Holi Festival
Gulal in the air, drums in the street and strangers who become friends in about four seconds.
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, India
Holi Festival in India: 8 Days Across the Golden Triangle.
On 20 March 2027 you land in Delhi with the country on the edge of its biggest celebration. Within days the streets fill with powder, water and drums, and you are standing in the middle of it. Then the Taj Mahal at sunrise, a heritage palace in a Rajasthani village, and the pink bazaars of Jaipur.
Holi Festival
March 2027
Location
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur
Duration
8 Days / 7 Nights
Group Size
Max 12 Travellers
Guide
Local English Speaking Leader
One Departure. 12 Places. 20 to 27 March 2027.
Why This Departure
Why you will never forget Holi in India
Most people watch Holi from behind a hotel window or on somebody else's camera roll.
On this departure you are on the ground in northern India for the bonfires of Holika Dahan and the morning of colour that follows, with a local guide who knows which streets a group is welcome in and which ones to walk past.
The festival is not an optional extra bolted onto the itinerary; the whole trip is scheduled around it.
This is the one Incredible India departure in 2027 timed to Holi, and it takes a maximum of 12 travellers.
Small Groups
One departure, a maximum of 12 travellers
Local Tour Leader
A local English speaking leader who knows the festival ground
What You Will See
Holi colour, the Taj Mahal at sunrise, and the Pink City of Jaipur
A tight loop from Delhi through Agra and rural Rajasthan to Jaipur and back, with the festival built into the opening days.
Taj Mahal at Sunrise
White marble shifting from grey to rose to gold while the crowds are still arriving.
Old Delhi by Rickshaw
Chandni Chowk at street level, with a street food tasting your guide orders for you.
Suroth Mahal
A night in a converted haveli in a Rajasthani village, a long way from anything.
Amber Fort, Jaipur
Marble courtyards and sandstone ramparts on the hill above the Pink City.
Plus the unmissable moments
- Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri, 13 storeys deep
- The Mughal Heritage Walk through Kachhpura village
- Sunset over the Taj Mahal from the Mehtab Bagh gardens
- Lunch at Sheroes Hangout, run by survivors of acid attacks
- A block printing workshop in Jaipur's walled city
- The Jantar Mantar observatory and the City Palace
The Tour
8 days. 7 nights. Colour, marble and Rajasthani back roads.
Delhi to Delhi, 20 to 27 March 2027. Maximum 12 travellers. 3 star hotels and heritage properties.
Day by day itinerary
Day 1
Delhi Meet and Greet
Land in Delhi, meet your local representative at the airport and settle in ahead of the festival week.
Day 2
Delhi, Old and New
India Gate, Humayun's Tomb and the wide avenues of New Delhi, then the metro into Old Delhi for Chandni Chowk, a street food tasting, a rickshaw ride and Jama Masjid.
Day 3
Delhi to Agra
Drive south through rural Uttar Pradesh, lunch at Sheroes Hangout, a guided heritage walk through Kachhpura village, and sunset over the Taj Mahal from Mehtab Bagh.
Day 4
Taj Mahal and Suroth
The Taj Mahal at sunrise, then on into rural Rajasthan for a village walk and a cooking demonstration at the Suroth Mahal heritage hotel.
Day 5
Suroth to Jaipur
Break the drive at Chand Baori in Abhaneri, one of India's deepest stepwells, then arrive in Jaipur with free time to settle in.
Day 6
Jaipur Heritage and Craft
Amber Fort in the morning, then Jantar Mantar and the City Palace, the walled city bazaars, a block printing workshop and a gemstone demonstration.
Day 7
Jaipur to Delhi
Cross the plains back to the capital, with a free afternoon and evening in Delhi.
Day 8
Farewell to Delhi
Free time in the city before your airport transfer and onward flight home.
The courtyard at Suroth Mahal, a converted haveli between Agra and Jaipur.
Where You Stay
Two heritage properties, and neither one is a filler night.
