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India Private Guided Tours & Trips
188 India trips. Tours from 24 tour companies. 2,046 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.
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4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsLodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Highlights
A country by name, but a continent in scale, India in one word is diversity. To guide you where to go when faced with such rich variety, our India specialists use the experience of their own travels to create your tailor-made holiday to India. The north is banded by the snow-crowned peaks of the Himalaya. Moving south, you pass through Rajasthan, a microcosm of India with its forts, palaces and temples, as well as the Taj Mahal. Central India shelters leopards, elephants and the Bengal tiger. In India’s northeast corner, Calcutta still exudes its colonial heritage in a landscape of Bengali mansions and neo-Gothic architecture. West-coast Mumbai is an improbable proposition — a hub of manufacturing where you can wander among Art Deco architecture or through a teeming bazaar. Down in India’s south, cruising Kerala’s backwaters on a converted rice barge is a suitably relaxed way to embrace this region’s laid-back approach to life.
12 days$353 / day
4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsLodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Highlights
A country by name, but a continent in scale, India in one word is diversity. To guide you where to go when faced with such rich variety, our India specialists use the experience of their own travels to create your tailor-made holiday to India.
The north is banded by the snow-crowned peaks of the Himalaya. Moving south, you pass through Rajasthan, a microcosm of India with its forts, palaces and temples, as well as the Taj Mahal. Central India shelters leopards, elephants and the Bengal tiger. In India’s northeast corner, Calcutta still exudes its colonial heritage in a landscape of Bengali mansions and neo-Gothic architecture. West-coast Mumbai is an improbable proposition - a hub of manufacturing where you can wander among Art Deco architecture or through a teeming bazaar. Down in India’s south, cruising Kerala’s backwaters on a converted rice barge is a suitably relaxed way to embrace this region’s laid-back approach to life.
13 days$299 / day
4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsLodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Highlights
Arrive in Cochin and transfer to your hotel. Spend the afternoon at leisure or explore the local area. Drive onwards to Munnar through changing landscapes as you leave the coastal area and head up to the hill plantations. Continue south to Periyar National Park today. After the drive, you'll be able to relax before an early start tomorrow.
13 days$320 / day
4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsLodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Highlights
A country by name, but a continent in scale, India in one word is diversity. To guide you where to go when faced with such rich variety, our India specialists use the experience of their own travels to create your tailor-made holiday to India. The north is banded by the snow-crowned peaks of the Himalaya. Moving south, you pass through Rajasthan, a microcosm of India with its forts, palaces and temples, as well as the Taj Mahal. Central India shelters leopards, elephants and the Bengal tiger. In India’s northeast corner, Calcutta still exudes its colonial heritage in a landscape of Bengali mansions and neo-Gothic architecture. West-coast Mumbai is an improbable proposition — a hub of manufacturing where you can wander among Art Deco architecture or through a teeming bazaar. Down in India’s south, cruising Kerala’s backwaters on a converted rice barge is a suitably relaxed way to embrace this region’s laid-back approach to life.
20 days$246 / day
4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsLodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Highlights
A country by name, but a continent in scale, India in one word is diversity. To guide you where to go when faced with such rich variety, our India specialists use the experience of their own travels to create your tailor-made holiday to India. The north is banded by the snow-crowned peaks of the Himalaya. Moving south, you pass through Rajasthan, a microcosm of India with its forts, palaces and temples, as well as the Taj Mahal. Central India shelters leopards, elephants and the Bengal tiger. In India’s northeast corner, Calcutta still exudes its colonial heritage in a landscape of Bengali mansions and neo-Gothic architecture. West-coast Mumbai is an improbable proposition — a hub of manufacturing where you can wander among Art Deco architecture or through a teeming bazaar. Down in India’s south, cruising Kerala’s backwaters on a converted rice barge is a suitably relaxed way to embrace this region’s laid-back approach to life.
12 days$271 / day
4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsLodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Highlights
Visit the Taj Mahal at Agra. Experience a river boat safari along the calm and placid Chambal waters. Cycle rickshaw ride through the Keoladeo bird sanctuary. Kayak through the Tawa Reservoir in search of rare bird colonies.
13 days$323 / day
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41 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
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India Reviews & Ratings
S
Sherri
Apr 2025
Written on
Highlights of Southern India
The southern India trip itinerary offers a nice variety of things to see and do. One day you are at a magnificent temple and the next day you are on a safari looki...
R
Ruth
Mar 2025
Written on
Highlights of Southern India
Excellent leader and full itinerary , I felt train journey followed by short night in hotel due to very early start and then long return journey were too demanding f...
K
Karen
Mar 2025
Written on
Highlights of Southern India
A very enjoyable 2 week trip. The tour leader was excellent as was our driver and the local guides. The highlight of the trip was seeing leopards and a tiger in the...
