Guides
Read before you go
Answer-first guides from our planners: when to go, what permits you need, which hotels and which zones, with the numbers.
Nepal
October and November are the best months to visit Nepal: dry, clear air and the sharpest mountain views of the year. March and April …
Choose Chitwan for an easy first safari: a 25-minute flight from Kathmandu, reliable rhino sightings and more lodge choice. Choose Bardia for wilderness and …
Choose the Everest mountain flight if you want a one-hour dawn view of the peaks for a modest cost, with no altitude risk. Choose …
Nepal's biggest festivals fall between late August and November: Indra Jatra in Kathmandu, Dashain and Tihar nationwide, and Mani Rimdu at Tengboche. Spring brings …
For a first visit, spend 10 days and 9 nights this way: three nights in Kathmandu for the valley's heritage and an Everest mountain …
Nepali food starts with dal bhat, lentils with rice, vegetables and pickle, eaten twice a day across the country. Around it sit momo dumplings, …
The Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, inscribed by UNESCO in 1979, has seven monument zones: the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, the …
Nepal's best stays are small, characterful lodges rather than big resorts. In Kathmandu we use Dwarika's Hotel; in Dhulikhel, Dwarika's Resort; in Pokhara, Tiger …
You do not need to be a trekker to walk in Nepal. Short guided walks from lodges near Dhulikhel, Bandipur and Pokhara take two …
Most visitors get a Nepal visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport: USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, USD 125 for …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginRajasthan
Three days is the right amount of time for Jaipur. Day one: Amber Fort at opening and the bazaars at dusk. Day two: Jantar …
Choose Ranthambore for tigers in a national park with lakes and ruins, and Jawai for leopards on open granite hills among villages. Ranthambore is …
The best time to visit Rajasthan is October to March, when days are 20–30 °C and nights cool. November and February are the sweet …
Rajasthan is one of the great craft regions of the world. See hand block printing in Bagru and Sanganer near Jaipur, bandhani tie-dye in …
The best luxury desert stays in Rajasthan are around Jaisalmer, where a few camps and Suryagarh offer real comfort in the Thar. Choose a …
Rajasthan's main festivals run from January to November: the Jaipur Literature Festival and kite flying in January, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival in February, Holi …
For a first visit, 12 days (11 nights) in Rajasthan covers Jaipur, Ranthambore, Udaipur and Jodhpur at a calm pace: three nights in Jaipur, …
Rajasthan's three great palace hotels are Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, all run …
Rajasthani food was shaped by the desert: dried beans and berries, millet breads, ghee, yoghurt and slow-cooked meats for the royal kitchens. Try dal …
Ranthambore safaris run twice a day in 10 zones, in six-seat jeeps or 20-seat canters, with permits sold by the Rajasthan forest department by …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginLadakh
Rest for 48 hours in Leh on arrival, drink 3–4 litres a day, avoid alcohol and do not sleep at Pangong, Tso Moriri or …
May to September is Ladakh's main season, with June and September the best months. The Srinagar road usually opens in April or May, the …
Ladakh's monasteries hold festivals with masked cham dances throughout the year. Hemis Tsechu in June or July is the largest; winter brings Spituk Gustor, …
Leh, the Indus monasteries, the Sham valley, Lamayuru and Zanskar need no permit. Nubra, Turtuk, Pangong, Tso Moriri and Hanle do. Foreign nationals need …
Flying to Leh is fastest, about 75 minutes from Delhi year-round, but lands you at 3,500 m with no time to adjust. Driving from …
The best time to see snow leopards in Ladakh is February and March, when the cats follow wild sheep into the lower valleys of …
Ladakh works well for families and older travellers when the plan is gentle: a slow start in Leh, nights no higher than Leh where …
Ladakhi food is simple, warming and built on barley, wheat, butter, vegetables and apricots. Try skyu and chutagi, hand-made pasta stews; khambir bread with …
Three days in Leh should start with complete rest, then build gently: the old town, the palace and Shey on day two; Thiksey at …
At Pangong there are no luxury hotels, only tented camps and cottages. For most guests, the best choice is a well-run camp at Spangmik …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginNorth East India
Assam grows more than half of India's tea on the flat Brahmaputra plain. Visit between March and May for first and second flush plucking, …
Brahmaputra river cruises run from about November to March on small ships between Guwahati and the Jorhat or Dibrugarh area, with shore visits to …
The Hornbill Festival runs from 1 to 10 December every year at Kisama Heritage Village, 12 km from Kohima in Nagaland. Fly to Dimapur, …
Kaziranga has four safari ranges: Central (Kohora), Western (Bagori), Eastern (Agaratoli) and Burapahar. It opens in phases from October and closes around May. Stay …
