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British Raj

• 1.1 Background
• 1.2 The Raj
• 1.3 Partition and aftermath
• 2.1 Pakistan
• 2.3 Bangladesh
• 2.4 Malaysia
• 2.5 Singapore
• 4.4 North America
• 4.5 Oceania
• 4.6 South America

The British Raj was the rule of the British Crown over South Asia and some nearby areas from 1858 to 1947. This guide deals mainly with the Indian Subcontinent — the modern day countries of Bangladesh , India and Pakistan — in that period, and with aspects of the Raj left behind in those countries. However, the British presence in the region started long before the Crown took control in 1858 and their influence extended beyond the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947.

Other areas were also administered as part of the Raj at times — Ceylon , Burma (Lower Burma 1858-1937, Upper Burma 1886-1937), Aden (1858-1937), and even briefly Singapore (1858-1867) and Somalia (1884-1898). The Trucial States on the Persian Gulf were British protectorates 1820-1968 and for part of that time they were considered princely states of the Raj; after 1971 they became the United Arab Emirates . The Gulf states of Bahrain , Kuwait , Qatar and Oman were also governed as British protectorates from their colony in India at various points in their history.

Understand [ edit ]

The region has a very long and complex history and we do not try to cover it all here, not even for the period of the Raj.

Background [ edit ]

The subcontinent had not been completely united at any point in history prior to British arrival, although several empires came quite close. The last two of these were in conflict when the British and other Europeans arrived. The great Muslim Mughal Empire ruled a substantial territory from 1526 on, and controlled nearly all the subcontinent by around 1700. After that it was displaced in many areas by the Hindu Maratha Empire. Other areas, notably Rajasthan and various parts of the Himalayas , were a patchwork of small kingdoms independent of both empires.

European trade with India is recorded as far back as a few centuries BCE, with some branches of the Silk Road passing through India, but modern European influence and colonisation began with the Portuguese when Vasco da Gama reached India via the Cape Route in 1498. Other European powers soon followed.

By the mid-17th century, the British and French were also well-established and some of their European wars spilled over into conflicts in India. Pondicherry was held by the French and Goa by the Portuguese until after Indian independence in 1947, though both are now parts of India. The Dutch held Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka) from 1640 to 1796, taking it from Portugal and eventually losing it to Britain; they also had trading posts on the Indian mainland, but never much territory. Although they were never a part of the Raj, the nearby Maldives came under British rule in 1796 during the annexation of Ceylon. From India, the British began colonising neighbouring Burma through the Anglo-Burmese Wars in 1824, ending with the defeat of the Burmese in 1885. Burma was governed at first as a province of India, but was later split off to form a separate colony in 1937.

In the 17th and early 18th century, the focus was on trade and the first joint stock companies were set up to organise this trade. These companies amassed immense wealth and eventually came to possess vast swaths of land. The most successful of these was the British East India Company; at one point, this one company was conducting approximately half of all the world's trade. It had a large number of ships and its own army with some British troops but mainly sepoys , Indian troops serving under British officers. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) was almost as rich, largely because the Dutch controlled the Spice Islands of Indonesia. The French had several companies at different times, with some spectacular failures but also considerable success.

The British East India Company colonised other parts of Asia such as Bencoolen in 1685, Penang in 1771, and Singapore in 1819. It also participated in the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 that resulted in the colonisation of Hong Kong Island . As part of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, Bencoolen was ceded to the Dutch, while the British got the Dutch colony of Malacca in exchange. The colonies of Penang, Singapore and Malacca were merged into the Straits Settlements in 1826. The Straits Settlements were governed from India until they were ceded by the British East India Company to the British crown in 1867, thus becoming a crown colony ruled directly from London.

The switch from trading to ruling came after the Battle of Plassey in 1757; a company army defeated the French and their ally, the last Nawab of Bengal, so the company ended up in control of all the Nawab's territory: Bengal , Bihar and Orissa . Over the next century they more-or-less continually expanded their territory until they directly ruled most of the subcontinent; the rest was controlled by "princely states" ruled by local Maharajahs with varying degrees of British influence.

Although the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan also came under British suzerainty, through various treaties signed with the British, they were able to remain nominally independent throughout the years of the Raj. Nevertheless, many Nepalis would serve in the British Army as part of various Gurkha regiments, and were deployed throughout many parts of the empire. To this day, Gurkhas continue to be employed by governments throughout parts of the former empire, with Gurkha units in the British, Indian and Bruneian armies, and in the police force of Singapore.

The Raj [ edit ]

A good historical novel set during the mutiny is Flashman in the Great Game .

After the mutiny was put down, the Crown took over administration from the East India Company, beginning the period of the Raj. They also seized the lands of various rulers who had supported the mutiny, including the last Mughal Emperor , so the Crown ruled even more territory than the Company had.

Calcutta was the capital of British India throughout the period of company rule and remained so under the Raj until in 1911 the government moved to New Delhi , a new capital built next to the much older city of Delhi . Shimla served as a summer capital with much of the government migrating there each year to escape the heat. All three places have many fine buildings and other sites left from those times.

Another Sepoy mutiny took place in Singapore during World War I in 1915, when many Muslim Sepoys rebelled against their British superiors due to fears of being sent to fight the Ottoman Empire , whose sultan they regarded as the Caliph of Islam. This mutiny was swiftly put down, and the mutineers were publicly executed by firing squad.

Even though ultimate control of most affairs lay with British authorities, their rule over India would not have been possible without the aid of native participation and often alliances with local rulers. The number of Brits in India doing administrative work was surprisingly small and some argue that it was exactly this hands-off laissez-faire approach to governing a vast empire, as well as the little regard that the government in London had for the Indian population at large, that resulted in disasters such as the 1876-1878 "Great famine". However, the British Raj was hugely important for the formation of an Indian and to a lesser degree Pakistani national consciousness, and also led to the establishment of Indian diaspora communities throughout the former British Empire, often in unlikely places. Many Indians were shipped to far-flung parts of the empire as indentured servants as the British needed labour after the abolition of slavery , while others went as colonial administrators, soldiers and policemen. In Africa, dictators like Idi Amin stoked racial hatred against people of Indian descent as many of them had come to accumulate some wealth as shopkeepers and businessmen. This culminated in the expulsion of the ethnic Indian community from Uganda in 1972. However, progress has been made in other parts of Africa, with Kenya formally recognising its ethnic Indian community as a tribe in 2017.

During colonial rule, ethnic Chinese communities were established in the cities of Bombay and Calcutta . They were viewed with suspicion in the wake of the Sino-Indian War in 1962, and many were rounded up, interned and eventually expelled from the country, while even those that were allowed to remain often had their property confiscated by the government. It was not until 1998 that the ethnic Chinese were allowed to apply for Indian citizenship, and many of them continue to be stateless to this day despite having families that have lived in India for several generations. Although their numbers have dwindled substantially, there remains a significant ethnic Chinese community in Kolkata's Chinatown, and Mumbai's former Chinatown still contains vestiges of the former community in the form of Chinese temples.

While India was often considered "the jewel in the crown of the British Empire", there was at least tacit acknowledgement as early as the 1920s that colonial rule would inevitably come to an end. However, this process was accelerated by the Second World War in which Indians fought for both the Axis and the Allies and some Axis sympathisers created an "Indian state" fighting against the British and for independence. The best known of these was the Japanese-backed Indian National Army (INA) led by Subhas Chandra Bose.

The decisive force for independence was the (mostly) nonviolent movement of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known by the honorific Mahatma Gandhi ( maha , great + atman , soul) and his followers. Gandhi was a British-educated lawyer who first came to prominence while working in South Africa and resisting the restrictions on Indians there. He strongly believed in traditional Hindu principles, wanted India to return to a simpler more rural form of society, and definitely wanted the British out. His was not the only group working toward independence, but it came to be the most important one.

Partition and aftermath [ edit ]

There were many Muslims, spread through nearly all of the Raj but concentrated in some areas. A movement for an independent Muslim state arose in the same period as the independence movement, partly out of Muslim fears that Gandhi and others would create a state dominated by Hindus. Eventually, Gandhi and the British agreed, and at independence in 1947, the main territory of the Raj was partitioned into mostly-Hindu India and mostly-Muslim Pakistan .

The partition was a major disaster. Several million people were uprooted, Muslims migrated from their homes in areas that would be part of India to live in Pakistan, with Hindus and Sikhs moving the other way. Mobs attacked migrants going both ways; most estimates of the death toll are a few hundred thousand, but some say well over a million. Gandhi was assassinated by Hindu fanatics who blamed him for the partition.

Neither the Indian nor the Pakistani government was happy with the border as the British defined it; some areas, notably Kashmir , are still disputed today and the two countries have fought several wars over these disputes. The first war broke out within a few months of partition.

The partition created one Muslim country, Pakistan, with two parts, East and West. East Pakistan split off to become Bangladesh in 1971; there was a war over that as well. West Pakistan is now called "Pakistan".

The cession of certain areas to the British Raj by the Tibetan Empire , and the unilateral annexation of others, continues to be unrecognized by China , resulting in ongoing border disputes between China and India in Arunachal Pradesh , Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakorum Tract. These disputes resulted in several wars between China and India being fought in the 1960s.

