Few countries reward the traveller like India. So much is packed into one nation, from the desert forts of Rajasthan to the palm-fringed backwaters of Kerala. There are tigers to track, palaces to sleep in and rituals that stir the soul. We have travelled here for decades, so we know its rhythms intimately. Every one of our tailor-made holidays is shaped entirely around you. As a result, no two journeys are ever the same.
India overwhelms the senses in the best possible way. So you move from incense-filled temples to silent dunes in a single trip. Meanwhile, the welcome is famously warm wherever you go. The country rewards both first-timers and seasoned travellers alike. As a result, it remains one of our most-loved destinations.
For many, Rajasthan is the India of the imagination. So you wander the painted havelis of Jaipur and the lakeside palaces of Udaipur. The hilltop Amber Fort rises above the old Pink City. You might stay at the romantic Amanbagh among the Aravalli hills. Our Classic Rajasthan and Forts and Palaces tours capture it beautifully.
First-time visitors often begin with Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. So the iconic Taj Mahal sits at the heart of the journey. The marble mausoleum is even more moving at dawn. Our Golden Triangle and Tigers tour pairs it with a safari. Alternatively, the Golden Triangle with a Twist adds a few surprises.
India is also one of the world’s great wildlife destinations. So you can track tigers on a dawn safari in Ranthambore. Camps like Aman-i-Khas put you on the edge of the park. Our Mowgli’s India tiger circuit follows the cats through central India. Meanwhile, leopard, sloth bear and a wealth of birdlife reward patient eyes.
The south offers a gentler, greener India. So you drift the backwaters by houseboat and sip tea in the Munnar hills. The old spice port of Cochin charms with its colonial waterfront. Our Classic Kerala and Slow Kerala tours are ideal for unwinding. As a result, the south pairs perfectly with the busier north.
For something deeper, head to the Ganges or the mountains. So you witness the evening aarti ceremony on the ghats of Varanasi. Further north, the foothills hide remote retreats and gentle walks. Our Remote and Heavenly Himalayas reaches the legendary 360 Leti. Equally, Darjeeling and Sikkim opens up the lush north-east.
India’s hotels are a journey in themselves. So you might choose a converted palace, a tented safari camp or a heritage haveli. The riverside Ahilya Fort is a long-standing favourite of ours. Meanwhile, the Aman and Oberoi properties set the standard for service. Of course, we match every stay to your taste and budget.
Generally, October to March brings the most comfortable weather across most of India. By contrast, the summer months are hot before the monsoon arrives. The Himalaya, meanwhile, is best in spring and autumn. So we tailor the timing to your chosen regions. Either way, we advise on the ideal window for your dates.
Before you go, our guide to getting an India visa answers the practical questions. So you can focus on the fun of planning. When you are ready, simply get in touch with our specialists. We will then craft an itinerary around your interests, pace and budget. As ever, every detail is arranged for you.
Repeat visitors find India endlessly generous. So you might explore Tamil Nadu’s temple towns or the ruins of Hampi on our Hyderabad and Hampi journey. The Andaman Islands add a castaway beach finale. Equally, Shakti Ladakh opens up the high-altitude monasteries of the far north. As a result, there is always a new India to discover.
Some of our favourite moments happen in transit. So you might ride a local train through rural Rajasthan or drift past the ghats by boat. Our Slowly down the Ganges cruise turns the river into the destination. Meanwhile, a private car and driver makes the road feel effortless. In short, the getting-there becomes part of the joy.
Everything we arrange in India is private and hand-built. So you travel with your own car, driver and expert local guides. We book the rooms we would choose ourselves, not allocations. Meanwhile, our partners on the ground are on call throughout your trip. As a result, you explore confidently, even far off the beaten track.
India’s table is a journey of its own. So you graze from Old Delhi street stalls to refined thali lunches in Udaipur. A guided arts and crafts tour of Jaipur reveals block-printers and jewellers at work. Meanwhile, every region cooks differently, from Punjabi richness to Keralan coconut and spice. As a result, mealtimes become highlights in themselves.
For romance, India is hard to beat. So palace suites, lake views and candlelit dinners come easily here. Our Honeymoon to India and Oman adds Arabian dunes to the palaces. Equally, the Golden Triangle and Maldives pairs culture with an over-water finale. In short, a milestone trip belongs here.
Most trips run from ten days to three weeks. So you can focus on one region or combine several. We will advise on a realistic pace.
Very much so. Our Family Holiday to India is designed with children in mind. So the experiences are fun as well as enriching.
