Iconic India

From top to bottom, India is incredible. Explore both northern and southern regions on a 14-day journey to India’s most iconic sites. Explore Rajasthan’s grand forts and palaces, discover new depths of relaxation on a houseboat in Kerala’s backwaters, and learn about traditional culture in the small village of Sawarda. Round out the experience with pilgrimages to the glorious Taj Mahal, the “Pink City” of Jaipur, and Kochi's fishing markets.

What's Included:

• Meet a Local Historian, Jaipur
• Local Village Immersion, Sāwarda
• Meet with a Local Spice Expert, Kochi
• Family Home Meal Experience, Alleppey
• Visit Vembanad Wetlands Conservation Program, Kumarakom
• Women on Wheels Transfer, Indira Gandhi International Airport
• City Walk, Delhi
• Tour of Old Delhi
• Tour the Taj Mahal, the Baby Taj, and Agra Fort
• Visit Fatehpur Sikri and Abhaneri step wells
• Walking tour of old Kochi
• Kathakali cultural show.
• Visit Tripunithura Hill Palace
• Kumarakom canoe ride
• Walking tour of the paddy fields and Chempu village
• Houseboat day trip along the Kerala backwaters
• Internal flights
• All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Day 1: Delhi

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer included through Women on Wheels, a G Adventures-supported project.

There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting, so check into to the hotel and enjoy the city. We highly recommend booking a pre-night in Delhi to get over your jetlag and be ready for this very busy trip.

Women on Wheels Transfer Transfer by a G Adventures-supported project, Women on Wheels. This program provides safe and reliable transport for travellers, while providing a dignified livelihood for a local woman from a resource poor community.

Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting 1h The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

Day 2: Delhi/Agra

Enjoy a youth-led walk through Delhi as part of the G Adventures-supported City Walk project. Later, explore Old Delhi with your CEO before an afternoon drive to Agra.

City Walk 3-5km Explore the streets of Delhi with a youth-led tour guide from the G Adventures-supported City Walk project. As a former at-risk youth, your local guide will have a unique perspective on the city and can provide more information on the life of a child in India. The guided tour helps support the guide's college or university tuition.

Please note that City Walk is closed on Sundays and holidays and this activity will not run on those days.

Old Delhi Guided Walk Delhi1h Visit historic Old Delhi. Explore Jama Masjid, the "Great Mosque," and enjoy its massive courtyard, which can hold up to 25,000 worshippers. Also, visit the ancient Sikh temple of Gurdwara SisGanj, which was established in 1783.

Private Vehicle Delhi – Āgra 3h-4h200km Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 3: Agra

Spend the day visiting the highlights of the walled city of Agra including the famed Taj Mahal, Baby Taj, and Agra Fort.

Taj Mahal Visit Tāj Mahal – Āgra Cross one off your bucket list as you visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Explore the gorgeous white marble mausoleum, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a testament of his love for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Baby Taj Visit Āgra Visit this mausoleum that looks like a jewel box, built before the Taj Mahal by Queen Nur Jahan for her father. Enjoy the intricate details of the structure; it was the first Mughal building faced with white marble and where "pietra dura" (precious stones inlaid into marble) was first used.

Agra Fort Visit Āgra1h-3h Enjoy your visit to this impressive Mughal fort made of red sandstone and white marble.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4: Agra - Jaipur

Drive to Jaipur, visiting the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri and the village of Abhaneri, which has one of India's deepest and largest stepwells (tank gardens).

Private Vehicle Āgra – Jaipur 5h-6h240km Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Fatehpur Sikri Visit Fatehpur Sīkri Explore the magnificent red sandstone fort city that was once the capital of India's Mughal Empire and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Keep an eye out for elements of different religions, as King Akbar built three palaces for each of his favorite wives—a Hindu, a Muslim, and a Christian—in the city.