In the same period, 1947-48, two other countries in the region, Burma and Ceylon, also gained independence from Britain, as shown on the map. Later their governments would rename them Myanmar and Sri Lanka respectively. The Straits Settlements were dissolved in 1946, with the colonies of Malacca and Penang merged with the Federated Malay States and Unfederated Malay States to form the Malayan Union (later the Federation of Malaya), while Singapore was split off to form a separate colony. Malaya became independent in 1957 and changed its name to Malaysia with the addition of Singapore and the northern Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak in 1963, while Brunei opted out of the federation. Singapore was expelled from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965 and became an independent city-state. The Gulf state of Kuwait was granted independence in 1961, while the Maldives , another British colony in South Asia, would be granted independence in 1965. The Trucial States federated in 1968, and became independent as the United Arab Emirates in 1971. The remaining three British protectorates in the Gulf, Bahrain , Qatar and Oman , were also granted independence in 1971. Brunei became independent in 1984, while the last vestige of the British East India Company, Hong Kong , was returned to China in 1997, thus bringing the history of British colonial rule in Asia to an end.

The Sikhs, the third-largest religious group in India, did not initially demand their own state. Many of them fled from what's now Pakistan, and they now live mostly in the Indian part of Punjab , but in the 1970s and 1980s clashes between Sikhs and the government under Indira Gandhi (not related to the Mahatma) resulted in her being killed by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984.

See [ edit ]

The British left behind a legacy of architecture which is still evident in many parts of South Asia, as there is much European architecture across the subcontinent, including neo-Gothic and other European styles of churches, which can be seen in what is today are railway stations, cantonments, courts, colleges and schools, churches, bridges and museums. However, a new Anglo-Indian style of architecture also developed, fusing Indian and particularly Mughal elements with European ones. Often it was the mixture English elements and components of specifically Islamic or Hindu architecture. This style was used by the British not only in the Indian Subcontinent but also for buildings like the railway stations they built in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh , Malaysia. The British introduced railways to the subcontinent and built a huge network of railway stations, many of which are still very well preserved.

The major cities in the Subcontinent that are dotted with British architecture include Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi , Agra , Karachi , Nagpur , Lahore , Bhopal and Hyderabad .

Pakistan [ edit ]

• In Karachi , the Mohatta Palace is a fine example of a blend of Islamic and British architecture. Frere Hall, St. Patrick Church and Empress Market all counted amongst the prominent and impressive work of Britishers.
• Lahore 's Mall Road retains a variety of Gothic and Victorian-style buildings built during the British Raj. Lahore Museum, Aitchison College, Government College University, Tollinton Market, are some renowned buildings built by Britishers.

India [ edit ]

• The Madras High Court building in Chennai (Madras) is a great example of Anglo-Indian architecture.
• The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (previously Victoria Terminus) in Mumbai (Bombay) is truly splendid.
• The Umed Bhawan Palace in Kota was built in Indo-Saracenic style in 1904.

Bangladesh [ edit ]

• Dhaka University includes some lovely Anglo-Indian buildings, including the Old High Court Building, Curzon Hall and the Department of Chemistry Building.

Malaysia [ edit ]

• Kuala Lumpur has several prominent Anglo-Indian buildings, including the Sultan Abdul Samad Building , which used to house British colonial offices and now houses Malaysian government offices; the Railway Station and Railway Administration Building .
• Ipoh 's Railway Station is probably the second most famous Anglo-Indian railway station in Malaysia after the one in Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore [ edit ]

• The Istana , the official residence of the President of Singapore, was originally built for the colonial governor of the Straits Settlements in a fusion of British, Malay and Indian architectural styles.

Eat [ edit ]

An Anglo-Indian cuisine developed, largely based on dishes that Indian cooks made for their British employers during the Raj. Some of the resulting dishes became more generally popular in India and remained part of Indian cuisine after independence, and many of them are also now popular with Britons in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere around the world where there are Indian restaurants. Each country has given this cuisine a regional variation, but some things are generally similar. One feature of Anglo-Indian cuisine that is uncommon in other Indian cuisines is the use of curry powders, including the so-called "Madras curry powder", which has more hot pepper in it than others. Other Indian cuisines usually make curries by starting with individual spices and, for example, very quickly wok-frying them in ghee or oil or dry-frying them. One well-known Anglo-Indian dish is mulligatawny soup . The famous chicken tikka masala is not really Anglo-Indian, but may be of British origin, as it was allegedly created in Glasgow by a chef who originated from the Indian Subcontinent, although that story is questioned by some. What is certain, though, is that Indian cuisine has had a huge influence on the culinary culture of the United Kingdom, and London, Birmingham and other UK cities are still regarded by many as some of the best places in the world to have Indian food.

In other areas with significant Indian communities, there are often Indian dishes that have been locally adapted or invented and thus, cannot be found in India. Examples of such dishes include roti prata or roti canai , which is unique to the Indian communities of Singapore and Malaysia , and the bunny chow , which is the signature dish of the Indian community in the South African city of Durban .

Indian diaspora [ edit ]

During the Raj, the British brought many indentured Indian labourers, as well as colonial administrators, soldiers and policemen, to their colonies around the world, many of whom established Indian diaspora communities. These communities maintained aspects of Indian culture to varying extents, but also integrated into the local culture, resulting in unique cultural blends that endure to this day. While in some places the Indians retain a distinct ethnic identity, in others they assimilated and intermarried to the point of being indistinguishable from their peers, though aspects of Indian cuisine and culture still survive in the local culture. As nearly every country has had some history of Indian immigration, this list is limited to countries and territories that have a history of British rule, are home to significant and distinct ethnic Indian communities that were established as a direct result of the Raj, and which tourists can visit to experience aspects of Indian culture. Mauritius, Guyana and some Caribbean nations celebrate Indian Arrival Day , which commemorates the arrival of the first indentured Indian labourers in their respective countries and their subsequent contributions to society.

Africa [ edit ]

• South Africa

Asia [ edit ]

Europe [ edit ].

• United Kingdom

North America [ edit ]

• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

Oceania [ edit ]

South america [ edit ], see also [ edit ].

• British Empire
• Around the World in Eighty Days , a fictional voyage which passes through India
• On the trail of Kipling's Kim , Wikivoyage's account of the route described in a novel set in the Raj in the late 19th century
• The Flashman Papers , a series of comic historical novels, supposedly the memoirs of a cowardly and dishonest British officer in Victoria's time. Many of his adventures take place in India.

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Rajasthan & the north: beyond the Golden Triangle

By India specialist Katherine

The Golden Triangle has Delhi’s Mughal-era Red Fort, the have-to-visit Taj Mahal, and Jaipur’s lavish palace complex. But, there’s much more to north India than this well-worn trio. You could spend the night in the Thar Desert, take a boat alongside Varanasi’s sacred ghats or admire Khajuraho’s UNESCO-listed carved temples. I’ve picked my highlights of the region, which could expand on a classic Golden Triangle route , or tempt you to uncover a different path entirely .

Jaisalmer and the Thar Desert

Every city and town in north India seems to have its own fort, so I get a little blasé about these imposing structures. Or, I did until I got to Jaisalmer . Originally, Jaisalmer didn’t ‘have’ a fort — it was the fort. For the better part of the fortress-city’s 800-year history, the entire population lived, worked and worshipped within the sandstone walls.

The city has now breached its original boundary. But, because the fort stands on a hill, its bastions rise well above the modern suburbs. In the early morning, it alone sits above the desert haze, helping you to imagine its initial impact.

The fort can be tricky to navigate, so I suggest taking a guided walking tour. From the outer walls, you follow a wide walkway — designed specifically for camels and horses loaded with goods — that snakes toward the entrance gateway. Once inside, you’ll see children rushing off to school around the corner from the Raj Palace and residents hanging their washing along the 12th-century fortress walls. Occasionally, you’ll hear rhythmic chanting coming from one of the many sandstone temples.

The last Rajput kingdom before India’s western border, Jaisalmer stands on the crossroads of many important trade routes, including the Silk Route . Its isolated location attracts fewer visitors than other Rajasthani cities, but the military airport has recently opened for domestic flights, making it possible to fly in from Jaipur . You could then travel onward to Jodhpur  and Udaipur  by car.

While there are some hotels within the fort, many are causing conservation concerns due to the pressure they’re putting on the ghut nali (the fort’s historical drainage system). I stayed in Suryagarh , a modern palace-style hotel on the city’s outskirts.

Desert camp stay

Indian deserts aren’t rows of dunes as far as your eye can see. In Jaisalmer’s Thar Desert, you’ll find pockets of herbaceous scrub, gnarly gum arabic trees and grasslands that shiver with the occasional quail or blackbuck. For me, the best way to experience this environment is to stay in it. You could opt for somewhere like the Serai , a one drive from Jaisalmer, a camp that basically qualifies as a luxury hotel.

Or, for something more akin to past Silk-Route caravans, you can stay at Manvar Desert Camp. A line of white canvas tents arc around a central campfire, each with a running-water bathroom and traditional teak furniture (mimicking the wares that used to be hauled along on the back of camels). From here, I visited some of the nearby desert communities, including the Bishnoi. A religious Hindu sect, their belief in not killing animals is so strict that they check all firewood for insects before burning it.

Of the desert fortress cities, Jaipur, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur tend to hog the attention. Built on a smaller scale, Bikaner , in the northwest of Rajasthan, gets overlooked. Another vital oasis on the Silk Route, it has a border-town feel with a dusky sandstone old town surrounded by camel farms. During the British Raj it was the foremost Rajasthan city, with its leader, General Maharaja Ganga Singh, a member of the Imperial War Cabinet and present at the Versailles Peace Conference.

Blending into the skyline, Junagarh Fort is cut from the same desert-ochre stone as the rest of the city. It occupies a relatively flat plot of land and doesn’t have the initial impact of other forts, but don’t judge it too quickly. Stepping inside, I was greeted with some of the most flamboyant tiled floors, glass mosaics and lattice windows I’ve seen in India.

The fort museum is full of gifts from fellow rulers. My guide told me that an aircraft from King George V is somewhere in the palace grounds, a thank you for Bikaner’s help in World War I.

