Bazaars & Backwaters in India

On arrival in Delhi, you'll transfer to a hotel in the popular Karol Bagh area, known for its eclectic and colourful market. Depending on your arrival time, you may have a little while to start to explore this cacophonous place. Hotel: Amrapali Grand.

This morning is dedicated to exploring the sights and sounds of Delhi in ways that support local communities and charities. First there's an off-the-grid walking tour, exploring Old Delhi with true experts – ex-street children. They'll show you a side of Old Delhi not seen on standard tours. Curious and enthusiastic, they're just as likely to ask questions as to answer them as you make your way around the hectic streets and bustling alleyways.

Next, you'll visit the kitchens of a Sikh Temple to meet the people who serve food to thousands of Delhi's most impoverished citizens every day. You'll eat alongside the diners before leaving Delhi and taking the expressway to Agra, home of the alluring Taj Mahal. Hotel: Howard Plaza Fern (B/L).

A yoga class at dawn, with the Taj Mahal bathed in the morning light as your backdrop, will surely be a seminal moment of your trip. Breakfast is back at the hotel before you return to the Taj Mahal for a tour of this beautiful and majestic building.

Later, you'll put your dancing shoes on for a lesson in the most energetic moves on the planet -- Bollywood style. Hotel: Howard Plaza Fern (B).

Today you'll travel to the enthralling city of Jaipur, stopping at Abhaneri Stepwell en route. Not your ordinary water well, this architectural gem is a real marvel and is one of the oldest and deepest stepwells in Rajasthan. You'll arrive in Jaipur with plenty of time to explore the colourful bazaars with your tour leader on a foodie walking tour, feasting on delicious pre-dinner street food snacks. Hotel: KK Royal (B).

This morning you'll visit Amber Fort, a magnificent complex crafted from yellow and pink sandstone. Then it's on to a Dhula village to meet local families and artisans such as potters and bangle makers. You'll have the opportunity to get hands-on, helping farmers milk cows or plough fields and genuinely experience rural life.

In the evening, there's time to explore exotic Jaipur and the chaotic streets that thrum with camels, buses and motorbikes. Hotel: KK Royal (B).

Today you'll head to the glorious 15th-century Neemrana Fort-Palace, now a spectacular hotel. It's a sprawling resort that extends over nine palace wings. But before you wander the Fort-Palace's hanging gardens or , swim in the pools that look out over the hillsides, you'll take a dromedary (an Arabian camel) for an unforgettable ride around the local area. Then, as the sun sets, enjoy the magical atmosphere as hundreds of fairy lights sparkle across the resort. Hotel: Neemrana Fort Palace Hotel (B/D).

Leaving your palatial surroundings behind, head to Delhi airport for a flight south to Cochin (or Kochi as it's otherwise known) in Kerala. There's a wild mix of history and culture here, curated from the influences of over 600 years of traders and travellers. The Cochin of today is a centre of Keralan arts and wandering the quaint lanes lined with cafes, galleries and handicraft shops give you a sense of this traditional and contemporary art scene. Dinner this evening is on a pier at a waterfront restaurant, serving seafood specialities. Hotel: Bloom Boutique Waterfront Fort Cochin (B).

Arguably the best way to see Fort Cochin is by bike. So today you'll take a leisurely cycle ride, stopping to try your hand at working the Chinese Fishing Nets, the imposing cantilevered contraptions that are a legacy of ancient traders. After, the time is your own to continue exploring Cochin.

This evening there's a private sundowner cruise to enjoy another blazing Indian sunset with drinks and snacks. Hotel: Bloom Boutique Waterfront Fort Cochin (B).

Today head inland to the misty, spice-scented valleys of Periyar National Park. There's time to settle into the hotel after the journey before joining a local specialist on a spice garden walking tour to learn how spices grow, smell and taste.

This evening there's a mesmerising martial arts performance and dinner. Hotel: Cardamon County (B/D).

After breakfast, you'll explore Periyar National Park. As you walk through the forest, your ranger will point out animal tracks, perhaps from bison, sambar, wild boar or elephants. Although elusive, there are tigers here too. Next, take to the lake on a bamboo raft for a serene and reflective look at the majesty of the park. There's a picnic for lunch, and then the afternoon is free to indulge in the hotel's spa and wellness facilities. Hotel: Cardamom County (B/L/D).

Transfer to the glorious water-world of Alleppey. It's the centre of Kerala's backwaters and a maze of waterways. The houseboats here are a famous feature and you'll stay onboard one of these basic but beautiful vessels tonight. Boarding in time for lunch you will see local village life unfold as we pass through green paddy fields and verdant countryside.

Tonight, your houseboat crew will prepare a traditional Keralan dinner. Kerala Houseboat (B/L/D).

Leaving your houseboat in Alleppey behind, you're bound for Cherai Beach on Vypeen Island. The pace here is decidedly unhurried (a world away from your city experiences) and the day is yours to relax on the beach, lapped by the Arabian Sea. If you're looking for more adventure, there are plenty of watersports to try. Or simply kick back and enjoy the sound of the waves as a fitting farewell to your Indian immersion. Hotel: Indriya Beach Resort (B).

Your Indian adventure comes to an end after breakfast (B).