Travel from Delhi’s historic neighbourhoods to Jaipur’s craft ateliers, the villages of the Thar Desert and Mumbai’s creative communities. Private conversations with musicians, designers, educators and social entrepreneurs reveal how local knowledge, cultural heritage and enterprise are responding to some of modern India’s most complex challenges. Balanced with exceptional hotels, intimate meals in private homes and expert-led explorations, this is a journey that invites genuine connection and a more thoughtful understanding of the country.
These cooler, drier months are the most comfortable for exploring Delhi and Jaipur and for spending time in the Thar Desert. December and January can bring misty mornings to Delhi and cold evenings in Rajasthan, while Mumbai remains pleasantly warm. March is warmer and can coincide with the exuberant celebrations of Holi.
Price depends on the experiences and accommodation included, and your time of travel. It is based on two adults travelling for 12 nights and does not include international flights.
3 nights Delhi, 3 nights Jaipur, 3 nights rural Rajasthan, 3 nights Mumbai
What makes this India journey special?
- Meet the musicians behind Manzil Mystics and discover how music can nurture confidence, creativity and belonging among children and young people.
- Learn how Goonj transforms urban surplus into a resource for community-led rural development, placing dignity and local agency at the centre of its work.
- Join private conversations with Frontier Markets and circular design studio Iro Iro, exploring new models for women-led enterprise, responsible fashion and inclusive growth.
- Share intimate meals in private homes, from a textile-filled haveli in Old Delhi to a Parsi family table and an Art Deco residence in Mumbai.
- Experience the Thar Desert through its ecology, craft and communities, and gain insight into education as well as women’s and youth empowerment through Sambhali Trust and Reality Gives.
Your India impact holiday itinerary
A capital of possibility
Days 1-3: Delhi
Discover Delhi through the people shaping its future, beginning with a historian-led exploration of New Delhi’s architecture and shifting layers of power. Meet Manzil Mystics, whose music creates inclusive learning spaces where children build confidence and creativity. In Old Delhi, explore bustling bazaars with a gifted storyteller, discovering spices, traditional attars and street food. And visit the award-winning charity Goonj to learn how surplus urban materials support community-led work in rural India. Dine one evening in a heritage haveli with a textile designer who has spent decades collecting and restoring antique Indian fabrics, each with its own story. Then spend another in one of the capital’s excellent culinary institutions.
Tradition in new hands
Days 4-6: Jaipur
Beyond its palaces and forts, discover Jaipur’s living traditions with archivist and storyteller Bharat Singh, exploring historic homes, hidden havelis and the ingenious water harvesting systems that sustained the city and its forts. Later, meet Frontier Markets, a social commerce platform empowering rural women entrepreneurs through access to products, services and digital technology. In the evening, visit the home of a contemporary Pichwai artist and his wife. Learn to prepare heirloom Kayastha recipes over a traditional chulha, then enjoy dinner among miniature paintings, vintage objects and family stories.
The following morning, explore Amber Fort with an expert local guide. In the afternoon, meet Bhaavya Goenka of Iro Iro, a Jaipur-based circular design studio transforming garment industry waste through indigenous craft traditions, and discuss fair supply chains, inherited knowledge and responsible fashion.
Desert wisdom
Days 7-9: Rajasthan
Fly from Jaipur to Jodhpur and visit Sambhali Trust to learn how its education, vocational training and social support empower women and girls. Continue into a quiet, little-visited stretch of the Thar Desert for three nights at Kaner Desert Retreat, created by descendants of a local noble family. Combining warm hospitality with a deep knowledge of desert ecology and culture, Kaner offers guided botanical walks through sacred groves, revealing how plants sustain people, livestock and wildlife.
Jeep journeys across the dunes and visits with villagers, artisans and camel herders bring insight into traditions shaped by scarcity and resilience. Depending on your route, you may also see migratory cranes at Khichan or visit the temples of Osian. Evenings invite unhurried dinners on the dunes beneath star-filled skies.