It feels like every second building in Bikaner is a palace, many of which are now hotels. If you want a slice of maharaja-evoking hospitality though, you’d be better staying at Narendra Bhawan. The residence of the last Maharaja of Bikaner, it’s now a contemporary hotel — the sort where dinner appears on a series of tiny tasting plates. I found a rose-petal-filled bath in my room, a mix of modern and heritage Indian design.

Rural Rajasthan

Traditional trips to north India move between large cities. While you can see many of the main attractions this way, you’ll miss out on some of the best experiences. For instance, you could spend time at Ramathra Fort  in a tiny village between Agra  and Jaipur. Here, you can take a 4x4 ride along the Chambal Valley, a plateau of goat and blue bull herds, visiting the farms and villages.

Midway between Jodhpur and Udaipur, the small family palace of Chanoud Garh  has passed down 13 generations and is now in part a hotel (the family still live in one side). In Hindi, garh means house, but it’s now more associated with this type of property dotted across rural Rajasthan, which were usually owned by wealthy merchants, courtiers or army generals.

During my stay, I dined with the family around the barbecue pit. They regaled me with Marigold-Hotel-style tales of refurbishing their home for guests (although, I’d say the result is more luxurious). The following day, I joined them in the village, drinking copious amounts of chai and popping into a temple for a blessing.

One of the most revealing rural stops for me was Mandawa, a tiny town to the west of Delhi  that’s on the way to Bikaner. It’s part of the Shekhawati region, a now-defunct political state defined by its richly muraled buildings. As I wandered with my guide, he described the range of artwork we were viewing, from 17th-century folk takes to 20th-century depictions of the visiting colonial British (who were often drawn with a bottle of drink in their hand).

Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh

After flying into Delhi and visiting Agra  and its Taj , you don’t have to continue into Rajasthan. Instead, you could segue southeast into the lesser-visited states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Here, you’ll come into contact with some of the most intricately carved temples in India, centuries-old religious ceremonies and little-visited villages. The drives between the cities and villages are also shorter, and everything runs along to a more relaxed pace.

The first city south of Agra, Gwalior is a three-hour drive away through a patchwork of farmland. As you wind your way up to its hilltop fort, you’ll pass a series of Jain statues carved into the rock face in a style more associated with Petra  or Egypt . Some date back as early as the 7th century, and one shows one of the oldest written examples of zero. Inside the sandstone fortress you’ll find a confusion of temples, palaces and museums that are best negotiated with a guide.

The Hindu Scindia dynasty ruled the state from the 18th century, building a series of ostentatious palaces. The Usha Kiran Palace  was one of their guesthouses for visitors and, as it’s now run by Taj Hotels, you can follow suit. Set in a leaf-dappled garden, it’s an oasis from the dusty city.

When I last visited this riverside town, I tried to find out if it was pronounced ‘Or-ca’ or ‘Orch-a’, but no-one really seemed to mind. This laid-back attitude reflects on a place that proves a respite from the busier cities. A three-hour drive from Gwalior, the town stands alongside three mahals (palaces) on a rocky promontory above the Betwa River.

You can spend an afternoon here idling around the palaces, chhatris (cenotaphs) and temples. One evening, I visited the Ram Raja Temple, a Hindu pilgrimage site that was originally a palace. Lord Ram (an incarnation of the god Vishnu) is worshipped accordingly here as a king. You can watch the evening salutation ceremony, which blesses holy relics and statues with water to a crescendo of singing.

I suggest staying a night here before you continue for about three hours to Khajuraho the next day.

Yes, it’s the location of India’s ‘sexiest’ temples. But, the erotic art that attracts visitors to Khajuraho  is a small part of a larger story. Built in about 1000 AD by the royal Chandela dynasty, the temples were abandoned in the 13th century in the hope of hiding them from invading Muslim sultans. Only in 1838 did a young British officer, T S Burt, rediscover them while hunting.

I recommend a guided tour, because it can be bewildering to navigate the 22 temples by yourself. There are a variety of schools of thought behind the carvings, but most agree that early Hindu and Jain gurus would encourage devotees to take their senses to extremes. But, as well as an often-acrobatic range of sexual acts, you’ll see carvings of fine food, women putting on makeup, and musicians and potters at work. The images also have a language of their own — my guide pointed out that the specific angle of a head or limb had a particular meaning.

If you’re looking for the very essence of India, in all her chaos and beauty, include a stop in Varanasi . With relatively regular flights from Khajuraho and Delhi, it’s a simple addition that, for me, marks a special ending to a trip across north India. For an end-of-trip treat, stay in BrijRama Palace . Otherwise, opt for the homestay-style Ganges View .

No matter the breadth of your travel credentials, Varanasi can be overwhelming, so I’d use a guide. In what’s considered India’s holiest site, you can join a tour that focuses on death and rebirth, the two key reasons pilgrims come here. You’ll be led away from the main thoroughfares into hidden temples and ashrams, with the opportunity to take part in (or simply watch) some of the ceremonies. When someone dies, my guide told me, the closest relative has their head shaved and dresses in white — details that helped me decrypt what I was seeing as I explored.

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Classic Rajasthan tour: forts, palaces & rural villages

16 days from £4,895pp

North & south India: Rajasthan & Kerala

20 days from £5,400pp

Start thinking about your experience. These itineraries are simply suggestions for how you could enjoy some of the same experiences as our specialists. They’re just for inspiration, because your trip will be created around your particular tastes.

Further reading

• What to do in India: our highlights guide
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• Choosing the right Indian experience for you
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London - Mumbai

Direct flight from London (regional connections available) to Mumbai (Bombay) with Virgin Atlantic. (N)

Arrive and transfer to the Trident Nariman Point for 1 night. Afternoon sightseeing in Mumbai visiting the imposing Gateway of India, colourful Chor Bazaar, Dhobi Ghat and Victoria Terminus. (N)

Fly to Udaipur

Fly to Udaipur. Stay for 2 nights at Fateh Niwas Palace. Enjoy a welcome dinner at Ambrai Restaurant overlooking Lake Pichola. (B, D)

Sightseeing in Udaipur visiting the City Palace, miniature painting studios and Jagdish temple. Afternoon boat cruise on Lake Pichola. Evening cultural performance at Bagore-ki-Haveli. (B)

Ranakpur - Deogarh

Travel to Deogarh, visiting the magnificent Jain temples at Ranakpur en route. Spend 2 nights at Deogarh Mahal, a former palace and now a superb heritage hotel. Late afternoon village walk. (B)

Day at leisure or choose from a range of optional activities, including a 4x4 safari to local villages, a gentle walk with a picnic, or an Indian cooking class. This evening, dine on typical Mewari cuisine on the hotel terrace. (B, D)

Take a scenic 1.5-hour rural train ride from Khamil Ghat to Phulad. The train chugs through tunnels and past waterfalls in an area that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s story The Man Who Would Be King. Continue by road to Jodhpur for 2 nights at Ajit Bhawan Palace, a heritage palace. (B)

Visit Jaswant Thada and continue to the formidable Mehrangarh Fort. Take a heritage walk through the streets dotted with temples and bazaars and learn more about the 'Blue City' Brahmins. (B)

Drive to Bikaner in the heart of the Thar Desert for an overnight stay at the magnificent Narendra Bhawan, a grand residence that was home to the last reigning maharajah of Bikaner. Late afternoon, embark on a 4x4 safari into the desert to witness the spectacular sunset over the dunes accompanied by Indian high tea. (B)

Visit Junagarh Fort and walk through the old city. Later, drive to the royal city of Jaipur. En route, visit the town of Fatehpur and its ‘open-air gallery’ of beautiful havelis. Transfer to the Devi Ratn Hotel for a 2-night stay. Based on the design of the famous Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory, Devi Ratn is a contemporary hotel with traditional Jaipuri features and beautiful views over the surrounding Aravalli Hills. (B, D)

Start the day with a visit to the 16th-century Amber Fort. Spend the rest of the day exploring the royal city of Jaipur, including the City Palace, Jantar Mantar observatory and colourful bazaars. (B, D)

Ranthambore National Park

Travel to Ranthambore for 2 nights at Dev Vilas. Afternoon safari† in Ranthambore. (B, D)

Early morning safari† in search of Bengal tigers. Afternoon at leisure or visit Ranthambore Fort and the NGO-supported Dastkar foundation, where local women produce handicrafts.* (B, L, D)

Fatehpur Sikri - Agra

Morning drive to Agra, visiting the deserted sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri en route and stopping at the lavish Laxmi Vilas Palace for lunch. Overnight at the Trident Hotel Agra. (B, L)

Sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Visit Agra Fort before departing for Delhi and an overnight stay at Vivanta New Delhi Dwarka. (B)

Delhi - London

Transfer to the airport for the Virgin Atlantic flight to London. (B) Meal basis: As per itinerary – B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meals.

The Cox & Kings signature experiences

• Dine on typical Mewari cuisine on the rooftop of an historic fort
• Take a scenic train ride through rural Rajasthan
• Enjoy two 4x4 safaris
• Watch the sun set behind the sand dunes of the Great Thar Desert
• Stay in grand forts and palaces

Important information

What's included.

• Small group size - average 12 people (max 18)
• 4- & 5-star accommodation
• Flexible - extensions, room & flight upgrades available
• Direct international flights with British Airways
• Internal flights in India
• Transfers in air-conditioned vehicles
• Experienced local tour manager
• 14 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 6 dinners
• 2 included safaris in Ranthambore National Park
• Guided sightseeing
• All entrance fees included
• Porterage at airports & stations
• Balanced pace

Is your preferred tour date fully booked?

Private journey option: guideline prices.

