India, Nepal and Tibet by train: Amaïa's journey in the footsteps of Alexandra David-Néel

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published on January 4, 2025

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Perhaps you've heard of Alexandra David-Néel, the pioneering early 20th-century explorer and author who had the audacity to defy the odds to travel to Tibet? Following her example, Amaïa (aka “Amaïa Show” on social networks) embarked on a solo journey by train and bus through India, Nepal and Tibet.

n the 37th episode of Je t'offre un rail? with Lisa, the comedian and actress recounts her incredible journey, both inside and out. A 3-month adventure that not only enabled her to rebuild herself after a toxic relationship and domestic violence, but will soon give rise to a documentary, “Chère Alexandra - Journal d'émancipation”. Enjoy!

In the footsteps of explorer Alexandra David-Néel

Alexandra David-Néel: a symbol of independence

Amaïa's reasons for setting off for India include a desire to regain her self-confidence after her break-up, a deep need for freedom and independence, and the book Méfiez-vous des femmes qui marchent (Annabel Abbs) given to her by her mother... But above all, there was one woman: Alexandra David-Néel.

“After this toxic relationship that lasted several years, I was really shattered, and it took me a long time to get over it. I felt I was making progress, but there was a page I couldn't turn. So I needed to do something on my own. Then I remembered an article that had fascinated me about Alexandra David-Néel, and it was obvious.”

Born in 1868, Alexandre David-Néel wore many hats: opera singer, writer, feminist and anarchist journalist, orientalist, Tibetologist and explorer (“she would have made Linkedin bug,” Amaïa jokes on her documentary project page).

But if she's famous today, it's above all for having been, in 1924, the first Western woman to enter the city of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital forbidden to foreigners at the time. On foot, disguised as a beggar, she crossed thousands of kilometers to realize her dream.

“She was my age, 37, when she made the journey that made her famous.”

©Wikipédia - Alexandra David-Néel in « tibetain costume »

“She's quite a fascinating woman for her time, very free and independent, with quite a personality. She told her husband she'd be gone for 6 months, and she was gone for 14 years...”

India, Tibet and Nepal by train: Amaïa's itinerary

Inspired by this courage, Amaïa has structured her itinerary around the emblematic places of the explorer's journey: Varanasi (also known as Benares), Sikkim (in northern India) and Tibet. Amaïa's itinerary:

France-India (by train until Turkey)

• Paris-Vienna (Austria) by night train,
• Vienna-Budapest (Hungary) by train,
• Budapest-Bucharest (Romania) by train,
• Bucharest-Istanbul (Turkey) by night train,
• Istanbul-New Delhi (India) by plane.

“My dream was to go there by land, but I had to go through places that scared me a bit, like Iran and Pakistan. I finally flew from Istanbul. But once there, I did everything by train and bus.”

India, Nepal and Tibet, in the footsteps of the explorer (all by train and bus)

• New Delhi-Varanasi by train, to discover the town where Alexandra David-Néel's ashes were scattered,
• Varanasi-Nepal by train,
• Nepal by bus,
• Tibet by bus, to rediscover the temples and mountain landscapes described in the explorer's famous book, "Voyage d'une parisienne à Lhassa",
• Back to India: Sikkim by bus and train, a largely untouristed region in the north of the country, very important in Alexandra David-Néel's life.

“There are so many trains in India! They're very long and impressive. I was often in 2nd class, it's very noisy and lively, very different from French trains. Everyone talks to each other, and there were always people to help me find my seat.”

Travelling alone in India as a woman

Travelling alone to rebuild her life

After her breakup, Amaïa needed to go off on her own to face her fears and regain her self-confidence. “I wanted to manage on my own, without the help of those close to me.” Like the woman who inspired her, she wanted to take up the challenge of the unknown and follow her own path. “I'd been on bike trips before, including 6 weeks in Mongolia with a friend. But this was the first time I'd gone off on my own. It terrified me, but I told myself I had to do it.”

So she took the toro by the horns and made her first symbolic purchase, with a taste of personal re-conquest: the first night train of her trip, bound for Vienna. “It was an incredible feeling of freedom.”

“At the end of my trip, I reread my notebook where I'd written that I was terrified, and I'd forgotten that fear! This trip really helped me to do things for myself. Now I really carry that with me.”

Potala Palace, Lhassa, Tibet

Travelling alone in India

When you think of destinations where it's safe to travel alone as a woman, India doesn't usually top the list. On the contrary, we tend to associate this country with anecdotes of unwanted attention and insistent stares... Yet Amaïa didn't feel insecure:

“Before I left, a lot of people told me to be careful, that everyone was going to look at me as a European woman. When I arrived, I had planned to find someone to travel with me to Benares. I did it alone and didn't even realize it. And to get to Sikkim, I found myself on a bus where I was the only woman in the middle of a hundred men - my mother's nightmare! - and everything went fine.”

What about the language barrier? “I had a bit of a complex about my level of English, even though I get by,” she confides. You get the impression that to travel alone you have to be really good at it, but even if you're not, it goes really well. In fact, I met a woman who told me she'd been traveling alone for years and didn't speak a word of English!”

Amaïa's tips for organizing your trip to India, Tibet and Nepal by train

• To prepare your itineraries:
  • the OUAT association,
  • TheSeat Sixtiy-One blog,
  • and of course, HOURRAIL ! :)

Be careful, in India, you need to book your trains a little in advance, “unlike in Nepal where you can find a seat on a bus the same day”!

• For advice and testimonials from women: Facebook groups like Voyager au féminin, very active and very supportive, “where the themes of travelling alone as a woman, and post-breakup travel to feel stronger are very present”.
• To travel to Tibet: find out in advance what conditions apply at the time.
  • To date, a Chinese visa is required to enter Tibet (it generally takes 3 working days to obtain it from the Chinese embassy), as well as a Tibet travel permit, issued by the Chinese TTB (Tibet Tourism Board) authorities, to be requested at least 15 days before your stay.
  • From India, you also need to form a travel group of at least 5 people to obtain visas!
  • From Nepal, a letter of invitation from the Tibet Tourism Board may also be required.
  • And don't forget timing: trips to Tibet are generally not possible between Chinese/Tibetan New Year and the end of March each year.

Her best advice for those dreaming of such a trip? “If you want to do something in life - even if it scares you - it's because you're capable of it!”

Today, Amaïa is preparing a documentary about this adventure in the footsteps of Alexandra David-Néel. In it, she will tell the story of the explorer's journey, but also what she personally went through during those 3 months, between images of her journey and cartoon animations. If you'd like to find out more or support the project, visit the documentary's Ulule page! And to keep up with Amaïa, who puts on a comedy show about self-acceptance, check out her Instagram account.

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