Entirely. Every itinerary is private and shaped around you. Simply share your dates and interests, and we will craft the rest.
This immersive private tour of Rajasthan is unique in that it only focuses on staying in top-end homestays and characterful Havelis. This allows you to get an excellent insight into local Indian life, cuisine, and embark on some truly unique, off-the-beaten-track experiences.
The Golden Triangle is India’s classic tour explores the forts, temples, palaces in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. We also add a twist to this by adding in a stay in a rural fort, allowing you to also immersive yourselves in the beauty of the Indian countryside.
This private tour of Hyderabad, Hampi, Gokarna, and Goa gives you a wonderful combination of bustling cities, the amazing historical ruins of Hampi and time to spend on the beaches of Gokarna and Goa.
Combining the cultural highlights of Tamil Nadu and the beautiful beaches of the Andaman Islands is one of India’s best-kept secrets. Start in Chennai, formerly known as Madras, before exploring Pondicherry and the superb shore temples of Mahabalipuram.
Perfect for a first-time visitor to India, delve into the classic highlights of Rajasthan; marvelling at the Taj Mahal, heading out on a tiger safari, exploring the hidden side to the bustling cities of Jaipur and Udaipur, and also having time to experience Rajasthan’s magical rural heartlands.
Perfect for a first-time trip to India, this private tour of the Golden Triangle also includes a visit to Ranthambore National Park where you can see tigers in the wild.
Kumaon is truly one of the most remarkable and beautiful corners of India where you can get off-the-beaten track in style.
Kerala is exceptionally laid-back, and a leisurely private tour allows you to see the markets and history of Cochin, tea estates, wildlife, spice plantations, backwaters and end on the Indian Ocean.
This amazing comprehensive tour of northern India certainly leaves few stones unturned and is perfect for those with times on their hands and don’t want to miss out on hidden highlights!
Combine the bustling and colourful markets of Cochin, wander through tea plantations and cruise the backwaters of Kerala before kicking back on the turquoise blue lagoons of the Maldives on an ultimate twin-centre holiday.
An exquisite experience awaits you as you take a private luxury tour of Rajasthan with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. Stay in immaculate hotels as you leisurely tour through this magical part of India.
For hardened Indiaphiles, Tamil Nadu is somewhat of a holy grail. Lying off-the-beaten-track, you can explore stunning Hindu temples with a distinct Dravidian Culture awaiting you.
Move over Africa! If you are looking for the ultimate safari and beach combination then look no further than India and the Maldives.
This is a perfect combination seeing the highlights of northern India; the evocative city of Varanasi and a private tour of the must-see sights of Rajasthan.
Northern Kerala and southern Karnataka are fast becoming the destinations to visit, a blend of history, culture, coffee hills, wildlife and fantastic beaches.
You might well feel India is a once-only holiday, and as such a combination of the highlights of north and south India might be what you are looking for.
This is India done in style, using the very finest hotels in the top suites, private air charters to cut down on the long drives, and woven together with the most exclusive experiences.
This classic wildlife safari through central India offers the best chance to see tigers in the wild, and also showcases India’s wonderful wildlife diversity.
This wonderful private wildlife safari in India combines Satpura, Pench and Todaba National Parks; all offering an amazing experience not just for seeing tiger, but India’s magical diversity of wildlife.
Ladakh is perfect for visiting India during the summer holidays, being high up in the Himalayas offering a wonderful glimpse into its colourful Buddhist culture.
In recent years, there have been some wonderful developments in luxury tourism to Sikkim; the chance to get completely off-the-beaten track in style.
Delve into India’s colonial past on a private specialist tour which uncovers the history and architecture of the Raj. Visit hill-stations, imperial cities and tea-estates.
Explore the forts and palace of India before kicking back alongside the picture-perfect turquoise lagoons of the Maldives, the ultimate combination of culture and beach.
Spices, elephants, backwaters and beaches await you on a family holiday to Kerala, packed with fascinating experiences and a tropical climate, perfect for a winter-sun family adventure.
Colourful, vibrant and exotic; a family adventure to Rajasthan will no doubt spellbind your children. See the Taj Mahal, tigers, forts and palaces before ending on the beach in Goa.
Get off-the-beaten track with a tour of hidden Rajasthan, perfect for a second-time trip to India. Explore the rural heartlands that many skip on their first experience of India.
If you like to travel and leave no stone unturned, then this long itinerary might be one to base your ideas around. Take in all that Rajasthan has to offer seeing it from top to toe.
Delve a little deeper into Rajasthan on a private tour that perfectly blends the colourful cities with rural charm, staying in lovely boutique hotels as you travel.
