The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Passage to India: 24 ways to explore in 2024
With new itineraries and experiences complementing old favourites, now is the time to plan your next visit, says Gill Charlton
It is as quick to fly east to Delhi as it is to go west to New York – and with a similar time difference – yet few of us think of India when choosing a winter sun break, a dose of culture or a shopping spree. But at last, all that is changing, as India’s vibrant colours, architectural marvels and luxurious spa hotels become Instagram hits and flight prices fall while connections to the UK increase.
Tourist numbers are picking up, too, with Covid-19 and last year’s visa issues – the result of the UK’s omission from India’s list of eVisa-eligible countries when applications were reopened after the pandemic – firmly in the past. Now, eVisas are once again easy to obtain and valid for up to five years (apply through indianvisaonline.gov.in).
And those who’ve not ventured east since 2019 will find plenty to look forward to. Many hotels favoured by British visitors used the pandemic to carry out major renovations, while many Indians started to explore new corners of their own counto try and loved what they saw, helping many hotels stay afloat. Getting from place to place has become easier, too, with new dual carriageways, express trains and a swanky new airport – so travel is more direct, more comfortable and more practical than ever, with ticking off numerous big-hit attractions on a single trip no longer quite the delusional desire it once was.
Nevertheless India, like its masala chai, remains best drunk in small cups. Covering big distances cherry-pick heritage highlights can induce fort-and-temple fatigue, so it’s far better to vary the pace with a tour that includes stopovers in small towns, wildlife sanctuaries or rural palace retreats between stays in the big cities.
Here are 24 holiday ideas that span the breadth of what India has to offer, combining the best of the new, and the most-loved of the old.
1
A CLASSIC ESCORTED TOUR
The Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur is the country’s biggest tourist draw, taking in the Taj Mahal, the recently repainted rose-pink city of Jaipur, and Raj-era Delhi. There are dozens of tour options but one of the best run – and best value – is Riviera Travel’s classic “India”, led by experienced tour managers and based on well-maintained three- and five-star hotels. The 10-night itinerary also features tiger-viewing in Ranthambore and a heritage hotel in Shekhawati; from £1,949 including flights and most meals (01283 245322; rivieratravel.co.uk). It can also arrange extensions to Shimla in the Himalayan foothills, and to Mumbai and Goa.
2
WINTER SUN IN STYLE
Oberoi Hotels has won Best Hotel Group in the Telegraph Travel Awards three times, and its resorts in Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur provide luxurious bases for a winter sun holiday. Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, built to Oberoi’s exacting standards in the style of a traditional royal palace, is celebrating 25 years. If you can tear yourself away from the heated outdoor pool, set in 32 acres of manicured gardens, there are plenty of curated experiences: from a hot-air balloon safari to cookery demonstrations and Indian wine tastings at the hotel. Double rooms from £450 (oberoihotels.com). Corinthian Travel (020 3583 6089; corinthiantravel.co.uk) offers an eight-night “Luxury India with Oberoi Hotels” trip from £3,475 B&B in high season, with a chauffeured car, excluding flights.
3
INDIA IN SLOW MOTION
The traffic, crowds and hustle of Rajasthan’s big cities can deter firsttime visitors. It’s better to start in the countryside and travel slowly to soak up the sounds, scents and vibrant colours of small-town India. Wild Frontiers is renowned for its small group tours based on family-owned heritage properties. On its “Slow Motion” trip, you ride in open-sided jeeps from Udaipur, the most laid-back of Rajasthan’s big cities, to Castle Bijaipur, superb for walks and birdwatching, to Rudyard Kipling’s beloved Bundi. Wild Frontiers (020 8741 7390; wildfrontierstravel.com) offers both tailor-made and small group tours of the region; 14-night options priced from £3,495 include all meals, but exclude flights.
