India Cultural tours holidays

India Cultural tours holidays
Delhi to Kathmandu tour
An inspiring cultural tour, from £860 - £945 (15 days) ex flights
Kerala homestay tour, India
Stay in homestays in various destinations in Kerala, from £1230 (15 days) ex flights
Rajasthan tours, India
Discover the evocative northern province of Rajasthan, from £697 - £945 (15 days) ex flights
Rajasthan luxury tours
Endless possibilities in Rajasthan, from £775 - £1375 (7 days) ex flights
Kerala culture and backwaters holiday, India
Meaningful and unique experience of quintessential Kerala, from £540 (9 days) ex flights
Overland small group tour of India
Roam across India on this small group tour, from £699 (20 days) ex flights
North India cultural tour
An adventure to one of the planet's exotic destinations, from £820 - £900 (22 days) ex flights
India tour
The stunning Taj Mahal, from £1535 - £1645 (11 days ) inc UK flights
Elements of Kerala tailor made tours
Four tours to celebrate the elements of Kerala, from £858 (8 days) ex flights
India culture & wildlife holiday
The chance to spot India's symbolic tigers in the wild, from £1929 - £1959 (15 days ) inc UK flights
India tour, rural India
Experience the beauty of rural India, from £2095 (14 days) ex flights
Family holiday to India, Taj, Tigers and Palaces
A fascinating introduction to Northern India, from £1297 - £1732 (11 days) inc UK flights
Kerala luxury holiday
Kerala at a relaxed pace, from £1904 (15 days) ex flights
India small group holiday, a food adventure
2 week discovery of the sights, sounds & flavours of India., from £1026 - £1255 (14 days) ex flights
Southern India holiday
India’s mystical deep south, from £1525 - £2089 (15 days ) inc UK flights
Highlights tour to Rajasthan
Explore Rajasthan on a quality small group tour., from £1855 - £2945 (14 days) ex flights
Teenager adventure holiday in Rajasthan
An unforgettable 12-day adventure through Rajasthan, from £1649 (11 days ) inc UK flights
Tailor made Rajhastan tour, India
Discover the cultural wonders of Rajasthan, from £1580 (14 days) ex flights
India holidays to the Golden Triangle, tailormade
An ideal trip for the first-time visitor to India, from £1465 (8 days) ex flights
Kerala holiday, Malabar Adventure
Kerala adventure staying in a variety of accommodations, from £1335 (14 days) ex flights
Rajasthan heritage cultural tour, India
Rajasthan fine arts, culture, and royal architecture tour, from £360 - £365 (6 days) ex flights
Southern India tour, temples & nature
Tour from Coimbatore to Bangalore via Mysore, from £494 (6 days ) ex flights
Holiday in India, Himalayan foothills
Historic cities, wonderful mountain retreats and wildlife, from £1639 (13 days ) inc UK flights
Golden Triangle tour in India
A Golden triangle tour with homestays, from £700 (7 days) ex flights

186 reviews for India Cultural tours holidays4 star overall rating

These full and frank independent India Cultural tours holidays reviews are from travellers who have booked directly through responsibletravel.com. They are not edited by us or any of the companies we work with. Find the real story, from real travellers below.

