Indian Getaway

Intrepid Travel · 11 days
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
Indian Getaway
11 Days
From AUD $895
Trip Type
Small Group
Activity Level
Average

Rating


 (20 reviews)

Indian Getaway

Indian Getaway

Intrepid Travel · 11 days
4.7
20 Reviews
View Map
Duration

11 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Basic

Physical Rating

Average

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Dive into India on this 11-day adventure and discover a wide range of cultural highlights in a relatively short amount of time.

Highlights

  • With so much going on in the chaotic capital of Delhi, a local leader is a must. Get to know the city with your leader helping you navigate.
  • Have your expectations smashed by the spectacular Taj Mahal during a guided tour that illuminates the building’s fascinating back story.
  • Spend sunrise along the holy Ganges River in Varanasi, watching thousands of Hindu pilgrims bathe in the water as the sun soaks everything in warm light.
  • Tordi Garh is a place few travellers get to see, but you’ll stay in this rural Rajasthani village in style during a night at a 16th-century palace.
  • Travelling across India wouldn’t be complete without a journey on a sleeper train. With padded bunks for comfort and vendors selling chai and samosas, it’s a quintessential Indian experience.

Trip Details

Duration

11 days

Transportation

Auto rickshaw,Cycle rickshaw,Metro,Overnight sleeper train,Train,Public bus,Private vehicle,Jeep

Tour Type

Small Group

Guide Language

English

Starts

Delhi, India

Finishes

Delhi, India

Accommodations

Basic

Travel Style

Explorer, Rail & Cruises

Physical Rating

Average

Itinerary

1
Day 1: Delhi
Namaste! Welcome to Delhi, a fabulously chaotic capital city that will warm your heart and overwhelm your senses. The air is thick with the smell of spices and the sound of mayhem as vendors whip up masala chai on the side streets, locals barter at bazaars for the best bargain, bhangra music blasts from the alleyways, and the honking horns of cycle-rickshaws resonate through vast crowds of colourful sari-clad women. With no activities planned until your welcome meeting at 6 pm, why not head out and explore the streets? It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. After the meeting, perhaps get to know your new travel buddies over an optional group dinner.

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
2
Day 2: Delhi - Overnight Train
This morning, check out the sights and sounds of Old Delhi on a leader-led tour of this enchanting quarter of the capital. Take a ride on the city's modern metro system and get a taste of India's famed public transport with a cycle rickshaw ride through chaotic streets (such as the famous Chandni Chowk). Make a visit to the Jama Masjid – Delhi's oldest mosque and one of its most impressive buildings – then stop by the Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) to learn about the Sikh religion. In the evening, board an overnight sleeper train bound for Varanasi (approximately 13 hours).

Included Activities:

  • Delhi - Leader-led Old Delhi walking tour
  • Delhi - Visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque
  • Delhi - Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple)

Accommodation:

  • Overnight Sleeper Train (Number of Nights: 1)
3
Day 3: Varanasi
On arrival into Varanasi this morning, check in to your hotel and freshen up before heading out on a guided walking tour of the Old City. Set along the banks of the holy Ganges River, Varanasi is the ultimate destination for Hindu pilgrims who travel from far and wide to experience this spiritual city. Overflowing with temples, shrines, and devotees, it might not be one of the world's cleanest cities but there’s no doubt it’s one of the most amazing. It’s a unique experience to navigate through Varanasi's maze of narrow alleyways packed full of small shops, stalls, and lumbering cows. See pilgrims performing rituals unchanged for hundreds of years and pass chiming temples as wafts of incense fill the air.

Included Activities:

  • Varanasi - Leader-led Old City walking tour

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
4
Day 4: Varanasi
Today’s an early start, but it’s completely worth it as you take a boat ride down the Ganges to watch the sunrise. Even if you're not the spiritual sort, you can't help but get goosebumps. Pass the many ghats (stairs leading to the water) and temples along the river, and watch thousands of Hindu pilgrims cleanse their sins in the holy water as the sun bathes the surrounds in glorious shades of amber and orange. Witness the rituals of life and death taking place along the riverbank and be prepared for potentially confronting sights and smells, as this is also where families come to cremate deceased loved ones. The rest of the day is free to explore.

Included Activities:

  • Varanasi - Sunrise Ganges boat trip

Optional Activities:

  • Varanasi - Banares Hindu University (250 INR)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
5
Day 5: Varanasi - Overnight Train
Today there’s lots of free time to explore more of Varanasi before you get a unique slice of Indian life on board an overnight sleeper train bound for Agra (approximately 13 hours). You could take a trip to nearby Sarnath, one of the four main Buddhist pilgrimage destinations and the site where Buddha preached his message of the path to enlightenment. There’s also the crumbling 17th-century fort and palace on the eastern bank of the Ganges, Ram Nagar Fort. Varanasi is home to India’s silk-making industry, so maybe investigate the many silk markets dotted around the city, otherwise, take the chance to perfect your yoga in the ultimate chakra-balancing place.