You stay in comfortable Indian 3 star hotels in Delhi and Agra, picked for where they put you rather than the size of the lobby. The nights people talk about afterwards are the Suroth Mahal, a converted haveli in a Rajasthani village, and the Mandawa Haveli in Jaipur, a traditional merchant house with courtyard gardens. Every room is en suite and air conditioned. Heritage buildings carry their age with them, and that is rather the point.
- Indian 3 star hotels in Delhi and Agra, all rooms en suite and air conditioned
- A night at the Suroth Mahal, a converted haveli in a Rajasthani village
- Private departures available with upgraded accommodation throughout
- Solo travellers matched with a same gender room share at no extra cost
Traveller Reviews
What travellers say about India with Encounters Travel
Real reviews from Encounters Travel guests who have travelled northern India with us, as posted on TripAdvisor, TourRadar and Google.
4.7 out of 5 from over 1,700 traveller reviews of Encounters Travel tours
India was amazing
“It was the best two weeks ever thanks to Atul and his wonderful team. We spent one week north of India, visited all the wonderful spots and we even celebrated Holi. It is very complicated to select one highlight as we really saw so many wonderful things. Atul was the best coordinator, he anticipated all our needs and was listening and adapting the program to our wish.”
Incredible India
“Just finished up the Incredible India tour, what an amazing experience. I would describe this tour as a Golden Triangle plus, it goes to a couple more towns and villages. On most stops a local tour guide would join your group and give you a thorough explanation and interesting facts of the monuments, palaces and forts. They were all fantastic.”
Travelled to India with Encounters Travel
“What a super awesome experience. The way the people welcomed me at the airport even made up for the sudden heat. Very well maintained cars, very nice hotels, and I very much appreciated how the driver kept offering me perfectly chilled water every day. It was a small group, which made it even better because we got to see a bit more than we would have if we were a larger group.”
Temple and Tiger tour, India
“A great trip around the golden triangle. Our driver was Param who was great. As only myself and my husband were on the tour we had local guides at all the places we visited. All were very well versed in their knowledge and very friendly. Please note you stay in some heritage hotels, one in particular was very old, so do not expect every modern convenience.”
India tour
“Our trip to India was an amazing experience. I think Encounters Travel did an excellent job. Our first stop was Delhi and we had an excellent guide, Jimmy, very knowledgeable and also funny. Second stop was Agra, where we spent one night. Third stop was Jaipur, which is my favourite city on this tour, really amazing.”
Amazing trip to India
“Amazing two week trip to India. Great organisation. Great contacts, local guides and organisers. Absolutely recommend. Already thinking about the next trip to India.”
“Holi is the one date in the Indian calendar I tell people to build a whole trip around. This departure only runs once, it takes 12 people, and March 2027 is already the date I get asked about most.”
Mariska Knoesen, Sales Manager at Encounters Travel
Call or email me and I will walk you through what the festival week actually looks like on the ground, how the group is shaping up, and whether the single room or the shared option makes more sense for you.
The morning after the colour, on the road to Agra.
Practical Details
Everything you need to know.
- Tour
- Incredible India, Holi Festival departure
- Departure
- 20 to 27 March 2027, timed to the Holi Festival
- Duration
- 8 days and 7 nights
- Start and End
- Delhi to Delhi
- Group Size
- Small group, 2 to 12 travellers
- Accommodation
- 3 star hotels and heritage properties
- Region
- India: Delhi, Agra, Suroth, Abhaneri and Jaipur
About the Holi Festival
The story behind the Holi Festival, and why where you play it matters.
The Background
A bonfire, a full moon, and a morning where the rules come off.
Holi falls on the full moon of Phalguna, the last month of the Hindu lunar year, which is why the date moves against the Western calendar every year. In 2027 it lands in the third week of March, in the short window between the end of winter and the arrival of the heat.
