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Map of India Real Food Adventure including India

Got an appetite for adventure? Explore India one mouthful at a time

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. Relax on Goa’s beaches, see Jaipur’s breathtaking Palace of the Wind, explore the vibrant street food scenes of Delhi and Mumbai, and spend time in rural Rajasthan living it up in a 17th-century fort. With a taste of India’s vibrant markets and the chance to cook up a storm yourself, this unforgettable journey will take you to the cultural and gastronomic heart of India. 

Start
Delhi, India
Finish
Goa, India
Destination
India
Style
Original
Theme
Food
Code
HHZM
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • 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 and Jain 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.

Is this trip right for you?

  • India is a great food destination for vegetarians. With wonderful fresh produce and many delicious local dishes, you'll have a great time on this trip. For vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to India which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

  • India is a big country and there are some long travel days on this departure. Use these as an opportunity to relax, witness everyday life from the window of your vehicle and get to know your fellow travellers.

  • This trip travels by overnight train from Udaipur to Mumbai. While the overnight train can seem a little daunting, it is a very efficient way to travel long distances and maximising time in each place. Long distance and overnight trains can often be delayed and occasionally cancelled due to heavy fog between December and February.

  • This trip stays in a mix of accommodation to experience a variety of Indian life. Standards can vary though – there will be hot water in most but not all hotels.

  • The climate in India can vary in the different states – be prepared for hot sticky days and cooler evenings. Layered clothing is the best way to tackle this disparity in weather.

  • Old Delhi can be very busy and crowded. While it’s an exciting place to see local life moving around you, be aware that on the walking tour you’ll need to navigate through people, tight spaces and walkways.

India Real Food Adventure with Intrepid Travel
Traditional curries in India
India Real Food Adventure with Intrepid Travel
Local vendor mixing hot masala chai, India
Woman smiling in front of the Taj Mahal on an Intrepid Travel tour of Agra, India.
Street vendor selling vegetables in Delhi, India
Travellers standing in the elaborate doorways of Red Fort in Agra, India on an Intrepid Travel tour.
India Real Food Adventure with Intrepid Travel

Itinerary
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Namaste! Welcome to India. Delhi is an exciting and chaotic capital city filled with historical sites, museums, galleries, shops and endless bazaars. There’s plenty to see, do, and eat. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6pm where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. Afterwards, celebrate the start of a memorable food adventure with a short stroll to a local restaurant. Here you'll enjoy your first taste of North Indian cuisine over 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 dinner, 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. 
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Delhi - Welcome dinner
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
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.

Ready your appetite and venture out to Old Delhi, wandering through alleyways for an authentic Delhi street food breakfast. Perhaps pick up some deep fried kachori, 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 to marvel 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), which has been in operation since the 1870s. Parathas are one of the most popular unleavened flat breads in Punjabi North Indian cuisine, so taste some delicious variations with fillings like 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 in the meal or just chat with your welcoming hosts. 
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
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 - INR3000
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Jump aboard a local train for an air-conditioned ride to Agra. Famed for the evocative Taj Mahal, Agra is a city of fascinating history, rich in Mughal heritage, lush gardens and exquisite architecture. 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. For lunch, 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. Afterwards, 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 this evening, why not book onto a chaat crawl? This savoury snack is typically served from roadside stalls or carts and recipes, ingredients and flavours vary from place to place – the perfect excuse to try them all!  
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Agra - Agra Fort
  • Agra - Taj Mahal
  • Agra - Mughlai Cooking Demonstration
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s train journey is approximately 3 hours.

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, visit an open air food court where you’ll have the chance to try some local favourites for lunch, like thali, pav bhaji (thick vegetable curry served with bread), masala dosa (a crispy savoury crepe) and plenty of sweet treats. 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 spectacular Raj Mandir Cinema. Your leader will also have plenty of dinner suggestions. 
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Jaipur - Hawa Mahal photo stop
  • Jaipur - Leader-led orientation walk
Optional Activities
  • Jaipur - Bollywood Movie at Raj Mandir Cinema - INR400
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
Special Information
Today’s travel time is approximately 5 hours.

