India 2020: Welcoming Springtime in Rajasthan, the Land of Kings
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING!
Wellness Traditions * Art * Local Interactions * Royal Forts and Palaces * Taj Mahal * Culinary Traditions * Village Visits* Lectures* Music * Museums * Community Celebrations * Optional Daily Yoga
February 29 – March 11 (with option for 6-day extension)
Bookings are now closed.
Last updated on November 27, 2019
BASK IN THE ROMANCE AND PLAYFULNESS OF SPRING!
“It was an intimate tour that took us to places and people we would NEVER have found or met on our own. I particularly loved Katie Jo’s enthusiasm, willingness, and skill at making everything we were interested in happen while taking such good care of us. And the yoga instruction was top notch! I can’t say enough about how wonderful this whole time was — precious and full and revealing.”
Come learn about traditions first hand as you travel Royal Rajasthan!
India’s spring festivals are famous. But how much do we know about the fine and performing arts traditions, food preparations and wellness practices that accompany the arrival of spring in India? Massive public gatherings attract the gaze of photojournalists and filmmakers, but how do local neighborhoods and families celebrate?
This unique tour has been planned to prioritize:
- A stunning array of world-famous sites
- Context-rich intercultural learning via meetings and lectures with locals
- Less long hauls and more local outings
- Wellness and festival celebration options that cater to various abilities and interests
- Small group – limited to 16 total travelers – to optimize individual experiences and maximize learning opportunities
Open to all adult learners. UO alumni status is not mandatory. To see the brochure with full itinerary please click here. Join us today by reserving a space at http://bit.ly/UOIndia2020
Join us as we learn about and participate in traditions behind the arrival of spring on this eleven-day tour to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. We will be introduced to local residents, experts, and organizations; each will share unique knowledge about the arrival of Rituraj (king of all seasons) in India! Limited to sixteen total travelers.
We will travel from the capital of Delhi to visit Agra’s white-domed Taj Mahal on the banks of the Yamuna River, the Pink City of Jaipur surrounded by the Aravalli Hills, and the White city of Udaipur with its many Lakes. Optional daily yoga classes led by a highly skilled local instructor (much loved by previous UO Educational Tours travelers) will add a further dimension to our cultural understanding while also minimizing travel fatigue.
This tour intentionally endeavors to step back from the harried travel pace of most tours to more deeply explore in key locations. Day schedules are filled with activity and most evenings are free. Avoiding the massive crowds, we take part in family and neighborhood celebrations for the famous Holi festival. We will learn to prepare special Holi dishes, enjoy cultural performances in royal temples, attend lectures on Indian traditional wellness and more.
As part of the overall learning adventure, we will visit sacred groves, Mughal monuments, ornate temples, regal palaces, and imposing hill fortresses (4 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites). The understandings we gain while taking in these incredible sites will help us recognize ways local landscapes and histories continue to influence modern identities and cultures in a surprising variety of ways.
Activities revolve around the central theme of the arrival of spring. The tour offers an incredible opportunity to learn more about life in this fascinating region where Rennaissance-era cultural confluence and conflict is still evident. Not only do monuments and their remains offer testament to syncretism and struggle in the 16th and 17th centuries, but many traditions we explore on the tour were established in that time and continue largely unchanged today.
We have included a great deal of content on this page; we hope that after reviewing it, you will decide to join us. Happy scrolling!
Questions? Email Katie Jo Walter, Director of International Alumni Academic Engagement at kjwalter@uoregon.edu or call her at 541-346-2367.
The Reservation Deadline is Coming Up!
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UO Leader and in-country partners
Our team is eager to introduce you to India on this one-of-a-kind tour!
Katie Jo Walter (pictured far right) - UO Leader
Prior to joining the University of Oregon, Katie Jo spent ten years focused on India-related experiential study, instruction and institutional partnerships for undergraduate students. Katie Jo has helped to design, manage and facilitate over a dozen academic programs abroad focusing on various topics and catering to undergraduate student groups from UK, Australian and U.S. institutions. Katie Jo is excited to be leading her second UO Educational Tour to India in 2020!
Katie Jo has actively participated in and promoted a number of NGO and volunteer initiatives in India and has been awarded Fulbright and Kathryn Wassermann Davis grants to carry out research on environmental conservation campaigns and to implement projects aimed at sustainable livelihoods in areas visited on this tour. She has also worked under US and EU government level initiatives to promote study and partnerships in India. Katie Jo has conducted educational tours for undergraduate students in and around areas visited on this tour and has also made several personal visits to the area with friends and family. She has made a number of connections with local residents and organizations and she looks forward to sharing these as part of this tour. Katie Jo holds a BA in International Affairs from Lewis & Clark College and received her MA in International Education from SIT Graduate Institute.
