Arrive Mumbai

Please be in Mumbai no later than today. If arriving directly from New Zealand or Australia, you are able to depart on Sunday morning (19 October) and connect same day to Mumbai through Singapore with Singapore Airlines (SQ424 Singapore - Mumbai arriving around 10.00pm). 

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Accommodation: 5-star International Hotel, Nariman Point

Meals: No Meals included today

Mumbai

Start the day with a fantastic breakfast – there’s a huge assortment of Indian and Western options. After a morning group briefing, we’ll head to the Fort and Kala Ghoda districts of Mumbai, an area of Mumbai home to some magnificent architectural history of the British Raj including the stunning neoclassical Asiatic Society of Mumbai Town Hall, the Victorian Gothic-style Bombay High Court and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway Station. No visit to Fort should miss a stop in the Kala Ghoda Arts Precinct, a network of narrow laneways housing some of the city’s finest cultural establishments, including art galleries, boutiques and museums.

We’ll enjoy a progressive food walk through the area and then you’ll have free time this afternoon before another spectacular meal. Tonight we’ll have a curated spice themed dinner.

Accommodation: 5-star International Hotel, Nariman Point
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Mumbai

It’s an early start to see Mumbai wake up with a visit to the bustling fishing community and other morning markets of Mumbai. After a late breakfast there's time to freshen up before we head out again to start our discovery of India's self-proclaimed Street Food capital! Dive into the flavours of Mumbai with a Mumbai Masala Spice Tour followed by a Malvani Thali for lunch, a style of food with a distinct flavour and bright red colour.

Spices have seduced cooks and conquerors down the ages. Over time many culinary cultures evolved all-important spice blends - go-to masalas, or magical “secret ingredients,” that became iconic to their flavour profile. We will visit Mumbai's seductive Mirchi Galli (Chilli Street) to see an iconic spice shop and interact with its owner to understand what makes a masala. Learn about Indian spices and dive into the history and evolution of legendary iconic masalas or spice blends of Mumbai community-based cuisines such as the East Indian Bottle Masala, Bohri Kari, and more. Explore stories of their origins and evolution, and understand their intrinsic role in their mother cuisines. We will also make our own masala to take home.

There’s free time this afternoon before we dine tonight at a modern Indian restaurant.

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Accommodation: 5-star International Hotel, Nariman Point
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Mumbai

Enjoy a morning at leisure or join us for a quick shopping experience to glam up for Diwali! Today we will head to a private residence for a Gujarati feast to celebrate Diwali. Derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, meaning “row of lights”, Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. During Diwali, homes, businesses, and public spaces glow with diyas (small clay oil lamps) and dazzling firework displays. Families come together to enjoy sweets, exchange gifts, and celebrate. This is a hugely significant feast celebration in India. A chance to dress up and come with an empty tummy!

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Accommodation: 5-star International Hotel, Nariman Point
Meals: Breakfast and an Epic Lunch (and you probably won’t need dinner!)

Mumbai to Madurai

After a late start, we head for the airport to fly south to the Tamil Nadu city of Madurai an ancient city with a skyline dominated by the 14 colourful gopurams (gateway towers) of the Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple which we will visit early this afternoon. Tonight enjoy a dinner at the home of a local friend and guide for you to try some of the local flavours of this region. 

Accommodation: A 5-star majestic hilltop retreat
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner (there'll be a snack on the plane too)

Madurai to Thekkady

We hit the the road after breakfast for a fascinating drive across the plains of Tamil Nadu before we start our ascent of the Western Ghats. As we climb, you will start to see evidence of the lush spice and tea plantations unfold in front of your eyes. We will arrive at a spice plantation for lunch where you will have the chance to walk around to see the huge range of spices grown here - cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, mace, cloves and more. A true odyssey! Later this afternoon we head to our accommodation high in the hills for a night to relax.

Accommodation: Luxury Thatched-Roof Cottages
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Thekkady

After a late start, today we will explore Thekkady and surrounds - visit a tea factory and enjoy a tea tasting, see a local cardamom processing unit with a hands on cardamom grading and sorting experience, and have the chance to shop for spices and tea to take home. A quiet night tonight.

