5/5
Women-only India: the Golden Triangle and Varanasi
11 days from Delhi for women only, led by a See Sight Tours woman guide: the Taj Mahal at sunrise, three nights in Jaipur, then a flight to Varanasi for a dawn boat and the evening aarti.
11 days · Round trip from Delhi · up to 12 guests
Dashashwamedh Ghat on the Ganges at dusk, where the evening aarti is held Photo: Juan Antonio Segal from Madrid, Spain, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Varanasi,_India_(22907617073).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days, 10 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Delhi
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Sightseeing on foot for 2 to 4 hours most days, on stone ramps, steps and crowded lanes, with steep ghat steps and small boats in Varanasi. There are four early starts (the Taj at sunrise, Amber Fort, the Hawa Mahal and the dawn boat) and one day of about four and a half hours on the road. The first evening and the first morning are kept slow, each early start has a free middle of the day after it, and you can sit any walk out.
- Meals included
- 10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 350 (estimated price)
- Season
- October to March
Highlights
Why this trip
- A slow first evening: an early welcome dinner and a frank briefing on dress and conduct from your woman guide
- The Taj Mahal at sunrise, the morning after a calm first view from Mehtab Bagh across the river
- Cycle rickshaws through Old Delhi to the Khari Baoli spice market
- Amber Fort at opening and the Hawa Mahal in the first sun, with three unhurried nights in Jaipur
- Cooking dinner with the women of a Jaipur family in their home
- The Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat from our own boat on the river
- The ghats of Varanasi from the water at sunrise, then Sarnath and the old city lanes
- Flights instead of sleeper trains, and room sharing matched with another woman on request
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 350 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Delhi
Indira Gandhi International Airport to your hotel in New Delhi
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Delhi
- Drive about 1 h
Your trip starts at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), where a driver meets you in the arrivals hall, holding a See Sight Tours sign with your name, for the drive of about 20 km into New Delhi.
Evening
Many flights from North America land late at night or before dawn, and India is nine and a half to ten and a half hours ahead of eastern Canada, so today asks nothing of you. If you land early in the morning, tell us your flight and we can book the room from the night before. Tonight is deliberately short and slow. At about 6:30 pm your See Sight Tours guide, a woman who travels with you to the last day, meets the group in the lobby for a frank half-hour briefing: what to wear in mosques and temples, how to handle staring and selfie requests, room sharing, and the plan for the Taj at sunrise. Then an early welcome dinner of North Indian cooking close to the hotel, with everyone back in their rooms by about 9 pm.
Included
- Pick-up at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
- Welcome briefing with your guide on dress, conduct and the days ahead
- Early welcome dinner near the hotel
Free time: Free until the 6:30 pm briefing; an early night
Old Delhi and Humayun's Tomb
Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and Khari Baoli, then Humayun's Tomb
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Delhi
- Drive about 1 h

Morning
No alarm today: breakfast at your own pace, and we leave the hotel at about 9 am. Shah Jahan, the emperor who built the Taj Mahal, laid out this walled city in the 1640s, and its great mosque, the Jama Masjid, finished in 1656, is one of the largest in India. Visitors are not let in during prayers, so we time our visit around them; bring your scarf to cover your head, and robes are usually lent at the door. From the mosque steps we take cycle rickshaws down Chandni Chowk and into the bazaars to Khari Baoli, the spice market, where sacks of chillies, turmeric and cardamom spill onto the street. Your guide keeps the group close here, as these are the busiest lanes of the trip.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal, at a women-run kitchen where we can confirm one with your dates. After a rest at the hotel through the middle of the day, we drive to Humayun's Tomb, finished around 1570 and listed by UNESCO in 1993, the first great garden tomb in India and a model for the Taj, arriving as the late sun warms the red sandstone.
Included
- Jama Masjid with your guide
- Cycle rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk to the Khari Baoli spice market
- Sit-down lunch in Delhi
- Humayun's Tomb in the late afternoon
Easier option: Skip the rickshaw ride and the spice market: your guide arranges a car to the lunch stop instead.
