ITV

Tag: Rishikesh

  • Kamat Hotels plants flags in Himalayan foothills and tech hub

    Kamat Hotels plants flags in Himalayan foothills and tech hub

    MUMBAI:  Kamat Hotels (India) Limited has thrown open the doors to two contrasting properties that capture India’s dual identity: a wellness sanctuary beneath the snow-capped Himalayas and a sleek business hotel in the country’s tech capital.

    The hospitality chain unveiled The Orchid Rishivan Hotel in Rishikesh and IRA by Orchid Hotel in Hyderabad on Sunday, adding 117 rooms to its expanding empire and planting its flag firmly in both India’s spiritual heartland and its commercial nerve centres.

    In Rishikesh, where the Ganges rushes down from sacred peaks, the 54-room Orchid Rishivan Hotel promises to marry ancient mysticism with modern luxury. Guests can stretch into sunrise yoga sessions beside a centuries-old Shivling temple, then retreat to a state-of-the-art spa surrounded by whispering forests. The property operates under a revenue-sharing model and caters to the booming wellness tourism market, complete with conference facilities for corporate retreats and intimate wedding venues.

    Orchid RishiVan Hotel

    Some 1,500 kilometres south, the 63-room IRA by Orchid Hotel stakes its claim in Hyderabad’s bustling business district. The leased property targets the city’s army of technocrats and deal-makers with contemporary rooms and dining that blends authentic Hyderabadi spices with international flavours.

    “We are tapping into the rising demand for wellness tourism and destination weddings, while Hyderabad positions us to serve a thriving corporate market,” said executive director Vishal Vithal Kamat. His father, executive chairman and managing director Vithal Venkatesh Kamat, described the openings as highlighting the group’s “dual focus” between eco-luxury and metropolitan hospitality.

    The launches underscore Kamat Hotels’ strategy to capture both ends of India’s travel spectrum: spiritual seekers fleeing urban chaos and business travelers powering the country’s economic engine. With wellness tourism surging and corporate travel rebounding post-pandemic, the group is betting that India’s contradictions—ancient and modern, spiritual and commercial—can fuel profitable growth.

  • Discovery Channel to air ‘Walking the Himalayas’

    Discovery Channel to air ‘Walking the Himalayas’

    MUMBAI: Six-month journey, over 4 million steps, trekking 1,700 gruelling miles across the roof of the world, teaming up with local guides and meeting monks, soldiers and nomadic tribes, explorer Levison Wood takes on an extreme challenge to walk the length of the world’s highest mountain range from Afghanistan in the west to Bhutan in the East.

    Premiering Friday, August 5, Discovery Channel’s new series WALKING THE HIMALAYAS, airing every Friday at 9 PM, introduces explorer, writer and photographer Levison Wood as he embarks on an ambitious challenge to walk the length of the Himalayas.

    British Army officer and explorer Levison Wood won critical acclaim for his nine-month long trek and first ever expedition to walk the entire length of the river Nile. Taking the same intimate and authentic approach that made his previous series a hit, Levison takes on a new adventure across Himalayas where he confronts snow and ice, altitude sickness and earthquake-devastated landscapes. He treads carefully through one of the most fought-over areas of the world, navigating isolated Afghan valleys and the Line of Control between Pakistani and Indian Kashmir. Along the way, he passes through some of the most remote, beautiful, and perilous regions on earth – places few outsiders ever get to see.

    Levison begins is journey in Afghanistan’s remote Wakhan corridor, where the mountains first rise in the west. This 200 mile long and 25 mile wide strip of land, bordered by Tajikistan remains one of the most isolated and inhospitable places on Earth. His guide Malang Darya – one of the country’s best mountaineers accompanies him to trek through barren, snow-ridged valleys before attempting to climb the Irshad Pass, a 5,000m wall of snow and ice that leads to northern Pakistan.

    Levison and Malang traverse breathtaking scenery in northern Pakistan’s remote mountain valleys, meeting tribespeople and nomads, before heading to the heavily militarised frontier with India. He passes through Kashmir, Dharamshala and spiritual heartland Rishikesh to reach the holy city – Benaras.

