Actress Angelina Jolie posed with her daughters today Shiloh (11) and Zahara (12) — to the premiere of her film. To the far right, is also Indian child actress Saara Chaudry. Angelina will also visit Cambodia soon where she has adopted children. There have been reports of her new ‘mysterious’ British partner to whom it’s rumoured she’s about to marry. It’s likely this will take place in one of India’s most romantic cities Udaipur. The city has several palaces, including one in the centre of the lake that has hosted several exclusive marriages. Udaipur is also a place we spend two nights on our tour.

The best time to visit India varies depending on location but generally the following applies. In the north, mid Oct until mid December followed by early February until the middle of March (January is too cool in Delhi). At these times temperatures are pleasant and warm but not too hot. In the south of India it is quite similar, but not quite the same, Generally the best times here are Nov through to the end of March.  If you travel to for example Kerala after March it can be sticky and humid with too many mosquitoes.  Our tour of Rajasthan has been created with the best weather in mind. It will be nice and warm by day and even in the evenings you can dine outside with just a t shirt or blouse. Dining alfresco in some stunning locations is part of the enjoyment

Our first group to India is arriving soon and we’ll camp under the stars in the desert, visit the Exotic Marigold Hotel, stay in unusual places, ride camels and take a train across the desert amongst other things. If you would like a free copy of our 17 page guide on the tour, perhaps to consider coming next year, let us know and we’ll email it to you. In the meantime, here is a video of Udaipur where we stay 3 nights.

In November this year we’re planning a three week exploratory trip to the desert state of Rajasthan, India. This will be used to develop a fixed Angel Holidays tour for the future. We’ll visit some unusual locations, some used for documentary making, and have experiences beyond that of ordinary tourism. If you like adventure and are a flexible traveller you may want to join this trip.

Unlike a usual tour, the specific itinerary will not be available until shortly before departure. However, starting in Delhi our route will take us past the ancient traders’ town of Mandawa, colourful Birkener on the edge of the desert, the evocative citadel of Jaisalmer on the far west of the Thar desert, the ‘blue city’ of Jodpur, the romantic lake city of Udaipur and Agra home of the Taj Mahal. This itinerary is flexible and we may add some other locations on the way.

Without a specific itinerary or duration for each stay, this may be better suited to previous Angel Holidays’ travellers who know what to expect from our less superficial way of travel. Others are welcome too if they have an adventurous spirit. In some locations we’ll enlist the help of local guides, in others you’ll be given free time to relax and explore.

There will be varied accommodation; from rudimentary (but clean) guest houses to old palaces, comfortable hotels and a nights’ camping in the desert. Expect a few surprises too that you usually see with the ‘Angel travel experience.’

The trip cost will be competitive; around £1,490 for three weeks which includes all accommodation and transport. Return flights to Delhi are not included but start at around £390 – which we help you find. This is a wonderful opportunity for a comprehensive, authentic experience of the region, at a competitive price.

Needless to say, you need to be a flexible and positive traveller. All you need is to book your return flights to Delhi and we’ll pick you up from the airport and do the rest.

If you would like to join our mail list for further information, please email us on the ‘How to book’ page of this website. This promises to be a really fabulous experience. We look forward to hearing from you.

Peru, a country we’re visiting with our group this August, has like the rest of us just celebrated new year. However did you know that they traditionally wear and gift yellow underwear over new years eve?

What’s more, many wear them inside out until midnight after-which they switch them the right way around. The significance is that of a new, and bright beginning.  www.angelholidays.co.uk/peru

David Beckham visited Nepal today and played football in Bhaktapur, an old town 10 miles from Kathmandu. Despite being a remote part of the world, some young people did recognise the name and the kids loved playing football with him. David’s visit to Nepal, was watched by those on holiday to Nepal too, much to their delight.

After savouring the delights of the jungle, we have now moved on, via the old Tibetan trading post of Bandipur and to Pokhara – up in the Annapurna region of the Himalaya. Those willing from our group went on a half day trek today into the lower Himalaya. Tomorrow, on our holiday to Nepal, an adventurous few from our group will be paragliding on the warm thermals over the Himalaya – whilst others will be shopping, dinning, enjoying spas or meditating. The weather is pleasantly warm here in Pokhara!

An old man sits in one of Kathmandu’s ancient squares trying to sell Nepalese flags. Yet no one is coming.

