Private, on your own dates · North India & Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh, India
The Grand India Journey
An 18-day journey the length of India: Delhi and the Taj, four Rajasthan cities, the Varanasi ghats at dawn, and Kerala's tea hills and backwaters.
The journey
9 cities, joined by flight.
Starts Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, ends Cochin International Airport — an open-jaw trip, so book your flights accordingly. The representative waits in the arrivals concourse with a name board for the transfer to the hotel.
India does not have a single character, and eighteen days is roughly the minimum needed to prove it. This journey runs from the Mughal north through the desert kingdoms of Rajasthan to the oldest living city on the Ganges, and then two thousand kilometres south to a coast of tea mountains and canals where the language, the food, the architecture, the climate and the religion all change at once. Nothing about the end of this route resembles the beginning, which is the point of taking it whole.
The first week is the classic north. Delhi across the old city and the imperial one; Agra for the fort, an evening view from across the river, and the Taj Mahal at sunrise; the abandoned capital at Fatehpur Sikri on the road west. Then Rajasthan proper — Jaipur's hilltop fort, palaces and masonry observatory; the lakeside temple town of Pushkar on the way to Jodhpur, where Mehrangarh rises off a cliff above a blue city; and Udaipur by way of the marble Jain temple at Ranakpur, closing the desert stretch on water instead of sand.
The middle of the journey is Varanasi, reached by air, and it is deliberately placed where it is. After ten days of forts and palaces, a city three thousand years old that exists entirely for its river resets everything. A boat at first light along five kilometres of ghats, an evening fire ceremony on the water, and the deer park at Sarnath where the Buddha gave his first sermon are three things that no amount of Rajasthan prepares you for.
Then the flight south, and India changes completely. Fort Kochi keeps a Portuguese church, a Dutch palace and a synagogue within a few streets; the road climbs into tea country at 1,600 metres where the hillsides are clipped green and picked by hand; the Periyar reserve puts elephants at the edge of a lake; and the journey ends on a private houseboat in the Alleppey backwaters, moving at walking pace past villages that face the water. Travel is by private vehicle with a driver in each region and by air on the two long legs, with licensed local guides throughout. It is a long itinerary and it is paced to be lived rather than survived.
- 01The Taj Mahal at sunrise and Agra Fort the evening before
- 02Amber Fort, the City Palace and the observatory at Jantar Mantar in Jaipur
- 03Mehrangarh Fort above the blue city of Jodhpur
- 04The marble Jain temple at Ranakpur on the road to Udaipur
- 05A sunrise boat along the Varanasi ghats and the evening Ganga Aarti
- 06The Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon
- 07Hand-picked tea gardens and Eravikulam National Park at Munnar
- 08A lake boat in the Periyar reserve and a night on an Alleppey houseboat
Day by day
Open a day for the written plan, then switch to the hour-by-hour breakdown.
Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport, where a representative meets you and transfers you to your hotel. Most long-haul flights land in the small hours, and nothing is scheduled for the rest of the day.
Eighteen days is a long itinerary and the first of them is best spent horizontal. If you are awake in the evening, the Lodhi Gardens are a gentle first walk — fifteenth-century tombs standing among joggers, parakeets and picnicking families, which tells you most of what you need to know about how this city treats its past.
- Airport meet-and-greet and private transfer to the hotel
- Day free to rest before the journey begins
Rooms are normally released in the early afternoon; earlier check-in depends on availability.
What the fare covers
And what it does not. Read the right-hand column before you budget.
- Hotels16 nights' accommodation in the chosen hotel category on twin-sharing basis
- Hotels1 night on a private air-conditioned houseboat in Alleppey
- MealsDaily breakfast at the hotel
- MealsLunch, evening tea, dinner and next-day breakfast on the houseboat
- FlightsEconomy class flights Udaipur to Varanasi and Varanasi to Kochi
- TransfersPrivate air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver in each region
- TransfersAll airport transfers listed in the itinerary
- GuidesLicensed local guides in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Varanasi, Kochi, Munnar and Thekkady
- SightseeingJeep ascent at Amber Fort, rickshaw ride in Old Delhi and a boat on Lake Pichola
- SightseeingPrivate sunrise boat on the Ganges, aarti seating and a shared boat on Periyar Lake
- SightseeingReserved seats at an evening Kathakali performance in Kochi
- TaxesAll road tolls, parking, fuel, interstate permits and driver allowance
- FlightsInternational air travel is not part of this fare. The record lists no air component.
- EntrancesMonument, temple, museum and national park entrance charges
- MealsLunches and dinners other than those served on the houseboat
- VisaIndian visa and any consular processing
- InsuranceTravel and medical insurance
- Personal ExpensesCamera and video permits levied at monuments and parks
- ActivitiesAyurvedic treatments, spa sessions and optional activities
- TipsGratuities for guides, drivers, boat crew and hotel staff
Hotels are named on your confirmation — all are of the stated category.
You leave from a different place than you arrive — book an open-jaw flight, not a return.
The representative waits in the arrivals concourse with a name board for the transfer to the hotel.
Want this trip a little different?
Tell Tulli what you'd change — hotels, dates, an extra city — and she'll price it with our team and come back to you.
Where you go in
Not every landmark on the list is one you walk into — this separates them.
When to Go
Weather by month for the places this trip actually visits.
India
Oct–Mar is the golden season across most of India. Monsoon (Jun–Sep) transforms Kerala and the Northeast.
Before you go
The essentials first — they are also the ones that can stop a booking.
