Just Back From: India with our Destination Specialist Lisa Newby-Fraser

Shake your hips like a Bollywood star, wander through centuries-old cities, marvel at Rajasthan’s most romantic locations, and go deep into the jungle in search of tigers. Our destination specialist, Lisa, is just back from India with this bespoke itinerary.

*Our India expert, Lisa, recently re-visited some parts of the country in search of the best accommodations, experiences, and dining options. Image courtesy of Lisa Newby-Fraser*.

When people think of India, they conjure images of colorful festivals, tongue-tingling curry, and spiritual yoga retreats—and for good reason. These things are all part of India’s allure, but there is so much more to this enchanting country.

It’s a place of stark contrasts, rich cultural heritage, and a heady mysticism that never fails to capture the imagination. They call India a “subcontinent” for its geology, but it’s so huge and diverse in culture and landscape that it feels more like a true continent. New Delhi, a chaotic blend of cosmopolitan and traditional, is a feast for the senses. In Pench National Park, India’s steamy heartland, graceful tigers wander the forest. Ancient cities, such as Jodhpur and Udaipur, charm travelers with their history, temples, and romance. Combine captivating culture with spectacular wildlife and take a walking safari through the hills of Jawai led by the Rabari tribe.

With so many layers, India is a destination you never get tired of visiting. There’s always something new to experience. By mostly sticking to the central regions of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, this immersive India itinerary is the perfect introduction to its many contrasts.

Days one to three: New Delhi—The Leela Palace

*New Delhi, India’s sprawling capital, is the perfect introduction to this complex, compelling country.*

Dive headfirst into India’s colorful chaos with a short stay in Delhi. First, drop your bags at The Leela Palace, an elegant luxury hotel with a world-class spa, rooftop pool, and a reputation for gastronomic excellence across its four restaurants (try Jamavar for authentic Indian specialties). Out in the city, Delhi overflows with culture, history, nightlife, and excellent eating opportunities. Wander the ancient streets of Old Delhi and haggle for silver jewelry, fine fabrics, and all manner of other wares at the sprawling Chandni Chowk market. Pay a visit to the Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Jama Masjid, a sandstone mosque with impressive towering minarets on either side.

For dinner, The Spice Route (at The Imperial), one of the finest restaurants in India, takes you on a culinary journey from East Asia to India, taking influence from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia to Thailand and Vietnam along the way. The Indian Accent (The Lodhi), meanwhile, offers Indian cuisine with a contemporary, inventive twist.

Days four to six: Kanha National Park—Kanha Jungle Lodge

*Seeing a Bengal tiger in the wild is one of India’s greatest wildlife experiences. Image courtesy of Sujan Sher.*

Leave the city behind for India’s steamy central heartlands in search of tigers. Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh, blanked by large forest and grassland areas, is an important center for Bengal tiger conservation with a healthy population of these elusive big cats. Stay at Kanha Jungle Lodge on the park’s edge and join expert guides for daily safari drives into the bush. Enclosed by a peaceful forest, the lodge was built with minimal impact on the surrounding environment and is run using eco-friendly principles. When you’re not out searching for tigers, take nature walks, visit nearby villages, and enjoy a cooking class with local women. Other notable species in the park include leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, barasingha (swamp deer), and around 300 types of birds.

Days seven to nine: Pench National Park—Jamtara Wilderness Camp

*After a day of searching for tigers on safari, enjoy the starlit sky above Pench National Park. Image courtesy of Jamtara Wilderness Camp.*

There’s more wildlife on the agenda next with a visit to Pench National Park, the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s classic story “The Jungle Book”. Pench offers another great chance to spot tigers in the wild, with tiger numbers thriving thanks to the region’s impressive conservation efforts. You can also see chital (a type of deer), jungle cat, Indian wolf, leopard, gaur (similar to a buffalo), four-horned antelope, and sloth bear in the park. Stay at Jamtara Wilderness Camp, a calming camp surrounded by teak forests. Run by the Sankhala family, Jamatra has a strong conservation focus, with expert naturalists on hand to take you on safari, nature walks, and bike rides. Its luxury tents are surrounded by nature, with views looking straight into the surrounding forest.