Abhaneri Stepwell Visit Abhaneri – Āgra30m-1h Walk around the amazing Chand Baori, a tenth century water tank that's an impressive 6.1m (20 ft) deep. Learn about ancient Indian environmentalism—a "baori" is a unique Indian invention for harvesting rainwater.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 5: Jaipur

Explore the "Pink City," known also as Jaipur, including the Amber Fort, City Palace, and the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds). Listen to a local historian/scholar discuss the spirituality, social fabric, customs, and traditions of India.

Consider treating yourself to a night at the cinema. Going to see a Bollywood film in India is much more than what we are accustomed to in the west. The atmosphere, energy, and pure fun (not to mention volume!) has to be experienced to be believed.

Amber Fort Visit Jaipur Enjoy the Hindu and Muslim architecture of the beautiful Amber Fort.

City Palace Visit Jaipur 1h Explore the courtyards, gardens, and buildings that make up the City Palace. Located in the heart of the Old City, it is a striking blend of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture. Visit the palace's museum to look at ancient carriages and the former maharaja's gold-embroidered wedding outfit.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Meet a Local Historian In Jaipur, known as the “Pink City,” meet with a local historian and sociology scholar to learn about India’s complex social fabric and traditions, and discuss a range of topics from the country’s belief systems to its architecture.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 6: Jaipur - Sawarda

Drive to the rural village of Sawarda where we stay in a heritage home. Exploring this traditional village is like stepping back in time. Walk and meet with locals and explore how urbanization affects village life, modernization and its benefits and disadvantages, as well as simple village customs and traditions.

The village is about 60km (37 mi) from Jaipur and has beautiful temples dedicated to different religions, including a unique sikh temple. The residents of the village are still involved in traditional commercial activities. You'll see pottery wheels, silversmiths, cobblers, traditional huts, old temples, and small stepwells.

Private Vehicle Jaipur – Sāwarda60km Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Local Village Immersion Step back in time and explore the traditional village of Sawarda to get a glimpse of life in rural India. Topics of discussion along the way can include how urbanization affect village life, information technology, and modernization in its benefits and disadvantages, as well as simple village customs and traditions.

Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner

Day 7: Sawarda - Delhi

Drive back to bustling Delhi. Opt to join your CEO for a group dinner.

Private Vehicle Sāwarda – Delhi6h310km Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 8: Delhi - Kochi

Fly to Kochi. In the evening, meet your South India CEO and some new group members.

Transfer to the airport and fly to Kochi. In the evening, there will be a welcome meeting for new travellers joining the group.

You may have one CEO for the North and one for the South. In this case you will be transferred to the airport in Delhi and fly unescorted to Kochi -- either on your own or with any other travellers who are continuing on for the south portion of the tour. Upon arrival to Kochi, there is free time to relax until the welcome meeting in the evening.

Flight Delhi – Kochi 3h-3h30m

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 9: Kochi

Enjoy a walking tour in old Fort Kochi, including the fish market, Chinese fishing nets, Dutch Palace, and Jewish Quarter. Meet a local spice expert, learning the medicinal and culinary uses of spices and their importance in the life of Kerala and all of India. This evening, enjoy a traditional Kathakali dance performance.

After breakfast, explore the old part of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry. Visit the Dutch Palace, which was built by the Portuguese and presented to the Cochin King in the 16th century, the St. Francis Church (the oldest European church in India), and Santa Cruz Basilica, built by Portuguese in the 16th century. Walk through the fish market and the famous Chinese fishing net, believed to have been brought by traders from Kubla Khan's court in China. In the evening, attend the popular classical dance-drama of Kerala called "Kathakali," which combines literature, music, painting, acting, and dance.

Orientation Walk Kochi 1h-2h Get to know the delightful city of Cochin through this guided walk. Visit the Dutch Palace and Jewish Quarter, with its 400-year-old synagogue. Explore St Francis Church, the oldest church in India.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Meet with a Local Spice Expert Kerala is considered the spice capital of the world, famed for pepper, cloves, dried ginger, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Meet with a local expert learning the medicinal and culinary uses of spices and their importance in the life of Kerala and all of India.

