Exploring beyond domestic tour and travel market, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)is now offering international packages covering Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
'The Enchanting Singapore and Malaysia' and the 'Sri Ramayana Yatra: Sri Lanka' tours, departing from New Delhi, are now open for bookings and will be fully managed by the IRCTC which will arrange for the visa, air journey, meals and hotel stay, road travel and sightseeing for the travellers.
An experienced tour manager from IRCTC will accompany the group and oversee the services, according to a release.
The 5-night 6-day Enchanting Singapore and Malaysia tour will depart on October 13 by Milindo Airlines. Tourists will
stay at Singapore for 3 nights with sightseeing at the Singapore Flyer, Night Safari, City Tour and Sentosa Island.
In Malaysia, they will visit Genting Highlands, Batu Cave, Snow World and Kuala Lumpur city.
There are three additional departure programmes for this tour — one on October 19, 2016 and and two in March 2017.
For culture aficionados, IRCTC has created a unique Ramayana-themed tour to Sri Lanka, covering significant
destinations including the Ashok Vatika, Sita Mata Temple, Bhakta Hanuman Temple, Anjanair Temple, Vibhishana Temple,
Munavari and Muishwaram Shiva Temple.
The 5-night 6-day tour, departing from Delhi on November 24, will also cover other popular locations in Sri Lanka such as the Nogambo beach, Pennawalla elephant orphanage, Ramboda waterwall, Nuwara Elliya hill station, Grogery Lake, Kandy Tooth Temple and Colombo city tour.
The tour cost is Rs 72,580 per person for the 'Enchanting Singapore and Malaysia' tour and Rs 48,220 per person for the 'Sri Lanka Ramayana' tour, including visa charges, airfare, hotel stay, meals, road transport, sightseeing, guide charges and taxes.
IRCTC will run the Sri Lanka tour again on December 10 this year, and also next year on January 12, February 10 and March 2.
Tourism and catering wing of the Indian Railways operates tours to several other popular foreign destinations including Australia, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan and Dubai.
IRCTC offices in Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Jaipur, Chandigarh and Varanasi are coordinating the international tour package.
