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India Holidays

India awaits you, magnificent and mysterious, colourful and bewildering – a land of incredible diversity which truly offers something for everyone. Spectacular temple complexes, grand mosques and historic churches, abandoned cities, remote indigenous communities, princely forts and palaces, India is a panorama of life untouched by the passing of time.

Northern India and Rajasthan are the setting for some of India’s grandest sites – a region of grandiose desert fortresses, floating palaces, iconic buildings, historic trains, pilgrimage cities, colourful textiles and traditional handicrafts. To the north of Delhi the terrain rises steadily. Here roads lead from the hill stations of Shimla and Manali towards the mighty Himalayas, passing the serene lakes of Kashmir and ending in the high mountains of Ladakh. Central India is rightly famed for its wildlife and its collection of national parks is arguably the best place to see the majestic tiger in the wild, however, this is also a region of ancient cave temples, Buddhist complexes and India’s commercial centre, Mumbai.

Southern India is divided by the Western Ghats – tropical Kerala with its palm-fringed beaches and lush tea plantations to the west and the monumental multi-coloured temples of Tamil Nadu. Eastern India and the remote North East remain India’s last frontier with the cultured city of Kolkata the starting point for exploration of the region. Explore Orissa’s temples and discover the state’s indigenous culture, cruise the Hugli and Brahmaputra rivers, search from rhino in Assam’s pristine national parks or travel through little-visited tribal Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

POPULAR TAILOR-MADE India ITINERARIES
Historic Rajasthan

20 days from £4310 per person

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Crossing the Zanskar - An Overland Journey from Delhi to Ladakh

15 days from £2895 per person

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Rural Images of Kerala

15 days from £2970 per person

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Your Holiday to India

Your Holiday To India

Whether visiting India for the first time or a returning traveller to the subcontinent, our tailor-made holidays allow you to explore every inch of the country. Pettitts Travel have been organising private bespoke tours to India since 1988 and we have a deep knowledge and love for the people and the country. Every itinerary is based around your specific requirements and is tailored to be unique to you thereby providing a completely personal experience. Hotels and transport, guides, sightseeing and entrance fees are all included unless otherwise stated. Although dependent on where you are travelling in India, in most cases you will have a private car and driver at your disposal throughout and local guides or naturalists where appropriate. There are Pettitts Travel offices in both the Indian capital Delhi and the Keralan city of Kochi which, in addition to our UK operation, provide round the clock support and assistance.

Although all of our arrangements are tailor-made, many clients find inspiration from the itineraries on our website and then adapt them to fit their requirements – adding or removing days, including different cities and regions or making adjustments to the accommodation. The Golden Triangle and Beyond is ideal for the first time visitor to India whilst Historic Rajasthan and Highlights of Gujarat explore the region in greater depth. Foothills of the Himalayas combines the Golden Temple of Amritsar with the hill station of Shimla and for the more adventurous Crossing the Zanskar follows the epic overland route to Ladakh. Classical India highlights the best of Central India’s historic sites and Land of the Tiger the region’s finest wildlife reserves. Spices and Sandalwood and Rural Images of Kerala offer two different routes through Kerala whilst Journey through Southern India combines the state with neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka’s Hidden Treasures includes Hampi. Classic routes in eastern India include Return to Darjeeling and Sikkim, Journey through Assam and Cruising the Upper Brahmaputra. For those looking to travel off the beaten track, Nagaland and the Hornbill Festival, Eastern India and the Tribes of Orissa and Kolkata and the Historic Trading Centres of East India offer something a little different.

Places to visit in India

A melting pot of language, culture and religion, India is a multifaceted country and almost impossible to define. Rajasthan, northern and western India are home to the country’s best known cities including capital Delhi, the pink city of Jaipur, home of the Taj Mahal, Agra and holy Varanasi. These regions are also famed for their handicrafts, artwork and textiles. Central India is the setting for the country’s finest national parks with Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench the best places to see tiger. The southern half of India is divided by the tea plantations and spice farms of the Western Ghats. To the east are the stupendous temple towns of Tamil Nadu and Islamic architecture of Hyderabad and to the west under explored Karnataka, location of deserted Hampi, and the tranquil backwaters and palm-fringed beaches of Kerala. Eastern India is defined by Kolkata and the Ganges River whilst the remote north east remains a frontier-land of rare indigenous culture and reserves renowned for both birdlife and one-horned rhinoceros.

When to Visit india

India is a year-round destination but, in general, the best time to visit the country is from late September to early April when temperatures are comfortable and the risk of rain low. Mid-April to June see a rise in temperature and, as foliage dies back, are the perfect time for viewing wildlife including tiger and leopard. The monsoon arrives by the end of June and lasts until early September. Showers tend to be short and heavy but the lower temperatures and fewer tourists make this a good time to travel. Conversely, the monsoon months are the best time to visit the northern Himalayan region of Ladakh.

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Best Times
Good Times
This is a general overview suggesting when to travel in the country. Please note that this may not directly apply to any specific itinerary or region.

Essential Information

Capital: New Delhi

Main Language: Hindi / English

Time Zone: GMT + 5.30

Currency: Indian Rupee

Explore India

Rajasthan
South India
Central India
North East India
Northern India
Kerala
Eastern India
India Train Holidays
India River Cruises
India Wildlife Holidays

India Holiday Review

Overall a wonderful experience. The organisation was excellent and we felt looked after the whole way. The notes you provided were helpful so that we knew what to expect. Our driver Raj was wonderful and he took special care of Mum which was really appreciated.

As an introduction to India, it was perfectly pitched and we both fell in love with the country and the people – particularly as the trip went on and we got further from Delhi, and more used to the experiences, we saw so many fascinating things and the cultural differences became less of a ‘shock’. 