Accommodation: Luxury Thatched-Roof Cottages
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Thekkady to Kochi

After breakfast we will start our descent toward Kochi. Enroute we will stop at another local spice farm to see the spice treasures of pepper, ginger, turmeric and chilli growing alongside an assortment of vegetables, tapioca, yams, sesame seeds and different tropical fruits.

We’ll enjoy a Syrian Christian lunch, unique to Kerala. Here you can try a range of stews (such as chicken, lamb, or duck seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, green chillies and coconut milk), meat thoran (dry curry made with shredded coconut), vindaloos (spicy curry), sardine and duck curries, meen molee (spicy stewed fish), beef cutlets with sallas (beef cutlets served with a salad made of onions, green chillies and vinegar) and peera pattichathu (a dry fish dish made with grated coconut).

We'll arrive in Fort Kochi later this afternoon. For those who are keen, dinner tonight is at a local café with great seafood and other curries.

Accommodation: A 5-star international style hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 

Kochi

​This morning you have free time to explore the quaint seaside town of Fort Kochi. There's lovely cafes and shops to browse here, all an easy walk or tuktuk ride away. ​​Fort Kochi is an historic Portuguese port town with a very interesting and colourful history. You'll see Chinese fishing nets, murals and antiquities and you can indulge your senses browsing traditional spice and antique markets, visit the Jewish quarter and the original grave of Vasco da Gama.

We'll meet for lunch to enjoy a curated Keralan lunch at a lovely local cafe bakery, and community art hub and later this afternoon we'll see a local Kathakali performance in the early evening. Tonight's dinner will be a seafood feast - a celebration of Malabar culture and food.

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Accommodation: A 5-star international-style hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Kochi

After breakfast, enjoy a Spice and Food History Walk that unravels the global spice connections of Fort Kochi. You will explore the rich cultural diversity of South India from Portuguese to Chinese to Jewish cuisine and more.

In the late afternoon we head to a local village for an unforgettable evening dining on the backwaters. You’ll punt out to the Chinese fishing nets to watch the sunset, see the traditional nets in action, a mesmerising sight as the key turns pink and gold and then enjoy a locally prepared dinner on a floating pontoon as you learn about how environmental changes are impacting this fragile community.

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Accommodation: A 5-star international-style hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Kochi to Lucknow

It's a travel day today. After breakfast, we will make our way to the airport and onward north to Lucknow. There's a connecting flight stopover enroute. We will have a quiet night tonight ahead of an exciting day tomorrow!

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Accommodation: A 5-star Contemporary Hotel
Meals: Breakfast (There'll be a snack for lunch on the plane)

Lucknow

Get your tummies ready for a day of deliciousness! We start with breakfast at a 100-year old iconic diner in the heart of old city and explore the architecture and history of the oldest market in Lucknow, built in emperor Akbar’s time. We'll spend time visiting the Imambaras to understand the story of Lucknow’s founding, glory and eventual downfall. The stories of Nawabs and their architecture and the legacy of British and French in the city.

Stop for coffee and experience Lucknow’s most iconic products — the Ittar, Lucknow’s legendary handmade perfumes and Chikankari, the centuries old craft of hand embroidery. Browse through the main markets and shop for kurtas, tops, saris, perfumes, handicraft and more.

Meet for a late lunch at a 60-year old Art Deco mansion with an exhibit of food of Lucknow’s homes which includes heirloom and lost recipes from the city’s old families. Meet the curator and discuss nuances of Lucknow’s food and culinary culture. Explore the craft museum and shop in the premises.

We'll wrap this incredible day with a chaat trail (chaat means 'lick') to not just taste Lucknow’s most iconic street fare but also understand the context of chaat in the city — and how it is different from everywhere. Start with one of the oldest and most popular joints and then move on to several others - all among the top in the city. If you have the room, post-chaat, sample some of the finest mithai (sweets) in Lucknow.

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Accommodation: 5-Star Contemporary Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Street Eats Dinner

Lucknow to Agra (via Kannauj)

After an early breakfast, we are on the road heading in the direction of Agra, but not before a very special stop. Kannauj is primarily known as the perfume capital of India due to its long history and tradition of crafting attar, a type of traditional Indian perfume. We will spend the day exploring the connection between scent and spice with an 8th-generation rose grower, perfumer and chef at his gorgeous property.

