Deserts, Palaces & Tropical Backwaters
8-24 October 2027
Special Interest
A Small Group Tour Led by Mark Woodrow
Deserts, Palaces & Tropical Backwaters A Small Group Tour Led by Mark Woodrow 8-24 October 2027 Special Interest
When asked to describe their impressions of India, one of the most frequently used adjectives given by visitors are its “Colours” – Join Mark as we take in the whole rainbow palette that India has been blessed with: from the beautiful blues of Jodhpur, the glorious golds of the deserts, the luscious greens of tropical paradise of Kerala, and the romantic reds of the sun setting into the oceans off the Malabar coast.
We begin in the North Western State of Rajasthan where we will explore the bazaars and the majestic architecture of the Palaces of ‘the Blue City’ of Jodhpur (as seen in the recent BBC programme ‘The Real Marigold Hotel’), before travelling further North to discover the wildlife, the tribal communities and the haunting beauty of the Deserts of Rajasthan. We then head to the very South of the sub-continent and into the tropical paradise of the world-famous Backwaters in ‘God’s own country’ of Kerala where we will float through the waterways and canals, watching the world pass gently by. Finally, we retreat to the Malabar Coast, to finish our time relaxing beside the beaches of the Arabian Sea.
Mark Woodrow is a Parish Priest in rural Suffolk and a self-confessed Indophile. Having previously lived and worked in India, where he fell in love with the food, the climate and the vibrancy that India offers, he is now also an experienced group leader, helping both large and small groups discover the vast diversity of people, traditions, faiths, cultures and geography that the Indian Sub-Continent has to offer. Mark is also an elected Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
17 days from £8,265.00 per person
Day 1 : To Delhi
Friday 8 October
Fly from London Heathrow airport to Delhi by Etihad airways via Abu Dhabi
Departure London Heathrow at 14:45.
(Regional Departures are available, as well as cabin upgrades - please ask for details).
Day 2 : To Jodhpur
Saturday 9 October
Arrive Delhi at 07:55. Clear Customs and immigration, and check-in for your onward flight to Jodhpur (depart 13:45, arrival 15:20).
Meeting, assistance on arrival and transfer to The House of Rohet. Evening free at leisure.
(Jodhpur is one of the most distinctive among Rajasthan's many princely 500-year-old settlements. Located on the fringe of the Thar Desert, it is known for its impressive fortified bastions in Mehrangarh, built in 1459, which have witnessed many battles, and which encompasses the beautiful Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) and Phool Mahal).
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Day 3 : Jodhpur
Sunday 10 October
After breakfast head out for a full day tour of the Blue City of Jodhpur, taking in the Mehrangarh Fort, Toorji Step Well, Phool Mahal, Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum as well as the bustling bazaars.
Overnight in The House of Rohet, Jodhpur.
B, D
Day 4 : To Village Jamba
Monday 11 October
After breakfast head north, driving approx. 3 hours' to The Clement Dune Retreat. Check in for your 3-night stay.
This evening enjoy a folk dance performance by the Langa before dinner.
(Jamba is a small village in Rajasthan, reflecting traditional rural life. The village is known for its close-knit community, cultural customs, and simple lifestyle shaped by the desert climate and rich Rajasthani heritage).
B, D
Day 5 : Village Jamba
Tuesday 12 October
After breakfast, enjoy a desert jeep safari, an AC 4WD in the desert.
The desert around Jamba is home to nomadic tribes with a rich and colourful lifestyle. The unique Bishnoi people are true eco-warriors of the region. They are known conservationists for whom the preservation of animal life and vegetation is a religion and has been from the early 15th century.
Magnificently having numerous sand dunes, it is a wonderful base to explore the remote areas of Rajasthan and, most importantly, to interact with the living cultures of rural India.
Spectacular sunsets from any corner of the village and quiet moments with the rare colours that tint the western horizon.
Returning to the hotel in the afternoon, enjoy a dip in the pool; watch the desert sunset from the sundeck. Evening at leisure.
Day 6 : Village Jamba
Wednesday 13 October
After and early morning visit to Kheechan (to see black necked cranes) return to hotel for breakfast. Explore the area after breakfast. Return to the hotel to unwind, relax by the pool or read on your private patio.
Between September and March witness the awesome sight of over 30000 Demoiselle Cranes at nearby Kheechan coming to nest.
Evening take an exciting camel cart ride to nearby dune to witness the beautiful sunset.
Day 7 : To Jaipur
Thursday 14 October
Morning drive to Jaipur (approximately 08 hours' driving time). On arrival in Jaipur, Check-in at Dera Rawatsar for two nights (Super Deluxe Room).
