Discover India on one of our
Bespoke Luxury Tours
“This is India; the land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendour and rags, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of a thousand nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of tradition — the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for the shows of all the rest of the globe combined.” Mark Twain
In one word, India is ‘diversity’; glamorous and beguiling, splendid and romantic, energetic and colourful, the entire country is awash with colourful travel experiences for both the daring and the cautious traveller, for those who prefer to be escorted and the luxury traveller. India lays claim to the soaring snow-capped Himalaya mountains, the sleepy rhythmic Kerala backwaters, the cultural Golden Triangle and everything in between, not to mention the splendid Mughal architecture of the infamous Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb and Agra Fort, and some of the world’s most outstanding luxury hotels – from historic havelis to royal forts and palaces of the maharajas, such as Umaid Bhawan Palace. Luxury holidays to India uncover remarkable history and culture, scenic views, sumptuous food, spectacular scenery, effervescent metropolises, inherent kindness, unsurpassed luxury and infectious happiness that is prevalent throughout the country.
Luxury holidays to India offer experiences for every kind of traveller. Rajasthan is the ideal region for romantic honeymoons; discreet and fairy-tale palaces, luxury train tours, candlelit dinners under the stars of the Thar Desert and private boat trips on the serene Lake Pichola. Family tours in India turn the country into an adventure playground just waiting to be explored and discovered, particularly the temple scattered sites of Tamil Nadu, where our expert guides can bring the history and magic alive. India is also perfect for adventure holidays and has some of the best wildlife and birdlife viewing opportunities in Asia. Head to Central India, to the wildlife rich state of Madhya Pradesh, where leopard, sloth bear, sambar deer, langur, wild boar, wild dog, jungle cat and many more species abound, including hundreds of resident and migratory birds. One might even be lucky enough to see a majestic Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat in the rural Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. That’s the beauty of luxury touring holidays in India, they can be tailor-made to one’s exact requirements.
The sheer size of the country means that the weather patterns are extremely varied, and we can advise the best region for whichever month you choose for your vacation to India. But generally speaking, the best time to visit India is between October and March for warm, dry and sunny weather. In December and January, and from June to September marks the largest contrast between the climates of North India and South India; in mid-winter icy winds from the snowfields of the Himalayas chill the north, whilst the Tamil plains and coastal Kerala, bask under the sultry sunshine. While visiting Kerala during the summer, monsoon season breaks on the coast before working its way northeast across the country, whilst Ladakh juxtaposes the rest of the country with the most fabulous sunshine weather.
When planning the ultimate luxury trip to India, we often speak to clients who feel they can only do the country justice if they travel for a long period of time, but we couldn’t disagree more, and believe sometimes, even a week is enough time to visit India. Our travel advice for a luxury tailor-made holiday to India would be to cover less ground in detail on shorter India tours, and then return to explore different regions. The joy with travelling across India is that there are endless parts to discover; the vast size and dazzling regional array of languages, cuisines and religions means that one can almost experience a collection of countries when touring India. Travelling to India is straightforward, with varying flight times from London; the capital of India, Delhi is approximately 8-hours flight, the buzzy hub of Mumbai 9-hours, and Chennai in the south is a 10-hour flight.
To help you decide where to travel in India, click on one of the below icons to explore suggested itineraries, luxury hotels and locations of either North India or South India, and then speak to one of our destination specialists who will be happy help you plan your bespoke India getaway, complete with our best travel tips and expert travel guides…
Our Tours of India

The Golden Triangle & Rajasthan: The Best of the Best!

At Ampersand, luxury and culture are what we do best and this tour is the epitome of both. Make your...
View hereRajasthan & The Golden Triangle: The Best of the Best in Reverse!

With our 25 years of expertise, travel the Ampersand way in style on this itinerary of The Golden Triangle & Rajasthan...
View hereEssential India... Our Comprehensive Tour of North & South India

This itinerary is one of our absolute favourites. It combines the fascinating historical and natural gems of the northern regions...
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Essential India... Our Comprehensive Tour of North & South India

This itinerary is one of our absolute favourites. It combines the fascinating historical and natural gems of the northern regions...
View hereThe Palaces, Wildlife, Plantations & Beaches of Karnataka

The astounding ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire at Hampi, exquisite rock cut temples of Badami, Pattadkal and Halebeedu, and giant...
View hereTamil Nadu & Kerala: From Coast to Coast

From Tamil Nadu to Kerala; a comprehensive tour from the Coromandel Coast to the Malabar Coast. Towering temples, mist shrouded hills...
View hereToy Trains & Tamil Nadu

Exploring the sacred state of Tamil Nadu, this journey encapsulates the essence of the history, culture and spirituality of South...
View hereSome of our favourite hotels in India
The Oberoi New Delhi ,
Delhi

After undergoing extensive renovations, The Oberoi New Delhi reopened its doors on January 1st, 2018, offering an unparalleled blend of...
View here Ahilya Fort ,
Maheshwar

Ahilya Fort is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Romantic Retreats The incomparable Ahilya Fort is quite possibly one of the...
View here SUJÁN The Serai ,
Jaisalmer

SUJÁN The Serai is one of Ampersand's Top Ten Hotels in Rajasthan. SUJÁN The Serai is a luxurious desert oasis nestled on...
View here Evolve Back Kuruba Safari Lodge ,
Kabini

Evolve Back Kuruba Safari Lodge is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Safari Lodges in Asia. Located on the edge of the River Kabini, in...
View here Elsewhere ,
Goa

Elsewhere is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Beach Hotels On a totally private spit of land overlooking the ocean, separated...
View here Taj Falaknuma Palace ,
Hyderabad

Taj Falaknuma Palace is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Romantic Retreats A hotel that completely takes your breath away, this...
View hereSome of our favourite places of interest in India
Agra

Agra is home to the world's ultimate monument to love, the Taj Mahal. Dreamily positioned on the banks of the...
View hereHaridwar

Haridwar, which translates as “The Gates of God”, is an ancient holy city in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand....
View hereBhopal

Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh, is located right in the heart of India. Known as the City of Lakes, some...
View hereSultans Battery

This beautiful, peaceful area of coffee and cardamom plantations is a true slice of rural Kerala. It was once known...
View hereVembanad Lake

This enormous freshwater lake stretches from Cochin to Alleppey. Separated from the Arabian Sea by a narrow strip of land,...
View hereGangaikondacholapuram

The 11th -century temple at Gangaikondacholapuram, forming part of UNESCO's World Heritage Site, is 100 metres long and 40 metres...
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