Imagine stepping into a living storybook…
In September I was invited to visit India, let me tell you all about it and how I feel like I left a little piece of my heart there, let me tell you about it…
For me, having worked in travel for 37 years, India has always been a curios destination for me but, if like me you have heard about the poverty and the smells this may have put you off.
I am here to tell you that India should be on your bucket list, it’s a destination I fell in love with.
Our adventure began in Old Delhi. Narrow roads, spice stalls, and the most beautiful sari shops all played with my senses. We explored by rickshaw – a thrill through the bustle and chaos. Noisy, colourful and utterly captivating, and a glimpse into a world that feels a million miles from home.
From Delhi we drove to Agra, home to India’s most beautiful love story of craftmanship and devotion on an unimaginable scale – the Taj Mahal. Visiting at sunrise is an experience that will never leave me, its reflection perfectly mirrored in the long pools that lead to its steps. A story forever encapsulated in history.
We then left the cities behind, drove through the countryside towards Ranthambore, where the rhythm of India changes to the rustle of the jungle. Game drives take you deep into Ranthambore National Park, once the hunting ground of maharajahs, now a protected haven for wildlife. We set our alarms for 4am, a wake up that took us on the lookout for tigers, and despite the best efforts of our driver and guide, we weren’t lucky enough to see one but, one of our group saw a leopard! The wildlife here is immense.
From Ranthambore we headed to Jaipur, my favourite city in the whole itinerary and the flamboyant capital of Rajasthan, also known as the Pink City. Even the tuk tuks here are pink and we took the opportunity to jump in one and drive through the city exploring the Hawa Mahal, before visiting the majestic Amber Fort, and wandering through the City Palace, where courtyards and doorways are as beautiful as intricate jewellery. By evening, Jaipur takes on a softer glow as lights twinkle over rooftop restaurants and the scent of sandalwood and incense drifts through the air.
Returning to Old Delhi at the end our journey, showed us the city with new eyes. The call to prayer, the swirl of colour in the bazaars became part of a wider tapestry of experiences – and a night sky awash with the children’s regular activity of kite flying high above the crumbling buildings of a colonial and captivating country brought tears to my eyes – literal tears that told me how much this country touched my soul.
This itinerary is more than a tick-list of famous sights. It is simply an immersion in history and heritage, in wildlife and wilderness, in street-life and royal splendour.
For clients seeking a journey that blends iconic highlights with authentic encounters, this route through Old Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore and Jaipur offers India at its most vivid. From the serenity of the Taj Mahal at dawn to the adrenaline of a tiger safari and the joyful chaos of tuk tuks and rickshaws, it is the kind of trip that leaves you with a suitcase full of memories and a desire to return before you have even left.
Would I go back? Yes, in a heartbeat…
If you would love to visit this amazing country, please get in touch, I would love to talk to you.
Call me: 07538 177768
Email me: dona.kirkham@travelcounsellors.com
