “Discovering Spiritual India,” below.

FOOD & WINE TRIPS

COOKING
Those looking for a cooking vacation can get their aprons and bathing suits out and head to Goa, where
On the Go
organizes a variety of special-interest trips (
www.onthegotours.com
).

For authentic, down-to-earth tours that endeavor to get under the skin of local culture, take a look at what’s offered from
Insider Tours
(
www.insider-tours.com
). They don’t specialize only in India, but do offer several trips in the north and south of the country, and have specialist birding and food tours; the latter include exposure to a variety of cuisine types and an introduction to various aspects of food and culinary culture, predominantly in the south Indian state of Kerala.

Most kitchens in South India welcome inquisitive visitors, with chefs proud to share the culinary secrets that make this cuisine so addictive—Paradisa Plantation Retreat (
www.paradisaretreat.com
) in particular worth highlighting here, as are the CGH Earth properties (
www.cghearth.com
), many of which run regular cooking demonstrations—but for a more formal approach to tuition it’s worth signing up for one of the cooking classes offered at many of the homestays in Kerala where you’re trained up in a number of specific dishes: Vanilla County (
http://vanillacounty.in
) and The Pimenta (
www.harithafarms.com
) are two such places where lessons take place in the family kitchen of a home on a spice plantation in the foothills of Kerala’s Western Ghats (an easy drive from Fort Kochi). After preparing a number of traditional vegetarian dishes, you sit down and dine with the family, and spend time touring local cultural sights.

VOLUNTEER & WORKING TRIPS

Contributing your time, energy, skills and knowledge while traveling in a foreign country can be a life-changing experience. In India, it often means working for the upliftment of the poor and inevitably puts you in direct contact with people living a reality you might never even have imagined possible. Please don’t expect to change the world, but rather go into any volunteer situation with an open mind and an open heart; don’t condescend and assume you have all the answers—you don’t, and you’ve signed up to contribute your services, not dictate to the very people you’ve come to help. We’ve noted a few agencies you can contact to find out about volunteer positions, but before embarking on this somewhat courageous mission, you might want to check out
Volunteer International
(
www.volunteerinternational.org
), which has a list of questions to help you determine the intentions and the nature of a volunteer program. For general info on volunteer travel, visit
www.volunteerabroad.org
and
www.idealist.org
.

Projects Abroad
(
www.projects-abroad.co.uk
) is a U.K.-based organization with volunteer placements and internships in developing nations around the globe. Their projects are aimed primarily at gap year travelers, students looking for summer placement, or anyone looking for a career break. Volunteers will be based in Sivakasi near the city of Madurai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Volunteers can choose from a wide range of services, including journalism, medicine and healthcare, teaching, and sports work; a 2-week volunteering position costs around $1,995 (a full month costs $2,445), which covers transfers, insurance, food, and lodging. Accommodations are basic (either with local families or in hostels), but with an emphasis on allowing you to experience an authentic, local way of life.

ATMA Mumbai
(Atma Education Trust, 794/1, 1st floor, Satguru Shopping Centre, 3rd Rd., nr Khar Station, Khar West, Mumbai;
022/26059810;
www.atmamumbai.org
) is an educational development NGO with a focus on providing assistance to other NGOs and on improving the lot of children. They work with several schools in Mumbai, and provide non-paid opportunities for volunteers willing to teach or giving administrative support. You’ll be required to commit yourself to a project for a minimum of 3 months and there is no financial support of any sort, although they will assist you in finding local accommodation and will pick you up from the airport and provide a basic orientation tour of the city.