About Me

My photo
Since 1979 people have entrusted their dreams with us. Ibex has been a leader in adventure travel, off-the-beaten-path holidays, wildlife safaris, special interest vacations and deluxe escorted journeys in luxury hotels & camps or quaint lodges. Our endeavour is ensure that our trips benefit the environment and communities. We welcome each one to our Incredible India!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Happy Easter

~ Easter Special ~


Its the weekend of hot cross buns, lamb stew, baked bread, chocolates bunnies and sugar coated eggs.

Yes its the Easter weekend and in India Easter is celebrated all across the country, especially in Mumbai, Goa and the North East, where elaborate festivities take center stage.

But Goa becomes one of the best Easter holiday destinations with street plays, songs, dances all being staged during a weekend of celebration.

So what's your weekend destination this Easter?

Flowers from our garden up at Ranikhet. 


Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Friday's Feature!

"~ Mandip’s hobby has become a way of life ~"

 


True to type for someone basically busy having fun haring up or down mountain sides or bungee jumping. Mandip Singh Soin ‘accidentally’ stumbled upon a vocation. Considering his BA degree in history from Delhi’s St. Stephens College was to send him to the civil services, his life took a U turn when after graduation, with only a couple of hundred dollars in his pocket, he took a year off to travel the world.

A hobby started at the age of 14, travel, trekking, skiing, adventure sports, became a way of life: Mandip returned to open Ibex Expeditions Private Limited in 1979. The ‘nature’ of business: adventure holidays, special interest journeys and eco tours in India. Twenty years on, Mandip has a lot to boast about. Ibex was presented the 1999 Green Globe Distinction Award (the highest category) for outstanding environmental achievements at the worlds’ largest travel fair in Berlin, the ITB (Internationale Tourismus Bourse). ‘Environmental awareness is a personal thing. Good intentions aren’t enough, we must be measured by our actions, says Mandip wryly. ‘Little things count, like closing the tap while we brush our teeth.’ Mandip himself became environmentally aware during an expedition to the North Pole, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). ‘In a camp based 80 degrees north in the Canadian Arctic, we studied the hole caused by the depletion of the ozone layer, did snow sampling and understood how nature was being violated’, he reminisces.

The experience ensured that he set high standard for environment management in his company: recycled, handmade paper, eco-friendly jute bags, and porters to carry back all non-bio-degradable items from Himalayan camps. Solar lanterns and cookers are used instead of firewood; even toilet tents are away from natural water bodies.
Of course, environmentalists say tourism itself damages the ecology but Mandip feels dogmatism is no answer. ‘Tourism can’t be wished away’, he asserts forthrightly. ‘it is slated to be the largest industry by the turn of the century. Responsible tourism is the only way we can deal with the adverse environmental fallout of this.’ Looking at him, very much at ease in khaki chinos, military green sleeveless jacket and an earth shade shirt, it’s clear, nature is his business.

Written by Shalini Singh for The Economic Times, 21st March 1999.  
Image and Text courtesy The Economic Times.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Testimonial Thursday


~ Thank You ~

 From Joanne and Catriona, friends and clients of Ibex Expeditions.
 
 
"It is hard to put into words what our adventure in India was like.  Your people, history, culture and kindness touched us in every moment.  I have never felt as transported and far away as I did in India becoming completely immersed with curiosity and fascination"

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Holi Special

Holi, the colorful festival of spring, is celebrated in the month of March in India. It is a festival to let your hair down and eat, drink, make merry and welcome the season of spring.  Eating lots of sweets, various delicatessens and drinking of bhang (a traditional intoxicant made during holi) are part of the festivities. The festival is celebrated on the full-moon day of Phalguna in North India, while it is stretched up to a week in some parts of North and Northeast India.

Image Courtesy - Getty Images

According to the traditions of Holi, on the evening before people gather around a bonfire made of dead leaves, twigs and wooden sticks, They dance and sing around the fire to welcome the season of spring. This also commemorates the ancient legend of 'The saving of Prahlad', a mythical character and burning of his wicked aunt Holika. People take embers from this holy fire to kindle their own domestic fires. In some communities, barley seeds are roasted in the fire to eat. It is believed that the yield of the upcoming harvest season can be predicted by reading the direction of the flames or the state of the roasted barley seeds.

