LiveIndia reveals the true beauty of India to small groups of clients who are able to travel by moto
26/11/2022
On all of our tours we try to bridge the cultural divide by creating opportunities where you can interact with local Indians and really get to feel their warmth and character.
It is a wonderful alchemy that occurs when two distant cultures spontaneously meet, the smiles come out and happiness glows.
The Indian people are always curious and delighted to meet visitors who look so different, and have come so far to see the area they live.
I’m not talking about heavily touristed places but the roads less travelled that our motorcycle holiday adventures take us to.
This is why we are called LiveIndia, because after a trip with us, you feel that you have not just ‘done’ India, but that you have ‘lived’ there for two weeks.
It is the small magical moments of contact between East and West that warms hearts on both sides and leaves us all with fond emotional memories of each other’s nations.
We remember the incredible places we see and the amazing adventures we experience in our minds, but the contact with the people we remember in our hearts, and that’s just one of the things that makes small group travel with LiveIndia so special.
Here are a few such moments from previous Goa & Beyond Tours.
Treat yourself to a winter escape in tropical Goa and the magical inland state of Karnataka, central India where the weather will be sunny and clear around 25C with a cool breeze. The Goa and Beyond Tour is coming up Jan 29th to Feb 11th.
This is an easy going motorcycle adventure holiday taking in the warm Arabian Sea, lush jungled hills, old Portuguese colonial towns and ancient lost cities to name but a few of the delights you'll explore on your latest model Royal Enfield which are a joy to ride and the perfect bike for touring India.
After winding our way up the coast under the palms on small local roads enjoying the best of the food, beaches and lively markets of Goa we head deep into the heart of India to discover incredible cities from the 6th and 13th century, that have recently become designated UNESCO world Heritage sites.
With lakes and rivers flowing among the ancient buildings set in landscapes straight off another planet, these remote areas are best discovered by motorcycle and we make the most of doing so with stunning sunset points and boating by coracle for a freshwater swim.
There is so much more on this trip, but just wanted to provide you a flavour of what it has to offer.
There 3 places left, it is a small group, fully supported and all-inclusive tour once you reach India, and we don't hold back from the best of everything. We help you with your preparation details too.
Come and get away from it all and feel the warm welcome of India’s heartlands and peoples while enjoying some spectacular riding.
Our itineraries are unique to us and we take excellent care of you the whole trip from the moment we pick you up at the airport to the moment we drop you back there at the end of your holiday smiling with a head full of wonderful experiences and memories you’ll enjoy forever.
Booking is here https://liveindia.co.uk/the-tours/goa-and-beyond
19/09/2022
Our thoughts are with our Queen's family today in their loss, as well as the millions of people around the world who also felt a connection with her and are mourning today.
Thank you to our tour doctor, Avneesh who sent me this photograph of The Queen when she visited Varanasi in India in 1961 as the guest of the Maharaja of Benares.
Queen Elizabeth visited India 3 times during her reign and touched many hearts when she removed her shoes while paying her respect at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi.
In 2015 she invited India's current Prime Minister Narendra Modi for lunch at Buckingham Palace, reaffirming the warmth and closeness our two countries have shared since India gained her independence from Britain in 1947.
May she rest in peace.
14/09/2022
If you want to give yourself a treat at the end of January this year, escape the cold and embrace the warm, sunny Indian tropical paradise of Goa, then all you need to do is sign up for our Goa and Beyond Tour Jan 29th to Feb 11th 2023. We take care of everything once you arrive in India and all is inclusive to the highest standard, even a beer to enjoy with your evening meal. You don't need to worry about food or tips to waiters and hotel staff, we cover it all for you including any snacks along the road as you go.
Half the trip is exploring Goa's best kept secrets and the other half is a cruisy sunshine adventure into the heart of India to see jaw-dropping World Heritage lost city sites dating back to the 6th century while passing through deeply jungled hills on tiny roads and visiting off the beaten track villages along with experiencing wondrous natural landscapes that take your breath away.
