The future of cycling holidays for mid-lifers: Fiona Duncan for The Telegraph
Last year, we had the pleasure of welcoming The Telegraph journalist Fiona Duncan on our e-bike journey through Madhya Pradesh, India. In her article, Fiona hails the e-bike as the future of cycling holidays for mid-lifers. Describing her time travelling with us, she writes: “Amongst the teak and sal forests of Madhya Pradesh, Rudyard Kipling’s inspiration for The Jungle Book, my e-bike (and my padded cycling shorts) allowed me to dive into the tourist-free heart of rural India."
Read on for an exclusive excerpt of her journey through the wild heart of India.
"Our seven-night, 150-mile Slow Cyclist journey took us from Pench to Kanha, two national wildlife parks, where we stayed in comfortable eco-lodges and set out on dawn game drives to watch the jungle awake.
The route, always exhilarating, challenging when on rough terrain but never outside my comfort zone, was devised by Julian Matthews and Vishal Singh, who run TOFTigers, dedicated to sustainable, nature-based tourism and tiger conservation.
It began with a thrilling ride through Pench Tiger Reserve, spotting the occasional tiger pugmarks and scat (“look, it’s got hair and a bit of deer hoof in it”) before we reached the farmland, paddy fields and turquoise-painted villages of the local Gond tribespeople. In one, an entire school spilled out to greet us; in another, we met five generations of one family, the oldest age 111; in a third, we learned about the marginalised Baiga tribe."
You can read Fiona's article in full here.
If you're craving a taste of India, and what could be "one of the most unexpected ... and memorable travel experiences" of your life, then join us for a slow cycle in Madhya Pradesh to discover Kipling's India for yourself.
Check our availability or get in touch to find out more.
