India Road Trip, North by Northwest Experience
Journey into India and explore seven vastly distinctive regions of this exotic and diverse country by experiencing the perfect road trip of a lifetime!
The trip takes you from the capital city to the foothills of the Himalayas and to the beaches in Goa. Experience Buddhist culture, visit Golden Temple and Taj Mahal. An adventurous camel safari coupled with a night camping in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan and UNESCO heritage sites. Participate in community engagement projects in Goa.
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Travel from Delhi to Shimla:
Soon after your arrival and overnight stay at New Delhi on Sunday.
On Monday morning, your first day in India, hop into a UNESCO heritage train ride to Shimla. On this vibrant train journey, observe the beautiful and ever-changing Indian landscape, regular day to day life on the streets, and finally, a 5 hours ride into the amazing Himalayan mountain landscape. After reaching Shimla, you will check into a guesthouse located with a great view of Shimla.
- New Delhi to Shimla – Train (Air-conditioned with recliner seats Delhi to Kalka, Toy Train Kalka to Shimla)
- Travel Time: 10 hours of travel time
- Distance 370 km
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The day begins early with an orientation session with our tour leader. This session also includes a briefing on aspects such as culture, safety and health precautionary measures, transportation, money, etc. Visit the famous monkey temple also called as “Hanuman Temple” which is situated atop a hill, it is a 30-minute uphill walk and brings you to the highest point of Shimla city set at 2250 m. Spend your afternoon, soaking into the views of the beautiful hill town, visit the local market and get acclimatized to the Himalayan environment. Late afternoon, we proceed for a 2-hour bus ride deeper into the misty mountains of the Himalayas for an overnight stay at a local Himalayan village. A local family in the mountains will host you for the night.
Carry an extra set of clothes and drinking water in a light backpack. The tour leader will arrange for you to leave your bigger backpacks that you may be travelling with at a safe place from where you can collect them after the hike.
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Take a hike into the Himalayan mountains which is also quite a challenging element of your trip which culminates atop a hill at 3100 meters offering an amazing picturesque view of the Himalayan ranges. You will rest here while having your lunch in the ambience of the outdoor Himalayan setup. Head back down to the village and drive back to Shimla, overnight stay at a guesthouse at Shimla.
The coordinator will help you get safe drinking water at the start of the trek. Packed lunch will be provided during the trek. The trek through the mountains will be approximately 7 hours long.
Trek Distance: 7 Km Trek
Difficulty Level 2 – Uphill and downhill
Altitude: Approximately 3100 meters
Terrain: Rocky, gravel, river crossing and winding tracks.
Duration of Trek: 7 hours.
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Our tour leader will take you on a beautiful heritage walk through the Deodar forests to visit historical monuments and temples. In the afternoon, you will take a bus to Dharamshala, the abode of Buddhist monks. Arrive late in the night at Dharamshala and check into a cosy hotel for a night’s stay in Dharamshala.
Shimla to Dharamshala Bus ride: 9 hours
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Dharamshala – Experience Tibetan culture, visit the traditional Tibetan market.
After a relaxed breakfast, visit McLeod Ganj and walk into the beautiful Buddhist monastery and go on a 20-minute walk to a wonderful waterfall located in the mountains. Your walk through the markets will give you an insight into traditional Buddhist shops selling various interesting traditional ornaments and cultural clothing. The evening will be spent around McLeod Ganj and treat yourself for a traditional Tibetan dinner. Night stay in Dharamshala.
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Today begins with an early breakfast, after which you will travel by bus to Amritsar. After arrival at Amritsar and check into a hotel to refresh. In the evening, visit the charismatic Golden temple of Amritsar to get a splendid view of the temple at sunset. The Golden Temple is the most prominent heritage site that has made an impact in the world. Overnight stay at Amritsar.
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Travel to Agra
Today you will have an early start, you will take the morning train from Amritsar to Agra. Arrive in the evening at Agra and check into a hotel just next to the Taj Mahal. This evening you can choose to explore a bit of Agra on your own or just choose to relax for the evening.
Train journey by the famous Indian railways: 11 hours, A/C sleeper coaches
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Taj Mahal (Agra)
The highlight of the India Road Trip is today, witnessing one of the Seven Wonders of the World – The Taj Mahal. Visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise and spend the day by the river Yamuna to marvel at its beautiful architecture and its surroundings. Later in the evening, hop into an overnight train to Udaipur, “the city of lakes” in Rajasthan.
