Kirsten has traveled to India more times than she can count, and every visit still feels like coming home. This time, though, she went somewhere new: West Bengal, a region she had never seen. She spent her days wandering Kolkata’s flower and pottery markets in the monsoon rain, sharing a home-cooked Bengali lunch, and drifting through the mangrove channels of the Sundarbans, where she waited hours for a tiger to appear. She came back with a reminder that even someone who knows India well has more chapters left to read. In her words, “India will always teach me something.”
Kirsten’s Expert Discovery Trip
West Bengal, Through Kirsten’s Eyes
“India is unlike anywhere else in the world. It’s an amazing book of many chapters still being written, with colors and characters, recipes and animals, textures and smells. It’s forgiving and open, it’s creative and funny, and it will hold your hand if you let it. India will always welcome you back.”
First impressions
I’ve been fortunate to travel to India many times, and I always learn something new: the food, the history, the culture, the landscape. I meet new people and yet I always feel welcome, as if I’m coming home. I felt that same way the very first time, too.
What surprised me
The never-ending layering of history that has shaped the people, the culture, the arts and the language. I traveled to an area I had never been before, and it was like traveling to a whole different country, or a chapter of a book I thought I had already read!
What felt different than I expected
I thought I knew the “general” story. I didn’t. Each region is a new story, with its own history, characters, plot twists, folklore and colors. For a week or so you get swept up in the flowers, the aromas, the wildlife and the street vibes, and you become a character in the story yourself.
What moment gave you goosebumps?
Seeing a tiger in the Sundarbans slink behind a tree, after hours of being elusive.
What moment “Wowed” you?
Being in the Sundarbans, so removed from people, so far away from “land,” with many different birds all around us, plus deer, crocodiles, fishing cats, storks and tigers. We learned about the four tides each day and watched them go up and down, changing the landscape of the mangrove forest and deciding when the wildlife shows itself. The people who live there rely on fishing and crabbing to survive, living in parallel with nature. Wow.
Most culturally immersive
Walking the streets of Kolkata during a monsoon rain shower with our expert guide, through the flower market, while she told us where the flowers come from, what each one is, how they smell and where each was headed. No one cared that we were there!
A taste I won’t forget
My first real Bengali lunch, the day after I arrived, in the home of a friend of our expert guide. A home-cooked meal with all the classic dishes, introductions to what they are, the order we eat them in and why, and the basic recipes behind them. It laid the foundation for my time there.
Did it feel safe?
Yes. Airports, transfers and hotels were all smooth, jet lag was easier than expected, and the timing was perfect: a great combination of touring and down time.
My #1 practical tip
Bring a few more changes of clothes than you think you need, between the humidity and switching from daytime clothes to dinner or lounge clothes. This time I packed with vacuum bags, and it helped save space.
A cultural custom that stuck with me
Food! The love of food. And although I missed it, Durga Puja, the big fall festival, when the whole city builds huge structures to celebrate deities and social causes, with lights, celebration and food.
The people
Your guides, drivers and even the hotel staff become trusted family members. They greet you in the morning with coffee or tea and tuck you in at night. In Kolkata we spent a lot of time with Husna-Tara Prakash, owner of the Glenburn Penthouse, who guided all of our tours. We learned so much about Kolkata, her business, her tea estate and her foundation. An amazing, very hard-working woman.
On the hotels
The Glenburn Penthouse is the only place to stay in Kolkata, in my opinion. It’s the sister property to the Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling: a unique boutique hotel with city views from its rooftop pool, great staff and service, high tea and other curated events, and its own guides for excursions. The décor and library are unparalleled. It’s an experience in and of itself, and a great place to gather, rest, sleep and wake up every day.
If Asia feels intimidating…
It might feel intimidating, but try it. We’ll be there with you. With ATJ you’ll always have a guide, unless you want free time, and if you do, Kolkata is easy to walk around and navigate on your own. You can even take an Uber. There are highly recommended, safe places to eat, very trendy and unique spots, and great coffee, tea and pastry shops. Everyone is always out and about!
Destination by Destination
Kolkata
EnergeticHistoricSoulful
What stood out: The rooftop view from our accommodation, the Glenburn Penthouse.
Who’ll love itLovers of history, literature, art and architecture; street food and regional cuisine; bustling markets and everyday local life; festivals, especially Durga Puja; and slow exploration rather than polished resort travel.
Who might notTravelers who want everything very polished, or who don’t like heat, humidity or crowds. That said, ATJ travelers have private cars with AC and luxury accommodations, so it’s easy to take the edge off.
The Sundarbans
RemoteWildTidal
What stood out: How far removed it feels from people and from “land,” with wildlife all around and four tides a day reshaping the mangrove forest.
Who’ll love itWildlife enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to slow down. Out on the boat, on the water, was the most relaxing part of the trip.
Who might notTravelers who need a guaranteed sighting. The tigers keep their own schedule, and patience is part of the experience.
If someone only had time for one stop from this itinerary: You have to do both! You have to be in Kolkata to get to the Sundarbans, and the Sundarbans is for wildlife enthusiasts. So start in Kolkata, then go on to another of our great destinations, like the Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling, or an overnight on a sailing ship on the Ganges.
