Newsletter 59 - sent on the 7 September 2022

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Last chance to join us in Rajasthan!

Dear [Name,fallback=],

Only a short newsletter this time around: I am just leaving for Namibia on a trip that was original scheduled in 2020, but has been postponed twice due to Covid. It really does feel like life is now getting somewhat back to normal.

I am really looking forward to getting back to this incredible country, although there will be far fewer people shots than on my last trip to India! I will be posting images whilst on the road to this gallery, and also on Instagram.

Soon after I return, we will be launching the first in a new series of exciting departures for next year and beyond. Watch this space for more exciting tours to some of the most photogenic places on the planet.

I wanted to let everyone know that this is really the last chance to join us on our Impressions of Rajasthan trip, which visits two incredible festivals in this most colourful and entrancing of Indian states. The trip departs on the 30th October, and for a host of reasons, if you are interested then you would really need to commit to the trip in the next week or so.

Although I will be on the road, I will very contactable, so if you are considering joining us in Rajasthan, please do get in touch as soon as possible.

Impressions of Rajasthan

Many people have travelled to Rajasthan, although few will have seen it in the depth and colour that we will be exploring it in our final trip of the year.

Rajasthan is the most colourful state of India, conjuring up images of vibrant saris and turbans. Rajasthan is the India that people imagine when they think of this great country. We will explore the great cities of Jaipur and Jodhpur, but we will also head out to some of the most remote and far flung corners of this engaging State.

Rajasthan has a great martial history and is covered in some spectacular ancient forts. As well as Amber Fort in Jaipur and Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, we will get to explore the stunning forts of Jaisalmer and Bikaner. Jaisalmer is one of my favourite places in all of India. A living fort, there are still people living within its great walls. On the edge of the Thar desert, this is a place that has an atmosphere that conjures up the days when Rajasthan was divided into warring kingdoms..

One of the most spectacular events in India is to colourful Pushkar Mela: the famous Pushkar Camel Fair. Set around the holy Lake Pushkar - one of the holiest places in Hinduism - we will get to this festival early, when there are still thousands of camels littering the nearby desert. As the festival progresses countless pilgrims will start to arrive, ready to bathe in the lake on the night of the Kartik Purnima full moon.

Photography is generally banned by Pushkar Lake so for the full moon we will head out to the nearby Kolyat Mela in Bikaner. His is a similar, but far less known event, and we will be able to see a festival that will be much less influenced by tourism than Pushkar.

Another less travelled region of Rajasthan is Shekawati, which is renowned for its historically painted havelis. These were the mansions of traders and they manifested their wealth by commissioning colourful and ornate decorations. This is a relatively undeveloped area and a real chance to see a traditional side of Rajasthan, that appears little changed for generations.

This is only a taste of the amazing things that you will see and photograph on this incredible tour. I am already working with the Intrepid Leader on this trip (the incomparable Chetan) to work out what exciting things we can add. Amongst the odd incredible ancient step well, this is likely to also include the fabled Karni Mata rat Temple near Bikaner.

This spirit of exploration characterises all of our tours. We don't just stick rigidly to the itinerary, to the exclusion of everything else. Sure, we will cover everything that we are supposed to, but you will also enjoy an incredible number of other more impromptu experiences. It might be a visit to a nearby temple, an encounter with farmers in a field or an exploration of a remote village or a hidden part of town. We will teach you how to travel better and with a more open spirit, so that you will be able to come away with more incredible pictures that you ever thought possible and memories that will last a lifetime.
 

Impressions of Rajasthan departs from New Delhi on the 30 October 2022 for 15 days. Under our new variable pricing policy, the cost is from £2320 for 9 people down to £2095 for 12 people.

At the moment we have just three places left, including both a possible female and one male roomshare place. You can see the full itinerary on this link and download the pdf for the tour here. If you are interested in joining us, then please fill out the booking form here.
 

Better Travel Photography

www.bettertravelphotography.com

If you have any questions at all about anything on this email or would just like to say hello, then please do get in touch. The simplest way is to reply to this email.

All bests,

Steve Davey

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