Free time: Middle of the day free at the hotel; evening free
Activity: About 3 hours on foot in crowded lanes. Shoes come off in the mosque; cover shoulders, knees and your head.
Train to Agra, the Taj from across the river
Morning train from Delhi to Agra, Agra Fort, then Mehtab Bagh at sunset
- Breakfast
- Stay in Agra
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
No long highway day to start: after an early breakfast we take a morning express train from Delhi to Agra, about two hours, with your guide, while the bags go ahead by road to the hotel. First stop is Agra Fort, the red sandstone citadel Akbar rebuilt from 1565, listed by UNESCO in 1983. Shah Jahan later added white marble palaces inside and spent his last years there under guard, looking down the Yamuna River towards the Taj Mahal. A licensed local guide joins us for the visit.
Afternoon
After lunch on your own, the middle of the day is free at the hotel. Late in the afternoon we cross the river to Mehtab Bagh, a Mughal garden laid out directly opposite the Taj. There are far fewer people than at the Taj itself, the marble turns warm as the sun drops, and it is the calmest first view of the Taj you can get.
Evening
Agra is a one-night stop, because the Taj itself waits for tomorrow's sunrise.
Included
- Express train from Delhi to Agra, with station transfers
- Agra Fort with a licensed local guide
- Mehtab Bagh at sunset, facing the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna
Free time: Middle of the day free at the hotel
Activity: About 2 hours on foot at Agra Fort, on ramps and uneven stone.
The Taj at sunrise, Fatehpur Sikri and on to Jaipur
Taj Mahal at sunrise, then Agra to Jaipur by road via Fatehpur Sikri
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Jaipur
- Drive about 4.5 h
The alarm goes early, and it is worth it.
Morning
The Taj Mahal opens its gates about half an hour before sunrise, and we are in line before they open, with tickets bought ahead, including the ticket into the main tomb. Walk through the great gateway to the reflecting pool while the white marble turns from grey to pink, then circle the tomb Shah Jahan began in 1632 for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, with the mosque and its twin on either side. After a late breakfast at the hotel we head west.
Afternoon
Fatehpur Sikri, about an hour away, was Akbar's red sandstone capital from 1571; we walk its palace courtyards and the five-storey Panch Mahal, pass through the Buland Darwaza gate, and sit down for lunch. The rest of the road to Jaipur, about 200 km, takes around three and a half hours.
Evening
That makes about four and a half hours of driving today, above our usual four: Fatehpur Sikri and lunch split it into two stretches, and the alternative, a second night in Agra, would cost a night in Jaipur. We reach Jaipur in the late afternoon.
Included
- The Taj Mahal at sunrise with a licensed local guide, including the main tomb ticket
- Fatehpur Sikri with a licensed local guide: the palace courtyards, the Panch Mahal and the Buland Darwaza
- Sit-down lunch near Fatehpur Sikri
- Drive to Jaipur with your guide
Free time: Evening free in Jaipur
Activity: The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, so this day never falls on a Friday. In December and January, fog can hide the Taj at sunrise; we wait in the garden for it to lift, and Mehtab Bagh the evening before is your second view. Tripods, food and large bags are not allowed inside.
Amber Fort at opening, Jantar Mantar
Amber Fort and Panna Meena ka Kund, then Jantar Mantar and the City Palace
- Breakfast
- Stay in Jaipur
- Drive about 1 h
We leave the hotel early to be at Amber Fort when it opens, at about 8 am, ahead of the tour coaches. Raja Man Singh I began the fort in 1592 on a ridge above Maota Lake, and it is one of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan listed by UNESCO in 2013. We ride up by jeep, never by elephant. Inside, a licensed local guide takes us through the hall of public audience, the painted Ganesh Pol gateway and the Sheesh Mahal, whose walls and ceiling are set with thousands of small mirrors. From the ramparts the old walls run away over the Aravalli hills. On the way down we stop at Panna Meena ka Kund, a stepwell with criss-cross stairs on all four sides.