Rajasthan tours, India
We had many memorable and exciting experiences from this trip. Some of the local villages we visited were fantastic in terms of getting a glimpse of rural life in Rajasthan. We also stayed at some very interesting accommodation. (more)R and K Mackenzie
The most memorable part was the Camel Fair at Pushkar. To see so many camels and horses assembled in one spot was awesome. (more)Linda Williams
The most memorable parts of the holiday in Rajasthan were the diversity of the scenery and the people. The colours and the smells and the respect for cows are also etched into my memory. (more)Ingrid Jones
From £697 - £945 excluding flights
History, culture & wildlife of India holiday
This was the trip of a lifetime for us. We asked for a trip that would take us off the beaten track, give us a chance to meet local people and learn about local activities and customs, and give us a good introduction to the culture and history of India. This trip surpassed our goals in every way. (more)Mary Vetter
Udaipur was the most memorable part of the holiday (more)Karen Young
The whole holiday was a highlight, it really was. Our 3 night stay at the Aakriti homestay with Rajat, Mughda and Renu was really memorable. Such a lovely welcoming family, their hospitality and warmth is out of this world, we really felt like members of the family. (more)Sharon Walker
From £1336 excluding flights
Kerala culture and backwaters holiday, India
Memorable parts? We (a married couple of mature years) spent two nights at a homestay situated within a bird sanctuary. The family, four generations, gave us a touchingly friendly welcome ('this is your home'), and at dawn our host took us to a rocky promontory where we sat as the sun rose over the jungle and the birds began their day - hornbills, bulbuls, sunbirds, woodpeckers, mynahs, parakeets, etc, etc. We counted at least 35 species including, on the way back, a pair of frogmouths,... (more)Robin Fox
From £540 excluding flights
Delhi to Kathmandu tour
Memorable parts? Chitwan as a place, seing Rhino from the back of an elephant and being sang to round a fire by the accomodation owners 9 year old son!! Tips? Plenty of small notes, be prepared for the amount of rubbish and litter in India, the walk in Chitwan, it's long and on paths and bridges that don't exist, make sure your happpy with this kind of walk before taking part but don't let it put you off trip, one person form our group stayed in town and got to see the elephants... (more)jenny hickey
From £860 - £945 excluding flights
Kerala luxury holiday
Excellent...The backwaters trip and the stay at Serenity were the most memorable parts. (more)john still
It was a 100% enjoyable experience. We got really far off the beaten track & to the real Southern India (Kerala & Tamil Nadu). Seeing lots of wild fauna & flora, including elephant three times. (more)John Tams-Gray
Out of 100 - 100. Out of 10 - 10 Out of 5 -5 It was the most perfect holiday in the whole wide world. (more)Susan Ainger
From £1904 excluding flights
Kerala homestay tour, India
This was a tremendous experience...drifting peacefully through the backwaters on our own private rice barge was one of the most memorable experiences. (more)Daphne Donkin
Really enjoyable. The homestays exceeded our expectations. (more)Rosanna reynard
The most memorable parts were the wonderful scenery and the friendliness of the people. (more)Brian Summers
From £1230 excluding flights
Delhi to Goa overland tour
Memorable parts? Seeing was believing when it came to the Taj Mahal, not many places live up to be better than you anticipate as this place did. My wife and I have done some travelling, but this has to be the most impressive building we have ever witnessed. The Taj Mahal was almost worth the tour fee alone. Tips? Do not be put off by such a cheap price for the package, if we had paid treble we still would have been getting value for money! Don't be put off by such high attention from... (more)Jonathan Kenyon
From £649 excluding flights
North India cultural tour
A very good trip. Varanasi, the camaraderie of group members and our group leader and seeing India in action were the best parts of the trip. (more)Michael Adams
I am in my 50s and I found the pace excellent - no more than 3 nights anywhere - arrive - shower/rest - orientation walk then choose your activities and what a great diversity of activities. I found it stimulating and fun. (more)Hazel Durbridge
From £820 - £900 excluding flights
Fair trade tours to India
Memorable parts? The visit to the tea plantation. Tips? Try to get out of the coach and wander about. Local benefits? Some benefit to local people. Impact on the environment minimized through use of a coach. Overall rating? A good chance to meet local people. (more)Peter Bentley
From £1675 excluding flights
Holiday in India, Himalayan foothills
Superb! Too many individual highlights to mention but the sights sounds and smells of India have stimulated the senses in a way that nowhere else has to date. It was a wonderful adventure. (more)Barry Williams
The first candle-lit glimpse of The Treasury at Petra will stay with me forever. Having said that the whole trip was wonderful, enhanced by having a superb local Guide. (more)Barry Williams
The most memorable part of the trip - it's a cliché but, all the pictures in the world do not prepare you for actually being at the Taj Mahal. Most exciting part - rickshaw ride through Jaipur! and white water rafting on the Ganges. (more)Wendy Chappell
From £1639 including UK flights
Rajasthan luxury tours
The most memorable part of the holiday were the vivid colours, the clothing of the women it is just a sea of fantastic colours everywhere you look, the brightly coloured turbans of the men. The fantastic people so friendly and welcoming, the culture and food. (more)Sharon Walker
Riding Marwari horses, madcap rides in a Jeep to track leopards & sightings of rare cats...An excellent insight into rural Rajasthan! (more)Tony Prout
