Delhi – Intimate Access to Culture & Cuisine

India’s capital city is a buzzing hive of activity around a plethora of awe-inspiring sites, making it feel a little overwhelming and it can be difficult to forge your own personal journey among the clamorous colour. Our team on the ground in Delhi have used their local contacts and vast knowledge to put together some calmer, more considered experiences that will frame your time here with a more insightful take on this fascinating city.

Food is a central part of India’s heritage and Delhi boasts some of the country’s most celebrated restaurants, but we can arrange for you to spend an evening in a private home or exclusive venue enjoying a meal cooked solely for you by a celebrated local chef. This isn’t simply a bespoke menu tailored to your tastes and preferences; this will give you an intimate introduction to the cultural stories behind both the cuisine and its ingredients. The chef will cook in front of you and bring the meal to life with live culinary storytelling as the food is prepared. Walking you through the regional ingredients, unpicking specific techniques and revealing the narrative and folklore behind each dish.

Delhi’s art scene is as old as time with a plethora of celebrated artists, and art galleries galore to explore. Instead of wandering them alone, we would suggest cherry-picking your experience with a private tour in the company of a local an art expert. You’ll visit the city’s major public galleries but benefit from insightful details about the leading artists with illuminating explanations of the context and culture behind the key masterpieces. You’ll also gain access to private collections, rarely seen by the public, housed in local residences and art foundations, giving you an exclusively holistic understanding of the city’s artistic wealth.

Staying at a heritage hotel such as The Imperial, Delhi works perfectly alongside these experiences, offering a calm, elegant stay that exudes a sense of place among the city’s vibrant energy.

Jaipur – Royal Legacies & Living Traditions

Often associated with the grandeur of its rulers, Jaipur is a city infused with stories of maharajas and Mughals. It exudes luxury, sophistication and artistry in its architecture but to get a deeper handle on its cultural richness you need to delve into its ancient craftsmanship, meet the people who currently influence the city’s continued success and take a peek behind closed door collections.

Block printing of fabrics using natural dyes and wooden blocks has been an artform in Jaipur since the 16th century and continues to this day, commissioned by leading fashion houses worldwide. On a private tour, you’ll visit the artisan block-printing workshops in Sanganer or Bagru where centuries-old techniques prevail, before stopping at the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing and Nila House, where you’ll get a deeper understanding of the cultural importance of these traditional textiles. Your day ends with a guided wander around the kaleidoscopic energy of the textile bazaars back in the city, where reams of patterned fabrics and handwoven silks drape from vibrant stalls.

Members-only clubs in Jaipur, as in any city, offer the chance to meet the local cognoscenti and you can visit one of the prestigious clubs in Jaipur as an honoured guest. Over drinks and a shared meal, you’ll gain an insight into contemporary Jaipur life as seen through the eyes of those currently shaping it.

City Palace is one of the most visited sights in the city of Jaipur and our guide will bring it alive with tales of traditions, pageantry and prestige but we will also take you behind the closed doors into the private spaces rarely seen by the public. You’ll enjoy a meal or high tea in the Maharaja’s personal quarters where you can immerse yourself in Jaipur’s royal legacy and quietly appreciate the architecture and artefacts of this awe-inspiring palace.

Art lovers can also gain access to a private collection of Jaipur’s finest miniature paintings here. You’ll meet a master artist whose work continues a centuries-old tradition and learn about the techniques, symbolism and legacy involved. Far away from public view, these artists continue an age-old skill with delicate brushwork, natural pigments and rich storytelling.

To mirror the style and sophistication of the city’s royal legacy, we love staying in Jaipur’s heritage-inspired hotels, which offer beautiful design and an atmosphere of tranquility. Our favourites here include Oberoi Rajvilas, Taj Rambagh Palace or Amanbagh.

