Bargain 22 day tour skimming off the cultural cream of the crop from the Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, Ganges and Thar Desert. Chill holiday? No. Cheap thrills? Definitely.
DelhiJaisalmer and Thar DesertJaisalmer/Thar DesertUdaipurPushkarJaipurBharatpurAgra and the Taj MahalVaranasi and River GangesSleeper train journeys
Preparing to embark on a 22 day north India tour is not as extreme as you might first envisage. All you need is a healthy sense of adventure alongside a lust for all things cultural as from the monuments of the Maharaja to the sand dunes of the Thar Desert - this is one north India tour that packs it all in.
The highlights of the Golden Triangle will leave you agog with magical memories however, it’s often the hidden secrets and spiritual surprises that may well leave the more lasting impressions.
Camel rides, railway journeys, auto rickshaws and optional hikes to see the sunrise over hillside temples, there’s a reason why north India tours are a must for cultural travellers so be brave and rest assured that you’ll never even think of looking back.
Map
Price information
£955£724To£1050excluding flights
Single supplement £280.
Contact Us
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one, we're very happy to help
India’s Golden Triangle refers to three prestigious points in Northern India: New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, which do indeed form a triangle on the map. ...
History holidays suffer from an image problem. They conjure up a picture of a sedate older crowd crammed into coaches, ticking off a list of antiquity...
Holiday information
Our top tip:
Pack lightly - essentials are multiuse scarf/sarong, jumper and socks for cold mornings, pillow and rain poncho. And a sense of humour for the ride.
Trip type:
Small group tour, max. 16 people.
Solos:
Solo travellers welcome. Surcharge for single rooms.
Accomm:
17 nights in basic hotels/guesthouses, 1 night camping, 3 nights sleeper trains,
Included:
Accommodation, transport excl. flights and airport transfers, most activities, tour guide.
Meals:
1 breakfast and 1 dinner included. Budget £300 for meals.
The cooking class was one of our highlights as was the night we attended a Bollywood movie. Read full review
Reviewed on 21 Sep 2019 by Lauren Philp
I loved meeting new people, all ages from all backgrounds. I've met people
that I'll never forget. The tour guide made us all feel safe and welcome in India. I loved watching the dance show and trying all the food.
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Reviewed on 01 Aug 2018 by Graeme Stokes
Camping in the desert was great. Varanasi was a very spiritual experience. And Udaipur was a very lovely city...The best holiday I've had. Thanks to our friendly and knowledgeable guide, a lovely group and a fantastic itinerary.
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The most memorable was Ranthambore where we saw a tiger and a leopard as well as a host of deer and birds.Read full review
Reviewed on 14 Mar 2016 by Sara Kirkham
Book it! A fantastic taster of a small section of Northern India.Read full review
Reviewed on 14 Feb 2016 by Alan Zenthon
Challenging, life affirming, and I now have the desire to go on more.Read full review
Reviewed on 15 Nov 2016 by Cristina Rayson
Varanasi, Udaipur was beautiful, but for me Varanasi was my Indian dream. The Ghats, boat trip to watch the Aarti, the market and the Bollywood dance class we organised, just perfect!Read full review
Reviewed on 23 Jan 2015 by Judith Brockmann
Holiday was a great to help me see my own culture with completely new eyes and become more aware of things that I have taken for granted in the past.Read full review
Reviewed on 20 Apr 2013 by Michael Adams
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.Read full review
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet
Transportation
Where possible we will travel on local bus or on the Indian Railways minimizing our demand for special tourist vehicles and fuel while giving you plenty of opportunity to meet and interact with local people/communities.
India Responsible Travel Bags
We give our passengers a simple cotton bag that reads "Say no to plastic" in English and local regional dialect depending on where you're travelling. These bags in the north are made by Karm Marg, an organisation who helps the less privileged children by providing vocational training. Our south Indian bags are made by Nesamani Women self-help groups - a group of widows who primarily stitch bags and do embroidery.
Local Leaders
You will be accompanied by local leaders on this trip who will take you into temples, mosques, shrines and Gurudwaras where appropriate, and are able to teach the group about the etiquette and customs specific to the places visited, enabling a deeper understanding for the group of the communities and cultures encountered in India. In a country where so many ethnic communities live together, it’s important to respect individual religious beliefs. Our company wants to promote this understanding through insight into religious and cultural practices. Local leaders are the cultural ambassadors, know multiple dialects of the sub-continent and can easily facilitate local interaction giving enriching experience to the passengers.
Accommodation
We try and utilise local hotel owners and small businesses through our trips. We help locals set up home stays, hotels or small lodges and try and motivate them to cater to our groups. This mutual support is beneficial in the form of economic support from our passengers and a great way to witness and interact with real local people.