What made the holiday extra special was the outstanding quality of the guiding - more like travelling companionship - by Ravindra. His knowledge, intellect, humor, honesty and pride in his culture brought it alive in a compelling way. (more)Rita Gardner
From £775 - £1375 excluding flights
Southern India holiday
This is a great introduction to India and a fantastic way to see Rajasthan. In 15 days you see all the sights, use all modes of transport, get a taste of local life and culture and stay in different accommodations. The trip is really well organised and packs in activities with a little free time. I think that the operator attracts like-minded people so the group dynamic is good. (more)Richard Hadwen
Best holiday I have ever had - and I have travelled all over the world !!! (more)Marianne Ramsey
The most memorable parts were...The walk in the jungle, the Serpent temple, the tea plantations are stunning. (more)Simona Perlasca
From £1525 - £2089 including UK flights
Kerala budget holiday, tailor made
Memorable parts? Munnar was lovely but so was the backwaters and Varkala beach. Best bit though was staying at Koshy's home stay in Kumily. Really enjoyable and great facilities even if the hot water was limited. Tips? Take up the organic farm, we dropped it but so many said how great it was. Also, one day on the boat is enough. Local benefits? Homestay was great, and most of the hotels felt small and locally run so that was good. Driver was great but not sure driving just... (more)Stacy Smith
From £994 excluding flights
Elements of Kerala tailor made tours
The opportunities that presented themselves for us to see real Theyyem in the northern villages with no other westerners for miles. Arriving in the Wayanad hills on the one day in the year that the coffee plants flower and to be enveloped by their amazing scent. (more)Rosemary Richardson
A superb experience. Sights, sounds, smells, people....a little overwhelming occasionally; but the backwater cruise in particularly was a wonderful getaway. The operator organised everything wonderfully, and we can't recommend them more highly. (more)Anne Jenkins
The area is stunning. Very beautiful. The homestay aspect was great and enjoyed staying in more representative settings than in hotels. All fabulous for different reasons. (more)Alexandra Pearce
From £858 excluding flights
Kerala homestay tours
The most memorable parts were the overnight trip on a rice barge and the canoe trip through villages. (more)Brenda Fox
The most memorable part was the stay in Kumily. It was my first 2 days. Having spent the last 2 weeks in Madurai and Chennai, it was nice to find somewhere cool, clean and tranquil. (more)Peter Shepherd
Excellent....By far the best food is to be had at homestays. (more)Maggie Carr
From £470 - £580 excluding flights
Southern India tour, temples & nature
I had a wonderful holiday. I have recommended it to many friends already. I think Akriti and explore India do a great job of making a trip across India easy. Great for people who want to go but feel overwhelmed or nervous. (more)Anna Perkins
My days at the homestay, truly memorable. I did not know what to expect from an homestay in a village up in the Nilgiri hills. What I have found is one of the nicest, most caring and friendly families I have ever met. Excellent, an unforgettable experience. I could not recommend more this holiday operator. (more)Anna Maria Reforgiato Recupero
Orange county resort, Kabina is an eco resort where you visit lake and park scenes and the naturalists are very good at communicating. We saw a lot of animals and observed elephants and deer at close quarters. The resort itself has a great infinity pool, a library and extra walks to see birds and elephants. (more)Celia Gibbs
From £494 excluding flights
India Golden Triangle tour
Memorable parts? Seeing the Taj Mahal and Baby Taj in Agra was so amazing. I got to see the Taj at sunset and it really does change colors. The biggest surprise was Mumbai. While the city is definitely overcrowded, it has lots of exciting sights to see, like the Elephanta caves and the 19th century area called Khotachi Wadi, an original settlement of charming vernacular style houses, which are under assault from development. If you get the chance, see the Taj Hotel from the bay--spectacular,... (more)Patricia Iris Mayo
From £1199 - £1399 excluding flights
Kerala cultural holiday, tailor made
Memorable parts? There were so many memorable moments - we loved the tea plantations, spice farms, the friendliness of all the people, the scenery when we were up in the hills, the houseboat and staying in the backwaters Tips? We had added on a few days on the beach, at the end of the holiday. This was based upon experience of other tours where we had felt you needed some time to rest/relax at the end. With hindsight this wasn't necessary with this trip. The time would have been better... (more)Andrew Dobson
From £849 - £1249 excluding flights
India culture & wildlife holiday
I had a wonderful time, it is a good mix of wildlife/culture, the food was great and the group ambiance was perfect. (more)Mary-Laure Bollini
Seeing 3 tigers & a leopard at Ranthambore National Park was the most memorable part of the holiday...Fantastic. (more)Christine Payne
Seeing the Bengal Tigers and other wildlife was the most memorable part of this holiday (more)Michael Ho
From £1929 - £1959 including UK flights
India holidays to the Golden Triangle, tailormade
Indian train travel, sumptuous hotels and beautiful new Delhi were the most memorable parts of the holiday. (more)Lydia Walton
Seeing tigers in the national park, visiting the Taj Mahal at sunrise, sunrise in Udaipur lake and seeing the life of the local were the most memorable parts of the holiday. (more)Isabel Lledo
The most memorable part was seeing a tigress walk right past our jeep in Ranthambore Park - awesome! ...Fabulous - incredibly well organised and unforgettable. (more)Debbie Gilliland
From £1465 excluding flights
Adventure holiday in India, Wildlife & Moghul Cities
Seeing a tiger in the wild was the most memorable part...Fantastic. (more)Liz Middlebrook