Optional Activities:

  • Varanasi - Sarnath (315 INR)
  • Varanasi - Ram Nagar Fort (250 INR)

Accommodation:

  • Overnight Sleeper Train (Number of Nights: 1)
6
Day 6: Agra
Agra might not be the prettiest city in the world, but the minute you check out its most famous site that won’t matter one bit – of course, we're talking about the glorious Taj Mahal, and you’ll head out for a guided tour of this elaborate monument on arrival. Afterward, enjoy a free day to explore Agra's alternative highlights. An optional trip on a motorised rickshaw takes you to some of the city’s best monuments. If you’ve got the energy, head out to Agra Fort and stroll the palatial gardens of this red sandstone stronghold or check out Akbar's Mausoleum, a beautiful sandstone and marble tomb built for the greatest of the Mughal emperors. In the evening, perhaps try Agra’s delicious signature curry – butter chicken – or a meal at Sheroes Hangout, a cafe that supports acid attack survivors.

Included Activities:

  • Agra - Taj Mahal

Optional Activities:

  • Agra - Sheroes Hangout Cafe (prices from) (500 INR)
  • Agra - Akbar's Mausoleum (300 INR)
  • Agra - Motorised Rickshaw (300 INR)
  • Agra - Agra Fort (650 INR)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
7
Day 7: Tordi Garh
Jump into private transport and drive through idyllic countryside to Tordi Garh, a village that few travellers venture to (approximately 8 hours). This remote and rarely visited village offers a fantastic glimpse of the real Rajasthan. Once there, meet the locals, visit the old village temple and wander through the markets, gaining an insight into everyday life in this peaceful community. Tonight you’ll sleep in heritage accommodation, a 16th-century palace with its owner as your host. Settle in, then savour delicious local flavours in tonight’s included dinner.

Accommodation:

  • Heritage Property (Number of Nights: 1)
8
Day 8: Jaipur
Journey to Jaipur, India's oh-so-pretty Pink City, by private vehicle (about 3 hours). You'll have plenty of free time here to haggle to your heart's content at the bazaars and backstreets where vendors sell a variety of textiles, precious and semi-precious gems and stunning blue pottery. Enjoy a guided walk on arrival to orientate yourself with the city, then perhaps drop by one of India’s finest palaces, the Royal City Palace. Food lovers will want to hit the streets for raj kachori chaat, a snack served with chutney, yogurt, chili, and potato. Then cool off with a lassi at Jaipur's oldest and most famous lassi shop. Cinema buffs won't want to miss the chance to take in a Bollywood blockbuster at the spectacular Raj Mandir Cinema this evening. Your accommodation for tonight will be in another family-run heritage hotel.

Included Activities:

  • Jaipur - Leader-led walking & market tour

Optional Activities:

  • Jaipur - City Palace (1200 INR)
  • Jaipur - Bollywood Movie at Raj Mandir Cinema (400 INR)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
9
Day 9: Jaipur
If you're keen for a different view of the Pink City, an optional early morning hot air balloon ride is a trip highlight for many visitors. For more information please see the Important Notes. Later in the morning, you’ll drop by Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), the impressive five-storey facade with pink and honeycombed windows is it the most photographed building in the country after the Taj Mahal. Then it’s out to the old capital of Amber and an exploration of the hilltop fort complex known as the Amber Fort. The rest of the day is free for you to spend as you like.

Included Activities:

  • Jaipur - Amber Fort

Optional Activities:

  • Jaipur - Balloon Safari (280 USD)
  • Jaipur - Bollywood Movie at Raj Mandir Cinema (400 INR)
  • Jaipur - City Palace (1200 INR)
  • Jaipur - Jantar Mantar Observatory (200 INR)
  • Jaipur - Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Wind) (200 INR)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
10
Day 10: Delhi
This morning, take a train ride back to India's capital (5 hours). This exciting city is overflowing with incredible historic sites, museums and galleries, shops, and endless bazaars. Watch one of the world's greatest shows unfold as people, cars, rickshaws, and cows all work together in a kind of organised chaos. Perhaps sit back with a chai and let it all soak in as you enjoy a free day to explore. Ask your expert leader for their top recommendations on how to make the most of your time here. This evening, enjoy an optional dinner with your group and toast to your adventures.

Optional Activities:

  • Delhi - Humayun's Tomb (600 INR)
  • Delhi - Qutub Minar (600 INR)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
11
Day 11: Delhi
Your trip comes to an end after breakfast. If you would like to spend more time in Delhi, we would be happy to book additional accommodation for you (pending availability).
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.
AUD $895
(Tour only)
Per Person Twin Share

Duration: 11 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Average

Dive into India on this 11-day adventure and discover a wide range of cultural highlights in a relatively short amount of time.

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 17 Feb 2026

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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
4.5
Nick
Traveled, April 2024

04/12/2024

If you don’t like tours like me, this is brilliant. You still have a sense of independence with efficient use of your time!

5.0
Rachel
Traveled, April 2024

04/13/2024

This trip is phenomenal. A real adventure which explores the rich culture of India in depth and with understanding and sensitivity. The range of acitivies is excellent, we can't reccomend this enough.

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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