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Overview
Highlights
- Enjoy accommodation like no other – an opulently decorated heritage stay in Jaipur, a beautiful converted houseboat on the Kerala backwaters and a suave heritage hotel in Kochi are your Feature Stays on this trip.
- Find out what makes Indian cuisine so special during Exclusive Experiences, including local-lead food tours in Agra and Madurai, home-cooked meals with local families, and an ayurvedic cooking demonstration and dinner.
- Discover the beauty in buildings that lie across India, from Jaipur’s Amber Fort and Royal City Palace to Agra’s Red Fort and iconic Taj Mahal, and see architectural influences from a multicultural past in Puducherry and Kochi.
- Take part in Exclusive Experiences to remember – cruise down the Ganges with local musicians, and witness a lively performance of kalarippayattu.
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- Delhi - Welcome dinner
- Old Delhi City Tour
- Delhi - Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple)
- Delhi - Jama Masjid (Shoe Keeper)
- Delhi - Visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque
- Agra - Taj Mahal
- Agra - Expert-led street food tour (as dinner)
- Agra - Agra Fort Visit
- Jaipur - Leader-led orientation walk
- Jaipur - Home-cooked dinner
- Jaipur - Amber Fort
- Jaipur - City Palace
- Lucknow - Orientation Walk
- Lucknow - Sheroes Dinner
- Lucknow City Tour
- Lucknow – Awadhi Cooking Class
- Orientation Walk in Varanasi
- Varanasi - Evening Ganga aarti with musicians on boat
- Varanasi - Ganges candle flower ceremony
- Varanasi - Sunrise Ganges boat trip
- Sarnath Museum Visit
- Sarnath Stupa Visit
- Farewell Dinner at Haveli Dharampura
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer
- Chennai - Welcome dinner
- Mamallapuram - Shore Temples guided tour
- Puducherry - Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
- Puducherry - Sri Aurobindo Ashram
- Puducherry - snack stop at local cafe
- Madurai - Leader-led street food tour
- Madurai - Sri Meenakshi 1000 Pillar
- Madurai - Sri Meenakshi Temple
- Madurai - Gandhi Museum
- Madurai - Leader-led walking tour
- Madurai - Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
- Madurai - Local family visit and home-cooked Tamil dinner
- Thekkady - Expert-guided spice plantation visit and lunch
- Periyar - Kalaripayattu (Indian Martial Art) performance
- Periyar - Guided nature walk
- Munnar - Tea plantation
- Munnar - Tea Museum
- Munnar - Mattupetty Dam
- Munnar - Leader-led town walking tour
- Kochi - Kathakali performance
- Kochi - Jewish Synagogue
- Kochi - Ferry to Mattancherry
- Kochi - Leader-led Fort Kochi walking tour
- Kochi - Dutch Palace
- Kochi - Keralan cooking class
Itinerary

Namaste! Welcome to India. When you arrive at Delhi Airport, you’ll be collected and transferred to your hotel. Your adventure then begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm to meet your local leader and fellow travellers. Until then, you can explore this exciting capital...
To get your bearings in Old Delhi, start the day with a leader-led tour of the most ancient part of the city. Your leader will help you navigate the metro system so you can then explore the impressive Mughal architecture on foot. It’s not Delhi without a traffic jam, ...
It’s time to head south to Agra. After a scenic four-hour drive, settle into your new hotel before visiting India’s most iconic landmark – the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A tribute to his belated wife, Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned this famous ...
Start the day with a visit to Agra Fort – widely considered one of the finest-looking forts in India. Learn how Akbar built a fortress and prison out of red sandstone in 1565, and then Shah Jahan converted and added to the fort to transform it into a palace. After, yo...
Another day, another fort – but this time it’s Amber Fort, the crown jewel of Jaipur. Your leader will share the stories of a fallen empire as you explore ornate rooms, murals, frescoed arches and delicate jali work. Head to the striking City Palace – a blend of Rajpu...