Fantastic experience. Really nice group and the tour guide was an asset......We visited the (optional) temple during a large pilgrimage. We were surrounded by very cheerful and friendly people who made the visit really enjoyable. (more)Kerry Loan
I had a great time, I travelled with a lovely group of people and we shared some lovely experiences together. (more)Nelly Clark
From £1337 - £1609 including UK flights
Golden Triangle tour in India
Memorable parts? All of it. from the booking and planning stages to actually being there. The variety of the cities and sites, the vibrant colours and sounds mixed with the dirt and poverty, the kindness of the people. The Taj Mahal was so beautiful and seeing tigers was memorable. Tips? Get the planning right. Ask for what you want. A mixture of cities and wildlife is good. Local benefits? Yes hope so. It certainly raised our awareness. Overall rating? Wonderful. (more)Stephen Pick
From £700 excluding flights
Northern India holidays
A great experience. Lots of travelling, not easy or relaxing or luxurious but it's India and it is an amazing place, wonderful people and a lot to see. This trip is tiring but worth it. (more)Charlotte Beer
Most memorable? Dawn boat trip at Varanasai, the Taj Mahal, a visit to the Sikh temple, the food and the shopping! (more)Lisa Phillips
Seeing the tiger in Ranthambore National Park; the Ghats in the evening and the overnight train journeys were the most memorable parts. (more)Hilary Glegg
From £1349 - £1749 including UK flights
Kerala houseboat holiday, India
It was a wonderful holiday, and we would love to go back...The houseboat was run so professionally by Suresh and his team. Our room was spotless, the living accommodation at the front of the boat was comfortable and spacious, the food amazing (we were offered and enjoyed all manner of Keralan dishes) and plentiful, the staff genuinely friendly and helpful. (more)Fran Smart
Each place we visited was like a new holiday. Brilliantly put together, great choice of places to stay. And of course Kerala was amazing, and the food to die for. (more)Sarah Beard
I would say that the most magical moment was waking up in the houseboat on the Kerala backwaters to see, way across a paddy field, an elephant trudging along the road amid the usual chaotic cacophony of cars, lorries, tuk-tuks, bikes, motorbikes and unaccountably still living pedestrians. (more)Melinda Letts
From £632 excluding flights
India tour
A great introduction to India, combining historic sites, cities and culture, and nature, and including downtime for relaxing by the pool with a book, if you want. (more)Deborah O'Donaoghue
Cant pick one outstanding part the whole trip was excellent. Well organised and structured. (more)Chris Pope
Superb. Special thanks to our guide Junaid. He was wonderful from start to finish. Nothing was too much trouble and the organisation was seamless. (more)Michelle Dawson
From £1535 - £1645 including UK flights
India tour, rural India
Memorable parts? Seeing places I never could have got to on my own. Tips? Ask them to update the descriptions in the itinerary. Bhopal Singh is undoubtedly the best guide I have had on trips to India. He actually knows the history as well as the culture, habits, etc. Well, there was one other guy in Goa but it is a rarity to find someone as knowledgeable as Bhopal and still a good logistician/manager/fixer and all the other things a tour guide has to be to keep a diverse group... (more)Nancy Hayward
From £2095 excluding flights
Punjab holiday,  Mountains & Mystics
excellent....Don't visit India if all you want to do is change it (more)Olivia Neely
The golden temple at Amritsar and the border ceremony at Waga on the Pakistan India Border were most memorable. Fantastic! I love India; the people are so friendly and so colourful, the temples are wonderful. The entire spectrum is there to be enjoyed. (more)Jackie Driver
Visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar at night when it wasn't busy was the most memorable part. (more)Bela Gor
From £685 - £755 excluding flights
South India & Kerala holiday
Wonderful, fabulous, went beyond my already high expectations. Everyone should do this one, it's a gem. (more)Dorothy Shirvell
This is a fantastic way to be given a taste of what a wide area of the south of India has to offer, and helps highlight places to which a return is required! (more)Gail Boardman
The highlight was when Peter Lemass organised a car and driver for my wife and me so that we could go round Ooty and Ketti to see where I used to live as a boy. Also the Rock carvings at Mahabaliporam. Also the stay with Thomas in the Kerala backwaters. (more)Roger Hamer
From £885 - £995 excluding flights
Kerala backwater holiday, India
What made this holiday for us was the homestays - the chance to get to know our hosts and also to meet other guests. We appreciated the care that was taken to look after us and the fact that every homestay was different. (more)Judith Wilson
Our children mixed and played with local children which was an enriching experience to all involved. (more)Lionel Victor
The most memorable part of the trip were the people!!!! These were lovely people, it was enriching to live in such a society even for a short while. (more)Mary Phillips
From £550 excluding flights
India family holidays
Fantastic - our guide was superb and made a huge difference to our enjoyment - it was a memorable holiday with so many eye opening experiences into another culture. We loved it! Thank you. (more)Claire Ashley
India is an incredible country - we loved watching the world go by from our mini bus windows as we drove through rural villages and bustling towns. The Taj Mahal was incredible and the Amber Fort majestic. (more)Sam Daniels
An excellent holiday which combined a taste of the splendour of the Mughals, rural India, a glimpse into the spiritual life of India at Haridwar and Rishikesh as well as the safari and an easy (by Himalayan standards) trek from the camp on the Ganges. (more)Marian Warford
From £1709 including UK flights