There is time to swim, enjoy sunsets, walk and explore, and just take it all in properly because that's how we run our trips. You get to Live India not just do India.
So come and join us in India when the weather is a cool 20 to 25C, with blue skies. We will reveal the very best of what this central part of this magnificent sub-continent has to offer on a fully supported holiday adventure designed to amaze and inspire you to keep coming back for more.
Next Bhutan Tour coming up, October 21st to October 5th 2023.
Take this opportunity to experience the Switzerland of the Himalayas by motorcycle and discover a land of your dreams where 'happiness' is the Government's measure of the country's success.
See liveindia.co.uk for details. Single rider cost for own room and 13 nights in country £6000. (discounts for couples) All inclusive luxury tour apart from alcohol, insurance, and your International flights to and from your country to New Delhi, India. We cover the flights from there to Bhutan and back and provide full support throughout the booking process and during the tour.
This a stunning, unique route and itinerary, tried and tested by us to provide you the very best of Bhutan's incredible landscapes, foods and culture, all while riding Bhutan's most beautiful and exciting roads. Small group, only 12 riders max. Book now via the website and we will get the ball rolling for you, or Whats App me for further information. Hope to see you along!!
20/04/2020
One night on the Kerala Tour in December we stayed on the shores of Vemband lake, one of the lagoons that forms part of Kerala's legendary backwaters. These brackish waterways form a vast network of inland canals running parallel to the coast for around 200km. Our beautiful hotel looked out over cantilever nets, picturesquely silhouetted at sunset, which Chinese traders and settlers introduced centuries ago. We enjoyed a fabulous candlelit dinner on the pontoon overlooking the water and in the early morning after a tasty breakfast we went on an amazing boat ride through the capillary like channels of the backwaters.The whole area is full of islands of all sizes, sometimes down to just holding one house, one tree and one buffalo. The canals weaving between them can be as narrow as six feet (2m) and of course every family has a canoe or larger boat and all the foodstuffs and building materials are moved around by long sleek traditional rice barges. The canals are overhung by palm trees where people bathe, wash their clothes and catch fish on simple bamboo rods for breakfast and dinner. Smartly dressed schoolchildren with satchels on their backs and slickly oiled hair can be seen making their way to school across tiny foot bridges as they chat animatedly and wave as we pass. It is very peaceful and somewhat magical to glide through there. It was a pure pleasure quietly cruising under the shade of the trees observing the ancient way of life being lived out along the banks as we passed. Everyone was incredibly friendly and the houses so neatly swept and well looked after, many surrounded with flowers. A truly great insight into a completely different way of life, even for Kerala, and a fantastic way to begin yet another brilliant day on the road!
19/04/2020
This is Chris indicating that we are riding through tiger territory in one of Kerala's vast national parks. We had just previously seen a you tube clip from Kerala of a tiger leaping out of the bushes and giving chase to a couple of guys two-up on a moped. This is of course a very rare thing to happen although I must admit there were moments on this trip where the jungle was overhanging us on very quiet small roads and my own senses were on full alert ready to open up the throttle should the situation require it! :). Real adventure!!
