The Ganges Expedition 2009

2 521 kilometres in inflatable dinghies along the Ganges, India’s Holy Mother. The members of the Ganges Expedition – an international team led by Swiss adventurer Andy Leemann – experienced an extraordinary journey from the frozen heights of the Himalayas down to the Bay of Bengal. The journey was an adventure and an expedition full of lessons that the participants will never forget.

Compared to other Kuoni Getaway Councils , the meeting with the expedition participants in Calcutta was much more focused on the practical aspects of travel. After five weeks of extreme, extraordinary and exhilarating impressions the talk was of a new understanding of luxury, of sustainability and of the special features of expeditions like this that bring us closer to unspoilt truth than other forms of travel, and that facilitate unique experiences in harmony with nature and with ourselves.

It provided Kuoni with another important source of inspiration, helping it to think today about the travel of tomorrow; and to learn at firsthand about the possibilities for a sustainable tourism that prioritises authentic, respectful encounters with foreign cultures, people and landscapes. It is this kind of tourism that is facilitating experiences that travellers will increasingly perceive as the essence of beauty.