Small Group Cycling Tours
through the Villages and Forests around Kanha Tiger Reserve
Our unique cycling holidays are a wonderful opportunity to explore the countryside around Kanha Tiger Reserve. The landscape is incredibly pretty; small fields and villages (tolas) make a patchwork that stretches out from the hills of the forested national park, many people still living in beautiful mud and wattle homes with terracotta roofs and immaculate gobar courtyards. Traditional farming methods continue, some unchanged for thousands of years.
Kanha attracts lots of wildlife tourism, but there is much to see outside the reserve and these carefully curated trips give guests the chance to see wildlife both inside and out of the reserve; and to get an insight into village life around the edges of the national park.
These trips help make a less travel-heavy itinerary than is often the norm and to make it possible to spend a slow and immersive time in one area rather than being constantly on the move in planes and cars, or with a jam-packed jeep-based safari schedule.
They are more a means of seeing and being part of the environment than feats of endurance or athletic challlenges.
I was able to be my best self in this completely new, wonderful but alien environment … it left me feeling safe, comfortable, crazily stimulated and happier than I’ve been for a long time.’ Abi Nov 2022
Our multi day cycling itineraries have the comfortable loveliness that is Shergarh Tented Camp as their base, with a night or two away in one or two lodges at the north west side of Kanha Tiger Reserve as a possible option.
The cycle rides are on regularly serviced high quality hybrid bikes. We also now have two excellent Indian made e-bikes available for those who would like the adventure but find the distances daunting. All cycle rides can be accompanied by a back up vehicle.
All trips include a craft workshop at Pashoo Pakshee a woman run social enterprise providing crafts based livelihoods supporting human-wildlife co-existence for people living close to India’s national parks.
With an optional night or two in Mumbai at each end of your trip this can make for a truly immersive fortnight long Indian adventure with a light footprint.
The dates for our 2025/26 small group trips are 24th November to 1st December 2025; 12th to 19th January 2026; and 1st to 8th February 2026
Costs from: £1950 per person (Raipur to Raipur)
Textile Tours In Kutch
with Expert Guide Niyati Kukadia
A happy collaboration with Niyati Kukadia, who has already guided many of our guests in her home state of Gujarat.
We have put together a 15 day small group tour that focuses on the textiles, communities and monumental heritage of Kutch. Niyati’s long standing connection with the area, and her extensive community work, has enabled the inclusion of multiple workshops through the course of the tour. This means you not only come away with some hand made pieces of your own (batik, ajrakh, beadwork, embroidery) but also have a properly engaging time with the artisans and gain a deeper insight into the skill and effort that goes into their work.
You will visit the well preserved ruins of the 4500 year old Harappan city of Dholavira; the famous step well Rani ki Vav at Patan, and the beautiful sun temple at Modhera.
You’ll stay in many of our favourite guest houses including The Bhuj House, Devpur Homestay and Rann Riders, Dasada.
Feedback was sweetly effusive from our January tour; we know we are offering something pretty special here. Please get in touch if you would like to join the 29th October to 14th November 2025 group (maximum group size six).
Costs from: £3950 per person (Ahmedabad to Ahmedabad)
No one could fail to enjoy the trip to Gujarat, Niyati was such a kind and informative host. We felt the reciprocated love she had with so many people … I can’t begin to tell you how absolutely wonderful every single minute was. Getting in touch with you was one my best decisions ever.
Jill: Small Group Gujarat Tour January 2025
Food Tour
Growing, storing, selling, preserving, cooking and eating; from the western port of Surat in Gujarat, to the eastern port of Cuttack in Odisha
Another woman led tour, starting in the port city of Surat where you will explore in its markets its ‘unique edible archive of world cultures’ as Niyati so eloquently puts it. From Surat to the Dang forests and Niyati extremely comfortable jungle lodge. You will learn about farm and forest produce; the survival of many millet varieties; and how to cook in traditional equipment (from terracotta pots to banana leaves).
From here to Mumbai by train for two nights. You will visit morning vegetable markets and the fish docks, and take a foody tour of Bhendi bazaar, the Bohra Muslem area of south Mumbai where the street food is mothwatering.
A flight from west to east takes you to Bhubaneswar where two different home stays and two different women hosts await you. Indrani, at Svanir, has Bengali and Assamese family roots, both reflected in her home cooking, but her cook from the local village informs the Odiya dishes that make up the bulk of the food here. You will eat a temple lunch, and learn to cook some traditional Odiya snacks. Form here to Kila Dalijoda and a former royal hunting lodge where Namrata Singh Deo will teach you both local and Central India cooking. The lodge is on it’s own farm with a fish pond which farm manager Mr Tappan will delight in showing you. ‘Do you like to eat fish?’ I asked him, ‘Ma’am I’m Bengali’ was his very polite answer.
31st January to 15th February 2026
Costs from: £3950 (Surat to Bhubaneswar)
