Tasting India with Christine Manfield
A celebration of Christine’s latest book “Tasting India”, this extraordinary journey will explore many of Christine’s favourite places from Hyderabad to the Holy City of Varanasi, Delhi to Amritsar, Rajasthan to Mumbai. We visit Central India the region that inspired Kipling’s writing of the Jungle Book. This timeless land of tribal traditions and untouched villages, offers the best chance to see the endangered Bengal tiger in the wild. We will taste the Royal cuisine of the Raj, street food in Amritsar and the rich aromatic cuisine of the Nizams of Hyderabad.
Christine’s love affair with India has been an enduring one. From years of travelling to this beguiling country for pleasure and work to her more recent lengthy stays undertaking research for her latest book, Christine brings a remarkable perception to the culinary and cultural heritage of this astonishing country. Our tour in January 2012 will be a celebration of her life long passion for the subcontinent offering guests the opportunity to share in this passion and discover first hand the exotic charm of India.
The tour is in two parts – the first tour is 11 days and the second is 13. They can be taken separately or joined as one stupendous adventure.
The first journey A Timeless Land - Tigers, Tribes and Traditions, commences in Hyderabad – a city that offers one of the most enduring Indian experiences imaginable. Its rich history of the Muslim Dynasties that ruled the region for centuries is reflected in the beautiful Islamic architecture and its aromatic cuisine. From here we fly to the Holy City of Varanasi also known as Benares, which is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Varanasi is considered the most sacred place for all Hindus and is also a pilgrimage site for Buddhists and Jains. Our next destination is the tribal areas of Central India where lush forests and dry plains are the perfect habitat for the Bengal Tiger. We stay in the luxurious Taj Safari Lodges and enjoy daily wildlife excursions into the surrounding national park and visits to local villages. This is a remote and stunning region of India and well off the beaten tourist route.
From Central India we fly to Delhi where guests either end their journey or commence the second adventure from Delhi to Amritsar and on to Rajasthan before our final destination Mumbai.
The second part of the journey Majestic North India, Mesmerising Mumbai begins in Delhi the Capital City of India with its Mughal monuments and Imperial City built by the British. Delhi is a heady experience of old and new and we enjoy its architectural masterpieces, unbeatable shopping and boundless and vivid energy.We visit Amritsar and its spectacular Golden Temple before spending a few days relaxing in one of the most beautiful desert properties in Rajasthan — Amanbagh. An astonishing blaze of colour awaits us in Rajasthan, where customs, heritage, art and architecture will unfold in an unparalleled kaleidoscope before your eyes.Here we are also privileged to have a private lecture with the world famous writer and Indian authority, William Dalrymple — author of many books on India including City of Djinns, The White Mughal, The Last Mughal and more recently Nine Lives.
We spend 2 days in the beautiful city of Jodhpur before our final destination – the incomparable, eclectic, larger- than-life city of Mumbai.
Christine’s passion for and deep connection with India seeps through every element of this exhilarating journey where we will dine in some of her favourite restaurants, sleep in majestic hotels and gain a privileged insight into the culinary secrets that sustain one of the world’s most vivid and alluring cultures.
