Last Thursday, I attended Incredible India‘s dinner event with Ibex Expeditions at the Pierre on Fifth and 61st. The event started off with mingling and cocktails, followed by a presentation on Incredible India and Ibex Expeditions and was then concluded with the most delicious Indian cusine! Warm naan, chicken kabobs and curry were my appetizer and a dinner of choice (we were offered a chicken or veggie option), followed by coconut, strawberry and lemon sorbet for dessert. It was a wise choice to make the presentation before the meal. Had they been at the same time, I would not have been able to draw my attention away from the food!

The presentation included plans to promote India through its culture, wildlife, eco tours, safari travel, luxury and adventure. It was enough to convince anyone that India should be their destination of choice! There is really something for everyone!

India is a treasure for those who enjoy luxury and wildlife as well as outdoor excursions suitable for all different experience levels. Jeep safaris, river rafting, mountain biking, climbing the Himalayas, skiing and snowboarding are all included in Ibex Expeditions, among many other adventurous opportunities. My personal favorite, a frozen river trek! I’m not a fan of winter, but this looked really cool.

For the luxury lovers who enjoy custom-designed travel, Ibex offers Luxury Travel with idyllic spas, boutique hotels, the Maharaja trains (also known as the Palace on Wheels) and safari tours. Can there be a better way to tour India than on a luxury train? As a recent graduate from Mount Holyoke College, I enjoy when travel industries cater to the woman traveler. I am all about equal rights, but come on, men really are from Mars and thus I assume they travel differently. Having experienced being a solo female traveler, I understand that it is very different for a woman to travel alone than it is for a man. I have met male backpackers who can easily trek anywhere alone with little concern about safety. Not fair! Traveling alone, male or female, precaution must always be made, however, us women can be more vulnerable and it is wise to take extra precaution when traveling alone. Ibex provides Women’s Tours that offer personal connections with rural village women as well as arranged meals in homes. Ibex also supports various NGOs for women and war widows in India.

I was also impressed at how eco-friendly the tourism company is. Members of the Himalayan Environment Trust (india) and the International Ecotourism Society (USA), Ibex promotes itself with the slogan “dedicated to travelers who chose to tread lightly.” For more information, check out Ibex’s environmental pledge.

Special thanks to Mandip Singh Soin and his wife Anita Singh Soin, founders and directors of Ibex Expeditions, for running such a fascinating and successful tourism company! Also to the Taj Pierre for accommodating the event and allowing it to run so smoothly and Incredible India!

-Courtney Centeno, account executive