Chettinad is famous for its grand and ornate 19th and 20th-century mansions, which were built by members of the Nattukottai Chettiyar caste, a prosperous banking and mercantile community. On our curated tour, our group got to discover Tamil Nadu's cultural wealth as we explored its ornate Hindu temples including the Meenakshi temple of Madurai and the Great Living Chola Temples of Thanjavur. We visited some of the most beautiful Chettiar homes, enjoyed some wonderful local Chettiar food, visited and interacted with the Kandangi sari weavers and the makers of the Athanagudi tiles and lots more.
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On this off-the-beaten track immersive journey to Japan, our group enjoyed a privately guided hike on two of Japan's most legendary overland routes-the UNESCO-listed Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail and the beautiful Nakasendo Way - combined with time in Kyoto, Tokyo and Ise. We immersed ourselves in the Kumano Kodo's verdant mountains, quiet valleys, roaring rivers and plunging waterfalls as we explored the region's rich, ancient history. And on the Nakasendo Way, we walked through a part of one of Japan's ancient highways through its stunning Kiso Valley, with the beautifully preserved post towns of Magome and Tsumago.
Some of the local, authentic experiences included a sumo session, a Japanese Sake & plum wine tasting experience, participating in a calligraphy workshop with an award winning Japanese calligrapher and enjoying a traditional Japanese Onsen.
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Our guests were treated to an authentic royal experience on our curated small group
journey to Sawantwadi. Staying at the historic Sawantwadi Palace for 4 days as
guests of the prince and princess, it was a journey back in time where our guests
learnt about Ganjifa Art and Lacquerware which Sawantwadi is famous for. Some of the
exclusive experiences included a picnic lunch at the scenic Amboli Ghats, a visit to
the mangroves and a leather Puppetry Museum. They were treated to some wonderful
local Malvani food and a specially curated tasting menu by the Yuvraj & Yuvrani.
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South Africa is a fantastic destination blessed with some of the best of natural &
man-made wonders. Our guests ( which turned out to be a Ladies-special tour! 😃 ) on
the 10 day small-group tour thoroughly enjoyed exploring South Africa, from its
awe-inspiring wildlife, majestic mountains and stunning coastlines to the beautiful
winelands and small towns, all while staying/relaxing in a wonderful array of
accommodations. Some of the journey highlights included sightings of the Big 5
(except the elusive Leopard) at Kariega National Park, a leisurely boat-ride down
the Bushman's River, a special traditional African braai (barbecue) with cultural
performances, the Franschhoek Wine Tram experience and lots more.
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Our curated experience to Rajasthan took our guests on a journey to discover the
diversity and richness of the culture and landscape of Real Rajasthan. From the blue
city of Jodhpur and India's first botanical desert retreat in the Thar desert to the
painted havelis at Shekhawati, the grandeur of Bikaner and a visit to the lovely
Mandawa, our curated immersive journey filled our guests with a plethora of
memories. They indulged in some exclusive experiences that included a starlit dinner
on the dunes, a star gazing experience in the desert, meeting with local Rajasthani
artisans in Bikaner and Mandawa, a sundowner at the pastures in Bikaner and lots
more.
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Egypt is a country with myriad possibilities to marvel and discover. Our small group
tour in Jan unlocked Egypt's ancient past where they visited the Great Pyramids at
Giza, Memphis & Sakkara, the famous temples of Luxor, Karnak & Abu Simbel and
cruised down the Nile on a luxury cruise passing through desert landscapes, ancient
wonders and got a glimpse of everyday Egyptian life. Other highlights included a
Sound & Light show at the Pyramids, visit to the Horus temple in Edfu, visit to the
Aswan Botanic Garden and Elephantine Island, meeting a Nubian family in their home
and lots more.
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Our group of 14 active adventurers explored the Burgundy region of France on foot, walking over 100 kms on the ‘Route Du Vin’ from Dijon to Beaune over 6 exhilarating days. They got to savour Burgundy's 'Art de Vivre' through this stunning wine region which is a combination of UNESCO World Heritage designated sights, vineyards, peaceful woodlands and villages.
The group walked through the famous wine villages of Savigny-lès-Beaune and
Pernand-Vergelesses and stopped along the way for tasting world-famous wines in
local vineyards which included Château de Marsannay and Château du Clos de Vougeot.
Other highlights included a guided tour of the wine cellars at Domaine de Montmain,
located on the famous Climat de Bourgogne Côte de Nuits, a tour of Chateau de
Savigny-les-Beaune, a century-old castle which is home to a massive collection of
World War 2 planes & vintage vehicles, a guided tour of Hospices de Beaune & the
Fallot Mustard factory in Beaune and much more.
