Holiday Learning Can Be Fun
Doe’s Ecotours’ itinerary may not always be offbeat, but they combine
unexplored places with a local flavour, discovers Priya Nair
Doreen D’Sa
Founder, Doe’s Ecotours
to become an entrepreneur in
ecotourism, finalises her trips for
the entire year and sends mailers
to her regular travellers. She
then announces each trip about
four months ahead. Typically
the bookings get full within
a few days. The rates are all-
inclusive and cover travel, meals,
accommodation, and other costs
such as sightseeing.
“I usually stick to budget
hotels or homestays so that more
Maharashtra). They also visited
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Chorão
Island and Cumbarjua Canal,
where the estuaries of the Zuari
and Mandovi rivers meet before
entering the sea. There they saw
otters and crocodiles in addition to
several bird species. “Most people
only go to beaches and churches
in Goa. But I took them to places
known for wilderness,” said D’Sa.
The innovations do not end
there. On a trip to Pench Tiger
I
f wandering through the usual
touristy spots and putting up
with clueless tour guides is
not your idea of a vacation,
you should try Doe’s Ecotours.
As the name suggests, the tours
combine heritage with wildlife, and
include local experiences to make
your holiday a learning experience
while having fun all along.
Says Doreen D’Sa, who runs
Doe’s Ecotours, “I do a lot of
investigation about the location to
find out which activities can make
it interesting for travellers. I work
four or five months in advance.”
D’Sa, who quit her job as a
librarian at the British Council
Upcoming Tours
Pench Tiger Reserve – May 20-24
`14,500 for 2 nights/3 days stay,
meals, jungle safaris, transport from
Nagpur and back.
Ladakh Tour with Jeep Safari –
July 21-August 4
`50,650 for 15 days including stay,
meals, transport, entry fees etc.
(Rates are per person on sharing basis)
Enjoying the beauty of orchids at a flower show in Gangtok
people can afford the trips. But I
ensure that the places are clean,”
she says. In Sikkim, for instance,
good homestays were easy to
find. In Shekhawati in Rajasthan,
D’Sa managed to get a heritage
accommodation at a reasonable
rate. In Kamarajar Valley near
Kodaikanal, she came up with
Double Dutch resort, close to a
valley and offering a scenic view.
The destinations D’Sa selects
may not always be offbeat, but
she makes it a point to include
unexplored places within that
destination. For instance, a recent
trip to Goa saw her group heading
out to Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary
in Chorla Ghat, which borders
three states (Karnataka, Goa and
Reserve, a tourist destination
bordering Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra, D’Sa held fun quizzes
and games to talk about the natural
history of the place. Most people
who go to the Andamans visit Port
Blair or Havelock Island. Doe’s
Ecotours included Mount Harriet
National Park near Port Blair, in a
locale that is usually ignored.
The tours are ideal for people
who share an interest in the
outdoors and are keen to learn
more about nature and heritage.
“When like-minded people come
on our tours they form a close
bond. Even after the trip, people
meet up and share photographs
and so on,” D’Sa says.
[email protected]
www.outlookmoney.com April 2018 Outlook Money
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