Niall

India, Nepal, Sri Lanka & Japan Specialist

After completing a BSc degree in Environmental Geosciences, Niall set off in search adventure. Traveling through India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and across New Zealand. During his experiences he unexpectedly fell in love with India and Sri Lanka, landing in Delhi and zigzagging south through the Subcontinent. Blown away by the cuisine, architecture and receptiveness of the intrigued locals, a fascination began.

Since first visiting India and Sri Lanka, he has returned many times in the last 10 years, exploring the regions of Kerala and Karnataka in depth, then discovering the royal state of Rajasthan. 'Off the beaten path travel' has taken him to Amritsar, Calcutta and most recently even driving a tuk-tuk (Autorickshaw) from Mumbai to Chennai. His adventures with Audley have taken him to explore the Himalayan country of Nepal, to the stunning beaches of Sri Lanka, gaining in-depth knowledge of the Indian Subcontinent.

Diversifying his specialist knowledge has also seen Niall travel through Japan. Sampling the unique culture with rich traditions juxtaposed to incredible modern development.

In recognition of his expertise, Travel + Leisure honored Niall with a place on its A-List of the top travel advisors in 2022.

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I recommend visiting - Munnar, India

For myself, Munnar is a must-visit destination. From here you can stroll through the tea and cardamom plantations to a backdrop of rolling hills, the Western Ghats mountain range and Devikulam Lake. The area is picturesque but also has a colonial past as a hill station retreat for the British and home to some of the highest tea plantations in the world at 2,160 m.

From here you can also trek to the highest peak in southern India, Anamudi, at the top you are straddling the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu overlooking some of the best scenery you will ever rest your eyes upon.

I recommend staying at - Ceylon Tea Trails, Castlereagh Bungalow, Sri Lanka

Deluxe

Nestled in the rolling hills and tea plantations near Hatton, Sri Lanka, are the Ceylon Tea Trails. These quintessentially colonial bungalows offer a fabulous experience of the bygone common wealth era. In total there are four planters bungalows, formerly owned by tea estate managers.

Each one surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens with fantastic views, which are even better by the pool side. The staff are always on hand to cater for your requests, serving you locally grown tea and fine dinners. A real treat is to walk or cycle through the plantations to one of the other properties for lunch. This is a great way to see the other bungalows as well as soaking in the striking scenery.

I'll never forget when…

My most memorable experience of India comes from my most recent trip to the country staying at the Bison Camp in Karnataka. Having already had a successful day on safari watching the wild elephant and leopard of Nagarhole National Park and thinking that things could not get any better than this, I was invited along for a bush dinner on the shore of Lake Kabini at the edge of the nature reserve.

As we ate our dinner sharing stories around the campfire, we were serenaded by the roars of a nearby tiger in the bush. It was an incredible, goose bump provoking, experience of nature, to know that such a powerful creature prowled so near to us. Something I shall never forget!