Holi in India
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Holi in a family’s courtyard, a chai stop with an all-women rickshaw crew and a night in leopard country: this is India from the inside. You’ll watch the Taj Mahal turn pink at sunset, share lunch with acid attack survivors who’ve turned their story into a thriving café and cook dinner with local women in the Blue City. Your nights are spent in heritage hotels, a palace and luxury tents under the stars. Then it’s Holi, and while the crowds pack the streets, you’ll celebrate the way families do, at home, covered head to toe in color.
Inclusions
Handpicked stays
Heritage hotels across Rajasthan, including a palace in Jodhpur, plus a night of glamping in Jawai’s leopard country.
23 meals
11 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 7 dinners, including a home-cooked dinner with a Delhi family, lunch at a café run by acid attack survivors and a Holi lunch with a local family. Drinks are on us at the welcome and farewell dinners.
Every activity
Holi with a local family, an evening leopard safari, a pink rickshaw ride with an all-women crew, block printing, cooking dinner with local women in Jodhpur and a palm reading. Plus the Taj Mahal at sunset, Amber Fort, Mehrangarh Fort and a whole lot more. It’s all in.
A local female guide
A local woman leads you from the welcome dinner to the farewell. She knows which masala stall is worth the stop, how to haggle in the bazaars and where Holi is celebrated the way families do it.
All transport
Private airport pickup when you land, a private air-conditioned bus across Rajasthan and a short flight from Udaipur back to Delhi. Bottled water on the bus is on us.
A matched roommate
Our compatibility quiz pairs you with someone you’ll actually click with. Hello, chai buddy. Want your own space? Private rooms are available.
Most tips
Driver, porter, hotel and restaurant tips are all covered, so you’re not fumbling for rupees. Tipping your guide is up to you.
Highlights
Holi with a local family
Throw color, dance and eat with a family who welcomes you into their home
The Taj Mahal at sunset
Watch the marble turn from gold to rose as the sun goes down
Sleep in a palace
Two nights in the old summer palace of Jodhpur’s royal family, right on a lake
Glamping in leopard country
An evening safari, high tea at sunset and a night under canvas in Jawai
Pink rickshaws, driven by women
Zip through Jaipur at night with an all-women rickshaw crew
Holi with a local family
Throw color, dance and eat with a family who welcomes you into their home
The Taj Mahal at sunset
Watch the marble turn from gold to rose as the sun goes down
Sleep in a palace
Two nights in the old summer palace of Jodhpur’s royal family, right on a lake
Glamping in leopard country
An evening safari, high tea at sunset and a night under canvas in Jawai
Pink rickshaws, driven by women
Zip through Jaipur at night with an all-women rickshaw crew
Your Itinerary
Pick a day to see where you are and what you’ll do.
AFTERNOONLand at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi airport, where a private driver meets you outside Gate 3 holding a SoFe sign and takes you to the hotel. Check in from 2pm and rest up.
EVENINGMeet the women you’ll spend the next 12 days with at 6pm, then sit down to your first Indian feast together.
Dinner
MORNINGHop on a rickshaw and wind through the lanes of Old Delhi, with a stop at an 18th-century Sikh temple and the chaos of Chandni Chowk.
AFTERNOONFollow your nose through Khari Baoli, Asia’s largest spice market, then head back for some downtime.
EVENINGA local family welcomes you into their home. Try on traditional clothes, learn about Indian weddings, dance to Bollywood and cook dinner together.
Breakfast, Dinner
MORNINGHit the road for Agra, on the banks of the Yamuna River.
MIDDAYLunch at Sheroes Hangout, a café run by acid attack survivors who’ve turned their pain into power. Sit down, eat and hear their stories.
EVENINGWatch the marble of the Taj Mahal turn from gold to rose as the sun goes down.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGDrive to Jaipur, about four hours, and settle in. The afternoon is yours: lounge by the pool or browse the local shops.
EVENINGSee the Pink City from the back of a bright pink rickshaw, driven by women from low-income households who run their own fleet, with a chai stop along the way.
