I N D I A | H O L I

M A R C H 2 - 1 1 2 0 2 0

SIX PLACES ONLY

Holi Festival Photo Tour

Glynn Lavender is a renowned photographer who specialises in people and travel photography.

Glynn will guide you, advise and assist you and make you laugh.

“A great tour should be an experience to remember”.

Y O U R T O U R L E A D E R

Spec

ial Earl

y Bird

Price

$599

5.00

Save

$500

Tour Overview

The March 2020 photo tour to India is timed to coincide with the festival of Holi. Holi got its name as the "Festival of Colours" from the childhood antics of Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who liked to play pranks on the village girls by drenching them in water and colors. The festival is now world renowned photographically for it’s potential to capture wonderful, colourful images of people celebrating in the temples and streets of India. Our tour will head to the epicentre of the Holi Festival, Vrindavan and Mathura where the celebrations are at their most wild and colourful.

Other highlights of the tour are visits to Varanasi, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, to photograph pilgrims as they wash away their sins in the waters of the mighty Ganges River. Varanasi is a place that changes you, inspires you and will draw you back.

Our other destination is Delhi, a cacophony of modern India but embedded amongst this metropolis is an India that will enthral and delight you with its narrow lanes and iconic historic sites and a million (or 10) incredible faces.

Come and join me on the trip of a lifetime! - Glynn

ITINERARYDay One: March 2nd 2020

Arriving into India you will be met at the airport (depending on arrival time) by Glynn, or a tour representative, and escorted to your hotel.

If time permits we will take a walk through the beautiful Lodhi Gardens, 90 acres of parklands that contains many 15th Century tombs.

Lodhi Gardens is a place where locals relax, play cricket and socialise in peace and quiet amongst the chaos of Delhi.

This is a great way to unwind after a long flight and a wonderful introduction to India.

Return to the hotel for dinner.

The face of India

After breakfast at the hotel we head out for a busy day starting with a short visit at India Gate, the 42m an”Arc-de-Triomphe" like archway in the middle of a crossroad. Similar in style to its French counterpart, India Gate commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during World War 1.

From there we head to Humayun’s Tomb, built in 1570 it is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal.

From here we head for lunch.

ITINERARYDay Two: March 3rd 2020

This afternoon we visit Jantar Mantar - which consists of 13 architectural astronomical instruments. The site is one of five built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur in 1724. This is a wonderful place to explore, lots of colour, angles and structures. Jantar Mantar is again a great meeting spot for locals who are happy to pose for photos and have a laugh with you.

Following Jantar Mantar we head to Agrasen ki Baoli Stepwell.This stepwell with 108 steps is located in the heart of the city and not often visited by tourists. There are few stepwells of this kind in Delhi and it is a terrific place to photograph.

ITINERARYDay Two: March 3rd 2020

Our final destination for the day is the Sikh Temple, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. This is one of the most prominent Sikh pilgrimage centres in India.

It is easily recognised by its golden dome with a sculpted  bronze cupola and also a tall flagpole called a Nishan Sahib.

There are areas here where photography is not allowed, but it is welcome in other areas. This is a great place to finish our day in a relaxed manner.

Return to the hotel for dinner.

ITINERARYDay Two: March 3rd 2020

Street Life

Morning Smoko

After breakfast we head to downtown Delhi for a walking tour of the famous Chandni Chowk. This area is inside the old walled part of Delhi and is a labyrinth of alleys and laneways filled to the brim with life, colour and people. After our walking tour we grab a cycle rickshaw and work our way through the chaos to our lunch.

In the afternoon we head to the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in Delhi for an amazing photo shoot. It’s always a joy to travel to places where the people are as interested in you as you are in them and that will definitely be the case here. This is one of my favourite locations to shoot in Delhi.

Return to hotel.

ITINERARYDay Three: March 4th 2020

This evening we are in for a treat. Tonight we head to the chic Hauz Khas area where we visit a delightful house with a beautiful terrace garden. We’ll enjoy a hands-on cooking lesson that is easy to reproduce at home, then we’ll enjoy an evening of food & laughter with the family and, if time permits, a visit to a local market visit – this is a great way to get a feel for life in India and a great way to spend our last evening in Delhi.

ITINERARYDay Three: March 4th 2020

VA R A N A S I

Today we head to Varanasi, one of the world’s longest continually inhabited cities and one of the holiest places in Hinduism. Located on the banks of the Holy Ganges River this city is a must visit for all photographers.

After a short plane flight (included) we stop in a local village on the way into Varanasi for a photo walk and hopefully some lovely portraits of the locals.

After our walk we head to our hotel for lunch, check in and a little bit of rest before heading out for the Ganges.

ITINERARYDay Four: March 5th 2020

After our rest period we head into Varanasi by bus, rickshaw and walking (it’s not a city well designed for traffic) we meet the mighty Ganges River and the spectacular Ghats.

We will walk the Ghats and then join the locals and tourists to observe the nightly Aarti Ceremony before heading for a late dinner.

ITINERARYDay Four: March 5th 2020

There is something special about being on the Ganges as the sun rises and that’s where we will be this morning. As pilgrims come down to the ghats to bathe we capture this amazing spectacle from our boat as we slowly make our way up river. Following our boat trip we work our way through the lanes and streets of Varanasi as we head back to our vehicle and hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast we head to Sarnath, the birthplace of Buddhism, to visit the Dhamek stupa and ruins, still frequented by Buddhists around the world.

