Wild Photography Holidays, specialising in small-group photography holidays in wild and inaccessible places; is offering a new, deliciously different 16-day holiday in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the heart of Southern India, over Christmas and New Year.

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 31, 2010 – Wild Photography Holidays (00354 5888939 www.wildphotographyholidays.com), the innovative travel company, specialising in small-group photography holidays in wild and inaccessible places; is offering a new, deliciously different 16-day holiday in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the heart of Southern India, over Christmas and New Year.

This action packed holiday departs on 21st December 2010 and returns on 5th January 2011. Travelling to some of Southern India’s most photographically stunning, spiritual and historical landmarks, the group will also enjoy the delightful hospitality and comfort of a range of unique hotels, two fascinating overnight train journeys and a scenic boat trip through mangrove forests.

Christmas day will be celebrated at the Sparsha Spa resort in Tiruvanamalai; the landscaped gardens are set against a majestic backdrop of Mount Arunachala and traditional charm is tastefully blended with modern amenities including a selection of optional spa treatments and an attractive swimming pool.

The holiday will be led by photography tutor Martin Sammtleben and Geraldine Westrupp together with a small team of local experts who will be on hand to take participants to the best locations for capturing unusual shots and sightseeing. Partners of photographers are especially welcome to join this tour.

Kerala - ‘God’s Own Country’ is a region of South-West India renowned for its natural beauty with lush tropical vegetation, fragrant spices and vast symetrical, emerald green tea plantations. Its neighbour, Tamil Nadu hugs the coast of the Gulf of Bengal with long beaches, fishing catamarans and coconut groves. It is less developed and home to an ancient and little changed Dravidian civilisation with rice-fields, coconut groves and plantations for cotton, sugar cane, tobacco, mangoes and bananas which will all provide the perfect backdrop for photography enthusiasts to enjoy an authentic cultural experience, whilst capturing a unique portfolio of landscape and people images.

Here are some of the many highlights of the 16-day adventure:

• Explore the UNESCO and world famous shore temples of Mahabalipuram and capture the light of early morning sunrises and early evening

• A visit to the ancient and remarkable boulder-strewn landscape of Gingee Fort. With its mysterious lakes, temples and red cliffs festooned with bees nests, offering surreal and highly photogenic landscapes

• An exploration of the holy mountain of Shiva – Arunachala

• A scenic boat trip to Chidambaram - the world’s second largest mangrove forest

• The colourful bustle of Indian trains with overnight, fully air conditioned train journeys to Coimbature in Kerala and to Chennai (Madras)

• Sampling the culinary delights of the tiny French sea-side state of Pondicherry which was ruled by the French for 300 years and today stands as a living monument of the French culture in India

• Taking an exciting rickshaw ride through old Madurai to marvel at the ancient temples

• Emerald green tea plantations and the tropical forests around Munnar

• The luxurious Taj Gateway hotel, Madurai

Commenting on the tour, co-owner of Wild Photography Holidays, Geraldine Westrupp said: “This new and colourful itinerary exploring areas around Kerala and Tamil Nadu will, we think, provide some particularly special images and memorable cultural experiences. Our native experts will be taking us to the lesser known areas and behind doors normally closed to visitors.”

Price person is £2,180 for 16-days/15 nights from 21 December 2010 – 5 January 2011 and is based on two people sharing, including hotel accommodation, two train journeys, all transport, airport transfers, specialist local guides, excursions and all meals plus Light-room and Photo-shop tuition with Martin Sammtleben.

For more details call Wild Photography Holidays on 00354 5888939 or visit the website www.wildphotographyholidays.com

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Wild Photography Holidays
WPH specialise in photography holidays and workshops visiting unique locations in Iceland, northern Spain and India. With twenty years of 'in the field' experience they are experts in organising/ guiding adventure travel holidays and sourcing fine locations for photographers. Many of their connections with the local providers of accommodation and transport go back many years and most importantly they have personally visited and photographed in all of the locations.

In addition to the scheduled holidays, they often guide clients privately by arrangement.

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