T
Trusted Customer
Feb 2025
Written on
Highlights of Southern India
Long journeys a lot of which were through large cities. Itinerary sounded really interesting but some only took 1-2 hours which left a lot of the day unplanned. Ou...
A
Alison
Feb 2025
Written on
Highlights of Southern India
A very interesting tour packed with variety, colour and contrasts. Some long driving days but always plenty to see. The city sights were magnificent, and I particula...
India Tour Selection Trips
- Trekking in India can be an incredible experience, particularly in the Himalayan regions of the North, however, intensity levels vary. Make sure you pick a trek that is suitable to your fitness level.
- Pack appropriately. The weather varies greatly in different regions and at different times of the year, so bring suitable clothes and invest in decent gear. If you're hiking, make sure to wear decent hiking shoes that have been fully broken in. Also, make sure that gear advertised as waterproof is actually waterproof (stuck up a mountain in monsoon rain is not the time to be figuring this out!).
- When booking a tour, find out as much as possible about what is included. For example: Do you need to bring your own drinking water? Does renting a sleeping bag or mosquito net cost extra? Will you be picked up and/or dropped at your hotel?
- Different operators offer different levels of comfort, so be sure to investigate the sleeping and transport conditions. It's also worth asking how many people will be on the tour, as a comfy jeep becomes a lot less so when over a dozen people are shoved inside.
- Inform the operator about your dietary needs beforehand. Vegetarians and vegans will usually be well catered for, but some more specific requirements (allergies, etc.) may require additional planning. The food can also be far spicier than the food back home, so let the operator know if you'd like the heat dialed down a bit.
- India can be quite the sensory overload, so take it slow to fully adjust to all the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes around you. Most tours have a good balance between organized activities and free time, but some more than others. If you predict that India will be overwhelming for you, choose a trip with an itinerary labelled as “relaxed”.
- Get ready to walk, a lot. Most tours in India have a moderate level of physical activity because so much of the exploration requires walking. Be prepared for a lot of uneven terrain and dust while walking on the roads.
- More days = more regions. India is incredibly large. If you decide to pick a tour that’s roughly 10 days or less, your tour will only have time to explore one region. Culture, pace of life, food, and even language vary within regions. If you have the time and want to explore all that India has to offer, choose a tour that’s 18 days or longer.
Additional details
Best time to visit India
The best time to visit India is between October and March. Winters are generally very pleasant, but keep in mind that this means the country is packed with tourists during the winter.
Summers in India can get unbearably hot, and monsoons drench the country in rain from June to September. That said, visitors to India during or right after monsoon season can experience the beautiful green countryside, many areas of which are brown and dry most months of the year.
Currency in India
The official currency in India is the Rupee. Visitors are not allowed to bring any amount of Indian currency into India, so bring cash, checks, and/or a credit card to exchange or withdraw currency upon arrival. Many vendors in India will not accept credit or debit cards, so it will be useful to carry small amounts of cash.
What languages are spoken in India?
India has 22 official languages, and each of the 29 states in India has an official language. Hindi is the most common language spoken, and English is the second most common. Many Indians can speak two or more languages fluently, and most people that you interact with in the hospitality industry will speak English.
Packing list for India
What you bring on your trip to India will depend on the season and itinerary of your trip. However, there are a few items that are recommended for any India tour:
- Modest clothing - Clothing in India tends to be modest. Women should bring long skirts and shawls to cover their shoulders, especially when visiting holy sites.
- A traveler’s wallet and/or passport holder - Pickpocketing and theft is common in many of the crowded cities, so keeping cash and other valuables in a traveler’s wallet (theft-safe wallet that you can keep under your clothes) may help protect your belongings.
- Sturdy walking shoes - Public transportation in most parts of India is lacking, so you will likely do a lot of walking.
- Prescriptions, contacts, and other necessities - Although bodegas and drugstores are common in the major cities, they may not carry the same products that you find at home.
- Mosquito nets - Mosquitos are common in India, especially during the monsoon season.
Make sure to leave some room in your suitcase-- India is well-known for its clothing industry, and even the street markets tend to offer high-quality items.
Popular India tour routes
Many tours will take travelers through the cities of Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, and Jaipur. New Delhi has the largest airport in India, so most tours will begin and end there. Tours using private buses or cars for transportation will likely visit smaller villages and areas in the countryside, while tours that rely on public transportation tend to stick to the major cities.
Cruises along the Ganges River give travelers opportunities to visit small towns and villages that other tours generally do not visit. The river runs through the cities of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Varanasi, and Kanpur, among others. Many cruises begin near New Delhi and end at Kolkata.
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