Afternoon
Lunch is your choice, then a short rest at the hotel. In the mid-afternoon, at about 2 to 3 pm, well before closing time, we visit Jantar Mantar, the giant stone astronomical instruments Sawai Jai Singh II built in the 1720s and 1730s, listed by UNESCO in 2010, and next door the City Palace, where Jaipur's royal family still lives in one wing.
Included
- Amber Fort at opening with a licensed local guide, with the jeep ride up
- Panna Meena ka Kund stepwell
- The City Palace
- Jantar Mantar
Free time: A short rest after lunch; late afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 2 hours on foot at Amber Fort, with ramps and steps; the City Palace and Jantar Mantar are mostly flat.
The Pink City at first light
Hawa Mahal and the walled city, a free afternoon, Nahargarh at sunset
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Jaipur
- Drive about 1 h
The Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, faces east, so its pink honeycomb front of 953 small windows is at its best in the first hour of sun. It was built in 1799 so the women of the royal household, who lived in purdah, could watch the street without being seen, and your guide tells their side of the story while we look at it from across the road with a cup of chai. Then we walk through the walled city that Sawai Jai Singh II laid out in 1727 on a grid of broad streets, listed by UNESCO in 2019, past temple doorways, sweet shops and the jewellers of Johari Bazaar as they open. There are no stops at commission shops, today or any day.
Morning
Back at the hotel for a late breakfast, then the rest of the day is yours.
Evening
Before sunset we drive up to Nahargarh Fort on the ridge to watch the lights of the city come on. Then the women of a Jaipur family welcome the group into their home to cook together, rolling chapatis and tempering dal, and share dinner around their table.
Included
- The Hawa Mahal at first light
- A walk through the walled city and Johari Bazaar with your guide
- Nahargarh Fort at sunset
- Home cooking evening and dinner with the women of a Jaipur family
Optional experiences
- Hot-air balloon flight over the countryside near Jaipur at dawn. October to March, weather permitting; it replaces the first-light walk
- Mehndi (henna) session with a local woman artist at the hotel. On the free afternoon
Easier option: Sleep in and join the group in the late afternoon for Nahargarh and the cooking dinner.
More active option: In the afternoon, walk with your guide up the old pilgrim path over the ridge to Galta Ji, a temple complex of spring-fed tanks known for its monkeys, then meet the group at Nahargarh.
Free time: Late morning and afternoon free
Fly to Varanasi for the evening aarti
Jaipur to Varanasi by air, then the Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Varanasi
- Drive about 1.5 h

A slow start, then a short drive to Jaipur airport and a flight east to Varanasi of a little under two hours, with your guide on the plane. It replaces the long overnight train many group trips use to reach the Ganges. From Varanasi's airport it is up to an hour by road into the city, and cars cannot reach the river, so the last stretch to our hotel near the ghats may be on foot through narrow lanes, with porters for the bags. Varanasi, also called Kashi and Banaras, is the holiest city of Hinduism and is often named among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. As the sun goes down we board our own boat and row out in front of Dashashwamedh Ghat for the Ganga aarti: young priests in matching robes swing tall brass lamps, bells ring, conch shells sound and thousands watch from the steps. From the water you see it all without the crush of bodies on the ghat, which is where women travellers most often report being jostled.
Evening
Dinner together follows, back on land.
Included
- Transfers to Jaipur airport and from Varanasi airport
- Flight from Jaipur to Varanasi
- The Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat from our own boat
- Dinner in Varanasi
Free time: Afternoon free after check-in
Activity: About 20 to 40 steep stone steps down to the boat, depending on the river level, and a step into a small wooden boat.