Breakfast, Dinner
MORNINGWander the old lanes of Amber, then climb to the top of Amber Fort for views over the Rajasthani hills.
AFTERNOONWatch artisans stamp bold patterns onto cloth at a block printing demonstration.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGHit the road for Jodhpur, about six hours with stops along the way.
EVENINGWander the clock tower and markets of the Blue City on your own, with your guide’s tips for the best street snacks.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGExplore Mehrangarh Fort, one of the most impressive in Rajasthan, then wander the blue lanes around Sardar Market and its stepwell.
EVENINGSpend time with the women of Sambhali Trust, a nonprofit helping women and girls through education and job skills, and share dinner together.
Breakfast, Dinner
MORNINGDrive to Jawai, a quiet village where leopards live in the granite hills right alongside the people.
AFTERNOONRest at camp and wander the grounds, then head out on an evening safari to look for leopards.
EVENINGHigh tea at sunset, then dinner around the bonfire and a night in your tent under a sky full of stars.
Breakfast, Lunch, High tea, Dinner
MORNINGDrive to Udaipur, the City of Lakes, where palaces seem to float on the water.
AFTERNOONThe day is yours. Wander the old city, visit Jagdish Temple or relax at your heritage hotel.
EVENINGHave your palm read by a well-known local palm reader, then catch a Rajasthani folk show.
Breakfast, Dinner
MORNINGIt’s Holi. Skip the crowds and celebrate in the courtyard of a local family’s home, throwing color, dancing and learning the rituals behind the festival.
AFTERNOONLunch with the family, then the rest of the day is yours to clean up, rest or explore.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGCatch a short flight from Udaipur back to Delhi.
AFTERNOONFree for last-minute shopping or a rest.
EVENINGToast the trip at your farewell dinner, drinks on us.
Breakfast, Dinner
MORNINGShare one last breakfast, hug it out and head off whenever your flight calls. Checkout is between 10 and 11am, and the airport is about 40 minutes away.
Breakfast
From $4,500 · 12 days · Max 14 women · $550 holds your spot
Where you’ll stay
JAIPUR · 2 NIGHTS
Umaid Bhawan
A heritage hotel built in the old Rajput style, with hand-painted rooms, a rooftop for sunset chai and a pool for the afternoon.
JODHPUR · 2 NIGHTS
Balsamand Lake Palace
The old summer palace of Jodhpur’s royal family, set on the edge of a lake and wrapped in gardens. It sits just outside the city, so your evenings here are quiet ones.
JAWAI · 1 NIGHT
Dera Jawai
Luxury tents tucked into the granite hills of Jawai’s leopard country. Evenings end around the fire, with the sounds of the wild all around you.
Roommates, matched
Our compatibility quiz, built with a matchmaker and psychologist, pairs you with someone you’ll actually click with. Or upgrade to a private room.
Who you’ll travel with
Up to 13 other women, most of whom booked on their own. They range from 28 to 88, and it’s the rickshaw rides, Holi color fights and late-night chai that bond you. 92% of our travelers say they keep in touch after the trip ends.
✓Meet your group on WhatsApp before you fly
✓A welcome dinner on night one, with your guide making the introductions
✓Solo time built in, so you’re never forced to be “on”
“I left with some really great relationships with some really amazing women.”
Dana · India
The people behind your trip
Your guide
Komal
Komal was one of the first female guides in Delhi, back when it was rare for women to work in tourism. She’s spent more than 10 years showing travelers the real India, and she loves busting the myths people arrive with.
Komal leads most of our India trips. Sometimes it’s another guide from our team, and every one of them is a local woman our travelers rave about.
Founder
Amanda Black
After getting robbed as a backpacker, Amanda vowed no woman traveling alone should ever feel that stranded. Since 2018 and hundreds of group trips, she’s still keeping that promise.
Behind the scenes
Our operations team
You’ll see Komal and our local guides. Behind them, our team follows every day of your trip to keep you safe and on track.
In their words
★★★★★ 4.7 on Trustpilot · Read all reviews
★★★★★
“The moment I’ll always remember is the Holi festival.”
