Itinerary Expand all Delhi to Cochin Day 1 Arrive in vibrant Delhi On arrival in Delhi, you’ll transfer to a hotel in the popular Karol Bagh area, known for its eclectic and colourful market. Depending on your arrival time, you may have a little while to start to explore this cacophonous place. Hotel: Jivitesh Day 2 Get under the skin of Old Delhi This morning is dedicated to exploring the sights and sounds of Delhi in ways that support local communities and charities. First there’s an off-the-grid walking tour, exploring Old Delhi with true experts – ex-street children. They’ll show you a side of Old Delhi not seen on standard tours. Curious and enthusiastic, they’re just as likely to ask questions as to answer them as you make your way around the hectic streets and bustling alleyways. Next, you’ll visit the kitchens of a Sikh Temple to meet the people who serve food to thousands of Delhi’s most impoverished citizens every day. You’ll eat alongside the diners before leaving Delhi and taking the expressway to Agra, home of the alluring Taj Mahal. Hotel: Howard Plaza Fern Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 3 Sunrise yoga at the Taj Mahal A yoga class at dawn, with the Taj Mahal bathed in the morning light as your backdrop, will surely be a seminal moment of your trip. Breakfast is back at the hotel before you return to the Taj Mahal for a tour of this beautiful and majestic building. Later, you’ll put your dancing shoes on for a lesson in the most energetic moves on the planet -- Bollywood style. Hotel: Howard Plaza Fern Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 On to Jaipur for a bazaar and street food tour Today you’ll travel to the enthralling city of Jaipur, stopping at Abhaneri Stepwell en route. Not your ordinary water well, this architectural gem is a real marvel and is one of the oldest and deepest stepwells in Rajasthan. You’ll arrive in Jaipur with plenty of time to explore the colourful bazaars with your tour leader on a foodie walking tour, feasting on delicious pre-dinner street food snacks. Hotel: KK Royal Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 A day with locals This morning you’ll visit Amber Fort, a magnificent complex crafted from yellow and pink sandstone. Then it’s on to a Dhula village to meet local families and artisans such as potters and bangle makers. You’ll have the opportunity to get hands-on, helping farmers milk cows or plough fields and genuinely experience rural life. In the evening, there’s time to explore exotic Jaipur and the chaotic streets that thrum with camels, buses and motorbikes. Hotel: KK Royal Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Feel like royalty at a Fort Palace stay Today you’ll head to the glorious 15th-century Neemrana Fort-Palace, now a spectacular hotel. It’s a sprawling resort that extends over nine palace wings. But before you wander the Fort-Palace’s hanging gardens or , swim in the pools that look out over the hillsides, you’ll take a dromedary (an Arabian camel) for an unforgettable ride around the local area. Then, as the sun sets, enjoy the magical atmosphere as hundreds of fairy lights sparkle across the resort. Hotel: Neemrana Fort Palace Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 7 Fly south to Kerala Leaving your palatial surroundings behind, head to Delhi airport for a flight south to Cochin (or Kochi as it’s otherwise known) in Kerala. There’s a wild mix of history and culture here, curated from the influences of over 600 years of traders and travellers. The Cochin of today is a centre of Keralan arts and wandering the quaint lanes lined with cafes, galleries and handicraft shops give you a sense of this traditional and contemporary art scene. Dinner this evening is on a pier at a waterfront restaurant, serving seafood specialities. Hotel: No 18 Fort Cochin Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Cycle around historic Fort Cochin Arguably the best way to see Fort Cochin is by bike. So today you’ll take a leisurely cycle ride, stopping to try your hand at working the Chinese Fishing Nets, the imposing cantilevered contraptions that are a legacy of ancient traders. After, the time is your own to continue exploring Cochin. This evening there’s a private sundowner cruise to enjoy another blazing Indian sunset with drinks and snacks. Hotel: No 18 Fort Cochin Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 Explore a spice plantation Today head inland to the misty, spice-scented valleys of Periyar National Park. There’s time to settle into the hotel after the journey before joining a local specialist on a spice garden walking tour to learn how spices grow, smell and taste. This evening there’s a mesmerising martial arts performance and dinner. Hotel: Cardamon County Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 10 Hike and raft through Periyar National Park After breakfast, you’ll explore Periyar National Park. As you walk through the forest, your ranger will point out animal tracks, perhaps from bison, sambar, wild boar or elephants. Although elusive, there are tigers here too. Next, take to the lake on a bamboo raft for a serene and reflective look at the majesty of the park. There’s a picnic for lunch, and then the afternoon is free to indulge in the hotel’s spa and wellness facilities. Hotel: Cardamom County Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 11 Stay on a houseboat in Alleppey Transfer to the glorious water-world of Alleppey. It’s the centre of Kerala’s backwaters and a maze of waterways. The houseboats here are a famous feature and you’ll stay onboard one of these basic but beautiful vessels tonight. Boarding in time for lunch you will see local village life unfold as we pass through green paddy fields and verdant countryside. Tonight, your houseboat crew will prepare a traditional Keralan dinner. Kerala Houseboat Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 12 Kick back on Cherai Beach Leaving your houseboat in Alleppey behind, you’re bound for Cherai Beach on Vypeen Island. The pace here is decidedly unhurried (a world away from your city experiences) and the day is yours to relax on the beach, lapped by the Arabian Sea. If you’re looking for more adventure, there are plenty of watersports to try. Or simply kick back and enjoy the sound of the waves as a fitting farewell to your Indian immersion. Hotel: Sea Lagoon Meals included: Breakfast Day 13 A final breakfast Your Indian adventure comes to an end after breakfast when you can join the free transfer to Cochin airport. Meals included: Breakfast
India Visas are required if you are British and for most other nationalities. For UK residents full details of the visa process can be found here. Other nationalities should check with their travel agent or the relevant embassies. If your trip visits Ladakh, in the very north of India, or Sikkim in the northeast, do not mention this on your Indian visa application. This can sometimes slow down or even cause the embassy to reject your visa. When you reach immigration, you are required to pick up an immigration form. If you have an e-visa, ensure you stand in the correct queue - please follow the signs to the e-visa booth (in Delhi this is at the back of the immigration hall). You will need to fill out an additional form at the booth - please make sure that you have the details of your start hotel ready (these details can be found on your Final Joining Instructions).
India There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approx. 2000m, there is low to no risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips going to altitudes of over 3000m there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the TRIP NOTES for further information.
Hotels and Houseboat Jivitesh, Delhi Comfortable and well-equipped rooms within easy reach of local shops and entertainment. Howard Plaza - The Fern, Agra This hotel is close to the iconic Taj Mahal. Along with comfortable rooms and excellent facilities, it’s got top eco-credentials. KK Royal, Jaipur Close to Amer’s palaces, the KK Royal has spacious and elegant rooms with views of the forts and hills. Neemrana Fort, Neemrana An exceptional and experiential place to stay, this medieval Fort-Palace is now a spectacular hotel with grandly furnished rooms. No 18 Fort Kochi, Cochin Smartly finished guestrooms fill this colonial building in the heart of Fort Kochi. Cardamom County, Thekkady A glorious nature resort nestled in the verdant Keralan landscape. Its various facilities include a butterfly garden, Ayurveda and spa. Houseboats, Alleppey Stay on-board a simple and authentic crewed houseboat to journey through the waterways of Alleppey. Sea Lagoon Health Resort, Cherai Beach Occupying a sublime spot between the Arabian Sea and the serene backwaters, this is the ultimate resort for unwinding.
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