Low season from £3,345 |  Guide price month: March

High season from £3,445 |  Guide price month: February

Single supplement from £995

Looking for a holiday that’s tailored to you?

Tour extensions, delhi extension.

2 days 1 nights

Stay an additional night in Delhi and take a half-day tour of New Delhi including Humayun’s tomb and the magnificent Qutab Minar

Why not extend your tour?

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My favourite place in sri lanka, kandy, best places to visit in india, top 10 tourist attractions in bhutan, easy hikes... in the himalaya, genuinely small groups.

Small groups promise a more personal touring experience. That’s why Cox & Kings maintains a maximum group size of 18 guests on most tours, and an average of just 14.

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All Tours Operated By Raj Tour & Travel

Discover the best Raj Tour & Travel adventures in one convenient place. TourRadar offers 40 Raj Tour & Travel tours. You can find the perfect trip spanning across 1 day to 18 day itineraries with prices starting from just EUR 77 per day!

40 Raj Tour & Travel trips

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

5 Days Delhi Agra and Jaipur Private Tour

We had Greatest experience from this tour The highlight of the tour was the Taj Mahal all the services from company....guide and driver was too awesome. Recommend

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Private Golden Triangle Tour with Chambal Safari from Delhi

Private Golden Triangle Tour-3 Days Tour

Excellent tour. In a very short time you can see the great attractions of these cities. The driver was very punctual and friendly, they also provided flexibility. The guides in Agra and Jaipur were excellent, the one in Delhi was very poor in communication even though he made a minimal effort. I would recommend this company.

Sunrise Taj Mahal Private Day Tour from Delhi

A great day well spent, our guide was exceptionally good. A very good memories of India.

• Train & Rail

Taj Mahal & Agra Private Tour for 2 Days by Express Train

So, I kind started the tour with a bit of a rough start. My Delhi driver didn't seem to know how to get to the train station, then I felt pressed to take a tuk-tuk that I couldn't afford, to get dropped off. Then was pressed by him to get money from the ATM, which none of the three at the station worked for me. I was feeling pretty skeptical about the tour I had purchased and that I had been thrown out there on my own,but my tour guide in Agra, Faz, quickly decreased my worries and immediately brighted my mood for the rest of the time I spent with him on the tour. He pleasantly welcomed me to Agra with a beautiful flower garland and was very professional and polite. He spoke perfectly clear English and was easy to understand. He clearly has a lot of knowledge, passion and pride in the historical, religious and artistic beauty of the cities sites. He had a lot of special insights and knew best how to plan things. He was great at both offering to take pictures and at taking them, some unique and fun. Additionally, he was very considerate and carried my bag and sweatshirt for me so I could enjoy taking my own pictures and not have to deal with them, such a gentleman. He was very easy to talk to and open to questions. As mentioned earlier, I had cash/ATM issues and he stepped right up until we were able to resolve this, paying for entry fees. Then he was more than patient when this unfortunately took several stops to successfully resolve. I really felt he went above and beyond. He was very kind and understanding, despite my embarrassment that this couldn't get easily resolved. He had an engaging, fun, but very professional quality. I was highly impressed. He's the most delightful and professional guide and I highly recommend him. I was very saddened that I would be getting a new tour guide as he was wonderful. He always wanted to make sure I was enjoying the sites and was feeling good with how things were going. Definitely a top notch professional, highly knowledgeable and great character. I absolutely loved my tour with Faz. I'd give him over 5☆☆☆☆ My guide in Fatehpur sikri, was also quite pleasant. I was only with him for a few hours in the city, but he guided me through things well and was helpful. He had a great knowledge of the area and seemed to enjoy the history. He even helped me get rid of an obnoxious peddler, which was appreciated. I did however feel that he was a bit pushy in a shop we went into and I spent more money than planned/could afford. My driver, Chetan, was always punctual and I had no complaints. Although, he didn't speak much he was always polite and professional when he did. I really appreciated him expertly maunvering through all the crazy traffic. He did amazing. ☆☆☆☆☆ The hotel was fabulous and had a beautiful rooftop pool and spa. You could even see the Taj Mahal from there (just barely through the smoke). The restaurant and breakfast were both good. No complaints at all. The train was fine, not luxury or similar to US. Food was not bad considering it was train food, which I compared to being similar to plane food. Everything was great really, except my drop off in Delhi and my pickup in Delhi were I never connected with the driver and ended having to pay to take a chilly ride in a tuk-tuk. They did try and contact me when I arrived in Delhi (my service is inconsistent),but it would have been better to have this information before Ieft Agra. I believe this would have negated the problem as could directly go where I needed to go. This was done before I left for Agra, why not Delhi. So, the guides, hotel, driver in Agra and train I had no issues. Just a bit with the drop off driver in Delhi and confusion over pickup, but overall good tour.

• Sightseeing

Private Overnight Taj Mahal & Agra Tour from Delhi

Iqrar had good knowledge of the history and allotted free time, it was nice to have a private tour and drive was very comfortable

Private Luxury Golden Triangle Tour- 7 Days Tour

We had a good time with Iqrar, he was very knowledable and professional, with a lot of stories from the history, he was also adepttable with the tour.

6 Days Golden Triangle With Temple Tour from Delhi

We had a very good and symphatic driver who was very accommodating and took care of everything. The leaders were also very nice and competent. The hotels were excellent.

4 Days Private Golden Triangle Tour from Delhi

Really enjoyed my tour, a lot of hidden extras I wasn’t expecting. Felt obliged to purchase in shops I was brought to, so maybe it would be a good idea to give the tourist the option on whether they would like to visit these places. All in all enjoyed the tour.

Golden Triangle with Haridwar & Rishikesh

Ashish and Kailash are a stunning couple, they guide us tru golden triangle with huge professionalism and quality, always on time, great knowledge about any fact and safety driving, the cleaning of car and also the great smile from both are priceless, hope to travel again with them!

3 Days Delhi and Agra Private Tour from Delhi

Mohammd was great and very considerate. He knew many stories that brought the history to life.

Private Golden Triangle Tour with Royal Rajasthan

Exceptional tour! The hotels varied in quality (Brahma Horizon was definitely the Best, Taurus Sarovar Portico was without a doubt the worst) but throughout our time in India, we were treated with respect and welcome by the tour guides in each city, all of whom had 10+ years experience in touring and were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and then of course, there is our driver Maharaj Singh- in a country where a bad driver can ruin a trip, Maharaj was without a doubt the best part of our trip. We travelled along highways and dirt roads alike and Maharaj always made us feel safe with his exceptional driving ability. He gave us chilled water bottles when we arrived back at the car, exhausted and sweaty from our tours, chatted with us along the drive to give us a little background on what we passed and without a doubt, Maharaj made our trip so special and wonderful, I would personally recommend him to anyone considering a tour in India. Thank you, Raj Tour and Travel and a big thank you to Maharaj!!!

Private Taj Mahal & Agra Tour by Express Train from Delhi-All Inclusive

Our trip today to Agra and the Taj Mahal was fantastic. Such a memorable experience. Our driver arrived promptly to pick us up. He also took us right up to board the train. The train trip was comfortable. Once we arrived at Agra starion, we were met by Iqrar. He was waiting right outside our carriage. We were driven around all day by Kailasi. Both guys were very professional and helpful. Iqrar was very informative and knowledgeable. We had a great day. Very good value, and we were treated very well. Recommend.

Taj Mahal Private Day Tour from Delhi-All Inclusive

My guide is very responsible and my driver got me on time. Overall a great experience.

Private Golden Triangle Tour with Udaipur from Delhi

We were taken very good care of in our private tour with this company. The absolute best was our driver, Mr. Neeraj Kumar, always on time, always helpful, and a very safe driver. Most of our guides in the different towns we visited were very patient and very knowledgeable about the places (not to mention very good photografers!). The hotels were really nice and all of them were according to the 5 star standard we previously agreed. I really recommend this agency and my experience couldn’t be better.

Reviews of Raj Tour & Travel Tours

I just wanna say thank you to shanu from raj travel Without this company it was very tough for me From bottom to top From starting till end Each and everything was too good Recommended.

The guides and driver were friendly, accommodating and helpful. As a single female traveller I felt safe the whole time. Would highly recommend this tour.

Had a great time in Agra,visiting wonderful Taj Mahal at sunrise and Agra fort. Guide Ikrar and driver sonu were great and provided excellent service.Highly recommended to others

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Tailor-made Rajasthan Holidays

Rajasthan is a bastion of Indian history, known as the  Land of Kings for its array of medieval forts, intricate temples and lavish palaces built by maharajas. Sprawling from the heights of the Aravalli mountain range to Ranthambore’s tiger-spotted jungles and the dry sands of the Thar Desert, the region is peppered with architectural relics from India’s past. Heavy hitters include Jaipur’s honey-hued Amber Fort and Lake Pichola Palace in Udaipur , as well as Jodhpur’s imposing Mehrangarh Fort.

In Rajasthan’s lively capital, Jaipur , you can spend days wandering the walled city, which was painted rose pink on the orders of Maharaja Ram Singh, to honour the visiting Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria. Tour temples dressed with elaborate frescos, wander the mammoth spice market and pass through ornate doorways to stay in family-run havelis. The nearby Amber Fort beckons with its mirrored halls and decorative courtyards, poised on a hilltop a few miles from the city.

Continuing the colour theme, the Blue City of Jodhpur offers a tangle of indigo cube houses beloved by photographers, shadowed by Mehrangarh Fort which looms above the city. Get lost in the labyrinthine streets, stumbling upon ancient stepwells and tie-dye gurus, stopping to take in rooftop views and taste fiery curries at a local cooking class. Then there’s Udaipur, perhaps India’s most romantic city, where you can sail across Lake Pichola at sunset and stay in an opulent palace hotel.

