Greener Pastures launches two exciting and experimental tours in Northeast India. One, a grand 32 days road trip through remote tribal frontiers, and the other, an 8 days culinary adventure covering ethnic Asian food.
(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - November 26th, 2013 - Based in the remote and non-touristy region of Northeast India, Greener Pastures (http://www.thegreenerpastures.com) is a sustainable travel company which promotes responsible tours and adventures in an area which is predominantly forested and home to indigenous cultures. Due to the region’s unique location of being triangulated by South Asia, Tibet and South East Asia, Northeast India is a sort of melting point of cultures which trace their history to all of these places. Even the incredible biodiversity of the region is a result of this unique location. Guarded by mighty Himalayan ranges, hills and tropical forested terrain, much of this ancient richness has remained preserved. The people of the region till today live a simple life connected to the nature, proud of their indigenous past, and the wilderness is still very much alive.
Noticing these unique aspects of the region, Greener Pastures has come up with 2 very exciting experiences for the culture seeking traveler. One is a grand once-in-a-life road trip which crosses through the most isolated tribal frontiers of India and other is a sweet 8 days exotic adventure which covers the culinary highlights of the various tribes who reside in the region. Along with culture and cuisine, the other highlights of these journeys are the rich nature and beautiful landscapes.
Called the ‘The Tribal Frontiers of Northeast India’, the 32 days trip covers 4 northeastern states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya, and provides meaningful engagement with more than 15 different indigenous cultures such as the Adis, Apatanis, Khasis, Konyaks and Mishmis. The tour is well described in the company’s website with interesting information provided about the history and the sustainability of these tribal cultures. Based as a road trip, the tour will drive through numerous landscapes such the Khasi Plateau, countryside and forests of the fertile Brahmaputra plains, the verdant Naga-Patkai Hills which stretch into Burma and the simply mesmerizing ranges of the Eastern Himalaya. The accommodations though not luxurious at most of the places, have been chosen after careful research and are mostly local properties such as homestays and community driven projects. This is to provide the traveler an authentic experience and enable him or her to contribute to the local economy. Such gains to the local economy go a long way in preserving the cultural heritage of these places. However, the highlight of this grand tour is definitely the interaction with the different host communities and observing and learning from their ways of lifestyle which are simple, sustainable and show a way of how mankind can live with nature and sustain the planet.
In the 8 days ‘Exotic Cuisines and Northeast India Bliss’, Greener Pastures has tried to promote a very unique aspect of the region’s culture – the cuisine. Food in fact is a very integral part of the lives of people of Northeast India. Festivals and events are celebrated with feasts in all the tribal communities. The indigenous ways of the society in the region give preference to a very balanced cuisine by using kinds of rice, meat, fish, herbs and vegetables. In the interior areas, most of the produces are still organic and grown locally. Chili is quite popular many parts of the region and even the world’s hottest chili can be found. The highlight of this trip is truly the delicacies as northeastern food is special, offering an exotic Pan Asian experience which is a melting pot of indigenous, East Asian and West Asian cuisine. Besides the food, the natural bliss and friendly people of the region come as a perfect complement to the gastronomy focused itinerary.
The team at Greener Pastures is quite excited about these two tours. As Vaivhav Todi, the co-founder of the company puts it “Our latest two tours are very experimental as they focus on areas which are relatively new when it comes to travelling in India. Though Northeast is the least touristic area of the country, the combined experience of tribal cultures, virgin forests and unspoiled landscapes is quite overwhelming. In these two tours, we have picked up these aspects to prepare itineraries which are way unique. Such as the culinary tour where for the first time the region’s very exotic cuisine has been highlighted. Only after careful research did we choose the route, accommodation, cuisines and eating places. We are quite sure gastronomy enthusiasts will appreciate this tour. In the 32 days tribal tour, our main aim is to present a long and memorable journey which covers Northeast India in a grand-style road trip, where travelers will visit distant lands, meet a multitude of distant cultures and be left overwhelmed.”
More information on these two tours can be read in the company’s website. Both the tours are available only from October to April and are suitable for solo travelers, couples and groups. Families will enjoy the culinary tour particularly as it is short, and apart from food contains activities such as wildlife safari which are great for children.
About Greener Pastures
Greener Pastures (http://www.thegreenerpastures.com) is a fresh two year old sustainable travel company based in Northeastern India. Run by local enthusiasts, the company offers responsible tours and adventures to exotic places and cultures. A member of The International Ecotourism Society, the company has active responsible tourism policies which aim to ensure that tourism plays a role in improving lives and the environment.
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For more information about Greener Pastures, please contact Vaivhav Todi via email at vaivhav(at)thegreenerpastures(dot)com or telephone at (+91) 9435-747471.
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