Colours of India - Gujarat Textiles reviews

I had waited a long time to find a tour that encompassed my love of textiles & heritage together with a desire to visit India. The opportunity to visit artisans homes and workshops, rural communities plus temples and other historic sites was the perfect combination. Gujarat was less touristy than perhaps other areas of India so a personal insight and the ability to share our passion for textiles with artisans and other travellers was fabulous. Our guides were amazing and the trip would have not been the same without them. I need not have worried about travelling alone either! The small group of 5 was ideal

Jill B, Cheshire

This tour was wonderful and fascinating in every respect - full of extraordinary textiles and access to the different workshops which produced them so we could see the techniques and traditional equipment used and then have the chance to buy some of the finished items. We saw a variety of things from block carving, block printing, screen printing, resist dyeing, embroidery which is exactly what I had hoped for. The expertise, artistry and creativity was remarkable. In addition to the textiles we were taken to temples, palaces, a safari in the salt desert and even for a swim in the Arabian Gulf so it was a wonderfully varied trip and memorable in every way. Gujarat was such a delight and particularly as there were very few tourists so that it felt as though we were seeing 'the real India' and (as yet) unspoilt by droves of people and coaches - long may it last.

Karen Le Gros, London

Brilliant holiday from colours, expertise, hands on to items to buy with no obligation. Well organised , no wasted time, action packed and good camaraderie. Good mix of very varied activities. Loved the sights, sounds, atmosphere and friendliness of the people we met.

JJ, Cheshire

Colours of India - what a good description of the holiday that weve just had. And not just colours, but sounds and tastes. I had never been to Gujarat, and what a fascinating place it turned out to be. My interest in joining a tour focusing on textiles was not in making things, as thats not my forte, but in enjoying beautiful things and the workmanship and skills that go into creating them. And the tour exceeded my expectations, with a knowledgable, passionate, energetic and thoughtful leader who was on hand to deal with any problems that arose, an itinerary that could be adjusted to suit prevailing circumstances, an excellent local guide, Pravin Danghera, who gave us insights into many aspects of Gujarati life and helped with everything from menu choices (the food was delicious) to strange beeps in the hotel room, and a calm, careful driver who kept us safe. The vibrant colours and the smiling, friendly local people we met will stay with meas will of course the glorious things that I boughtadded to which are the unforgettable landscapes, the birds, the animals encountered on the road and in the markets, and the wonderful local music played by such talented musicians. The tour was relaxed and never rushed, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the places we visited. There was only one place where we would have liked to linger longer, Rann Riders, had time permitted, but we understood the limitations. Well done, Sue Lawty, and everyone alongside you who made this happen. I hadnt heard of Mountain Kingdoms before this trip but will certainly be keeping an eye on future opportunities.

Anon, unknown

If you love fabrics or sewing you will find heaven in Gujarat. You have the chance to watch fabric being made from scratch; spun, dyed, printed, woven, embroidered and finally worn. Throw the many wonders of India into the mix - exotic food, amazing temples and mosques or tranquil bird watching - and you cant not go!'

J Wallace, London

A wonderful couple of weeks with a bit of everything from palaces to safaris, saris to festivals, and top notch artisan crafts. To see the processes from the cotton boll in the field to spinning, weaving, printing, dying, embroidery, etc was amazing. Such skills and lovely people.

Anonymous, Cambridgeshire

Fabulous holiday! We saw such a variety of high quality textiles and watched the processes through from the cotton plant, via spinning, weaving, printing and dyeing, to stunning embroidery; all in real villages and towns in a fascinating part of India. The beautiful, gentle people of Gujarat made the trip very special.

Gill , Melrose