13/04/2020
A great part of riding in India, and indeed in anywhere else in Asia for that matter, are the impromptu stops we make for refreshments and snacks. In India this usually involves 'chai' which is tea. Those of you who have travelled with us know that 'chai' is made by boiling two parts water and one part milk, with a heaped teaspoon of sugar for each cup. For us riders it provides a much needed hit to our blood sugar levels due to the usually warm temperatures we are riding in, as well as the level of concentration an alert mind requires. Usually combined with 'biscuits', the sugar rush brings us back to full power for the next leg! Even those of us who don't take sugar in our tea back home still tend to drink Chai for its beneficial qualities. It seems to taste awful without sugar and sugar is always added by default, as it is deemed an essential ingredient of chai. Almost all chai wallahs (chai makers) add a bit of masala (spice) to their tea giving it an extra flavour. and so it becomes 'masala chai'. The spice added is often locally grown and can range from the most common, which is cardamon, to cinnamon, vanilla or even pepper. In regions where coffee is grown, like Kerala, coffee is also offered but strangely, in most of India, only tea is available. It is not tea bags that are used but loose tea and the milk is usually unpasteurised locally collected milk from whatever animal is available. Usually cow’s milk but depending on the region it can be goats’ milk or even camels milk! Because the milk is unpasteurised, it is brought to the boil three times in the chai wallah's saucepan over his blazing compressed kerosene hob, to finish off any bacteria that may have been present. The whole process gives Indian chai a whole special flavour that one comes to associate with riding motorcycles in India. The beauty of these 'chai stops' is that wherever they are, they offer a brief insight into the microcosm of life that surrounds them. It could be chatting with the regulars who are also taking a cup, admiring the views, interacting with the animals that also tend to congregate around chai shops, hoping for a handout, or just taking in the traffic hubbub or beautiful countryside views, every chai stop has its delights, and is an integral part of the wonderful experience of travelling in India. Small groups such as we ride with, allow us to make these stops a regular feature of our tours, so we travel the way a group of friends would, riding together, stopping here and there as we please or the interest takes us. Because India is so spontaneous, this really is the only way to travel and why we limit our group numbers to eight. Here are a few photos from a random chai stop on our most recent Kerala tour in January. This particular chai wallah was also selling fresh coconut milk right from the coconut itself and a few of us went for that instead, as it is just as tasty, refreshing and energy boosting as chai itself. Like any of our stops, this one had its unique charms and provided much interest, interaction and laughter :)
10/04/2020
Why did the ele?....oh never mind...just keep the engine running and ready for an impromptu u-turn!! :)Seeing a wild elephant at such close quarters while riding on the back roads of upper Kerala is a thrilling experience.
10/04/2020
A group of photos from our afternoon ride out to a tribal village in the highlands of Kerala. As this was a few days before Christmas, was it that much of a surprise to see Father Christmas on a lime green moped in a field in the middle of nowhere!?... Yes it was! ...but that's India for you :) After hearing about the tribal culture, (that's the village in the distance), having a little dance and an attempt at a very difficult acrobatic stunt with a stick, that the lady of the house accomplished with ease and found very amusing as we fell over trying to do so...we enjoyed the views over the incredibly beautiful nearby lake before a gorgeous ride back to the hotel winding through hills and jungle in the cool refreshing air found at this altitude to a nicely chilled beer and superb home cooked meal prepared by the wife of owner of the coffee plantation on which we were staying.
29/03/2020
Hey everyone! how are you doing? I hope you are all well and weathering the Covid storm as best you can. I just wanted to let you know that although we have suspended all tours for the moment, we are still taking expressions of interest for next year. That is to say that people are putting their names down for trips but we are not asking for any deposits until the global situation becomes more clear. When it becomes possible and safe to travel again we will let all the people know who have placed their names against tours and they will have the first choice on whether to put down their deposits and solidify their bookings. So if you fancy a bit of escapism, a bit of a dream of motorcycle adventuring with a small group of like-minded people on Royal Enfields in the high Himalayas or the tropical jungles of South India, then feel free to put your name down for one of our trips in 2021. We won’t hold you to it or ask a deposit but you can just know that you will get first choice if that tour is going to run of which we will give you at least 3 months’ notice. You can express your interest by dropping me an email at [email protected] or going to the booking page on the website or even by Whats Apping me on the number next to the profile picture above. All with no obligation, ok. it's just so we can all feel good that we have something profoundly positive and brightly adventurous booked and waiting for us at the other end of this dark Covid tunnel enveloping the world at this difficult time. In the meantime, I will post uplifting images and stories from previous tours to add colour to your days, vibrance to your hearts and remind you that there is a wonderful world out there waiting to be discovered. We shall shortly add our 2022 dates for this purpose also. I personally wish you and your loved ones to stay safe and healthy during this pandemic, as without doubt, each one of us is affected in some way and we all have worries for others apart from ourselves. As motorcyclists I know that we are a slightly different breed from much of the population in that we are prepared to exchange a higher degree of risk, for our love of freedom, excitement and adventure. And so I know it is with that strength of spirit and calm nerves, that you will steer yourselves and your families through this dark period, and into the light.
