What we're about
This is an adventure travel group for men and women who have been there, done that, but their lust has still not been satiated and they want more. You have probably already been to see the Midnight Sun, swam with the dolphins in California , done the tour around Cambodia or Lebanon, climbed Kilimanjaro, been to the Everest base camp or even done the Machu Picchu and are now wondering what next?
Ekzoitika is Esperanto for exotic, the main objective of this group is to seek out unique travel experiences, far from the madding crowds, in places that are not on the popular tourist circuit.
There will be one or two featured trips ever year for small groups of 6-8 people, in far flung places, in relatively unexplored areas. The trips may be hiking, four-wheel driving, motorcycle trips, trains, ships or any other mode of transport. The only thing common about these places would be that there will not be hordes of tour companies taking bus load of people to these areas every week.
Eight of us have just returned from a trip to the flooded forest in the Brazilian Amazon, 420 miles from Manaus, spending most of our times in canoes going deep into the jungle.
Other trips that are on the cards include:
• The unexplored Himalayas: Walking to the source of the Ganges
• To the top of the world : From Kathmandu to Lhasa by Road
• The explosive experience : Exploring the Volcanoes of Java
• The Simple Life : Papua New Guinea
• Meeting our Ancestors : See the Gorillas before they disappear
• The Silk Road : Through the Heart of Asia to Mongolia
• The untamed world : To the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert
• To the end of the World : A is for Antarctica
These trips will be mostly self-guided tours, with a lot of prior, pre-planning. We will use local tour companies and tour guides where appropriate but will avoid the more commercial ones like Exodus or similar, with the objective of making these a little easier on the pocket.
Over the next 4-5 years we hope to cover many of the ones listed above. People interested would need to commit to the trips 6-12 months in advance.
In addition to the featured trips, the group will provide a forum to exchange information, find travel partners and for people to share experiences. Members of the group will be encouraged to set-up their own meet-ups, which may include talks, exhibitions, book launches, or social evenings all broadly related to the groups travel objectives. Members interested in organising their own trips will also be welcome to do that, provided they are consistent with the objectives and guidelines of the group.
While anyone is welcome to join the group, featured trips will be designed for active people who can handle a little rough travel in the wilderness, the target age group is 30 to 55, younger or older people who are comfortable with people in this age group will also be welcome.
The trips will be mid-budget range and the not the rock bottom, low budget, sleeping in park bench type. Accommodation will vary from basic hotels or even camping with a day of two of luxury thrown into the mix. It will depend on the nature of the trip.
Please note, this group is not associated with any tours or travel company. It is a social, community group set-up to bring together like minded people to plan trips together.
Upcoming events (3)
Why should you go to Bhutan?
Bhutan is no ordinary place. It is the last great Himalayan kingdom, shrouded in mystery and magic, where a traditional Buddhist culture carefully embraces global developments.
•They pride themselves to be low volume, high-value tourist destination, which means they limit the number of tourists that can go there every year and charge a premium for the visit
•They famously measure the net worth of the country in Gross Happiness Product rather than Gross Domestic Product
•While the rest of the world aspires to be carbon neutral in the next 30-50 years, Bhutan already emits less carbon than it absorbs
•It has a pristine eastern Himalayan landscape, where snow-capped peaks rise above primeval forests and beautiful traditional villages.
•The king and queen of the kingdom are the most good looking couple in the world.
How long is the trip?
The trip will be for a total of 9 days and 8 nights in Bhutan. Plus takes at least 2 days each way to get to Bhutan and come back from Bhutan so the total duration of the trip 14 days from London to London
The trip will start from Paro in Bhutan on Saturday the 17th of October and finish on Sunday the 25th of October in Paro.
What will we do there?
The trip is split into two strands.
