Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
India – Mumbai – Andaman Islands – Port Blair – Havelock Island
100% customisable for you
Head to the airport and board your direct nine-hour flight to Mumbai. Settle in for an overnight journey, tune into our destination-specific playlist and arrive the following day, ready to step straight into the energy of southern India.
Upon arrival in Mumbai, meet your private driver, who will be with you for the next three days and transfer to your Colaba accommodation, just steps from the Gateway of India. Ideally located near the district’s lively streets, your new home blends contemporary style with Mumbai’s heritage, featuring antiqued furniture, custom pieces and vintage sari upholstery.
Historically known as Bombay until 1995, Mumbai is a place of striking contrasts. Start your exploration with a guided tour of Dharavi, one of the largest slums in the world and made famous by the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire. Accompanied by a local resident, you’ll navigate its narrow lanes, buzzing workshops and vibrant markets where leather, pottery and recycled goods are produced with remarkable skill. This ‘city within a city’ thrives amid its challenges, offering a glimpse into daily life and community resilience – it’s an eye-opening introduction to Mumbai’s colourful energy.
Today is all about exploring Mumbai’s rhythm with your private guide. Kick off with a tour alongside the dabbawalas, whose name in Hindi literally translates to ‘one who carries a box’, as they deliver nearly 200,000 meals across the city each day. Watch the choreographed chaos as lunchboxes are loaded onto trains, then step into the hustle and bustle yourself, accompanying a dabbawala on his route. The tour offers a rare glimpse into the city’s pulse – perfectly organised, yet completely chaotic.
Return to your accommodation this afternoon for some well-deserved rest, before consulting our detailed dossier of recommended restaurants to find a tasty spot for a bite to eat.
Spend the morning on a private tour of Mumbai’s colonial quarters. Begin at the monumental Gateway of India, then wander past architectural gems, including the High Court, Clock Tower, University of Mumbai, and Flora Fountain. Pause at Crawford Market, admiring the colourful stalls and listening to the city’s hum, before visiting Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly known as Victoria Terminus Station), whose turrets and stained-glass windows could almost be mistaken for a palace.
Kick off the afternoon with a relaxed journey along Marine Drive, soaking up the breeze from the Arabian Sea. Then head to Dhobi Ghat, the city’s iconic open-air laundry, where hundreds of hands rhythmically beat the day’s washing against the stones. Itching for souvenirs already? Indulge in a personalised shopping session with your expert guide. Explore the city’s best boutiques and hidden stores, and find the perfect pieces to suit your style.
It’s time to swap city chaos for coastal calm as you’re privately transferred to the airport for a two-and-a-half-hour flight to Port Blair, the gateway to the Andaman Islands. On arrival, head to the pier and board a boat to Havelock Island – a one-and-a-half to two-hour journey across glittering waters. From the jetty, a short drive brings you to your base for the next four nights, where your island escape begins.
Settle into your secluded retreat tucked within a tropical forest, where rustic wooden chalets sit quietly among the trees. Explore the softly lit paths that connect your room to the restaurant, with little more than birdsong and the rustle of leaves for company.
In the evening, wander down to the white sand beach before tucking into a delicious meal of freshly caught seafood and seasonal produce, served in a setting that draws in those in the know from across Havelock.
Spend the next few days relaxing on Havelock Island, one of the Andaman archipelago’s few inhabited outposts, with time firmly on your side. This is a place that rewards doing very little, very well.
Settle into a slow rhythm, drifting between powder-soft beaches and the warm, clear waters of the Indian Ocean. Swim, snorkel or simply stretch out with the sea at your feet. Wildlife is never far away, so keep an eye out for dolphins offshore or the occasional turtle gliding through the shallows. Venture into mangroves and pockets of dense forest, or keep things simple and let the changing light and tides set the pace of your day.
Wave goodbye to Havelock this morning and return by boat to Port Blair, a journey of around one and a half to two hours, followed by a short transfer to your hotel for your final night in the Andaman Islands.
Explore Port Blair, the archipelago’s capital, where a grounded, lived-in charm meets a history shaped by the Indian independence movement. This afternoon, visit the Anthropological Museum with a private guide to learn about the indigenous communities of the Andamans, including the Jarawa, Sentinelese, Great Andamanese and Onge. Through artefacts, tools and displays, the museum provides a rare window into cultures that lived in close connection to their environment – some of which remain largely isolated from the outside world.
Return to your hotel this afternoon and unwind however you choose: soak up terrace views, indulge in a spa treatment or enjoy one final dinner overlooking the blissful sea.
Take a two-and-a-half-hour transfer to the airport this morning for your flight to Bangalore. On arrival, you’ll be privately transferred to a nearby hotel, where a day-use room is available for you to rest and refresh before your onward journey.
Later this evening, return to the airport for your overnight flight of around ten hours, arriving in the UK the following day – enriched and ready to plan your next escape.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
