The Natural Mystic Way

Mar 19th, 2008| By Philline Donggay

Asheesh Melaney and Nikhilendra Singh met when they were 12 years old at boarding school in North India. Several years later, and spanning 3 continents of travels, they have combined their experiences to become the Directors of the highly acclaimed specialized travel and events company called Natural Mystic South Asia.

As these Diane Fay members talk about India and the rest of the South Asian countries, they sound off a sense of patriotism that is uniquely and infectiously theirs. No wonder international celebrities and business VIPs give them full trust as event and tour planners for this part of the globe. Read on as Asheesh and Nikhilendra reveal more of how they work, the Natural Mystic way.

Profiles

DF: You talk of a difference between a Traveller and a Tourist, what is it?

NS : I think travelers like to dig a little deeper on their holidays - its not just about lavish hotels or the lying by the beach. India has so much to offer and often the more you are willing to steer of the main routes the more you will see of India and that doesn't mean you don't get to stay at some of the greatest hotels but just means you plan your trip with the perfect balance and get the best of both worlds.

AM : Travelers are willing to take risks and time when visiting a new place, especially one like India. Basically they are coming for a full on experience. Tourists tend to go for the quick fix, cliched and often safe bets. Luckily most of our clients are more the traveler type and we go back on forth on e-mail or skype to customize their experience, which often includes doing the luxury thing, camping in the desert of jungle and heading off to remote village we've recommended.

NS : I think the traveler chooses his destinations more carefully and then takes the pick of hotels and the tourist might give more importance to the hotel ! I think both are perfectly fine and thats why India is a great destination now as it offers both.

DF: What are the best customized adventure travels you offer?

AM : Most of our trips are combinations of luxury and adventure. We've created all sorts of adventurous trips for clients including trekking in the Himalayas, wildlife trips, diving in the Lakshadweep Islands, Horseback riding safaris in Rajasthan, Rafting and camping. We offer all those well!

DF: Who comes up with the itineraries and how are they made interesting to your clients?

NS : We all do! After some brainstorming with the client we see how we can add just a little more so its a little more than the client expects - i think suprise is an important element so the client is always wondering whats round the corner.

AM : We start of by getting an idea of who the clients are and what they are looking for. We then send them a sample itinerary or two and then go back and forth until we get it perfected.

NS : I think you need to anticipate your clients needs by putting yourself in their shoes - if its a young unmarried couple they surely would want private time in beautiful settings or if its a hard working banker with three kids he might just be content to sit by the pool and read a book or if its a small group of older people you got to make sure they dont get exhausted in the sun but yet get to see the best picks. Thats why we encourage our clients to speak to us over the phone , its amazing how much you learn about them from just that !

AM : We've now created hundreds of trips over a period of 10 years for about 4,000 clients from around the world and we're pretty good at reading what each client wants. Some clients just want to do their own thing and take it easy, while others want some pretty unique stuff. We've organised fashion shows in old forts, created sit down dinners in the middle of the desert, organised a 1930's jazz night in a 1930's palace and done some other interesting stuff.

DF: In the shortest statements possible, what in your opinion makes these South Asian countries incredible travel destinations?

India

AM : 5,000 years colours, sounds, sights, nature, history and culture. Very full on or super relaxed - often in the same trip.

NS : Hate to sound like a cliche but its simply unique...

Bhutan

AM : Beautiful and peaceful. Makes you stop and wonder why we're sprinting through life in the manner we are...

NS : Its nature at its absolute best which is sadly getting rarer.

Nepal

NS : The Himalayas, i stood at Mt Everest Base camp and it was the most humbling experience of my life.

AM : Nepal is Bhutan on steroids (but still pretty peaceful by any other standards) and the adventure travel capital of South Asia.

Sri Lanka

AM : A tropical and colonial gem that packs in a lot for a little island.

NS : Culture, wildlife, spas, beaches, tea estates...

Maldives

AM : Think Robinson Crusoe with great diving.

NS : Luxury and more luxury and probably yet more.