1) A hiking and cultural trip where 5 of the nine days you will be hiking around the country . This includes a 4-day trek from Thimpu (The capital city) to Paro (the airport) staying in a campsite along the way. Although the campsites are the ones used by the handsome young king and his princess so presumably pretty comfortable
2) The second strand will be cultural when you will explore the local life include visiting the small hamlets and villages to meet these happy people. This would also have the option of some hikes but nothing very strenuous.
What will it cost?
The total cost of the trip will be £1650 for the 9 days and 8 nights in Bhutan with full board. It excludes the flights to and from Bhutan.
The price includes:
1. Accommodation on a twin share basis at a 3* hotel or campsites
2. Three full meals a day.
3. Full time licensed English speaking guide.
4. Local Transport in Creta car/Hiace bus /Coaster bus
5. All-access fees to museums, parks and other entry fees related to the tour.
6. Visa arrangement for Bhutan.
7. Bottled drinking water.
The price does not include:
1. Airfare to and back from Paro Airport in Bhutan
2. Any alcoholic, non-alcoholic beverages and any other personnel expenses
3. Travel Insurance.
4. Any expenses incurred on medical emergencies and evacuations
5. Any liabilities due to cancellation of flights, roadblock, etc.
6. Tips to the tour staff, the guide and driver.
A Single Room can be arranged at an extra cost.
How to get Bhutan from London?
Being a high value, low volume destination. It is not straight forward to get to Bhutan. There is an airport in Paro, Bhutan which is served only by two airline Bhutan Airways and Druk Airways they are both National Carriers.
Direct Flights to Paro are only from 5 international airports New Delhi, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Dhaka, and Bangkok.
The cost of these flights will be between £800-£1100. The shortest and quickest route is to fly to Delhi and then take a flight to Paro. The cheapest will be to fly to Kathmandu or Kolkata (with a couple of changes) and then take the flight to Paro.
The recommended flights will be posted once the number of people going is finalised
Is there a detailed Itinerary?
The detailed itinerary will be posted here in the next couple of days.
I am Interested What do I do next?
- RSVP for the event on the meet-up site
- Send a message indicating whether you want to go for the hiking option or the cultural option.
-At least three people need to sign up for the trip to go ahead.
- Once we have the required numbers I will confirm the trip
- A deposit will be required before the end of March.
- Vineet
- Jacquie J
- Pb3
- 30 attendees
This is a hard-core hiking trip that will start from the lush green valleys of the Himalayas and goes on to the higher mountains. You will climb through a mountain pass which is 5600 m high. There are a total of six hiking days when you will hike at an altitude of 4,000 m and above. You will be sleeping in Dome tents in makeshift camps.
While the hike does not require any technical climbing gear the landscape is rough, and tumble and you will need to cross rivers and glaciers along the way. This is a guided trip and you will have a trained mountain guide all along the way.
The total duration of the trip is 15 days, starting from New Delhi on Saturday the 13th of August and finish in New Delhi on Saturday the 27th of August.
You will first make your way by train and road to the lower regions of the Himalayas. This will take 3 days before the start of the 6-day hike, after the hike you will make your way to the Ladakh and spend a few days exploring the area. Ladakh is one of the remotest places on earth, with a population density of 3 people per square kilometre. It is in the North of India, sandwiched between Tibet on one side and Indian Kashmir on the other. It is a mecca for travellers looking for unspoilt beauty, spirituality and a place to rest and recuperate away from the madding crowd.
At the end of the trip, you will fly back from Ladakh to New Delhi.
The trip is meant of people who are seasoned hikers and want to push themselves a little further
Please click the link below for a detailed itinerary
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O3EUy25Hu5S7YKiLcHf3WaPTIibAvHk3vxbuDWoSl_g/edit?usp=sharing
And here are a couple of links to Youtube video to give you a better idea about the hike.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNIMwLvWNR8&t=284s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Y-PkBMEH0&t=114s
Costs:
The Costs for Trip is £1100.
The price is for a twin share in places where you will be staying in a hotel. Dome tents will be one per person.