Image Courtesy - Getty Images
Image Courtesy - Getty Images
The next morning or the day of holi is known as 'Dhuledi' or the main festival of colors, when both children and adults smear colored powder on each other and splash water jets known as 'pichkaris'. Traditionally, only natural colors prepared from flowers and herbal products were used. However, today, artificial colors hare also used. The color frenzy of oranges and reds, greens and blues and purples are known to wash away any enmity and hatred and this serves to bring the community closer.

Image taken by Himali Singh Soin
Mouthwatering sweets and delicacies form an important part of the festival. One can relish on a wide variety of lip-smacking sweets, the most prominent being 'Gujias' (in Northern India) and 'Puran Poli' (in Maharashtra). 'Thandai' (a cool drink made by mixing almonds, spices with chilled milk and sugar) is mixed with 'bhang' (an intoxicating substance that creates an alcoholic effect) is served during Holi, as a part of its customs.

Image taken by Himali Singh Soin

Holi is a festival to witness, celebrate and indulgence in and its a one 'must do' while exploring incredible India.

Wishing everyone a colourful and fun filled holi!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Tuesdays for Tomorrow

~ Visit to the Deaf Society ~

 by Himali Singh Soin


Visting the Deaf Society was a heartening experience: I had never before been somewhere that was as silent, and yet so full of noise, chatter and good cheer. 600 students from all over India (and several from Africa) travel here to enroll in training programs for the deaf and mute.These children learn Indian Sign Language and go on to work in prestigious banks, publications, hotels and other service industries.



I go with a bag of coloured pencils, paints, glitter, sequins, drawing books, scissors and glue. They say good morning as their palms, near their mouths, open as flowers blooming, connoting the sun. See how many words fell short of the gesture? Their thank yous and welcomes repeated in abundance, and their hands in the air in applause, they received the gift of art. Thank you.





Monday, March 25, 2013

Vintage Monday

~ Midday, April 1983 ~

"If you're seeking adventure...

Come Holiday time, travel agencies vie with each other to sell assorted holiday packages to to potential tourists. The newspapers are full of advertisements promising various exotic and expensive holidays worth a visit, in India and abroad. What strikes one is the monotony of tours offered, week after week,  year after year.
The most refreshing vacation idea in recent times comes from Mandip Singh Soin and his band of adventure specialists who conduct adventure tours under the auspices of Ibex Expeditions Pvt. Ltd. of Delhi. Their fare includes mountaineering, trekking, river-rafting, cross-country cycling, camel safaris, skiing, etc. Mandip and his friends have successfully conducted about 25 much adventure tours and are specialists in the field. Starting with an initial capital of Rs. 250 each, contributed by each of the four partners, the company by now, boasts of an annual turnover of Rs. 5,00,000.
Mandip, who passed out of college with a Masters degree in history, toyed with the idea of joining the IAS and had several other job offers as well. However, being a keen hiker and a mountain climber, who liked to spend his time outdoors, he baulked at the thought of a 10 to 5 job, with only one month off in a year. He decided to take up a vocation which he enjoyed. That is how the idea of Ibex tours originated. Along with his friends Sunil Chandra, yound Mandip set up their company in 1979.
Since mountaineering, trekking, rock-climbing and river rafting in the Himalayas is surrounded with a labyrinth of red-tape permissions, approvals, licences, etc., it can be quite fascinating for a lone tourist looking for an off-the-beaten-track kind of a holiday. Ibex people deal with that aspect of it and as their motto says "make molehills out of mountains." They are specialists in adventure holidays and what is surprising is that they are totally independent of any governmental or institutional support.
A typical Ibex holiday consists of parties of ten tourists on an average. Two of the partners trained in all aspects of adventure-touring actually accompany the tourist party; one partner looks after the logistics, and the fourth partner is the accountant. The tourist party assembles at Delhi. They are then flon to Leh and taken to the start-point by bus, or by trekking for mountaineering or rafting, as the case may be.
The duration of th etour is 12 days for rafting. If you combine it with trekking it becomes a 15-day or a 21-day tour. Parties always camp out in the open except in Srinagar  and Leh, where they stay in hotels and gues-houses. On certain rivers there is a "guard jeep" that goes along on the mountain road. High quality equipment is used and trained experts help out.
The cycling tours are from Delhi to kathmandu (15 days). On the way back they fly out. Tents are pitched on the roadside for overnight halts, though occasionally they use hotels-normally every third day. Bus and kitchen teams greet the touring parties with food and drink at each halting point.
Camel safaris consist of camel rides and camping through the great Indian desert Thar. A rewarding experience of pulsating colours and tradition-backed sights of Rajasthan - India's barren border state.
Other highlights of the Ibex fare, are tours through the wildlife sancutaries of Dudhwa and Corbett National Parks with overnight stays at the forest rest-house; skiing down 9000-foot high ski slopes of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir state, and mountain climbing in Himachal Pradesh, Nepal and Jammu and Kashmir, where 6000m to 8000m high peaks beckon climbers from all over the world.
"The running of our venture is very informal. The operations have never been mucked upto now, fortunately, even though it is a high risk venture. Sudden storms, landslides, etc., can disrupt the entire schedule. In fact, hoity-toity tourists who can not stand even the slightest discomfort can make us quite desperate," say Mandip.
The operators share amongst themselves the climbing experience of the Indian Himalayas, the Nepalese Himalayas and, the French, Swiss, adn Italian Alps, the Dolomites adn Scotland. The guides that accompany the tourists are the alumni of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institutes. For river rafting, the parties are entrusted to two instructors who have been trained in Oregon (Rogue River) by Osprey Expeditions of USA.

