Before activist and avid traveller Annette Richmond joined her small-group tour in India, she booked a cooking class in Delhi. Here’s why a day tour is the best way to kick-start your travels.
I’ve wanted to visit India for as long as I can remember. I envisioned taking photos in front of the Taj Mahal, seeing the colourful fashions up close and tasting everything I could get my hands on. My college friend and I had talked about taking a girls’ trip to India since we attended fashion school. Some 15 years later, we finally did it with Intrepid.
Jessie, my best friend for nearly 20 years, decided to meet me in India after one of my long stints in Asia. I’d been working remotely for nearly a decade by this point and Asia was always a fun place to bounce around. I’d usually start my travels in Thailand, then head to Bali, Malaysia and end somewhere new. This time it was going to be India with Jessie.
I’m an avid solo traveller and I’ve rarely felt like I needed a guide while travelling. However, after talking with friends who had travelled to India solo, I realised the trip might be more enjoyable if I could be led, rather than being the leader myself.
So Jessie and I decided to book the India’s Golden Triangle trip. Before it started, we wanted to explore and get some shopping done, so we flew in a few days early. That’s when we took advantage of Urban Adventures – Intrepid’s dedicated city-based day tours.
A local experience off the tourist track
The next morning, after a bit of shopping in Gandhi Nagar Market, we met our Urban Adventures guide, Eshita, for our Private Delhi: Home Cooked Tour. Dressed in an easy-to-spot red, she explained that our host had no prior connections with tourism, but in the last few years alone, she’s hosted nearly 2000 guests and loves it when travellers enjoy her cooking.
Our host opened her home and heart to us. Not only did she show us how to make chai tea and fried pakora (both delicious), she was kind enough to show us her altar and chat about her faith. After we finished our snacks, our host pulled out a folder and beckoned us closer.
Have you been to an authentic Indian wedding? I definitely haven’t, but it’s something that I’ve always wanted to experience. And although we didn’t actually attend a wedding, we got the next best thing. Our host opened up the photo album from her younger brother’s ceremony, revealing pages filled with colourful photos and others where pictures had been cut and arranged in intricate designs.
With the help of our guide, Eshita, we learned that our host’s brother had an arranged marriage; and he and his bride hadn’t met before their wedding day. They both looked a bit nervous and scared as the wedding began. Our host explained some of the ceremonies that took place and what the headpieces represented. It looked like a lovely celebration. A joining of two families.
After flipping through the pages of the wedding album, we came to my favourite part. Our host pulled out some of her saris and showed us the easy way to wrap one. Then we had a dance party, as she showed us moves we could use if we ever attended an Indian wedding.
Read more: Authentic cultural experiences across India
Starting the trip off right
Five hours flew by while we enjoyed our hosts’ cooking, stories – and dance moves. To cap it off, we headed to a nearby rooftop restaurant for some dinner – the perfect way to end our day and the solo portion of our trip.
The next morning we met up with our Intrepid group and the adventure really began. But it was great to have arrived a few days early to fully make the most of our time in Delhi. We got to explore the city on our own, do a little shopping and experience a local connection we would never have found on our own.
Adding an Urban Adventure definitely enhanced the overall experience. Not only did we learn more about Indian cuisine and culture, but we were able to support a female-run family business – something I’ll happily travel halfway around the world to do.
Explore Intrepid’s small-group trips across India and Urban Adventures for day trips.
