BRING ME SUNSHINE
Bring on the sunshine!… as we sun starved Brits await the Summer sun, here is some inspiration for those who just cant wait.Sri Lanka , Rajhasthan and Ladakh in northern India are the perfect destinations for Vitamin-D-lacking sun-worshippers in need of a summer getaway…
Ladakh in northern India – where it’s blissfully cool and pleasant (for India that is)...
Average temperature in June/July: 25-30°C
Perfect for those who feel they have ‘done’ India. A journey to Ladakh is a journey into the unknown for most travellers. A high altitude desert, the former kingdom of Ladakh is located in the most northern province of India in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Surrounded by Himalayan peaks, Ladakh is a peaceful Buddhist enclave – a land of fluttering prayer flags, smiling faces, striking monasteries and colourful festivals. All only an hour’s flight from New Delhi. Freezing in winter – it is surpassed only by Siberia as the coldest inhabited place on earth in winter – in summer temperatures rarely dip below a balmy 25°C. Walking tours and homestays are the recommended way to really see this stunning region, which only opened to tourism in 1974. This is an area that’s on the move, the Indian government recently opened up access to more than 100 peaks in Kashmir. A must-visit for summer 2012.
Sri Lanka – for sunny and warm tropical weather…
Average temperature in June/July: 26-28°C
The beautiful tropical island of Sri Lanka has something for everyone – gorgeous palm-fringed sandy beaches, lush rainforests, hillside tea plantations, ancient cities, elephant, leopard, sloth bear and Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo-filled national parks, stretches of coast from which blue whales can be spotted, Buddhist temples and colourful festivals. There are very few places on earth where you can experience such variety – no wonder this unspoilt island is known as the ‘pearl of the Indian Ocean’. Visitor numbers have been on the rise since 2009 and it’s a country that’s getting easier and easier to visit – new motorways have opened, luxury compartments have been added to some intercity rail services and Sri Lanka’s second international airport is due to open in Hambantota in the south of the island later this year. The highlight of Sri Lanka’s summer calendar, the festival of Esala Perahera will comm ence on the 19th of July and run for 2 weeks in the old Royal capital of Kandy. One of the oldest and most extraordinary festivals in the world, thousands of drummers, dancers, whip-crackers and fire-eaters parade through the city accompanied by 100 caparisoned elephants, the largest of which carries the sacred relic taken from Buddha’s funeral pyre almost 2,500 years ago. It’s a sight to behold…
Other sunny Summer options include
Rajasthan – go from mid-August (post-Monsoon) when everything is fresh, green and wonderfully crowd-free...
Average temperature in June/July: 30°C
Romantic India at its most splendid and colourful… India’s largest state, Rajasthan, is the stuff of fairy tales. Known as the ‘Land of the Kings’, Rajasthan is brimming with imposing hilltop forts and majestic palaces (many of which have been converted into amazing hotels by polo-playing princes turned luxury-innkeepers).
Ampersand Travel Sri Lankan itineraries start at £2,100 and can vary from 9 to 23 days in length.The company also offers an 11-day ‘Hidden Indian’ itinerary of Ladakh from £2,195 per person and tours of Rajasthan.www.ampersandtravel.com