So, here we have a moment from our recent Malabar Coast - Kerala Tour where we rode out to a tribal village in the hills and visited a family of the Paniyan Tribe. We took along a friend and local guide to make the introduction. It was fascinating to see how they lived there. The lady of the house was chewing betelnut which made her mouth red and she put in her festival earrings made of bright red seeds for us. My friend speaks the tribal language and was talking about the dancing they do at festivals and he had recorded one on his phone. Helen loves dancing and asked if he could play the music from the recording and if the lady could show her how the dancing is done. This is that moment happening, hastily recorded on my phone. It was a great piece of east/west bonding and both parties were delighted. This is a typical example of how everyday we give our groups something above and beyond the superb riding adventure alone, which is a deeper view into local culture, cuisine, the landscapes, architecture and other activities such as nature walking, swimming or boating. India truly is an amazing experience and it is our pleasure at LiveIndia to reveal to you the very best this incredible country has to offer, while having some great fun and enjoyment too. Best wishes to you, wherever you are in the world! Andrew M.D. LiveIndia (UK) LTD
09/03/2020
A few photos of one of the places we stayed on the Malabar Coast - Kerala Tour. We offer a mix of accommodation with the ethos always being to stay in the best places available. The best being somewhere that has magnificent views, or fantastic location, incredible architecture or a charming family atmosphere. One night it could be a palace, another a family home and another a tree house. Wherever you stay, you can rest assured that we have used our extensive connections and in depth local knowledge to source you unique and memorable places to stay with no corners cut. In this case, after a fantastic days riding through the jungle, up mountains and past lakes, we made a final steep climb and popped out on a cliff edge to an exquisitely designed modern luxury hotel overlooking the plains below. All the rooms have a window wall at one end where you can stand and look through the clouds below at a breathtaking scene of mountains valleys, villages and plains as far as the eye can see. The restaurant was second to none as was the breakfast and friendliness of the staff. After freshening up we all met in one room for a tipple and unwind before heading off for a slap up meal at the end of another brilliant day.
07/03/2020
The wildlife rich Malabar Coast of Kerala often provides close up encounters with large beasts wandering out of the jungle. Here we met a wild bison on the road in the tea plantations at 6000ft while on tour. Top tip is: keep the engine running and be ready to leave at short notice! :) All super exciting and one of the many reasons we love riding in Kerala!
02/03/2020
The Malabar Coast of Kerala is one of India's most wildlife rich regions with many national parks and dense tropical jungle. We select our routes to pass through as many of these areas as possible as they are crisscrossed with networks of small winding empty roads that are a joy to ride. Much of Kerala is at high altitude between 2000m and 3000m and surprisingly this is where many herds of wild elephants roam. During the Malabar Coast Tour last month we were lucky enough to come across 8 wild elephants with 6 of them all together at a safe distance where we could watch them frolicking in the water of a lake below us. Seeing these humongous beasts at ease in their natural environment is a deeply moving and primordial experience. It is hard to believe that there isn't a fence separating us, that we are out in this vast natural world together. We saw another elephant standing at the water’s edge and on a different day we were riding through an area where the rangers had cut back the jungle close to the road presumably to give both animals and humans visual awareness before accidentally bumping into each other. Since Kerala abounds with leopard and tiger, that is probably a good idea. Then we saw an elephant wander out of the jungle and amble across the road in front of us as we stood ready to do a fast about turn in case he decided to give us a hard time. Thankfully he seemed to have lunch on his mind and headed relaxedly back into the bush. It was quite a moment though as he was less than 100m away. Every trip we run in Kerala yields large wild animal sightings and this is part of the wonder of travelling here. It is about knowing where to ride and when that allows events like this to happen, and that is based on over 20 years’ experience of riding and exploring this wonderful Indian state.
