Award Winning Tours
South India, Rajasthan, Kullu-Ladakh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are destinations for 2025.
The Food & Culture of South India
27th Jan - 9th Feb 2025
£3999. Three places available.
Deep in South India is a heartland of cooks and chefs. Widely unknown outside India, the region of Chettinad in Tamil Nadu is home to a culinary heartbeat, a pulse that has fed India’s homes and restaurants with secret spice mixes and well-guarded recipes. The Stoneflower is an ingredient in the spicebox of our regional cuisine.
This culinary tour runs through beautiful South India to explore the regional cuisine of Kerala, and Chettinad, within Tamil Nadu. This is an insider’s tour, built on my 30 years experience of working, researching and travelling in the subcontinent.
The culinary tours offer cooking demonstrations and the opportunity to roll up our sleeves and don aprons. In 2025 we’ll be visiting markets to buy spices, bazaars for cooking hardware, village farmers in Chettinad to follow the passage of food from farm to plate. Well spent time learning how to temper spices and make signature Chettinad dishes. Houseboats and very fat prawns are definitely on the agenda.
Itineraries are subject to change and costs depend on numbers. Flights and visas are not included.
The Kullu Valley and Ladakh
17-30th September 2025
£4599 (See below)
In the foothills of the Western Himalayas where men and mountains meet, we explore the geography and culture of the beautiful Kullu Valley before reaching deeper into the Himalayas. The Kullu Valley has a wonderful tradition of weaving, excellent vernacular Himalayan architecture and strong temple traditions. I lived in the Kullu Valley and know it well, and in the hands of friends and guides we will explore local villages, modern and traditional weaving techniques, and the vital importance of the valley for trans-Himalayan trade. The Kullu Valley has its own wonderful shawl designs, apples orchards, beekeeping, angora rabbits, family-run hotels and fantastic Deodar trees. We acclimatise as we explore, our journey leading us up to Leh, Ladakh.
Leh sits in a startlingly beautiful mountain landscape, with amazing monasteries that punctuate the views, most definitely on our itinerary.
We take time to explore the old city of Leh at the intersection of ancient trading routes, where the handmade element of these precious cashmere textiles is increasingly being appreciated, and we meet artisans developing new designs with locally spun pashmina. Women’s cooperatives and weaving designed to revitalise the local traditions are part of our focus there is much to see and do in and around Leh as we champion local artisans and explore this fascinating city. We have wonderful local guides and guesthouses supporting our journey along the way.
This is a high altitude, full-on trip, with stargazing, goat watching and mind-blowing mountain roads.
Numbers are limited and this tour is now almost at capacity. Email Ali for more info and the booking form.
On this tour, £4599 is based on five guests and single person occupancy. If you share your room, there is a rebate of £450 per head.
£7950 (see below)
This is an eleven day, unashamedly luxurious 5 Star tour in beautiful Rajasthan taking in the step wells, palaces and forts of this extraordinary region.
The stepwells of India are a largely unexplored structures that allow us to explore ways in which regions managed the monsoon. In some cases restored sensitively, but often in disrepair, the step wells give us cultural, socio-economic, geographical and architectural insight often overlooked. Combined with the palaces found within the forts, repositories of Marwar history and artefacts that include elephant seats from the medieval period, I could call this tour A Visit to the Rose-Water Sea’ or ‘Akbar’s Howdah’. Much to see, much to enjoy.
We start in Delhi and along the way, we stay in the magnificent Imperial Hotel in Delhi, the Samode Haveli in Jaipur, and Raas in Jodphur. We return to the old town of Delhi to a converted haveli bang in the middle of Chandi Chowk.
This tour is a five star trip staying at the best hotels that India has to offer. The tour costs £7950 and this is based on five people and single room occupancy. There is a rebate of £450 per head if you share a room.
Itineraries are sometimes subject to change and costs depend on numbers. Flights and visas are not included.
Email Ali for more info and the booking form.
Stepwells, Palaces and Forts
of Rajasthan
6-16 October 2025
Temples & Tigers, Narmada River
November 20th - December 3rd 2025
This is a wonderful tour in Central India that gets deep into big cat country, and then takes us onto the banks of the sacred Narmada River.
Our trip starts with the stepwells and old city of Delhi, where we find our feet before heading out to the Satpura National Park. There will be opportunities to see amazing wildlife close up, staying in a marvellous luxury forest safari lodge where we can dine under the stars as well as canoe with waterbirds. We may see sloth bears, a leopard or possibly a tiger. From here we travel to the banks of the Narmada River to stay in a gorgeous hotel, owned by Indian aristocracy and set in the grounds of a 300-year old fort. We will have a day’s outing to see the Temple at the Centre of the Universe, framed in the experience of India’s sacred geography.
Delicious food on candlelit terraces and the Narmada River on our doorstep, boutique hotels, the experience of Satpura National Park and amazing jungle accommodation make this an extremely special tour.
I cannot promise tigers but I can promise an extraordinary adventure.
Cost: £7700 (ex flights) with a shared room rebate of £450.
Woven Air Textiles, NW India
3rd-16th November 2025
£4600 (tbc)
A deep dive into the extraordinary textiles of Kutch, Northwest India. Join us for block print workshops, studio visits and demonstrations. We will stay in boutique hotels and explore the diversity of this region with local guides and community-led artisan resources.
The Woven Air Textile Tour focuses on the extraordinarily rich textiles of North-west India. Starting in Ahmedabad with a few days exploring this historic city, home to the Calico Museum, and then onto the Little Rann of Kutch to spend a day in the wildlife heartland of this desert region. From here we go to Bhuj, and with the help of the artisans themselves, textile cooperatives and local educational organisations, we learn how to block print fabric and experience the indigo dyebath process.
The tour includes a jeep safari into the salt pans, meetings with weaving artisans of Bhujrodhi, studio tours and an Ajrakh block printing workshop.
We explore the textile traditions of bhandhari tie-dye, embroidery and ajrakh on their home turf, talking to the artisans and having a go for ourselves. In Kutch we explore the region slowly and responsibly, staying in a range of hotels and eating delicious local food.
Itineraries are sometimes subject to change and costs depend on numbers. Shared rooms will give a rebate of £450 per head. Flights and visas are not included.
Email Ali for more info and the booking form.