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Discovering Destinations Differently

The origin of “Discovering Destinations Differently.” Back in 2015 I started visiting mainstream destinations, spending a day visiting what all tour companies showcase and then, bucket list ticked I’d spend another week there finding out what else made those destinations tick. Why else they were ‘famous?’  What did locals do,  where did they eat, what…

Discovering Nepal Differently – Have you heard of Kirtipur?

 Discovering Nepal Differently. You’ve heard of Kathmandu, but have you heard of Kirtipur? It’s one of those little-known gems that’s only 7 kms from Kathmandu but a world away from the mainstream tourist circuit. Sitting on a hillside next to the Hattiban Forest, it is actually one of the Kathmandu Valley’s oldest Newari towns dating back to 1099AD….

CHN: Introducing New Destinations Whilst Combatting Over Tourism in Nepal.

How do you cope, in these days of gross over tourism, with promoting fabulous new destinations that you discover and want to shout to the world about, but don’t want to see go the same way? I now see destinations I visited some 20-25 years ago which were extraordinary and my heart bleeds at what…

Sula Wine – Sustainability and Stays

Think Nashik 20 or even 10 yrs ago, and people mentioned temples, pilgrimages & the Kumbh Mela. But today, the first word from most people’s lips is ‘wine.’ This is thanks to Rajeev Samant who, having returned from California, was having trouble sourcing good quality, affordable wine in India. Quickly realising that if this situation…

Travel Planning: The Written Word vs Reality

I’m currently consulting on a wonderful project, putting together India, Nepal and Bhutan portfolios for a new to India tour operator. This has involved writing up itineraries, something I haven’t done for a few years and it made me have a realisation.  Itineraries are, more often than not, put together determined by facts. The drive…

Reflections on a Perfect Stay, Sarai at Toria

Take a wildlife biologist, author, film maker and conservationist and a wildlife photographer, film maker & writer, add specialist knowledge of Panna National Park (since 1995) a location adjacent to the Ken River, and an idea which initially began as a community project & you know it’s going to be good. Good is in fact,…

Changing the narrative at The Indian Summer House.

Changing The Narrative. I stayed recently at the rather fabulous Indian  Summer House in Kerala. The owner happened to be out of station and so we had a video call. I think my opening gambit was, “Well you don’t need me to tell you how fabulous this is.” His reply, “Thank you, I have always…

Roopesh Rai on being pro-planet, pro-people, and for profit!

Roopesh and I keep meeting, chatting and discussing various projects. He called in to see me recently to discuss his latest project,  a mission to cross 6 states of India by cycle.  He is doing this to reach out to the people of India, as he says, ‘The last remaining custodians of our natural heritage…