This 14-night Small Group Journey through India takes in the best of the Golden Triangle and Kerala.

With a diverse population of around 25 million, Delhi is a hub for Indian politics, delicious food and boasts the country’s largest wholesale markets. The tour starts in Old Delhi visiting Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque. Later take a cycle rickshaw through the famous Chandni Chowk bazaar before exploring the sights in New Delhi.

Most people use Delhi as a transit to other places but there’s so much the capital has to offer that time spent here is time well spent. With a diverse population of around 25 million, it’s a hub for Indian politics, delicious food and boasts the country’s largest wholesale markets.

First time visitors generally assume that Old Delhi is the oldest part of the city but the oldest part is in fact located in New Delhi and around 1,200 years old. Old Delhi was the walled city out of Delhi’s seven medieval cities. Shahjahanbad, as it was originally called, was founded by the Mughal Emperor in 1648 who, when he moved the Mughal capital from Agra, built landmarks such as the resplendent Red Fort.

The tour starts in Old Delhi visiting Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, and then, on a cycle rickshaw, explore the famous Chandni Chowk bazaar where little has changed over 370 years. Then it’s onto Raj Ghat, a beautiful memorial to Mahatama Gandhi before venturing to New Delhi driving by the government buildings including Parliament and the old Viceroy’s House built by the British.

After a break for lunch, you will visit Humayun’s tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal. The final stop is the UNESCO-credited Qutab Minar especially stunning when illuminated in the evening.

Back to itinerary

Learn why Agra Fort is sometimes referred to as a city within a city on this interesting tour of Agra Fort. A Rajput king called Badul Singh constructed the building as a residence with brick in the late 15th century.  Your guide will go into detail as to its history, how it became one of the world’s most beautiful prisons, a fort and a residence.

The guidebooks usually skip the history until the 3rd Mughal Emperor, Akbar, lived there and whose father, Humayun, was crowned at Agra Fort. The 5th ruler, Shah Jahan, was responsible for the exquisite use of marble seen throughout the architecture. An interesting anecdote about Shah Jahan says that every morning at sunrise he was obligated to show himself from his bedroom windows to his people as evidence that he was alive and well.

On this excursion, your guide will go into detail as to its history, how it became one of the world’s most beautiful prisons, a fort and a residence.

Back to itinerary

Every day, the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous World Heritage Site, will see on average 15,000 people. Visit at dawn though and you cut those numbers right down resulting in a more peaceful stroll around the magnificent monuments. The early hours really are the best time to visit when you can just sit quietly and listen to the birds as you take in its architectural beauty.

When the sun starts to rise on a clear day, you can see the mausoleum turn from gold yellow to orange to a sparkling mountain white. You can roam the splendid gardens decorated with fountains and inspect the ornamental craftwork without the crowds. As the sun slowly bathes the walls, the stunning pietra dura inlay lights up the whole façade. This only occurs during the hours of dawn and makes the early start well worth it.

Back to itinerary

Explore Jaipur on this half day sightseeing tour. Visit the City Palace – an exquisite complex of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture that also houses a museum and art gallery. Stop to take a photo of the picturesque Palace of the Winds. You’ll also get to visit the Royal Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which boasts the world’s largest stone sundial. This tour is the perfect introduction to the ‘Pink City’.

Back to itinerary

Jaipur has so many beautiful monuments, Amber Fort being the most impressive at 1,000 years old, located high on a hill, surrounded by the Aravalli mountains. The rampart is around 11km long and in some ways looks like the Great Wall of China.

Founded in the 16th century by the great commander of the Mughal rulers, Raja Man Singh, the whole palace is divided into four levels each with their own courtyard. Enter through the east-facing Sun Gate used by the maharajas and their VIP guests that in turn opens up to the first courtyard where victory parades would take place.

