Experience India in a whole new way at the sacred Kumbh Mela festival, the largest congregation of pilgrims on Earth—and a gathering that only happens every 12 years. WT's private tented camp for three nights is right on the Kumbh Mela festival grounds, where we spend time with sadhus (holy men) and spiritual leaders, with guest lectures by Lakshmi Singh, a disciple of Advaita Vedanta Hinduism. Before the festival, we explore the World Heritage-listed medieval city of Hampi, the former princely state of Hyderabad, with its links to Hinduism and Islam, and fantastically photogenic Varanasi, where we have the honor of witnessing the living traditions of one of the world's oldest religions.
Please note: Our Kumbh Mela camp is right in the festival grounds, which run day and night with intense pilgrim activity, so this may not be a journey for everyone, but if you're seeking a once-in-lifetime cultural experience, this is it!
For a post-trip extension, we offer Central India: In the Realm of the Tiger, a chance to relax and unwind in the peaceful realm of four Project Tiger wildlife reserves after our intense spiritual-cultural experience.
Arrive: Bangalore, India
Depart: Delhi, India
Highlights
Boat along the Ganges in Varanasi at sunrise to watch pilgrims at prayer
Take a fascinating “Death and Rebirth Night Walk” in holy Varanasi
Meet with spiritual leaders at our private camp at Kumbh Mela
Get an insider's perspective on India's living traditions with our expert guides
Explore the medieval city of Hampi, a World Heritage Site, visit the bazaars of Hyderabad
Extend your journey on our Central India: In the Realm of the Tiger safari
From Bangalore, we fly to Hampi to explore the extraordinary ruined city of Vijayanagar (Hampi), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'll enjoy walks and hikes in this stunning open-air museum of 14th century temples, fortifications, and pavilions.
In the atmospheric city of Hyderabad, where our grand hotel is the former residence of the Nizam of Hyderabad, we visit the magnificent Golconda Fort, with its elaborate tombs and hammams, and roam the bustling bazaars of Charminar.
In legendary Varanasi, we cruise the Ganges by private boat to witness prayer ceremonies and watch life along the river banks. One evening, we'll take a fascinating guided Death and Rebirth Night walk, beginning at a fertility temple and ending at the sacred Manikarnika Ghat, a wonderful chance to experience the power of holy rituals.
In Prayagraj, an ancient pilgrim city at the confluence of the Ganges, Yumana, and Saraswati rivers, our private tented camp is right on the Kumbh Mela festival grounds. With our Trip Leader and a private specialist guide, we experience the festival's meaning, relevance, and rituals, and learn why millions of people journey here from all walks of life in what is the ultimate spiritual quest. While here, we will experience one-on-one time with sadhus (holy men), witness spiritual leaders with their disciples taking a dip in the Ganges, and meet pilgrims. Even though the festival is huge, it is organized very well, and we will be accompanied by our guides through all the experiences. Fly to Delhi on Day 11 and depart on Day 12 or join our Central India: In the Realm of the Tiger safari.
Dates & Pricing
Pricing below is per person and based on double occupancy. The earlier you book, the more choice you’ll have. WT also has the most generous cancellation and transfer policies in the industry, we make it easy if you change your mind. Have a small group of your own? Take over an existing date or choose your own. You’ll have your own private guide–and the adventure–all to yourselves!
Payment & Cancel Schedule
$600 due at time of reservation 90 days prior to departure: Balance
Cancellation & Transfer Schedule
Up to 121 days prior to departure: No charge! 91-120 days prior to departure: $600 per person 61-90 days prior to departure: 25% of trip cost 60 days or less: 100% of trip cost
Please note that this differs from our standard policy.
Included
Expert leadership of a Wilderness Travel Trip Leader and local guides
Accommodations in hotels and small comfortable inns
All meals except 1 dinner as indicated in Detailed Itinerary
All ground transportation and baggage handling from meeting until departure
All activities as indicated in Detailed Itinerary
Not Included
Travel to and from the arrival and departure location as indicated in Detailed Itinerary
Additional hotel nights outside the trip's scheduled dates
Optional gratuities to Trip Leaders
Optional travel insurance
Other expenses of a personal nature (some alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.)