Travel out to the old capital of Amber and explore the hilltop complex known as the Amber Fort. Set in stunning surroundings overlooking Maota Lake, this opulent palace is the legacy of a fallen empire and a superb 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, try a local favourite – kachori. Kachoris are deep fried bread stuffed with vegetables and lentils and are one of the most sought-after snacks in north India. If sweets are more your thing, try the mawa kachori – dried fruit and mawa (milk solids) stuffed kachori, deep-fried and coated in sugar syrup. Later on, head to a local home for a hands-on cooking class where you’ll learn how to make some seriously tasty plant-based Rajasthani dishes. One of the meals you might make is the fragrant and flavoursome 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.   
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Jaipur - Amber Fort
  • Jaipur - Street Food Lunch
  • Jaipur - Rajasthani Cooking Class and Dinner
Optional Activities
  • Jaipur - Balloon Safari - USD260
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

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 also stop en route to enjoy lunch 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 of colonial and Mughal architecture as you relax by the pool or in the gardens, enjoying the famous Mewar hospitality. 
Accommodation
  • Heritage Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today’s travel time is approximately 6 hours.

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 will 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 small group – this is an experience you won’t soon forget! 
Accommodation
  • Heritage Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Bijaipur - Countryside jeep safari
  • Bijaipur - Rajasthani Desert Cooking Demonstration and Meal
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

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. On arrival, visit a Jain temple for lunch, 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. 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. 
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Ranakpur - Lunch at Jain temple
  • Udaipur - Leader-led orientation walk
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 4 hours.  

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. 
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Udaipur - City Palace
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

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. Afterwards, transfer by private vehicle 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. 
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Udaipur - Thali Cooking Class
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
Special Information
Today’s drive time is approximately 3 hours, followed by an overnight train journey of approximately 16 hours.

Your sleeper train is clean and air-conditioned, and is a great way to travel long distances and maximise time in each city. Beds are padded berths with sheets, pillow and blanket provided, but some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. You may be sharing with locals in a same gender or mixed gender cabin. Most trains have a dining carriage where snacks and meals are available.

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 snack on bhel puri (tangy puffed rice and vegetable chaat), pav bhaji and other renowned Mumbai street foods. 
Accommodation
  • Overnight train (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mumbai - Chowpatty Beach Street Food Crawl
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Time for some sightseeing and soaking up the atmosphere of this incredible metropolis. Marvel at the remarkable Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat. At 140 years old, it's 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 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. Perhaps take high tea at the iconic Taj Hotel, or stake out one of the fabulous restaurants in this city which cater for all budgets. Your group leader will have plenty of suggestions on where to eat the night away!  
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mumbai - Leader-led Heritage Walk
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Take a flight from Mumbai to Goa, arriving in the early afternoon. 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. Goa's dense forested areas and favourable climate also make it a perfect location to grow the spices liberally used in its cuisine.



If you’re feeling daring after dinner, head out to try a taste of feni – a spirit made from either coconut or the juice of the cashew apple, much-loved in this region.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today’s flight is approximately 1 hour.

Start the day with a trip to Old Goa, 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. Take a walk through streets lined with ancient churches and historic buildings and check out the local market before driving out to a spice farm. Here you’ll learn about how spices 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 Goa. This evening, take part in a cooking class to learn the secrets of Malvani cuisine, popular in the South Konkan region of Maharashtra and Goa. Find out how to make some classic coastal dishes then tuck into your creations for dinner.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Goa - Cooking Class
  • Goa - Spice farm tour including lunch
  • Goa - Old Goa tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Your Indian 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, we’d be happy to arrange additional accommodation ahead of time (subject to availability). 
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

13 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 5 dinners

Transport

Plane, Private vehicle, Taxi, Train, Overnight Train

Accommodation

Hotel (11 nights), Heritage property (2 nights), Overnight Sleeper Train (1 night)

Included activities

  • Delhi - Welcome dinner
  • 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
  • Agra - Agra Fort
  • Agra - Taj Mahal
  • Agra - Mughlai Cooking Demonstration
  • Jaipur - Hawa Mahal photo stop
  • Jaipur - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Jaipur - Amber Fort
  • Jaipur - Street Food Lunch
  • Jaipur - Rajasthani Cooking Class and Dinner
  • Bijaipur - Countryside jeep safari
  • Bijaipur - Rajasthani Desert Cooking Demonstration and Meal
  • Ranakpur - Lunch at Jain temple
  • Udaipur - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Udaipur - City Palace
  • Udaipur - Thali Cooking Class
  • Mumbai - Chowpatty Beach Street Food Crawl
  • Mumbai - Leader-led Heritage Walk
  • Goa - Cooking Class
  • Goa - Spice farm tour including lunch
  • Goa - Old Goa tour

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our India Real Food Adventure trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

Prices may go up, so secure your trip today!
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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 10 (Overnight Train) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
3. Please provide your full name exactly as it appears on your passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for transport tickets. Ticketing fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases, you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket if an amendment occurs.
4. This trip includes domestic flights. The luggage allowance is 15kg for check in luggage and 7kg for carry on.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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