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The Arabs call Morocco "the farthest land of the setting sun". Morocco has a history
stretching back nearly 10,000 years - it has been crisscrossed by Roman legions,
Berber caravans and Muslim scholars and offers a wonderful balance of ancient
traditions and modern-day life. Our group to Morocco travelled to Rabat, Fez,
Marrakesh, Ouzarzzate & the Sahara Desert over 10 days and got to experience
stunning and varied landscapes of the country, camped under the stars in the Sahara
desert, explored the world’s largest medieval medina within the walls of old Fez,
savoured the local Moroccan cuisine including a farm to table lunch and lots
more.
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The confluence of cultures throughout Uzbekistan’s history showcases an array of
royal palaces, busy street bazaars, historic tombs, and widely-revered mosques that
can be found dotted throughout the country’s ancient Islamic cities. Our guests on
the Uzbekistan small group tour got to experience the best of the fabled Silk Road
cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva - all UNESCO World Heritage sites - as well
as modern Tashkent on our 8 day tour. Apart from learning about nomadic culture &
Silk Road influences, our guests got to experience the culinary journey of this land
that blends east and west with Karen Anand - food guru, author and entrepreneur who
accompanied the group.
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The Kingdom of Bhutan’s storied history, unique culture and pristine environment are
inextricably linked, making it one of the few destinations left on Earth where
people and nature exist in harmony. Our group to Bhutan got to experience the
country that measures happiness as a indication of growth travelling to Paro, Thimpu
& Punakha over 8 days. Highlights of the tour included a trek to Tiger's Nest,
witnessing Punakha Tsechu, a local festival, learning the Bhutanese traditional
textile dyeing at a farm home, enjoying an archery session and lots more.
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The guests on our week long Kerala tour explored 3 interesting destinations:
Athirapally, on the banks of Chalakudy river, Puthenvelikkara, known for the
confluence of Chalakudy and Periyar rivers and Fort Kochi, the island closer to the
estuary where the Periyar river joins the Arabian Sea. Our guests got an insight
into the lives of forest people and understood the contemporary challenges on
conservation from innovators who are sustaining the changes, from women
entrepreneurs to artists who are finding their feet to build resilient communities
around them. In Kochi, we enjoyed a guided walk of the Kochi Biennale and the Fort
Kochi area.
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Our first cruise charter onboard the 12 cabin ABN Sukapha was a huge success and our
22 guests got to discover Assam and experience the slow life cruising down the
Brahmaputra for 4 days. The Brahmaputra river valley is not only blessed with
abundant forest cover, but also a unique culture that’s rooted in a simple,
agrarian, self-sufficient way of life for the Assamese people. We visited Sualkuchi,
the silk weaving village which is the centre of Assamese Silk production, explored
the key sights of Guwahati including the famous Kamakhya Temple and the War
Cemetery, enjoyed a safari at the rarely visited Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and
more. One of the highlights of the trip was Christmas dinner on a sandbank along the
Bhahmaputra!
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On our small group tour to Hampi over 4 days, our guests explored the attractions of
Hampi which included beautiful temples, ruins of palaces, remains of aquatic
structures, ancient market streets, royal pavilions, bastions, royal platforms and
treasury buildings. Unique immersive experiences included a farm to table lunch, a
village tour of Anegundi, a coracle ride on the Tungabhadra and more. The Hampi tour
was brought alive by Siddharth Raja, our special guide and historian at heart.
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Our small group to Meghalaya got to experience the cultural and natural beauty of
the ‘Abode of the Clouds’ over 9 days in September. Highlights of the tour included
a trek to the famed double root bridge near Nongriat, a visit to the beautiful
crystal clear waters of the Umgot river and to Umphrew village to interact with the
women who work with Ahimsa silk. We visited Mawkma village to explore its pristine
waterbodies, explored the Mawphlang secret grove and we capped the tour by staying 2
nights at the lovely Ri Kynjai at Umiam lake.
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Spring in Ladakh sees this breath taking region bounce back to life in full swing in
all its glory and splendour. This is the season where the stunning apricot blossoms
create a magical spell all over Ladakh. Over a period of 8 days, our group got to
enjoy the colours of spring from Leh to Kargil and beyond. They got to visit the
Maitreya Buddha statues in Kargil & the wonderful Alchi Monastery, enjoy a glamping
experience and a range of a culinary experiences and lots more.
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On a boutique expedition cruise down the mighty Brahmaputra river, our group got to
experience Assam in its most authentic form. From discovering one of the highlights
of Assam - Majuli, one of the world’s largest river islands and a microcosm of
Assamese culture, from cruising through Kaziranga National Park with expansive views
of the flora and fauna of this scenic park to experiencing Assam’s immersive culture
including its delightful cuisine and tea. This was slow and immersive travel at its
best!
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We explored Manipur, a land of the unexpected, a land of unparalleled serenity and
beauty over 5 days. Our group got to experience the gliding of the phumdis (floating
islands) on Loktak lake, enjoy a leisurely lunch in a local fisherman’s home near
the lake, shop at a 16th century market, see a local Manipuri performance, interact
with weavers of the Meitei community and lots more.