The Andaman Islands are closer to Burma and Thailand than they are to India, and yet they haven’t seen the huge development that has blighted many of these picture-perfect beach destinations.
This classic route takes you from Chennai (Madras) in Tamil Nadu, through the hills and into the Kerala to see the tea estates, backwaters and ending on the beach.
Take a leisurely private tour through Kerala, exploring the Cochin, the tea plantations and sleepy villages in the rural heartlands, Lake Vembenad and the backwaters before ending on the beach.
Drift slowly down the Ganges right in the heart of this magical corner of spiritual India, from Varanasi to Patna.
Rajasthan is unquestionably one of the most romantic places on earth, with amazing hotels to match. See the forts and palaces, tigers, the Taj Mahal and kick-back on the beach in Oman to end.
Bombay, or Mumbai as it’s now known by is the beating heart of India, the business centre that draws in countless millions to make their mark in life. In the heart of India, you find the many forests and jungles that are teeming with India’s eclectic mix of wildlife, the most famous being the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Calcutta is often view by Indiaphiles such as us, as their favourite city in India. The architecture is sublime, from the colonial British building left behind, to the maze of small bustling streets and vibrant art scene. Days can be spent just walking around, immersing yourself in the culture and traditions.
India’s western Himalayas are located to the north of Delhi and to the west of Nepal, and consist of rolling foothills leading up to the high peaks in Kashmir and Ladakh.
Northern India holds the subcontinent’s most stirring sights. So the Taj Mahal floats above the Yamuna at Agra, while Varanasi’s ghats stage humanity’s oldest theatre on the Ganges. Between them lie Khajuraho’s carved temples and Lucknow’s refined nawabi culture. We time each visit for the quiet hours, so the wonder arrives undiluted. Every one of …
Strung across the Bay of Bengal, a thousand kilometres from the mainland, the Andamans are India’s castaway secret. So rainforest tumbles to powder-white sand, reefs bloom just offshore and the crowds simply never made it here. Havelock’s Radhanagar Beach regularly tops Asia’s best-beach lists, yet stays gloriously low-key. We know these islands well, so we …
Between India’s better-known north and south lies the Deccan, a plateau of lost empires and green escarpments. So here are the boulder-strewn ruins of Hampi, the sandalwood city of Mysore and the coffee hills of Coorg. Leopards and elephants roam the Kabini forests, while Hyderabad glitters with nawabi splendour. Few travellers come, which is precisely …
Tamil Nadu is located on the south-eastern corner of India, and has an amazing history dating back thousands of years. This Tamil speaking Dravidean state has seen the powerful Chola and Pallava dynasties leave behind temples of unquestionable beauty.
Kerala is located in the south-western tip of India, and is known for its tropical beaches, palm-fringed backwaters and hills of the Western Ghats. Historically, Kerala was the hub of the spice trade, and Cochin (now Kochi) was and is a thriving port that has always been a melting-pot of cultures and people.
Rajasthan is the India of the imagination. So here are the maharajas’ palaces, the camel-coloured forts and the bazaars spilling with silk and silver. Each city wears its own colour, from Jaipur’s pink to Jodhpur’s blue and Udaipur’s shimmering white. We have travelled the Land of Kings for decades, so we know its hidden courtyards …
Almost every journey through north India begins in Delhi, and the capital deserves far more than a transit stop. So two cities share one name: the spice-scented lanes of Old Delhi and the grand avenues of Lutyens’ New Delhi. Eight centuries of empire have left tombs, forts and bazaars at every turn. We know the …
Most importantly, our luxury India holidays are fully customisable and conducted privately. For example, you can arrive and depart on any day you choose, and you travel with your own car, driver and hand-picked guides throughout. We can arrange international flights, or you can book these directly or with air-miles.
We always start with a blank sheet of paper when designing your holiday. Above all, the best way to begin is by calling us for a quick conversation about how we can make your trip to India exceptionally special. For instance, tell us whether Rajasthan’s palaces, Kerala’s backwaters, tiger safaris or the Himalaya appeal most, and where you have enjoyed travelling in the past. As a result, we can craft an itinerary that fits entirely around you.
Furthermore, we can arrange small group travel to India. As a result, if you get together a personal group, the per person prices tend to drop drastically.
Visas: Most nationalities need an e-visa, easily applied for online before you travel; our guide to getting an India visa walks you through it. Time Zone: UTC +5:30.