Hang-gliding

To make their itineraries more attractive, Ibex Expeditions are also thinking of including hang-gliding. At present, it is the preserve of the Army, but Ibex guides are being trained in England, who on their return to India will conduct 5-day courses in hang-gliding. Their trainees will test their "wings" off the cliffs around Delhi. They also hope to get licences for their own hang-gliders.
Apart from conducting adventure tours, Ibex also aim at promoting such activity among the youth of our country. They have started by taking youngsters rock-climbing on the ridges around Delhi. By doing this, they hope to make people aware of the wealth of adventure potentially prevalent in the Himalayas and other open spaces in our country.
Their other services include a data bank that supplies maps, photographs and details for any peak in the Indian Himalayas. They have a department that hires mountaineering equipment; gives illustrated lectures on consultancy services for putting up of adventure sport school; building of rock-climbing walls, etc.
Though Ibex people are happy with their promotional efforts, they rue the fact that still almost 90 percent of their clientele is from foreign coutnries, principally from America and Europe. They would welcome more Indians in their tours."

Friday, March 22, 2013

Friday's Feature

~ Ibex Involved ~


Earlier this year, Mandip helped the State Government of Assam and the Ministry of Tourism to organize the  1st International Tourism Market, Guwahati, to invite more international buyers into the North-East of India for tourism.

He also participated in the same initiative as a delegate, to focus on the hitherto unexplored tourism potential of the North-Eastern states.








As Senior Vice President of the Adventure Tour Operators of India, Mandip was also involved in organizing their 10th Annual Convention concentrating on encouraging increased Adventure Travel in the North East states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,Nagaland and Manipur to name a few.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Testimonial Thursday

~ From Conrad Anker, after climbing Mt. Meru via the Shark Fin's route, October'11 ~


"The team at Ibex makes your Himalayan goals a reality. From the airport to the summit, Ibex is there for you"

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Tuesdays for Tomorrow

~ Be Nature-wise and Volunteer ~

Environment, conservation and preservation are a few words that Ibex Expeditions sees within its core philosophy. Responsible tourism has been an oft-used phrase within the Ibex itinerary and thus the organization also sees it fit to link with like-minded organizations on the environmental frontier. Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) is such an organization that has partnered with individuals, organizations and the government on environmental conservation concerns.





So here's an opportunity for you to connect with nature and explore the great outdoors, while also contributing to conservation. View wildlife, meet the locals, work alongside park rangers and walk through spectacular National Parks. Each trip provides the rewarding opportunity for you to personally contribute to the conservation of these special places. 





The conservation activities typically make up 30 - 50% of the trip, with remaining time spent touring the local surrounds including wildlife viewing, guided walks, tours and visiting National Parks. No prior experience is required to participate in these Nature-wise program, though you should be reasonably fit and active. So if you are aged between 18 - 70 and you want to be part of these Nature Wise programs, then please connect with Ibex Expeditions Pvt Limited at Tel: +91-11-26460244, +91-11-26460246. E-mail: ibex@ibexexpeditions.com, Website: www.ibexexpeditions.com.  