So, thank you for organising it, and thank you to the team on the ground for looking after us.

JM & VS - India - March 2020

Accommodation in India

There is a huge breadth of accommodation in India with styles and standards varying across the country. India is famed for its heritage properties, the majority of which tend to be found in the north of India. These come in all shapes and sizes from beautifully restored buildings and luxurious palaces operated by distinguished hotel groups to small privately owned forts and ancestral homes. Homestays are also very popular and found throughout the country. Whether a grand family residence, plantation retreat or simple abode, they offer a high level of service and a unique glimpse into everyday Indian life. In more remote regions, hotels are likely to be clean and simple whilst wildlife accommodation is generally either in jungle lodges or comfortable tented camps. For those looking to relax there are many excellent beachside hotels and an increasing number of retreats specialising in both Ayurveda and yoga.

Festivals In India

Festivals In India

Colourful and vibrant, the festivals of India are rightly famous. One of the joys of travelling in India is the discovery of a celebration – a village wedding perhaps, complete with fireworks and loud Bollywood music, or a religious observance in honour of a local deity. India’s vast size, its cultural heritage and strong regional identities all play their part in making these festivals what they are today. The majority of celebrations in India are centred on religion – three of the most famous which can be incorporated into a holiday are Holi, the ‘festival of colours’, held during March, Diwali the ‘festival of lights’ which takes places between October and November and signifies the triumph of good over evil, and Dussehra which is fervently celebrated in northern India. The most popular regional celebrations include December’s Hornbill Festival, an important cultural event that showcases Nagaland’s traditions and heritage, Gujarat’s fabulous International Kite Festival held annually in January and the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Kerala where each August huge snake boats are raced in front of enormous crowds.

Wildlife In India

India is synonymous with wildlife. Known the world over as home to the majestic tiger, India is blessed with an extraordinary diversity of animal life and a plethora of national parks and protected areas. India’s vast size, its remoteness and an increasing focus on conservation has had a positive impact on wildlife numbers and the country is the home of a large number of rare or endangered species including tiger, leopard and Asiatic lion, one-horned rhinoceros and elephant. National parks and reserves are found throughout the country, from high mountain and desert to tropical jungle and forest and it is this range of habitats that supports such a wide variety of mammal, reptile, amphibious and bird life. Northern and central India and the reserves of Corbett, Ranthambore, Kanha, Pench and Bandhavgarh are famed the world over for their tiger populations. Gujarat’s Sasan Gir supports the rare Asiatic lion and Kaziranga, in North East India, the majestic one-horned rhinoceros. The North East national parks of Kaziranga, Dibru-Saikhowa and Nameri also offer fine birdwatching.

Wildlife In India

Common India Travel Questions

A1 - India can be visited the year round but generally the best time is from September to April when temperatures are stable and rain rare. India’s monsoon runs from the end of June to early September with increasingly higher temperatures building in the weeks before the rains arrive. This pre-monsoon period is considered the best time for seeing wildlife. In contrast to much of the country India’s Himalayas, and particularly Ladakh, are best visited over the summer months.
A2 - Holders of British Citizen passports can apply for an e-Tourist Visa (eTV). The length of an eTV ranges from between 30 days to 5 years and all applications need to be made prior to travel. The eTV becomes active from the date of arrival in India and is not valid for Protected or Restricted areas.
A3 - Depending on the destination, a direct flight from the UK to India is between 8 to 10 hours in duration. There are also many indirect flights with stops en-route that link the UK to regional Indian airports. Connections are mostly via the Middle East with flights taking between 12 and 14 hours.
A4 - For information and advice on vaccinations and health requirements we recommend contacting your doctor or travel clinic. Other helpful sources of information include MASTA and the NHS ‘Fit for Travel’ website. Current recommended vaccinations include Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Diphtheria. Yellow Fever is compulsory but only if an affected Yellow Fever area has been visited 5 days prior to arrival in India. In some areas anti-malarial medication may also be required.
A5 - There are well over 100 national parks and many more protected areas in India which support a wide variety of animal, bird, reptile and marine life. India’s vast size and varied terrains also provide a diverse range of habitats. Aside from tiger, key species include leopard and elephant, the rare Asiatic lion resides in Gujarat and the national parks of India’s north east are home to the majestic one-horned rhinoceros. Gaur, nilgai, blackbuck, sambar and barasingha deer can be encountered in most reserves, dolphin, gharial and mugger crocodile in rivers and numerous bird species throughout the subcontinent.
A6 - Long term conservation efforts have increased India’s tiger population and, although this majestic mammal can now be found around the country, north and central India remain the best place to see tigers. The national parks of Ranthambore, Kanha, Pench, Bandhavgarh and Corbett provide prime tiger habitat with the months of March, April and May, when foliage dies back and water is scarce, offering the best chance to see them in the wild.
A7 - Generally loose cotton clothes are best during the day, however, if travelling to northern India and Rajasthan during the winter months evenings can be cool so also bring warmer clothing such as a sweater or fleece. Since most sightseeing is on foot, comfortable shoes are recommended as well as ones that can be slipped on and off easily for visits to temples and mosques. For visits to wildlife sanctuaries, it is worth remembering that whilst it will generally be hot during the day it can be cold when travelling in jeeps at dawn and dusk so take a hat, gloves, scarf, fleece or warm sweater too.
A8 - Both the Brahmaputra and Ganges rivers are navigable and there are a number of different river cruises that can be undertaken from longer exploratory journeys to short trips or those with a focus either on culture or wildlife. Brahmaputra cruises navigate the river between Guwahati and Dibrugarh with nearly all including Kaziranga National Park, whilst Ganges cruises commence in Kolkata and visit many of Bengal’s key historic sites with some making an extended and adventurous journey upstream to Varanasi.

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