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A really good time to travel to India. Rajasthan is lovely, but you can expect cooler evenings and nights. It is a little chilly to be heading into the Himalayas. In the south it is a wonderful time to explore Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
February is considered the absolute peak month to visit Rajasthan and the north of India. The days aren't too hot, and the evenings are lovely to sit outside. In the south, Kerala and Tamil Nadi are at their best.
It starts to get a little hotter in March, but it is still a perfect time to travel to India. Rajasthan is still wonderful, as too Kerala and the south. Tiger safaris are superb in March, as it gets hotter and the wildlife are drawn to water sources, making sightings better. It is also a good time to travel to the Himalayas.
April is when the heat starts to build up in India. Rajasthan is starting to get pretty hot, with temperatures making their way into the 30s (degree C), but you have lovely temperatures in the evenings. It is a good time to wander up into the foothills of the Himalayas. Tiger sightings are superb in April. Its the last month of dry weather in Kerala before the monsoons generally arrive in May.
This is one of the best times to visit the hill-station of Shimla, and also up north in Srinagar. Ladakh opens up for the season, and being a high altitude desert, doesn't get affected by the monsoons. It starts to get really quite hot in Rajasthan, but usually the hotels start to release excellent offers. It is again another great month for wildlife safaris before the parks close for the monsoon. The monsoon arrives first in the south so Kerala and Tamil Nadu are probably worth trying to visit earlier in the year.
June is a perfect month to head far up into the high Himalayas in Ladakh. Hemis Festival usually takes place in June, and there are some superb luxury camps to stay in. Rajasthan is at its hottest, well into the 40s by day. The wildlife parks close at the end of June, but it is still possible to visit, and given the undergrowth is so parched, wildlife sightings are superb. Monsoon arrives in Rajasthan and the lower foothills at the end of June, so a visit to Shimla might just work earlier in the month.
July is again superb for Ladakh and Srinagar, maybe look at the superb Shakti Village Houses, well off the beaten track and such an amazing, immersive experience. The monsoon has now arrived in Rajasthan and the lower foothills, turning India green and lush. Rains bring temperatures down into the mid-30s, but it is still very humid.
The monsoon continues, but in the rain shadow, Ladakh and Kashmir are perfect. In Rajasthan, the monsoon tends to ease off a little and the hotels all offer superb rates. As it is close to the Thar Desert, the state doesn't get as much rain as other areas, making a trip possible.
September is India's secret month. Lush and green after a few months of monsoon, the temperatures have returned back down and the humidity has fallen. There are some superb hotel offers in September in India. It is the final month to visit Ladakh before it closes for the season.
October is back into the high-season for Rajasthan, with lovely temperatures and it will be green and lush after the monsoon rains. The tiger parks start to reopen from mid-October, the regrown undergrowth, however, makes wildlife sightings harder. Down south and Kerala and Tamil Nadu are back to their best. The Himalayan Foothills open up, and the views are superb.
November is considered the best month to visit Rajasthan and most of India. The views are at their best in the Himalayas, whether it is Sikkim or the Western Himalayas. Kerala and Tamil Nadu are both good to visit in November, although you get a little rain at night.
December is lovely to India. The temperatures ease off, meaning you can spend most of the day exploring. It gets a little chilly at night in Rajasthan, but it is perfect by day. Another superb time to visit Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It gets a little chilly up in the Himalayas. India is a destination over the Christmas Holidays.
For most of India, the prime season runs from October to March. So Rajasthan, the Golden Triangle and the south all enjoy warm days and cool evenings. The skies stay largely dry and clear. As a result, the great majority of our journeys are planned for these months.
From April, the plains heat up steadily ahead of the monsoon. However, this is prime time for tiger safaris, as wildlife gathers at the shrinking waterholes. Meanwhile, the hill stations come into their own. So the hot months still have their rewards.
The monsoon sweeps up from the south-west from June, turning the country green and lush. So the rains bring temperatures down, though humidity stays high. Kerala’s Ayurveda season peaks now, and the scenery is at its most photogenic. By contrast, most wildlife parks close for these months.
The mountains run on the opposite calendar. So Ladakh sits beyond the monsoon and opens from June to September, when its passes clear. The Kumaon foothills and Kashmir shine in spring, summer and autumn. As a result, India genuinely offers somewhere wonderful in every month.
We arrange totally bespoke trips and design an itinerary that is designed around you. You may have seen a suggested itinerary that we can base your plans around, or we can start with a blank sheet and paper and design something from scratch. You can leave a phone number and suggest a time to call you back, and we can also arrange to do this during the evenings or at weekends if you are busy during the daytime. We can also meet up with you in you fancy a coffee and are based in and around London.