Visa fees
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
Taj West End Hotel
Bangalore, India
Day 1 (1 night)
The Taj West End is nestled within 20 acres of sprawling greenery and distinguished by its colonial-style elegance. There are 117 luxurious rooms and suites overlooking verdant gardens, plus a world-class spa and a myriad of fine dining restaurants.
The newly built Kamalapura Palace is designed to reflect the days of the 14th-century Vijayanagara Empire, with architecture inspired by Deccan, Dravidian, and Islamic styles. There are 37 suites and nine pool villas, a bar lounge, a reading lounge, a large infinity pool, and a spa offering traditional Ayurvedic wellness...
The Taj Falaknuma Palace, built in 1894, is the former residence of the Nizam of Hyderabad, who was rumored to be the richest man in the world at one time. Now a 60-room luxury hotel spread over 32 acres, it blends historic elegance and modern luxury. There are several excellent...
This renovated 200-year-old palace, accessible only by boat, has a perfect location right on the banks of the Ganges. Guests can watch life along the Ganges from the panoramic rooftop terrace, walk down the ghat right to the river below, and explore myriad shops in the lanes just outside the...
Our private tented camp, Naga Kothi, is on the festival grounds of the Kumbh Mela, putting us right in the heart of the action. We'll sleep in comfortable safari-style tents with en suite bathrooms with showers and hot and cold running water. All our meals will be at our camp....
Located just a few miles from the international airport, you can watch the planes come and go from this contemporary hotel. Grab a gin and tonic at the Juniper Bar, which offers 35 types of gin and tonic infusions, or if you feel like jumping into an even livelier scene,...
Wilderness Travel Trip Leaders have a passion and a joy for creating an unforgettable journey. We are extremely proud of them and the incredible travel experiences they make possible. For more information, including client comments about them and which specific trips they will be leading, please click on their profiles below.
This trip is rated Level 2+ (Easy to Moderate) according to our trip grading system. You will need to be comfortable walking or being on your feet for 6 hours per day through large groups of heavy crowds. It is best suited for very well-traveled people who have perhaps been to India before and are looking to deepen their connection with the legendary spirituality of the country, or who are looking for an eye-opening cultural experience.
It is a vehicle-based cultural adventure with hikes to fabulous temples, topped off by an intense three-day experience of India's biggest pilgrim festival. The Kumbh Mela is a feast for the senses and for the soul, so bring an attitude of flexibility and curiosity, a sense of humor, enthusiasm about new peoples and places, and an openness to the unexpected!
While this is not a hiking trip, we will spend much of our time on foot, observing devotional activities along the river as the pilgrims complete their religious journey. The festival isn't set up for visitors—it is a religious right of passage for Hindus, with the festival grounds becoming a vast temporary city for the masses of attendees. To join this trip you must be ready for large and sometimes tight crowds of people (if you have claustrophobia this is not the trip for you!), for strong and intense smells, and to be on your feet for 5-6 hours per day.
We expect temperatures around Bangalore and Hyderabad in southern India to be warm to hot in February, ranging through the mid-70Fs to high 80Fs. Varanasi, much further north, is cooler during that month. The south of India has two distinct monsoon seasons: one in summer and another from October to mid-November. We don't expect heavy rain to be a problem on our trip, but there can be occasional showers at any time between November and February.
Accommodations are in excellent hotels for eight days, some of them historic properties that reflect the traditional architecture of the region. For three nights, we stay at our tented camp right on the festival grounds of the Kumbh Mela, where we'll sleep in comfortable safari-style tents with en suite bathrooms with showers and hot and cold running water. During our days at the festival, we'll have morning yoga with a sadhu, watch priests perform an aarti (evening prayers), boat along the Ganges and Yumana rivers, and take a night walk to experience the evening rituals. Festival activities continue throughout the day and into the night, so you must be prepared for noise after we go to bed. There will be story-tellers, singing and chanting, stalls selling items for people to use in pujas (blessing ceremonies), performances by folk artists, and iconic sights such as naked, ash-covered Naga sadhus, the mystics who have given up all worldly possessions.
Meals at our hotels and at camp will be a mix of Indian and Western cuisine, customized for the Western palate when requested to be mild or spicy. Special diets (gluten-free, dairy-free) can be accommodated but please advise us in advance.
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.
