In October, I will be joining my good friend @lyman.robert in #Delhi #Lucknow and other places, exploring the events leading up to and during the Great Indian Uprising of 1857.
Mughal India; sepoy disgruntlement; the Lucknow Residency; Rani of Jhansi...
Booking is now open. Limited seats. This is going to be another very interesting tour. Contact @bertie_alexandr at @sampantravel soon to sign up.
In May 1857, a column of sepoys rode into Delhi and sought an audience with the hesitant Mughal Emperor inside the Red Fort. What followed was not simply a military rising, but a crisis of legitimacy that reshaped the subcontinent.
Sampan’s 10-day "Rebels at the Red Fort" journey traces that rupture across north India: from the battle for Delhi to the shattered Residency at Lucknow; from the contested sovereignty of Jhansi to the final assertions of power at Gwalior.
This is not just a tour of battles. Instead, we will look at what led to the uprising in 1857 and how the relationship between Britain and India changed because of it.
We explore how annexation and reform had unsettled princes and landholders; how fear spread through colonial society; and how, in the aftermath, British rule hardened and changed the course of world history.
The scars of 1857 remain visible in stone: in the cleared spaces around Delhi’s Red Fort, in the bullet-marked walls of Lucknow, in forts that briefly promised alternative futures.
Led by Dr Robert Lyman, this journey considers how memory diverges – “mutiny” in one tradition, “war of independence” in another – and why 1857 still matters. Rob will be accompanied by expert local guides in Delhi and Lucknow.
As with all of Sampan’s tours, "Rebels at the Red Fort" aims to go deeper under the surface than rival itineraries. In addition to looking at the history, through a programme of guest speakers we will show how the causes and consequences of 1857 are still debated today. We shall stay in glorious and characterful properties throughout, and explore the exquisite cuisine of North India. We hope you can join us.
"Rebels at the Red Fort" takes place 26 October – 4 November 2026. Booking is open now.
Contact us at hello(at)sampantravel.com to reserve your place.
The photos above are of the Red Fort in Delhi (Rahul Virghat); Rob in Kolkata (Nishan Das); Lucknow (Manas Aggarwal); the pool at The Imperial New Delhi (where we shall be staying); and India Gate (Aditya Prakash).
In February 2027, @lyman.robert is back with us in Myanmar on our WW2 "Beyond the Chindwin" 12-day journey.
Booking is now open.
We follow in the footsteps of General Slim’s Fourteenth Army as he reconquers Burma in WW2. This battlefield tour of the Burma Campaign incorporates expert local guides and private film screenings. This journey honours the men that fought and explores how WW2 led to where Myanmar is today.
In 1944, Slim’s Fourteenth Army was hardened from the victorious but brutal battles of Kohima & Imphal in India. In November of that year, Slim established bridgeheads on the east bank of the Chindwin River at Kalewa. The following year they crossed the river in force and fought the Japanese back to Rangoon. It was the dramatic conclusion to the Burma Campaign. A gruelling theatre of war that amassed in its tide men and women from all corners of the globe. 1945 was also the year in which Aung San, young Burmese nationalist, marched his Burma Independence Army to join Slim. Aung San would fight against the Japanese and in doing so, ultimately liberate his country.
Sampan guarantees small groups and a bespoke service beyond the parameters of this itinerary. We like extensions; we love customization. Contact us and reserve your spot.
This tour next takes place 3-14 February 2027. Booking is now open.
hello(at)sampantravel.com
#LookCloser #GoFurther
More here: /journeys/beyond-the-chindwin-second-world-war-tour-burma/
Diverted from Operation Thursday to defend the flank of Kohima during Japan’s great offensive, the 23rd Brigade adapted brilliantly to the brutal terrain of the Naga Hills.
Cut off by jungle and weather, they fought with endurance and ingenuity supplied only by air.
Working alongside the fierce and resourceful Naga tribes, whose knowledge of the mountains proved decisive, they struck Japanese supply lines and communications appearing suddenly, then vanishing back into the mist.
From April to August 1944, their operations helped blunt Japan’s advance on Kohima and Imphal, shaping the outcome of the Burma campaign. Yet their courage and adaptability remain overshadowed by better-known battles earning them the title:
“The Forgotten Brigade of the Forgotten Army.”
In November 2026, SOE Expeditions will retrace the 23rd Brigade’s extraordinary route through the Naga Hills.
With historian @lyman.robert participants will follow authentic wartime trails, visit key operational sites, and meet descendants of the Naga allies who once guided the Chindits through these mountains.
This is more than an expedition.
It’s a journey into history, courage, and endurance.
Walk where heroes once walked. Discover the spirit of the Forgotten Chindits.
#Chindits #Kohima #BurmaCampaign #WWIIHistory #forgottenarmy @colourisedpieceofjake
