Experiences
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India's Living Culture

Extraordinary Experiences Across India

Travellers today seek meaning beyond monuments. India offers an unparalleled tapestry of encounters — from dawn rituals on sacred ghats and hand-block printing workshops in Jaipur, to Kathakali performances in Kerala and spice-farm lunches in Thekkady. These are the experiences that transform a holiday into a life memory.

Travellers today seek a deeper meaning in their journeys and the future of travel is all about experiences in India. India is a country that offers a plethora of unique and authentic encounters, from the snow-capped Himalayas to the tranquil backwaters of Kerala. India's interests go beyond the iconic landmarks and include unusual experiences that provide lasting memories. The country's landscape is dotted with mysterious wonders that defy the laws of nature, such as temples that pay homage to sacred rats and mystical hills that appear to possess magnetic powers. Visitors can also experience adrenaline-pumping activities like soaring above the clouds, navigating untamed rivers and engaging diverse wildlife in their natural habitats. India is a destination that promises to satisfy the curiosity and wanderlust of travellers seeking original and transformative experiences.

North India

From the imperial grandeur of Delhi and the eternal beauty of the Taj Mahal, to the desert romance of Rajasthan and the spiritual intensity of Varanasi — North India is a world unto itself.

Street food Old Delhi
Must Eat

Street Food in Old Delhi & Galouti Kebabs in Lucknow

Taj Mahal
Must See

The Taj Mahal — The World's Greatest Monument to Love

Block printing Jaipur
Must Do

Hand-Block Printing Workshop — Create Your Own Memento in Jaipur

Nuns Dharamshala
Must Meet

The Nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery, Dharamshala

Varanasi ghats
Must Experience

The Ancient Sacred Ghats of Varanasi at Dawn

Cooking at local home India
Must Not Miss

Cooking Session at a Local Family Home


Curated by Our Experts

North India - Glossary of Experiences

Handpicked, authentic experiences across North India's most extraordinary destinations — each one designed to connect you with the true soul of the region.

Agra

The Colonial Tour

A revealing tour of Agra that offers insight into life and times of a cantonment during the days of the British Raj — a side of Agra most visitors never see.

Tales from Across the River

Explore the lesser-known monuments of Rambagh, Gyarah Sidi and the exquisite Itimad-ud-Daulah - often called the "Baby Taj" - away from the crowds.

Amritsar

Walking Tour of Old Amritsar

An absorbing walk through the narrow streets of old Amritsar en route to the Golden Temple, revealing the layers of Sikh history, culture and daily life in this sacred city.

Delhi

Old Delhi by Rickshaw

Tour the heart of Old Delhi with a local guide on specially modified rickshaws, weaving through the bustling bylanes and vibrant markets that pulse with centuries of history.

Bicycle Tour of Delhi

Explore Delhi up close and personal on pre-planned cycling routes — the perfect way to discover both historic and contemporary neighbourhoods at a leisurely pace.

Evening in Hauz Khas

New Delhi's historic Hauz Khas Village — a medieval reservoir complex now home to the trendiest restaurants, boutiques and galleries in the capital. History meets contemporary cool.

Change of Guard Ceremony

Witness the ceremonial changing of the guard — with horses and a military band — in the otherwise off-limits courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhavan, held every Saturday morning.

Old Delhi Food Walk

Old Delhi is a food lover's paradise. This specially curated walk by a passionate food expert takes you to the most authentic kebab houses, sweet shops and street stalls in Chandni Chowk.

Acclimatisation Photo Workshop

A unique workshop for photographers visiting India. An expert guide sensitises you to the nuances of photographing a different culture and locality — respectfully and beautifully.

Sufism — the Heart of Islam

Wander through a relatively untouched part of Old Delhi with a student guide, exploring Sufi shrines and understanding the mystical heart of Islamic practice in India.

Meherchand Market Experience

Discover this vibrant strip of road that has become one of Delhi's most exciting boutique markets — home to India's most creative young design brands in fashion, home décor and art.

Deogarh

Rural Narrow Gauge Train Ride

Experience a slow, evocative narrow-gauge train ride from Kamlighat to Phulad — a moving window into rural Rajasthan's timeless landscape and village life.

Picnic in the Rajasthani Countryside

An experience with no agenda. Head into the countryside, enjoy food cooked in the rustic manner of ancient Rajasthani travellers, and rest on a charpai beneath the open sky.

Dharamshala

Walk from Bir to Sherab Ling Monastery

Beginning in Bir — famous for paragliding — this walk passes through beautiful villages, a tea plantation, pine forest and concludes at a serene Tibetan Buddhist monastery.

