Itineraries

Golden Triangle & the Land of the Kings

2 Weeks

This might be a well-worn trail, but there's a reason for that. The Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur combines some of India's most jaw-dropping sights, and the princely splendours of Rajasthan make for a natural extension to the trip.

Kick off in Delhi, visiting the tumult of Old Delhi with its Mughal-era Red Fort and Jama Masjid, and taking it easy wandering Lodi Gardens, and Humayun's Tomb. Next, catch a train to Agra and see how beautiful the Taj Mahal, the world’s most extravagant monument to love, really is. Explore Agra Fort and devote a day to nearby Fatehpur Sikri, a ghostly Mughal city. Continue on to the Pink City Jaipur, and devote several days to its whirlwind of bazaars, the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, and the Amber Fort.

Loop back to Delhi, or travel on to Pushkar for a few days of chilling out around lakeside temples, then take time to stay lakeside, go boating and explore elegant Udaipur. Next visit magnificent hilltop Kumbhalgarh and the temple at Ranakpur, en route to Jodhpur. See the Blue City unfurled beneath you from the mighty battlements of Mehrangarh Fort. Finish off in fortified Jaisalmer and go all Lawrence of Arabia on camelback through the dunes, sleeping under a firmament of stars. Finally, loop back to Delhi, with one last cycle ride through Old Delhi, an early morning trip to the ruins of Qutb Minar, or shopping in its amazing emporiums, markets and boutiques.

Itineraries

Six Months North & South

6 Months

Tourist visas last six months, allowing you explore some of the highlights of the north and south, as well as going off the track.

Kick off by exploring Delhi before riding the rails north to Amritsar, to see Sikhism's most holy site, the glittering Golden Temple. Connect through Chandigarh to the laid-back vibes of Shimla. From this classic hill station you can roam northwest to Buddhist Dharamsala, home of the Dalai Lama, or Manali, starting point for the beautiful, thrilling but gruelling overland journey to rugged Ladakh (July to September), gateway to the high Himalaya. When you've had your fill of mountain air, head south for some yoga in Rishikesh, and descend to Agra, to see the vision-like Taj Mahal. Next go south Khajuraho, with its risque temples, and scan the jungle for tigers in Bandhavgarh National Park. Continue to the holy city of Varanasi for a boat trip along the sacred Ganges.

You can meander on detours as you train it eastwards to Kolkata (Calcutta), bustling capital of West Bengal. Swing north as far as Darjeeling or Sikkim for sweeping Himalayan views, then drift down the coast to the temple towns of Konark and Puri in Odisha (Orissa). Consider a flight to transport you south and through the Looking Glass to Chennai (Madras) for a different kind of India.

From here you have a chance to visit the wonders of Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), for temple carvings; Puducherry (Pondicherry), for colonial-era heritage combined with contemporary charm; and Madurai, for deity-encrusted temple towers. At this point, you've more than earned a long stay at Kerala's beaches, before taking a trip inland to nostalgic Mysuru to see how maharajas lived.

Continuing north, head to Hampi, where temples and ruined cities are strewn among the boulders, then get a second dose of beach life on the coast of Goa. Wine, dine and go Bollywood-crazy in Mumbai (Bombay), fast-paced capital of the west coast; then admire the glory of the cave paintings and carvings at Ajanta and Ellora.

Finish on a high in Rajasthan with its the coloured-city triple – pink Jaipur, blue Jodhpur and white Udaipur. There might just be time to detour to the fascinating temples, exquisite embroidery villages and nature reserves of Gujarat, before closing the circle with a last train ride to Delhi.

Itineraries

Mountains & Tribal Culture

1 Month

Sikkim and the Northeast States, with their incredible mountain scenery, are still a well-kept secret for many travellers. Insurgencies and permit restrictions have long put off visitors, but India's last frontier is slowly opening up to the outside world. From Kolkata, you can go north to Darjeeling, see astounding Himalayan vistas in Sikkim then visit the world of India's hill tribes. Advance planning is essential – permits are mandatory and there are security risks to consider.

Starting in Kolkata, make your first stop genteel Darjeeling – here you can sample India's finest teas and pick up a permit for Sikkim, one of India's most serene quarters. Gangtok, the Sikkimese capital, is the starting point for jeep rides to historic Buddhist temples set amid dramatic scenery. Veer to Namchi to see the giant statues of Shiva and Padmasambhava, and to Pelling for inspiring views of the white-peaked Khangchendzonga and the beautiful Pemayangtse Gompa, ringed by gardens and monks’ cottages. Take the weeklong trek from Yuksom to Goecha La, a 4940m pass with incredible views, then exit Sikkim via Tashiding, with more wonderful views and another stunning gompa, before travelling to Siliguri for the journey east.

Arrange tours for the Northeast States (including permits for Arunachal Pradesh) in Guwahati or online. Then head from Guwahati to Arunachal Pradesh to pay your respects at the stunning Buddhist monastery at Tawang, before exploring the tribal villages around Ziro, where the elders have dramatic facial tattoos and piercings. A visit to Nagaland opens up fascinating tribal villages around Mon – featuring a rugged countryside dotted by traditional longhouses and remote settlements – and the capital Kohima, with its WWII relics. Going south, there’s a fair chance of encountering Meitei culture in Manipur and Mizo culture in Mizoram, before you fly back to Kolkata.

