SARIS & SADHUS

A Soulful Journey through India

Central India, Delhi & Around, Mumbai & Western India, Rajasthan

Duration: 14 nights

Price: From £8,050 per person in low season based on two adults travelling together and including all flights in economy class, accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, private transfers, train transportation, experiences as stated and taxes

India is a fertile cradle of religion, with Hinduism and Buddhism among the major world traditions which were born here. On this luxury India holiday, you’ll visit Hinduism’s holiest city in Varanasi and take a detour to the birthplace of Buddhism, Sarnath. You’ll also learn from yogis in Rishikesh, visit the iconic cities of Delhi and Jaipur, and feast your eyes on the ultimate Indian icon, the Taj Mahal. Your journey ends in Goa, a tropical paradise and the perfect place to finish with a few days’ beachside relaxation.
Perfect forExperiencing India’s spiritual heart, and paying a visit to the Taj Mahal.
In the knowExtend your trip to include a visit to Mumbai, India’s most glamorous city and the home of Bollywood.

Best for

  • Cultural Immersion
  • Educational
  • History & Heritage
  • Repeat

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Itinerary details

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2 nightsDELHI

Your journey begins in India’s enchanting capital, Delhi. Having changed hands innumerable times over the centuries, between Mughals, Afghans, Turks and many more, it’s no surprise that the modern city is a fascinating melting pot of history and culture. Humayun’s Tomb is a remarkable example of Mughal architecture, the mausoleum of the former emperor looking more or less as it would have done when it was built in the 1500s. The imposing Red Fort is another testament to the might of that longstanding empire. The Akshardham Temple, opened in 2005, is an ornate, extravagant Hindu mandir which shows that the vitality - and grandiosity - of India’s religious life is something of the present as much as of the past.

Included in your stay is a tour of some of Old Delhi’s markets and artisan boutiques - the perfect place to pick up a souvenir of your visit. Your home for two nights in Delhi is the Lodhi, a stylish design hotel in the heart of the city.
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3 nightsRISHIKESH

Departing Delhi, you’ll board an hour-long flight to Dehradun then be privately taken the short distance to Rishikesh, your next stop. The self-described yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh became forever ingrained in the western imagination when the Beatles came here to study under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late 1960s. Today, it’s home to a huge number of ashrams and other centres where you can learn yoga and meditation under the guidance of experienced teachers.

An unmissable experience during your time in Rishikesh is the famous Ganga aarti, where priests and devotees light lamps and candles garlanded with flowers on the banks of the holy River Ganges, worshipped in India as a mother goddess. You’ll spend three nights at Ananda, a luxurious spa hotel in the Himalayan foothills overlooking Rishikesh.
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2 nightsVARANASI

With Rishikesh having whet your whistle for all things spiritual, you’ll head back to Dehradun for a flight to Varanasi, Hinduism’s holiest city. Varanasi’s an intense place. The most vivid and intense city in one of the most vividly intense countries on earth, it pulses with the life of over a million sadhus and devotees, weavers, glassblowers, and musicians, centred on the banks of the life-giving Ganges.

Like in Rishikesh, evening aarti is an unmissable experience, and a walk along the riverside ghats, where the pious pray and dead bodies burn, is a fierce but unforgettable snapshot of life and death in this ancient city.

Varanasi’s reputation as a potent nexus for spirituality is compounded by its proximity to Sarnath, a nearby deer park where the Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. A trip to the city’s silk weavers is a great opportunity to pick up some beautiful handicrafts. You’ll spend three nights at the regal Nadesar Palace, overlooking the Ganges. 
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2 nightsAGRA

The next stop on your journey is Agra, which you’ll reach in classic Indian style, with a 9-hour journey on one of the country’s famous trains. While the Ganges is the country’s spiritual lifeblood, it’s the railways which keep India ticking over in the earthly realm, and a fantastic way to experience travelling here as you watch the countryside whizz by outside your window.

ON arrival in Agra, there’s no doubt what will be at the top of your agenda: the Taj Mahal is arguably the most beautiful building in the world, and is particularly stunning at sunrise and sunset. It’s not the only attraction in this area, though: nearby lies the city of Fatehpur Sikri, once the capital of the Mughal Empire and still an incredible example of Mughal architecture.

A walk through the nearby village of Kachpura provides an insight into the traditional culture of Uttar Pradesh, and also affords alternative views of the Taj. Your home during these two nights is the extravagant Oberoi Amarvilas. 
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2 nightsJAIPUR

Departing Agra after 2 nights, you’ll be taken by private transfer (4hrs) to Jaipur, the capital of the Land of Kings, Rajasthan. Arriving in Jaipur, you’ll see immediately why it’s known as the Pink City, with red sandstone and marble as far as the eye can see; a vintage car tour is a great way to get to know the city in classic princely style.

Jaipur is also famous for its arts and crafts, with its enamelwork, pottery and wooden puppets all earning renown - all make for a great souvenir or gift. Among the myriad historical and cultural attractions in Jaipur are the bright pink City Palace, and the eye-catching Palace of Winds, with a huge façade looking out over the city. Your home for two nights in Jaipur is Rajmahal Palace RAAS Jaipur, the former home of the Maharajah.
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Goa

3 nightsGOA

After 11 nights of adventures through northern India, there’s no better way to relax and unwind than with a few days in Goa, long a favourite of domestic and international sunseekers, ravers and hippies. A tiny state on India’s western Arabian Sea coast, Goa is blessed with beautiful golden beaches and a rich culture born of interaction with Portuguese colonisers, and the rich abundance of seafood has given it a reputation as having some of the best cuisine in India - and that’s saying something.

You’ll spend the last three nights of your journey at Ahilya by the Sea, a beautiful traditionally-built hotel in the quiet fishing village of Nerul - the perfect place to spend a few days relaxing at the end of your trip.
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Travel is not recommended

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
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