The Ganges at dawn
A boat along the ghats at sunrise, then a free day in Varanasi
- Breakfast
- Stay in Varanasi
- By boat
Morning
The ghats of Varanasi face east across the river, so sunrise is the hour to be on the water. We walk down to the river in the half dark and board our boat at first light. As the sun comes up over the sandbanks on the far shore, the boatman rows slowly past dozens of ghats: pilgrims bathing and praying, priests under bamboo umbrellas, washermen at work and the first chai stalls opening. We pass Manikarnika, the main cremation ghat, at a respectful distance; your guide explains the rites, and nobody photographs them. Back on land, we walk along the riverside steps to a late breakfast. The rest of the day is yours. Sit on the ghats and watch the river, rest at the hotel, or ask your guide to book a yoga class with a woman teacher or a music lesson.
Evening
In the evening you can watch the aarti again, this time from the steps with your guide and others from the group, or find a rooftop restaurant above the river for dinner.
Included
- Sunrise boat along the ghats with your guide
- Walk along the riverside ghats
Optional experiences
- Yoga class by the river with a woman teacher, arranged by your guide. Morning or late afternoon
- Ramnagar Fort, the riverside palace of the former rulers of Banaras across the river. Arranged by your guide on the free afternoon, on a day the fort is open to visitors
Easier option: Stay in the boat at the end and ride back to the ghat nearest the hotel instead of walking along the steps.
Free time: Late morning, afternoon and evening free
Activity: Steep ghat steps and a small boat again this morning. Bring a warm layer from December to February; mornings on the river are cold.
Sarnath and the old city lanes
Varanasi to Sarnath and back, then a walk through the old city
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Varanasi
- Drive about 1 h

Morning
This morning we drive about 10 km north to Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon after his enlightenment some 2,500 years ago, one of the four main places of Buddhist pilgrimage. A licensed local guide walks us through the Deer Park, the ruined monasteries and the Dhamek Stupa, a solid brick and stone drum over 40 metres high, then into the Archaeological Museum to see the Lion Capital of Ashoka from the 3rd century BC, now the national emblem of India.
Afternoon
The museum is closed on Fridays; if this day falls on one, we visit Sarnath on the free afternoon of day 8 instead. Lunch is in Sarnath, followed by a rest at the hotel. In the late afternoon your guide leads a walk through the lanes of the old city, too narrow for cars, past small shrines, sweet shops and silk weavers' doorways. We stop with a women-run craft or weaving group, where we can confirm one with your dates, to see the work and hear how it runs, with nothing to buy unless you want to. We come out on the ghats, together, as the lamps are lit.
Included
- Sarnath with a licensed local guide: the Deer Park, the Dhamek Stupa and the Archaeological Museum
- Lunch in Sarnath
- Old city walk with your guide, with street food tastings
- A visit to a women-run craft or weaving group (confirmed with your dates)
Easier option: Skip the old city walk and spend the late afternoon on the ghats or at the hotel.
More active option: Before breakfast, walk south along the river to Assi Ghat for the morning aarti held there at dawn, and meet the group back at the hotel.
Free time: Early afternoon free
Activity: Sarnath is flat and easy. The old city walk is about 2 hours in crowded lanes, shared with motorbikes and the odd cow.
Back to Delhi and the Red Fort
Varanasi to Delhi by air, then the Red Fort
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Delhi
- Drive about 2 h

Morning
A morning flight takes about an hour and a half from Varanasi to Delhi, and your guide flies with you.
Afternoon
After lunch on your own we drive to the Red Fort, the palace citadel Shah Jahan built from 1639 when he moved the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi, listed by UNESCO in 2007. After Agra Fort and the Taj, it completes his story: walk in through the Lahori Gate, along the covered bazaar of the Chhatta Chowk, to the hall where the emperor gave public audience, and on to the white marble Khas Mahal and Diwan-i-Khas, his private rooms, set in gardens above the old course of the Yamuna. The fort is closed on Mondays, so departures are timed to keep this day off a Monday.
Evening
Then back to the hotel to rest before a farewell dinner together, a last chance to swap photos and stories from the river.
