India
India is less a single destination than a whole world of them. In the north, Delhi layers Mughal tombs and spice markets beside leafy colonial avenues, and the Taj Mahal rises from the banks of the Yamuna exactly as beautiful as you have always imagined. Rajasthan is a land of hilltop forts, lake palaces, and painted havelis, with the golden dunes of the Thar Desert stretching toward the horizon. In the heart of the country, tigers move through the forests of Ranthambore and Bandhavgarh, while the sacred city of Varanasi greets the Ganges each evening with fire and song. Far to the south, Kerala drifts by in a haze of palm-lined backwaters, spice gardens, and tea-covered hills.
What I love most about India is how deeply it invites you in. A block printer in a village outside Jaipur shows you a pattern his family has carved for generations, a home cook in a haveli teaches you to temper spices the way her grandmother did, and a stranger at the ghats shares the meaning behind every ritual you see. The art of an India journey is in the pacing, pairing the great monuments with village life, time in the wild, and a few palace nights where you can simply sit back and take it all in.
A Note from the Field:
Piper
Moments Worth the Journey
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![The Taj Mahal glowing at dawn, mirrored in the still reflecting pool between rows of cypress trees.]()
The Taj Mahal at sunrise
Arrive as the gates open, when the marble glows soft pink and the gardens are at their quietest. Walk the reflecting pools with a guide who knows every inlaid flower and verse, then watch the light shift from pearl to gold. The Taj is closed on Fridays, so I plan around it.
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![Cycle rickshaws lined up along a bustling Old Delhi street at dusk, beneath glowing shop signs.]()
Old Delhi by rickshaw
Weave through the lanes of Chandni Chowk past silver merchants and sweet shops, then into Khari Baoli, one of Asia’s largest spice markets, where sacks of chilies and cardamom spill into the street. End with a quiet moment in the courtyard of Jama Masjid.
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![An artisan pressing a carved wooden block onto red-patterned cotton in a Rajasthani printing workshop.]()
Block printing in a Rajasthani village
Just outside Jaipur, artisans in Bagru and Sanganer still carve wooden blocks and print fabric by hand with natural dyes. Spend a morning in a family workshop pressing your own design onto cotton to take home.
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![The geometric stone steps of Chand Baori stepwell zigzagging down toward the water.]()
Into the depths of Chand Baori
In the village of Abhaneri lies one of the most dramatic stepwells in India, with thousands of steps zigzagging down thirteen stories to the water. Built more than a thousand years ago, it’s a geometric marvel and a cool retreat from the desert heat.
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![Udaipur’s City Palace stretching along the shore of Lake Pichola as a boat glides across the blue water.]()
Sunset on Lake Pichola
Udaipur’s palaces seem to float on the water at golden hour. Glide across the lake by private boat as the City Palace and Jag Mandir light up, then dine on a rooftop overlooking it all.
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![Rippled red sand dunes beneath a deep blue sky full of stars.]()
A night beneath the Thar Desert stars
Beyond Jaisalmer’s golden sandstone fort, the dunes roll toward the Pakistani border. Ride out at dusk, then settle into a luxury desert camp with folk musicians by the fire and a sky crowded with stars.
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![Two Bengal tigers resting at the edge of a forest waterhole in the golden evening light.]()
Tracking tigers in the wild
India is home to most of the world’s wild tigers. Head out by open jeep with an expert naturalist in Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh, or Kanha, watching for fresh pugmarks and listening for the alarm calls of spotted deer. Safari permits are limited, so I secure them well ahead.
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![A priest raising a blazing brass lamp during the evening aarti ceremony on the banks of the Ganges.]()
Evening aarti on the Ganges
Each night at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, priests swing great brass lamps in a ceremony of fire, bells, and chanting. Watch from a boat on the river, then return at dawn as pilgrims bathe and the old city wakes in soft light.
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![A traditional thali of curries, rice, dal, and fresh flatbread served on a block-printed tablecloth.]()
A family kitchen in a heritage haveli
Join a local family in their ancestral home for a cooking lesson in Rajasthani or Mughlai cuisine. Grind spices, roll fresh rotis, and share the meal together at the end.
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![Emerald tea plantations rolling across the misty hills of the Western Ghats.]()
Tea and spice in the Western Ghats
In the hills around Munnar, emerald tea estates roll toward the horizon. Walk a plantation with a planter, then visit a spice garden near Periyar, where cardamom, pepper, and vanilla grow in the forest shade.
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![Whitewashed Buddhist stupas with golden spires and fluttering prayer flags against a bright Himalayan sky.]()
Monasteries of Ladakh
High in the Himalaya, whitewashed Buddhist monasteries cling to rocky ridges above the Indus Valley. Join the monks for morning prayers at Thiksey, and time your visit for the masked dances of the Hemis Festival in early summer.
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![An aerial view of a small boat gliding down a narrow backwater canal through dense coconut palms in Kerala.]()
Gliding through Kerala’s backwaters
Board a private kettuvallam, a traditional rice barge reimagined as a houseboat, and drift through a maze of palm-lined canals. Watch village life unfold along the banks, from fishermen casting nets to children waving from the shore.
India by Region
Delhi & Agra
Mughal monuments, bustling bazaars, leafy colonial avenues, and the Taj Mahal.
Best October through March, when days are pleasant and dry. The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.
Rajasthan
Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer, with palaces, hilltop forts, stepwells, and desert camps.
Best October through March. Diwali lights up the cities each autumn, and the Pushkar Camel Fair takes place in October or November.
Tiger Country
Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, and Pench, the forests that inspired The Jungle Book.
Parks open October through June. Sightings are best March through May, when tigers gather near water. Core zones close for the monsoon, roughly July through September.
Varanasi & the Ganges
India’s holiest city, with riverside ghats, ancient temples, and the nearby Buddhist site of Sarnath.
Best October through March. Dev Deepavali in November lines the ghats with thousands of oil lamps.
Kerala
Backwater houseboats, tea-covered hills, spice gardens, Kathakali dance, and Ayurvedic retreats.
Best October through March. The monsoon months bring lush green landscapes and are a traditional season for Ayurveda.
Ladakh & the Himalaya
Buddhist monasteries, high mountain passes, turquoise lakes, and dramatic desert peaks.
Best June through September, when the passes are open. The high altitude calls for a few easy days to acclimatize.
Ride the Rails Like a Maharaja
Some of the world’s most extraordinary train journeys roll across India, and riding one feels like stepping into a royal era. Aboard a luxury train with private suites, white-glove service, and dining cars glowing with polished brass and rich textiles, glide between Rajasthan’s palace cities, tiger country, and the Taj Mahal. You wake each morning somewhere new, with every excursion handled. Ask me about my favorite royal rail journeys.