Holiday Reviews

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Unedited reviews from other travellers

5 stars
I am reborn! Simply the best holiday I have ever been on
4 stars
Some great stories to tell the grandchildren. Would recommend to a friend
3 stars
Very enjoyable
2 stars
It was OK
1 star
A bit disappointing really

Want to know more about India holidays before you go?

Find out more about India by reading these articles.

For solo travellers or family adventurers, small group holidays are an excellent way to see any country. We sent Jerrine, one of our helpdesk experts, on a group adventure in India to see first hand what a group holiday is all about. "Having always travelled independently on my globe trekking adventures I was curious to see how a small group adventure would compare. India has always been high on my must-do places to visit so I was delighted to take up the challenge. Here´s a little bit about my adventures and what a small group holiday is really like... Always happy when the flight is over, but usually apprehensive about tackling the language barriers and over-zealous taxi drivers I was more than happy to be greeted with a smile by an Exodus representative. I was soon whisked off to the hotel where I met what was to be my new family for the next 8 days. . Read more about Jerrine's adventure in India in this India article.

Country facts for India holidays

Weather
North India experiences some extremes of heat in Summer and cold in Winter but, except in the Himalayas, snow is very rare. The winter season is from November to January and the hottest months are April and May. There is a brief spring in February and March, especially in North India. The Southwest India monsoon, which lasts from June to September affects most parts of the country but the west coast in particular. The Northeast India monsoon affects the east coast between October and February.

Holidays & festivals
There are three national holidays in India: Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15), and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2). The main annual festivals are Holi (mid-March), Navratri (Sept-Oct) and Diwali (Oct-Nov).

Languages
The official national languages of India are Hindi & English but there are also many other regional languages.

Money
The currency in India is the Indian Rupee (INR)

Time zone
GMT+5.5 (UTC+5.5)
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