Festival of Colour
Holi tour and the Gangaur Festival
Immerse yourself in India’s festive spirit with this tour to not one, but two of India’s colourful festivals – vibrant and colourful Holi & the Gangaur Festival. On this vibrant journey witness the illuminated cities, partake in joyful celebrations, and create lasting memories. From the bustling streets of Jaipur to the lake city of Udaipur, this trip offers a truly enchanting experience of India’s rich traditions and ancient heritage.
Witness the transformation of these cities into a riot of colors during the festive celebrations. Continue your voyage through diverse landscapes, encountering historical landmarks, wildlife sanctuaries, and charming villages along the way.
As part of your Holi tour, stay in former palaces that were once home to royalty and traditional haveli’s – India’s former mansions.
Holi tour and Gangaur Festival HIGHLIGHTS
- Experience the chaos of Holi – India’s festival of colour, with an early morning visit to a temple to celebrate with the local people of Jaipur and later a more private celebration with your travel companions
- Witness the spectacle of the Gangaur Festival – watch as Udaipur comes alive with women dressed in colourful traditional attire seeking blessings from Gauri for a prosperous and harmonious married life.
- Savor traditional Rajasthani cuisine with an enchanting dinner in one of India’s stepwells and go on safari in the town of Narlai
- Absorb the sights, sounds and vibrant colours of India’s villages, as well as meet the real local people of this amazing country with visits to Orccha & Khajuraho
- Stay in stunning former palaces & traditional havelis, as well as experience these cities with enough free time to have your own adventure.
The Basics
Start: Jaipur
Finish: Delhi
Trip style: Special Interest
Max group size: 15
19 Days
JAIPUR – DELHI
$9511 AUD*
Departure date: New departure coming soon
OR CONTACT US for more information
Trip code: FCJD *from
ITINERARY
Details – Holi tour and the Gangaur Festival
Duration: 19 Days
Trip style: Special Interest – Festival
Group size: Minimum 6 / Maximum 15
Trip code: FCJD
Cost: $9511.00 AUD twin share
Single supplement: $2454.00 AUD
Inclusions
- 18-nights accommodation in heritage and traditional-inspired hotels, former palaces, forts, and havelis
- Meals as specified in itinerary (B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / D = Dinner)
- Flights from Khajuraho to Varanasi / Varanasi to Delhi / Delhi to Jodhpur / Udaipur to Delhi in economy class
- Services of your Inverted Atlas trip leader and local guides
Trip price does not include
- International airfares
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure
- Visa for India
- Meals not included as per trip itinerary including drinks and mini bar
- Additional accommodation before or after the tour
- Items of a personal nature including but not limited to laundry, souvenirs, porterage etc.
- Travel insurance – please note comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travel with Inverted Atlas
Journey Rating – Journey
This Holi tour travels through a relatively well traveled part of India, a country that is somewhat accustomed to tourists and travellers. On occasion, you will find that the local people are very curious about you and where you come from and at times you may even feel like a celebrity. This trip does involve a lot of walking during the sightseeing, to get the most out of this trip you should be able to walk confidently across uneven surfaces and climb stairs.
Women are strongly advised to either wear a floor length dress or pants with a long kaftan over the top. While not mandatory, this will avoid causing offense culturally and prevent a lot of unwanted attention. To be culturally sensitive, men should wear trousers.
Good quality hospitals, pharmacies and other public amenities will be limited to big cities but should never be too far away.
A note about fitness
This Holi tour requires a good level of physical fitness. You should be able to walk up to 4km at times and manage uneven surfaces during sightseeing, which will sometimes be at an incline. In addition, you should be able to climb up to 200 stairs unassisted and use an eastern style squat toilet (beware if you have knee issues).
You will need to be able to carry your own luggage to and from the coach. (Due to OH&S regulations our trip leaders are not able to assist with luggage.)
In addition, you should be in good health, with no major chronic conditions requiring frequent medical attention. This trip often travels through remote locations where the availability of a hospital or even phone reception to call an ambulance is limited. While all our trip leaders are required to have a valid first aid certificate, they are far from doctors and any assistance they are able to provide will be limited to basic first aid. For more information please see our booking conditions.
Single supplement
Traveling by yourself? No problem, we love single travellers and don’t believe in penalising them by charging half the trip price again for our single supplement. With us you are only paying the actual cost to have a room all to yourself. If you’re up for making a new friend, you can elect to share with another single traveller of the same sex and only pay the twin-share price. The choice is yours!
