Where to Stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
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Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Kolkata and Eastern India
Explore thriving tea estates, explore the Ganges and discover the colonial past and the vibrant present of majestic Kolkata.
Kolkata is a firm favourite of the Steppes’ India team. Renowned for being home to great thinkers, polymaths, artists and revolutionaries, Kolkata has an irrepressible spirit. Home to the East India Company in the early 18th century it went onto become the launch pad for the complete colonisation of India under the British Raj while also gaining a reputation for insurrection. Today, it is considered a bit of an outlier with India’s powerbase further west in Delhi, and as such it has a defiant character distinct from India’s other mega cities. With some estimates putting Kolkata’s total population at close to 15 million, it is a city that pulses with an energy that rarely abates, epitomised by the city’s famous flower market. Read our blog on Kolkata, to get a feel for what a guided city tour has to offer.
Experiences
It’s all here. Things to see and do, places to explore and moments to discover.
India
Ganges Voyager
Gain an in-depth perspective of one of the most culturally significant parts of India onboard the Ganges Voyager. This all-suite boat has just 28 cabins offering spacious, high-ceilinged suites, with beautiful hand-painted murals, inspired by the…
India
Nauka Vilas
For the curious traveller, rivers have a strong and somewhat, romantic allure. Follow their course and you are sure to discover people with a fascinating history, culture and solid sense of place. The Ganges is no…
India
Glenburn Penthouse
A long-awaited project from the owners of Glenburn Tea Estate, this elegant nine-bedroomed boutique hotel, colonial in style, is a perfect bolthole for anybody preferring home from home when staying in Calcutta. Occupying the top two…
India
The Rajbari Bawali
The Rajbari Bawali, situated in a small village, one hour south of Kolkata is a historical neo-classical palace. Replete with decorative Italian architectural motifs, breezy balconies and graceful colonnades, it was formerly the resplendent headquarters of…
Darjeeling
Visitors tend to retreat from Kolkata and the steamy plains to enjoy the cooler climes of these beautiful regions. Reaching Darjeeling in West Bengal and beyond into Sikkim is achieved by either an overnight train from Kolkata or a short flight to Bagdogra followed by a three-hour drive.
The old colonial summer retreat of Darjeeling is a hugely popular destination, surrounded by spectacular views, lush tea estates and thickly covered forests. Darjeeling itself is now rather crowded, dirty and noisy however one can stay just outside in some glorious little home-stays such as Glenburn Tea Estate and make day trips into the town. The idyllic setting and stunning views of the Kangchendzonga range are well worth the visit.
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Sikkim
Continuing across the border from West Bengal you enter Sikkim. This state is renowned for its rich variety of plants and flowers as well as its ethnically diverse population. Sikkim is an orchid lover’s paradise while the monasteries of Rumtek and Pemayangtse are just two among a wealth of fascinating centres of Buddhism in the state. Organic farming and ecotourism have really taken off here and serious trekkers are exploring the less developed routes on offer.
Assam
Head east from Kolkata by plane and fly to Guwahati or Dibrugarh, the eastern state of Assam to spend time cruising on the mighty Brahmaputra River. There are some excellent boat options on which you can spend four, seven or 10 nights onboard exploring this far-flung part of India. For wildlife enthusiasts, stay at Diphlu River Lodge and visit the excellent Kaziranga National Park, home to the endangered one-horned rhino. Assam is renowned for tea production. Every year in December the tea planters come together and celebrate with a Tea Festival.
Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunchal Pradesh
Better known for the Hornbill Festival every December, Nagaland is also rich in history. The Hornbill Festival celebrates the rich culture of Nagaland. This annual melange of cultural displays from all 16 tribes of Nagaland, known as the last head-hunters, includes colourful pageants showcasing the cultural treasures of the Land of the Nagas.
You can reach Nagaland from Assam if you wish to combine the land of tea with tribes. We are fond of Phejin Konyak who is a fascinating lady, owner of the Konyak Tea Retreat and great-granddaughter of the infamous tattooed head hunters of the Konyak Nagas.
Kohima, the state capital, is home to one of the most important battles of World War II. It is home to the WWII cemetery and museum. Walk Kohima Ridge, the site of one of the bloodiest of all battles fought between the British and Japanese.
Neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh was called the North-East Frontier Agency by the British, it was effectively a no-go zone. Today you can reach Debang valley from Assam. The Reh festival is celebrated every February by the local Mishmi tribal villages. Wakro is home to the Mishmis, a Mongoloid tribe with Tibetan-Burmese origin. The abundance of natural beauty, colourful and charming tribes and ancient archaeological sites make the place a perfect destination for nature lovers, adventurous tourists, archaeologists, and anthropologists.
Meghalaya, known as the Scotland of the East, has breathtaking scenery. The Living Root Bridges are the most extraordinary pieces of art and engineering by the Khasi’s. The David Scott Trail is a beautiful one day trek covering 17 kilometres through spectacular scenery. Named after the British administrator during the British Raj his operations lasted 29 years in the Khasi Hills.
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Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Kate Hitchen
My travels were first inspired by my love of the UK, which I take as much pleasure in exploring as countries far and wide. For me, travel is all about the adventure, the people I meet and the food I sample along the way.
Talk with our experts
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Start planning your trip
Explore other highlights
Delhi
Spending a few days on holiday in Delhi is a wonderful introduction to this great country and to its extensive and fascinating…
Rajasthan
If you only visit India once, make sure to set your sights on Rajasthan.
Kashmir and Ladakh
Home to the elusive snow leopard and some of the most extraordinary landscapes, a visit to Ladakh and Kashmir will take you…
Central India
Central India boasts some of the country's cultural highlights and best tiger parks.
Himalayan Foothills
The unique hill culture of the various regions has been fostered and protected for generations.
Karnataka
Karnataka offers the visitor a mix of interests, in particular, the distinctive architectural styles found in Hampi.
Kerala
Kerala holidays are perfect for a first-time visitor to India and an excellent holiday option for families.
Goa
Overlooking the Arabian Sea, this tiny state is home to miles of beautiful beaches.
Mumbai
Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is a city teeming with culture, architecture and people.
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu, with its once referred to 'Coromandel Coast' boasts some of the most remarkable temple architecture in India.
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh is a relatively small area with a strong tiger population.
Kanha National Park
A diverse habitat to support many mammal and bird species.
Kaziranga National Park
A stunning park with a great conservation success story for the Indian one-horned rhinoceros.
Panna National Park
From safaris to boat rides from spotting birdlife to tigers and sloth bears, Panna offers many exciting opportunities to the wildlife lover.
Pench National Park
Pench, on the border of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, has been known through the ages for its rich flora and fauna.
Ranthambore National Park
Famous for its tigers and is one of the most accessible parks on the tourist trail
Tadoba National Park
One of India’s most exciting and best-protected tiger reserves, with excellent tiger sightings, reported regularly.
Satpura National Park
Satpura is uncharted and unspoilt and represents wilderness at its very best.
Sasan Gir
The Gir Forest National Park is one of the oldest sanctuaries in India and is home to the last remaining Asiatic lion.
Dudhwa National Park
Home to tigers, leopards, Asiatic black bears, sloth bears, swamp deer, rhinoceros, elephants, chitals, hog deer, barking deer, sambars, wild pigs and…
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
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