India South & North

29 Days | Beaches, jungles, deserts, cities – this is India

4.7 out of 5 based on 7 reviews submitted.
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EUR €2,678
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This extensive 29-day adventure through India takes you from bottom to top, revealing the icons and local secrets of this diverse country. Revel in the tropical climate, warm waters, and lush green landscapes of the south in places like Kochi, Puducherry, and Madurai. Then be dazzled by kaleidoscopic colours, Mughal grandeur, and the overt spirituality of the north in Jaipur and Agra. Travel from Kochi to Delhi and combine the slower delights of Kerala and Tamil Nadu with the rush and jumble of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on our longest Original-style India tour.

Trip overview

Map of India South & North including India
Start
Kochi, India
Finish
Delhi, India
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
India
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
HHSZC
This trip generates 71 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Explore seaside Mamallapuram on a bicycle tour, pedalling to the eighth-century Shore Temple and incredible seventh-century stone carving known as Arjuna’s Penance.
  • Carve through the iridescent hills of Ootacamund (Ooty) on the vintage Nilgiri Mountain Railway, then visit a lush tea plantation.
  • Spot tigers, elephants, sloths, and birds on safaris and nature walks in three of India’s wildlife viewing hotspots – Mudumalai, Periyar, and Ranthambhore national parks.
  • Cruise the winding backwaters of Kerala and further immerse yourself in life on the water with an island homestay in this idyllic region.
  • Learn about life in the Rajasthani desert on a walking tour around the bustling ghats and temples of Pushkar followed by lunch with a local family.

Is this trip right for you?
  • Trains are a great way to see the countryside and get you away from the busy road system. Keep in mind that delays and cancellations are common, so a little patience will go a long way during your tour. This trip involves some long journeys by train, including overnight, so please read the itinerary carefully for travel time estimates.
  • From December to February, delays are more common, especially in the north of the country due to fog. It’s not uncommon for trains to be delayed for up to 12 hours. Your tour leader in conjunction with our local office will advise any changes to the itinerary.
  • Sleeper trains are clean and air-conditioned. Beds are padded berths with sheets, pillow, and blanket provided (although some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet). Please note that you may be sharing with locals of the same or opposite gender.
  • Part of travelling with Intrepid means respecting local cultures and sensibilities. That way you get the most out of your interactions with local people and environments. Please bring clothes that cover the arms and pants/skirts that go past the knees. A light scarf is also a good idea for covering shoulders and arms when it’s hot.
  • It’s important to prepare for hot sticky temperatures during the day and cooler climates in the evening, particularly in Ootacamund (AKA Ooty), Mudumalai, and Periyar National Parks. Packing layers is one of the best ways to tackle this disparity in weather.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2024.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025

Map of India South & North including India

Inclusions

Meals

7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 6 dinners

Transport

4x4 Safari Vehicle, Auto rickshaw, Boat, Bus, Cycle rickshaw, Ferry, Jeep, Metro, Overnight sleeper train, Private vehicle, Shuttle Bus, Taxi, Train, Van, Plane

Accommodation

Deluxe permanent tent (1 night), Heritage Property (3 nights), Homestay (1 night), Hotel (16 nights), Jungle resort (1 night), Overnight sleeper train (1 night), Resort (2 nights)

