North and South India Tour - 2-Week Highlights Itinerary

Settle gently into colourful and chaotic India, a riot on the senses. Touching down amidst the commotion of Delhi can be something of a culture shock, so this trip is designed to give you a softer landing. You’ll spend one night in Central Delhi before driving on to the Pink City of Jaipur, crammed with fairy-tale palaces, historic splendour and heaving bazaars stuffed with beautiful textiles.

Search for wild tigers in a tropical jungle scattered with crumbling forts and nostalgic hideouts made for Maharajas. Ranthambore National Park is one of the best places to see wild tigers in the world. Race across untamed jungle in the twilight, keeping your eyes peeled for tigers, wild boar, sloth bears and Indian gazelles. It’s a place packed with atmosphere and natural beauty.

Visit mystical monkey temples and ghost cities en route to sunrise at the Taj Mahal. A real wonder of the world, it’s a building that will take your breath away. India’s Golden Triangle is the stuff of legend, with the ethereal Taj Mahal at its pinnacle. This trip will take you from Ranthambore National Park to Agra, where you’ll watch dawn break over the Taj Mahal.

You’ll stay in the colonial home of a local family in the historic Fort Cochin district (we can arrange a hotel instead if you’d prefer). The next day, your driver will take you around the sights of Cochin. You can visit the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue in the heart of the Jewish district, and the Saint Francis Church (the oldest European church in India). In the afternoon, we’ve arranged a Kathakali dance class for you.

Sleep aboard a wooden houseboat as you drift through tropical backwaters and spot wild elephant in the untamed jungle of exotic Kerala. Trek into the forest to scout for sambar deer, wild boar and maybe even a mongoose or two. Kerala is India’s exotic, emerald heart, packed with lush scenery and a tangle over overgrown backwaters. During this trip, you’ll travel from Fort Cochin into Periyar National Park, where you’ll set off on a walking safari through the jungle. Next, you’ll spend a night aboard a classic Kerala houseboat, drifting through the tiny canals under starry skies.

Stretch out on tropical beaches and snooze under coconut palms on the golden coast of Kerala. Swing in a hammock, grab a massage and soak up the sunshine. Sleep in a traditional wooden bungalow set directly on the sand, take barefoot strolls at sunset and let your worries melt away. During this trip, you’ll spend two nights on a quiet beach tucked away from Kovalam’s touristy main strip. It’s a peaceful place looking out over the lapping waves of the Indian Ocean, backed by rice paddies and rustling palms. Try an Ayurvedic treatment or simply collapse in a sun lounger. It’s totally up to you.