Passport and Indian visa
- A valid passport and an Indian visa or e-visa arranged before travel are the traveller's own responsibility.
- Photo identification is required for the two internal flights as well as at every hotel check-in.
- Entry requirements change without notice; confirm the current rules for your nationality before booking flights.
Travel insurance is mandatory
- Comprehensive travel insurance covering medical treatment, evacuation and baggage is required before departure.
- Check the policy covers the full duration; some annual policies cap a single trip at fewer days than this.
- Cover should extend to boat travel and an overnight stay on water.
A long route with two internal flights
- Two internal flights are included and both involve a connection; allow the whole day for each.
- Driving totals roughly 1,800 kilometres across eight travelling days, with a different driver in each region.
- Vehicles cannot reach the Varanasi ghats; the last stretch there is always on foot.
Three climates in one suitcase
- The north is dry and cool from October to March, with genuinely cold mornings in December and January.
- Munnar and Thekkady are cool in the evening and cold from December to February — bring a jacket.
- The Kerala coast is humid all year; light cotton and more water than usual are both necessary.
- Pack clothing you are happy to walk barefoot in — shoes come off at every temple, mosque and ghat.
Temples, mosques and photography
- Shoulders and knees covered at every religious site, and shoes removed at the outer gate.
- Photography is forbidden at the Varanasi cremation ghats and restricted inside several temples and palaces.
- Leather belts and bags are not permitted inside Jain temples including Ranakpur.
- Several Kerala temples admit only Hindus to the inner areas, which the guide explains at each site.
Food, water and crowds
- Drink sealed bottled or filtered water only, including on the houseboat where it is supplied.
- Carry regular medication in original packaging with a copy of the prescription — this is a long trip.
- The Varanasi ghats and the evening aarti are extremely crowded; agree a meeting point with the guide.
- Do not enter the Ganges; the river is used for ritual bathing and is not suitable for visitors to swim in.
Hotels across three regions
- Hotels are confirmed in the category you select, on twin-sharing with daily breakfast.
- The Alleppey night is on a houseboat, which is a different standard from the hotels by design.
- Check-in and check-out times follow each property's policy and are not guaranteed to be flexible.
Cards, cash and ATMs
- Cards work at hotels and larger shops but rarely at market stalls, monument kiosks or boatmen.
- ATMs are reliable in every city on this route and less so at Pushkar, Ranakpur and Thekkady.
- Keep small notes for offerings, tips and the craft workshops.
Is eighteen days too long for one trip?
It is the length the route needs. India's north and south are as different from each other as Spain is from Finland, and a shorter itinerary either drops one of them or reduces both to a series of airports. The pace is built around two nights in most places rather than one.
How much of this is flying and how much is driving?
Two internal flights, both included: Udaipur to Varanasi and Varanasi to Kochi. Everything else is by road with a private vehicle and driver in each region, across roughly 1,800 kilometres of driving spread over eight travelling days.
Do I need separate international flights in and out?
Yes. The journey begins in Delhi and ends in Kochi, so book an open-jaw itinerary. Both cities are well served by international carriers, and Kochi has good connections to the Gulf and onward to Europe.
When is the best time to travel this route?
October to March. The north is comfortable in those months and unbearable from April, and Kerala is at its driest and clearest in the same window. December and January are peak season and hotels are confirmed further ahead.
Is the houseboat private?
Yes. The boat is booked for your party alone with its own crew of three including a cook. Only the size of the barge changes with the number of travellers, from a one-bedroom boat upwards.
How demanding is the walking?
Moderate but sustained over eighteen days. Amber, Mehrangarh, the Udaipur City Palace and the Varanasi ghats all involve long stretches of stairs and uneven stone, and the Fatehpur Sikri and Sarnath sites are open ground. There is no single hard day, but there are a lot of ordinary ones.
Can the itinerary be shortened or extended?
Yes, before departure. The Rajasthan section can lose a city, or Ranthambore can be added between Agra and Jaipur; the Kerala section can gain a beach stay at Kovalam or Marari at the end. Anything that moves a hotel night needs to be agreed before booking.
Are entrance charges included?
No. Entry at the Taj Mahal, the forts, the temples, the museums and the national parks is excluded and settled locally, and the guide advises what applies at each site. The boats, the jeep at Amber, the rickshaw and the Kathakali seats are all included.
Policies & booking terms
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure.
50% refund between 30-15 days before departure.
No refund within 15 days of departure.
TripClub standing booking terms
- Full payment must be completed 30 days prior to departure, unless otherwise specified.
- All bookings are subject to availability at the time of confirmation.
- Travel insurance is mandatory and must be purchased prior to departure.
- Prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, taxes, or supplier costs.
- Guests are responsible for obtaining valid passports, visas, and any required vaccinations.
- Cancellations or amendments are subject to the applicable cancellation policy outlined in the package.
- The company is not liable for delays, cancellations, or changes due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather, strikes, or other force majeure events.
- All travelers must adhere to the local laws and customs of the destinations visited.
- No refunds will be issued for unused services, including but not limited to meals, accommodations, or activities.
- The company reserves the right to modify the itinerary or substitute hotels of similar standards if necessary.
- All special requests (e.g., room preferences, dietary requirements) are subject to availability and not guaranteed.
- Guests are responsible for any additional costs incurred due to personal expenses, such as phone calls, laundry, or minibar charges.
- Check-in and check-out times are subject to hotel policies and may vary by property.
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