Employment and training programs for women in southern India have inspired a new 12-day journey offered by Abercrombie & Kent.
Travelling through Tamil Nadu, the tour allows guests to meet the people behind projects aimed at combatting poverty in areas like Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry.
Called ‘Women Hand in Hand: A Hosted Journey Through Southern India’, it provides contributions to the Knit One Change One project founded by Danielle Chiel, who created a co-op for women in rural villages to earn income from knitting.
The tour offers an opportunity to meet Chiel and some of the women who knit in the village of Edayanchavadi, as well as other experiences including a cooking excursion in which guests are paired with local women to shop for ingredients before cooking and dining in their homes.
Beginning in the city of Chennai (the former Madras), it visits spectacular temples, villages and historic fortresses as it heads south to destinations including Pondicherry with its colourful old quarter seen in the movie Life of Pi.
The Women Hand in Hand tour operates in March and October 2018, priced from $7,435 per person twin share.