Included
- Transfer to Varanasi airport
- Flight from Varanasi to Delhi, with the transfer into the city
- The Red Fort with your guide
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Khajuraho extension: two nights at the Hindu and Jain temples of Khajuraho before Delhi. Quoted on request, flights permitting
Free time: Early evening free before the farewell dinner
Activity: About 2 hours on foot at the Red Fort, mostly on level paths and lawns.
Depart Delhi
Your hotel in New Delhi to Indira Gandhi International Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
Your last morning is free. If your flight leaves late, as many long-haul flights from Delhi do, there is time for one more Delhi morning: walk in Lodhi Garden among 15th and 16th century tombs, or visit Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the Sikh temple near Connaught Place, whose community kitchen serves a free meal to anyone who comes. Your guide can point you the way before saying goodbye.
Evening
Check-out at the Delhi hotel, where we stayed after the farewell dinner, is usually around noon; if you need the room for longer, we can book a late check-out or a day room at cost. A driver takes you to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), about 20 km and up to an hour in traffic, timed to your flight. Plan to reach the airport three hours before an international departure. Any flight time on day 11 works, and if you would like to stay on in Delhi, ask us for extra nights when you book.
Included
- Drop-off at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
Free time: Free until your airport transfer
Activity: Any flight time works today; allow three hours at the airport for an international flight.
- Delhi2 nights
- Agra1 night
- Jaipur3 nights
- Varanasi3 nights
- Delhi1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: October to March is dry and sunny, warm in October and March and cool in December and January, when nights in Delhi, Agra and Varanasi can be cold. December and January fog can hide the Taj at sunrise and delay morning flights and trains, so those travel days carry slack. Diwali (October or November) and Dev Deepawali in Varanasi about two weeks later bring lamps, crowds and higher hotel prices. April to June is very hot, and the July to September monsoon floods the lower ghats.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Women who want to see India for the first time with other women and a woman guide
- Solo women travellers who want company and a matched roommate
- Travellers who prefer flights to sleeper trains and two or three nights in most places
- Early risers happy to trade a sleep-in for the Taj and the river at dawn
Not for you if you want
- Couples or mixed groups: book our Golden Triangle and Varanasi trip, or a private departure
- Step-free access: forts, ghats and old lanes mean steps, slopes and crowds
- Travellers who would find open-air cremation hard to witness
- An all-women crew: drivers, boatmen and some local guides will be men
- Travel between April and September
Minimum age: 18
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
10 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Delhi2 nights
- Agra1 night
- Jaipur3 nights
- Varanasi3 nights
- Delhi1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 10 nights: 2 in New Delhi, 1 in Agra near the Taj Mahal, 3 in Jaipur, 3 in Varanasi close to the ghats and 1 more in New Delhi
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard or better, chosen with women travellers in mind and named when we confirm your dates
- Room sharing matched with another woman on request, or a room of your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) on day 1 and drop-off there on day 11
- Express train from Delhi to Agra, with station transfers
- Flights from Jaipur to Varanasi and from Varanasi to Delhi, with airport transfers
- A private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the group on the road to Jaipur and in each city
- Cycle rickshaws in Old Delhi and the jeep up to Amber Fort
- Our own boat on the Ganges for the evening aarti and the sunrise
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours woman guide with the group from arrival to departure, on the train and both flights
- Licensed local guides at the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Amber Fort and Sarnath, women guides where available
Activities
- Delhi: Jama Masjid, a cycle rickshaw ride to Khari Baoli, Humayun's Tomb and the Red Fort
- Agra: Agra Fort, Mehtab Bagh at sunset and the Taj Mahal at sunrise, with the main tomb ticket
- Fatehpur Sikri
- Jaipur: Amber Fort at opening, Panna Meena ka Kund, the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, the Hawa Mahal at first light, a walled city walk and Nahargarh Fort at sunset
- Jaipur: a home cooking evening with the women of a local family
- Varanasi: the Ganga aarti from the river, the sunrise boat along the ghats and an old city walk with street food tastings and a visit to a women-run craft or weaving group
