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Tours in Delhi and North India
North India Culinary Tour
12 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS
from £2,845 / US$3,608 per person*
Tour Highlights
- Immerse yourself in a traditional ‘langar’ at Delhi’s Bangla Sahib Gurdwara
Watch the sun set over the iconic Taj Mahal - Visit bustling local markets and learn how to prepare delectable kebabs in Lucknow
- Pick vegetables and herbs at Ahilya’s own organic farm
- Assist the kitchen staff at Ahilya Fort to prepare a traditional Marathi Thali
- Enjoy a sunset river cruise on the sacred Narmada River
- Explore Mandu’s historic ruins
- Discover Lucknow’s magnificent Mughal monuments
- Discover Mumbai’s stunning colonial architecture on foot
- Devour Mumbai’s addictive street food snacks on a guided food walk
Tour Overview
DELHI • AGRA • LUCKNOW • AHILYA FORT • MUMBAI
The Indian Culinary Tour weaves together three of northern India’s celebrated regional cuisines. It combines visits to spice markets, street food walks, and interactive cooking lessons to deliver a unique Indian gastronomic experience.
From lip-smacking Vada Pav as well as the irresistible Paani Puri filled with an addictive tangy, spicy sauce that defines Mumbai’s street-food culture to the delectable kebabs made famous by the Nawabs of Lucknow and the exotic Kolhapuri Mutton curry, a quintessential Marathi dish prepared using roasted spices, treat yourself to exotic flavours from across India.
Your India Culinary Tour begins in Delhi, where you will participate in a traditional ‘langar’ at the Bangla Sahib Gurdwara before tucking into fluffy Naan Bread and slow-cooked Rajma Dal at the award-winning Bukhara restaurant renowned for its Mughlai cuisine. Then, visit the iconic Taj Mahal and try Agra’s famous Panchhi Petha (gooey Pumpkin-based sweet) before embarking on a train journey to Lucknow. At Lucknow, visit the spice markets with a local family and then assist them in preparing Galouti Kebab and Awadhi Biryani, which originated from the royal kitchens of Oudh. Next, fly to Indore and drive to the charming Ahilya Fort, where you will pick vegetables and herbs from Ahilya’s organic farm and assist the Chef in preparing an authentic Marathi Thali. Your interactive lesson will feature a main course (Kolhapuri Mutton Curry) and a milk-based dessert (Basundi). Along the way, you will visit Lucknow’s historical sites and enjoy a sunset cruise (shared basis) on the sacred Narmada River.
Conclude your India Culinary Tour in Mumbai, where your food walk will take you to the bustling Crawford market; it offers you the chance to observe the dabbawallahs ferrying tiffin boxes across Mumbai, savour Mumbai’s street food as well as the opportunity to taste the famous Irani Chai at the iconic Kayani Parsi café a humble yet well-known landmark.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Delhi
![Delhi (Old Delhi) India DT 37175851](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/Delhi-Old-Delhi-India-DT-37175851.jpg)
Land at Delhi International Airport under your own arrangements (if you would like a quote for international flights, please ask us). The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Alternatively (supplement applies), enjoy an optional guided walk through the serene Lodhi gardens, located in the heart of New Delhi and scattered with beautiful monuments and tombs built by the Sayyid, Lodhi dynasties, which offer a rare glimpse into pre-Mughal Indian architecture.
ACCOMMODATION (2 nights)
Sapphire: Haveli Hauz Khas (Banni Room)
Diamond: The Imperial (Heritage Room)
Day 2 Delhi
![Delhi (Bangla Sahib Gurdwara) India DT 183619418](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2024/01/Delhi-Bangla-Sahib-Gurdwara-India-DT-183619418.jpg)
Set off this morning to explore Lutyen’s designed New Delhi and learn about the city’s British heritage. Visit the gracious Humayun’s Tomb and Qutb Minar – one of the earliest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. Then, drive through the wide tree-lined avenues with photo-stop visits to India Gate – the War Memorial Arch; the Parliament House as well as the Vice Regal Palace – the official residence of the President of India. Next, proceed to the sacred Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, where you can participate in a traditional ‘langar’ (community kitchen run by Sikh volunteers) and help prepare ‘chappatis’ before enjoying a simple meal with the Sikh devotees. The langar at Bangla Sahib Gurdwara is one of the biggest kitchens in the city and serves around 10,000 meals daily.