    In Nepal, he reunites with an old friend, Binod Parya, who saved his life when, as a 19-year-old, Levison was caught up in political violence. Levison enters one of its least explored national parks – Bardia, which is home to rhinos, tigers and 10-foot-long crocodiles. But animals aren’t the only dangers he faces… he is forced to evacuate the camp site in the middle of night due to the rapidly rising river, swollen by the monsoon rains. Levison’s journey gets interrupted by a serious car crash which gives him a near-death experience. Levison undergoes a surgery in UK and resumes his journey with his friend Binod after six weeks of rest.

    Further in his adventure, Levison heads towards Everest, Kathmandu and Bhutan and gets a rare chance to experience its dramatic scenery, colourful festivals and historic monasteries and meet its people. Levison Wood ends his journey in Bhutan climbing the world’s highest unclimbed peak and country’s holiest mountain ‘Ghankar Puensem’, which mountaineers are forbidden to climb.

    Embark on a challenging journey with Levison Wood across Himalayas on Discovery Channel’s WALKING THE HIMALAYAS starting August 5, every Friday at 9 PM.

  • Discovery Channel to air ‘Walking the Himalayas’

    Discovery Channel to air ‘Walking the Himalayas’

    MUMBAI: Six-month journey, over 4 million steps, trekking 1,700 gruelling miles across the roof of the world, teaming up with local guides and meeting monks, soldiers and nomadic tribes, explorer Levison Wood takes on an extreme challenge to walk the length of the world’s highest mountain range from Afghanistan in the west to Bhutan in the East.

    Premiering Friday, August 5, Discovery Channel’s new series WALKING THE HIMALAYAS, airing every Friday at 9 PM, introduces explorer, writer and photographer Levison Wood as he embarks on an ambitious challenge to walk the length of the Himalayas.

    British Army officer and explorer Levison Wood won critical acclaim for his nine-month long trek and first ever expedition to walk the entire length of the river Nile. Taking the same intimate and authentic approach that made his previous series a hit, Levison takes on a new adventure across Himalayas where he confronts snow and ice, altitude sickness and earthquake-devastated landscapes. He treads carefully through one of the most fought-over areas of the world, navigating isolated Afghan valleys and the Line of Control between Pakistani and Indian Kashmir. Along the way, he passes through some of the most remote, beautiful, and perilous regions on earth – places few outsiders ever get to see.

    Levison begins is journey in Afghanistan’s remote Wakhan corridor, where the mountains first rise in the west. This 200 mile long and 25 mile wide strip of land, bordered by Tajikistan remains one of the most isolated and inhospitable places on Earth. His guide Malang Darya – one of the country’s best mountaineers accompanies him to trek through barren, snow-ridged valleys before attempting to climb the Irshad Pass, a 5,000m wall of snow and ice that leads to northern Pakistan.

    Levison and Malang traverse breathtaking scenery in northern Pakistan’s remote mountain valleys, meeting tribespeople and nomads, before heading to the heavily militarised frontier with India. He passes through Kashmir, Dharamshala and spiritual heartland Rishikesh to reach the holy city – Benaras.

    In Nepal, he reunites with an old friend, Binod Parya, who saved his life when, as a 19-year-old, Levison was caught up in political violence. Levison enters one of its least explored national parks – Bardia, which is home to rhinos, tigers and 10-foot-long crocodiles. But animals aren’t the only dangers he faces… he is forced to evacuate the camp site in the middle of night due to the rapidly rising river, swollen by the monsoon rains. Levison’s journey gets interrupted by a serious car crash which gives him a near-death experience. Levison undergoes a surgery in UK and resumes his journey with his friend Binod after six weeks of rest.

    Further in his adventure, Levison heads towards Everest, Kathmandu and Bhutan and gets a rare chance to experience its dramatic scenery, colourful festivals and historic monasteries and meet its people. Levison Wood ends his journey in Bhutan climbing the world’s highest unclimbed peak and country’s holiest mountain ‘Ghankar Puensem’, which mountaineers are forbidden to climb.