Mukesh Banka (pictured second from right) - Yoga Instructor
LE PASSAGE TO INDIA Journeys - Tour Operator
Le Passage to India Journeys (LPTI) is India’s premier Destination Management Company with a country-wide network and dedicated teams that specialize in every aspect of travel. The Company has an elaborate network of owned offices across India and strategic alliances in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. At Le Passage, we make customer service and traveler satisfaction priority. We are dedicated to ensuring that every step of the journey, down to the last detail, is taken care of – with in-depth product knowledge and range of services offered, highly trained and motivated teams, an exclusive panel of knowledgeable guides, and a Wi-Fi-equipped modern transport fleet. Our consistent performance is made possible by our constant efforts to enhance and elevate our service standards – we are the first DMC to be ISO 9001:2015 certified – and to introduce new products or innovate existing ones. Bringing together the finest in the industry, our Teams craft creative and adaptive products based on a deep understanding of the needs not just of the market but also our clients.
We are also very proud to mention that UO alumna Meeta Kalra (MBA ’03) serves as Executive Director of Business Development for India and the Indian Ocean Region at LPTI.
Cost and
Itinerary
Main tour cost (12 days)
Double Occupancy: $4199
Single travelers: Above price plus a single supplement of $1225
Extension tour cost: Holi After Party with Nature and Fabulous Forts (7 days)
Double Occupancy: $1799
Single travelers: Above price plus a single supplement of $435
Detailed itinerary with all activities can be found in the tour brochure available by clicking here.
Overview:
Main Tour:
- New Delhi (where visits will include Lutyens’ Delhi and the National Museum – 2 nights)
- Agra (home of the Taj Mahal – 2 nights)
- Jaipur (erstwhile kingdom known as the “Pink City”, famed for the Hawa Mahal and nearby Amber Fort – 3 nights)
- Udaipur (Former princely state of Mewar known as the “White City” and the “City of Lakes”- 4 nights).
Extension tour:
- Kumbalgarh (with both a Mewar fort and wildlife sanctuary named for it – 2 nights)
- Jodhpur (the “Blue City” and home of Mehargarh Fort Museum and Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park– 2 nights)
- Delhi (for visits to Old Delhi and Humayun’s Tomb prior to departure) – 1 night
what is included?
INCLUded
- ALL ACCOMMODATIONS, MEALS, AND EXCURSIONS AS SPECIFIED IN THE ITINERARY (All breakfasts and all but one lunch, some dinners)
- COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES, PERFORMANCES AND PRESENTATIONS
- MEETING AND ASSISTANCE ON AIRPORT ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DAYS
- BAGGAGE HANDLING
- ENTRANCE FEES TO MONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS
- COMPLETE EDUCATIONAL AND PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION
- ALL TRAVEL IN INDIA INCLUDING COACH, RAIL AND AIR PER THE ITINERARY
INCLUded
- DAILY GROUP YOGA CLASSES
- SPECIAL WELCOME AND FAREWELL DINNERS
- JEEP RIDE AT AMBER FORT
- EXCLUSIVE BOAT RIDE AT LAKE PICHOLA, UDAIPUR
- 24X7 LE PASSAGE TO INDIA CONCIERGE SERVICE IN DELHI
- WI-FI ENABLED COACHES AND WI-FI ROUTERS IN EVENT OF HOTEL W-IFI OUTAGE OR EMERGENCY
- PROFESSIONAL TOUR MANAGER
- $200,000 EMERGENCY EVACUATION INSURANCE
EXCLUded
- U.S. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE TO AND FROM INDIA
- PASSPORT OR VISA FEES (INDIA E-TOURIST VISA IS CURRENTLY ABOUT $25)
- MEDICAL EXPENSES AND IMMUNIZATIONS
- TRAVEL AND TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE
- TRAVEL AND ACTIVITIES NOT LISTED ON ITINERARY
- MEALS NOT SPECIFIED IN ITINERARY
- ALCOHOL
- PERSONAL ITEMS SUCH AS CHARGEABLE PHONE AND INTERNET USE AND LAUNDRY
video gallery
Click to play:
A collection of videos on places and topics covered on this amazing journey. You can navigate through the many videos by clicking the back and forward arrows either in the main viewing window or in the gallery below. Note that some videos refer to the extension tour and are not included in main tour.
hotels and transport
All accommodations have been chosen for heritage, quality and value as well as their proximity to restaurants and attractions you may want to visit in the evenings. All hotels are either 4 – or 5 -star properties.
Main tour hotels
Vivanta by Taj Ambassador, New Delhi
Crystal Sarovar Premiere, Agra
Extension tour hotels
Transport Overview
This overview includes all non-local travel. Detailed itinerary with all activities can be found in the tour brochure available here. We worked hard to create an itinerary offering maximum opportunity for learning and plentiful sites while also minimizing overall time spent in travel.
All coach travel is in Le Passage to India’s Wi-Fi equipped modern coaches. All rail travel is in AC chair car class (see here). Air travel is on well reputed domestic airlines. Click on each leg of travel to see it in google maps. The full itinerary map, including the extension tour, is here.