You will then go through the Singh Pol or the Lion Gate to the Hall of Public Audience filled with beautiful paintings, carved pillars and latticed marble. In the second courtyard, visit a beautiful hammam with stunning views of the Maota Lake below and Saffron Garden, constructed using the well-known star-shaped geometrical architecture attributed to the Mughals. Ganesh Gate, the entry point to the private palace of the maharajas, is one of the most beautiful gates in the world, decorated with countless fresco paintings and semi-precious stones. Inside the complex, you’ll find the Hall of Mirrors, adorned with a ceiling filled with mirror mosaics and colourful glass which used to glitter under candlelight.

Enter the Hall of Pleasure used as a summer retreat with white marble and walls made of sandalwood that would perfume the evening air. You can’t miss the oldest part of the Amber Fort where Man Singh’s 12 wives were kept in apartments. Each room has a secret passage to the maharaja’s palace!

Back to itinerary

This tour is a great orientation of Jaipur; you’ll discover its architecture, religion and crafts and meet the locals, learning the stories and legends behind the city. Visit one of the city’s oldest temples, see the architectural sights of City Palace before immersing into some of Jaipur’s hectic markets.

Join a walking tour of UNESCO-listed Jaipur to learn about its architectural jewels. The tour starts at 8.30am when it’s peaceful, before the bazaars and markets take over. This is when locals go to worship and you can join them at one of the city’s oldest temples, which is known for its 300-year-old fresco painting and set in a private family home. This begins a discussion about religion and architecture in Jaipur; where at a junction in the city, you get to see a Jain Temple, a mosque and a Hindu temple.

Continue the walk at Broad Road, which was once used by the royal family, so it’s lined by grand houses. As you enter the winding by-lanes you’ll hear about Jaipur’s history as the first planned city in India, the vastu shastra and shilpa shastra architecture and havelis owned by artists, craftsmen and traders. You’ll get to meet some of these characters when you visit the metal-beating community who still work without technology, in the same way they have for 200 years. It’s fascinating to see how everything has been hand-created. Other key architectural sights on the tour include the City Palace, the Ayurvedic hospital and two huge, 10-foot-tall silver jars which belonged to a king of Jaipur. Guests love visiting a local family in their haveli to chat about life in Jaipur and meeting traditional bangle makers.

You will end the tour with an immersion into some of Jaipur’s hectic markets. There’s the spice market with over 300 shops which draws buyers from far and wide, followed by the vegetable and flower markets. The flower market is always busy with people shopping for weddings and festivals. This tour is a great orientation of Jaipur; you’ll discover its architecture, religion and crafts and meet the locals, learning the stories and legends behind the city.

Back to itinerary

On this Jaipur walking tour, you’ll join locals for early-morning temple visits and have tea with families in their historic havelis. Jaipur is unique because it was the first planned city in India and many artists and craftsmen were invited to settle here. As you wander the streets of the walled city you can sample street food and see the mix of Bengali, Mughal and Hindu architecture.

The tour starts at 8.30am when it’s peaceful, before the bazaars and markets take over. This is when locals go to worship and you can join them at one of the city’s oldest temples, which is known for its 300-year-old fresco painting and set in a private family home. This begins a discussion about religion and architecture in Jaipur; where at a junction in the city, you get to see a Jain Temple, a mosque and a Hindu temple.

Continue the walk at Broad Road, which was once used by the royal family, so it’s lined by grand houses. As you enter the winding by-lanes you’ll hear about Jaipur’s history as the first planned city in India, the vastu shastra and shilpa shastra architecture and havelis owned by artists, craftsmen and traders. You’ll get to meet some of these characters when you visit the metal-beating community who still work without technology, in the same way they have for 200 years. It’s fascinating to see how everything has been hand-created. Other key architectural sights on the tour include the City Palace, the Ayurvedic hospital and two huge, 10-foot-tall silver jars which belonged to a king of Jaipur. Guests love visiting a local family in their haveli to chat about life in Jaipur and meeting traditional bangle makers.

You will end the tour with an immersion into some of Jaipur’s hectic markets. There’s the spice market with over 300 shops which draws buyers from far and wide, followed by the vegetable and flower markets. The flower market is always busy with people shopping for weddings and festivals. This tour is a great orientation of Jaipur; you’ll discover its architecture, religion and crafts and meet the locals, learning the stories and legends behind the city.

