Inspirational
Experience authentic India through its welcoming villages
Rural India through the eyes of villagers
- Tailor-made holidays to welcoming villages
- Walking, culture, discovery
Discovering rural India offers an extraordinary variety of travel experiences. Walk from village to village in the Himalayas, in the company of your own local guide; relax on a houseboat and explore the Kerala backwaters; ride a camel into the heart of the Rajasthan desert. With Village Ways, you stay in profoundly rural communities where life’s rhythms have remained unaltered over the centuries, and you discover these special places through the eyes of the local people who are your hosts and guides. Let us tailor make your perfect Indian holiday, combining rural discovery with vibrant, historic cities such as Jaipur or Cochin, and perhaps the famous Taj Mahal. Wherever you go, India will fascinate and enchant.
HOLIDAYS IN INDIA
Rajasthan is famed for its royal palaces and the vibrant cities of Jaipur and Jodhpur, and its villages are equally fascinating, especially Hacra, on the edge of the great Thar desert. To the east, discover the rugged hills of Madhya Pradesh, where the reserves of Pench and Sakata are some of the best places to view the elusive tiger.
We offer a range of walking holidays in the Indian Himalayas, from leisurely and flexible trips in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, to rugged and rewarding hiking holidays in the high valleys of the Indian Himalayas. You walk with your own local guide, and stay in homestay-style village guesthouses.
In the warm, southern states of Karnataka and Kerala, our welcoming villages offer you the chance to explore and relax. Spend a few days meandering through the quiet corners of the Kerala Backwaters on a community-run houseboat, and then head to the cool hills for village walks, or to an authentic fishing community on the unspoiled coast.
SELECTED HOLIDAYS
Our trips offer unforgettable, authentic experiences that immerse you in beautiful, welcoming rural villages. Tailor each itinerary to your exact requirements.
From Binsar to Jageshwar
Our classic walking holiday in the Himalayan foothills, with majestic views of the nearby high peaks. With your local guide, walk through terraced fields and wooded hillsides.
Suggested stay 12 nights, see this holiday
Into the Pindar Valley
With charming hillside villages, spectacular Himalayan panoramas and fine paths, this journey on foot is a wonderful insight into life in the high mountain valleys.
Suggested stay 13 nights, see this holiday
Coast, spice & temples, Karnataka
Taste life amongst the spice plantations of the upland hamlets, then descend to the coast to experience the life of fisher-folk from a village guest-house by the shores of the Arabian Sea. The best of Karnataka.
Suggested stay 9 nights, see this holiday
Hills & Backwaters, Kerala
A wonderful and unique taste of life in Kerala, hosted by rural communities, combining a stay in the warm hills of the Western Ghats and a glide through palm-fringed lagoons, onboard a very special village-owned houseboat.
Suggested stay 11 nights, see this holiday
The Forsyth Trail & Satpura Hills
Discover the magnificent forests which inspired Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Discover forest communities, enjoy jungle walks and take a jeep safari into Pench Tiger Reserve.
Suggested stay 11 nights, see this holiday
Into the Thar Desert, Rajasthan
This unique holiday captures the richness of Rajasthan. Experience the simple charms and traditional hospitality of a charming desert hamlet and enjoy a camel trek and night among the dunes. Visit the Taj Mahal and Rajasthan’s fascinating cities.
Suggested stay 11 nights, see this holiday