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 There are many motivations behind a person’s decision to travel to another city, country or continent. Some of us bitten by the travel bug will use any opportunity or excuse to travel, no matter the place. For others, it’s focused on visiting a particular destination for what it offers. However, though the destination is certainly important, even more important is what we do, see and experience once we get there. From cooking to art history, many of our travellers have passions that they want to integrate into their travels. We at Bestway Tours & Safaris have had the good fortune of being able to organize a variety of these themed journeys over our 40 years of existence. We’ve arranged trips focused on everything from steam locomotives, to garden architecture, to indigenous textiles, to ancient trade routes and even at locating insects! Over four decades, we’ve also learned that perhaps no place has as much to offer for almost any field of interest as India. Below are three of our tested India journeys that dive deep into your passions, whether you’re interested in cooking, music, meditation, art, history or traditional craft or all of it. These specialized journeys have proven to be some of our most unique and popular journeys. Travellers are returning for the second, or even the fifth time! Each of them will show you a facet of India as you have never seen or experienced before.
This tour is escorted by Paul SaltzmanIn 1968, Paul Saltzman spent time with and photographed the Beatles at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram in Rishikesh, creating “some of the best intimate shots” ever taken of John, Paul, George and Ringo, which have now been exhibited at galleries worldwide.Now, Paul will lead his fifth intimate group of travellers through the cultural, musical and spiritual highlights of India. Saltzman is a two-time Emmy award winning film and television producer with over 300 productions to his credit. His latest releases are documentaries Prom Night in Mississippi and The Last White Knight - Is Reconciliation Possible?, both featuring Morgan Freeman. The 17-day tour intersperses cultural experiences with unique personal touches showing a side of India that most tourists never see, including small private recitals by some of India’s leading musicians and a storytelling session at The Beatles ashram in Rishikesh itself.
This tour is escorted by Dr. Stephen InglisAfter the success of our first Exploring the Arts & Artisans of South India tour, cultural travellers will now have another opportunity to discover one of the richest civilizations in the world under the expert guidance of Dr. Stephen Inglis, an authority on Indian art and artisans as well as a curator of ten major exhibitions.Explore some of the country’s most landmark temple architecture in the fascinating state of Tamil Nadu, with daily lectures and guidance from Inglis himself. Meet local artisans, friends and colleagues of Dr. Inglis and learn about the generations-old traditional practices of stone carvers, bronze sculptors, potters and weavers. This riveting Indian experience will give explorers an intimate, hands-on look at South India’s artistic heritage. Dr. Inglis served as a Director General of Research and Collections at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (now History) for 25 years. He has led tours to India for esteemed scholars and curators, and been honored with awards from the Canadian Museums Association, the Hans Mannerby Foundation of Sweden, the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and the President of India.
This tour is escorted by Chef Joe ThottungalJoin Joe Thottungal, Executive Chef at Ottawa’s popular Coconut Lagoon restaurant and silver medal winner at the 2017 Canadian Culinary Championships, on an intimate small group tour through the culinary secrets of India.The sixth edition of this regularly sold-out tour introduces a tantalizing combination of both South and North India. Spend 19 days first exploring the cultural and culinary practices of Chef Joe’s home state, Kerala, before diving into the age-old cooking traditions and world-famous monuments of North India’s Rajasthan. For the first time ever, this edition of the tour also includes an intimate visit to Mumbai and the Leela Hotel, where Chef Joe began his cooking career. Throughout the journey, Chef Joe will personally escort his guests in sampling and cooking up local specialties, touring fragrant spice plantations, demonstrating bargaining at local markets and introducing us to some of the country’s top chefs. Joe will be accompanied by an English speaking tour guide who will help us explore India’s most stunning and cultural gems. This unique tour is interactive and intimate every step of the way, with hands-on cooking demonstrations from award-winning instructors, lessons in bargaining with fish mongers to buy the catch of the day, and a once-in-a-lifetime family experience as Joe’s in-laws invite us into their home and welcome us in traditional Indian style. Other highlights include cruising through the scenic backwaters of Kerala, tiger spotting in Periyar National Park, taking in the majestic Taj Mahal and an elephant walk-along paired with an opulent farewell dinner at Dera Amer.
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Posted by Mahmood Poonja, Chief Explorer