Alternately, you could also try this classic loop (Arunachal permits not required): from Guwahati, head to Kaziranga National Park to spot rare rhinos. Detour to sleepy Shillong, and hike to the waterfalls and incredible living root bridges of Cherrapunjee. Drive on to Agartala, the capital of Tripura, before returning to Kolkata by air or overland through Bangladesh.

Itineraries

The Spiritual Centre

3 Weeks

There is a wealth of fantastical temples all over India, but this temple-hopping trip around the central plains will take in some of the most fabulous.

Start amid the chaos and rich cultural life of Kolkata, then swap the big-city bustle for the peace and legendary spirituality of Bodhgaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Roll across the plains to Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught the dharma.

Move onto one of Hinduism's most sacred spots, the city of Varanasi. See the rituals on the banks of the River Ganges, then ramble to the Hindu temples of Khajuraho, which seethe with erotic carvings. Head southwest to Sanchi, where Emperor Ashoka first embraced Buddhism, then zip through Bhopal to Jalgaon, jumping-off point for the carving-filled caves of Ajanta.

Next, detour into Rajasthan; stop off in whimsical Udaipur, with its lakes and palaces, then explore the Jain temples of Ranakpur or Mt Abu, with incredible virtuoso carving in milk-white marble. Continue to Pushkar, curled around its sacred lake, then make a trip to nearby Ajmer, one of India’s key Islamic pilgrimage sites. Take a final stop in atmospheric Jaipur, then end the trip in Delhi, with its magnificent Islamic ruins, and hear mesmerising devotional songs at the holy sufi shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin.

Itineraries

Himalayan Adventures

4 Weeks

The soul-feeding Himalayan views you'll see on this mountainous loop will stay with you forever.

Start by riding the rails from Delhi to Kalka, to board the cute-as-a-button narrow-gauge train to colonial-era Shimla. From here you can start your mountain exploration gently with some rambles around the hills, then join the traveller pilgrimage north to the Kullu Valley, stepping up a gear with some adventurous mountain activities.

From the hill resort of Manali, embark on the thrilling, winding, two-day journey to Leh in Ladakh (July to September), to hike to dramatic Buddhist monasteries and trekking peaks. For a short loop, continue from Leh to Kargil and on to Kashmir (checking first that it's safe to travel). Stay on a Srinagar houseboat, then loop through Jammu to elegant Dalhousie, and soak up Buddhist culture in nearby Dharamsala, before returning to Delhi.

With more time to spare, head southeast from Leh into the dramatic Spiti Valley, where ancient monasteries blend into the arid landscape. Ride the rattletrap bus to rugged Kinnaur, with its plunging landscapes, and make stops in Dehra Dun and Rishikesh to soak up some Hindu culture, before finishing in Delhi.

Itineraries

Southern Beaches

2 Weeks

This is a laid-back meander to relax on some of India’s finest beaches and chill out in charismatic coastal towns.

Start in Mumbai and people-watch, amble and sample bhelpuri (crisp noodle salad) at Girgaum Chowpatty beach. Take a boat trip to the rock-cut temples on Elephanta Island, then travel south by train to beach-blessed Goa.

Take your pick from tropical sandy stretches of Arambol, Vagator and Palolem, then continue along the coast to the sacred town of Gokarna. Now for a change of pace; head inland to Hampi, with its serene Vijayanagar ruins, and witness the zenith of medieval stone carving in the Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebid. Return by train to Mangalore to dine on spectacular seafood, then chug south to the lovely, laid-back town of Kochi (Cochin), a melting-pot mix of influences from as far afield as China and the Middle East, with its signature Chinese fishing nets along the seafront.

Cruise Kerala’s languorous backwaters from Alappuzha (Alleppey), before dipping your toes in the warm waters around beach resorts Varkala or Kovalam. Make your last stop Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), home to fascinating, often-overlooked museums, before closing the loop with a flight back to Mumbai.

Itineraries

A Southern Loop

3 Weeks

Chennai, the happening capital of the south, is the easiest starting point for exploring India’s southern tip. Ideal timing weatherwise is from October to February, when the weather is balmy and neither too hot or hitting the monsoon.

Kick off with some firey thalis in Chennai, then see intricate temple carvings in Mamallapuram, one-time home of the Pallava kings.

Next, head for relaxed ambling around the colonial-era architecture and churches of French-flavoured Puducherry, before leaving the coast behind and heading inland to the temple towns of Tamil Nadu: take in the boulder-covered Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), and Madurai, with its soaring, deity-covered gopurams (temple towers). From here, it's easy to zip down to Kanyakumari, the southernmost point of India.

Time to unwind: kick back on the coast at sand-dusted Kovalam or Varkala, then trade the sand for jungle fronds in steamy Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, trying to spot the elusive tigers and herds of wild elephants, or take a trip up to Munnar, Kerala's emerald-green centre of tea plantations, for tranquil rambles in the hills. En route back to Chennai visit colourful Mysuru, with its fabulously flamboyant maharaja's palace and giant stone Nandi (bull statue).