Indian adventures

Welcome back to our blog! It’s been a little while since we had a regular feed, but over the next weeks and months, we have all kinds of stories to tell you about our travels around the world, to awaken your imagination and get you thinking about your next adventures. 

We’ll start with one of my all time favourite places...

India is  the most beautiful, spiritual place I've ever visited and I loved it from the moment I stepped off the plane in Delhi. ‘You could have left me there – that place is for me!’ The line I told anyone I could persuade to listen to the story of  my first Indian experience.

A Buddhist prayer wheel

Walking out of the arrivals lounge, I was welcomed with a complete assault on the senses. Hundreds of people waving signs enthusiastically, taxi and minibus drivers  lobbying for business  bartering at high volume and most strikingly, a wave of thick, hot, spicy air  left me  catching my breath. I had to summon my wits quickly to take this in and thankfully was ushered to a vehicle by the welcome party.

The  mountainous regions in the North are completely different in pace and atmosphere to the big cities. I spent time in the spiritual region of Ladakh, which feels more like Tibet than India, soaking up the culture and charm of this remote area and being constantly welcomed by the warm, friendly locals.

 Breathtaking  Himalayan views

One of my favourite experiences was flying through the snow-capped heights of the Himalayan giants to Leh in Ladakh and a similar flight path will take you to Srinagar in Kashmir in a small plane. I was torn away from a surprisingly delicious in-flight Indian meal to stare in amazement out of the window at the mighty Karakorum range, spotting giants such as K2 among the clouds.  

I padded around quiet monasteries and Gompas which are scattered around the landscape, joined in with the Monk’s cheery, chaotic musical parade, played football with local children and relaxed in a beautiful retreat above the capital city of Leh in the early evening, sipping chai and listening to the Muslim call to prayer echoing around the mountains.

Whatever you’re interested in there is something to take your breath away in India, but the mountainous area of Ladakh had me hooked.

Green landscape in Kashmir

The region just next door to the West, Jammu and Kashmir, is next on the list and has re-opened for tourism in the past few years after a rocky past. I'm intrigued to see the cultural difference here as the area has more Muslim influence than Ladakh.

Landing in Srinagar you’re met with a completely different landscape to the high altitude desert that is Ladakh, as Srinagar is a lush, green city with houseboats and flowers bobbing around the many lakes and waterways, flanked with green terraced mountain sides.  

View from the backwaters of Srinagar

Activities in the area range from summer and winter walking to Golfing and even Skiing at one of India’s most popular high altitude resorts, Gulmarg. But as with anywhere in India, it’s often best to sit back, watch and soak up the atmosphere of this special place.

Footloose’s  agent in India, himself born and bred in Kasmir, has a vast experience in this area and working closely with him, we can completely tailor-make an adventure that moves at the pace that you want. Alternatively, we can always  find you a group trip to join.

If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-track adventure full of culture, breathtaking scenery  and of course the opportunity to tick off one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the magnificent Taj Mahal, take a look at India with us!