India Real Food Adventure

Intrepid Travel · 15 days

4.6

20 Reviews

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Duration

15 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Moderate

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Dig into the sights, sounds and flavours of India on a 15-day food adventure. From Delhi to Goa via Rajasthan and Mumbai, experience everything from street food to home cooked meals, the Taj Mahal to the Amber Fort, and temples to thali.

Highlights

Get a true taste of some of India's finest culinary traditions – Mughal, Rajasthani, and the Portuguese-tinged flavours of Goa – while feasting in local restaurants, street food stalls, rural homes and cooking classes. 
Leave with authentic recipes under your belt after you take part in a plant-based cooking class in a Jaipur home, learn how to make thali in Udaipur and find out how to cook Malvani cuisine in Goa.
See the rich tapestry of India’s culture and history on display, meeting chai wallahs in local markets, visiting local farming communities and spice growers, and dining in Sikh temples.  
Bask in the ivory glow of the inspiring Taj Mahal in Agra, explore Old Delhi and Jama Masjid, and stand in awe of the Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort in Jaipur.
Grab a fork and dig in – this trip introduces you to some of India’s most iconic dishes like kachori, kulfi, chai, paratha, chaat, thali and heaps more.

Trip Details

Duration

15 days

Transportation

Plane,private vehicle,taxi,train,overnight train

Tour Type

Small Group

Guide Language

English

Starts

Delhi, India

Finishes

Goa, India

Accommodations

Moderate

Travel Style

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

Day 1: Delhi

Namaste! Welcome to India. Delhi is an exciting and chaotic capital city filled with historical sites, museums, galleries, shops and bazaars. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. After, celebrate the start of your adventure with a short stroll to a local restaurant for your first taste of North Indian cuisine – a delicious (and completely vegetarian) thali feast. A thali is an assortment of small dishes put together on one platter – the perfect way to sample a range of flavours. After, your leader will take you to a hole-in-the-wall eatery where you may like to sample some of Delhi’s best kulfi falooda, (a delicious ice cream-style dessert). 

Included Activities:

Delhi - Welcome dinner

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 2: Delhi

Ready your appetite and venture out to Old Delhi, wandering through alleyways for an authentic Delhi street food breakfast. Maybe pick up some bedmi, potato curry, sweet fried jalebi or paratha flatbread. Keep your eye out for the local chai wallah, renowned for his delicious milky tea. Next, jump on the city's metro system and head to Jama Masjid, Delhi's oldest mosque. After some time at this ancient building, hop aboard a rickshaw and head to Chandni Chowk – one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi. Visit the spice warehouses in the back alleys of Khari Baoli and meet a seller to learn about the spice mixes they take to market. Visit the Gali Paranthe Wali (lane of parathas). Parathas are one of the most popular unleavened flat breads in Punjabi North Indian cuisine, and you’ll taste some filled with potatoes, cauliflower and paneer. While Hinduism is the dominant religion in Delhi, there is also a significant Sikh population, which you’ll learn more about over a vegetarian lunch at a local Sikh temple. Tonight, you’ve got the option to visit a local family for a home-cooked meal. This provides an insight into the day-to-day life of Delhites, so find out some secret recipes, get involved or just chat with your welcoming hosts. 

Included Activities:

Delhi - Leader-led Old Delhi walking & rickshaw tour
Delhi - Street Food Breakfast
Delhi - Visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque
Delhi - Lunch at a Sikh Temple
Delhi - Spice warehouse visit

Optional Activities:

Delhi - Dinner with local family (3000 INR)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 3: Agra

Jump aboard a local train for an air-conditioned ride to Agra. Famed for one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal, Agra is a city of fascinating history, rich in Mughal heritage. Agra is also home to one of the finest looking forts in India – Agra Fort. Enter the dark red sandstone stronghold and search through throne rooms and tiny but ornate mosques. After, head to the Taj Mahal to explore the grounds and take in the changing scenes as day turns to evening – a truly unforgettable experience. For dinner, join a Mughlai cooking demonstration. Influenced by Central Asian and Islamic recipes, Mughlai cuisine is unique and fragrant. Meet a passionate cook who'll teach you how to prepare classics such as malai ki sabzi (vegetables cooked with cream) and onion paratha (flatbread stuffed with onions and potato), depending on the season.

Included Activities:

Agra - Agra Fort
Agra - Taj Mahal
Agra - Mughlai Cooking Demonstration

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 4: Jaipur

Say goodbye to Agra and drive to the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. Jaipur was designed by royalty and has delighted visitors for centuries with its pink-hued buildings and buzzing bazaars. Jump on a rickshaw and swing by one of India's most photographed buildings, the Hawa Mahal or 'Palace of the Winds’, to snap some pictures yourself. Then, you’ll have the chance to try kachori at the iconic Rawat Mishthan Bhandar for lunch, (a deep fired snack that is typically made from a spiced dough usually filled with vegetables and lentils), a locals' favourite. Other Rajasthani delicacies include breads made of five diffrent flours and served with curries. In the evening, you may like to check out the extravagance of a Bollywood blockbuster, with all the Hollywood-style elements of action, romance, drama and music (sometimes all rolled into one), at the Raj Mandir Cinema.

