See the real Asia with Asian Explorations

Featuring Bhutan, Borneo, Burma, India, The Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Asian Explorations’ holidays stand out from the crowd. With excellence, exclusivity and experience at the heart of everything Asian Explorations does, anything is possible.

Jump out of a helicopter on skis, landing on a deserted mountain high in the Himalayas; take a night safari in pitch darkness through the jungle of Borneo; discuss philosophy with Bhutanese Monks or embark on a wildlife expedition to spot the elusive snow leopard in India. Here are just a few of the highlights for 2014-15:

India’s wild side

Best time to go: February, March & April

Be inspired: Far from the colour, chaos and bustle of the cities, find sanctuary in the diverse beauty of India’s wilderness. Stay in village houses - with comfortable beds and cashmere blankets - isolated forest bungalows in the foothills of the Himalayas or intimate, luxurious boutique-style camps in the heart of the ‘action’. Test your nerve on the exhilarating Shayok River Journey and discover the famous sand dunes of Nubra Valley. Try to track the elusive Snow Leopard, search for spectacular wildlife from jeeps, canoes, on foot and from elephant back in Central India - where David Attenborough filmed his tiger spy-cam series - or explore the buffer forests of Kanha by cycle.

Sample itinerary: Discover the mysterious snow leopard on a truly authentic wildlife expedition. Escorted by an expert local tracker and Ladakhi guide, stay in adapted homestays or small camps in a remote and exclusive location far from the group tours crowding into the Rumbak Valley. There’s an amazing diversity of wildlife in this valley, too, including the giant Ladakhi wild sheep (the Urial), plus bearded vulture, snow cock and much more.

Departing in March or April, an 18-day tailormade trip costs from £4,015 pp (two sharing) including flights (London), transfers, accommodation and most meals. Valid for 2014 and 2015 bookings.

Above the world in Nepal

Best time to go: Mid-February to end of May; late September to mid-December

Be inspired: Encompassing the world’s most famous mountain range, from luxuriously forested foothills to the spine, Nepal is blessed with spectacular scenery and an extraordinary culture. Expedition-style treks take in the most panoramic views, the splendours of the Everest region, the charming, rustic villages and the beautiful architecture of the Kathmandu Valley. Stay in authentic accommodation, from a beautiful mountain lodge perched on a ridge 2,000 feet above the haze-laden Pokhara Valley, to wilderness camps, a teahouse retreat or luxurious heritage hotels.

Sample itinerary: Heli-ski down slopes that were once only accessible to mountaineers, with 2,000 metre descents, surrounded by the awesome height and spread of snow clad mountains. Experience the thrill of standing on skis high up in the Everest region as the chopper disappears into the distance. Metres of dazzling white powder will test any adventurer’s stamina, along terrain that may never have been skied on before.

Departing in March to mid-April, a seven-night tailormade trip costs from £6,522 pp (two sharing) including transfers, full board accommodation, Heli-ski permit, Annapurna/Everest region trekking permits, plus ski equipment. Valid for 2014 and 2015 bookings. Flights extra – London to Kathmandu from £650 pp.

Borneo’s lost world

Best time to go: March to October

Be inspired: An enthralling world for any nature-lover, Borneo is an Eden-like sanctuary of rare flora and fauna, and the home of much unique and endangered wildlife. Stay in a luxurious lodge deep in a primary rainforest and be awakened to the wild ‘singing’ of Bornean gibbons. Spot adult orangutan with the help of an expert guide, or take a night safari in pitch darkness, scanning for the soft gleam from the eyes of the western tarsier – the tiny, orange-furred primate that inspired ET. Drift in a boat close to the pygmy elephants and see the vivid colours of the many species of trogon birds.

Sample itinerary: Trek through the Maliau Basin, an astonishing wilderness only discovered in 1984. Find a lost world of fantastical species, such as the rare Sumatran rhinoceros, pygmy elephant, clouded leopard, banteng and more. Enjoy an untrammelled adventure playground of rich biodiversity, with an extraordinary array of rare and spectacular flora and fauna, as well as cascading waterfalls and the beautiful Maliau River.

Departing in September, a seven-day tailormade trip costs from £1,710 pp (two sharing) including transfers, accommodation and most meals. Flights extra – London to Kota Kinabalu from £850 pp. Valid for 2014 and 2015 bookings

Breath-taking Bhutan

Best time to go: April

Be inspired: Explore lesser-known walks through pine-scented valleys, and talk with Yak herders via an experienced guide. Stumble upon unknown temples, and sit in on a debate with monks - who have studied philosophy for nine years - before sampling a Bhutanese breakfast in a local village house. Be challenged by the Jomolhari trek, following ancient tracks beneath the mountains that separate Tibet from Bhutan, through unspoilt villages and past lonely dzongs (fortresses). Stay in pup tents (small military tents) – on land where no man has trod - with silver service and luxury bedding, and traditional or luxurious lodges, where a Bhutanese hot stone bath and massage await.

Sample itinerary:
Departing in April, a 14-day tailormade trip accompanied by our specialist guide costs from £4,000 pp (two sharing) including internal flights, transfers, accommodations (a mix of luxury hotels, local hotels and tented camps) and most meals. International flights extra.

Lifting Burma’s veil

Best time to go: October through March

Be inspired: Concealed from travellers for years, secluded beaches, enchanting fishing villages and colourful cultures lie awaiting discovery. Stand beneath the giant golden pagodas in the ancient capital, Yangon, and wander through Bagan’s 3,000 temples, rising majestically from the scrub forest on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River. Witness vibrant markets and mingle with the locals at festivals full of life; explore misty Inle Lake on flat-bottomed skiffs propelled by a single wooden paddle, and see the distinctive stilt-house villages and floating gardens of the Intha tribe.

Sample itinerary: Discover timeless Burma by combining visits to the cities of Yangon and Bagan with trips into the tribal hinterlands of the Shan, Pao, Inthe, Kayin and Mon. Explore by foot and country boat along the Dokthawaddy River, trek on elephant back in Kalaw and take a day to cycle to Inle Lake, where visits to the many markets await. Relax on a luxury cruise along the Thanlwin River - one of the longest rivers in Burma - and absorb the tranquil rural scenery on a kayak, paddling past rice fields, limestone mountains and traditional Kayin villages.

Departing in October, a 19-day tailormade trip costs from £3,850 pp (two sharing) including transfers, accommodation and most meals. Valid for 2014 and 2015 bookings. Flights extra – London to Yangon from £650 pp.

Tailormade itineraries are also available in the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

For more information, visit asianexplorations.com.