27/02/2020
Of course we had plenty of fabulous riding on the Royal Enfields in Kerala. As ever we selected many little known jungle routes away from main highways where we could cruise at an enjoyable pace on gorgeous winding empty roads whilst taking in the fresh air and magnificent varied scenery all around us...Wonderful ! :)
23/02/2020
Whenever possible we time our trip dates to coincide with major festivals in the area we are riding in. On the December 2019 Kerala Tour we not only coincided with Christmas and New Year but made sure that we were in a superb location for a rare full solar eclipse. We stayed in a large 170 year old British Colonial house and garden at 7500ft above sea level in the Western Ghats mountains for the celestial event that took place on the morning of the 26th December. As we had rented the entire property for two nights we dragged chairs out into the garden and made ourselves comfortable while passing around a couple of pairs of special eclipse glasses. The air was clear and the sky blue, and what we went on to experience was something phenomenal beyond our imagination. The eclipse was the type called The Ring Of Fire where the moon does not fully eclipse the sun but sits within it, leaving a bright ring around the edge. As it slowly peaked, the light in the garden became eerie and the atmosphere like out of a ghost movie. The ancient mansion setting was perfect. The light of the eclipse filtered through the leaves of some of the tall trees in the garden and created a camera obscura effect that covered the house and driveway with thousands of circles of light. It was simply fantastic! None of us had expected that and we were all completely wowed out to experience such an epic spectacle. A trip is only as good as the effort one puts in to arranging it, and at LiveIndia we put everything into making your trip an incredible adventure of a lifetime...everytime! All available upcoming tours for 2020/2021 are on the website now.We hope to meet and experience the best of life with you in India, some time soon.
19/02/2020
When on tour, we try to include a non-motorcycling activity every day. Here we are in Kerala canoeing on a beautiful river in a national park, taking in the fresh air and the stunning landscapes with just the dip of the paddles and the song of tropical birds breaking the early morning silence. We stayed the night right next to the water, in individual luxury bungalows with terraces under the palm trees. This is what you get when you travel with LiveIndia, unique small group experiences that you will never forget. What a way to start the day! Fantastic! :)
08/02/2020
Happy Weekend everybody! I'm still working through the many fantastic photos from our recent Kerala trip. Here is one that captures the essence of riding in India with LiveIndia. With small groups and knowledgeable guides we reveal the least known and most beautiful routes, and have the time to stop and just appreciate the magnificence of this incredible country. The new dates for 2020 and 2021 are now on the website. Tours are filling up quickly as previous guests get in there fast, so please do book early to be assured of a place on one of our unique itineraries in India and Bhutan. Hope to see you along later this year. Very best wishes, Andrew https://liveindia.co.uk/
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Videos
Motorcycle Touring in Kerala India with LiveIndia Ltd - December 2019
This is Chris indicating that we are riding through tiger territory in one of Kerala's vast national parks. We had just previously seen a you tube clip from Kerala of a tiger leaping out of the bushes and giving chase to a couple of guys two-up on a moped. This is of course a very rare thing to happen although I must admit there were moments on this trip where the jungle was overhanging us on very quiet small roads and my own senses were on full alert ready to open up the throttle should the situation require it! :). Real adventure!!
Motorcycle Touring in Kerala with LiveIndia
Why did the ele?....oh never mind...just keep the engine running and ready for an impromptu u-turn!! :)Seeing a wild elephant at such close quarters while riding on the back roads of upper Kerala is a thrilling experience.
