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1. Could you tell me a little bit about the attractions of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. I wish to go there. How far is it from Mumbai? What are the kind of activities one can do?

x Amit Gokarn, Pune

Dadra & Nagar Haveli lie at the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The best time to visit Dadra and Nagar Haveli is between November and March when the weather is extremely pleasant. The nearest railhead for the city is Vapi, 18 kms from Silvassa, the capital of Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

The major attractions in Dadra & Nagar Haveli are Vanganga Lake and Island Gardens, Vandhara Udyan, Piparia Udyan, Mini Zoo and Bal Udyan and Tribal Cultural Museum.

2. Is there a desert safari option available in India, like they have in countries such as Dubai? How can I avail of it? What would be the approximate cost?

x Manini Chatterjee, Kolkata

There are plenty of options for a desert safari in Rajasthan. There are numerous travel agents and tour operators who have special packages available for desert safaris. You can get in touch with the nearest 'Sita Holidays of India' office for the same. The cost for a desert safari would depend on the package you wish to take (whether you want a jeep safari or a camel, elephant safari etc and the number of days included in the safari.)

3. How long does the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra take, what is the route taken and what is the cost involved? Do private operators also take tours to Mansarovar? What would be the price difference between them and government-conducted tours?

x Preeti Nair, Bangalore

Under the auspices of the Indian ministry of external affairs and with the cooperation of the Chinese government, it is only the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam in India that conducts trips to Kailash Mansarovar through the Lipulekh pass. The tour takes approximately 25 days and costs about Rs 35,000. Private tour operators conduct similar tours out of Nepal through a different route, which costs approximately Rs 58,000, and takes close to 17 days.

The latest route taken by Kumaon Mandal is: Delhi-Haldwani-Jawaghat-Sirkha-Gunji- Lipu pass onwards.

4. I wish to do a tour of the Hindi heartland but have heard that the law and order situation in those parts is abysmal. Are there tour operators who do such a tour? Which destinations would they cover? What would the approximate cost of the tour come up to?

x Santosh Pillai, Kochi

Hindi heartland covers the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. There are no specified tours which cover the entire Hindi heartland but there are tours of the Buddhist circuit which cover Varanasi, Sarnath, Lumbini and Nalanda. There are many tour operators who arrange for these tours for foreign tourists. You may like to visit your nearest office of 'Sita Holidays of India' which could design and customise a package tour for you.

5. I am a physically challenged person who cannot walk. I wish to go for a brief holiday in India. Do tour operators have any facilities to cater to the handicapped?

x Abhijit Sharma, Mumbai

There are no tour operators available who specifically design tours for the handicapped in India. However, any travel agent or tour operator would be willing to customise a tour package for you using hotels that have special facilities for the handicapped.

6. Is there any cruise liner which does a circuit of the Indian ocean islands. Which would be the countries it covers? What would be the approximate cost?

x Priya Punjabi, Mumbai

Cruise liners like the Indian Ocean Cruise Line operate a 21-day cruise starting from Athens to Mumbai covering exotic locations like Kusadasi, Ashdod, Port Said, Suez Canal, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Aquaba, Safaga, Djiboti, Salalah, Dubai and Muscat.

The same company also has a dedicated luxury cruise liner, 'Ocean Majesty' starting from Mumbai to Chennai covering Goa, Kochi and Lakshadweep islands. Internationally, it will cruise to Colombo, Maldives, Penang and Phuket.

The prices range from Rs 40,000 for a couple for four nights to Rs 85,000 for seven nights.

Another cruise liner, 'The M S Royal Star' also does a circuit of the Indian Ocean islands. You may like to visit their website www.msroyalstar.com for more information

7. I wish to go to the Maldives. However, one only hears about ultra plush exorbitantly priced resorts when it comes to accommodation there. Is there any alternative budget accommodation option in Maldives? Approximately, how much would a one-week trip entail?

x Francis Patrose, Delhi

There are plenty of options available in Maldives for a budget accommodation. You have tariffs ranging from US$ 46 per day to US$ 90 per day. You may like to visit your nearest travel agent or tour operator who would be able to give you much cheaper options as well. You can also call on your nearest office of 'Christopher Columbus Holidays' or SOTC for package tours to Maldives. In case of a rejection during the interview the embassy is not required to specify the reason for the rejection. They may call for more documents as desired by them. However, the granting of a visa is entirely at their discretion.