Kangra Valley Toy Train Ride

A charming toy train ride winding slowly through the hills and valleys with panoramic views of the Dhauladhar mountain range — one of India's most scenic rail journeys.

Gwalior

Magic of Morena at Sunrise

Visit the remarkable ancient Hindu temples of Mitawali, Padawali and Bateshwar at sunrise — a rare and magical experience in one of India's least-visited but most extraordinary archaeological zones.

Jaipur

Evening Walk through Artisan Quarters

A beautifully curated evening walk visiting local artisans in their workshops — gem-cutters, lac-bangle makers, potters — with opportunities to taste local street food and meet the people of the city.

Bagru Block Printing Workshop

A hands-on experience where you create your own block-printed artwork under the guidance of a master craftsman. Take it home as a unique, personal souvenir of your time in India.

Pragpur

Masroor Rock Temple Complex

Explore this extraordinary complex of monolithic temples carved from a single rock — the only one of its kind in the entire sub-Himalaya, built in the 6th or 7th century AD.

Walking around Garli Village

Experience the charming, almost medieval atmosphere of Garli village — beautiful mansions, Italianate buildings, mud-built homes and slate-roofed houses along ancient cobbled streets.

Kangra School of Pahari Miniature Painting

Discover this distinctive style of miniature painting, born in the 17th–18th centuries from a blend of Hindu mythology, Mughal and Rajput traditions and the folk art of the Himalayan hills.

Shimla

Pens & Brushes Walk

A literary and artistic walking tour of Shimla beginning at the house of a celebrated English writer and concluding at the residence and gallery of one of the hill station's most beloved local artists.

Udaipur

The Quaint Village of Samal

A perfect stop between Jodhpur and Udaipur to experience authentic rural Rajasthan — village life, local crafts and the warm hospitality of communities untouched by mass tourism.

Udaipur by Cycle

An easy, expert-led bicycle tour of Udaipur's principal sights — the City Palace, Lake Pichola, Jagdish Temple and artisan neighbourhoods — at the perfect pace to absorb their beauty.

Introduction to Indian Classical Music

An intimate session introducing you to the world of Indian classical music, followed by a vocal recital and a live Sitar and Tabla demonstration by accomplished local musicians.

Meet Rare Textile Artists

A rare opportunity to enter the vibrant and diverse world of Rajasthani textiles — meet master weavers, block printers and tie-dye artisans preserving centuries-old craft traditions.

Varanasi

Death & Rebirth — Night Walk at the Burning Ghats

Visit Manikarnika, the ancient burning ghat, to witness Hindu rituals at their most profound. Also visit the Kali temple to understand how the goddess is believed to liberate the soul from the cycle of rebirth.

Northern Bazaars & Hidden Alleys

Explore the most untouched stretch of the Varanasi riverbank, where the great mystic poet Kabir wrote his verses. Discover an 8th-century Krishna temple with a mosque built atop it — a unique symbol of India's plural heritage.

South India

Kerala's tranquil backwaters, Tamil Nadu's Dravidian temples, Karnataka's royal palaces, Pondicherry's French quarters — South India is a world of profound beauty, ancient traditions and extraordinary cuisine.

Kerala seafood
Must Eat

The Delicately Spiced Seafood of Kerala

Kathakali dancers Kerala
Must See

Kathakali Dancers — Masters of Ancient Storytelling

Carnatic music South India
Must Hear

Carnatic Classical Music — India's Southern Musical Soul

Ayurveda Kerala
Must Experience

Ayurveda — Ancient Healing in Its Homeland

Hampi ruins Karnataka
Must Explore

The Otherworldly Ruins of Hampi, Karnataka

Kerala backwaters
Must Not Miss

The Tranquil Backwaters of Kerala by Houseboat


Curated by Our Experts

South India — Glossary of Experiences

From colonial Chennai's heritage trails and Cochin's ancient port to Mysore's royal legacy and Madurai's living temples — South India rewards the curious traveller at every turn.

Chennai

The San Thome Cathedral Walk

An illuminating tour of the San Thome Cathedral — its history, architecture and the remarkable stories surrounding St. Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have been buried here.

An Afternoon with Our Expert

Visit the home of an extraordinary Tamil polymath — author, radio broadcaster, textile worker and food columnist — for authentic Tamil cuisine and an unforgettable insight into Tamil culture.

Story Trail — Steeplechase

Travel through the Christian history of Chennai, from the humble arrival of St. Thomas to the British who built a cathedral of neo-Gothic splendour. Discover the forces shaping Christianity in India.

Vegetable & Flower Market

An amazing riot of colour and energy — experience the morning scale and vibrancy of the Koyambedu market, one of Asia's largest wholesale produce and flower markets.