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itinerary
An enthusiastic group of 16 travellers discovered the Mysteries of Nagaland on our
week long small group tour from 10th to 16th Dec ’19. The group interacted with
artisans of Diezphe, enjoyed an authentic Naga village homestay experience, trekked
to the beautiful Dzukou Valley, explored the stunning village of Khonoma, witnessed
a slow-cooking demonstration and had dinner with a local chef and lots more.
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Our small group travelled to Mandu & Maheshwar where they were transported to an era
of royalty, history and medieval splendour being surrounded with some of the
nation's best examples of Afghan architecture. Unique experiences on the tour
included a beautiful picnic lunch at the Baz Bahadur Palace, a tribal lunch &
village experience in Mandu, a special dinner at the Garden of the Boliya Nobles and
an overnight stay at the stunning Ahilya Fort in Maheshwar which overlooks the
Narmada river.
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Our group of 11 adventure seekers travelled to Ladakh in July and explored a land
brimming with magic and mystery - a land of snow capped mountains, vast barren
plateaus and deep turquoise lakes. Highlights of the Ladakh small group tour
included an unusual nomadic trail across Ladakh, a range of unique culinary
experiences including an opportunity to have dinner with the king at the Stok Palace
in Leh, yoga and nature walk in the mountains and lots more.
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On this journey, our group experienced the regal splendour of Bengal where we
brought alive Bengal’s stories through its rich art & architecture, its incredible
textiles, delectable cuisine and much more as we explored Kolkata, Murshidabad,
Shanti Niketan and Bishnupur.
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A group of 12 free spirited travellers walked the last 120 kms of the Camino Portugues from Tui (Portugal) to Santiago de Compostela (Spain). They got a chance to see the beautiful countryside of Galicia in Spain and walk through woodlands, quaint villages, vineyards, farmlands and historic towns. The Way of St James, as the walk is also known, was a personal challenge and a journey of discovery for each member of the group who returned with an experience of a lifetime.
Our 9 days guided tour of Camino de Santiago de Compostela started in Porto (Portugal) and ended in the beautiful town of Santiago de Compostela.
Our week long adventure on the El Camino was one of the more memorable vacations we’ve been on.
We usually do extensive research on trips we go on, but this one, we left entirely to you (Aparna) - because we were quite certain it would be perfect - and we were not wrong. From selecting members of the group at relatively equal energy levels, to picking overnight locations that had us walking in mouths wide open, to keeping track of eleven slightly free spirited people, you pulled it together marvelously.
The background planning, before and after tripping and food and restaurant selections were meticulous, especially with varied food restrictions and occasional fussiness. The choice of trip, the path taken, and the guide chosen, all made for a vacation I could not have thought up. Look forward to more planned walking holidays with Odyssey Travels. Thank you
Priya and Raj Hajela
Odyssey Explore organised a tour of Israel and Jordan in March 2018 & 2019. A group of 23 explorers in 2018 and 10 explorers in 2019 got to experience Israel's ancient history and its tumultuous past going back thousands of years and discovered the hidden treasures in Jordan.
Over 10 days, the group experienced bustling, modern day Tel Aviv, sailed the
sea of Galilee and visited the city of Nazareth, swam in the Dead Sea,
saw magnificent Petra in Jordan and experienced the fascinating mix of
cultures and religions in the Golden City of Jerusalem.
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itinerary
We thoroughly enjoyed the tour of Israel and Jordan Tour. It was, as always, well researched and planned. The representative of Odyssey Travels was very helpful and courteous throughout the tour. The guides both in Israel and Jordan were well chosen, who took into account the age group and interests of the members of the group. On the whole an outstanding tour, which me and my wife thoroughly enjoyed.
Air Marshal P S Pingale, (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VM
Odyssey Explore successfully conducted a tour of Japan during the cherry blossom season in April. We had 24 people in the group who returned with lifetime memories and more importantly, some new friends.
Travellers got to experience Japan in full bloom over 8 days visiting Tokyo, Hakone, Hiroshima, Osaka & Kyoto.
We thoroughly enjoyed our Japan Tour. It was well planned, well organised and well executed.
You have mixed sight-seeing, shopping and leisure properly. The group was perfect and it was a fun to drink together at the dinner-time. We look forward to having this type of tours ranging from 8 to 15 days depending on the location.
Mr Vijay Ruikar
This was my first vacation with a tour group. Though initially I was sceptical I was pleasantly surprised what a group tour can achieve. The tour was totally hassle free for us in the group but I am sure the organisers must have had a challenging time keeping so many different individuals happy and content. The itinerary was perfectly chosen blending the ancient and the modern and giving everyone some time for personal pursuits. The hotels were all excellent and the guides helped in demystifying Japan for us. What impressed me was the efforts taken by the group-in-charge to address last minute requests of individuals, all with a smile. I am eagerly looking forward to my next tour with Odyssey Tours.
Vice Admiral D S P Varma, IN (Retd)