4
SLOWLY DOWN THE GANGES
The Assam Bengal Navigation (ABN) company pioneered river cruises on the River Ganges, mostly in the delta, sailing upstream from Kolkata to visit the handloom weaving communities along the Hooghly. Its traditional teak and brass riverboat, the stately Rajmahal, also cruises from Patna in Bihar, which was the birthplace of Buddhism. There’s an open-air rooftop deck to enjoy the peaceful rural landscape from a steamer chair, preferably with cocktail in hand. Book direct with ABN (assambengalnavigation. com), which has seven nights from £2,000 full board. Jules Verne Holidays (020 3553 6528; vjv.com) offers packages on Assam Bengal Navigation boats from £3,290 for 10 nights, including flights (with no single supplement on some sailings).
5
ON SAFARI IN RAJASTHAN
The aromas, sounds and colours of India are best appreciated under canvas, and nobody does it better than Jaisal and Anjali Singh, whose family has long been involved in major habitat conservation projects in Rajasthan. Their company, SUJÁN (thesujanlife. com), operates three luxurious camps: SUJÁN Sher Bagh on the family’s private estate next to Ranthambore tiger reserve; SUJÁN The Serai in the desert close to the ancient walled city of Jaisalmer; and SUJÁN Jawai in leopard country where the company has successfully reintroduced native species and uses Rabari shepherds to lead walks and jeep rides through hill country. Prices start from £700 a night, full board, based on two people sharing; Scott Dunn (020 3733 5441; scottdunn. com) can organise bespoke packages which include flights and transfers.
6
ON THE BEACH
Goan beaches are much more inviting than Kerala’s, and the climate is less humid. Head for south Goa where some of the area’s best resort hotels front an uncrowded strand of fine white sand. The Taj Exotica, beside Benaulim beach, is a particular favourite with the British. Set in 56 acres, it has a spa, a children’s club and babysitting. A week costs from £2,099 B&B through Goa Experience (01489 866986; goaexperience.co.uk) who can also book imaginative excursions including an overnight safari to a deserted beach. Alternatively, for a top-end villa holiday, head for the Praya Villas (prayavillas.com), 14 newly built serviced villas, each with four bedrooms with ensuites, private pools and access to a beach bar and restaurant on Morjim Beach, one of Goa’s most unspoilt, where turtles come to hatch. From £885 per night (mahoutuk.com).
7
AN ANDAMAN IDYLL
Cross the Bay of Bengal and discover Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island, one of the world’s most beautiful. Reached through a virgin forest of precious hardwoods, the beach itself is blindingly white and the water so clear you can see tiny fish swim right past your feet while you paddle. Best of all there are no sun loungers, food stands or water toys to blight the Robinson Crusoe feel. There are two places to stay, both with good eco-credentials: Barefoot at Havelock (barefoot-anda man.com), a convivial lodge with tents and log cabins, and the luxurious Taj Exotica Andamans (tajhotels.com), which has an Olympic-sized pool and a resident naturalist. Selective Asia (01273 670001; selectiveasia.com) offers a week at Barefoot at Havelock from £1,695 per person B&B, including two nights in Chennai; excluding flights.
8
A JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF INDIA
To get away from the tourist trail, lovers of all things India increasingly head for Madhya Pradesh in the very centre of the country. Thankfully, the once-poor roads have improved in recent years, making travel by a combination of chauffeur-driven car and train a pleasurable experience. Once visited only for its tiger reserves, the state now has so much more to offer than big cats, including the delightful riverside town of Orchha, the astonishing 3rd-century BC Buddhist stupas in Sanchi and, on the banks of the holy Narmada River, one of India’s finest palace hotels, Ahilya Fort, built by an 18th-century warrior queen. Greaves Travel (020 7487 9111; greavesindia.co.uk) can arrange a bespoke journey to suit your interests from Delhi to Maheshwar from £3,395 per person B&B, travelling by chauffeured cars.
9
YOGA ON THE PEAKS
Six Senses Vana in Dehradun is the place to head for a truly pampered wellness holiday, combining yoga classes with wellness treatments based on Ayurvedic and Tibetan practices. Beyond the estate, paths lead through Himalayan forests to viewpoints and the home of Welsh surveyor George Everest, after whom the peak was named. Ampersand (020 7819 9770; ampersandtravel.com) offers eight days at Six Senses Vana from £4,995 full board, excluding international flights.