Kathakali Dance Kochi2h Considered one of the oldest dance forms in India, Kathakali is a combination of drama, dance, music, and ritual. Characters with vividly painted faces and elaborate costumes re-enact stories from the Hindu epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana. This dance drama is famous for amazing costumes, extensive makeup, and explosive body movements, and is performed exclusively by men.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 10: Kochi - Kumarakom

Visit Tripunithura Hill Palace then continue to Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala. Enjoy a canoe paddle along the narrow canals and take a walking tour through the paddy fields and Chempu village.

Private Vehicle Kochi – Kumarakom 1h30m-2h Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Tripunithura Hill Palace Visit Kochi1h Enjoy the impressive architecture and beautiful grounds of the Tripunithura Hill Palace. Built in 1865, it is now the largest archaeological museum in Kerala, though it was originally the administrative office for local royalty. There is also a heritage museum, deer park, and children's museum in the complex. Make sure to check out its collection of rare species of medicinal plants.

Canoeing Kumarakom Enjoy a canoe paddle through the narrow canals in Kumarakom.

Walking Tour Kumarakom Enjoy a walk through the green paddy fields of Kumarakom and the delightful little village of Chempu.

Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner

Day 11: Kumarakom - Kerala Backwaters

Spend the day cruising the Kerala backwaters on a comfortable houseboat while observing local village life and bird watching. Later, visit a local home in Alleppey and enjoy a cooking demonstration of traditional Kerala cuisine and dine in the family's home.

This morning we travel to Allepey, a golden streak of land surrounded by rivers, lakes, lagoons and canals, where we board our private houseboat. You can sunbathe on the deck and enjoy the scenery, watching daily life take place along the water. The trip goes through a wonderful area full of water birds, palm trees, rice fields and floating water plants.

Private Vehicle Kumarakom – Alleppey 1h-1h30m Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Kerala Backwaters Houseboat Excursion Kerala Backwaters 6h-8h 20km Lay back and relax on a houseboat as it takes you through the the Kerala backwaters. Look around and enjoy the stunning scenery, dotted with coconut trees and reminiscent of a paradise lost.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Family Home Meal Experience Enjoy a visit with a local family in Alleppey and get a real taste of Southern India culture and what life in the backwaters is like. Enjoy a demonstration and learn how to cook some delicious dishes, intrinsic to Southern Indian cuisine. After dinner, kick back and relax, getting to know our local hosts and what daily life in Kerala is like.

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 12: Kerala Backwaters - Vypin Island

This morning, meet with a representative of the Vembanad Wetlands Conservation Program to learn about the ongoing work by local communities to conserve the lake and surrounding wetlands. This project was created by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), an organization that the National Geographic has collaborated with on many conservation projects across India over the past decade. Continue by boat to a fish sanctuary established by traditional fishermen through the program. Meet with some of the fishermen and see firsthand how their traditional ways of collecting and processing clams are models for the management of lake resources. After, continue to the beach to relax in paradise with free time to explore.

Private Vehicle Kerala Backwaters – Vypīn Island 1h30m-2h Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Visit Vembanad Wetlands Conservation Program Meet with a representative of the Vembanad Wetlands Conservation Program to learn about the ongoing work by local communities to conserve the lake and the surrounding wetlands. This project was created by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), an organization National Geographic has collaborated with on many conservation projects across India over the past decade. After learning about the program, travel by boat to a fish sanctuary established by traditional fishermen through the program. Meet with some of the fishermen and see firsthand how their traditional way of collecting and processing clams are models for the management of lake resources.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 13: Vypin Island

Free time on Vypīn Island.

Enjoy some free time, relax on the beach, visit the spa, or go cycling.

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 14: Vypin Island

Transfer to the airport where you will fly back to London Heathrow

Meals included: Breakfast