Day 3 Train to Agra; sunset visit to the Taj Mahal
![Agra (Taj Mahal) India DT 31960098-2](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/Agra-Taj-Mahal-India-DT-31960098-2.jpg)
Rise early and board India’s fastest train, which will bring you to Agra – once the capital of the Mughal Empire. On arrival, proceed to visit the imposing Agra Fort, which provides an insight into 16th-century Mughal court as well as the lifestyle of the Mughals and then continue to visit the striking tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, popularly referred to as ‘Baby Taj’ Later this afternoon, go for a stroll through the lively Sadar Baazar and sample Agra’s famed Panchhi Petha (a sweet that traces its origin back to Shah Jahan’s royal kitchen) and conclude your explorations with a sunset visit to the Taj Mahal. Built as a monument to eternal love and described by poet Rabindranath Tagore as “a teardrop on the cheek of time”, this magnificent 17th-century mausoleum made of wonderful milk-white marble was created by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a tribute to the memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz.
ACCOMMODATION (1 night)
Sapphire: Taj Hotel & Convention Centre (Superior Room)
Diamond: The Oberoi Amarvilas (Premier Room)
Day 4 Train to Lucknow. Visit the British Residency
![Lucknow (British Residency complex) India DT 68148579](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/Lucknow-British-Residency-complex-India-DT-68148579.jpg)
Rise early to board your train to historic Lucknow, famed for the refined lifestyles of the Nawabs, the delectable Awadhi cuisine and as the epicentre of the 1857 uprising. Later this afternoon, proceed to the battle-scarred British Residency, which stands as a silent witness to the Indian mutiny and the fierce battle between British troops and Indian rebels. Then, continue to the La Martinere College, one of the finest examples of European funerary monuments in the Subcontinent, which Dalrymple described as East India Company’s answer to the Taj Mahal.
ACCOMMODATION (2 nights)
Sapphire: Taj Mahal Lucknow (Superior Charm Room)
Diamond: Lebua Lucknow (Luxury Room)
Day 5 Lucknow
![a. general (Food Biryani) India DT 30367417](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/a.-general-Food-Biryani-India-DT-30367417.jpg)
In the 18th century, Lucknow, under the Muslim Nawabs of Oudh, was transformed into the cultural capital of northern India. The Nawabs were famous for their love of all good things in life, and it was during their period the Awadhi cuisine originated in the royal kitchens of Oudh. This morning, accompanied by your Chef, shop for spices, vegetables and meat from the bustling Nakhas market. Then, return to Chef’s home and assist him in preparing delicious Galouti Kebabs and Awadhi Biryani. Spend the afternoon exploring Lucknow’s fascinating architecture. Your tour includes visiting Bara Imambara and Chota Imambara, both fine examples of late Mughal architecture and the Hussainabad picture gallery, where portraits of the former Nawabs are displayed.
Day 6 Fly to Indore, arrive Ahilya Fort
![Maheshwar (Ahilya Fort) India DT 67092771](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/Maheshwar-Ahilya-Fort-India-DT-67092771.jpg)
Today, fly to Indore and drive to Maheshwar, a fabled town known as the ‘Varanasi of Central India’. Here, you will spend the next three nights at the atmospheric Ahilya Fort, a charming 18th-century riverside retreat that was originally the residence of Holkar Kings before being converted into an intimate hotel. With a homely atmosphere, Ahilya Fort is an excellent base for those seeking authentic cultural immersion.
Day 7 Omkareshwar, Ahilya Fort
![a. general (Kolhapuri Mutton masala) India DT 224002293](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2024/01/a.-general-Kolhapuri-Mutton-masala-India-DT-224002293.jpg)
This morning, a short drive through rural central India will bring you to an ‘Om’ shaped island called Omkareshwar that has drawn Hindu pilgrims for centuries. Here, explore the atmospheric temples on the island and learn about a unique custom where devotees collect stones from the river and pile them along the bank with prayers to the goddess of the river. In the afternoon, pick vegetables and herbs from Ahilya’s organic farm before assisting the resident kitchen staff in preparing Mutton Kolhapuri and Basundi. Prince Richard Holkar conducts this interactive cooking experience, and hence, at the time of enquiry, we will check his diary and advise on availability.
