Tribal India

Join Trip Leader Extraordinaire Hashmat Singh to explore the ancient heart of tribal India! India has hundreds of unique tribal groups, known collectively as the adivasi (literally “first people”) and believed to be descended from India’s pre-Aryan inhabitants. Each has its own distinctive dress, language, arts, dances, and unique cosmology that often combines pagan and Hindu elements. As we explore villages, temples, and tribal gathering places from the hills of Central India to Orissa on the Bay of Bengal, we watch tribal dances, learn about ancient art forms, and meet a wonderful array of peoples from all walks of life. Our journey concludes in Bhubaneshwar, with a visit to its celebrated pilgrim temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath. We also explore Kanha National Park, a renowned wildlife refuge and haunt of the royal Bengal tiger. Hashmat has a passion for introducing people to the hidden treasures of his homeland—this promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime journey!

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-5
Delhi / Kanha National Park / Baiga and Gond Tribal Villages

After an overnight at the Taj Palace in Delhi, we fly to Nagpur and head to Kanha through a landscape of lush rice terraces. In Kanha National Park, the Indian subcontinent’s greatest reserve and tiger country par excellence, we explore by open vehicle and by elephant-back. Interspersed with gameviewing, we visit fascinating tribal villages and markets of the Baiga and Gond people.

Days 6-7
Bhubaneshwar

In Bhubaneshwar, a city in the lush green delta of the Mahanadi River, we explore exquisite temples that are gems of Orissan architecture, including 7th century Parsuramesvara, and the remarkable rock-cut Jain caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri.

Days 7-8
Pipli / Puri / Jagannath Temple / Konark

We visit Pipli, famous for its applique handicrafts, en route Puri, one of the four holiest pilgrimage centers for Hindus and site of the revered temple of Lord Jagannath (“Lord of the Universe”). We also explore the stunning World Heritage Site of Konark, a dazzling 13th century sandstone temple that is one of the world’s finest religious buildings.

Days 9-10
Gopalpur-on-Sea / Rayagada

From Gopalpur-on-Sea, a sleepy fishing town along the Bay of Bengal, we head to Rayagada, with a visit to a shrine sacred to the Saura, one of the most ancient of Indian tribal groups.

Days 11-14
Chatikona / Kunduli / Jeypore

We arrive early in the morning at the Kondh tribal market at Chatikona, a chance to see people from the Dongariya Kondh tribe as they descend from dozens of villages in the Niyamagiri Hills carrying goods to trade at this lively market. We recognize Dongariya Kondh women by their white cotton saris, nose rings, tattoos, and hair ornaments. We also visit tribal markets at Onukudelli, with Bonda women dressed in hundreds of bead necklaces, and Kunduli and Gupteswara, where we should see Paraja and Dhuruba tribes. Overnights are in Jeypore.

Days 15-18
Vishakhapatnam / Kolkatta (Calcutta)

At Vishakhapatnam, we visit Simhachalam, or “Hill of the Lion,” a Vishnu temple constructed in the 11th century, then fly to Kolkatta to visit the colonial treasures of the city, including Dalhousie Square, once the seat of the British Raj, the Writer’s Building, home of the British East India Company, and the imposing white-marble Victoria Memorial, with its galleries full of mementos of the British imperial era. Overnights are at the luxurious Taj Bengal, a city landmark. Depart on Day 18.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 2, easy to moderate. It is a vehicle-based sightseeing trip. Accommodations are in comfortable hotels as well as some basic hotels. On at least eight nights of our trip, when we are in the interior regions between Raipur and Gopalpur, the hotels are quite basic, so please be prepared for this. These more basic accommodations have been chosen for their proximity to the tribal villages and may not be of the same standard as those we use in larger cities on the trip, but they are the best available in an area with little choice.

Much of the trip visits areas that are not tourist destinations (in fact, few non-Indians venture into the areas where we are on Days 6-10), so this journey is not recommended as a first-time visit to India unless you have experienced similar destinations—this is a trip designed for those who are adventurous in body and spirit!

Travel is by minivan or small bus, depending upon the size of the group. The trip does not involve hiking. While this trip is not expected to be physically strenuous, the long travel days and rural road conditions may be quite demanding. Trip members must be prepared for drives of at least four hours on most days, sometimes on rugged, serpentine mountain roads, with our longest driving day at nine hours.

Explanation of Trip Levels