A city woven from many stories
Days 10-12: Mumbai
Mumbai’s character has been shaped by migration, trade and restless reinvention. Begin with dinner in a Parsi family home, where food and conversation trace the community’s journey from Gujarat to Bombay and its culinary influences. The following day, explore textiles and design with an expert, visiting a museum collection illustrating dress in the Bombay Presidency, independent galleries, a responsible handloom brand and, subject to availability, a workshop creating costumes for film and theatre. Later, enjoy high tea with a jewellery designer in her Art Deco home, surrounded by art, vintage photographs and treasured objects.
Meet Reality Gives to learn about its community-based education programmes for children and young people, before exploring Mumbai’s boutiques, ateliers and design districts with a local expert. Conclude your journey at Masque, set within a restored textile mill, with a seasonal tasting menu celebrating Indian produce, regional traditions and contemporary techniques.
Where you'll stay
Great journeys need great places to lay your head. These are our tried and tested suggestions.
The Leela Palace New Delhi
Set in New Delhi’s Diplomatic Enclave, The Leela Palace blends the symmetry of Lutyens’ Delhi with India’s royal traditions. Grand interiors feature chandeliers, hand-woven carpets and contemporary Indian art, while spacious rooms offer a calm retreat. A rooftop pool, varied Indian, Japanese and European dining, and refined service make it a fitting start to the journey.
The Oberoi Rajvilas
The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur offers a serene, storybook vision of Rajasthan, with thoughtful service and landscaped gardens where peacocks wander among fountains and centuries-old trees. Rooms, tents and villas feature private courtyards, carved arches and hand-painted frescoes inspired by Mughal and Rajput design, while an original haveli houses an atmospheric spa.
Kaner Desert Retreat
Set amid the landscapes of the Thar Desert, Kaner Desert Retreat offers a distinctive blend of heritage and understated comfort. Established by descendants of a local noble family, the retreat reflects the character of its surroundings through thoughtful hospitality and a strong connection to the land. Natural gardens, traditional architecture and peaceful outdoor spaces create an inviting setting, with the desert’s vast skies adding to its quiet charm.
The Taj Mahal Palace
Overlooking the Gateway of India and Mumbai Harbour, The Taj Mahal Palace is one of the city’s great landmarks. Its historic Palace wing features Indo-Saracenic architecture, vaulted ceilings, marble staircases and a notable art collection. Warm service, harbour or city views, varied restaurants, a peaceful courtyard pool and an excellent spa offer respite from Mumbai’s frenetic pace.
Learn about the impact of your journey
Our impact journeys are designed expressly for conservation- and community-minded clients who want to make a positive difference. The emphasis is on listening, learning and meaningful exchange, with each meeting arranged in consultation with the host organisation. If a particular initiative resonates with you, we can help you understand how best to remain involved or offer support, guided by the people closest to the work.
Manzil Mystics, New Delhi: This Delhi collective of musicians draws on India’s artistic and spiritual heritage to bring music into the lives of children and communities. Your support helps widen access to music and build programmes that last, fostering inclusion and happier childhoods.
Goonj, New Delhi: Goonj gives surplus city textiles, mainly clothing, a second life as a tool for village development, disaster response and community strength. Your support backs a model built on mutual respect, where rural communities are partners rather than recipients of aid.
Sambhali Trust, Jodhpur: Based in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Sambhali Trust is a grassroots organisation working alongside women, girls and gender minorities facing disadvantage, from social background to economic hardship. Your visit helps strengthen their efforts to build confidence, opportunity and independence.
Reality Gives: Reality Gives opens doors for young people in under-resourced neighbourhoods, offering schooling, digital skills and career preparation. Your support helps its work in locations including Dharavi in Mumbai, Sanjay Colony in Delhi and Naujheel in Mathura.
Looking for more inspiration?
We have a huge range of inspiring private experiences and accommodation options available. Get in touch with our India specialists.
ENQUIRELearn more about our luxury holidays, or call our expert Asia team on +44 1367 850566 / 1-855-216-5040 (toll free) to discuss how we can turn your dreams into something truly magical.
Without dignity, we can’t talk about development.