Day 8 Ahilya Fort
![Maheshwar (Narmada River) India DT 238768215](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2024/01/Maheshwar-Narmada-River-India-DT-238768215.jpg)
Spend the morning visiting the weaving school for women at Maheshwar, established by Rani Ahilya Bhai nearly 250 years ago and still trains and employs women. The afternoon is at leisure. Later, enjoy a relaxing sunset cruise on the Narmada River and observe life as it unfolds along the river.
Day 9 Visit Mandu, fly to Mumbai
![Mandu (Jal Mahal Palace) India DT 33548063](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/Mandu-Jal-Mahal-Palace-India-DT-33548063.jpg)
Set off this morning to explore the picturesque and abandoned fortified ruins of Mandu with its palaces, mosques and temples, as well as the striking tomb of Hoshan’s Shah, which is believed to have inspired the Taj Mahal. Then, continue to Indore for your flight to Mumbai.
ACCOMMODATION (3 nights)
Sapphire: The Abode Mumbai (Luxury Room)
Diamond: The Taj Mahal Palace (Palace Wing – Luxury Grande Sea View Room)
Day 10 Mumbai
![Mumbai (India Gate. Taj Mahal Palace Hotel) India DT 7337826](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/Mumbai-India-Gate.-Taj-Mahal-Palace-Hotel-India-DT-7337826.jpg)
Begin your day with a guided walking tour of Mumbai’s historic Fort District. Your tour will showcase the city’s stunning colonial heritage and magnificent architecture and includes visiting the Crawford market, Mumbai’s largest market. Observe Dabbawallas in action before returning to your hotel. Later this afternoon, embark on a street food walk designed to devour many of Mumbai’s popular street snacks, including the ubiquitous spicy ‘Vada Pav’ and the addictive, tangy ‘Pani Puri. Conclude your explorations with an ‘Irani Chai’ at the humble yet famed Kayani Parsi café
Day 11 Mumbai
![Mumbai (Elephanta Island) India DT 50521123](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/Mumbai-Elephanta-Island-India-DT-50521123.jpg)
A shared boat ride this morning will bring you to Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the island’s striking temples carved out of basalt rock and filled with ornamental statues, pillars and friezes. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day 12 Farewell to India
![a. general (Navratri Festival) India DT 127995854](https://www.corinthiantravel.co.uk/app/uploads/2023/12/a.-general-Navratri-Festival-India-DT-127995854.jpg)
Today, you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to Mumbai International Airport. On arrival, check in for your onward flight.
Pricing Notes & Information
Price Guideline
*Price guideline, per person, based on two people sharing.
LOW SEASON
Sapphire Hotels from £2,845 (US$3,608)
Diamond Hotels from £3,995 (US$2,340)
HIGH SEASON
Sapphire Hotels from £3,595 (US$4,559)
Diamond Hotels from £5,495 (US$6,969)
What's Included
- Economy class flights between Lucknow-Indore and Indore-Mumbai
- Air-conditioned Chair-Class train tickets from Delhi to Agra and Agra to Lucknow
- Accommodation as described
- Service of Corinthian Travel representatives
- Sightseeing and entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Meals: 11 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches and 4 Dinners)
- English-speaking local guide (Delhi, Agra, Lucknow and Mumbai)
- Interactive culinary session at Lucknow
- Activities whilst at Ahilya Fort (cooking lesson and shared sunset boat ride will be arranged by the hotel
- Transfers and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Shared boat transfer between Mumbai and Elephanta Island
- Bottled water in the vehicle for transfers
Notes
North India Culinary Tour is a private tour that can operate throughout the year based on arrival in Delhi on any day of the week. The best time to visit North and Central India is between October and April. The high season falls in November and February, with a peak season applying over New Year and Easter. The low season typically runs from May to mid-September.
All prices are subject to availability at the time of booking. Prices do not include international flights (please ask us for a quote), are per person, based on two people sharing a room, and a minimum group size of two.
Single and sole traveller supplements will apply.
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