Back to itinerary

A visit to Kochi would be incomplete without witnessing the mesmerising art form of the region – the Kathakali dance. Kathakali is a classical dance form which traces its origin to Kerala and is deeply absorbed into the culture of Kerala. This classical Indian dance performance tells stories of Hindu mythology, especially the two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata through footwork and hand gestures.

Kochi is one of the best places to witness this heritage dance form. Kathakali artists wear elaborate, billowing costumes with intricately painted faces, flowing scarves, detailed decorations and magnificent crowns. This tour will give you the chance to see the artists applying their makeup before witnessing a performance of this traditional dance.

Back to itinerary

The Srishti Foundation organisation was started in 1991 by the wives of TATA (India’s largest conglomerate), who recognised the distinct lack of resources and schools for families with special needs children. On an excursion here, you’ll learn about their welfare units and the numerous vocational training projects.

In the past, the Srishti Foundation was never really on the tourist radar. Even now, out of all Munnar’s visitors, only a handful of in-the-know guests enter its doors. The organisation was started in 1991 by the wives of TATA (India’s largest conglomerate), who recognised the distinct lack of resources and schools for families with special needs children. Without the appropriate childcare, this meant one less working hand in the tea plantations which in turn would have a negative impact on the quality of that family's life. The Srishti Foundation has made a huge difference to those families.

On an excursion here, you’ll learn that Srishti is comprised of eight welfare units including its DARE school for children with special needs as well as numerous vocational training units covering sustainable craft projects from wood-free paper making to textile design. Elsewhere you can wander the gardens growing strawberries, passion fruit, cauliflower and cabbage, or perhaps buy a sweet treat from the bakery whose chefs with hearing and speech impairments were trained by the Corporate Executive Chef of Taj Business Hotels. It’s a success story that’s been largely unsung.

Back to itinerary

The day starts with a lovely walk perhaps spotting elephants, birds and small deer along the way. Munnar has the perfect British summer climate ranging from 18-28 degrees Celsius. Traverse the tea plantations for first-hand experience of harvesting, speaking to the local tea pickers who often offer insight into the art of leaf picking.

Next it’s onto the tea museum to learn how tea is made followed by a tasting in the dedicated café. This is no ordinary tasting but more of a ceremonial introduction into the nuances of tea and what makes the perfect cup.

Back to itinerary

On a half-day excursion, the deluxe house boats cruise around Alleppey’s sun dappled backwaters as you soak up the scenery from the deck or through the large picture windows. Enjoy the quintessential Keralan scenes that unfold quietly under the palms and among glistening paddy fields.

Today around 300 houseboats cruise Alleppey’s backwaters. While the exteriors are traditionally crafted with local coir and bamboo, inside there’s beautiful cane furniture, jack wood panels, woven mats and a day bed where you can lounge in the sun. Mod cons include air-conditioning in the bedrooms for those overnighting and solar panels for extra sustainability. Every cruise is different.

On a half-day excursion, the deluxe house boats cruise around Alleppey’s sun dappled backwaters as you soak up the scenery from the deck or through the large picture windows. Starting at Pallathuruthy town, drift past Champakulam, a village that hosts one of the oldest snake boat races in Kerala and where you can see a docked snake boat, named after its long, thin, shape and originally used in combat for its agility and ability to hold 100 men.

Enjoy the quintessential Keralan scenes that unfold quietly under the palms and among glistening paddy fields. People wash their clothes on the river edges, children run along the banks after school. Toddy shops, ancient churches and rice barges filled with produce pass by. Locals pause their conversations to wave at you

For many, lunch is the main highlight. This is usually a deliciously spiced lentil sambar curry using seasonal vegetables like pumpkin, okra and carrots. It is served alongside Kerala’s speciality pearl spot fish as well as a chicken dish. You will travel back through a patchwork of lagoons, lakes and canals.

Back to itinerary