If you would like your own room this can be arranged the extra cost will be £200.
Click the link below for a list of inclusions and exclusions in this price.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gePG90szhsJ4br0sfZOj_qH2298x3yxm3iV5ztjMvBU/edit?usp=sharing
Air tickets:
There are many options for travel from London to New Delhi ranging in price from £350-£600.
You can choose to take any flight that gets to New Delhi any time before 23:00 on Saturday the 13th of August. The meeting point will be the hotel which will be very close to the Airport.
You can take a return flight from New Delhi anytime after 14:00 on 27th August.
Recommended flights will be advised closer to the date.
If you have a British Passport you will also need a Visa to travel to India. The cost of Visa is £ 20. They now have an e-Visa system which is pretty straightforward and all handled electronically.
RSVP and Confirmations
• The maximum number of people on the trip is 8. The minimum number required for the trip to go ahead is 5.
• If you would like to come for this trip: a)Please RSVP on the meet-up site b) Send a note stating that you are a definite for the trip c) Once 5 people have signed up, the trip will be confirmed. d) A deposit of £300 will be required to reserve your place.
The last date for confirmation is 31st Dec 2019 or when 8 people have signed up, whichever comes first.
- Reza A.
- Gerard O C.
- Luis M.
- 10 attendees
Ladakh is one of the remotest places on earth, with a population density of 3 people per square km. It is in the North of India, sandwiched between Tibet on one side and Indian Kashmir on the other. It is in the heart of the Himalayas, the main town of the region, Leh is 3,500 m high. It is surrounded by valleys and peaks and you will go up as high as 4,500 m.
It is a mecca for travelers looking for unspoiled beauty, spirituality, and adventure. You can choose to do a rough and tumble hiking and camping trip and be one with nature or make a cultural experience to meet the locals and visit the many Buddhist and other religious places.
This is a 15-day trip that starts from New Delhi on the 13th of August from New Delhi and finishes in New Delhi 27th August.
You will take a train from New Delhi to Chandigarh and from there slowly make you way up by road to Ladakh. Spend a week exploring different parts of the region and then fly back to New Delhi.
For a detailed Itinerary click the links below:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x0g-QzFaY212e7J4k3cOX8SZqwFNUJpIgQk8YdRL2b4/edit?usp=sharing
Costs:
The Costs for the Road Trip Option is £950.
Included in the Price:
• One night’s accommodation in New Delhi in 4-star hotel (On a twin share basis), with breakfast
• Executive class train ticket from New Delhi to Chandigarh
• All local transport from Chandigarh for the duration of the stay.. A dedicated Van will be available for the use of the group during the stay
• Accommodation as listed in the itinerary on a twin share basis.
• All breakfast and dinner in Ladakh
• Oxygen Cylinder
• All permits
• All applicable taxes
Excluded from the price:
• Air tickets to New Delhi Airport
• Meals in New Delhi
• Lunches
• Visa fee
Air tickets:
There are many options for travel from London to New Delhi ranging in price from £350-£600.
You can choose to take any flight that gets to New Delhi any time before 23:00 on Saturday the 13th of August. The meeting point will be the hotel which will be very close to the Airport.
You can choose to leave New Delhi on any flight after 14:00 on 27th August.
Recommended flights will be indicated closer to the time.
If you have a British Passport you will also need a Visa to travel to India. They now have an e-Visa system which is pretty straightforward and all handled electronically.
RSVP and Confirmations
• The maximum number of people on the trip is 10. while 8 is considered ideal. The minimum number required for the trip to go ahead is 5.
• If you would like to come for this trip a) Please RSVP on the meet-up site b) Send a note indicating that you definitely would like to come for the trip c) Once 5 people have signed up, the trip will be confirmed. d) A deposit of £300 will be required to reserve your place.
- Rekha
- Joanna J.
- Hina
- 16 attendees
Past events (79)
- Vineet
- Abhishek S.
- Adam
- 41 attendees