Rajasthan’s storied past is best explored with local guides; let our India experts arrange tours of the region’s historic wonders and stays in family-run havelis and high-end hotels.

Rajasthan itinerary ideas

Magical rajasthan, india's genuine golden triangle, india's golden triangle and varanasi, discover things to do in rajasthan, a rajasthani cooking class with rakshita, tour the temples and havelis of old jaipur, fort-side luxury at raas jodhpur, meet the women of sadhna, an inspiring social enterprise, experience the magnificence of amber fort, meet a tie dye guru in jodhpur, premkunj: a boutique homestay in the udaipur hills, plan your holiday with alfred&.

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Malcolm, who's travelled extensively in India. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember.

Malcolm Holcroft

India Travel Expert for Alfred&

A wildlife and history fan, Malcolm Holcroft is drawn to India for its national parks and UNESCO-listed monuments. His Indian adventures include traversing the Golden Triangle, taking tiger-spotting safaris in Kanha and sipping beer in Mumbai’s historic cafés. Malcolm will never forget getting stuck behind a wedding party on his way to Jaipur, with revellers dancing to booming music in the streets.

Sharath Kumar

Kathakali Maestro

Sharath began learning the classical dance of bharatnatyam at the tender age of 5 and his kathakali journey began soon after. He has had the privilege of working with several great maestros and has competed in various festivals winning many prizes. He represented India in the World Youth Festival held in Havana in 1978 as India’s youngest cultural ambassador and has travelled the world performing to audiences including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and former American Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Ishwar Dewani

Tie dye guru

Ishwar Dewani is an expert in the art of Banhani, tie dye, in his hometown of Jodhpur. The tradition was passed down to Ishwar from his grandfather and he still follows their original techniques today, yet with additional colours and designs. Ishwar loves sharing his passion for tie dye through workshops and owns a small boutique store where he sells his colourful clothes.

Chandra Kala Purohit

Cook and host

Chandra Kala Purohit lives in Jodhpur with her husband Lalit, a former tour guide who loved to invite visitors in for tea – which is how the Blue House cooking classes began. An accomplished chef, Chandra learnt her skills from her mother and grandmother, later passing them down to her own daughter. Chandra loves hosting guests in her home and teaching them how to make authentic Rajasthani food.

Founder of Old Delhi Rickshaw Tours, Alfred&'s partner in India

Growing up, Ritu Kalra would visit her grandparents’ Mughal-era haveli in Old Delhi and was fascinated by their stories of the city. After graduating from Delhi University, Ritu worked in the financial industry for many years before launching her passion project in 2010: When in India Tours. Ritu lives in Delhi with her husband and son and is a travel freak who loves cooking, yoga and showcasing her hometown to travellers.

Rajeev Goyal

Co-founder of Delhi Photo Tour, Alfred&'s partner in India

A chef by profession, Rajeev Goyal co-founded Delhi Photo Tour in 2010, the first company of its kind in the city. Rajeev loves to share his passion for photography with guests, helping them capture unique images of everyday life in Delhi. Rajeev specialises in portrait photography and is an expert in framing, lighting and determining advanced shutter and lens settings.

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Going above and beyond to help our customers is just one of the reasons why we’ve been awarded Recommended Provider status by the UK’s leading consumer organisation Which? based on their latest survey results.

Travel with us for total peace of mind. All our holidays are ATOL protected, we’re members of ABTA (the leading travel industry association) and you’ll have our full support throughout your travels.

Places to go in India

• Andaman Islands
• Bandhavgarh National Park
• Dharamshala
• Mahabalipuram
• Mararikulam
• Pench National Park
• Pondicherry
• Rameshwaram
• The Golden Triangle

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Rajasthan Tours & Holidays

Welcome to Rajasthan, AKA the 'Land of Kings'

From Jaipur's honeycomb-coloured palaces to the maze-like alleyways in the ancient desert citadel of Jaisalmer – and all the colourful cities, saris and bazaars in between – Rajasthan is one of India 's most captivating states. There are plenty of big-ticket attractions, like exploring the spectacular Amber Palace or camping under the stars in the Thar Desert. But the real magic lies in the ebb and flow of daily life – like witnessing locals worshipping along the ghats in Pushkar, or enjoying a rickshaw street food tour run by local women . Whether you're doing the Golden Triangle route or diving in for the full Rajasthan experience , get ready for an unforgettable adventure.

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Rajasthan highlights

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India's Golden Triangle

Rajasthan travel FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

How do I get to Rajasthan?

Rajasthan's main cities and regions are well-connected with Delhi, Mumbai and other major entry ports in India.

Rajasthan is a huge state, and while the quickest way to travel around is via flight, the train is recommended.

Not only is it affordable and convenient, but it's one of the most popular ways to get from A to B for locals and is a memorable experience for many travellers in India.

When is the best time to visit Rajasthan?

The weather is at its best during the winter between November and February when the temperatures aren't too high. That said, the nights are chilly (often dipping to 0°C or lower) so you'll definitely need warm layers to rug up.

Many of the state's most exciting festivals are also held in winter, including the Pushkar Camel Fair, Jaisalmer's Desert Festival and the Udaipur World Music Festival.

Visiting in the summer months between March and September isn't off the cards, but the weather is dry and hot with intense temperatures that often climb to 40°C and higher, especially in places like Jaisalmer and Bikaner.

The monsoon runs from July to September, but the rain is generally less severe compared to other states, so visiting during these months is an option if you don't mind the humidity.

What are some famous foods to try in Rajasthan?

Oh, boy are your tastebuds in for a treat! Many of India’s most beloved dishes hail from Rajasthan. Here are a few favourites you absolutely must try:

• Laal maans:  This meaty curry turns up the heat. It's made by simmering mutton in a fiery gravy spiced with red Kashmiri chillies, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin seeds and cloves. Mop up the leftover sauce with fluffy rice or warm naan.
• Kachori:  Kachori is one of the most popular snack foods in Rajasthan and you'll often smell it cooking on street corners. It's essentially a fried flatbread filled with a delicious mix of spices, potatoes, daal or whatever else you fancy. It's usually served with chutneys and cool yoghurt.
• Gatte ki subzi:  This delicious curry consists of chickpea flour dumplings cooked in a creamy yoghurt-based gravy. It's flavoured with red and green chillies, coriander powder, fenugreek leaves, garam masala, turmeric and various other spices.
• Dal bati churma:  This traditional Rajasthani dish is made with batis (spicy baked wheat balls) served with daal, either on the side or poured generously on top. It's a great lunch dish or snack.
• Kadhi:   Kadhi is a curd-based curry often eaten with rice or roti. It's thickened with gram flour and flavoured with a range of spices such as turmeric, chilli paste, mustard seeds, cumin and asafoetida.
• Ker sangri:  This Rajasthani delicacy is the signature taste of the Thar Desert. It's made with dried ker berries and sangri beans that are boiled in a pressure cooker and then fried in oil, spices and yoghurt.

Can I drink the tap water in India?

India is notorious among travellers for sickness – we’ve all heard horror stories about Delhi belly. We do not recommend ever drinking tap water in India, and travellers should avoid drinks with ice and foods that haven’t been cooked or peeled. Salad is off the menu for now ­– let your inner child rejoice!

Do I need a visa to travel to India?

Yes, all foreigners entering India will need a visa. Whether you can apply for an e-visa is dependent on your nationality, the duration of your India tour and how you plan on entering the country.

This page is for general information only and may be subject to change. It is your responsibility to obtain relevant visa and travel information required for entry, departure and travel to each country or region you visit on your trip. You should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. 

Last updated: 22/06/2023

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before travelling?

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Are Intrepid trips accessible for travellers with disabilities?

We are committed to making travel widely  accessible , regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations. 

We are always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

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• North India Holidays

Luxury INDIA  Holidays & Rajasthan Tours

Our luxury India holidays will take you on a series of unparalleled private journeys through one of the world’s most beguiling, colourful and sensual countries. Whether you have dreamt of discovering fabulous forts and palaces on a luxury Rajasthan tour; finding your soul on the banks of the sacred River Ganges; searching for tiger in the teeming jungles of Madhya Pradesh, or taking your children on an exotic India family holiday; we’ll help you plan a unique private journey that can’t be replicated anywhere else on Earth. There is nothing quite like the experience of travel in India! This ancient land of over one billion people is uniquely steeped in mysticism, history and tradition, and overflows with the incredible, challenging and unexpected. India has countless stunning sights and monuments but it is also a land where the journey can be as important as the destination. Travelling by ‘three-wheeler’ through the bustling back streets of Old Delhi; climbing slowly up to your Himalayan Hill Station aboard a ‘Toy Train’; and witnessing local life as you float past Calcutta’s river ghats, deliver memories that that may even rival those of gazing on the milk-white Taj Mahal at sunrise. Wherever your interests lead you – from Rann of Kutch in Gujarat to the Sundarbans on the Bay of Bengal – we would be delighted to assist you design your luxury India holidays & Rajasthan tours of a lifetime.

Weather in North India

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• Top Ten North India

India's Golden Triangle & Taj by Moonlight

10 days / 9 nights from £1495 pp, delhi * agra * ranthambore * jaipur.

Experience the magic as a rising full moon bathes the sublime Taj Mahal in a thin silvery light and discover India's Golden Triangle.

India: Jewel of the East

13 days / 12 nights from £2295 pp, delhi * varanasi * agra * jaipur * shahpura bagh * udaipur.

Travel to the banks of the sacred River Ganges and through magical Rajasthan on our most popular north India tour.

