India From The Inside

So many package tours of India are the same – a few weeks trapsing between famous monuments and hopping inside tour buses and trains. Whilst India’s big attractions are undoubtedly impressive, the real heartland of India exists in its villages. Which is why I was so impressed when I saw an advert in the Guardian for “India In Slow Motion” – a tour by the company Wild Frontiers which promises to show you Indian village life and get off the beaten track.

Having been to India a few times before I can assure you that there is little reward in simply ticking of famous sites. Unfortunately for many tourists, that’s all their tour will amount to.

Of course you can easily get into the countryside and experience India yourself without a guide, but if you want more guidance than your copy of Lonely Planet then the Wild Frontiers tour starts from £1875 plus flights. Expensive, but everything is included, and you’re set for a pretty wild ride. Did I mention that transport is by open-topped jeep?