This is true farm-to-fragrance perfume tourism giving you the chance to experience the process of perfume making from visiting a local rose distillery, learning about the perfume essence extraction process to then spending time at a Perfume Bar to learn about the whole process. This is where many of the world’s perfumes begin. All this is offered with truly delightful hospitality accompanied with a delicious lunch.

After lunch we will depart for Agra. You’ll need a free night to reflect on a fabulous day!

Accommodation: 5-Star Contemporary Hotel

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Agra

This is it…an early morning guided dawn visit to the Taj Mahal! You'll have the chance to explore the surrounding gardens, venture inside, see this magnificent structure from every angle and hear the fascinating love story behind the most romantic building on earth. We’ll be back to the hotel for breakfast and freshen up before exploring some of other monuments and sights of Agra including the Agra Fort. We will enjoy a South Indian style Thali for lunch before we drive to Delhi this afternoon. It's a free evening tonight after an early start.

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Accommodation: 5-Star Boutique Hotel

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Delhi

After breakfast we will head to Humayun’s Tomb, built between 1565 and 1572 and the final resting place of Humayun, the second Mughal emperor. This stunning structure rises spectacularly above the surrounding palm-fringed gardens. The first great example of a Mughal garden tomb, it was the inspiration for several later monuments, including the incomparable Taj Mahal.

There is free time for the rest of today to take in some of the sights of Delhi, or get some shopping done! We have plenty of recommendations.

Tonight we will enjoy a farewell dinner at one of India's finest restaurants. 

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Accommodation: 5-star Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Depart Delhi

Despite it being the last day, the tour isn't quite over...

Start the day with a breakfast walk in Old Delhi. Eat and learn about the food culture and evolution of this fascinating city. Walk through the bustling back streets to the Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India that was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656. Afterwards we wander through the backstreets of the market laneways with mansions, colourful bazaars – including Jain temples, the riotous wedding market and street food stalls. From here, we take a bicycle rickshaw down the heart of Old Delhi - Chandi Chowk - before the one stop that tops is all is Khari Baoli, the Old Delhi spice market. As Asia’s largest spice market, you can be sure that this street is not only busy and chaotic but the air will be filled with spices too! It’s hot, crowded, intense and you’ll be sneezing all the time. But, it’s an experience you cannot miss when you’re in Delhi!

After lunch return to the hotel to finish packing before our early evening airport transfer for flights out later tonight...or stay on and keep exploring!

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Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

• Fully escorted by Sarah Meikle and Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal

• Airport meet and greet and departure assistance

• 5-star accommodation throughout

• Most meals included:

  • Daily Breakfast

  • 11 x Lunches

  • 9 x Dinners

• Activities / Monument and Temple entrances as per programme (including English-speaking Guides and Tips as needed):

  • Diwali Celebration

  • Mumbai at Dawn Tour

  • Masala Spice Tour

  • Fort and Kala Ghoda Tour

  • Kochi Spice Outlets Tour

  • Kochi Spice and History Walk

  • Kerala Spice Farm Visits x 2

  • Kerala Chinese Fishing Nets experience

  • Lucknow Heritage Trail

  • Lucknow Guided Shopping Tour

  • Lucknow Craft Exploration and Embroidery Workshop

  • Lucknow Chaat and Mithai Street Food Tour

  • Private Kannauj Rose Perfume Experience

  • Taj Mahal

  • Agra Fort

  • Old Delhi Walking Tour

  • Bicycle Rickshaw in Chandi Chowk

  • Old Delhi Spice Market Tour

  • Humayun's Tomb​

• All airport transfers in India

• Air conditioned coach transport for full duration of itinerary

• All Domestic Flights (Mumbai - Madurai; Kochi - Lucknow) with 25 kilos luggage allowance per person

• Unlimited mineral water in coach and hotels

• Pre-departure advice and support - detailed planning information, Visa application support, additional travel advice, lots of insider tips & knowledge!

• 24/7 support in India from local representative if required

• All applicable taxes

• Plenty more surprises!

• International Flights

• Departure taxes (if required)

• Health & Travel Insurance (you are required to have travel insurance)

• Meals not listed (there aren't many not included)

• Additional tips (mainly hotel porters)

• Spending Money

• Indian entry visa cost (but there's plenty of assistance with your application)

• Vaccinations (if required/desired)

• Additional travel arrangements/activities not noted on itinerary