(Jaipur - designed by a young Bengali architect in 1727, is the only city in the world symbolising the nine divisions of the universe. Jaipur is also known as the Pink City of India. Palaces, Forts, sublime architecture with a strong influence of Hindu, Jain and Mughal styles make Jaipur most interesting. Colourful bazaars and warm people are the pride of Jaipur).
B, D
Day 8 : Jaipur
Friday 15 October
Morning drive to Amber Fort where you will ascend this hilltop Fort in a Jeep.
(The 10th century Amber Fort is ringed by hills, with ramparts guarding all approaches and watchtowers set at strategic points. Windows pierce the high walls at points impossible to break in from the outside, and staircases are deliberately narrow so that they could be held by a single warrior allowing members of the royal family and the army to flee to more strategic locations of special interest in the fort is the Sheesh Mahal or Hall of Mirrors. It is a sumptuous apartment made opulent through tiny mirrors studded into its walls and ceiling. It glows like a jewelled cavern in the early morning or evening light, but with all doors closed and a candle lit at its centre, transports you into the heart of a diamond).
In the afternoon, enjoy sightseeing of Jaipur city visiting the Palace of Winds, City Palace Complex, and the Jantar Mantar Observatory.
B, D
Day 9 : To Cochin
Saturday 16 October
After an early breakfast, transfer to Jaipur Airport in time to board your flight to Cochin via Hyderabad. (Depart Jaipur 07:05, arrival Cochin 11:35).
Met on arrival and transfer to hotel (approximately 1 hour drive), and check-in at Forte Kochi Hotel for 2-night stay.
(Cochin has a history stretching back to the time of King Solomon, when it was known as ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’. Arabian, Phoenician and Chinese traders all stopped here in search of spices, silks and sandalwood. Marco Polo and Vasco da Gama followed, as did the Dutch East India Company and later the British. Today, Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus still live side by side, and Chinese fishing-nets, introduced by merchants from the court of Kublai Khan, continue to haul in Fish. The adjoining backwaters make it a popular destination).
B, D
Day 10 : Cochin
Sunday 17 October
You have the option to attend the Sunday morning service at St. Francis Church between 08:00 and 09:00 am. Later, we spend the day exploring the sights and sounds of Cochin, visiting the Chinese Fishing Nets, Jewish Town and Synagogue, with time for lunch and souvenir shopping, before enjoying an evening Kathakali dance performance. Return to the hotel. B, D
Day 11 : To Alleppey and Board the MV Vaikundam Cruise
Monday 18 October
Morning after breakfast, drive to Alleppey, approximately 1.5 hours driving time, and embark on MV Vaikundam at Punnamada in Alleppey. (Punnamada Lake is the venue of the annual Snake boat race held in August. People gather in large numbers to watch nearly 100 ft long boats compete against each other to the tune of old boat songs).
Arrive at a riverine village for a halt where lunch will be served onboard. Enjoy the traditional lunch of Kerala. After lunch we set sail along a rivulet to a quaint ancient village – Karumadi. Gliding along narrow canals we arrive at a serene coastal village – Pallana. You may take a tuk-tuk ride and to visit the harbour.
B, L, D
Day 12 : On-board the MV Vaikundam Cruise
Tuesday 19 October
After breakfast, visit the village. Watch the morning hours at the vibrant school and visit the memorial of a renowned poet and social reformer of Kerala who dedicated his literary skills to propagate spiritual awareness in the society which was divided by the evils of the caste system. Cruise along the serene backwaters, passing through the narrow inland waterways through the rural agrarian villages. Arrive Champakkulam. After lunch, take a walk in the ancient settlement of missionaries and spice traders, where you can visit one of the oldest churches established during the 5th Century. By evening we arrive at a picturesque village – Pulinkunnu, surrounded by the river and expanses of low-lying paddy fields. B, L, D
Day 13 : On-board the MV Vaikundam Cruise
Wednesday 20 October
Sail through labyrinth of rivers and rivulets which merge into a larger estuarine system shaped by tidal and fluvial processes. The region which is locally known as Kuttanad wetland is the Rice Bowl of Kerala, where indigenous practices of cultivation still prevail.
Stop by Chavara Bhavan, the ancestral home of the Saint Chavara, the first canonized Catholic male saint of Indian origin, and co-founder of the first congregation for men, the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I), and the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (C.M.C). He had dedicated his life for the improvement of the poor among the poor. Now this house is preserved as a museum.
By evening we arrive at Kavalam village through which the major river of Kerala – Pampa – drains into the estuarine – Vembanad. Enjoy a country boat ride along narrow canal through the paddy fields. Interact with the villagers and watch a cultural programme.