    Embark on a challenging journey with Levison Wood across Himalayas on Discovery Channel’s WALKING THE HIMALAYAS starting August 5, every Friday at 9 PM.

  • CNN International unveils tourism advertorials to promote India

    MUMBAI: More vacationers are likely to choose to wile away their holidays in India rather than other popular tourist countries. CNN International, in an initiative to promote India all around the world in association with the India’s ministry of tourism (MOT), has produced a series of six 60/45/30-seconds advertorials.

    CNNI had commissioned Bang Productions Singapore Pte Ltd to produce the series for MOT. The six films, which was unveiled at overseas marketing meet organised by MOT in the Delhi earlier. The vignettes are now being aired on CNN International on a world-wide basis, which kicked off on 22 September and will run uptill March 2007.

    India’s travel and tourism market has been valued at US$42 billion in 2005. The vignettes are based on six pillars that include health, modern Art, Golfing Holidays, Hip Hotels, Fashion & Shopping and Heritage in India. The current promotion has more clearly defined these pillars which are in keeping with the viewing audience of CNN International. 

    The objective of the campaign is to increase the flow of tourists into India from September till end February-early March. The produced advertorials will be running alongside the Incredible India commercial, produced by Bharat Bala Production, according to an official release.

    Turner South Asia advertising sales VP Monica Tata said, “India has a lot to offer to the world and through these brilliantly shot six vignettes, we hoped to capture the true essence of a ‘new age India’. We believe that these series of vignettes focus on India as a modern, upmarket, contemporary and unique place. CNN International believes in partnering with clients to offer them the solutions they need across the world.”

    “This is in response to the long standing relationship that CNN enjoys with the Ministry of Tourism in India. The ministry has been using CNN to promote Indian tourism globally. The six advertorials are a reflection of the different facets of Indian tourism,” Tata further added.

    All the segments have been shot on film and not on Digi-beta or video. The vignettes are based on six pillars and they include:

    Health: This segment is hosted by Deepak Chopra MD, acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest leaders in the field of mind body medicine. Deepak Chopra carries the film beautifully from the prayers being offered at the Ghats (shore) of Rishikesh to the Oberoi Wildflower Hall spa (one of the world’s best) ayurveda, meditation and yoga resorts. India is whole – it is holy and it is healing. The vignette depicts the spiritual side of Incredible India.

    Modern Art: This segment has been hosted by the international photographer, Frederic Lagrange from New York. The film was shot at various locations in Delhi, including the National Gallery of Modern Art, Garhi Artists Studio and Jantar Mantar. The film also has shots of famous Indian artist, Anjolie Ela Menon. Frederic talks about art and how it is omnipresent in India, on the streets, through movie hoardings, in galleries, through canvases of famous Indian artistes etc.

    Golfing Holidays: This vignette has been hosted by India’s top professional golfer, Jeev Milka Singh – the current winner of the China Open Golf Championship, and was filmed at Delhi Golf Club, the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon to promote ‘Golf Tourism’ in India. It has some beautiful shots of the monuments at the Delhi Golf course, one of the only golf courses in Asia meandering through ancient monuments.

    Hip Hotels: This advertorial was shot at the Lake Palace Hotel and Devigarh Fort Palace in Udaipur, and it was hosted by renowned investment guru and author – Dr Mark Mobius from Franklin Templeton Investments. Both hotels have earned a reputation to be one of the world’s best.

    Fashion & Shopping: This advertorial was hosted by the US supermodel and actress, Saira Mohan. The segment was shot in Delhi during the India Fashion week, showcasing Indian designers like Tarun Tahiliani, the depth and vision of Indian fashion, jewellery & handicrafts and other fashion/shopping locations around Delhi.

    Heritage: This segment was hosted by the renowned Indian Sufi singer, Zila Khan, daughter of late Ustad Vilayat Khan. The film was shot at Taj Mahal in Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, a city made by emperor, Akbar in the late 15th and early 16th century and Agra Fort.