Following are Frequently Asked Questions about our trip to India, with background information to help you plan your trip.

Trip Overview
Full Itinerary
FAQs about this trip
Home

Discover India: Frequently-Asked Questions about Jewels of India

The vast subcontinent of India has many treasures and we will explore a few of its jewels. From the sights of Delhi to the Taj Mahal, we'll focus on the art, architecture and history of this fascinating and sometimes contradictory land. The abundance of fascinating temples, palaces and forts can easily overwhelm visitors but we will take a leisurely pace, resting at five star hotels and concentrating on five areas that we can enjoy with ease. We'll spend two days near the Ranthambore National Park, a primary conservation area for tigers. We will also explore the lovely "pink city" of Jaipur. Our last stop is at Udaipur where we take an excursion to the temples of Ranakpur, a 15th century delight of columns and carvings.

This FAQ page is intended to accompany other pages about this trip and about our company. Some of the answers below may include links to other other sites; please use the BACK key of your browser to return to this page.

Contents:

• How do I get to India?
  
• When should I plan to arrive in India?
  
• For what date should I book my departure flight from India?
  
• What is included in the extension to Varanasi and Khajuraho, and what is the cost?
  
• I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
  
• Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
  
• Is it any problem if a straight friend joins me on a trip?
  

How do I get to India?
As of mid-2011, non-stop flights between North America and Delhi are offered by Continental (from Newark), Air India (from JFK and Chicago), and American (from Chicago). There are numerous one-stop connections via European hubs. Delta and others offer additional non-stop flights between North America and Mumbai (the Indian name for Bombay), but these will require an overnight stay in Mumbai and a domestic connection to Delhi.

When should I plan to arrive in India?
We have reserved a hotel room for everyone starting on the evening of Day 1 (the starting day for the trip), and the first group activity is a city tour of Delhi starting the morning of Day 2. Most North American travelers will leave home on the day before Day 1, arriving Delhi late evening on Day 1 or early morning on Day 2. (In 2012, this means departing North America on February 28 and arriving Delhi late on February 29 or a little after midnight on March 1.) If anyone wishes to arrive a day or two early to be refreshed for our touring, we can reserve extra hotel nights for you.

Those taking part in the Varanasi / Khajuraho extension will depart from Delhi following our main tour on March 11, for two nights in Varanasi and two nights in Khajuraho, before returning to Delhi on March 15 for flights home late night on March 15 or early on March 16. We have day rooms in Delhi on March 15 before these flights, but extra hotel nights can be added for anyone staying longer.

For what date should I book my departure flight from India?
Our trip officially ends with breakfast on the morning of Day 12. However, since many international flights from Delhi depart very late at night or early morning, there are no group activities scheduled after our early afternoon flight from Udaipur to Delhi on Day 11. This allows for departures on Day 11 or Day 12. In 2012, Day 11 is March 10 and Day 12 is March 11. (Our Farewell Dinner will be in Udaipur the day before we return to Delhi.)

What is included in the extension to Varanasi and Khajuraho, and what is the cost?
For those participants who have a little more time to spend in India, we are offering a four night extension to Varanasi and Khajuraho.

Varanasi (once called Benares) is visited daily by thousands of Hindi pilgrims who come to bathe in the sacred Ganges River. During our tour we will see many of the ghats (bathing sites) from both the shore and from a boat, and we will also visit nearby Sarnath, where Siddharth Gautama, the original Buddha, gave his first sermon.

Khajuraho is famed for its 1000-year-old Chandela Dynasty erotic temples, which have been better preserved than most other ancient temples due to the city's remote location. During our tour of the city, we will see that the sacred and the profane were one when this city was at its peak of prominence.

The extension price includes two nights in Varanasi and two nights in Khajuraho, as well as breakfast each day; inter-city transportation by air (Delhi-Varanasi-Khajuraho-Delhi); local transportation; and tours with local guides in Varanasi and Khajuraho.

The extension price for March 2012 is:
$2380 per person in double occupancy
$2830 in single occupancy

Please note that due to the limited transportation options to these cities, our itinerary is subject to change, but we will ensure that you are able to experience the highlights of these two historic cities.

I'm traveling alone. Will everyone else be in couples?
Most of our trips draw more single travelers than couples. When couples do join us, it's usually because they're looking forward to interacting with a gay group; if they wanted a holiday by themselves, they wouldn't have signed up to travel with us. Furthermore, the activities included with our trips serve as natural ice-breakers. Within a day, you'll be traveling with friends.

You don't need to pay the single supplement if you're traveling alone. We'll be happy to match you with a roommate. Pay the single supplement only if you want a bedroom to yourself.

Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
No. Most people who travel abroad with us don't speak the language. But we encourage you to brush up on any language skills you have that are relevant for the area you're going to, and to learn a few basic phrases, such as hello and thank you, in the local language. You'll find even a few words make a big difference in your interactions with local people.

Is it any problem if a straight friend joins me on a trip?
Each year we designate some of our trips as being for "gay men, lesbians, and friends." so we encourage any of our straight friends who enjoy traveling with an open-minded group to join these tours.

In addition, many of our trips are designated for gay men only or for gay men and lesbians. The company was founded because, even these days, gay men and lesbians sometimes encounter a cool reception from people who aren't gay, and many of us would rather take a vacation in an atmosphere where that's not an issue. Our groups are also mostly small and intimate (some with as few as six participants) and the camaraderie is as important as the scenery. So while we occasionally welcome friends and family to join us, we keep a majority of our groups designated for gay men. Our mission from the beginning has included offering trips for gay men (and sometimes lesbians) to be together without the pressures they may experience at home (especially in smaller cities) and in their jobs. At the same time, we have also found that sometimes a wider mix of participants and personalities can make for a great trip so we offer several "all welcome" tours each year.

So your open-minded straight friends are certainly welcome to travel with us on all-welcome trips. We think they'll have a great time!

Trip calendar   |   HOME   |   Reserve a trip

Copyright © 2003-2010 by Hanns Ebensten Travel, Inc.