Trip leader description
Accompanying you on your Holi tour will be your Inverted Atlas trip leader. Your trip leader is a logistics extraordinaire, keeps the trip running smoothly and ensures you have the best time possible on your trip. It is important to know that while your trip leader has the best job in the world, they aren’t actually on holidays, but rather they are there to make sure you have the best time while you are on your holiday! Your trip leader may at times need some time out so that they can complete back of house tasks that ensure everyone continues to enjoy the trip. It is also your trip leaders’ job to handle any issues (heaven forbid!) that come up while you’re on your trip like:
- If you lose your passport or other travel documents
- If there is a problem with your room at the booked accommodation – seriously please tell your trip leader don’t wait until you leave
- If you become unwell and need to find a pharmacy
- Assisting with restaurant recommendations or additional sightseeing during free time
- Questions regarding the itinerary
Your trip leader will have some good local knowledge about the destination in which you are traveling, however they are not a ‘local guide’. You’re welcome to ask your trip leader anything about the trip and if they don’t know they will find out and get back to you. Other people you will meet along the way are ‘local guides’ who are generally available to the group in specific towns or at specific sites like national parks, temples or archaeological sites. These people are the local experts and will be able to answer any questions you may have about the history and culture of a specific site.
Itinerary disclaimer
This itinerary for this Holi tour and the Gangaur Festival, is correct at the time of upload to our website and we have composed it in good faith. From time to time we may elect to make changes before departure, if we are making a big change we will of course notify you, however if it is a small change this will be reflected in the final trip notes. So, make sure you download these prior to departure. Small changes prior to departure are usually made with the groups best interests in mind and come about due to liaising with our best resources – our past travelers and of course our trip leaders! The ability to change and evolve depending on what our travelers enjoy is what makes us such a great trip operator.
While we strive to operate our trips exactly to the letter of the itinerary, sometimes we may need to make changes on the ground while the group is on the road. This is all part of the adventure of traveling and we would ask that you come on your trip with an open mind and a good sense of humour because as much as we want it to, everything doesn’t always go to plan. In fact, these impromptu situations often make the best stories that you can have a laugh with your friends about later.
Age requirements
Minimum Age: 16 years
There is no shared accommodation on this Holi tour, and we will be traveling through a relatively well travelled part of the world, in this instance we would welcome everyone above the age of 16 years. Should you wish to bring younger children, please give us a call.
There is no upper age limit for this trip, but you should consider the above fitness requirements prior to booking. If you are 65 years or over, you will be asked to complete our Health Check Form and have your medical practitioner sign it to confirm you are in good health and able to participate safely on this trip.
If you’re interested in the festivals of India why not take a look at this helpful calendar?
Travel insurance
Please note that comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travel with Inverted Atlas. Insurance must include provision for medical situations, emergency medical repatriation to your home country and personal liability at a minimum. Proof of valid travel insurance will be requested by your trip leader on arrival at the pre-departure meeting. Please have this paperwork available for them. If you are unable to provide proof of comprehensive travel insurance, you may not be allowed to join the trip and no refund will be payable.
What is the Gangaur Festival?
The Gangaur Festival is a traditional and vibrant celebration observed primarily in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan. This colourful festival is dedicated to Goddess Gauri, an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, and is celebrated by married and unmarried women with great enthusiasm. The festival typically spans 18 days in the Hindu month of Chaitra, usually falling in March or April. During Gangaur, women dress in their finest traditional attire, adorn their hands with intricate henna designs, and create beautiful clay idols of the goddess. These idols are then carried in grand processions through the streets of cities and towns, accompanied by singing, dancing, and the playing of traditional instruments. The festival is a celebration of marital bliss, fertility, and the hope for a prosperous and harmonious married life. It also provides a captivating glimpse into Rajasthan’s rich culture, as it combines devotion, artistry, and community engagement making this one of the most vibrant festivals of India.
What is the Holi Festival?
Holi, often referred to as the “Festival of Colours,” is one of the most exuberant and colourful festivals of India. Typically observed in March, this joyous occasion marks the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. Holi is characterized by the playful throwing of vibrant coloured powders and water at one another, creating a kaleidoscope of hues and an atmosphere of pure fun and revelry. Beyond the colourful revelry, Holi also carries deep cultural and religious significance. It’s a time for families and communities to come together, mend relationships, and celebrate with bonfires, music, and traditional sweets. The festival transcends social boundaries, uniting people of all ages and backgrounds in a shared spirit of joy and togetherness. Holi’s infectious enthusiasm and vibrant traditions make it an unforgettable cultural experience, drawing visitors from around the world to partake in the festivities and witness the riot of colours that envelops India during this special time of year.