Included Activities:

Jaipur - Hawa Mahal photo stop
Jaipur - Leader-led orientation walk

Optional Activities:

Jaipur - Bollywood Movie at Raj Mandir Cinema (400 INR)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 5: Jaipur

Travel out to the old capital of Amber and explore the hilltop complex known as the Amber Fort. Overlooking Maota Lake, this opulent palace is the legacy of a fallen empire and a great example of Rajput architecture. One of its most spectacular buildings is the Sheesh Mahal – with its walls completely covered with tiny mirrors, the hall becomes a dazzling fantasy with the light of a single match. For lunch, follow your leader to LMB, a local restaurant opened in 1727. Try their Ghevar! After the meal, If sweets are more your thing, try the mawa kachori (deep-fried pastry stuffed with dried fruits and milk solids, coated in sugar syrup). To finish the day in style, head to a local home for a hands-on cooking class where you’ll learn how to make some plant-based Rajasthani dishes like ker sangri, using dried ker berries and sangri beans. Enjoy the fruits of your labour in the peaceful garden of your hosts, where they grow fresh greens.   

Included Activities:

Jaipur - Amber Fort
Jaipur - Street Food Lunch
Jaipur - Rajasthani Cooking Class and Dinner

Optional Activities:

Jaipur - Balloon Safari (280 USD)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 6: Bijaipur

Leave the city behind and drive to a local heritage stay located in the Vindhyanchal Hills in the Mewar region of south-central Rajasthan – a great opportunity to learn about rural life and culinary customs. You’ll for lunch along the way at a local restaurant. Your accommodation for the next two nights will be at 16th-century Castle Bijaipur – now a heritage hotel with domes, arched windows and doorways, all within the original fortified walls. Take in the palace’s blend architecture as you relax by the pool or in the gardens, enjoying the famous Mewar hospitality. 

Accommodation:

Heritage Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 7: Bijaipur

Today you’ll jump in a jeep and explore the surrounding farming communities. This is a major agricultural area and, depending on the season, you’ll pass through fields growing wheat, corn, maize, lentils, aubergine, spinach, fenugreek, okra, green chilies, tomatoes, potatoes, gourd, onion and garlic. Some of India’s most-loved spices, such as turmeric and cumin, are also grown here. Return to your heritage stay and join the estate's chef to discover how the ingredients you’ve seen today are used in Rajasthani cooking. Savour the results over a delicious lunch in the palace grounds with your group.

Included Activities:

Bijaipur - Countryside jeep safari
Bijaipur - Rajasthani Desert Cooking Demonstration and Meal

Accommodation:

Heritage Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 8: Udaipur

Travel to Udaipur – a charming city known for its Hindu temples and palaces, and small but renowned Jain temples. Jainism is a minority religion in India and is considered among the most rigorous and spiritually motivated diets in India. When you arrive, visit a Jain temple where you’ll learn about the religion and the food connected to it. Jain cuisine is strictly vegetarian and excludes the eating of root vegetables like carrots, onion and garlic due to the belief that uprooting the plant kills it and the micro-organisms around the roots. Taste Jaainist cuisine at the famous Natraj restaurant, serving delicious Jain thali since 1960's! Tonight, you’ll have a free evening for dinner. Udaipur has several inviting rooftop restaurants, so climb some stairs, choose a restaurant and settle in to watch the sun set over one of the city’s shimmering central lakes. 

Included Activities:

Udaipur - Leader-led orientation walk
Udaipur - Lunch at Jain Restaurant Natraj

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 9: Udaipur

Udaipur, also known as the 'City of Lakes', is built around the shores of Lake Pichola and full of fascinating temples, ornate palaces and impressive 'havelis' (merchant homes). Take some time to discover its winding streets and shops full of traditional Rajasthani wares. Visit the City Palace – one of the largest royal palaces in India – and check out the unbelievable treasures within, from vivid murals to antiques and royal utensils. The rest of the day is free for your own exploration. 

Included Activities:

Udaipur - City Palace

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 10: Udaipur - Overnight Train

Awaken your senses this morning with a visit to a local market to browse fragrant stalls and collect ingredients for a cooking class, where you’ll learn how to prepare a traditional north Indian thali meal. Thali varies depending on which region it’s prepared in, and as you’re in Udaipur, you’ll make a vegetarian thali. Typical dishes include rice, dahl, vegetables, roti, papad (deep-fried flat bread), curd (yoghurt), small amounts of chutney or pickle and a sweet dish to top it off. After all that cooking, enjoy the fruits of your labour for lunch. After, head to the Abu Road train station. Tonight, you’ll board an overnight train bound for one of India's great cities – Mumbai. The train will depart late evening and arrive after midday tomorrow. 

