Indian elephants to go on spa holiday

Elephant festival, Jaipur

Indian elephants from a Hindu temple in Kerala are to be sent on a month-long holiday package complete with massages and bath oils.

The herd of 64 elephants from the Sree Krishna Temple in Thrissur will be fed large quantities of food and pampered, after having spent months walking on tarred roads, living on palm leaves and bananas and playing guard of honour during numerous temple festivals.

Their daily ‘spa’ diet will consist of special rice, horse gram and turmeric in addition to a mix of multi-vitamins, tonics and minerals and liver extracts, all monitored by experts.

The treatments and special diet will hopefully rejuvenate the elephants ahead of their busy work schedule later in the year when they will be the principal attraction.

The entire elephant ‘holiday’ package will cost the temple authorities over £12,500, but additional funds were available if required for the highly revered animals.

Possessing elephants is a traditional symbol of prestige for temples across southern India and Hindus worship the elephant god Ganesha as he provides worshippers with wisdom, prudence and power.

If you would like to find out more about arranging a tailor-made trip to Kerala, visit the kerala section on our website, or call our Kerala specialists on 01993 838355.

Treasures discovered in Kerala, India

Treasure thought to be worth billions of rupees has been discovered in the secret underground chambers of a temple in Kerala.

Over 1000kg of gold coins, sacks full of diamonds, and thousands of rare necklaces are among the valuables unearthed at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, thought to have been hidden in the vaults for over a century.

The treasure was discovered by auditors during an inventory check, making the temple the wealthiest in India. It is thought that Kerala’s former royals had their immense riches sealed within the temple walls.

Security has been stepped up at the temple and a decision is expected to be made shortly regarding the future of the treasure, once the size of the entire find has been evaluated.

The discovery has raised questions about who should manage the wealth and whether the money should go back into the temple or become state Government property. The treasures may even go on display in a museum, independent of the temple.

If you would like to find out more about arranging a tailor-made trip to Kerala, visit the Kerala section on our website, or call our Kerala specialists on 01993 838355.

Tell us about your travel stories

The McCurdie family celebrate Christmas Day in the Masai Mara, Kenya

“Our visit to Malacca was an intriguing end to our visit to Malaysia, a country where numerous traditions, religions, cultures and cuisines meet and blend harmoniously.”
Nigel Wright, Malaysia

“Our heads and hearts are full of the images, sights, sounds, and smells, but perhaps the most lingering image of all is the one of the Cambodian people.”
Valerie and Raymond Gatward, Cambodia

“To have spent the time with the wonderfully friendly people of the Governor’s Camp among the enchanting wildlife of the Masai Mara made it an experience we shall treasure forever.”
Dr Ian McCurdie, Masai Mara in Kenya

These are just some of the comments we have received and which you can read in full in our Client Stories section of the Audley Magazine.

How to send us your Audley travel stories
It’s easy, if you’ve been on a trip with us simply click on this link and upload your text and photos. If you do you’ll also have a chance to win a £50 Bobbooks’ photobook voucher.

In the footsteps of Darwin

The route of the second voyage of HMS Beagle (1831-1836)

On this day 175 years ago HMS Beagle anchored in Simons Bay, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. It was on a momentous five year voyage and on board was a man who would become the world’s most famous naturalist – Charles Darwin.

Following in Darwin’s footsteps (or perhaps wake might be more appropriate) nowadays is a little tricky unless you have lots of money and around five years to spare, but with Audley you can visit many of the places he visited. To this end I have listed some of these and accompanied each with a quote from his journal in which he describes what he finds in these places.

Continue reading »

Rebook your Selsdon Travel / Dreamticket.com holiday with Audley

We were sorry to hear today that Selsdon Travel / Dreamticket.com has ceased trading, affecting their clients who have booked  a holiday to the Indian Ocean (Seychelles, Mauritius), Middle East, Far East, Africa and the Caribbean.

We have already received a few calls from their customers looking to re-arrange their trips with Audley. Whilst we are unable to help with the Caribbean (it’s not a destination that Audley offers), we are often able to re-arrange the same or a similar itinerary to most of their destinations.

If you are affected and would like to speak with us for advice, with a view to re-booking your trip, then please do give us a call on 01993 838 500 or contact us online and we will see what we can do to help.

For more details on our range of tailor-made holidays visit our website.

Tiger numbers increase in India

Tiger in the Bandhavgarh National Park, India

It’s always nice to come in on a Monday morning and read some positive news, so I was pleased to spot a report on the BBC news website today saying that the number of wild tigers in India has grown by 20% in four years.

2007′s census put India’s tiger population at 1,411, with numbers swelling to 1,706 in 2011. Today there are less than 3,500 tigers in the wild and India is home to half of these so it’s brilliant to see numbers increasing here.

The rapid decline of the tiger, down from 100,000 at the turn of the century, has been blamed on poaching and loss of habitat. In countries such as China, Taiwan and Korea, tiger bones, claws and skin are used in traditional medicine so are in high demand, and the ever-changing techniques used by poachers makes it harder for the Indian authorities to catch them.

Here’s hoping the number of tigers in the wild continues to rise, it would be a tragedy for us to lose these beautiful animals altogether.

‘Caroline Quentin: A Passage Through India’ on ITV

Caroline Quentin: A Passage Through India starts tonight on ITV

A new three-part documentary series which casts a spotlight on India begins tonight on ITV at 9pm.  Caroline Quentin: A Passage Through India, follows the actress, famous for her roles in Jonathan Creek and Blue Murder, as she travels the length of the country from the far north to Kanyakumari in the south. Continue reading »

Recipe of the month: Keralan fish curry

A traditional Keralan curry uses a delicate blend of herbs and spices

I was speaking with one of our Indian Subcontinent specialists yesterday about his recent trip to Kerala in the south of India.

During his trip, James spent a few days at a rural homestay in Palakkad. In addition to the the warm, friendly service and beautiful surroundings, it was the delicious, home-cooked food that became a highlight of his visit.  Continue reading »

Bhutan sees first snowfall of the year

Mount Jhomolhari in the Paro district of Bhutan

One of our ground handling agents got in touch today to tell us that Bhutan has seen its first fall of snow in 2011.

As any of our Bhutan specialists will tell you, the towns, villages and rural landscapes of the country become even more beautiful in the snow, and a hike along one of the trails leading up in to the foothills of the Himalaya mountains becomes even more exhilarating. Some of our favourites include the walk from Paro to the remote Taktshang, or Tiger’s Nest Monastery, which clings to a sheer cliff face commanding far-reaching views over the valleys below.

Other excellent treks can be found in the four valleys that surround the small town of Bumthang, with trails to suit everyone and beautiful scenery in all directions.

If you’re keen to find out more about Bhutan or interested in a tailor-made trip of your own, give the team a call on 01993 838 320 or visit our website »

Audley raises £2,885 for charity in 2010

Some of Audley's fundraising efforts in 2010.

Throughout this year many staff here at Audley have been busy raising money for the various charities we support.
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