Contiki Launches New India Trip

Asia is on the rise for millennial tour operator Contiki.

Bookings in the region have increased by 15 percent; In response, Contiki has added a second India itinerary. 

The new Southern Spice tour is an 11-day, coast-to-coast journey starting in Chennai on the east coast. Guests then head to Pondicherry, Kumbakonam, Tanjore, Madurai, Periyar, Kumarakom, Kerala Backwaters and to the west coast city of Cochin. 

Activities include visiting tea factories and spice plantations, dressing in sarees or dhotis, rickshaws rides and chances to view exotic wildlife.

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Departures for the new itinerary begin during January of 2018 and start at $1,840. 

The Southern Spice tour joins another trek of India: Eternal India, a 12-day tour that begins in Delhi and ends in the coastal city of Goa, stopping in iconic destinations such as Agra, Ranthambhore, Jaipur, Udaipur and Mumbai.

That trip starts off with yoga and the flavors of India in Delhi. It also includes rickshaw rides and temple tours before heading to the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort and more. 

After experiencing the hustle and bustle of big cities and UNESCO sites, there is a dose of nature in Rathambhore National Park before experiencing the bazaars of Jaipur, its City Palace and the Amber Fort. 

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Up next is the colonial architecture of Udaipur and the Dhobi Gat laundromat in Mumbai as well as the Hanging Garden and Bollywood. Then it’s off to the spiritual beach town of Goa for some rest and relaxation before heading home. 

Contiki also offers more than 30 tours around Asia, including 16-day Asian Adventure (from April 2018), which includes three countries and 10 cities. It starts in Bangkok and finishes in Siem Reap, Cambodia, stopping in Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai, Thailand; Pakbeng, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane, Laos; plus Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The journey visits major sites such as Bangkok’s Royal Palace, Angkor Wat and the magic Mekong Delta. 

Other Asia activities visit Japan, Bali, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.