Why travel with us

 

Travel gods can be capricious. Your best laid travel plans can go awry. That's why your most important travel decision is choice of tour company.  ​

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Travel with confidence

• E.Y.H.O. is accredited by the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (T.I.C.O.) to safeguard your holiday. 

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Travel Deeper

• E.Y.H.O group tours are tried-and-tested. Owner Shila Desai personally dry runs each new location to unearth must-see sights and hidden gems

• We think deeply about the best use of your time on tour. If a location merits a lingering, you will have it. If the pacing is frenetic, we add a day for your relaxation. Long road transfers are kept to a minimum. Instead, we opt for internal train or air travel, even ferries. 

• E.Y.H.O. deals with local tour operators and enjoys long-standing relationships with local NGOs for access to experiences that are otherwise inaccessible

• The focus is on the non-commercial. Enjoy meals with local families, visits to villages, niche workshops, and mingling with royalty

• Each tour is led by North American-based trip leaders who have lived or travelled extensively in the destination with a rich understanding of the culture. They act as "cultural bridges" and help smooth your way into a new environment

• Each tour features lectures and talks by experts. We reach out to local university professors, journalists,  and writers so your travel can take on a deeper dimension

 

Cookie-cutter-free Zone

• Our tours train a thematic lens on the natural and human character of a destination. You’ll observe, then roll up your sleeves to get cracking in workshops, demos, and activities. Sample the cuisine of North India and take workshops with world-renowned chefs. Learn block-printing techniques from master artisans and study regional embroidery. Trek to a deserted lake edge with a Masai morani, and hunt alongside the last remaining hunter-gatherer tribe in Africa. Don’t just buy cinnamon in a Sri Lankan market; go harvest the stuff on a family plantation. Our trips are infused with the unusual and immersive.

• We eschew big box chain hotels in favour of small family run boutique and heritage accommodations. Interaction with owners adds a rich dimension to your travels. 

 

Not all Group Travel is Created Equal

Imagine custom travel with the advantages of a group . . .

• Our groups are never larger than 20 people, and in many cases, way smaller.

• Travelling solo? No worries! Through a sensitively administered process, we suggest roommates to save you the single supplement. Many E.Y.H.O.ers room together and form lasting friendships. 

• Extensive before tour support: Book flights, ask questions, have your concerns addressed, drop in for chai -- being Canadian-based, we are only a phone call away. From point of first contact in your home country to last in country of travel, you will be with a North American-based trip leader

• Meet fellow travellers pre-trip – via Skype/Facetime if necessary. No wondering with whom you’ll be stuck!

• On the tour, enjoy access to 2 local co-leaders in order to accommodate special interests

• For each activity or workshop, we often provide 2-3 choices, all included in your tour cost. E.g. you prefer a market walking tour as opposed to an architecture tour? No problem! 

• After the tour, it isn’t goodbye. We continue to enrich your travel experience with invitations to shows, exhibitions, museum visits, book clubs, and get-togethers. It’s how our groups feel so intimate! E.Y.H.O. travellers are a family of discerning travellers sprinkled all over the globe, many of whom developed life-long friendships. 

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As careful with your money as we are with ours 

• As an integral part of your experience, all excursions, workshops and entrance fees are included. We do not pile on extras once you begin your tour. 

• You can rest assured that you will not be led to commissioned shopping. In fact, as much as shopping is a fact of any tour --particularly a textile tour -- you will always have options in case you wish not to partake.

• Your day goes better with a good breakfast . . . always included. At least half the rest of meals' cost is included, leaving you time and space to explore on your own or give your digestive system a break. 

• We constantly compare pricing and inclusions, and are confident we offer the best value. For each tour, take a look at our line comparisons against 2-3 other companies offering similar tours

• Stuff happens. Deposits are refundable less a small admin charge usually up to 3 months prior to tour start. You can also apply your deposit to a future tour. 

• We guarantee prices in USD that are locked in the moment you register. No surprise increases even if group minimum isn't met and we decide to run the tour. 

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