An Indian Adventure with Elephant Family and Quintessentially Foundation

By Lauren Jade Hill

This October the international NGO Elephant Family and Quintessentially Foundation, the grant giving arm of British concierge company Quintessentially, will team up to host Travels to My Elephant in which a convoy of 90 participants will embark on a great Indian adventure, covering 500km over six days. With those taking part setting out on October 30^th, 2017, the fundraising trip promises to raise over $1.3m for the endangered Asian elephant.

An entry fee of $8,034 and minimum fundraising target of the same amount gives participants a place on this unforgettable journey. From Jodpur, teams of two or three will travel across Rajasthan to Jaipur in a series of eccentric vehicles, from Royal Enfield Motorcycles to vintage cars and rickshaws, meeting locals and other participants along the way and taking in sites such as the Mehrangarah Fort, Stepwell Salt Flats and Bal Samand Lake Palace.

Opening up opportunities to interact with the local communities, the journey includes unique experiences such as a visit to a school in Khimsar, then evenings are spent dining and attending parties, stargazing and at a banquet held on the lawns of Ananta Hotel & Spa, with each night’s accommodation in five star hotels. The journey comes to a close with a pink champagne party in Jaipur and a private preview of Elephant Parade India, a showcase of 101 brightly painted elephant sculptures highlighting the 101 elephant corridors Elephant Family is endeavoring to save.

Travels to My Elephant was inspired by the charity’s late founder Mark Shand and his best-selling book the journey takes its name from. Having brought together like-minded adventurers, business luminaries, philanthropists and entrepreneurs, previous racers and supporters have included TRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, HRH Princess Eugenie of York, Tom Parker Bowles, Zac Goldsmith, Waris Ahluwalia and Goldie Hawn.