For a leisure trip to India, the most important thing a traveler needs is time. Even with plenty of that, it is difficult to accommodate even the highlights of India. We have drawn up an itinerary for a leisure trip in India with the essential destinations. We may have missed out on many which can be added given you have time. You can contact us for a customized holiday in India.
Jetsetquest’s itinerary for a leisure trip to India.
Day 1 – Land in New Delhi Airport. Drive to your hotel and relax for the day.
Day 2 – After breakfast head out to explore the heritage of Delhi. Enjoy the historical and architectural wonders of Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Jama Masjid. Later, experience the Humayun’s Tomb which is a precursor to the Taj Mahal. Head to your hotel and pack for the next day.
Day 3 – Drive to Agra. Try leaving a little early in the morning after breakfast to avoid the traffic. The drive will take around 4-5 hours. You can either check in to your hotel and proceed to visit Taj Mahal or it is the first thing that you can do when you reach Agra. For a peaceful view of the Taj, you can try and see it from the other side of the bank of the river after you are done with the main tour. You can proceed to see the Agra Fort after a tour of the Taj Mahal. Stay the night in Agra.
Day 4 – Today you leave for Jaipur. The drive is around 5 hours. You should still have time, so you can check out the light and sound show at Amber Palace.
Day 5 – Visit Amber Palace (if you hadn’t already), Nahargarh Fort, Hawa Mahal. For the first 2 places, do insist for a guide with your travel agent in India. Or else it will just be stones and bricks to you. Shop in the bustling pink bazaars of Jaipur and taste its fiery cuisine.
Day 6 – Fly to Kochi/Cochin from Jaipur. You may not get a direct flight but there will be a connecting flight. After arriving in Cochin head to your hotel and relax. For a better experience try and book your hotel in the Fort Cochin Area.
Day 7 – Explore Fort Kochi Area which has a rich heritage with Dutch, Portuguese and British architecture. Try and take a cycling tour that takes you around Fort Kochi and nearby villages for a true local feel.
Day 8 – Drive to Munnar while taking a detour to Athirapally falls. This detour is worth it. It is a beautiful waterfall and is not to be missed. You’ll come across many small waterfalls on the way to Munnar.
Day 9 – Time today to explore the sights of this beautiful hill station. Visit Eravikulam National Park for the Nilgiri Tahr. You can also head to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a little further away from Munnar. A hike along the Pambar river under the shade of the tall forest trees is quite a thrill.
Day 10 – After breakfast slow walks in some of the most exquisite tea gardens of Munnar. If you love height and mist, head to Kolukkumalai Tea Estate which is the highest organic tea garden in the world. It is at a mind-blowing height of 2160 metres above mean sea level.
Day 11 – Drive down from the hills to the forests of Thekkady. A beautiful 3-4 hour journey and you are at the door of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. You can take an afternoon boat safari at the reserve. But if you have a few more days, there’s a walking and camping safari inside the reserve which you must do.
Day 12 – Thekkady boasts of a lot of spice plantations in and around. Take a spice plantation tour and end it with an authentic Keralan lunch with fresh ingredients.
Day 13 – Drive to Alleppey today. Around 4 hours long and you will be at the backwaters and beaches of Alleppey. Check into a houseboat and sail the backwaters. Enjoy a local dinner with a fresh catch of the day.
Day 14 – Check out from the houseboat and check into a hotel. Enjoy local spicy cuisine and fresh palm sap liquor called toddy in the famous toddy shops of Alleppey. Go for a nice relaxing and therapeutic Ayurvedic massage later in the afternoon.
Day 15 – Drive to Cochin/Kochi and fly out to Mumbai from there. Enjoy Mumbai’s nightlife either bar hopping or tasting the Malvani cuisine.
Day 16 – Explore Mumbai’s sights like the Gateway of India and the Elephanta Caves which are a little far away. Spend the evening sipping on a fresh beer overlooking the Marine Drive
Day 17 -Time for your flight back home. The memories of India will last you a lifetime.