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Anchoring Journeys with RARE India II | August - 2019

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THE BIG NEWS: #2967 is a hashtag worth a few million dollars, literally! That is the kind of dollars that has gone into conserving the Royal Bengal Tiger and also the kind of revenue the Tiger generates for the exchequer. Beyond the applause and the euphoria, there is a sobering thought that we must all be conscious about. The numbers we are gloating over is our last perceived population of about 1400 tigers ( census data 2008 ) in the wild before a ‘global alarm’ call. So #2967 looks good till we compare it with what existed in the early 20^th century that is close to 10,000 tigers in the wild. This is the syndrome of shifting baselines and has to be kept in perspective to understand the urgency and success of any conservation initiative. More on this later in our Wildlife special coming up soon.

Been There & Done That at RARE India is not such a bad thing. It means we have checked and audited every property we invite into the community. Continuing from our previous newsletter on the routes to discover we have more trails for you to discover and offer to your guests or even set you along with unchartered destinations. The beauty of an itinerary design with RARE hotels or those that we endorse to be a part of the community is the opportunity to re-think your programs to suit multiple guest interests, delve deeper into what the destination has to offer at the same time you preserve heritage, conserve nature and forests, positively impact destinations and create value for the community. And don’t miss the luxury of a great stay, fabulous cuisine and intense conversations.

EAST AND FURTHER

Begin with the ‘Sweet Spot’

Heritage homes, rich experiences from a buzzing city and a contrasting retreat in the hills, this trip triggers numerous senses and ticks a lot of interests. From the Eastern Botanical Ark to British History to inspiring women and a martial dance form, the traveller gets to springboard from living the lives of Zamindars to a taste of the plantation life at a tea estate to a community forest in Nepal and Bhutanese hospitality.

On the RARE route: The Rajbari Bawali | The Glenburn Penthouse | The Belgadia Palace I Glenburn Tea Estate | Wild Mahseer I Hotel Druk | Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge

CENTRAL AND FORESTS

Living ‘Jungle Book’

This trail is designed to take you through the heart of India, traversing some of the most verdant forests in the country - the unforgettable backdrop for the iconic Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Small tribal hamlets and grassroots conservation work, weekend ‘haats’ (tribal bazaars), sunsets, pastoral vistas and the lure of spotting wildlife will be on the cards along with conversations with imminent conservationists. Also, expect to walk alongside a Diva ( Tara the elephant), walks in the jungle, safaris in a canoe, sleeping under the stars and camping in the wild.

On the RARE route: Svasara Lodge I Jamtara Wilderness Camp I Rene Pani I Kipling Camp I Samode Safari Lodge I Sarai at Toria I Kaafila Camps ( Winter Camps in Kalinjar, Chanderi, Kuno Palpur)

NORTH AND WEST

Go Rural and Tribal

A short drive from the wide highways that will soon link you to Central India, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and even Punjab allowing for smooth and swift drives for exploration, there are some gems tucked away which are still untouched by mass and mindless tourism. Here is also where the RARE philosophy of working closely with the community is evident and allows for close interactions with nature and people. On the purely rural and off-road trails are two concepts to explore on 4X4s or horseback through completely unchartered territories.

On the RARE route: Khas Bagh I Castle Kanota I Ramathra Fort I Bera Safari Lodge I Mountbatten Lodge I Overlander Safaris I Bijaipur Horse Safaris

SOUTH

Wellness on Vacation

Travel to laidback Goa of far and clean North, bare-foot to where the ocean is your swimming pool and days and nights spent on a hammock in the typical Goan ‘susegad’. Begin with Bengaluru through the UNESCO world heritage site of Hampi and end with Goa. A wellness trail awaits - Tamil Nadu via Tanjavur towards Kovalam and Allepey and to the forests and highlands of Thekaddy and Munnar. While you may wish to stop and have a long stay to help you press the refresh button, enjoy therapies to calm you each day of your journey. Wellness on vacation with therapies, treatments, wraps and scrubs from ancient systems of Siddha and Ayurveda and more contemporary concepts like the sound spa and naturopathy.

On the RARE route: Shreyas Yoga Retreat I Anahata Retreat I Svatma I Niraamaya Surya Samudra I Purity I Niraamaya Cardamom Club

Kerala North & South

It’s surreal to explore this verdant slice of India on the southwestern edge of the country. Journey through heritage as culture and art forms, bustling markets, a thriving art scene, hill and plantation country and backwaters. Rediscover a trail to link north and south Kerala through a sliver of Tamil Nadu. A route via Neeleshwar to Calicut and Wayanad, through India’s stunning plantation route ( be warned of elephants crossing ) Gudalur, and Coonoor in the Nilgiris via Siruvani (30 kms from Coimbatore) to Cochin, Allepey, Munnar and the rest of Southern Kerala.

On the RARE route: Pepper Trail I Leopard’s Rock I Dvara I Malabar House I Discovery Houseboat I Windermere Estate

For detailed itineraries please write to
bookrare@rareindia.com

www.rareindia.com

RARE India is the finest collection of palace and heritage hotels, wildlife and nature lodges, homestays and retreats. The community endorses ‘Conscious Luxury’ as the perfect example that marries luxury, experience and sustainability.

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