Bazaars & Backwaters in India

Brace yourself. This two-week extravaganza explores one of the world’s most magnificent lands. A whirlwind tour of the Golden Triangle in the north sees you checking out the highlights in style, with sunrise yoga at the Taj Mahal and a night in a palatial fort. Then head south to Kerala for adventures through the spice-scented countryside and glorious backwaters. You’ll see remarkable wildlife, mingle with the locals and taste extraordinary flavours. To experience the spirituality, history, traditions, cuisine and culture of India, you have to dive right in.

Responsible Travel

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips which improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally-owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
• The hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff, this helps to benefit the surrounding community by providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by.
• Our local partners share a commitment to projects which benefit their communities.
• This tour encourages guests to visit local cafes and restaurants and use markets to purchase traditional crafts.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• On this trip we visit national heritage sites and the entrance fees included generates income which is used for the upkeep and development of these important monuments and nature parks.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• Where possible on this trip paper bags are used as an alternative to single-use plastics.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally-sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• In some restaurants there is the option to have plant-based meals.
• This trip favours locally-owned and run accommodation.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Cultural respect:

• Best to ask before photographing people, ceremonies, or sacred sites.
• It's polite to use only your right hand when eating something without cutlery and when handing money and small objects to someone else.
• Before entering a holy place remove your shoes and give them to the shoe minder. When you collect your shoes again give the minder a few rupees. You’re permitted to wear socks in most places of worship.
• Religious etiquette advises against touching the heads of locals even children, or directing the soles of your feet at a person, shrine,  or an image of a deity. You should not touch a carving of a deity.
• When visiting religious sites dress and behave respectfully, don’t wear shorts and sleeveless tops – this applies to both men and women. Head cover for women and sometimes men is required in some places of worship.
• Generally it is best to dress modestly throughout your time in India as a sign of respect.
• Making the effort to fit in is invariably appreciated so being aware of these aspects of cultural respect will assist you during your travels in India.

Visa

India

To avoid possible problems at immigration, make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of entry into India.

Travellers from the UK, US, CA and EU normally need a visa to enter India. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/india
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/india
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/India.html

Travellers eligible for an e-visa, which includes those from the UK, US, CA and EU, can apply at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html.

For more information on applying for your Indian Visa/eVisa, please click on this link: Indian Visa Information

Vaccination

India

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

You will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Proof of a polio vaccination may also be required by some travellers. Please confirm all requirements and recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Additionally, dengue, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, is a known risk in India. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approximately 6,560ft (2,000m), there is little risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips above 9,840ft (3,000m), 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.

Eating and Drinking

• All breakfasts, three lunches and four dinners are included
•  If you are a vegetarian, India is an easy destination to travel through

Where meals are not included, our tour leaders always encourage people to try local restaurants and will arrange a group dinner for those who would like to meet up with their fellow travellers. 

Is this trip for you?

• This trip is suitable for anyone with a normal level of fitness
• For bamboo rafting it is important to be able to swim and feel comfortable on the water. Life-jackets are provided

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.