Painting Holidays in India, based at Basunti

Our Basunti-based 12-day painting holidays starts in Amritsar, with its spectacular Sikh Golden Temple and the exuberant, colourful Wagah border ceremony.

The holiday includes several leisurely excursions to destinations that provide a variety of contrasting scenery and street scenes. These include Mcleod Ganj, a vibrant, bustling hill station that is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in exile; the sunken 8th Century Vathu Temples, only revealed as the lake waters recede; a forgotten, ancient fort hidden deep in the jungle and Pragpur, India's first heritage village.

Basunti provides a kaleidoscope of scenery. It is surrounded on three sides by a vast lake with the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayan foothills as a back-drop. Eagles soar overhead, mongoose bustle across jungle tracks, vultures nest in trees, cows wander home in the dappled sunlight each evening past simple roadside shrines. The simplicity and tranquillity of rural Indian village life is on your doorstep while Basunti's tropical garden provides a panoply of vivid and unusal plants and flowers. In between painting sessions there is the relaxed lifestyle of Basunti to enjoy with swimming, canoeing, birdwatching, fishing, and jungle walks making the holiday ideal as well for partners who do not wish to paint.

Painting at Basunti with Sonia McNally and Jenny Blake, 7 & 12 day courses April 2010

Building on the success of the 2010 Spring painting tour with Helen Halliday (her paintings of Basunti are top right) for Spring 2011 Basunti welcomes experienced and accomplished tutors and artists Sonia McNally and Jenny Blake. Their style is informal, friendly and both will be sharing ideas with you and encouraging you on your own creative journey.
All painting and drawing mediums are welcome (including oil paints).
Due to the climate we envisage painting in three sessions per day – early morning, after breakfast and late afternoon.
Everyone will receive the benefit of on site tuition, painting in a group and regular critiques of the work. For more about Jenny and Sonia, details of the itinerary, prices and how to book please see 12-Day Painting Retreat in Northern India 2011.