Enjoy a leisurely morning before flying east to Lucknow – the capital of India’s largest region, Uttar Pradesh. When you arrive, your leader will guide the group on an afternoon orientation walk to help you get acquainted with your new surroundings. This evening, join...
Seize the day with a morning tour of Lucknow, where your leader will show you some of the city’s best spots. This might include a stop at the intricate Bara Imambara – a hall built in 1784 for Shia Muslims. Its labyrinthine layout of narrow passages and staircases is ...
It’s an early start today, but for good reason – no trip to India is complete without a scenic train ride. The journey to Varanasi offers a unique glimpse into the heart of the countryside, all from the comfort of your seat. When you’ve checked into your hotel, join t...
Early risers, this one’s for you – embark on a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, where your leader will explain the significance of India’s most sacred river while gliding past the many ghats and temples on its banks. After, decide your own schedule before coming toget...
It’s the penultimate day today and time to return to Delhi. When you land, the afternoon is yours to explore at your leisure. There are plenty of sites you may have missed the first time around, like Humayun’s Tomb – a garden tomb dating back to 1570 – or Qutb Minar, ...
This morning you will take a flight to Chennai, India’s cultural heart and fourth-largest city, to begin the second half of your trip. You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel when you arrive. Meet your new group and tour leader at a second group mee...
This morning, you’ll leave the city behind and drive along the scenic East Coast Road to the fishing town of Mamallapuram. Visit the 8th-century Shore Temple and its mandapams (carved pillars) and watch locals pay their respects to the deity Shiva. Later in the aftern...
This morning is free, then you’ll head out for a walking tour with your leader to see local temples and the French Quarter. Stroll past mustard-coloured buildings draped with vibrant bougainvillea as your leader shares stories of the revolutionaries, generals and king...
Today, continue to the city of Madurai with plenty of chai stops along the way. Arrive in the late afternoon and head out on a short orientation walk to get acquainted with one of India’s oldest cities. When you’ve got your bearings, join your leader on a tour of the ...
Continue your exploration of Madurai today. Your leader will guide you through the Tailor's Market, the local bazaars and the Sri Meenakshi Temple. Still in use today, this ancient temple is a maze of lamp-lit corridors leading to shrines where traditional rituals tak...
Make your way to the countryside town of Thekkady today, driving past pineapple and rubber plantations on the way. Thekkady is the gateway to Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve, sitting high in the ranges of the Western Ghats. Stop off at a spice plantation where...
This morning, take a guided nature walk in the acclaimed Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Your expert guide will help you look for tiger tracks, spotted deer, Indian elephants and gaur – the world's largest species of buffalo. You’re most likely to encounter Bonnet macaque...
This morning, drive north to Munnar – an old British Hill Station sitting in the surrounding valley. At 1525 m above sea level, there’s likely to be dramatic drop in temperature here! When you arrive, take a tour of the tea plantation, where a resident expert will gui...
This morning, take a guided walk around the lush hills of Munnar, often shrouded in clouds. Be sure to have your camera ready as the landscape unfolds in front of you. In the afternoon, journey out to the scenic Mattupetty Dam where you’ll find a man-made lake and spe...
Drive to the backwaters of Kerala this morning and discover Alleppey’s palm-shaded waterways. Once a significant trading port, the town is now famed for the long ‘snake boat’ races that take place in August every year. Kerala’s backwaters were once busy with passing k...
Enjoy a peaceful morning at the Kerala waters before driving to Kochi in the afternoon. Cochin, as it was formerly known, is spread over several islands and is a melting pot of Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and British influences. Join your leader on an orientation walk ...
Today, explore the antique shops and spice bazaars of Kochi – your leader will show you how to haggle with the best of them. Visit the Fort Kochi area and stop by the famous Chinese fishing nets – perhaps Kochi’s most photographed sight. Make a visit to the Mattancher...
Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you’d like to extend your stay in India, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation or needed transfers.
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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