Jodhpur – Timeless Grandeur, After the Crowds

Jodhpur’satmospheric narrow streets under the omniprescent grandeur of the Mehrangarh Fort give a timeless air to this iconic blue city. Luxury here takes you away from the crowds with bespoke regal picnics and private access to the palatial fort.

While you’re in Jodhpur, we’ll arrange for you to have a shikaar-style picnic, a royal tradition among Rajasthan’s maharaja families. Where once these would have revolved around hunting, today the focus is on sharing traditions, with an elaborate outdoor meal during which your guide will recount tales of valour, pleasure and courtly customs as you immerse yourself in the romance of Rajasthan’s royal past.

Deep within the imposing beauty of Mehrangarh Fort, the Maharaja of Jodhpur gathered a vast collection of artefacts from bygone eras: weapons, musical instruments, royal costumes and even furniture, all giving an intriguing glimpse into life at this most impressive of forts. After the museum has closed to the public for the evening, you’ll be given a private tour by the curator. With this exclusive access, you’ll have the space to explore freely and glean lesser-known stories linked to the collection.

To complete your regal experience, we would suggest a stay at Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace where the understated elegance and impeccable service truly are fit for a Maharaja.

Ladakh - Spiritual Encounters and Remote Beauty

High in India’s Himalayan north, Ladakh exudes its own magic created by space, silence and deep spirituality. Simply being here can often feel like a luxury in itself, with its high altitude passes, fluttering prayer fags and deeply imbued sense of peace. However, tuning yourself further into the spirituality offers a profoundly exclusive opportunity to explore on a more personal level.

Slowly walking one of Ladakh’s leading Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the company of one of the monks will allow you to quietly understand the power that these spiritual centres hold in the community. You’ll also have the chance to meet with the chief Lama, who will discuss the importance of Buddhism in Ladakh and share his knowledge and insights into the centuries-old traditions of the monastery.

We would suggest staying in one of Ladakh’s remarkable lodges on a visit here, such as Shakti Ladakh, Drenmo Lodge or Rumbak Lodge, where you can indulge in the gentle pace and experience the unique cultural balance of community and environment.

Mumbai: Art Behind Closed Doors

The vast metropolis of Mumbai is also home to one of India’s most exceptional art scenes. Not only does the city exude art in its streets and historic neighbourhoods but you’ll find it constantly bridging tradition with modernism in its unique gallery spaces, from experimental installations in Colaba to historic masterpieces at the Taj Mahal Palace.

Gaining access to private collections on an exclusive tour here will elevate your visit, ensuring that you’re offered a very personal introduction into this prestigious world of art. You guide will take you to public galleries and talk you through the works of celebrated Indian artists before you head to private foundations, to view art collections not accessible to the general public.

The obvious place to stay on an art-based trip to Mumbai is in the Taj Mahal Palace, where the modern Indian art collection is carefully interwoven into the décor of the heritage building.

Udaipur: Stillness on the Water

Luxury in the lakeside city of Udaipur is all-pervasive in its serene atmosphere of tranquil waters and elegant palaces but deepening your experience of luxury here revolves around sharing the stories of the people who called these palaces home. Sharing in moments that mirror how their life would have looked and accessing their spaces when the tourist crowds have gone home.

City Palace is the defining sight for many visitors to Udaipur but a visit here normally means battling with crowds. We’ll organise a private tour of the palace, early in the morning before it is open to the public. You’ll have the chance to wander the Mughal-inspired art, elegantly poised interior details and Rajput military architecture with a knowledgeable guide, who’ll enhance this exclusive access with detailed contextual tales.

In the evening, after cocktails on the terrace of the Lake Palace, you’ll take a candle-lit cruise across Lake Pichola on the 150-year-old personal barge of the Maharaja of Udaipur. Drifting past illuminated palaces and historic ghats, you’ll feast on a dinner of royal Rajasthani flavours. To reflect the elegance of your experiences in the city, we would suggest a stay at either Taj Lake Palace itself or Oberoi Udaivilas, both of which encompass the timeless calm and exceptional beauty of the city.