Luxury India with Oberoi Hotels

9 days / 8 nights from £2575 pp.

Discover India in style and enjoy outstanding savings whilst staying at the luxurious Oberoi Hotels & Resorts.

North & South India: Rajasthan & Kerala

16 days / 15 nights from £2795 pp, delhi * agra * ranthambore * jaipur * backwaters cruise * marari beach.

This private tour showcases two of India's most enticing regions: India's Golden Triangle & tropical Kerala.

India Family Holiday: Golden Triangle & Goa

12 days / 11 nights from £1595 pp, delhi * agra * jaipur * goa.

A private tour that is far from ‘boring’! Bathe elephants, fly kites and shop for sarees in Rajasthan then relax by the beach in Goa.

Signature Luxury Rajasthan Tour

12 days / 11 nights from £3995 pp, delhi * agra * ranthambore np * jaipur * udaipur.

Stay in opulent, palatial retreats and discover northern India’s iconic sites in style.

Forts & Palaces of Rajasthan

16 days / 15 nights from £2595 pp, delhi * agra * jaipur * shekhawati * nagaur * jaisalmer * manvar * jodhpur * udaipur.

A private tour of Rajasthan - India's most magical state where you will stay in the glittering palaces and havelis of Indian royalty.

India & The Pushkar Camel Fair

14 days / 13 nights from £2945 pp, delhi * agra * jaipur * pushkar * jodhpur * narlai * udaipur.

Visit India and attend the Pushkar Camel Fair: an unbeatable opportunity to discover the vibrancy of Rajasthan's beating soul.

Rajasthan off the Beaten Track

13 days / 12 nights from £2345 pp, tijara * karauli * bundi * bhainsrorgarh * shahpura.

A window on the ‘real’ India combining the charming rural forts, palaces and villages of Rajasthan that form India's soul.

India Culinary Tour

12 days / 11 nights from £3795 pp, delhi *agra *lucknow *ahilya fort *mumbai.

Embark on an immersive culinary journey and treat yourself to exotic flavours from across India.

Timeless Rajasthan & the Ajanta Caves

15 days / 14 nights from £2495 pp, delhi * agra * jaipur * udaipur * aurangabad * mumbai.

An introduction into India's rich heritage combining princely Rajasthan with the celebrated cave temples at Ajanta & Ellora.

Central India & Ahilya Fort

13 days / 12 nights from £2795 pp, delhi * gwalior * satpura national park * bhopal * ahilya fort.

This journey through central India brims with stunning little visited sites and immersive experiences.

Darjeeling Express: India by Rail

16 days / 15 nights from £3645 pp, delhi *jaipur *agra *varanasi *calcutta *darjeeling.

Embark on an incredible adventure aboard the world’s largest railway network and experience India by rail.

Nabobs & Tea Planters: Colonial Calcutta and Darjeeling

11 days / 10 nights from £3675 pp, calcutta * glenburn tea estate * rajbari bawali.

Relive the sophisticated lifestyle of the Nabobs and experience the art of fine living of the planters of the Raj.

Colonial Bengal Tour

10 days / 9 nights from £2845 pp, calcutta *serampore *chandannagar *murshidabad *rajbari bawali.

An off-the-beaten-track beaten journey designed to reveal West Bengal's magnificent and often overlooked colonial architecture.

The Lower Ganges River Cruise

11 days / 10 nights from £4695 pp, calcutta * kalna * khushbagh * murshidabad * chandernagore.

Evoke the spirit of the golden age of cruising along the lower Ganges (the Hooghly River) and discover forgotten Mughal ruins, Palaces and thriving riverside villages.

Classic Gujarat

8 days / 7 nights from £1595 pp, ahmedabad * palitana * sasan gir national park * junagadh.

Discover Gujarat's temples, palaces, and lions. A superb off the beaten track Indian journey.

Tribes & Lions of Gujarat

14 days / 13 nights from £2545 pp, ahmedabad * little rann of kutch * bhuj * junagadh * sasan gir national park * palitana.

An immersive private tour designed to showcase the cultural and natural history of captivating Gujarat.

Grand Tour of Gujarat

Baroda * ahmedabad * palitana * sasan gir * junagadh * bhuj * dasada.

A comprehensive tour of Gujarat that weaves together its colourful tribal villages, historic walled cities and spectacular wilderness.

Classic Odisha Tour

12 days / 11 nights from £3195 pp, calcutta * bhubaneshwar * puri * chilika lake * dhenkanal * rajbari bawali.

Delve into Odisha's rich history and discover this culturally rich, strikingly beautiful eastern Indian province.

Grand Tour of India

22 days / 21 nights from £4095 pp, delhi * agra * ranthambore * jaipur * backwaters * cochin * calcutta * darjeeling * mumbai.

A once-in-a-lifetime private journey offering an unrivalled insight into the Indian Subcontinent's culture, heritage, and must-see places.

Nagaland & The Hornbill Festival

8 days / 7 nights from £2595 pp, calcutta * kohima.

Witness Nagaland’s unabashedly colourful Hornbill festival on this private tour to India’s ‘forgotten’ North Eastern province.

Assam & Nagaland: India's Final Frontier

14 days / 13 nights from £4595 pp, calcutta * kohima * mokokchung * mon * brahmaputra river cruise * kaziranga np.

This epic adventure through India’s north-east features remote tribal communities, a river cruise, and Kaziranga National Park.

Classic India Tiger Safari

9 days / 8 nights from £2295 pp, delhi * bandhavgarh * kanha * pench.

Discover India's enchanting wilderness and come face-to-face with the wildlife of Kipling’s Jungle Book on this classic tiger safari.

Spiritual India: Paths to Nirvana

13 days / 12 nights from £2175 pp, delhi * bodh gaya * varanasi * amritsar * mcleod ganj.

Explore north India's spiritual centres and retrace the steps of the great sages in their quest for Nirvana.

Slowly along the Ganges

15 days / 14 nights from £2775 pp, calcutta * gaya * varanasi * allahabad * lucknow * delhi.

Revealing a succession of little explored historical sites, this private tour will take you along the river revered by Hindus as the Mother Goddess.

Holiday to Rajasthan and Oman

15 days / 14 nights from £3295 pp, delhi *agra *ramathra fort *ranthambore np *jaipur *wahiba sands *muscat.

An enthralling journey that combines the romance and exoticism of India & Arabia.

India & Nepal Holiday

14 days / 13 nights from £2345 pp, delhi * agra * jaipur * kurintar * the annapurna foothills * bandipur * kathmandu.

A superb tour twinning India's fabled forts with Nepal's mountains & quaint Himalayan villages.

North India Insights

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Historic Scotland 4 Days

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Panoramic Europe by Eurostar 5 Days

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Tour of London 1 Day

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We believe that touring should be fun and that our guests should be well-versed in the history and aspects of culture, whilst they explore the world. Our tours are designed for travellers to enjoy a diverse array of fascinating countries.

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At Raj Tours & Travels , we believe that every journey is a story waiting to be written. With a burning passion for exploration and a commitment to creating unforgettable experiences, we have been crafting remarkable travel adventures since `2005. From breathtaking natural landscapes to vibrant cultural experiences, we curate journeys that go beyond the ordinary, allowing you to discover the world in a whole new light.

Every traveler deserves the utmost comfort, convenience, and safety. Whether you’re a local exploring your city or a visitor discovering new destinations, our Cab Rental Service and Tours & Travels Company are designed to make your travel experiences memorable, seamless, and enjoyable.

At the heart of Raj Tours & Travels lies a philosophy centered around three key principles:  

• Exploration : We believe in the power of exploration to enrich our lives. Our itineraries are carefully designed to take you off the beaten path and into the heart of each destination, allowing you to connect with local cultures, traditions, and communities.  
• Personalization : We understand that every traveler is unique. That’s why we offer a range of customizable itineraries to cater to your preferences, ensuring that each journey is tailored to your dreams and desires.  
• Sustainability : We are committed to responsible travel that respects and preserves the environments and communities we visit. We collaborate with local partners to support eco-friendly initiatives and contribute positively to the places we explore.  

Founded by a group of avid travelers and adventurers, Raj Tours & Travels was born out of the desire to share the joy of discovering new horizons with fellow wanderers. Our founders’ shared vision was to create a travel company that didn’t just offer trips, but rather, opened doors to immersive and transformative experiences.

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Whether you need a quick ride to the airport, a comfortable cab for city commuting, or a chauffeur-driven car for special occasions, our cab rental service offers a wide range of vehicles to suit your requirements. Our drivers are professional, courteous, and well-versed with local routes, ensuring you reach your destination safely and on time.

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Explore the world with our meticulously planned tours and travel packages. From weekend getaways to extended vacations, we curate exciting itineraries that cover the best destinations, attractions, and experiences. Whether you prefer cultural explorations, adventure activities, or leisurely vacations by the beach, our tours are designed to cater to various interests and preferences.

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Our team of travel experts brings a wealth of experience and firsthand knowledge to the table. From hidden gems to iconic landmarks, we know the ins and outs of each destination. 

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We go beyond the ordinary to curate experiences that will stay with you for a lifetime. Whether it's an intimate cooking class with a local chef or a thrilling wildlife safari, we ensure that every moment is exceptional. 0

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Leave the logistics to us. We take care of all the details, from flights and accommodations to transportation and guided tours. All you need to do is embark on your journey with a heart full of excitement

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Your comfort and safety are our top priorities. Our dedicated support team is available around the clock to assist you, should you need anything during your travels

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Embark on a journey that goes beyond the ordinary and redefines how you experience the world. Let Raj Tours & Travels be your guide to discovering the beauty, diversity, and wonder that our planet has to offer. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple seeking romance, or a family in search of bonding moments, we have the perfect adventure waiting for you.. Get ready for Raj Tours & Travels

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Yes, you can! We have partnerships with reputable hotels, tour operators, and activity providers worldwide. You can book accommodations, tours, activities, and even transportation services directly through our website, ensuring convenience and peace of mind.