Dancer's Trail

A journey into the classical dance heritage of Chennai — the heartland of Bharatanatyam — meeting practitioners, visiting academies and watching rehearsals of one of India's oldest art forms.

British Blueprints Walk

A curated route through colonial Madras — Fort St. George, the High Court, the Senate House and the elegant tree-lined boulevards that reveal the layers of British India's southern capital.

Simply South Trail

Explore the diverse regions and communities of South India — each with distinct customs, cuisines, languages and ways of life — through curated interactions, food stops and local encounters.

Cochin (Kochi)

Walking Tour of Fort Cochin & Mattancherry

A walk through two of India's most atmospheric old towns — giant rain trees, colonial buildings, Chinese fishing nets, Jewish synagogues, spice warehouses and diverse communities layered over 500 years.

Discover the Ancient Landscape of Muziris

Learn about Muzuris — the 'Jerusalem of the East' — an ancient port city approximately 3,000 years old that once connected India to Rome, Arabia and China through the spice trade.

Demystifying Kathakali

Meet a Kathakali dance maestro who introduces you to the world of mudras — the elaborate symbolic hand gestures — and explains the mythology, make-up and costumes behind this ancient art form.

Blue Bus Tour

Hop aboard this tour to experience the daily life of ordinary Keralans — local markets, village scenes, fishing communities and the everyday beauty of one of India's most literate and progressive states.

Anglo-Indian Cooking

Learn the fascinating blend of Indian and European culinary traditions with an Anglo-Indian family in Fort Cochin — a unique cultural legacy of the colonial era preserved in extraordinary recipes.

Thekkady

Lunch at a Spice Plantation

Enjoy a traditional local family lunch in the heart of a working spice plantation, learning about cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and vanilla — the spices that once drove the world's greatest trade routes.

Rubber Contours

Explore Kerala's rubber-producing landscape and share a home-cooked lunch with a local family — a wonderfully authentic window into rural Keralan life and the rhythms of plantation agriculture.

Kumarakom

Village Ramble by Bicycle or Tuk-Tuk

Tour the beautiful Kerala countryside — rice paddies, canals, churches and village lanes — on a bicycle or tuk-tuk, meeting locals as they go about their daily lives in this backwater paradise.

Pondicherry

Heritage Walk of the French Quarters

An informative walk through streets lined with colourful villas, painted shutters, wrought-iron grills and ornate cornices — including the beautifully restored salmon-pink Church of Our Lady of the Angels, built in 1865.

Tanjore (Thanjavur)

Three-Day Chola Tour

A comprehensive portrait of the great Chola dynasty — from their legendary origins to their eventual fall — with fascinating stories, temple visits, and at least one authentic Chola-style lunch.

Karaikudi

Chettinad Cooking Lesson

Chettinad cuisine is considered the most aromatic and complex in South India — a perfect reflection of how geography and climate shape taste. Join in and cook an authentic dish rich in rare local spices.

Mysore

Mysore at Dawn by Bicycle

Join a bicycle tour as Mysore wakes up — winding through narrow streets, diverse communities and tree-lined avenues for a picture of a royal city in which time appears to stand beautifully still.

Royal Mysore Walk

Discover how the American War of Independence, the French Revolution and the Battle of Waterloo are all connected to Mysore. Visit the famous 125-year-old market known for its extraordinary vibrancy.

Mysore Silk Tour

Mysore silk is among the purest forms of silk produced anywhere in the world. This tour explores the entire process — from cocoon to finished sari — and explains why these silks are worth every rupee.

Mysore Vintage Jeep Tour

A half-day open-top jeep excursion to Srirangapatna — the island fortress of Tipu Sultan — to hear the extraordinary story of the Tiger of Mysore and his pioneering military use of rockets against the East India Company.

Ghatam Experience

An intimate introduction to the Ghatam — one of the oldest percussion instruments of South India, a clay pot played with extraordinary dexterity — and the classical music tradition it belongs to.

Madurai

Foodie Tour of Madurai

A tasting tour with a slice of history — visit a range of authentic restaurants and roadside eateries selected for their traditional Madurai cuisine, from idiyappam to Chettinad-style preparations.

Once Upon a Madurai

A short but deeply engaging tour of one of India's oldest continuously inhabited cities — with stories of its Pandya kings, Tamil poetry traditions and the magnificent Meenakshi Amman Temple at its heart.

Madurai Dancer's Trail

Each city tells its story through its dances. Discover Madurai's rich performing arts traditions — from temple rituals to classical Bharatanatyam — through meetings with local artists and teachers.

Kumbakonam

Visit a Traditional Vedic School

Visit a traditional patasala where young students live and train to become Brahmin priests, learning Vedic texts by rote through a system unchanged for thousands of years. Listen to their ancient Sanskrit chants.

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