Amanda W.
India
★★★★★
“Knowing I can picture the face of the people who made the rug that’s in my living room is just such a cool thing.”
Dana
India
★★★★★
“Don’t wait. Book it.”
Karen P.
India
Your Safety on tour
Never on your own, unless you want to be
“You will never feel safer and more well cared for.”
Karen P. · India
A local female guide, every day
We meet you at the airport
Private transport, vetted routes
Pre-trip guides, so you land prepared
Guides who handle the hassle so you don’t have to
One guide in front, a whole team behind her
“You will never feel safer and more well cared for.”
Karen P. · India
Choose your departure
$550 holds your spot
It comes off your total.
Pay at your pace
As much and as often as you like. Balance due 90 days out.
Plans change? Transfer for free
Move your spot to another date or trip with 90+ days’ notice.
Per person, USD · Other currencies at checkout · 🔒 Secure checkout with Stripe
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India for Holi March 13 - 24, 2027
Questions women ask before booking
Is this trip right for me?
Long drives. Rajasthan is big. A few days include four to six hours on the road, in a private air-conditioned bus with plenty of stops.
Sensory overload. Delhi’s markets are loud, crowded and full of color. Bring a sense of humor.
Holi without the street crowds. You celebrate with a local family, in their courtyard, not in a packed public square. We give you a white kurta to wear, but it’s usually see-through, so bring leggings to wear underneath and shoes or sandals you don’t mind getting covered in color.
How active is this trip?
Easy. You’ll be on your feet a few hours most days, through markets and up fort ramps and stairs, with plenty of breaks. There are no hikes, and you travel between cities by private air-conditioned bus.
The leopard safari is by jeep, so no walking in the wild.
Where do I arrive and leave from?
Arrive: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), any time on day one. A private driver meets you outside Gate 3 holding a SoFe sign. Check-in is from 2pm, and we recommend landing by early afternoon so you’re settled for the welcome meeting at 6pm.
Leave: Delhi (DEL), any time on the last day. Checkout is between 10 and 11am, and the airport is about 40 minutes from the hotel. Your airport drop-off isn’t included, but your guide can help you arrange a ride.
Do I have to share a room?
Only if you want to. Twin-share rooms are included in the price, or you can upgrade to a private room. If you share, you’ll take our roommate compatibility quiz, built with a professional matchmaker and psychologist, and we pair you with someone who fits how you travel: early riser or night owl, social butterfly or quiet recharger.
Will we stay in the places shown on this page?
Usually, yes. These are the places we book. Now and then one is unavailable, and we swap it for a stay of the same standard or better.
Do I need a visa?
For most travelers, yes. Most nationalities, including the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, need a visa to visit India, and most can apply online for an e-visa.
Requirements depend on your passport, so once you book, we’ll walk you through exactly what you need, step by step, until you land in Delhi.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, travel insurance is required for every traveler. When you book your spot, you can add a plan from our preferred insurance partner in a couple of clicks, or choose your own provider and add your policy details any time before departure.
What’s not included?
International flights.
Travel insurance, which is required.
Your India visa.
Tips for your guide.
Your airport drop-off on the last day.
Drinks, other than at the welcome and farewell dinners.
Optional extras.
What if I need to cancel?
90 or more days before departure: we’ll transfer your deposit to another SoFe trip, any date or any destination. Or we’ll hold it for up to a year until you’re ready to choose.
Fewer than 90 days before departure: payments are non-refundable, so you’d claim through your travel insurance. That’s exactly what it’s there for.
How much luggage can I bring?
One checked bag and a carry-on. The flight from Udaipur to Delhi allows about 15 kg (33 lbs) of checked luggage, and anything over that is charged at the airport.
A full-size suitcase is fine for the rest of the trip, since you travel by private bus.
Everything you need before you go
Money and tipping, what to wear, staying healthy, and what to expect on Holi.
Your spot is waiting.
From $4,500 · 12 days · Max 14 women · $550 holds your spot
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