The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
See India in style on this fascinating luxury journey
Legendary South Asian hotel group, Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris and tailor-made specialist tour operator, Ampersand Travel are offering two lucky prizewinners a fascinating 17-day tour of India which spans the length of the subcontinent and is worth over £80,000. Journeying from Mumbai to Rajasthan, from the capital New Delhi to Hyderabad (the “City of Pearls”) and finally from the ancient state of Tamil Nadu to the idyllic Andaman Islands, the prizewinners will experience authentic luxury, world-class service and warm hospitality in India’s finest heritage hotels, living palaces, safari lodges and resorts. Ampersand Travel’s expert guides and historians will be an invaluable accompaniment when navigating the exhilarating energy, spectacular monuments and natural scenery of the subcontinent.
THE PRIZE
The journey will begin in Mumbai with a one-night stay at Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, a defining structure of Mumbai’s cityscape which has set the benchmark for luxury and refinement for over 100 years. The hotel overlooks the Gateway of India and the Arabian Sea and is an ideal location from which to explore the “Maximum City”.
From Mumbai, prizewinners will fly to Udaipur, Rajasthan’s “City of the Lakes”, with two nights at the legendary floating Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur. The hotel boasts an incomparable location on Lake Pichola overlooking the city palace complex and surrounding hills. From Rajasthan it’s a quick stopover in New Delhi, where the Taj Diplomatic Enclave is ideally placed to explore the sites of the capital, set within six lush acres of the prestigious Diplomatic Enclave of the city.
A morning flight to Jabalpur and a four-hour car transfer will take winners deep into the rural wilderness of Madhya Pradesh’s finest national parks. There will be a chance to spot rare flora and fauna, while staying at the Taj Safari Lodges – India’s first and only wildlife circuit. Starting at Bandhavgarh National Park, home to the highest density of Bengal Tigers in India, winners will spend two nights at Mahua Kothi, exploring the region, accompanied by naturalists.
After this, it’s a six-hour drive to Kanha National Park, spending two nights at Banjaar Tola’s luxury tented camp, which is located on the banks of Banjaar river – a bird watchers’ paradise, with more than 200 recorded bird species. A morning drive to Nagpur airport and flight to Hyderabad will lead to the 4,000-yearold “City of Pearls” and a two-night stay at the 19th Century Falaknuma Palace, the “Mirror of the Sky”. This
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Black out dates apply including the Christmas and New Year period (2018) and Easter 2019. Prize must be booked by May 2019 and travel must be completed by December 2019. No cash alternatives apply. Tourist Visas to India are not included. The prize does not include expenses of a personal nature and tips at hotels, restaurants or for drivers and guides. Drinks, lunch or dinner outside of board basis are also not included. For full terms and conditions, see telegraph. co.uk/tt-travelprizes. was formerly home of the Nizam of Hyderabad, said to be the richest man in world of his time. The palace is located 2,000ft above the city and has spectacular views.
From Hyderabad to Chennai: winners will spend one night at the newly restored Taj Connemara, the city’s only heritage hotel. It will provide an ideal base from which to explore Unesco’s newly-anointed World Creative City and ancient Mamallapuram temple complex.
The finale of the journey will be the Andaman Islands, recently made accessible via a short flight from Chennai to Port Blair and a boat ride to Havelock Island. Not a single tree has been felled to create the new Taj