Behind him, among the crowds of colourfully dressed people; the rickshaw drivers, traders bent heavy carrying loads, monks and religious devotees, incense and bells; a set of steps lead upwards to what is known, rather crudely, as the ‘Hippy temple.’ This, in the 1960’s, marked the end of the Hippy Trail and on the temple’s upper reaches, flaxen haired foreigners would have sat smoking ganja. Yet today the steps lead to nothing. A earthquake lasting just seventy three seconds took it away.  The steps look upwards to Kathmandu’s clear blue sky.

However, the overwhelming number of temples, not just here but across Nepal, still remain. This beautiful palace square, like others in the neighbouring UNESCO city of Patan for example, have remained largely intact. Walking through, is still the same as ever; an experience as if stepping back in time. The ancient pagoda architecture, in this country cut off from the rest of the world until the late 1950’s, remains. Coming here now, without many tourists, you can be forgiven for feeling like a Victorian explorer – perhaps there has never been a better time to visit.

There has been devastation in areas. The earthquake’s epicentre was 80kms from Kathmandu. Villages have seen awful damage as well as the city of Bhaktapur. The earthquake has struck four out of Nepal’s fourteen districts, but the world’s press has been less discriminate. Its generalistic approach suggesting earthquake has conquered all of Nepal has caused even more damage to its tourist industry. Traveller areas such as the jungle in Chitwan, Lumbini the birthplace of the Bhudda and the lakeside town Pokhara have seen no damage at all. A majority of ancient monuments are intact, roads are clear; hotels, restaurants open, but few travellers are coming.

Most traveller services in the country such as hotels, transport, restaurants and excursions are run by small family businesses, not multinational chains. For them, hardly damaged by the earthquake, the generalistic approach of the world’s press could not have been more devastating. And today the press shows little interest in Nepal. We contacted the travel editors of the Guardian and Telegraph for example, but neither expressed interest.

The truth is that visitors who come here now will have a unique experience.

In some areas they’ll see evidence of earthquake damage, not on a television screen but for themselves; something few witness in a lifetime. This is a very friendly country too, whose citizens still address each other as ‘brother or sister.’  In the aftermath of the earthquake not one single shop was looted, this tells you something about the decency of the people of Nepal. Pioneering travellers coming today can expect a terrific welcome.

Yet for now the old man still sits in Kathmandu square trying to sell his flags. The sun shines, the ancient architecture stands majestic around him. Yet few visitors are coming.

Angel Holidays will be taking a group to Nepal this October to give them this unique experience of Nepal. By visiting you will also be helping Nepal’s tourist industry. If you might like to join the adventure; visiting ancient cities, the jungle, the birthplace of the Buddha and staying Pokhara in full view of the Himalaya, please contact us. To crown the trip, you’ll also have the chance to fly around Everest.

A special thanks

Angel Holidays would like to thank previous ‘Angel travellers’ who have given generously in time and money to help the people of Nepal. There’s been events such as marathons and garden parties to raise money, as well as generous donations. Your help has been delivered directly to those in need. We’d also like to thank the selfless work of Pabitra, our first organiser with Angel Holidays, who’s delivered blankets, medicine and shelters to remote villages from donations from Angel Travellers.

Thank you for your affection to Angel Holidays and to Nepal.  For those booked on our October trip this year, and for those thinking of coming, a very warm welcome awaits. Angel Holidays.

Photos:

an old man selling flags in Kathmandu’s Durbar Sqaure.

Patan city three months after the earthquake

We’re excited to announce that Angel Holidays will be operating its first tour to Bangkok, Laos & Cambodia on 14th November this year (2015). We’ll be experiencing exciting cities, jungle river trips to some remote corners of the world, as well as the exotic – it’ll also be a lot of fun.  As with all our Angel tours there’ll be free time to explore too. If you’d like to know more, already the trip is half subscribed, please contact us with your email address and we can send full information. Note too, our second exciting tour to Peru will take place in August 2016 and we’re developing a new trip into India’s Rajasthan (a desert state) for 2016; hopefully we might see you on one of our future adventures! This photo is a glimpse of one of our locations in Laos.

In a few days Nepal will come alive with a celebration of Holi – known as the festival of colour: this celebrates the coming of Spring. Here is a picture of what it’s like, where a Sadhu (a holy man) participates – even the Sadhus in Nepal are a very friendly bunch – and like to laugh. Hindu calenders are Luna and Holi will coincide with the full moon.  Coloured powders made from turmeric to tie dye – purples, yellows, oranges, blues and so on, are thrown over everything and everyone. Driving your motorbike through Kathmandu is a game where you ride as quickly and as irrationally as possible to avoid children throwing colour over you. They’ve got clever this year and set up road blocks where they wait excitedly around corners.  Such are the delights of a holiday in Nepal.