Ibex Expeditions is the booking agent of CVA in India and gives people the chance to connect with the environment and volunteer at the same time. All prices include accommodation, meals, guide, transfers and all activities and the nature-wise programs are award recognized and eco-certified.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Vintage Monday

~ Pieces of History from 1980 ~

"It's a Pleasure to Climb Himalayas
NAGPUR, 21: We have the Himalayas, but others have a longer tradition of mountaineering as a sport. Trekking, rock-climbing, mountaineering expeditions as as rare in India as winning a gold in the Olympics. This is what Mr. Mandip Singh Soin, a rare provisional mountaineer, also saw for himself during his recent stint of mountain climbing in the beautiful, but tricky and dangerous Alps in the continent.
Mr. Mandip Singh, a former Nagpurian, is a M.A. in History with interest and experience in mountaineering since his school days. After his post-graduation he responded to the call of the mountains and took to mountaineering as a profession by starting the Ibex Expeditions, a school for training and trekking, rock climbing and mountaineering in Delhi.

He was surprised at the number of Europeans, who were attracted for adventure, thrill and sheer fun to the charming, tricky, snow-clad Alps hiding secrets in their silent valleys and pure wisdom in their snow-capped peaks. And they teem around the mountains in groups of not only youth and men, but also women and children. He came across a number of women, most of them above 50, and children in their teens.

And hence it is small wonder that they have better, more sophisticated techniques and equipment for climbing. Like we use only one axe for rock climbing but they use two axes in both their hands and thus are able to climb at near 90 degrees angle, while we climb only at 60 and 70 degrees. Also, the Alps may not be as tall as the Himalaya but the sheer rock faces and difficult routes makes mountaineering in the Alps risky and hence more adventurous.

But scenic beauty, charm and terrain of the Himalaya are far lovelier and offer great satisfaction to the climber.

Mr. Soin who started on a shoe-string budget on this tour and supplemented his budget by restoring to meditation and palmistry, etc. to earn money, climbed the Italian side or Mont Blanc but could not reach its top because of bad weather. He then entered Switzerland through a pass. Then he experienced the hard rock climbing in the Dolomites of Italy where one could climb rock towers of more than 1000 feet height.

Back in India and with new and better knowledge of mountaineering, Mr. Soin hopes to teach with renewed vigour, the art and science of mountaineering which he said was catching up in India also."

"Mandip Singh's Successful Stint,
Express News Service, NEW DELHI, March 13.
Twenty-three-year-old Mandip Singh Soin, a former Delhi University shooting team captain, returned home recently after an adventurous stint on the mountains of Italy, West Germany, Switzerland and Great Britain. He became the first Indian to negotiate the rock-face peaks of the Dolomite region in Italy. He also worked as an instructor in the mountaineering Institutes of England.

It is in appreciation of his talent that Mandip is appointed as the liaison office to foreign expedition teams in the country by the prestigious Indian Mountaineering Foundation. His highest climb, a solo effort, has been in the Nanda Devi sanctuary.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Friday's Feature

~ Mahua Kothi ~

The name Mahua Kothi derives it's name from one of India's most beautiful trees, the Madhuca Indica, or as it is commonly known, the Mahua or Butter tree. Pronounced "ma-hoo-ah", this tree with its freshly off-white flowers plays a central role in festivals and rituals, as the vitamins, minerals and sugar-rich flowers are used in a number of ways.

The twelve charming suites, or "Kutiyas" (jungle village huts) are newly built in the 40-acre grounds of the renowned tented camp formerly known as Churhat Kothi. The original Kothi (homestead) comprising the guest areas remains, and has been extensively renovated, but the guest accommodation is all brand new.


Ibex offers you a tried-and-tested experience like no other, top-notch service and exceptional comfort in the in nature's bosom in the heart of our incredible India.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Testimonial Thursday


Ibex friends and clients, Kael and Margaux, enjoying an evening in Jaipur at a private elephant safari. 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Wildlife Wednesday

~ Shahtoosh

the Illegal Trade ~


Don't be misled by the people who profit from the Shahtoosh trade.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Tuesdays for Tomorrow

~ Gratitude ~


The girls and boys at Chitardai School are having fun learning Maths and English, and would like to thank you for your donations and support.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Vintage Monday

~ An Article from 1978 ~

" Govt. Ways to Scare Andaman Tribals

 

  

The conflict of objectives of the administrators and the anthropologists in the Andaman islands has had adverse effects on the tribals.