B, L, D
Day 14 : On-board the MV Vaikundam Cruise
Thursday 21 October
Cruise along the river into the majestic estuarine wet land eco-system -Vembanad, which is home to a variety of species of fish, birds, mangroves and different tropical vegetation. Kumarakom is a cluster of islands and lagoons. Indigenous fishing practices can be seen as you sail along. Visit a farmhouse in the middle of the lake, where you get an insight into Syrian Christian family culture.
After lunch, we cruise across the lake and arrive at the ancient pilgrim town, Vaikom.
Here we visit a cultural centre and watch Kathakali – the traditional dance form of Kerala. You can also enjoy a short tuk-tuk ride to the ancient temple of Shiva. The architecture of temples in Kerala is based on the ancient science of construction and geographical features of the land.
B, L, D
Day 15 : To Mararikulam
Friday 22 October
Cruise for an hour on the estuarine along its course to Cochin to drain into the Arabian Sea. After breakfast, we bid farewell to the crew and head off to Mararikulam (approximately 45 minutes’ driving time). Check in at Marari Beach Resort an eco-extension of a fisherman’s village set in 30 acres of coconut groves, fruit trees, butterfly garden and an organic farm, all right on the shores of the Arabian Sea. We relax or explore our surroundings, followed by dinner. B, D
Day 16 : Mararikulam
Saturday 23 October
Day at leisure to explore and enjoy all that the resort has to offer. Ayurvedic treatments, massage, yoga sessions, visit to a local village to meet the community or a dip in the sea or pool. Gather in the evening for a farewell dinner. B, D
Day 17 : Depart India
Sunday 24 October
All good things must eventually come to an end, so after an early breakfast, transfer to Cochin airport to connect your flight back home with Etihad airways via Abu Dhabi. Departure Cochin at 10:30, arrival London Heathrow at 18:45 B
Itinerary map
Dates & Prices
| Dates | Price per person (Double/Twin share) | Single room supplement |
|---|---|---|
| 08-24 Oct 2027 | £8,265.00 | £3,950.00 |
- International flight in economy class on Etihad Airways.
- Internal flights: Delhi to Jodhpur, and Jaipur to Cochin in Economy Class, with 23 kg checked baggage.
- 11 nights’ accommodation in hotels and 4 night stay in houseboat with en-suite facilities (check-in at 14:00 hrs and check-out at 12:00 noon; early check-in and late check-out are subject to availability).
- Daily breakfast and dinner at all hotels; all meals included on board the cruise.
- All arrival/departure transfers, long drives and sightseeing by a chauffeur driven private air-conditioned vehicle.
- Services of Rev. Mark Woodrow as Tour Leader.
- Services of a local English-speaking representative for all arrival and departure transfers to assist you at airports.
- Services of English-speaking guide during sightseeing as specified in the itinerary
- Entrance fees to all monuments during sightseeing as specified in your itinerary
- Complimentary mineral water while traveling.
- 100% protection of payment from our ATOL and ABTA Licenses
- India visa fee. We will send a step-by-step guide how to apply for E-Tourist visa for India. We provide free assistance to help you with your visa application.
- Any expenses of a personal nature like laundry, telephone calls, beverages, etc.
- Gratuities: Revd Mark will operate a “group pool” for these and will advise the suggested amount before departure.
- Camera fees at monuments and other places of interest.
- Travel Insurance: It is essential to have adequate travel insurance in place before your departure.
We plan to follow this detailed itinerary, but events beyond our control – unpredictable weather, blocked roads, cancelled flights, mechanical breakdown – or unscheduled closure of any monument / museum may require last minute changes to the itinerary. We will ensure that these changes are kept to a minimum if required.
*Travel Insurance
It is essential to have adequate insurance in place before your departure. This should be appropriate for your age, health and destination you are visiting.
• Make sure it includes comprehensive medical and repatriation cover.
• Make sure it provides cover for your whole trip (whether one day or over a year).
• Make sure it covers you for all activities.
• Disclose pre-existing medical conditions.
• Take your policy number and the 24-hour emergency contact numbers with you.
For a competitive quotation please visit https://www.indusexperiences.co.uk/insurance/
020 3981 9838 holidays@indusexperiences.co.uk
What our clients say
Frank and Irene PearsonIt was a pleasant surprise to receive the emails about your loyalty program. To receive rewards for enjoying a well organised holiday is certainly a good way to do it.
The surprise got better yesterday to arrive home and find the case of wine awaiting us (more about that later) and again this morning to receive a voucher from Patisserie Valerie.
Noting the wines came…