The festival runs across two linked days. On the evening of Holika Dahan, bonfires are lit across the country to mark the story of Prahlad and Holika and the burning away of ego and ill will. The next morning is Rangwali Holi, the day of colour.
What happens then is difficult to oversell. Gulal powder goes into the air and onto everyone within reach. Water is thrown. Grudges are formally dropped, sweets are handed round, and for a few hours the everyday rules about age, status and who speaks to whom are suspended.
Full moon
of Phalguna, the last Hindu lunar month
2 days
Holika Dahan, then Rangwali Holi
Why the Golden Triangle
North India is where Holi is loudest, and this route runs straight through it.
◎
You are in Holi's heartland
The Braj region around Mathura and Vrindavan, a couple of hours from both Delhi and Agra, is the traditional home of the festival. The whole of northern India celebrates hard, and this route sits in the middle of it.
★
A local guide who knows the ground
Holi is joyful and it is also chaotic. Your leader knows where a small group of visitors is genuinely welcome, and where to keep walking.
✓
Timed, not accidental
The departure is scheduled around the festival rather than colliding with it, so driving days and sightseeing work around the celebration instead of cutting across it.
◆
The best weather of the year
Late March sits at the tail of the cool season. Warm, dry and clear, before the real heat arrives in April.
Good To Know
Your Holi in India questions, answered
Which day of the tour does Holi fall on?
Holi lands in the first half of the departure, while the group is in Delhi and moving on to Agra. The festival runs across two linked days: Holika Dahan on the evening of the first, then Rangwali Holi, the day of colour, the next morning. Panchang sources differ slightly on the exact 2027 dates, so we confirm the day and the local celebration arrangements with our operator ahead of departure.
What actually happens on the day of colour?
Gulal, a dry coloured powder, is thrown over anyone within reach, and water often goes with it. Sweets are handed round, drums come out, and the everyday rules about age and status are suspended for a few hours. Your tour leader takes the group to places where visitors are genuinely welcome rather than into the middle of the loudest crowd.
What should I wear for Holi?
Clothes you are happy to throw away, and a long sleeved top if you would rather keep colour off your skin. Sunglasses protect your eyes from powder. Oil your hair and moisturise exposed skin beforehand and the colour washes out far more easily. Bring a plastic bag for the clothes afterwards.
Is Holi safe for visitors, and for women travelling alone?
It is joyful and it is chaotic, which is exactly why this departure runs with a local English speaking leader and a maximum of 12 travellers. Your leader knows which streets a small group is welcome in and which to walk past, and the group stays together. Solo women travel on this departure regularly.
How big is the group?
This departure takes a maximum of 12 travellers, with a minimum of 2. It is the only Incredible India departure in 2027 scheduled around Holi, so places on it are limited to those 12.
Do I need a visa for India?
Yes. Most nationalities need an Indian e-visa, applied for online in advance. It is not included in the tour price. Your passport needs at least six months validity beyond your travel dates and two blank pages.
What is the weather like in late March?
This is the best window of the year in northern India. Late March sits at the tail of the cool season: warm, dry and clear, with comfortable sightseeing temperatures before the real heat arrives in April. Evenings can still be cool, so bring a light layer.
What are the heritage hotels like?
The Suroth Mahal is a converted haveli in a Rajasthani village and the Mandawa Haveli in Jaipur is a traditional merchant house with courtyard gardens. Both are en suite and air conditioned. They are old buildings and they feel it, which is the reason people remember those nights rather than the city hotels.
Is this tour suitable for solo travellers?
Yes. Solo travellers are matched with a same gender room share at no extra cost, or you can pay a single supplement for your own room. Groups are small and a local tour leader is with you throughout.
How much walking is involved?
This is a comfortable pace rather than a strenuous one. Expect city walking tours, the Mughal Heritage Walk through Kachhpura village, the climb up to Amber Fort and the steps at Chand Baori. A reasonable level of fitness is plenty. Transfers between cities are by private air conditioned vehicle.
Still have a question? Our travel specialists are happy to help.