10
LUXURY BY RAIL
The views from Indian trains as they wind through timeless rural landscapes full of colour and incident are far more interesting than bowling down dual carriageways in a coach. To ride the rails in style, the elegant Maharajas’ Express is the way to go, its route taking in the erotic temple sculptures of Khajuraho and spiritual Varanasi as well as the Golden Triangle cities. Great Rail Journeys (01904 734154; greatrail.com) offers a 15-night trip from £10,995, full board, including flights.
11
A WALK THROUGH VILLAGE INDIA
Pioneering community walking specialist Village Ways spent the pandemic upgrading its comfortable village guesthouses in the Kumaon mountains south of Nepal. Its village-to-village walks, led by a local guide, are tailored to your ability, from gentle strolls to more challenging hikes. There are magnificent Himalayan panoramas and homestays with plenty of opportunities to engage with local communities. For 2024, it is introducing group holidays aimed at single travellers. The 14-night Complete Himalayan costs from £1,125 per person including all meals and guided walks (00 91 98690 05642; villageways.com).
12
EXTREME MOTORCYCLING
For dedicated bikers, riding a Royal Enfield over some of the world’s most exhilarating mountain passes is the trip of a lifetime. British Bike Tours (07799 060630; motorcycletours.co) can make the dream come true. It has been running its Indian Himalaya tour since 2006, heading out from Amritsar to the remote Spiti Valley and over the 15,000foot Kunzum Pass to finish in Shimla. Trip leaders, including a medic, are British; the support team are local. The two-week trip costs £2,350 per person, half board, excluding flights.
13
A FAMILY ADVENTURE
There is so much to enthral children in India, especially in laidback Kerala. As well as the chance to see elephants in the wild in Periyar National Park, itineraries include floating along the backwaters on a houseboat and stays on farms growing spices, fruit and tea, before taking a local train to the seaside. Families Worldwide (01962 302062; families worldwide.co.uk) offers 11-night trips for small groups of parents and children (in school holiday periods) from £1,945 per person B&B, with some dinners; excluding flights. It can also arrange bespoke tours for individual families.
14
A FLORAL PARADISE
In May, Sikkim in north-east India puts on one of the world’s best flower shows, with many of its 4,000 species bursting into bloom, including rare orchids, rhododendrons and alpines found in remote valleys close to the Tibetan plateau. Nature Trek (01962 733051; naturetrek.co.uk) offers a 16-night trip, escorted by a botanical expert, taking in Sikkim, Darjeeling (reached by mountain railway) and Bengal for £3,995 per person, including all meals and flights.
15
INDIA IN THE SADDLE
Horses feature large in Indian murals and miniature paintings, and the thrill of the chase can be recaptured on a rural ride across Rajasthan. Riding specialist Unicorn Trails (01767 600606;
unicorntrails.com) offers a choice of group and tailor-made itineraries for experienced riders, and non-riding companions can travel in a back-up vehicle (there’s no single supplement if you room-share). A week in the Aravallis costs from £1,845 per person, including most meals, excluding flights.
16
COMBINE NORTH AND SOUTH
Should you go north or south? TransIndus (020 8566 3739; transindus.co.uk) avoids the issue with an escorted tour designed to give a taste of two very different Indias. After the highlights of Rajput and Mughal Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, fly to Mumbai and then south to Kerala, for a week exploring its backwaters, before flopping on the beach at Kovalam. The 13-night tour costs from £1,895 per person, excluding flights.
17
A CULINARY PILGRIMAGE
Head to Mumbai – considered the food capital of India – and follow London-based chef and food historian Monisha Bharadwaj as she leads a six-day group tour showing the diversity of Indian cooking, from street stalls and markets to local restaurants and private members’ clubs. Book through Far and Wild Travel (01768 603715; farandwild. travel) from £2,950 per person, full board, excluding flights. Alternatively, you can opt for its tailor-made 16-night foodie tour taking in Lucknow, Chennai, Kerala and Mumbai.