Included Activities:

Udaipur - Thali Cooking Class

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 11: Mumbai

Arrive in Mumbai after your overnight train, reaching your hotel by mid-afternoon. Known as Bombay until its name change in 1995, Mumbai is India's commercial capital and largest city. Some would say that Mumbai is also the food capital of India. This is the heart of Marathi cuisine, but you’ll also find huge culinary diversity that celebrates regional cuisines from across the country. In the late afternoon, wander down Marine Drive to Chowpatty Beach. Enjoy the sunset and feast on a dinner made of bhel puri (tangy puffed rice and vegetable chaat), pav bhaji dahi papadi and other renowned Mumbai street foods. 

Included Activities:

Mumbai - Chowpatty Beach Street Food Crawl

Accommodation:

Overnight train (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 12: Mumbai

Time for some sightseeing and soaking up the atmosphere of this incredible metropolis. See the remarkable Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat – at 140 years old this is Mumbai's oldest laundry, and with over 1000 troughs, it’s also the world’s largest open-air, human-powered one. Next, take in some of the city’s key landmarks, including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic railway station, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the bustling Crawford Markets. For lunch, seek out a restaurant known for serving Parsi cuisine, whose community is largely concentrated in Mumbai. The Parsi peoples are descendants of Zoroastrians who are believed to have emigrated from Persia to India in the 10th century. Enjoy a post-lunch stroll to the Gateway of India – a monument built to commemorate the landing of King-Emperor George V, the first British monarch to visit India – followed by a browse of the Colaba street market. The rest of the afternoon and the evening are free for your own food adventures.

Included Activities:

Mumbai - Leader-led Heritage Walk

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 13: Goa

Take a flight from Mumbai to Goa. The locals say that time moves more slowly in Goa, so this is a good opportunity to enjoy a bit of tranquillity in an often-frenetic country. Tinged with a Portuguese flavour, the state of Goa is blessed with lovely beaches, rich traditions, World Heritage-listed buildings and mouth-watering food. After a little rest, venture out for an orientation walk with your tour leader. Enjoy the evening by the Goan beach.

Included Activities:

Goa - Leader led Orientation walk

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 14: Goa

Start the day with a trip to Panjim fish market on the way to Old Goa - a a historic city sitting on the banks of the Mandovi River. While the city is home to around 2500 residents today, between the 16th and 18th centuries Old Goa was a booming spice trade hub with a population of nearly 200,000. Walk through streets lined with ancient churches and historic buildings and check out the local market. Goa's dense forested areas and favourable climate also make it a perfect location to grow the spices liberally used in its cuisine. Visit a spice farm and learn how they are grown, harvested, processed and prepared for use in food and Ayurvedic medicine. See how these spices come together over a freshly cooked lunch at the spice farm before returning to your hotel. Enjoy the last Goan dinner with your fellow travellers at the famous Suza Lobo restaurant by the ocean. Prawns curry rice, chicken xacuti, masala fried fish. The choice is yours.

Included Activities:

Goa - Old Goa tour
Goa - Spice farm tour including lunch

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 15: Goa

Your food adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you would like to spend more time in Goa, exploring more of the city, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.

Exclusions

Flights to and from origin and destinations
Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
Recommended gratuities/tipping
Optional activities/tours
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.

Important Information

Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We willdo our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an Average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling. (Note: I assume each tour has a different description depending on level of fitness required).

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.

Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

From
AUD $3530

AUD $2,824

(Tour only)

Offer ends 03 Oct, 2025 Per Person Twin Share

Duration: 15 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 03 Oct 2025

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Customer Reviews

Overall Rating

Excellent

4.5

Guide

Excellent

4.5

Itinerary

Excellent

4.5

Accommodations

Excellent

4.5

Transportation

Excellent

4.5

Tour Operator

Excellent

4.5

Food

Excellent

4.5

5.0

Kim

Traveled, March 2024

04/05/2024

My husband and I have just had our first small group adventure with Intrepid and we couldn't have picked a better organisation to travel with. Our tour leader Yadvendra Singh Rathore was very knowledgeable and approachable. Nothing was too much trouble and we saw and ate some gorgeous things on our real food tour of India, which we would never have found on our own. We felt safe and cared for at all times and would highly recommend this tour.

5.0

Ginny

Traveled, March 2024

04/06/2024

I have just completed an incredible Intrepid tour of India. It was everything I had hoped for and more. It was the perfect mix of adventure and organisation. Our guide and group became family. I could not recommend higher.

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989

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