Tailor-made India: Introduction

With snowcapped Himalayan peaks, emerald green backwaters, verdant jungles and sweeping desert plains, India’s diversity enthrals visitors. A journey to India leaves lasting impressions of an ancient land populated by an eclectic people whose rich history and traditions are still ingrained in daily life.

In the north of the country the deserts and rolling Aravalli hills remain the realm of the Rajputs, whose ancestral forts and palaces dominate the landscape. Away from the plains the rolling foothills, dotted with colonial hill stations, have long provided respite from the summer heat, while the beneath the stunning backdrop of the mountain peaks vast tea plantations grow the ‘Champagne of the East’. The centre of India is a mysterious land with cave temples, lost cities, national parks rich in birdlife and healthy tiger populations, and the unique tribal groups of Orissa. To the south, the Keralites maintain a lifestyle seemingly in keeping with the languid pace of the backwater canals, while the towering temples of Tamil Nadu are a vibrant display of colour and devotion.

Throughout India Mughal monuments, elaborate Hindu temples and imposing colonial architecture contrast with a rural patchwork of villages and farms, making this an inspiring, beguiling and unique country to explore

Selected Highlights

Our specialists have travelled the length and breadth of the country to research the best places to stay and things to do. Here they list a few of their favourite “unmissables”. Click here for more highlights

Take a riceboat cruise in Kerala

Hiring a converted rice barge is one of the most relaxing ways to explore the backwaters. Children play as you drift slowly along the narrow palmfringed...  [more]

Take an evening boat ride on the Ganges in Varanasi

One of India’s holiest sites, Varanasi can be a sensory overload with teeming narrow lanes, a multitude of temples and the bustling ghats lining the...  [more]

Experience the magic of sunrise at the Taj Mahal

One of the world's most famous buildings, the Taj Mahal is the ultimate monument to love. Visited by millions every year the Taj is often bustling...  [more]