LiveIndia Motorcycle Tour 2019 Along the Malabar Coast - Kerala
Hey everyone! how are you doing? I hope you are all well and weathering the Covid storm as best you can. I just wanted to let you know that although we have suspended all tours for the moment, we are still taking expressions of interest for next year. That is to say that people are putting their names down for trips but we are not asking for any deposits until the global situation becomes more clear. When it becomes possible and safe to travel again we will let all the people know who have placed their names against tours and they will have the first choice on whether to put down their deposits and solidify their bookings. So if you fancy a bit of escapism, a bit of a dream of motorcycle adventuring with a small group of like-minded people on Royal Enfields in the high Himalayas or the tropical jungles of South India, then feel free to put your name down for one of our trips in 2021. We won’t hold you to it or ask a deposit but you can just know that you will get first choice if that tour is going to run of which we will give you at least 3 months’ notice. You can express your interest by dropping me an email at [email protected] or going to the booking page on the website or even by Whats Apping me on the number next to the profile picture above. All with no obligation, ok. it's just so we can all feel good that we have something profoundly positive and brightly adventurous booked and waiting for us at the other end of this dark Covid tunnel enveloping the world at this difficult time. In the meantime, I will post uplifting images and stories from previous tours to add colour to your days, vibrance to your hearts and remind you that there is a wonderful world out there waiting to be discovered. We shall shortly add our 2022 dates for this purpose also. I personally wish you and your loved ones to stay safe and healthy during this pandemic, as without doubt, each one of us is affected in some way and we all have worries for others apart from ourselves. As m
Motorcycle Touring In Kerala with LiveIndia
The wildlife rich Malabar Coast of Kerala often provides close up encounters with large beasts wandering out of the jungle. Here we met a wild bison on the road in the tea plantations at 6000ft while on tour. Top tip is: keep the engine running and be ready to leave at short notice! :) All super exciting and one of the many reasons we love riding in Kerala!
Touring on Royal Enfields in Kerala with LiveIndia.co.uk
Happy New Year! Just returned from a wonderful Kerala trip full of adventure, close up encounters with wild animals, beautiful riding, great food, lovely company and wonderful experiences. Am just working through the photos but this video clip caught my eye and just wanted to share it here. Riding cross country through coconut palms on a sunny day in December in Kerala. 👍 :)
New Years Eve in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Happy New Year everybody! I spent it in Chiang Mai , Northern Thailand with my lovely wife Helen and friends. where it is a tradition to go to the main square and let off Chinese lanterns. Due to the unenvironmental impact of these lanterns they are only allowed to be let off twice per year in Thailand and an army of litter pickers is employed to clear up afterwards. The vibe among the people both tourists and locals was sublime with a beautiful feeling of genuine good wishes between everyone for the coming year. A very happy and deep moment of meaning for all as everyone lights their lantern and lets it off with a good intention for their lives in the coming year. A beautiful evening both emotionally and visually, these are the sort of events and experiences we try to incorporate into our tours. A trip with LiveIndia is like no other. Do try to join one of our small group adventures this year and discover not just incredible people and places, but higher states of your own conciousness that often get missed in the business of everyday living. Travel has the power to transform us at every level. That is why we love it so.
As the sun sets on 2018 we wish you all a very Happy, successful and joyful New Year!! Hope to see you in 2019 out adventuring with us in the wilds of the most exciting place to travel on this planet..India!...and Bhutan!! Very best to you all, from The Team at LiveIndia.❤️
LiveIndia - Little Tibet Tour, Ladakh, India
Traversing the Tibetan Plateau by Royal Enfield with LiveIndia.co.uk on tour in Ladakh, India. Cruising at 15000ft (4540m) across the high Himalayas while on our Little Tibet Tour is pure joy!! If you want to be riding this road on October the 5th you can be. Tour starts September 23rd. Information and booking is through the website. Hope to see you there!! :) http://liveindia.co.uk/JSpiti.asp
Goa & Beyond Tour
A little clip of the very exciting Wednesday market in Anjuna from the January 2016 Goa Tour. There are still places available for winter 2017, come and join us for a tropical holiday adventure in South India.