Main tour
Coach travel
Mathura to Agra via Gokul and Baldeo – 2.5 hours on Day 2
Jaipur to Amber Fort – 30 min. Each way on Day 6
Udaipur to Delwara – 45 min each way on Day 9
Rail travel
New Delhi to Mathura – 2 Hours on Day 2
Agra to Jaipur – 4 Hours on Day 4
Air travel
Jaipur to Udaipur – 1 hour on Day 7 – airport 30 min from Jaipur hotel, 35 min from Udaipur hotel
Extension tour
Coach travel
Udaipur to Kumbalgarh via Nathdwara, Mollela and Khamnor – 3 Hours on Day 11
Kumbalgarh to Jodhpur via Ranakpur – 4.5 hours on Day 13
Air travel
Why travel with the uo?
“From the first few days I was comparing [this] trip to [a tour operator I respect highly], thinking few planned vacations live up to expectations, let alone the hype, and then after that you consistently exceeded all of their high points! Besides eclectic breadth of cultural, religious, artistic, natural world, ancient and modern there was a unifying energy… that lifted these experiences above that of a curious onlooker to stepping inside Indian reality—it was [the UO leader’s] love for India and its people present and past and informed passion that infused each experience above the merely sublime.
[The] inclusion of morning yoga with Mukesh [Banka] offered a grounding for our transported bodies and psyches and offered a daily dose of wisdom, too–genius… This is inspired, super-conscious travel. I could go on in citing exemplary experiences, excellent collection of preparatory readings, and how well.. each of us [were taken care of], etc.”
– 2019 UO traveler to India
- Small group travel (16 people maximum) allowing for rich learning activities and discussions
- Focus on sustainability: Educational content explores and addresses issues of sustainability. We support local organizations and work with Le Passage to India, which contributes a portion of all proceeds to its Shaping Lives Foundation.
- Uncommon itineraries that combine must-see sites with local interactions and hidden gems while keeping long -haul travel to a minimum
- Inclusion of UO connections such as partner institutions, UO international alumni, etc.
- Activities tailored to the travel group’s interests – We learn about our travelers prior to the tour
- Inclusion of ooptional activities catering to different abilities and interests; free time to rest or explore on your own most evenings
- Comprehensive pre-departure information and readings
- Availability to answer questions as you prepare to travel
About Holi
Wake up Krishna!!!! Time to play Holi, take Your bag full of White and pink powders and go to the gate where all the girls of Vraja are waiting to play with You. Take a little breakfast first then fill your pouch with scent ~ have fun together with your brother Balram and all your cowherd pals.
The poet, the Lord’s servant, witnesses the scene and shouts, “it’s Holi!”
-Traditional Holi song
Holi is one of the important festivals amongst the innumerable festivals of India and easily, the most colorful. It is celebrated on the twelfth day of the waxing moon of the month of Phalgun, the ninth month of Vikrami Samvat. Since times immemorial, Holi has been celebrated to say goodbye to the harsh winter and welcome Spring, also called Rituraj, the King of all seasons. This is also a time to reap the golden harvest of rabi crops like wheat and barley, etc. after the hard toil of the long and cold winter by the majorly agrarian society of our ancient country. So to celebrate the advent of spring and say thank you to bountiful Nature for a good harvest, people celebrate Holi (also known as Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi). They light huge bonfires at nukkads (crossroads) at night and place a plant of sugarcane in the middle of the fire. At some places, sheaves of newly harvested wheat, barley and green gram are roasted in the bonfire and eaten.
Dhulendi (More commonly known as the day of Holi), a day after bonfires are burnt, is the actual festival of colors when people forgive past wrongs and forget all the differences of age, caste, and creed as they indulge in playing colors (abir gulal) with gay abandon and fervor. There is also lots of singing and dancing accompanying the celebrations. Phaags or Holi-songs associated with the divine couple of Radha-Krishna are sung with the accompaniment of Dholak, a traditional musical instrument. Role- reversals, assertion of feminism, and HasyaSammelans (light-hearted and often humorous poetry recitals) are some other aspects of this multifaceted festival. On this occasion, people exchange greetings by visiting the houses of their friends and relatives.
As is common with other festivals, Holi too has its fair share of mythological legends associated with the celebration of the victory of Good over Evil. The most popular is that of Hiranyakashyap, his sister Holika and son, Prahlad. The bonfire lit on this day represents Holika, the evil side and the unscathed sugarcane symbolizes Prahlad, the good side. Another popular legend is that once, a young Lord Krishna (whose skin color is described as being that of a dark monsoon raincloud) was afraid that his dark skin would be unappealing to his beloved Radha. Krishna’s mother Yashoda suggested that he also color Radha – and so began the play of colors between this divine romantic couple that defines the spirit of the Holi festival for millions of their devotees.
- Modified from the introduction to Abir Gulal: Biodiversity for Natural Colours, published by the NGO Navdanya.
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