ITINERARYDay Five: March 6th 2020

After lunch at the hotel and a short rest break we head back to the Ghats (by bus, rickshaw and walking) for a meet up with a bunch of local Varanasi Photographers*. These guys walk the Ghats daily and will lead us on a photowalk. Here you will have a chance to connect with passionate fellow photographers and enjoy some wonderful photo opportunities.

ITINERARYDay Five: March 6th 2020

Our final morning in Varanasi sees us up early and back at the Ghats for another cruise up the river but this time we beach ourselves on the far sandy bank of the Ganges for a walk amongst the pilgrims camping here. This is a wonderful window into the lives of these people and there are some great photo opportunities to be had. After our return to the main bank we work our way through the lanes back to our transport and to the hotel for breakfast, check out and head to the airport.

After a late lunch we will have some rest time before dinner.

ITINERARYDay Six: March 7th 2020

Whilst this tour focuses heavily on capturing wonderful images of our time here, the trip itself is very ‘spouse friendly’.

With a compact camera, or phone, in hand will have a terrific time seeing the incredible sights whilst snapping away with the freedom of just pointing and shooting.

Many a spouse has taken up photography after a tour as they catch the bug of taking great travel images.

100 %SPOUSE FRIENDLY

After breakfast we set off for Vrindavan and Mathura the epicentre of the Holi Festival celebrations. The drive is 3-4 hours, depending on conditions.

Upon arrival at the hotel we have lunch and then head out into the streets of Mathura for a photowalk.

Return for dinner.

ITINERARYDay Seven: March 8th 2020

After breakfast we head off to visit the Banke Bihari Temple, This Temple is the centre of the Holi festivities in India, the streets leading to the Temple are a procession of colour and life, there are a thousand photo opportunities around every corner. The Temple itself can be a bit of a crush depending on when we enter but the forecourt outside the temple can be just as much fun to photograph. The action ebbs and flows continually and we will stay here to soak it all up and capture events as they unfold.

ITINERARYDay Eight: March 9th 2020

The best way to get shots is to get involved

After a clean up, we’ll have lunch at the hotel and then head out to the Ghats of Mathura and follow the

Holi parade through the streets. Return to hotel for early dinner and then

head out to photograph the evening celebrations.

ITINERARYDay Eight: March 9th 2020

ITINERARYDay Nine: March 10th 2020

The best place to be on the morning of Holi is the historical Dwarkadheesh Temple in Mathura. At 7am we arrive at Vishram Ghat to watch the priests making Bhang (a local intoxicating beverage) before working our way to the Temple which opens at 10.00

The walk from the ghats to the temple will be a haze of colour, fun and laughter and, of course, photography!

Inside Dwarkadheesh Temple the scale of Holi is smaller and the place is much friendlier. The priests play Dhols and the dancing and celebrating continue through the morning.

Wrapping up by one thirty at the latest everything closes for the afternoon and the towns are very quiet.

We head back to the hotel clean, recover and relive a frantic couple of days.

After breakfast we head off on our return journey to Delhi. We will lunch in Delhi and then visit to Qutub Minar,

the largest brick minaret in the world.

From here we head to the airport for an early dinner.

Subject to individual departure times.

ITINERARYDay Ten: March 11th 2020

Early Bird Price $5995 until June 1st 2019PRICE $6495 AUD

I N C L U S I O N S :

HOLI PHOTO TOUR

All accommodation (twin share) All meals

Internal flights All ground transport

Local Guides Tips

Entrance to all locations Photography charges

Boat rides

N O T I N C L U D E D :International Flights

India Visa Beverages

Travel Insurance Excess Baggage charges if applicable

Gear recommendations:

• DSLR or equiv (2nd body ideal) • Lenses covering 24-200 (min) • Camera cover(s) for Holi • 2-4 Batteries • Tripod (optional) • Lots of memory cards • Optional back up system

I am happy to discuss any gear questions you may have and will be on hand to help you with any

camera skills you need during the trip.

Physical requirements: The tour itself is not overly physically demanding. There is a need to be able to walk for a few hours, climb a flight or two of stairs and be able to enter and exit a boat and there will be som long days. Safety: The majority of India is wonderfully safe with smiling happy people everywhere you go, having said that, common sense is needed everywhere you travel so keeping close to the group or staying in pairs is highly recommended. Solo women especially need to heed this advice. Holi Safety and schedule: Holi is a wonderful festival to attend but it does have it’s challenges. The best laid plans often go astray in India and trying to nail down a specific schedule for the events is incredibly tough. Everything that can be done to ensure a smooth event will be done. For a period of time on the actual day of Holi (usually mid to late morning) young men can have too much to drink and can get pretty rowdy. To ensure we have the utmost safety I have employed a second guide/securty guard to be with us for the two main days in Vrindavan/Mathura. This gives us a 2:1 ratio of photographers to guides/tour leader to ensure we can look after you as best as possible at all times.

India | Holi Photo TourMarch 2nd - 11th 2020

Contact Details: Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions whatsoever.

Glynn Lavender Creative Photo Workshops glynn@creativephototworkshops.com.au Ph: +61 438363079

Booking Travel PartnerAmaco TravelAmaco Travel can organise your entire trip for you, ensuring your flights connect as seamlessly as possible with our intended itinerary.

I recommend engaging Amaco to coordinate your travel as they are the company I employ to book all the internal elements of the tour. Keeping the group under one operator ensures the best possible outcomes should any unexpected delays or other issues arise.

Contact Details:Amaco Travel 1300 668 149 info@amacotravel.com.au

I can’t wait to share this amazing country and experience with you.

- Glynn