Yes,whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple seeking romance, or a family in search of bonding moments, we have the perfect adventure waiting for you.

We offer a wealth of resources, including destination guides, travel tips, accommodation recommendations, activity suggestions, and local insights. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing beach getaway, an adventurous trek, or a cultural exploration, we have you covered.

If you have any questions, need assistance with bookings, or require travel advice, our dedicated customer support team is here to help. You can reach us by emailing [support email] or by filling out the contact form on our “Contact Us” page. We aim to respond to all inquiries within 24 hours.

Raj Tours & Travels is a fantastic resource for travelers looking to explore the beauty of our planet. The website’s user-friendly interface made it easy to navigate and find relevant information.

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Tour & travel packages, raj travels - raj travel packages, holiday deals & tour offers, about rajtravels.

Raj Travels a professional Tours and Travels company dedicated to providing quality and timely service with an aim to meet customer satisfaction. They offer tour buses with different models and fares to suit the convenience of our customers.

Unlike other tour and travel companies, Rajtravels.co.in provides end-to-end solutions for every travel need. As an integrator of the travel industry in the country, Raj Travels is one of the pioneer bus travel providers along Indore route and have served more than million travel enthusiasts till date.

The company is known to provide regulated and sophisticated services, end-to-end route connectivity blended with thrust for innovation in customer/passenger comfort and affordable cost. This has helped the company rank number one in the travel fraternity.

Why Choose Raj Travels?

• Dynamic SMS Updates
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• End-to-end connectivity with affordable fares
• Sophisticated, latest, comfortable buses for ultimate comfort and coziness
• Greater flexibility in choosing, adjusting seats and buses
• On-time departure and adherence to arrival time schedules
• High-class passenger safety and convenience
• Widespread network of offices/agents for booking (to/return) and query management
• Additional services like hotels/cars/ package tours /buses, etc.
• Guaranteed, affordable options for all your travel and tour needs

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Following is the list of latest travel, flights and hotel packages from Raj Travels. Check it out and get the best deals and offers from Raj Travels

12 Days South African Experience Package from Raj Travels

11 Days Australia Tour Package from Raj Travels

6 Days Discover Spain Tour Package from Raj Travels

8 Days Tantalizing Turkey Tour Package from Raj Travels

European Holiday Packages with Raj Travels

Grand American Holiday Packages with Raj Travels

Far East Holiday Packages with Raj Travels

7 Days Mauritius Tour Package from Raj Travels Rs.59999/-

7 Days Mauritius Tour Package from Raj Travels Rs.59999/- Mauritius Tour EXTENSIVE SIGHTSEEING Stay at 5 star Sofitel Resort Full day North Island Tour with Caudan Waterfront Full day south...

7 Days Hong Kong – Macau – Shenzhen Tour from Raj Travels Rs.71354/-

7 Days Hong Kong – Macau – Shenzhen Tour from Raj Travels Rs.71354/- Hong Kong – Macau – Shenzhen [caption id="attachment_30146" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Shenzhen"][/caption] EXTENSIVE SIGHTSEEING City tour of Hong...

13 Days China – Hong Kong – Macau Package from Raj Travels Rs.129999/-

13 Days China–Hong Kong–Macau Package from Raj Travels Rs.129999/- China – Hong Kong – Macau Rs.129999/- Departure: 10th May [caption id="attachment_30142" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Xian"][/caption] Extensive Sightseeing Hong Kong Venetian Hotel,...

15 Days Russia with Scandinavia Package from Raj Travels Rs.234999/-

15 Days Russia with Scandinavia Package from Raj Travels Rs.234999/- Russia with Scandinavia - 15 Days EXTENSIVE SIGHTSEEING Moscow St Petersburg Helsinki Stockholm Copenhagen Oslo Bergen Flam   [caption id="attachment_30150"...

5 Days Maldives Tour Package from Raj Travels Rs.49999/-

5 Days Maldives Tour Package from Raj Travels Rs.49999/- Maldives Package - 5 Days - Rs.49999/- Weekly Departure [caption id="attachment_30160" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Maldives"][/caption] EXTENSIVE SIGHTSEEING Paradise Island Resort (5 Star)...

Itinerary 7N 8D

Day 1 - Reporting at Kolkata Airport. Fly for Paris (FRANCE). Arrive Paris. O/n stay at Paris (D).

Day 2 - Full day is free for optional activity - (i) Disneyland, (ii) Louvre Museum, (iii) Versailles Palace, (iv) Lido show with illumination of Eiffel Tower. O/n stay at Paris (BF, D) .

Day 3 - Half day Paris city tour covering Opera House, Louvre (outside), Arc De Triumph, Place de la Concorde, Champs Elysees, Notre-Dame, the oldest square in Paris. Ascend to Eiffel Tower 2 nd level. Later enjoy the Seine River Cruise. O/n stay at Paris (B, PL, D).

Day 4 - Transfer to Zurich.  Free time to walk along the streets of Zurich (Switzerland) and around Zurich lake. O/n stay at Zurich (B, PL, D).

Day 5 - Proceed to Interlaken. Take a Rack Rail ride from Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe). Back by Rack Rail from Jungfraujoch to Lauterbrunnen. Later back to Interlaken city and roam around the city on your own. Return to Zurich. O/n stay at Zurich (B, PL, D).

Day 6 - Visit Mt. Titlis by Rotair. Be amused by the experience of Ice Cave. Mesmerize by the 360 0 view of glacier and Alpine peaks. Enjoy the Cliff walk and relish the Ice Flier. Afternoon visit Lucerne city and have a round on foot to Lion Monument, Chapel Bridge, Lake Lucerne. Transfer to Zurich. O/n stay at Zurich (B, PL, D).

Day 7 - Transfer to Airport at 1200 hrs. Fly from Zurich (B).

Day 8 - Arrive Kolkata with sweet memories.

Package Includes :

• Schengen Visa
• Land  Transfers by Luxury AC Coach
• Accommodation at 3/4 Star Hotels
• 6 Continental Buffet Breakfast at Hotel
• 4 Mini Packed Lunch
• 6 Buffet Dinner at Indian Restaurant
• 3 hour guided city tour at Paris
• Entrance to Eiffel Tower up to 2 nd level (priority pass)
• Seine River Cruise
• Walking tour at Zurich city
• 2 stage Rack Rail return Ticket from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch
• 2 stage Cable Car return ticket from Engel berg to Titlis including 2 nd stage by Rotair
• Walking tour at Lucerne city
• Round the tour guidance of a tour director
• Medical and Baggage Insurance
• Applicable GST
• Applicable TCS
• Tips / Gratuity (3 Euro per person per day)
• Optional tour expenses
• Anything which is not mentioned in above inclusions
• Cost incurred due to natural calamity, political disturbance, pandemic situation or any unforeseen reason.

For more details contact us.

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What is Labour’s plan for rail travel and will it make tickets cheaper?

Party wants to fully nationalise train network within five years of coming to power, in ‘biggest rail reform for a generation’

Labour has made one of its most radical proposals yet in the run-up to an election campaign: to fully nationalise the train network within five years of coming to power.

The party has pledged to guarantee the cheapest fares as part of “the biggest reform of our railways for a generation”, bringing all passenger rail into national ownership under the Great British Railways (GBR) body.

So, how difficult would the plan be to enact and what does it mean for passengers?

How would Labour’s plan for Great British Railways change the way the trains are run?

The headline change is nationalisation: the ambition that all passenger train operations, at least, should return to public ownership. But the wider aim is that control of trains and tracks – “wheels and steel”, as some put it – is brought back under one unified structure, at arm’s length from the government.

The actual railway infrastructure is already managed by the state-owned Network Rail, since the disastrous tenure of Railtrack in the early days of privatisation, and train operations in Scotland, Wales and a large chunk of England are in public ownership. So a fully renationalised railway (bar the rolling stock and freight) is not as big a step as it may once have sounded – and arguably the pragmatic extension of the plans drawn up by the Conservatives in 2021, to end the fragmentation and waste in the system.

How long will the changes take?

Labour said it would get the ball rolling on day one. Given the years it has taken for the Conservatives’ GBR plans to crystallise into a draft bill that has scant chance of passing before an election, supporters of the changes would be forgiven for not holding their breath for legislation. But some of the spadework has been done by the GBR transition team, and Labour will be hoping for a more stable tenancy in Downing Street to see the policy through. It is, it stresses, a long-term plan.

As far as nationalisation of the train operators goes, most of the contracts of remaining operators will expire naturally within the next term, while the government can exercise break clauses in others, such as Avanti West Coast and Cross Country.

What would the trains look like?

Eventually, they would all be GBR-branded trains rather than the individual liveries and logos of different operators. Labour hopes that this will make things simpler for passengers, avoiding confusion over ticketing, as well as cutting costs.

Would it make train travel cheaper?

Possibly, but not for a while yet. Labour says it wants to make the railway more affordable but has definitively avoided any pledges to cut or even freeze the overall level of fares.

However, it believes that its plans will eventually save £2.2bn a year by avoiding the duplication and bureaucracy brought on by the current system, where the Department for Transport tightly controls and specifies contracts for the private firms, and reams of staff are employed in back-end roles. That could give ministers some scope to use more of the billions in annual taxpayer subsidy to bring fares down long-term.

What about this best-price guarantee?

