\u201cWe\u2019re so independent in our travel style,\u201d says Sarah Meikle, a Wellingtonian who spends half of the year in India and founded All India Permit Tours.<\/p>\n
All India Permit Tours founder Sarah Meikle soaks up Jaipur’s Amer Fort. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first thing [my guests] say to me is \u2018I\u2019m not a group traveller,\u2019\u201d she said, yet having just a handful of trips each year, all run by the same host in small groups (six to 14 people depending on the destination) allows for flexibility and originality.<\/p>\n
For Leanne, this means being free to change plans that morning to capitalise on \u201cunscripted things, that just might be really magical\u201d.<\/p>\n
Fellow Wellington-local Janice Kirkwood, who runs Eating Adventures with Sue Dempsy, agreed that small groups were key to pursuing authentic experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther tours are the same tour year in, year out … for us it\u2019s important we find new places to go, new restaurants [and if] something goes off the boil we can change it by the next time. That\u2019s the beauty of a small private tour company.\u201d <\/p>\n
Case in point, their tour of Georgia typically included dinner at a charming 180-year-old farmhouse, before a crackling wood fire. However, when other tour groups discovered it, they cut it from the itinerary and found somewhere new.<\/p>\n
Sarah Meikle embraces the colour and elegance of Udaipur’s palace hotels. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
While food is central to each of the tour companies, it\u2019s not just about eating great food, but using cuisine to more deeply experience a culture. <\/p>\n
\u201cFood breaks barriers,\u201d Leanne explains, \u201cPeople are charmed when you\u2019re interested in what they\u2019re eating. The locals love it. They love when you show an interest [in their food].\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you come to India, food is unavoidable,\u201d says Sarah. \u201cIt\u2019s very much intrinsic to the culture here. If you think about the Indian culture, the most important things to Indians are family and food. It shapes every part of their life.\u201d <\/p>\n
Janice and her co-founder Sue, travelled to Tokyo twice a year for over 10 years and \u201cabsolutely loved the food.\u201d Then, says Sue, \u201cJanice planned an itinerary [for a friend] which was all food-related. It was about giving him an experience of all the different dishes at specialist restaurants and things. He loved it and suggested we actually do it for a job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Janice and Sue at their favourite mentaiko (spiced cod roe) stall at Tsukiji Market in Tokyo Janice Kirkwood and Sue Dempsy savour mentaiko at Tsukiji Market, Tokyo. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
They took his advice and hosted their first Tokyo food tour in 2018. When holidaying in Lima and Georgia, they discovered \u201camazing food,\u201d which led them to start leading tours to Lima in 2019 and Georgia in 2023. <\/p>\n
However, one doesn\u2019t need to know the destination inside out to run an unforgettable tour. In 2023, Vicki hosted her first tour to Sicily despite not having been herself. Instead, she worked closely with her Sicilian friend, Rosario, to create the itinerary. <\/p>\n
Vicki Ravlich-Horan and guests take in the bustle of Catania Market, Sicily. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
\u201cI trusted Rosario on that one. He knew lots of these people that are unique [and] perfect for us,\u201d she said, adding that there were \u201clots of Zoom chats\u201d to pull it together. <\/p>\n
\u201cTours are all about communication with your guests, and my role [is] host, not the tour guide. It\u2019s about fixing. It\u2019s about getting to know your guests, reading body language, understanding who they are before they even get there.\u201d Proof of success is in the pudding, so to speak; demand has led her to launch tours in Sri Lanka, Croatia, Puglia and South Australia with more in the pipeline. <\/p>\n
When looking for a change after running the Wellington on a Plate Food Festival for 15 years, Sarah \u201ccame to India, with the thought that I might start bringing people here,\u201d and help them navigate the destination.<\/p>\n
Vicki Ravlich-Horan enjoys an intimate dinner at a Sicilian home restaurant. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
\u201cIndia is tricky for a lot of people. [They] find it challenging in lots of ways.\u201d She had visited India \u201cmany, many times [and] planned many, many holidays for people and friends.\u201d In 2024 she hosted her first two tours to India and her six 2026 group tours have sold out.<\/p>\n
A trained chef hailing from Te Awamutu but now Sydney-based, Leanne began her foray into tours in 2024. After her food and travel writing contracts slowed in 2023, she wondered what to do next. The answer was in China. \u201cI really care a lot about China. I feel an affinity with the place, and I would like to share that with other people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leanne Kitchen explores the flavours of Cabramatta ahead of her China tours. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Since 2024, she has been \u201cplugging away\u201d developing tours and will run her first tour to Yunnan this October, with Sichuan to follow in 2027.<\/p>\n
Being female-led doesn\u2019t make much difference to travellers, according to Sarah and Sue who both report their tour guests are 40% men. Sarah\u2019s next India tour will be largely attended by men.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also not as important as experience, when it comes to being an excellent travel host, said Vicki. \u201cI think a guy could do what I do,\u201d she said, adding that years of working front of house gives one the ability to \u2018read people\u2019; a defining quality for hosts.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve [all] come out of hospitality, but I don\u2019t think it specifically has to be women leading tours,\u201d agreed Janice.<\/p>\n
Golden hour wine tasting with Vicki’s Taste of Sicily group at Ansaldi winery. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
In India, Sarah does take a more considered approach, seeking ways she can empower female business owners or operators.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love working with females here because I think it\u2019s really important that we females support females. [I work with] Pink City Rickshaws, and it\u2019s all female drivers.\u201d She also works with \u201ca charity in Jodhpur that helps young women \u2026 to give them financial literacy and skills. And being a woman, I\u2019m focused on that\u201d.<\/p>\n
These Kiwi women love what they do. They love sharing their unique discoveries with others. They enjoy working with locals on the ground and the people who join their tours.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want it to feel like you\u2019re travelling with a group of friends, even though when you arrive you may not know anyone,\u201d Sue said.<\/p>\n
Details <\/p>\n
All India Permit Tours https:\/\/www.allindiapermit.co.nz\/<\/a> <\/p>\n Eating Adventures https:\/\/www.eatingadventures.co.nz\/<\/a> <\/p>\n Elsewhere and Beyond Tours https:\/\/elsewhereandbeyond.tours\/<\/a> <\/p>\n