Days 10 to 11: Mumbai—Taj Mahal Palace

*Mumbai’s busy markets are the heartbeat of the city. Take a tour of the best with an expert guide. Image courtesy of Lisa Newby-Fraser.*

An overnight in Mumbai gives you a chance to explore this engrossing city’s vibrant street markets, hidden temples, and infectious Bollywood scene. Head out on a guided tour of the city and make a stop at Crawford Market, an enormous shopping area, where you’ll find fruits, fabrics, and everything in between. Next, go down to Mumbai Harbor and take a boat to Elephanta Island. These imposing rock-carved temples date back to AD 450 and are dedicated to the god Shiva. If you’re up for something completely immersive (and a lot of fun), we can arrange a Bollywood dance class, where you’ll learn the signature moves to some of Indian cinema’s classics. After your class, retire to the Taj Mahal Palace, an elegant waterside hotel that has hosted Maharajas, dignitaries, and eminent personalities from around the world. In the evening, unwind with traditional Indian rejuvenation therapy at the Jiva Spa, which includes aromatherapy massages, treatments, body scrubs, and wraps.

Days 12 to 13: Jodhpur – RAAS Jodhpur

*The distinctive blue houses of Jodhpur’s old city have made it a popular place for photo opportunities.*

Jodhpur is a photographer’s dream city with its blue houses, warren of old town alleys, and magnificent hilltop fort. A walking tour will give you plenty of opportunity to capture it in all its glory as you meet local people, enjoy regional dishes (such as dal baati churma and gatte ki sabzi), and see its famous artisans at work. In the mood for shopping? The state of Rajasthan is known to produce some of the finest textiles in India, and Jodhpur is a fantastic place to shop for authentic pieces, particularly bandhani, a colorful tie-dye textile with intricate patterns. We can arrange for a guide to take you shopping at the city’s best markets. Stay at RAAS Jodhpur, a boutique hotel housed within a renovated 18^th-century townhouse.

Days 14 to 15: Pali District—Sujan Jawai

*Track leopard with expert local guides across one of Rajasthan’s great wildernesses, the hills of Jawai. Image courtesy of Sujan Jawai.*

Next, head out into Jawai, the rock-strewn wilderness of Rajasthan, for a potentially trip-defining experience. Jawai is one of the best places in India to see Indian leopard, but it’s the area’s strong cultural identity that makes the wildlife experiences so special here. Staying at the luxury tented camp Sujan Jawai, your game drives and walking safaris will be led by the Rabari tribe, a nomadic people who have inhabited the area for hundreds of years. You’ll be accompanied by expert trackers and guides as they teach you the lay of the land in this under-visited part of India. Besides leopard, you can see jungle cat, striped hyena, sloth bear, and jackal. In between wildlife experiences, take a special horseback tour of the area on Marwari and Kathiawari horses, specially bred for desert conditions.

Days 16 to 18: Udaipur—Taj Lake Place

*Udaipur is one of India’s most romantic cities for its lakes, palaces, and temples.*

Known as the ‘City of Lakes’ for its three interconnected lakes, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, and Swaroop Sagar, Udaipur is one of India’s most romantic cities—and the perfect place to finish your adventure. Sail out to The Taj Lake Palace, the fairytale island hotel at the center of Lake Pichola. Floating on the water like a giant white lily pad, the hotel was once a royal resort for the Mewar dynasty, and it’s fair to say that the regal level of service has remained intact—there’s a round-the-clock water taxi service, a floating spa, and each room has a 24-hour private attendant. If you can pull yourself away from the luxury of your accommodation, take a sunset cruise on the lakes, explore the city’s many extravagant temples (the Shree Jagdish Temple is one of the most impressive, with three floors of hand-carved stone), and nourish your soul with a rooftop yoga session.