Must doFull-moon night on the White Rann
Walk out onto the salt flats as the moon rises and the whole desert turns silver.
Must do
Craft & cultureAjrakh printing with an artisan family
Print your own cloth with a family that has made Ajrakh for generations.
Craft & cultureRogan art in Nirona
Watch one of India's rarest crafts, painted with a single stick and castor-oil paint.
Food & peopleMorning with Rann herders
Walk with a pastoralist family at sunrise and share chai in their village.
Craft & cultureOld city pol walk
Carved wooden houses, hidden passages and quiet temples, with a host who grew up in the pols.
AdventureKayaking on the Umngot
Paddle on one of India's clearest rivers with a local guide.
Must doWalk to the Riwai living root bridge
A short, easy walk to a bridge grown from living tree roots. A good choice for parents.
Food & peopleKhasi home lunch in Mawlynnong
Sit down for a home-cooked Khasi lunch with a family in one of the cleanest villages in India.
Adventure
Must doKathakali evening in Fort Kochi
Watch the performers put on their make-up, then see Kerala's classical dance-drama up close.
Nature & slowTea estate morning in Munnar
Walk the tea slopes in the cool morning, see how the leaf is processed, then taste it fresh.
AdventureCycling through the tea estates
Ride quiet estate roads through the tea hills, with stops for the views.
Food & peopleSpice plantation walk in Thekkady
See pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves growing, with a farmer who knows every plant.
AdventureJungle walk in Periyar
A guided walk in the Periyar forest, looking for birds, giant squirrels and signs of elephants.
Nature & slowVillage canoe ride on the backwaters
Slip into the narrow canals a houseboat cannot reach, past homes, paddy and toddy shops.
Food & peopleHome-cooked sadya lunch
A traditional vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, with a family in a backwater village.