18
EXCELLENCE IN TEXTILES
Lovers of textiles and all things handmade should head for the state of Gujarat in western India. Ahmedabad’s Calico Museum of Textiles is one of the world’s best, showcasing exquisite fabrics, indigo block printing and embroidery that are still made today in villages around Bhuj. Pettitts Travel (01892 515966; pettitts.co.uk) offers a 17-night Highlights of Gujarat tour that visits many craftworking villages and also takes in the Sun Temple at Modhera, Asiatic lions in Gir Forest, and World Heritage site Champaner. From £3,619 per person, with flights and some meals.
19
TIGER, TIGER BURNING BRIGHT
To see a tiger up close in its natural habitat is a thrilling experience. India has more than 50 reserves, but three stand out. Ranthambore in Rajasthan has made quite a comeback: sightings are common, and this autumn nine tiger cubs have been born. At Bandhavgarh and Tadoba national parks, sightings are pretty much guaranteed if you stay three nights. Wildlife Trails (01946 841495; wildlifetrails.co.uk) arranges bespoke holidays to reserves all over India; nine days taking in Ranthambore, Agra and Delhi costs from £2,490 per person, excluding flights.
20
A TREK AMONG THE NOMADS
Ladakh, in the remote north-west, has wonderful high-level trekking, especially along the Nubra and Markha valleys, strongholds of Tibetan Buddhism where little has changed for centuries. This is walking for serious hillwalkers, and KE Adventure (017687 73966; keadventure.com) has some of the best itineraries, a combination of hotels and camping, for groups of up to 16. A two-week trek along the Markha Valley costs from £2,545 per person, including all meals and flights.
21
THE CITY THAT HAS IT ALL
Kolkata, the “second city of Empire”, is often left out of itineraries, yet it’s packed with extraordinary sights, the legacy of both British and Bengali cultures. A week is hardly enough. Walking is the way to go, and Calcutta Walks (three-hour walks from £20, shared/£40, exclusive; 00 91 98301 84030; calcuttawalks.com) offers the best, employing historians, architects and actors to help travellers understand India and its history – while sampling some of the city’s street food. It also runs a delightful historic townhouse B&B, Calcutta Bungalow.
22
A RAJPUT AND MUGHAL ODYSSEY
Truly expert-led cultural tours of India are surprisingly thin on the ground. The best are offered by Martin Randall Travel (020 8742 3355; martinrandall.com) which has an Essential India tour led by Dr Giles Tillotson, who has written widely on its art and architecture. The 13-night itinerary includes Varanasi, Khajuraho, Gwalior and the Golden Triangle cities, and costs from £7,150 per person, including meals, tipping and guides, excluding flights.
23
CYCLING ACROSS INDIA
Experienced riders can easily handle a coast-to-coast ride across southern India, from the old French enclave of Puducherry to the historic port of Kochi. Along the way are thousandyear-old temple towns and ascents through forests that cling to the Western Ghats before freewheeling down to the palm groves and backwaters of coastal Kerala. A support vehicle will give you a lift if the pace gets too hard, and for an extra cost you can opt for an e-bike. Exodus (020 3131 6076; exodus. co.uk) offers a 13-night escorted tour from £2,299 per person, including most meals, excluding flights.
24
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Each February, master craftspeople come together to teach a series of immersive art and textile workshops hosted from Diggi Palace in Jaipur (wonderfulworkshopsjaipur.org). The one-week courses range from indigo dyeing and textile transformation to embroidery and painting. A particular highlight for 2024 is artist Andrew Logan’s Sparkling Surfaces, sourcing materials in Jaipur’s bazaars to create objets and jewellery that capture the spirit of India. Courses from £1,535. Emma Horne Travel (00 91 99118 74666; emmahornetravel.com) can arrange airport transfers and hotels.