INDIAN SPECIALISTS COX & KINGS HAVE SEARCHED THE COUNTRY FOR AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES, CREATING NEW GROUP ITINERARIES AND TAILOR-MADE IDEAS

Cox & Kings has launched an expanded 2017 brochure for India & Beyond, packed with inspirational ideas for travellers, ranging from new group tours to experiential excursions, lesser-known sights and hand-picked accommodation. Travellers can choose to ride on the Kangra Mountain Railway, follow in the footsteps of Kipling, take a walking safari in Satpura National Park and dine with a royal family. The brochure also includes festival ideas and recommendations for extended haveli stays, now proving more popular due to the Real Exotic Marigold Hotel series.

Cox & Kings' CEO Peter Kerkar says, “As the original India experts, we know the country inside and out, and have worked hard to sift through the offerings to bring the best and most interesting experiences to the forefront. Many first-time visitors to India fall in love with the country, and want to return again and again. Our programme offers new small group tours, private journeys and tailor-made ideas that combine the unmissable sights with lesser-known areas to cater to these types of travellers. And we know, in those areas, the best places to stay, the exclusive experiences, what sights there are to see and why they should be seen.”

NEW: JOURNEY THROUGH THE HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS: This new tour explores the cultural diversity of the north, and combines the unmissable sights with lesser-known experiences. Visiting Amritsar, McLeod Ganj and Chandigarh, the tour includes the Wagah border ceremony and toy train to Shimla, alongside the auspicious Palki Sahib ceremony in the Golden Temple, scenic narrow gauge railway of the Kangra Valley, and rock-cut temples of Masroor. The 13-day / 11-night group tour is priced from £1,845 per person.

NEW: INDIAN WILDLIFE ODYSSEY: The perfect choice for wildlife enthusiasts, this tour visits Pench, Kanha and Satpura national parks, each known for their tiger population. The highlights include walking safaris in Satpura, the only national park where this can be done in India, 4- to 5-star lodges and a small group size with maximum 12 people. The 13-day / 12-night group tour is priced from £2,695 per person and includes two domestic flights.

NEW: TREASURES OF SOUTHERN INDIA: This south India tour includes Chennai, Puducherry (Pondicherry), Chettinad, Madurai, Munnar and Kochi. Highlights include a backwater cruise, the temples of Tamil Nadu, hill country and tea plantations. Accommodation has been hand-picked at 4- to 5-star properties, including the newly built Svatma in Thanjavur and the Promenade hotel in the centre of Puducherry's French Quarter. The 15-day / 13-night group tour is priced from £1,995 per person.

NEW: KIPLING'S INDIA: Following renewed interest due to the Jungle Book movie remake, this tour takes in the Pench National Park, the inspiration for Kipling's Jungle Book; Mumbai, his birthplace; Shimla, where he reported on the summer season of the British Raj, and pops into Delhi too. The 13-day / 11-night private journey is priced from £2,925 per person.

NEW: TEMPLES & NIZAMS: This journey takes in the little-explored sights of Odisha and ends in Hyderabad, once ruled by the very wealthy Nizams. Perfect for second- or third-time visitors, the itinerary starts in Kolkata, visits the temples and caves of Bhubaneswar, the coastal settlement of Puri, the sun temple of Konark and the flamingos of Lake Chilika. The 12-day / 10-night private journey is priced from £2,275 per person.

Please note that all quoted prices include international flights from London, transfers, excursions and accommodation with breakfast daily unless otherwise specified.

Please see www.coxandkings.co.uk/indian-subcontinent for the full programme. To see or order the brochure, please visit: www.coxandkings.co.uk/publications/brochures

For more information or images, please contact Kimberley Hay on 020 7808 5694 or email Kimberley.hay@coxandkings.co.uk    

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NOTE TO EDITORS

Cox & Kings is the world's longest established travel company. Its history stretches back more than 250 years to 1758 when Richard Cox was appointed regimental agent to the Footguards (later the Grenadier Guards). The company's fortunes grew hand in hand with the British empire and by the early 20th century the company was acting as agent and banker throughout the armed forces and as a shipping agent. In 1922 Cox & Co merged with the Henry S King bank, which had strong connections with India. The bank became part of Lloyds and the shipping agency grew separately, evolving into the modern travel company.

Today, built on the high quality service and attention to detail established by Richard Cox in the 18th century, the company continues to flourish as an independent tour operator, with operations in London, the US, Japan, Australia and throughout India. Cox & Kings organises escorted small-group tours and private tailor-made travel in the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, the Middle East, the Far East, Africa, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, and the Caribbean.