Meghalaya's living root bridges are grown by Khasi and Jaintia villagers from the roots of rubber fig trees. The famous double-decker bridge at Nongriat …
For a first visit, spend 12 days and 11 nights in Assam and Meghalaya: one night in Guwahati, three at Kaziranga, two in the …
North East Indian food is light on spice and heavy on fermentation, smoke and fresh herbs. Try masor tenga and duck in Assam, jadoh …
Visit North East India between October and April for dry roads, clear mountain views and open parks. November to February is driest. The monsoon, …
Indian citizens need an Inner Line Permit for Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for those four …
Fly to Bagdogra and drive 4.5 hours to Gangtok. Spend three nights there, three in Pelling for Kanchenjunga, and two in Lachung if North …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginKerala
Two days is the right time for Fort Kochi. Spend the first on foot through the old port, from the Chinese fishing nets to …
For a first visit, spend ten days on a loop from Kochi: two nights in Fort Kochi, two in Munnar's tea hills, two at …
Ayurveda is India's classical system of medicine, practised in Kerala by qualified doctors through long family lineages. A real programme needs 14 to 21 …
The best time to visit Kerala is November to March, when the coast is dry and the hills are clear. December to February is …
Kerala food is built on rice, coconut, fish and spices, shaped by Hindu, Syrian Christian, Mappila Muslim and Jewish communities. Try appam and stew, …
Choose a single-party premium kettuvallam with one or two air-conditioned bedrooms, a trained crew and a route away from the busy Alappuzha jetties. One …
Kathakali is Kerala's classical dance-drama, told through make-up, hand gestures and eye movements to live drums and song; Kalaripayattu is its martial art, trained …
Theyyam is the ritual of North Malabar in which a hereditary performer becomes a local deity for a night. It is held in village …
Munnar is the heart of Kerala's tea country, with estates from about 1,500 m to above 2,000 m in the Western Ghats. Spend two …
Periyar Tiger Reserve, at Thekkady in the Cardamom Hills, is seen on foot and by water, not by jeep. Book full-day bamboo rafting or …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginGoa
Our favourite seven days in Goa: two nights near Panjim for Fontainhas, Old Goa and Divar; a day in the Western Ghats for a …
Goa has more than 30 beaches along about 105 km of coast. For quiet, choose Mobor, Agonda, Galgibaga or Mandrem. For families, Sinquerim, Benaulim …
Goa Carnival is a four-day street festival before Lent, usually in February. King Momo opens it in Panjim with a decree to make merry, …
Fontainhas is Panjim's Latin quarter, a grid of painted 19th-century houses below Altinho hill. Walk it at 8 am on a 2.5 km loop …
Goa's monsoon runs from early June to late September, with roughly 2,500 to 3,000 mm of rain. The sea is unsafe and beach shacks …
Choose south Goa for long, quiet beaches, large luxury resorts and the Portuguese mansions of Salcete. Choose north Goa for villas, restaurants, markets and …
Rent a villa in Goa if you are a family or group staying four nights or more and want privacy, space and a cook; …
Goa is one of India's easiest family destinations: short flights, warm sea, big resorts and outings children love. Stay at Taj Fort Aguada in …
Goan food is two kitchens, Catholic and Hindu, sharing coconut, kokum, chillies and the day's catch. Eat fish curry rice at lunch, try vindaloo, …
Old Goa's churches and convents, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, are what survives of the 16th-century capital of Portuguese Asia. See the …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginUP & Bihar
The best time to visit Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is October to March, with October, November, February and March the most reliable. From mid-December …
The Indian Buddhist circuit links Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali and Kushinagar across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Allow ten nights by private car, …
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are among India's richest craft regions. The essentials are chikankari in Lucknow, Banarasi silk in Varanasi, marble inlay and zardozi …
In Braj, the country of Krishna around Mathura and Vrindavan, Holi is celebrated for more than a week in late February or March. See …
See the Taj Mahal at sunrise through the east gate on any day but Friday, when it is closed, and again at sunset from …
The Magh Mela is held every January and February at the Sangam in Prayagraj, and every twelve years it becomes the Kumbh Mela. The …
Lucknow's Awadhi cuisine grew from the kitchens of the nawabs and is known for slow cooking, fine kebabs and fragrant biryani. Eat in the …
Nalanda, a UNESCO-listed monastic university active from the 5th century to about 1200, lies 12 km from Rajgir, the ancient capital of Magadha where …
Nine days, eight nights, is enough to see Uttar Pradesh's essentials without rushing: three nights in Agra for the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri, …
Varanasi's 80-odd ghats run for about 6 km along the Ganges. See them from a rowing boat at dawn, walk them in the late …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. Begin