Woohoo! We're on our way to India! We will be in touch with lots more information about visas, flights, what to bring and what to expect. We are going to hold your hand through this process so you feel very well cared for. PLEASE NOTE ALL PAYMENTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. Because we have to secure hotels and because we do expect this offering to sell out, once you have booked you cannot get a refund for any reason. We recommend you get TRAVEL INSURANCE to cover you for change of plans or other unforeseen circumstances because we will not be offering refunds unless we cancel the whole trip which is very unlikely to happen. 

The weather in South India in January is very pleasant. It's actually a beautiful time of year to travel (no blistering heat or humidity). Expect comfortable evenings and warm days. 

Direct flights are around $1500 return at the moment (or $1200+ if you choose a flight with a stop-over). We will send you some suggestions including details of the flights from Sydney we will be on once you've booked. 

For the meals that are not included and sundry costs we estimate $75 AUD per day will be more than enough. As far as spending money for shopping goes ... well that's up to you! But India is generally very inexpensive. 

All of the accomodations we are staying in are part of gated communities and have security guards on the doors (which is quite normal in India). We will have cars and drivers dedicated to our group for the duration of the trip. 

We do want you to get travel insurance in the case of medical emergencies or other unforeseen circumstances. In general we won't be too far off the beaten track at any point and we have found the areas we are traveling in to be very safe, friendly and welcoming. 

In markets and some public spaces you might be approached by beggars or stared at by locals, but this is all part of the India experience and you'll get used to it quickly and even have some fun with it over time. 

The great thing about coming on a guided experience is that you won't have to navigate any transport or logistical issues. That's in our hands, so you can relax and soak it all up in comfort. 

If you drink bottled water and you're sensible about what you eat (some street food isn't the best but we will give you advice about the dos and don'ts) you should be fine. Obviously there are no guarantees but we will be staying in very clean and sanitised accomodation, your risk shouldn't be more than it would be anywhere else. You can find out more here. Special immunisations are optional but we won't be in areas that are high risk. Also because we are going at a cool time of year there are far fewer mosquitoes than in summer. 

This is real and there is no point sugar-coating it. You will see poverty that is shocking and confronting. The first few days can be tough, but you will get more used to it (which comes with its own issues - when seeing poverty becomes normalised that's confronting too). Our recommendation is to make a charity contribution before we go and then avoid giving money to beggars on the street. It just draws too much attention to you and will cause disturbance. We will be making a donation ourselves and can recommend suitable charities should you wish. 

You might want to bring some little notebooks and pens or pencils to give out to children along the way, it's a lovely way to give something helpful that's not money. 

Another thing that you might see is animals, such as stray dogs, suffering. Again, this is hard to witness but commonly part of Indian culture.

India is a full-on place and going it alone can be hard work.  Being part of a group is often a much more relaxing experience. 

We will take care of all the logistics for you so you can totally relax. 

We've also planned the trip of a lifetime based on months and months over years and years that we have spent in India. You won't be able to replicate this experience for yourself!

The group dynamic is fun and sociable.  You'll make friends for life. There will be several group activites and banquets as well as alone time if you want it. Everything in the itinerary is optional. If you want to stay back at the hotel and rest of course you can.   It's your holiday! Before we leave we will start a Whats App group so we can all start getting to know each other in advance.  Perhaps we will even do a zoom call chat. We can't wait to see the wonderful group that comes together for this! 

Katie is coming with her young daughter Leela. Please let us know if you want to bring children so we can discuss the logistics of that.  Generally small babies are fine (if you're adventurous and flexible!) but children, depending on their interests and personality, might not be well suited to the itinerary of this trip. 

If you have a friend you want to share a room with just let us know. 

• There are no COVID-19 restrictions in place for travel to India. Proof of pre-departure COVID-19 test is not required. 
• On arrival, you may be randomly selected to undergo COVID-19 testing.
• Domestic flights, rail and bus services are operating subject to local COVID-19 protocols.

Australian nationals require a visa to enter India. The application can be done online, standard processing takes five days and costs USD $86. We will send you the link and more details once you've booked. Please be aware there are a few scams online with incorrect links for India visas that will take your credit card details. It's safest to wait for us to send you the correct link before you apply.