Assam-Meghalaya-Nagaland with Hornbill Festival
9 Days
On Request
The state of Nagaland in the North East of India is home to several tribes each of which are distinct in their language, culture and customs. The festivals are important to the tribes as these revolve around agriculture, which is a major profession in the state. The Nagas consider their festivals sacred and so participation in these festivals is essential.
To encourage inter-tribal interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the Government of Nagaland organizes the Hornbill Festival every year in the first week of December. The festival is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colourful forest bird, which is displayed in folklore in most of the state’s tribes.
If you are headed to the Hornbill festivel, it’s a great opportunity to combine this trip with a stay and safari at the popular Rhino destination – Kaziranga National Park.
To make the North East experience complete a short trip to Meghalaya and its beautiful capital Shillong would just do that.
Celebrating Onam Traditionally
3 Days
And so goes the legend how Lord Vishnu in the guise of a Brahmin boy tricked Mahabali, the generous king of Kerala into relinquishing his kingdom, as the boy grew in size with his footsteps covering the entire earth.
The King requested Vishnu that he be allowed to visit his people once every year. This arrival of King Mahabali, to meet his people, is celebrated over the 10 days of Onam. It is a mythical tale, one that every child in Kerala loves to hear and one that every grandparent takes great pleasure in telling, with some exaggerations of their own.
Hornbill Festival and Kaziranga Experience
6 Days
2-8 Dec
The state of Nagaland in the North East of India is home to several tribes each of which are distinct in their language, culture and customs. The festivals are important to the tribes as these revolve around agriculture, which is a major profession in the state. The Nagas consider their festivals sacred and so participation in these festivals is essential.
To encourage inter-tribal interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the Government of Nagaland organizes the Hornbill Festival every year in the first week of December. The festival is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colourful forest bird, which is displayed in folklore in most of the state’s tribes.
If you are headed to the Hornbill festival, it’s a great opportunity to combine this trip with a stay and safari at the popular Rhino destination – Kaziranga National Park.
This experience will allow you to do just that.
Mesmerizing Meghalaya
If every cloud does have a silver lining then Meghalaya or “The abode of clouds” would be raining silver heavily. This small state in the North-East region of India has abundant rainfall and sunshine around the year and is considered to be one of the richest botanical habitats in Asia. Meghalaya is subject to vagaries of the monsoon. The climate varies with altitude. The Meghalayan sky seldom remains free of clouds and the Meghalayan spirit seldom remains free of adventure.
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Wild Assam
Assam is a multi-faceted state. Dominating the remote North-East of India with its sheer size and population, this region is home to a large variety of flora and fauna. Every year thousands of wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists and naturalist converge here to re-discover their tryst with nature. It has a wealth of rarest and highly endangered species of wildlife including Pygmy Hog, Golden Langur, Clouded Leopard, Hoolock Gibbon, White-Winged Woodduck, Tiger, Hispid Hare, Swamp Deer etc. and of course the Tiger and the unmistakable one-horned Indian Rhino.
The state is home to many national parks – Manas, Nameri and Kaziranga to name a few and that’s where our wildlife experience is going to be focused on. However, beyond the wild is the beautiful island of Majuli on Brahmaputra, Sibasagar – ancient capital of Ahom the erstwhile rulers of Assam, ancient Kamakhya temple and more.
Bhutan Experience
6-10 Days
4-11 May, On request
Bhutan has been much in news. It is not because of its effort to measure its performance in terms of Gross National Happiness rather than GNP. It is also not because of the natural beauty of the place – the monasteries, fortresses (dzongs) and the amazing topography ranging from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. The big news is that Bhutan has become carbon negative. Yes, exactly that. Led by the dynamic Prime Minister Tshering Togbay, Bhutan has been working hard to protect the environment and reduce pollution and the results are showing.
But this is not the only reason to visit the land of Thunder Dragon. The Himalayan kingdom offers a plethora of experiences ranging from adventure, trekking, climbing to culture and heritage, from nature and wildlife to calm and peaceful environs of a Buddhist monastery.
In line with our philosophy, Rustik Travel has curated a range of travel experiences that are rustic, offbeat and sustainable. Here goes.
Surreal Sri Lanka
On request
Sri Lanka had many names in the past. Persians and Arabs referred to it as “Sarandib” or “Serendip” from the word serendipity. A true to the meaning this beautiful island in the Indian Ocean is. Arthur C Clarke, the famous science fiction writer made Sri Lanka his home and stayed here till his death and has written much about the cultural and geographical diversity of this island nation. Recovering from the decades of tragic civil war that split apart the nation, Sri Lanka is taking rapid strides forward economically. Blessed with natural beauty and diversity, Sri Lanka is already a favorite travelers destination from many. The place from North to South and from East to West provides great many opportunities for various activities and travel experiences. With its pristine beaches and beautiful ocean with bustling marine life scuba diving and snorkeling, along with kite surfing and other water sports are popular out here. As you go deeper inside the country, the green forests and the wild life with leopards, elephants, birds are a treat for any wildlife enthusiast. The green country provides amazing trails for bikers and cyclists. The swelling rivers are great for white water surfing. Culturally Sri Lanka is a diverse country with Sinhalese Buddhists having the larger numbers and hence the influence. Though one may find enough influences from the Portuguese, Tamils, Muslims and other ethnicities or nationalities that have come and stayed in Sri Lanka for centuries. Not to forget the tales from the epic Ramayana about Lord Rama’s nemesis Ravana who ruled Lanka as part of the myth.
Sri Lanka is a microcosm of diversity with everything yet something for each and every traveler.
African Safari
4-8 Days
Jul, Sep, On Request
The Savannah grasslands, this is where the first humans originated from. Known as the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania it is a huge national park extending into Kenya that is known as Masai Mara. Serengeti is derived from the Masai language and it means “endless plains”. And truly endless it is to get lost not just physically but in its beauty. It hosts the largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world. Approximately, 70 large mammal and 500 bird species are found here. Wildebeests, gazelles, zebras and buffalos some of the commonly found mammals. Of course there is the big five as well – lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros.
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Ladakh Experience
On Request
Ladakh is the land of high passes blessed with natural beauty any other place in the world would envy. In ancient times it was an important outpost in the important silk route trade. Much of that richness esp. in culture and heritage is still very much reflective in the present day Ladakh.
Not much else needs to be said about Ladakh. A landscape vastly different from anything imaginable. Though so much has been talked and written about it that most people have an idea of the place, yet nothing can prepare you for what to expect the moment the door of the aircraft opens and this land opens its arms to you.
Sikkim Experience
Sikkim has lot of history since it has been nestled for ages between the ancient Tibetan, Bhutanese and Nepalese kingdoms, and later with the British that saw frequent historical exchanges, remnants of which can widely be seen.
Sikkim has a rich heritage seeped in Buddhism as can be evident from the number of beautiful monasteries each of which have a story to tell.
Sikkim has been very careful not to let development come at the cost of nature with a third of the state being heavily forested till date and a fourth of it being protected under the Kanchendzonga national park making it a state very rich in flora and fauna. Sikkim is also India’s first fully organic state. Not to forget the mighty Kanchenjunga which is of reverence to all there and forms a beautiful backdrop at a number of places.
The people of Sikkim are remarkably cheerful and friendly, urban centers in Sikkim are great places to chill out.
The quintessential Sikkim experience is an attempt to explore all of these – history and heritage, nature and mountains as well as the rich and unique local culture.
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