Ladhaki Lady
There are so few people up there, that it is customary in the high altitude wilderness of the Himalayas to greet anyone you pass with a joyful shout of Julley!! and a wave and a smile. If you have time to stop for a chat then so much the better, Ladhakis are one of the friendliest people you could ever meet. Here we stopped to offer some pastries we had bought that morning to a family that were out working on their farm in a remote valley. The lady called her son over and told him to bring some peas they were harvesting which were pod poppingly fresh and delicious. This part of India used to be in Tibet and the people living there are of Tibetan culture but are Indian. They now call themselves Ladhakis which is where they live, the northernmost state of India. Come join us for the journey of your dreams there in June...still just a few places available .. :)
LiveIndia Motorcycle Tour Goa
Cruising through the tiger reserves of Western Ghats mountains of South India in January on either the Goa or Kerala tours is just sublime. Come and join us this January for a couple of weeks of fascinating adventure in the tropical south of India where the weather is perfect for riding and nature is looking at its best.
Here is a great little video Antonio and Stefan put together from their Go Pro footage of their trip with us in Ladakh last year. It gives a good idea of what the road surfaces are like and how much fun it is riding in these areas...enjoy.
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Our Story
In 2008, as the world economic crisis was unfolding I realised that I was going to have to close my beautiful retail shop selling arts, jewellery, furniture and antiques from India and the Far East. For 15 years it had provided a handy excuse to travel 8 months per year, exploring these exceptionally captivating areas while sourcing and exporting stunning artefacts to sell in my shop Artasia in Colchester, near London, England.
I knew I was going to have to leave the high street retail scene and do something new. And I knew what that thing was. Aside from sourcing hundreds of ranges of home and fashion products for my business from the tropical south of India to the snowy Himalayas of the north, I also worked as travel photographer contracted to Lonely Planet Images and freelanced for many other major publications such as The Rough Guide and Wanderlust magazine. Whether I was carefully exploring India to find incredible hand produced works of art, seeking out stupendous festivals or discovering mind-blowing locations of astounding beauty to photograph, all had one thing in common, and that thing was the Royal Enfield motorcycle, absolutely the best way to see and get around India.
At the end of each annual six month trip to India, I edited the often more than 100 rolls of slide film I had taken. Before sending them off to the stock image libraries I worked for, I used to do slide shows for friends and family. Nobody had seen India like this, and people started begging me to take them. My future path was clear. In late 2007 I prepared a route through my favourite valleys and villages of the Himalayas that I had ridden for over 15 years, and made it our first tour on LiveIndia.co.uk which we launched in 2009 with our first clients.
Having spent many years skiing with Club Mediterranee, affectionately known as Club Med, who provide 4 star ‘all inclusive’ small group experiences with excellent dedicated support and guides, I knew that this was the format I wanted for our guests. The concept is that we stay at the very best places available, eat at the very best restaurants available and ride the very latest model bikes available. We would mix it up between old royal palaces and colonial mansions converted into luxury hotels, with charming family homestays located in breath-taking scenery, as well as boutique hotels remotely nestled in wildlife rich national parks.
Having spent 10 years of my life travelling in India at that point, I had a vast network of friends , hoteliers, photographers, travel writers and logistics specialists. I put together two teams of the very best people I had worked with to support our tours. One in north India and one in the south. Our lovely tour manager and doctor, Avneesh covered both areas and is always with us wherever we go. Our highly skilled support vehicle drivers and mechanics still work alongside us a decade later. We all love our work running the tours and have become a cohesive team of experts dedicated to providing second to none travel and cultural experiences for our guests who return again and again.
