Colorful India: North to South

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Colorful India: North to South

Custom Travel | 16 Days

Tailored to you with Golden Triangle highlights and intriguing deviations to consider
Insider looks at the Ganges, Chennai, Mumbai, and the Taj Mahal
Private ceremonies, including aarti at a Varanasi temple and Kathakali dance performance
Tamil Nadu’s temples and Kerala’s mangrove forests
Stays at luxury accommodations with impeccable service

India is more than a repository of ancient civilizations. Its tumultuous and romantic history has shaped the country into a lively, ever-changing mosaic. On this private journey, you travel north to south, meandering through magnificent forts and opulent palaces that date back to Mughals and Maharajahs and investigating traditional Dravidian culture and Arabian Sea waterways. Behind-the-scenes visits include an aarti ceremony on the Ganges, the Taj Mahal at sunset, and a Chennai cooking class. GeoEx’s India specialists are at the ready to adjust the itinerary in length, reach, and activity to better align with your passions. What you see here is simply a starting point.

Rickshaws cycling past the Jama Masjid mosque in Old Delhi, India with GeoEx

Intricate carvings depicting the descent of the Ganga in Mamallapuram, India with GeoEx

Traditional house boat navigating the Kerala backwaters near Alleppey, India with GeoEx

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a UNESCO-listed historic railway station in Mumbai, India with GeoEx

The marble exterior of the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan, India with GeoEx

Man rowing a boat in front of the Bhij Rama Palace in Varanasi, India with GeoEx

Gate leading to the main palace of the Amber Fort in Rajasthan, India with GeoEx

Pilgrims bathing in the holy Ganges River in Varanasi, India with GeoEx

Women in traditional colorful saris, India with GeoEx

The Sri Meenakshi Temple in Madurai sunset, India with GeoEx

Trip Overview

You were great to work with. Your understanding of my interests was reflected in your excellent suggestions for the trip...You made my dream trip a reality. Everything I wanted to do, you made possible and did it in a way that was easy, exciting, and fun.

– Christine K.

Our guide was great. He took care of the details, made certain we were always safe, became a part of our extended family, and provided the right amount of information at each site we visited.

– Steven M.

Day

1 – 2

In pulsating Delhi, travel by bicycle rickshaw to experience the narrow alleys of the Chandni Chowk bazaar, a Sikh community kitchen, and such landmarks as the Jama Masjid mosque and the Red Fort.

Day

3 – 4

Varanasi is a holy city on the Ganges River dedicated to Lord Shiva Observe the aarti ceremony in a temple, explore by boat, and wander enchanting crumbling alleyways.

Day

5 – 7

Fly to Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, and visit the Rajput-era palaces of Jaipur Admire splendid gardens and the UNESCO-listed ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri.

Day

8 – 9

Discover Mumbai’s 19th-century colonial heritage and modern-day neighborhoods, like Dharavi, a hive of entrepreneurship rising from poverty.

Day

10 – 11

Fly to Chennai and make an excursion to Mamallapuram with its stunning collection of shrines and sculptures.

Day

12 – 16

Walk Kochi's magnificent ruins and glide through Kerala's mangrove-lined Backwaters by houseboat Explore wooded islands and revel in wildlife on Vembanad Lake before departing for home.

Note

Many other combinations are possible, including Munnar (surrounded by brilliantly green tea and cardamom plantations), the UNESCO cave sites of Ajanta and Ellora, Odisha (home to 62 indigenous tribes), and Kanha National Park, a fantastic place to spot Bengal tigers.

Dates & Prices

Dates

Custom Trips offered October–March

Pricing

Custom Trip: From $17,850 per person

Internal air: approximately $1030 per person (economy class)

Based on two travelers, double occupancy; please call for individually tailored recommendations and pricing

Inclusions

Expertise of GeoEx’s travel specialists
Services of GeoEx’s in-house air reservations team
All accommodations
All ground transportation and airport transfers
Sightseeing, events, visits, and entrance fees
Meals as noted in itinerary
Bottled water at included meals and while sightseeing
Services of local guides, drivers, and other staff
Some gratuities
Emergency evacuation services and secondary medical expense insurance

A Journey Built Just For You

Take customization to the next level on a journey fully tailored to you. GeoEx's destination specialists will gladly tailor this existing itinerary—or build one completely from scratch—to suit your style, interests, and time frame. Contact us to see what's possible.