Colours of India - Gujarat Textiles reviews

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