GAINESVILLE, Florida, June 30, 2008 - The active travel company with the funny name, Pedalers Pub & Grille (PP&G), inaugurates “India - A Royal Odyssey” with its first-ever foray into this diverse and exotic land. Departing on Nov. 24, 2008, the 12-day trip pedals across the southern tip of India to explore the temple complexes and villages of Tamil Nadu before moving to the wildlife and tea/spice plantations of Munnar Hills, the waterways of western Kerala and the trading seaport of Cochin.
The active cycling adventure will be repeated on Nov. 23, 2009. Except for international air, the program is all-inclusive at $3,450 (double) with a single supplement of $690. The tour begins in Madras and ends in Trivandrum.

The rate includes accommodations in luxury hotels, guesthouses and resorts, all meals, bilingual guides, full van support, daily route directions and maps, sightseeing and cultural activities, plus airport transfers. Personal departures may be scheduled year round for private groups and bike clubs with the most popular season running from November to March when the days are typically sunny and warm.

Over the course of the trip, which is rated moderate in level of difficulty, cyclists will roll inn to inn covering 439 miles (712 km), averaging 44 miles (71 km) per day.

Highlights include lunching with tea pluckers; a night at Cochin’s Bolgatty Palace, the one-time residence of the British Governor in the early 1900s; dolphin-spotting from Kerala’s palm-fringed beaches and visiting India’s Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary that is home to elephants, tigers (Periyar is part of Project Tiger), wild dogs, macaque monkeys, sambar deer and a variety of birds. More details can be found online at:
www.pedalerspubandgrille.com/bike_tours/india/Royal_Odyssey.htm

"We chose this route and region due to its incredible scenery and cultural diversity,” says Tom Sheehan, founder and general manager. “This is not your typical, mass market tour of India. We take time to visit unusual sites and witness local life and ancient traditions mostly overlooked by larger, packaged tours.”

Annually, PP&G offers multiple set departures and custom trips to 18 exotic destinations in Asia, the South Pacific and Alaska. The company has been conducting cycling tours of these regions since the 1980’s and is known for creating spontaneous, up close and personal cultural encounters along its well-researched cycling routes.

Asia's most seasoned bicycle tour operator, Pedalers Pub & Grille specializes in sag wagon supported road bike tours. They organize rides that are geared toward cycling enthusiasts, featuring longer daily rides designed to fill the day with adventure, while still allowing sufficient time for "off the bike" exploration at fascinating stops along the route. Accommodations are carefully chosen to provide modern western amenities, a comfortable night's rest and an immersion in the local culture and lifestyle. Meals are a celebration of local beverages and cuisine. Trips are led by either a bi-lingual international guide living in the area or a native born guide fluent in English, complimented by an English speaking support crew from that country. All levels of riders are welcome, from energetic beginners to elite cyclists.