This has been discovered by a three-man team of Delhi university college students who visited the island recently on a study tour sponsored by the ministry of Education under its "Adventure Scheme" project given to conduct surveys, explorations, etc. to youths.

Three students, Mandip Singh Soin, Dhananjay Date and Shumit Banerjee - all of St. Stephen's College - found the overzealous government officials anxious to bring the benefits of civilization to the tribals, have almost wrecked the latter's traditional way of life.

Ugly concrete huts have been built for tribals who normally prefer their self-made bamboo structures. The government has spent a few lakhs on the concrete huts, but the tribals instead continue to build their own bamboo huts next to them and prefer to live there. Even a good motorable road being constructed near the habitations of the Jarawa tribes has instead had the effect of driving away the pigs, deer, and the wild goats that they hunt for food.

The "invasion" by the settlers from the mainland in search of land available at cheap rates has also adversely affected the environment. No thought is given to the rapid deforestation that is being caused, nor is there any new attempt to blend the new buildings with the general architecture and landscape. Ugly, concrete structures are marring the once-scenic natural beauty, it was found.

On the other side, the medical authorities have been providing medical cover to even the remotest areas and are doing yeoman service in studying various diseases and their remedies. But there is little effort to utilize the islands for either their economic tourism value so much so that even World War II Japanese junks, which have historical interest,a re lying rotting at the entrance to Port Blair, half submerged in water, without any attempt to salvage them. The full project report is to be submitted to the Ministry o Education ad Social welfare in a month, the team said.
"

Friday, March 8, 2013

Friday's Feature

~ Summer Sojourns ~


Sipping a cool drink while viewing snow capped mountains and enjoying a gentle breeze in the silence of soundless environs.  ‘Imaginably possible’ is what we at Ibex say, when we put out a host of places for you to stay this summer. So as we count out five on our fingers, here is what we suggest for you to plan your summer getaway.

Stok Palace, Ladakh


A place where the royal family once stayed; 15 kilometers south of Leh lies this architectural wonder amidst a cold desert.  The ritual mask-dance festival is a must and the culture of the region completely mesmerizing
Eat with King Jigmed, who will tell stories from Ladakhi history as well as his own current efforts to rehabilitate the area of Stok. The museum on the premises makes it a popular excursion for visitors from Leh, but the morning chants by the monks in the temple above, and the fire in the courtyard at night is just for those that stay there, and make you feel at home in a palace at once.


Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling


For a walk through the tea gardens, a history of the East India Company and a view of the high Himalayan Ranges, Glenburn and its personal hostess, offer an intensive journey into the world of tea. Family recipes are served, according to your personal preferences, and of course, a wide array of teas. For further adventures, you can hike, fish, visit Darjeeling or simply relax at the estate and learn how to cook the local fare.


Orange County, Kabini, Nagarhole, Karnataka


Their philosophy is called 'Spirit of the Land' as it embraces the heart of the Nilgiri biosphere. Bordered by the Kabini River on both sides, the lodge is part of the tapestry of the tribal community. The Kabini River offers boat safaris for wildlife sightings as well as village visits to interact with the Karuba tribes. A reading lounge and an Ayurveda spa offer respite after the excitement of the woods, only to be distracted by the aroma of a delicious fare of local dishes.


Mary Budden Estate, Binsar, Uttarakhand


The Binsar Wildlife sanctuary, where Mary Budden is located, is precious for the sheet of silver stars that sprawl across the night sky. may Budden is a luxury home stay where you relax in the quiet of the Himalaya, hike in pine forests, visit local temples or write and make art. The Nanda Devi mountain range and the numerous types of flora and fauna inspire deep creativity.


Ananda Spa, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand


As their invitation reads 'In the Infinity of Life, take out time for the Soul', its' location itself is an inspiration for those looking for the 'soul' experience. Leading to the spiritual pathway, Ananda offers the traditional regime of ayurveda, yoga and Vedanta combines with wellness experiences. Set in a Vice regal historic palace, they understood the balance of nature, the ways of the Universe and how the elements affect physical health and mental well-being. Ananda recreates the synergy of mind, body and intellect through rejuvenating and ancient processes and philosophies.

For more details get in touch with us on http://www.ibexexpeditions.com/contact_us.htm