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By riceboat on the backwaters of Kerala
Spice trails, jungles and waterways of South India | 18 days
India has a split personality: worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the busy north, the south offers you the most serene of experiences. Life here is extremely relaxed amid a landscape of lush green palms and paddies which thrive on plentiful rain. No sojourn in India is complete without a visit to a tea garden and a national park. You visit both, roving north to Nagarhole National Park, which borders Kerala and once encompassed forest reserved for the Maharajah, and climb steep hair-pin bends to the old British capital at Ooty before embarking on a private rice boat journey in Kerala’s backwaters.
Day 1: Fly to Delhi
Day 2: Delhi
Day 3: Travel by train to Agra for the Taj Mahal, then drive to Jaipur
Days 4&5: Explore the bustling streets of Rajasthan’s capital, Jaipur
Day 6: Train to Jodhpur
Day 7: Visit the imposing Meherengah Fort in Jodhpur
Day 8: Drive to Deogarh in rural Rajasthan
Day 9: See Deogarh Mahal, a former royal residence
Day 10: Drive to Udaipur
Day 11: Udaipur and Lake Pichola
Day 12: Fly to Mumbai and then Cochin
Day 13: Enjoy the smell of exotic spices in the old trading port of Cochin
Day 14: Join the Rice Boat
Day 15: Cruise the ‘Backwaters’ in your own private Keralan houseboat
Day 16: Drive to Kumarakom
Day 17: Fly to Mumbai
Day 18: Fly to London
guide price £3,595 per person
Trip reports for the Indian Subcontinent
Fiona’s travel tips
BEST TIME TO GO: Most of India is at its best from October to March, except Ladakh which is a summer destination. Visit Sri Lanka from September to April and the Maldives from December to April.DON’T MISS: Ladakh’s festival season in July and August when the colourful gompas are especially vibrant.
FESTIVAL FACT: Maha Kumbh Mela or the Great Festival of Urn, is the biggest religious ceremony in the world and takes place four times every 12 years.
FROM DELHI: The great British hill station of Shimla makes a superb extension from Delhi.
GETTING AROUND: I love to travel by Indian trains. It’s a great way to meet the locals and I’ve often been invited to share food or conversation with ordinary families sharing my compartment. Also you can’t beat simply looking out of the window for a snapshot of daily life in the rural villages.
FOR THE ACTIVE: India combines well with Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal for great trekking.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE: We have a great in-country team who will be there to meet you at each airport, hotel, border or train station, so the first-time visitor will never feel overwhelmed.
READ: William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns, City of Joy by Dominique Lapierre and Liberty or Death by Patrick French.
Clients’ comments
“Wow, quite a day — we thought we’d seen everything but then we met Raj, another fantastic local guide. He found places we didn't even know existed. The newly qualifying World Heritage Site, the Observatory in Jaipur was nothing short of incredible… All the local representatives we met were helpful, informed, very punctual and a real pleasure to be with. The tour was very well arranged and the choice of hotels was exemplary. What a wonderful holiday, thank you so much. We will be returning to Far Frontiers Travel at the first opportunity and recommending you to our friends and family”.
Charles and Elizabeth Godfrey, Rajasthan
“We left from Delhi today which was very sad. The trip you planned for us was faultless and we were so grateful for all your help. Having all our trains booked was amazing and we would both like to say a huge thank you! We are both in love with India and I’m sure we will be asking you to plan another trip in the near future”.
Ginny Neill and Molly Williams, India
“It is a testament to Far Frontiers Travel that as soon as we got home, we went to look for your brochure to see where else we could go with you!”
Gaskell and Jennifer Jacobs, India