Wild Frontiers

Flight Information

Flight time to Delhi from London is 8:30hrs, with a host of airlines including Jet, BA and Virgin. The same airlines also fly direct to Mumbai in around 9hrs. If flying to regional airports Jet are likely to offer the simplest connection.

Useful Tips

Depending on where you are travelling you can use the following to help you:

Kashmir & the Himalayas:
• If flying to Ladakh, rest on arrival. You might not feel the need, but you will if you don't and then it can be too late
• Staying in Srinagar, take a shakara through the old town, along the Bund. It’s not on the normal tourist circuit and its fascinating
• Be sure the visit the floating veg market
• If you want any clothes made, ask 95-year-old Tailor Tim - he's been doing it since British times
• In Amritsar check out the lassi, just behind the Golden Temple " joint best (with Varanasi) in the whole of India

Rajasthan & the Northwest:
• In Delhi, take the Metro: it’s clean, efficient and saves hours when sightseeing
• Again in Delhi if looking for general shopping - rather than souvenirs - try Khan Market
• Don’t take cash - use ATMs… they're everywhere
• Don't get caught up with guides shopping trips. Only go to the emporiums if you really want to
• Always carry plenty of small notes - getting change for a 5,000 rupee note is impossible

Kerala & the South:
• If staying in Cochin try the Brunton Boatyard for dinner - the open-air seafood restaurant is great
• Go for a walk along Covolum Beach " it’s one of the best the subcontinent can offer
• On the rice barge use candles. It's much more romantic and your ceiling won’t get covered in insects
• If travelling with kids, take the tree houses at Wayanad, they'll love them

Goa & Central India:
• Check out the veg market in Mysore - great place for photography
• If visiting Hampi, take your trunks, a swim in the river at sunset is awesome
• Take your driving licence - getting around Goa and Hampi is best on a moped
• Don’t miss the Hyderabad bazaar " it’s as good as Lahore
• Be warned, if in Goa on New Year’s Eve take care - the locals go a little crazy!

Kolkata & the Northeast
• Enjoy a lassi in Varanasi - jont best in the country!
• Try the Thali at the Peerless Inn in Kolkata - its delicious
• Also in Kolkata, take a tram - it’s a great way to get close to local life
• If travelling in October - just after the monsoon - take plenty of mosquito repellent
• In Jan and early Feb be prepared for early-morning fog on the Ganges - it can get pretty thick
• Make sure you have the right permits - some parts of this region you'll need special permission

Recommended Reading

If you want to read up on your destination we recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Bradt Travel Guide, Odyssey Guides, The Rough Guide and Footprint Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the areas you visit.

Good books and maps of India and Kashmir are available at Stanfords in Covent Garden, London or online at www.stanfords.co.uk

Relevant Reading:
There are so many excellent books on India it is difficult to know where to start. A specific reading list will be sent to you which is relevant to the trip you are taking, but as a taster we can begin with:

For Rajasthan: Australian travel writer Robyn Davidson’s Desert Places is an interesting account of the authors’ journey through the Thar Desert with local nomads. May You Be The Mother of a Hundred Sons, by Elisabeth Bumiller offers a fascinating insight into the plight of women in the region; and A Princess Remembers, by Gayatri Devi, wife of the last maharaja, Man Singh, is an easy-to-read account of life in the former royal household.

If there’s one wonderful tale that defines at least one era in this countries colourful history, albeit the British one, it’s Rudyard Kipling’s, Kim.
Apart from that the list could go on and on but to name a few, continuing with the classics, there is: The Man Who Would Be King and Plain Tales from the Hills, also by Rudyard Kipling; The Far Pavilions, by M.M. Kaye; A Passage to India, by EM Forster; and Jewel in the Crown, by Paul Scott.

On travel there is: City of Djinns " A year in Delhi, by William Dalrymple; Slowly Down the Ganges, by Eric Newby; Chasing the Monsoon, by Alexander Frater; A Million Mutinies Now, and India " A Wounded Civilisation, by V.S. Naipual; and of course For a Pagan Song, by our own Jonny Bealby.

On history: Freedom at Midnight, by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre charts the run up to independence and partition; Liberty or Death, by Patrick French refers to the same subject. Plain Tales from the Raj, by Charles Allen is self explanatory; as is A History of India, Vols I & II, by Romila Thapar and Percival Spear. However, if looking of the concise history of the region, I advise you opt for the much more readable India, a History, by John Keay.

And as far as novels are concerned there’s: Delhi, by Khushwalt Singh covering the history of this famous city as seen through the eyes of people present at the time; Are You Experienced, by William Sutcliffe, a hilarious account of a first time back-packers ‘experiences’ on the subcontinent; A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mystery is a compelling story about life in North India during the Indira Ghandi emergencies of the mid-seventies; and finally, if you have strong wrists, A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth which many regarded as the finest contemporary novel on the region.

When To Go

Travelling through Rajasthan from October to March you will generally experience warm days with plenty of sunshine and mild evenings. The same can broadly be said of travelling in the south.

If visiting Kashmir or the HImalayan regions then the main thing to remember, especially if travelling up from the Indian plains, is that weather-wise, anything can happen. There is the potential for chilly conditions on the high mountain passes. Therefore, as with so many of Wild Frontiers’ mountain trips, you need to come prepared for any eventuality.

Packing List

Below is a list of general items you might take with you on a Wild Frontiers trip to India. With your booking confirmation you will receive a packing list specific to your tour, so please treat this as a general guideline only.

Luggage:
It is best to use a soft bag - rucksack/hold-all/duffel bag - so it can be transported and stored more easily.
On all our trips a small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions.