Make that an “ambition”, according to the policy document . It’s testament to the complexity, or occasional absurdity, of UK rail fares that even after years of industry focus on improving the system, renationalising looks an easier promise than telling a passenger they’ve paid the right amount.

Things can be improved, Labour says, as contactless tap-in and tap-out payments extend through more and more of the country, opening up the possibility of a Transport for London-style system, where fares are streamlined and automatically capped or refunded.

The shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh, pointedly chose the headquarters of Trainline in central London to launch her plans on Thursday, paying tribute to the travel app firm’s “relentless focus on passengers [and] improving their experience”. Trainline shares fell 10%, even though Labour says it has no plans to replace the private firm with a single state retailer.

But given that the app’s business depends on people paying extra to cut through the railway’s confusing fares, fragmentation and lack of a decent central ticketing site, Trainline shareholder nerves might be taken as a vote of confidence that GBR will improve the industry’s own offering.

How else might passengers benefit?

Labour says it would leave the running of the railway to the experts – but the transport secretary would set strategy and take on the role of passenger-in-chief, and the industry would not be “marking its own homework”.

The plan aims to strengthen the voice of passengers by rolling together the various bodies currently meant to be standing up for them – the watchdog Transport Focus and the little-known Rail Ombudsman, as well as a few divisions of the Office of Rail and Road.

What will happen to the private operators?

Their representatives at Rail Partners warn that it will be “messy” and the railway will lose their expertise. But the people actually running train operators, right up to the managing directors, have typically stayed in post with a different coloured badge when the owning groups moved on, and passengers at say, Southeastern or LNER may not feel life is very different. Firms once regarded as pillars of privatised rail such as Stagecoach, National Express (now Mobico) and Virgin have long exited UK rail already, pursuing business elsewhere.

• Rail industry
• Rail transport
• Transport policy

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Labour promises rail nationalisation within five years of coming to power

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• Transport planning

National Travel Survey mid-year estimates: year ending June 2023

Mid-year estimates of travel behaviours by residents of England travelling within Great Britain for the year ending June 2023.

Applies to England

Nts mid-year estimates: year ending june 2023, nts mid-year estimates, year ending june 2023: technical report, nts mid-year estimates: official statistics in development feedback, nts mid-year estimates, year ending june 2023: table index.

ODS , 6.72 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

NTS mid-year estimates, year ending June 2023: Data tables (ODS)

ZIP , 138 KB

NTS mid-year estimates, year ending June 2023: Data tables (MS Excel)

ZIP , 676 KB

The National Travel Survey mid-year estimates, year ending June 2023 results showed:

people in England made 882 trips on average in the year ending June 2023, about 17 trips per week

overall trip rates were 2% higher than in 2022 and 7% lower than in 2019

• there were increases in trip rates amongst car passengers, buses in London, London Underground and surface rail in the year ending June 2023 compared to calendar year 2022
• trip rates for walking, cycling, non-London buses and car driver trips remained fairly stable
• the 5,720 miles people travelled on average in the year ending June 2023 was 6% higher than in 2022, and a decrease of 12% compared to 2019
• on average people spent 338 hours travelling in the year ending June 2023, around 56 minutes a day
• the most common trip purpose in the year ending June 2023 was for shopping with 165 trips per person, this was followed by commuting with 119 trips per person

Please see the data tables for further information.

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EU proposes youth mobility agreement with UK to help youngsters travel, work and live in both areas

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses a media conference at the conclusion of an EU Summit in Brussels, Friday, March 22, 2024. European Union leaders on Friday discussed plans to boost investment and the economy. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

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BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission proposed Thursday to start negotiations with the United Kingdom to allow young people to move freely, work and study in both regions after Brexit — the U.K.'s departure from the EU four years ago.

According to the EU, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU following a referendum in 2016 has damaged mobility between the two areas.

“This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges,” the Commission said.

When the U.K. was still a member of the economic and political bloc, its nationals had the right to live and work freely in the EU, with reciprocity for EU nationals in the U.K. Under the agreement proposed by the EU’s executive arm, EU and UK citizens between 18 and 30 years old would be eligible to stay up to four years in the destination country.

The deal would also allow equal treatment of EU and UK students in the field of university tuition fees. Most EU students must now pay international tuition fees if they want to study in the U.K. The Commission says these vary between 11,400 and 38,000 pounds ($14,200-$47,300) per year and are a strong deterrent for EU students who generally don’t have to pay as much within the bloc.

The Commission’s recommendation will be discussed by EU member countries who must give the green light before the executive arm can start negotiations with the UK.

“We have successful Youth Mobility Schemes with 13 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, and remain open to agreeing them with our international partners, including EU member states,” the British government said in a statement.

The U.K. has its own Youth Mobility Scheme, which it has offered to some EU member states. The Commission believes the British plan is less ambitious than its own proposal.

“Our agreements provide a valuable route for cultural exchanges providing partner countries are also willing to offer the same opportunities for young British people,” the British government added.

Follow AP’s coverage of Brexit at https://apnews.com/hub/brexit

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

• How Heathrow airport strikes could threaten your bank holiday travel plans

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Strikes will take charge of Heathrow Airport next month, threatening travel during the Early May Bank Holiday .

Planes could be grounded and flights delayed or cancelled at the busiest airport in London .

Two separate rounds of industrial action are planned from the beginning of May.

In 2023, Heathrow handled almost 80 million (79,180,434) passengers, also making it  one of the busiest  in the world.

This is everything you need to know if you are planning to travel from Heathrow during this period.

What strikes are planned at Heathrow Airport?

The  Heathrow Border Force workers are striking  between April 29 and May 2, and that involves the UK Border Force offices working on passport control across all four Heathrow terminals.

Refuelers working for Aviation Fuel Services (AFS) are to take industrial action for 72 hours beginning on Saturday, May 4.

Previously, a strike had been scheduled between April 11 and 14, but it was called off a week before it was due to begin as PCS (the Public and Commercial Services Union) were waiting for the Home Office to ‘demonstrate they are genuinely seeking a resolution,’ according the organisation’s general secretary Fran Heathcote.

They are responsible for refuelling aircraft at Heathrow from 35 airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Emirates, Air France, Japan Airlines, Bulgaria Air and Rwanda Air.

It is a Bank Holiday weekend – one of the busiest travelling weekends of the year.

Another strike will take place for almost a week, from Tuesday, May 7, to Monday, May 13.

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This is due to a separate dispute involving members of Unite the union who work in passenger services and security.

Why are border control staff striking?

Heathrow Border Force workers are striking over changes to their working conditions, PCS trade union revealed earlier in April.

The strike will see more than 300 of its members walk out over an issue with the new rostering system, which PSC representatives claim ‘would have a detrimental effect on all the current staff and leave nearly 250 without a job on passport control, including many with disabilities or caring responsibilities.’

Unite also confirmed that, between May 7 and May 13, almost 800 workers will walk out over plans to outsource hundreds of roles in an effort to cut costs.

‘There are no job losses as a result of these changes, and we continue to discuss with Unite the implementation of these changes for the small number of colleagues impacted,’ a spokesperson for Heathrow previously told Reuters.

‘To confirm, we have robust contingency plans in place for each of these individual areas and anticipate no impact on passenger journey.’

Heathrow said the airport’s reorganisation would see all passenger-facing security sourced in-house, with small trolley operations and passenger logistics teams transferred to third-party suppliers (who already work with the airport).

Why are refuelling staff striking?

Refuelers say their employer imposed drastic cuts to the terms and conditions of new staff recruited since January 2024.

Unite accused AFS, a joint venture between oil and gas companies, of ‘bully-boy tactics’, saying it is attacking the ‘most vulnerable new staff’ in its workplace by offering them reduced pension and sickness benefits.

General secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘AFS is behaving appallingly by attacking the T&Cs of new members of staff – those it views as the easiest to intimidate.

‘But Unite will not stand for such bully-boy tactics and we will be backing our members in their fight for improved pensions and sick pay for all staff.’

Another 800 of Unite members are planning to strike later in May due to what the union called ‘deplorable action’ from the airport’s management.

The union said workers in passenger services, who assist travellers to catch connecting flights, trolley operations, and security guards will have their jobs outsourced by June.

Ms Graham vowed to give striking staff ‘unrelenting support’, adding: ‘Heathrow Airport’s actions are deplorable.

‘It is raking in massive profits for the bosses while trying to squeeze every last penny out of its workforce.’

What impact will the industrial action have on flights?

Border Force staff mostly only check arrivals at UK airports, so the greatest impact will be on people landing from abroad.

Regarind the refuelling strike, Unite says the strike action ‘will inevitably cause widespread disruption across the airport, leading to delays and disruption’.

Though it isn’t clear what plans the Home Office has for dealing with potential staff shortages, during the last walk-out in December 2022, military personnel and civil servant volunteers were trained up to replace Border Force staff and deal with delays.

If passengers do experience delays to their flight as a result, they won’t be able to access compensation as the issue is beyond the airlines’ control.

However, the airline will need to provide frequent updates and, if needed, an alternative flight, as well as meals and accommodation during the delays.

What is Heathrow Airport’s response?

Heathrow Airport is working on contingencies with AFS to manage any potential disruption during the Early May Bank Holiday.

It said it has ‘robust’ measures planned, adding that passengers can book flights from Heathrow with confidence.

Regarding the industrial action planned by staff in passenger services, a spokesperson said: ‘We are reorganising our operations to deliver better results for our customers.

‘There are no job losses as a result of these changes, and we continue to discuss with Unite the implementation of these changes for the small number of colleagues impacted.

‘Unite’s threats of potential industrial action are unnecessary, and customers can be reassured that we will keep the airport operating smoothly, just like we have in the past.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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