In the western Himalayas get an unforgettable stay on in the Foothills of the peaks. To get away from the beaten track we recommend two alternative additions. The first, for 3 days, takes you to stay at the Oberoi Cecil or the Chapslee in Shimla followed by The Wildflower Hall in Mashobra. These are names synonymous with the Raj - when the capital of India used to move to Shimla for the summer. Relax and  enjoy the most wonderful walks amongst spectacular scenery. You could travel to Shimla by car, but we suggest the original narrow gauge toy train which takes 5 hours through unforgettable scenery.

Stay on at the Glass House on the Ganges in Rishikesh, set amongst lychee and mango orchards where the Ganges emerges from the mountains. Unwind  on a sandy beach by the river, fish, watch (or do) white water rafting and in the evening listen to the ancient Hindu “arti” ceremony. Don’t forget to take a dip in the Ganges to wash away the sins in the holy water.

Then travel to Ananda in the Himalayas – an unforgettable Spa Hotel overlooking the town of Haridwar below on the plains. There are walks in forests or to the temple on top of the hill for a view of snow capped Himalayas.  Ananda is one of the finest hotels / Spa in the world. Relax  with or without the spa treatments in acres of grounds in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Stay on at the Glenburn Tea Estate  Explore the estate on foot or by jeep to see the gathering of the  famous Darjeeling Tea – from the bush to the factory. While at Glenburn stay for a night in a cottage by the river bank – picnic or barbecued food and relax  by the river. This is a fisherman’s paradise – the river has Mahaseer – weighing up to 60 lbs. If you catch one then make sure you have a picture or people will stay it is another fishy story of the one that got away. Other distractions include a trip across a hanging wooden foot bridge into Sikkim – land of monasteries and towering peaks – and a bird lovers paradise.

Tree House A stay on for two to three days in the tree house. The raw material that is used for constructing these houses are all of Eco-friendly materials, such as coir mats, bamboo poles, hay straws, live trees (as pillar), etc. Tree houses are modified versions of "Erumadam", usually used by the tribes in order to escape from the attacks of wildanimals. Tree houses are in the rain forest surrounded by coffee,  tea, cardamom, and pepper plantations. All the basic facilities like bedroom, full attached bathrooms with flushing toilet, telephone shower, wash basin with running water, carpeted veranda and sit-outs on your private balcony are provided in the tree house itself. Access to the TreeHouse (up to 80 feet above ground level) is by an indigenous cane lift which is worked by a unique counter weight of water. There is even a friendly elephant for a safari in to forests and trails – the elephant has a will of its own and only likes giving bare back rides.

If you have two to three days to spare – even at the end (or start) of your business trip,

Bhutan – on the roof of the world.  Please allow an extra  3 to 4 days to get a full experience. This does need a bit of planning and advance notice  as only a limited number of visitors are allowed each year (16,000 in 2006) through a handful of registered Bhutanese agencies. Chillout365 has a special arrangement with a local agency for our visitors.

Travel through Bhutan is an unforgettable experience – the last Shangri La of towering peaks, 50 varieties of rhododendrons, 600 species of wild orchids, the Himalayan Blue Poppy (national flower of Bhutan).  Don’t miss the Tiger Nest (Taktshang) monastery on a rocky ledge with a sheer drop of nearly 800 m,  it is named after the 8th Century Guru Padma Sambhava, the saint who converted Bhutan to Buddhism, who alighted here upon the back of a tiger.

Tiger, tiger burning bright India is the land of the tiger though these are now becoming even rarer through poaching. So now is the time to catch this elusive king of the jungle. The bonus is that you may also catch on your camera leopards, one horned rhino, elephants, jungle cat, wild dogs and even lions.

Ranthambhore National Park is an excellent place to view the tiger – close to the Taj Mahal as well as Jaipur. We suggest an extra 2 to 3 days at the park to maximise your opportunity to see the tiger as well as the other animals including, leopard, sloth bear, antelope, deer, and monkeys. You will enjoy an unrivalled camp experience – staying at either Aman-i-Khas Luxury Tented Camp or the Oberoi Vanyavilas Luxury Tented Camp.  Gather in the evening around the camp fire to share your experience of sightings over a drink before dining.

If you are “doing” the Golden Triangle, or if you are close to Jaipur and Agra, we suggest a two day stay to take in the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. There are hundreds of species of birds in this world famous sanctuary. Take a ride on the boat or the cycle rickshaw guides will take you around the park

Arguably the best tiger viewing is in central India – it takes a bit longer to get to it so please allow 4 days but the Tiger Reserves at Bandhavagarh, Kanha, and Pench take some beating. This is Kipling country, where he set the Jungle Book. All are accessible from Nagpur / Jabalpur – all worth visiting to maximise the chance to get a view of the Tiger. Luxury safari experience through CC Africa – safari specialists who bring vast experience from their venture in Africa.  Despite poaching these are some of the best places to catch a glimpse of the tiger , while enjoying being pampered in the evenings as you sip a cocktail while discussing the latest sighting.

This is the land that inspired Rudyard Kipling to write that all-time favourite, "The Jungle Book" - walk through Pench and one can imagine Mowgli swinging through the trees and almost hear the roar of Sher Khan.

A hidden gem of unspoilt coral amongst warm clear blue waters of the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea. If you are diving then remember to allow extra days to recover before the flights. Sandy beaches for relaxing on, and trained instructors for beginners to diving. This is the undiscovered diving area – very few tourists and the islands to yourself for diving and snorkelling.

Or try diving and snorkelling at Andaman Islands, beautiful and unspoilt.

India has thousands of miles of beaches. The easiest and the best known is in the west facing on to the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean. The water is warn all the year round and, in other than the monsoon, sunny all the year round. Extend for 3 to 4 days your stay and relax in luxury in Goa. And if you get restless there is lots to explore in the town steeped in Portuguese and Indian mix of influences. And some of the best beaches and night life in India.

2 to 3 extra days in a timeless majestic fort -   hotel Ahilya Fort has a dramatic setting, great food and magnificent views. Set on the edge of a cliff high above the Narmada River, allows you to go off the tourist trail and explore abundance of sights – the fabulous deserted city of Mandu to the famed island temple of Omkareshwar.

Your host Prince Shivaji Rao Holkar has the highest standards and the food, principally organic, is delicious. And all inclusive – food, alcohol, massages, local excursions! A beautiful pool and shady terraces and the meals are taken in different areas of the fort.