Clothing:
In general you should bring clothes you feel comfortable with. However, you should be aware of certain cultural sensitivities, particularly when visiting religious sites.
Therefore as a guide we suggest a packing list like this:
• 4 x Light cotton shirts or T-shirts, short sleeved and long
• 2 x Lightweight jumpers or sweatshirts
• Good quality fleece or warm jumper
• 2/3 Pairs of cotton trousers. If preferred, women can wear dresses and skirts
• An extra “outfit” if you’d like to dress up a bit on occasion
• Sun hat or cap
• Head scarf for ladies when visiting mosques
• Swim suit or trunks
• Pair of recreational shoes
• Pair of adventure sandals, trainers or pumps
• Flip flops/sandals for showers

Equipment:
The following is useful extra equipment for you trip:
• Travel towel, travel soap and toiletries
• Torch (LED head-torch keeps your hands free)
• A bandanna or large handkerchief is useful for dusty tracks
• Pair of good quality sunglasses
• Water bottle
• Plug adapter (see ‘Electricity’ section)

Personal First Aid Kit:
While we do carry a large medical kit on all our group tours, we would still advise that you take some of the basics with you. This should include:

• Any prescription medication required (please inform the tour leader at your pre-departure meeting about these)
• Antibacterial dry hand wash
• Painkillers: paracetamol & ibuprofen
• Rehydration salts (Gastrolyte)
• Malaria Tablets (if necessary)
• Travel motion-sickness tablets if required (e.g. natural ginger tablets)
• Diarrhoea remedies
• Antihistamines
• Cold/flu decongestants
• Mosquito Repellent
• Insect bite cream
• Laxatives
• Plasters/Bandage/Steri-Strips/Blister pads
• Sunscreen (30+ factor)
• Moisturiser/after sun cream/lip balm
• Contact lenses and solution if required
• Tweezers
(A kit with most of this in is available at www.nomadtravel.co.uk)

Optional Extras:
• Ear plugs (if sharing a room / camping)
• Alarm clock
• 3-4 plastic carrier bags are very useful for dirty washing, dirty shoes and rubbish
• Binoculars
• Small packs of tissues
• Money belt or secure pouch for money and passport etc.
• Eye patches if light affects your sleep
• Sewing kit/scissors
• Writing materials
• Spare batteries/camera memory cards
• Swiss Army knife
• Universal bath plug
• Calculator (for currency conversion)
• Trekking poles

NB: If you wear glasses, it is advisable to bring a spare pair since opticians are rare. If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!!

Hand Luggage:
Although it is very rare that luggage goes missing on flights, it has been known to happen and so it’s a good idea to carry a spare top, toothbrush, wash kit, underwear and any other essentials in your hand luggage so that you can at least freshen up while waiting for your bags to catch you up. If you wear your sturdy shoes/boots it will also reduce weight in your luggage and keep them safe.

Practical Information

Time:
India is 5.5hrs ahead of GMT.
A useful website to check the time zone differences is www.worldtimezone.com

Food and Alcohol:
One of the great myths about travelling in India is that the food is poor. We are delighted to inform you this is definitely not the case. Indeed many people find the delicious food to be one of the highlights of a visit to India, there is endless variety " it’s not all spicy " and can cater for any specific needs.

In terms of Alcohol, everything is available but often hard to get hold of and the quality is sometimes questionable.

Electricity:
Those bringing video & digital cameras that require battery chargers should also bring a two-pin, continental style adapter. In most hotels you can charge from the mains using a travel adaptor plug, in India they use 230 volts.

Money:
In India the unit of currency is the Rupee.
To check out the latest exchange rate for the places that you are visiting you can go to www.oanda.com

A few points to help you plan:
• Payments are mainly made in cash.
• Some hotels and banks accept credit cards.
• There are ATM’s in the large towns and cities although you may incur a charge. It is unwise to rely on this as a means of accessing cash due to unreliability.
• If using ATM machines, be sure to notify your bank before you travel.
• Pounds Sterling, Dollars and Euros are easily exchanged in Delhi and some large towns
• Travellers Cheques can only be changed in the city during business hours, not ideal.
• It is useful to bring lots of small denomination notes.

Language & Religion:
In India, the major language is Hindi, with 17 other official regional languages and English as a common language for all. Religion is mainly Hinduism alongside Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity.

The Kashmiri’s are mostly all Muslim and dominate the northern section of the Jammu and Kashmir state. They speak Urdu which if you know any Hindi, you’ll notice some similarities.

In the Himalayan Mountains of Ladakh the locals show a strong resemblance to the Tibetans in both appearance and language and were Buddhists until a few hundred years ago. Most Ladakhi’s in Leh District and Zanskar are Tibetan Buddhist

Cultural Sensitivity:
At Wild Frontiers we are very aware of the ethical impact tourism can have on ancient cultures. We realise that taking a group of tourists through such a region can have a negative impact on the lives of those who live there and on all our tours we therefore go to great lengths to minimise the negative and accentuate the positive…after all, there are also many good things that the tourist can bring.

To help this process we ask that our clients do not hand out pens or sweets to children. As one sign in Egypt emphatically put it, ‘Please don't make beggars out of our children!' No matter how well intentioned, in our opinion the dolling out of free gifts fosters a ‘beggar mentality' that is ultimately extremely destructive to a society. In addition we do not condone giving out money to beggars or ‘students'.

However, we also realise that we are exceptionally privileged to be travelling in areas where most of the people have far less than us and that the desire to ‘help' can be very powerful. As a result we ask that you refer to your trip dossier for information on the Wild Frontiers Foundation which supports specific projects in the areas where we travel.

Photography:
Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission. Photographing members of the army, police or official personnel can lead to your equipment being confiscated and bridges, borders or government buildings are usually the strictest.