Immersive Experiences

We don’t want to be the biggest, but we do want to do what we do incredibly well, which is, personally tailoring tours for your clients around their specific requirements. We have the imagination, contacts and an able team who ensure that we deliver. Some examples of specific requests and activities that were tailored around these are below:

Time travel

The Request: A small group of guests interested in history and Old Guwahati.

Our Solution: We gave the group of eight guests a passage from a book written by an English solider in November 1840 describing ancient parts of the city situated by the riverbanks. Aided by a facilitator, a combination of rickshaw rides and walks, the guests had to trace their way through rambling old houses and institutions. Over a cup of “Lal sa” (as black tea is commonly known in Assam), they interacted with residents over a bygone era.

The Request: Guests who were interested in old architecture and tribal culture of Tawang.

Our Solution: We sent the guests, with a guide and translator, on an excursion to explore 100-year-old houses built with stone that are still in use in two of the more remote villages, where we knew that traditional architecture still existed. They interacted with the residents who were amused when one of guests took images of the stone bricks lining the inner walls of their home. It was an eye-opening interlude on old architectural practices to keep the cold out.

The Request: Guests who were interested in authentic tribal jewelry and costumes.

Our Solution: To make this as authentic as possible, we arranged a mini trek to a remote village in the Kailashahar district of Tripura, Lost in time, the tribesmen were amazed that we had come to meet them. When they learnt that a photographer was part of the group, they went all out and got two ladies to dress up in her best fineries. The experience of just being there with the whole village in action was a treasured memory. Look up our blog article –https://curtaincalladventures.com/tripura-exposure-a-candid-photo-journal/

All about food

The request: A small, all women group wanting to discover the region but also learn about the local food and cooking practices along the way.

Our Solution: In Ziro, we arranged a tea party at a private residence with women from the Apatani Tribe who introduced them to new dishes using locally grown millet and home-brewed kiwi wine. A cooking demonstration was arranged for one of the guests using bamboo (both an ingredient and cookware) which was the highlight of her trip. Featured in –https://www.natgeotraveller.in/tribal-tastes-in-arunachal-pradesh/

The Request: A bunch of food lovers who want to discover the local foods of each different region.

Our Solution: we arranged 10 traditional meals in villages, small restaurants and homes of local chefs in Guwahati, Kaziranga, Mawphalang and Shillong. The chefs also created a menu that added a contemporary twist to local cuisines. We also included trips to the local market, a cooking class and lunch under the guidance of local food enthusiasts.

Special for children

The Request: Could we do anything specifically for children on family tours?

Our Solution 01: We created activity books (catering to their age group and related to things they got to witness on their trip).

Our Solution 02: For older children who were interested in the modern music of the region, we arranged, jam sessions with local contemporary musicians and traditional artists.

Craft connections

The Request: A family who were interested in the arts and crafts of Majuli.

Our Solution: In Majuli, a family spent half a day in a monastery learning the finer techniques of making traditional masks used by the monks for performances based on folklores. The children were delighted as they got to wear the costumes that went with the masks.

Tempted by Textiles:

Our founder, Julie Kagti has over 20 years of experience working with textiles in India. A grounding in this subject from her grandmother who taught her how to weave, and a fascination for the process ensured she found out as much as she could about the different textiles, designs and dyes when traveling the region with her father. She subsequently made this her career for 20 years before founding Curtain Call Adventures.

In Dimapur, we arranged for our guest to spend the day with a local hostess who took her for a fruit wine tasting and introduced her to local fashion, textile and furniture designers. In the evening, she organized an hour’s session with musicians in their home.