IS INDIA A TRICK?

I can tell you this: India is one of those places you have to experience at least once in your life. Not simply because it is wondrous, but because it’s one of those places in the world that change the way you see things. India is a bamboozling country. It can overwhelm before it enchants, and knowing where and how to begin is tricky. India has this immense, almost overwhelming soul. The travel industry is awash with buzzy words like “immersive” or “getting under the skin of a place” but in India, you really don’t have to try. You just simply show up. And that, to me, is wondrous.

When people start planning a trip, they often begin with where they want to go, or which hotel they stay in. But I will always start with the question: how do you want to feel? Because that changes everything. And from there, I begin to build a picture — your personality, your rhythm, what excites you, what restores you — and only then do I begin shaping your journey. So in India, for instance, it might lead to the Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s most extraordinary gatherings. Or a layered journey through Rajasthan? Or Ladakh’s remote mountains, conversations with yogic practitioners, historians and scholars of Indian philosophy.

Rajasthan concentrates everything that India does best into one place: the colour, the craft, the wildlife, the history, the architecture, the food and the people. When I visited a few weeks ago, I felt my pupils dilating. Everything seemed more vivid, more vigorous and extraordinary. And you absolutely have to just throw yourself into it.

We were never not in motion on this trip. Planes, a bus, golf carts, lake boats, tuk-tuks, 4x4 safari jeeps, a bullock cart and a horse and carriage. This ten-day stomp was designed to lift the lid on Rajasthan in all its unabashed glory: Udaipur, Jawai, Narlai, Jodhpur, Jaipur.

We arrived at Lake Pichola. Is India a trick? Boats chugged across the moody blue water, a thrush was singing, and the Taj Lake Palace Hotel stood white and resplendent in her marble. I like the smell here. The air smelled of jasmine and humidity.

The views are exquisite. And across the lake, children were launching themselves from the steps of a temple, sharp little elbows and legs breaking the surface, swimming as long as they could before bursting out of the water to breathe. Their wet bodies caught the morning sun like slippery eels.

We left Udaipur and headed into the Aravalli hills. I sat back and watched the world slip past: fields, wood fires, smoke, dancing. We got to Jawai, which is paradise on earth, and stayed in the middle of the wild in luxurious tented suites, surrounded by billion-year-old granite rock formations chock full of leopards, sloth bears and porcupines — with that incredible sound of animals and insects throughout.

From there, we moved on to the village of Narlai, a small traditional town popular with Hindu pilgrims, lying in the shadow of Elephant Hill, a massive granite monolith. Lala showed us round his village with pride. A man was cooking samosas. Very happy children appeared and disappeared. Shepherds with freshly newborn goats. We met a beautiful lady. She is over 100 years old. There was bougainvillea. Monkeys. And of course cattle, thin-legged and jostling.

One evening we feasted on thali in an old stepwell in the middle of an okra field. The smell of lamb curry, chapatis cooking on open fires, raita, rice. We heard a leopard hunting a deer in the dark. There were hundreds of oil lamps and music.

Another time, I hugged an elephant. Her name is Lakshmi. The mahout asked me to give her a banana, then to wrap my arm around her trunk. She was very still and very warm. Her flesh felt like tree bark.

We softly treaded through the palaces and forts of Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaipur. We peered up at intricate facades, archways and history at every turn. And beyond all the majestic splendour, Rajasthan slowly unfurled itself in quiet moments.

Everywhere we went, there were peacocks shrugging their tailed ball gowns in the dust like the party would never be over.

The history, the architecture, the skill, the artistry, the flamboyance, the colour, the lore. It is a stretch to get my head around it all. A phenomenon. I found myself furiously reading, questioning my guides and inhaling as much knowledge as I could.

The flower market in Jaipur happens in the night. By the time we arrived after dawn, the marigolds were already stacked in towers of orange and gold, and monkeys were watching from the rafters with the detached authority of people who have seen everything and are impressed by nothing.

Our last night in Jaipur, the city was awash with mud from the last of the monsoon rains. We visited the City Palace exclusively at night. And if you have ever wondered what my clients experience, this is one example. Inside private access to the Blue Room with private dining. I have years of insider knowledge and experience, along with a black book of resources to craft extraordinary experiences in hidden corners and cultural landmarks. I work hard to understand what will bring you the greatest enjoyment. No two itineraries are the same because the imprint India makes on everyone who visits is unique. The people you will meet, the most suitable guide, the minutely executed plans are all carefully considered in advance. And with my utterly excellent team on the ground, I keep my finger firmly on the pulse of India’s ever-evolving hotels and experiences.

November and December are the sweet spot. I have itineraries being finalised now, for first-timers and for those who know India well and want to go deeper. Some are visiting Rajasthan whilst others are visiting Jaipur. Whether you are travelling as an individual, a couple or a group, I would love to design something around you.

If India is calling, I would love to help you answer it properly.

Clare xx