- Sarnath: the Deer Park, the Dhamek Stupa and the Archaeological Museum
Meals
- 10 breakfasts
- 3 lunches: a sit-down lunch in Delhi, a sit-down lunch at Fatehpur Sikri and lunch in Sarnath
- 4 dinners: an early welcome dinner in Delhi, a home cooking evening in Jaipur, dinner after the aarti in Varanasi and a farewell dinner in Delhi
Not included
- International flights to and from Delhi
- Indian visa (most visitors apply online for an e-Visa)
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners not listed above
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide, local guides, drivers and boatmen
- Camera or video fees where charged
- Optional activities: the balloon flight near Jaipur, the mehndi session, the Varanasi yoga class, Ramnagar Fort and the Khajuraho extension
- Excess baggage on the domestic flights
- Late check-out or a day room on day 11
- Personal expenses such as laundry
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 350 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
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Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
The price covers ten nights in central hotels, 17 meals (10 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners), airport transfers, the train to Agra, flights to and from Varanasi, a private vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours woman guide throughout, licensed local guides at the big sites, every monument entry on the plan, both Ganges boats, the Jaipur cooking evening and the Varanasi women's craft visit. There are no shopping stops.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 women. That is small enough to share one boat on the Ganges, stay together through the lanes of Old Delhi and Varanasi, and sit around one table at dinner and in a Jaipur family's kitchen.
Who leads the trip, and are all the guides and drivers women?
Your See Sight Tours guide is a woman and travels with the group from the airport on day 1 to the airport on day 11, on the train and both flights. Licensed local guides join at the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Amber Fort and Sarnath, and we ask for women guides there. Drivers and boatmen will be men. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to walk 2 to 4 hours a day on stone, steps and busy streets. Varanasi asks the most: steep ghat steps down to the boats and narrow, crowded lanes. Each early start is followed by a free middle of the day, and you can sit out any walk.
I am travelling solo. Can I share a room, or have my own?
Either. Ask to share and we match you with another woman on the same departure, at the shared price. A room of your own is from CAD 350 more, shown when you request to book and never added later. If we cannot find you a roommate, we tell you before you confirm, so you are never charged the supplement by surprise.
When is the best time to go?
October to March, when days are dry and sunny. December and January are cool, with cold nights and morning fog that can hide the Taj at sunrise or delay a flight. April to June is very hot, and the monsoon from July to September floods the lower ghats in Varanasi.
How much does it cost, and how does booking work?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, and differ by style: small group or private. The small group starts from CAD 2,025 per person, and a room of your own is from CAD 350 more. Send your preferred dates as an enquiry. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own woman guide, from CAD 3,645 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section: we can quote the same hotels, train, flights, drivers and local guides.
Do I need a visa for India?
Most visitors do, Canadians included, and many nationalities can apply online for an Indian e-Visa before travel. Rules change, so check the current requirements for your passport well before you go and carry the approval with you. The visa fee is not in the trip price.
What is Varanasi like, and will we see cremations?
Varanasi is crowded, noisy and deeply devotional, with prayer, daily life and death side by side on the riverbank. Cremations take place in the open at Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats. We pass by boat at a respectful distance, your guide explains the rites, and nobody photographs them. If you would rather not look, sit facing the far bank as we pass.
Who can join a women-only trip?
Anyone who identifies as a woman, aged 18 and over, travelling alone or with friends, sisters or daughters. Every guest on the departure is a woman. If you want to travel with a partner or a mixed group, our Golden Triangle and Varanasi trip follows the same route, or we can run this one privately.
Is India safe for women, and what should I wear?
Most women travel in India without trouble, but staring, selfie requests and, in crowds, unwanted touching are real. You travel with a woman guide, stay in central hotels and keep together in the busiest lanes and at night. Wear loose clothes covering shoulders and knees, and carry a scarf for mosques and temples.