FAQs
Answers to Common Queries about Trans Journeys
The remote and little-visited highlands of Central India, (famous in fiction as the setting for Kipling’s Jungle Books), still contains exceptional concentrations of both wildlife and tribal life, including over 20 protected areas and perhaps half the entire extant population of the Royal Bengal Tiger in the wild. The Maikal Hills and Bastar are home respectively to Baiga and Gond tribal peoples whose natural way of life remains an enticing counterpoint to the stresses and strains of the 21st century. Dotted across the dramatic forest landscapes are former princely states, some of whose royal families are now opening their palace residences to small numbers of discerning guests.
We believe in a warm gesture and personal attention than to flashy hotels. Trans Journeys offers vide range of accommodation from private palaces of maharajas to cosy home stays in remote villages or the lodges and camps in the wilderness with the practicing responsible tourism policies. We go in great detail to make our guests as comfortable as possible with all the required ‘Creature Comforts’, while strictly adhering to our eco-driven and cultural sensitive policies. Check Trans Journeys Travel News for updates on special accommodation.
In a modern democratic republic, it is perfectly correct to address Maharaja ABC Singh as ‘Mister’ Singh, if somewhat lacking in style. ‘Sir’ and ‘Madam’ are commonly used in India as eminently respectful forms of address. ‘Maharaja’ or ‘Maharani’ may also be used in English, with the addition, if you are so minded, of the Hindi honorific -ji. You may hear a royal family member referred to by courtiers and others as ‘HH’ – His (or Her) Highness. For foreign visitors, ‘Your Highness’ may be inappropriate in speech, albeit very suitable in a letter. Likewise, ‘serenity’ in India tends to be reserved for bona fide Gods and Saints. As in Rome, a good rule of thumb is to follow closely local practices, without the need ever to appear ridiculous.
Protocol today has been overtaken by the exigencies of Personal Comfort allied to airline baggage allowances. While jacket-and-tie for gentlemen is never inappropriate in the evenings, it is by no means de rigueur. Dressing for dinner is now more the aftermath of needing to wash away the heat and dust of the day than responding to an esoteric code. A jacket is mainly useful against the often very cool winter nights and for the pockets a sweater never seems to have.
Men and women are advised to cover exposed flesh at all times specially when visiting religious sites or travelling in remote areas. It is quite possible for locals to have seen a foreigner for the first time in their life and that too with little cloths on their body. This can create an embarrassment for the on lookers. For women it is a good idea to throw in a scarf or shawl that you can use to cover your head and shoulders if required. It is strongly suggested to cover your body at least with a knee length trouser, while avoid anything shorter than sleeveless shirt of a natural fabric. Hats or caps and strong shoes are all recommended as a simple aid to tropical sunlight protection in the day and the attentions of insects at night.
Please also be sensitive to sensibilities of your host nation; modesty is still seen as a virtue in India. See Travel Tips: Shoes and Clothing.
For answers to these and a hundred other incidental but crucial questions, please consult the Trans Journeys Travel Tips page. In case we have failed to answer any of your personal queries, feel free to e-mail us for a rapid response.
An important part of our service is to ensure the best possible catering facilities in all the outlets we interact with, in gastronomy and hygiene, from formal meals to picnics. From modern lodges and hotel’sfood for the Gods prepared by a brigade of chefs in several different national and international styles, to locally based Palace ‘home’ cooking with a delicacy of flavours and aromas rarely if ever to be found in the world’s ‘Indian’ restaurants, we believe in the rather un-Napoleonic notion that enjoyable travel requires a happy stomach (and good safe water to boot). Vegetarians generally find themselves quite at home in India. Other special diets can always be catered with advance notice.
Children are always welcome in Trans Journeys, often availing of substantial discounts by the simple virtue of being children. The young occupy a specially privileged position in of our Indian societies. Given the nature of the terrain, the distances and the climate, we do, however, counsel against inclusion of children of less than 8 years of age.
As few as you wish, given the limitations of our exclusive accommodation arrangements. The essence of a ‘tour’ lies in its itinerary and the drivers and guides. However, for certain tours we do not deal in large groups, in part because the nature of our region cannot cope with them; in part because we believe the most rewarding travel experiences to secret places are the more intimate and personal.
Our inclusive tariffs cover all accommodation including all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and light intermediate refreshments), air-conditionedtransport with mineral water and soft drinks, road taxes, tolls, park and guide fees, from pick-up at Airport or Railway Station to final exit from these points. Tariffs do not include air or train travel into or out of the region unless mentioned, personal service gratuities or alcoholic beverages. Please consult our Travel Tips: Money link for advice on what to spend on discretionary ‘extras’. Please also note that tariffs are based on twin-sharing per person and are aguide only to our value. We will only quote final comprehensive tariffs based on dialogue with you about your needs.
Trans Journeys is always ready to assist you or your travel consultant with the destinations of different regions. Just let us know what you have in mind as we will provide you with the best possible services as we can.
We require a ten percent (non-refundable) deposit at the time of booking, followed by payment in full six weeks before the start of your tour. Payment is now mercifully easy with an internet bank transfer, if you don’t do internet banking you can take our details into your bank and they will do the necessary. We will supply you with all details on our invoice.