- Agra to Udaipur (Air-conditioned Indian Railways)
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Experience Rajasthan – Udaipur “the city of lakes”. While in Udaipur, you will be hosted at our house. Fans of The Jungle Book and James Bond films may recognize Udaipur as the birthplace of Bagheera and the location for the Roger Moore starrer Octopussy. Spend the next 2 days visiting India’s second-largest state, visit the beautifully architectured palace, enjoy a boat ride in Lake Pichola, and watch a traditional Rajasthani dance and music concert. Overnight stay in Udaipur.
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Your day will begin with a relaxed morning. Shop at the local markets for vegetable for Indian authentic culinary class to sharpen your cooking skills. After lunch, you will proceed to visit a model desert village setup called Shilpgram where you will witness traditional Rajasthani art and handicraft shops and music. A nice spread of Indian dinner awaits you back at our centre. Overnight stay in Udaipur.
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Today, you will go on a temple tour in the morning. Visit the beautiful sculptured 8th and 10th-century ancient temples on the outskirts of Udaipur. You will return back to our centre and then in the evening, you will take an overnight bus to Jaisalmer which is approximately 12 hrs for the next highlight of our trip – The Desert experience.
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“The experience of a lifetime” camping in the Desert. Once in Jaisalmer, you will have a bit of time to refresh at the guest house. You will then go on a sightseeing tour of Jaisalmer to an 11th-century fort and then take a jeep safari and a camel ride deeper into the Thar desert, where you will stay for the night. Please remember to pack your sleeping bags and water bottles for this part of the trip. Our tour leader will inform you of anything else that may be necessary. Tonight you will camp in the desert under the stars. Overnight stay in the desert which is guaranteed to be one of the most memorable moments in your life.
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You will return from the desert to the guest house and spend time in the city of Jaisalmer, visiting a beautiful authentic Haveli and a lake which is considered to be the largest in Jaisalmer and other tourist attractions. Later this evening, you will take an overnight bus back to Udaipur.
- Udaipur to Jaisalmer to Udaipur – (Air-conditioned sleeper bus)
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Arrive at our Udaipur centre and relax. There are no activities scheduled for the morning. You will have the entire morning to yourself and in the evening watch a Bollywood movie at the centre. Overnight stay in Udaipur.
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You will spend the entire morning for yourselves and go out for shopping into the city of Udaipur. You will then take an overnight bus to Mumbai.
- Udaipur to Mumbai – Bus (Comfortable air-conditioned bus)
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After arriving at Mumbai early in the morning, you will be taken to the guest house to freshen up. Visit Bollywood film city and popular streets of Mumbai. In the evening, spend the sunset at the famous marine drive just as the locals regularly do. Overnight stay in Mumbai.
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After breakfast, visit the Gateway of India and go on a boat ride into the Arabian sea to visit the ancient Elephanta Caves. A good Indian lunch will be provided on the island. Return to the mainland and spend the remaining part of the day exploring the sights of Mumbai. Overnight stay at Mumbai.
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Today, you will take an early morning superfast train to Goa. Arrive in Goa before noon. Check into our house where you will be hosted for the remaining days of your travel. Once at our centre in the afternoon, after a good Goan lunch, you can relax and freshen up and meet other participants at the house. Our project coordinator will brief you on the activities scheduled for your days in Goa. After dinner, you will be taken to the famous beach of Anjuna, where you can spend your time at the beach. Overnight stay at our centre in Goa.
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Explore the rich history and impressive architecture of Old Goa, the former colonial capital of the state. The convents and churches are stunning, and the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which contains the relics of St Francis Xavier.
Visit the interesting spice plantations and get to know about various Indian spices, how they are grown before reaching your kitchens. After a sumptuous lunch at the plantation, spend some time at the plantation and on the way back visit a small but yet beautiful waterfall. Later in the evening, take time out on your own. Overnight stay in Goa.
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Today, experience learning a few yoga postures and experience an authentic ayurvedic massage to relax your body. After lunch at our centre, spend your time in one of the beautiful beaches of Goa to return to the centre for dinner. Overnight stay in Goa.
- Goa – Sightseeing (our jeeps and cars)
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This is a day off and you are free to spend it on the beach or spend time with other participants at the centre. Overnight stay in Goa.
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During this week, participate at our community engagement program which consists of many projects such as the one for women’s empowerment, the community school, a renovation project, animal shelter or even to interact with senior citizens at an old aged home. The choice will be yours to suite yourself into a project to become a part of an ever-expanding community. During the second half of the day spend educative and quality time with migratory children at our outreach program. Overnight stay in Goa.
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On this day you can go out shopping and get ready for your departure. Overnight stay in Goa.
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Your departure can be planned on Sunday (28th Day) from Dabolim Airport in Goa or you can vacate the property and continue your travels from there.
Example Itinerary
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