Activities
  • Kochi - Leader-led Fort Kochi walking tour
  • Kochi - Dutch Palace
  • Kochi - Kathakali performance
  • Ooty - Nilgiri Mountain Railway & Tea Plantation visit
  • Bandipur - National Park Safari
  • Mysore - Home cooked lunch & family visit
  • Mysore - Maharaja's Palace
  • Mysore - Leader-led walking tour
  • Mysore - Keshava Temple
  • Mysore - Chamundi Hill & Temple
  • Mamallapuram - Shore Temples guided tour
  • Puducherry - Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
  • Madurai - Sri Meenakshi Temple
  • Periyar - Spice plantation visit
  • Periyar - Home cooked meal
  • Periyar - National Park
  • Periyar - Guided nature walk
  • Kerala Backwaters - Pole boat ride
  • Kerala Backwaters - Village walk
  • Delhi - Leader-led Old Delhi walking & rickshaw tour
  • Delhi - Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple)
  • Delhi - Visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque
  • Agra - Taj Mahal
  • Agra - Agra Fort
  • Agra - Red Fort guided tour
  • Madhogarh - Leader-led village walk
  • Madhogarh - Dinner at Fort Madhogarh
  • Jaipur - Amber Fort
  • Jaipur - Leader-led walking & market tour
  • Ranthambhore National Park - Evening wildlife safari
  • Bundi - Stepwell
  • Bundi - Bundi Palace
  • Bundi - Market visit & Chai tasting
  • Bijaipur - Countryside jeep safari
  • Udaipur - Leader-led walking tour
  • Udaipur - City Palace
  • Pushkar - Leader-led walking tour
  • Pushkar - Home-cooked Dinner
Add on activities
  • Kochi - Jewish Synagogue - INR5
  • Ooty - Botanical Gardens - INR50
  • Ooty - Boat ride - INR200
  • Mysore - Cinema - INR100
  • Mysore - Tipu Sultan's Mausoleum - INR500
  • Madurai - Gandhi Museum - Free
  • Periyar - Boat trip - INR650
  • Delhi - Qutub Minar - INR600
  • Delhi - Humayun's Tomb - INR600
  • Agra - Additional entries to Taj Mahal - INR1300
  • Jaipur - City Palace - INR1000
  • Jaipur - Jantar Mantar Observatory - INR200
  • Jaipur - Bollywood Movie at Raj Mandir Cinema - INR400
  • Jaipur - Balloon Safari - USD280
  • Jaipur - Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Wind) - INR200
  • Bijaipur - Henna tattoo - INR150
  • Udaipur - Cultural performance - INR250
  • Udaipur - Lake boat ride - INR500
  • Pushkar - Sunrise at Savitri Temple - Free

Dates and availability

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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 5 (Mudumalai National Park) and Day 7 (overnight train) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Intrepid requires a copy of your scanned passport bio page at the time of booking to complete bookings for Ranthambhore National Park visit.
3. This trip travels back to Delhi on the afternoon of Day 28 arriving into the capital around 11 pm. Please do not book departure flights out until at least 4 am on Day 29 to allow for delays.
4. The Pushkar Camel Fair is held in late October or early November, please see the 'Climate and Seasonal Information' section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail.
5. Hot air balloon flights are operated by Sky Waltz in Jaipur. Flights operate from September 1st to April 30th and last approximately 60 mins. Return transfers, tea and coffee plus light refreshments, and a certificate of flight are included in the cost. You can register your interest and pay your tour leader at your joining meeting on day 1 of your trip. Payment must be made by cash in either INR/AUD/USD/GBP only and is USD$260pp (subject to change). Flights are subject to availability and weather conditions (tickets are fully refundable in case of bad weather).
6. As this is a combination trip, your group leader and the composition of your group may change on Day 15.
7. 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 flight 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.

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.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 based on 7 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Aurelia · Traveled March 2024
An incredible journey to discover magical India. The accommodation in Rajasthan was excellent but in the Southern part of the trip some hotels were a bit basic. All the included activities were excellent and our guides were very helpful, knowledgeable and professional. The itinerary is very good, so I would highly recommend this trip.
Review submitted 10 Apr 2024

Louise · Traveled January 2024
Review submitted 05 Feb 2024

Helen · Traveled December 2023
This trip is not for the faint hearted. It involves huge distances and an exhausting number of one night stays. The accommodation varies from a majority of extremely basic hostel standard and only a few comfortable hotels.
Review submitted 23 Jan 2024

Brian · Traveled December 2023
Our South and North India Trip was simply amazing. Our South India Tour Leader Chandra Bose was absolutely fantastic and our North India Tour Leader Shrishti was fantastic also. This Trip was a great introduction to India, highly recommend this trip.
Review submitted 07 Jan 2024

Gail · Traveled December 2023
Our trip to South and North India was amazing. We had incredible leaders who made our Indian experience exceptional. If you are unsure about travelling to India like I was just "DO IT" , you will have no regrets. Loved our month in India where the people are friendly, food amazing , colours and traffic crazy!!
Review submitted 07 Jan 2024
India South & North
From
EUR €2,678