A THEME WITHIN YOUR JOURNEY

India in Landscapes

Salt-white horizons, monsoon mountains, sculpted canyons and waterways edged with palms. Discover India through the landscapes that move you, with the freedom to linger where the view becomes something more.

Every journey can be customised around your interests, preferred pace and chosen experiences.

Explore experiences
Across India
The Pennar River gorge at Gandikota, Andhra Pradesh.

YOUR EXPERIENCES

Make it personal.

Add the moments that appeal to you.
Leave the rest for us to arrange.

Western Ghats · A world in green

A mountain chain older than the Himalayas

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Enter a mountain chain older than the Himalayas, where monsoon forests give way to open ridges and pockets of shola woodland. Choose a regional route and discover the exceptional biodiversity behind these endlessly changing greens.

  • A mountain chain older than the Himalayas
  • Forests, shola valleys & remarkable biodiversity

Official destination guide

Thar Desert · The art of emptiness

Shifting dunes & the Thar’s varied ecosystems

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Watch the desert change character as light moves across dunes near Jaisalmer. Look beyond the sand to thorn scrub, rocky outcrops and desert life, with time for quiet observation and an unhurried evening beneath open skies.

  • Shifting dunes & the Thar’s varied ecosystems
  • Desert light, open horizons & time to linger

Official destination guide

Kerala backwaters · Life at water level

Kumarakom & the open water of Vembanad

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Explore Vembanad from Kumarakom or follow Alappuzha’s waterways into Kuttanad’s paddy landscape. Choose a private day cruise with a hotel stay or an overnight houseboat, with the vessel, route and arrangements confirmed individually. Leave time to notice the everyday life along the banks.

  • Kumarakom & the open water of Vembanad
  • Alappuzha’s canals & Kuttanad’s paddy landscape

Official destination guide

Belum · A world beneath the plains

An underground landscape beneath open farmland

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Descend beneath the farmland into Belum’s long passages and spacious chambers. Mineral forms, freshwater galleries and unexpected depths reveal a landscape sculpted out of sight, explored through the sections open to visitors at a comfortable pace.

  • An underground landscape beneath open farmland
  • Long passages, chambers & freshwater galleries

Official destination guide

Borra · Stone shaped by water

Stalactites & stalagmites within the Eastern Ghats

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Step beneath the Ananthagiri Hills into caverns of stalactites and stalagmites. Borra makes the patient work of water visible in limestone, with sculptural chambers that invite you to pause, look closely and imagine geological time.

  • Stalactites & stalagmites within the Eastern Ghats
  • Water’s patient work, written in limestone

Official destination guide

Gandikota · A river cuts through time

The Pennar River’s dramatic gorge

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Follow the meeting of fort and gorge at Gandikota, where the Pennar River winds between dramatic rock walls. Explore historic stonework, then linger at suitable viewpoints as the canyon’s colour and depth shift with the light.

  • The Pennar River’s dramatic gorge
  • A historic fort at the edge of the canyon

Official destination guide

Chambal · The river beyond the ravines

A river threading through sculpted ravines

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Discover a river landscape of deeply cut ravines, sandbanks and open water. An authorised boat outing can bring a different perspective on the Chambal’s fragile habitats, with opportunities to observe gharials and river birds from a respectful distance.

  • A river threading through sculpted ravines
  • Gharial habitat & river birds

Official destination guide

Hampi & Tumakuru, Karnataka

Deccan granite · A landscape in sculpture

Hampi’s boulder fields & Tumakuru’s granite hills

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See the Deccan in monumental forms: rounded boulders, granite ridges and hilltop silhouettes. Around Hampi or Tumakuru, choose a gentle landscape walk or an elevated viewpoint, and watch familiar stone become extraordinary in the changing light.

  • Hampi’s boulder fields & Tumakuru’s granite hills
  • Geological forms revealed by light

Official destination guide

Panna, Madhya Pradesh

Vindhyas · Plateaus, forests & falling water

Panna’s Vindhyan plateaus & the Ken River

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Follow the Vindhyan landscape around Panna, where dry forest stretches across plateaus and the Ken River cuts through gorges. Scenic viewpoints and permitted forest visits reveal central India’s quieter drama, with waterfalls lending seasonal movement to the stone.

  • Panna’s Vindhyan plateaus & the Ken River
  • Dry forests, gorges & seasonal waterfalls

Official destination guide

Satpuras · The forested fold

Sandstone hills, deep valleys & forested ravines

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Travel into sandstone hills, deep valleys and forested ravines around Pachmarhi and Satpura. A journey can unfold through panoramic viewpoints, waterfall walks and permitted wildlife outings, with enough time to appreciate the stillness between each discovery.

  • Sandstone hills, deep valleys & forested ravines
  • Pachmarhi viewpoints & Satpura’s wild landscapes

Official destination guide

Indian shores · Where the land exhales

Goa’s villages & Gokarna’s bays

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Choose Goa’s coastal villages, Gokarna’s sandy bays and rocky headlands, or the palm-lined shore at Marari. Explore one stretch in depth or connect them with time to pause, shaping shoreline walks and coastal stays around the weather, tides and your preferred pace.

  • Goa’s villages & Gokarna’s bays
  • Marari’s shoreline & unhurried coastal stays

Official destination guide

Velavadar, Gujarat

Grasslands · The beauty of open space

Velavadar’s protected blackbuck grasslands

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Watch pale grass move beneath an enormous sky in Velavadar. Blackbuck and seasonal harriers bring movement to this remarkable protected landscape, rewarding patient observation and revealing how much life an apparently empty horizon can hold.

  • Velavadar’s protected blackbuck grasslands
  • Open horizons & seasonal harrier gatherings

Official destination guide

Rann of Kutch · A horizon in white

A seasonal salt marsh transformed into white flats

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Enter a seasonal salt landscape where distance becomes difficult to judge and light seems to rest on the earth. Explore the White Rann when conditions allow, pairing its extraordinary openness with time in Kutch’s living craft traditions.

  • A seasonal salt marsh transformed into white flats
  • Vast horizons & Kutch’s living crafts

Official destination guide

Valley of Flowers · A brief Himalayan bloom

UNESCO-listed alpine meadows

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Walk into a Himalayan valley celebrated for its alpine meadows and endemic flowers. This seasonal journey rewards those who enjoy travelling on foot, with altitude, trail conditions and the changing bloom carefully considered in your plans.

  • UNESCO-listed alpine meadows
  • A seasonal flowering landscape reached on foot

Official destination guide

Ladakh · A different scale of silence

Cold-desert dunes & high Himalayan valleys

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Discover cold-desert dunes, high valleys and clear mountain light around Ladakh. Choose a measured journey through the Indus or Nubra landscapes, allowing generous time to acclimatise and leaving the final route responsive to conditions and permissions.

  • Cold-desert dunes & high Himalayan valleys
  • A measured journey shaped around altitude

Official destination guide

Our Signature Journeys

Considered beginnings. A journey shaped around you.

Golden light on the palm-lined backwaters of Alappuzha, Kerala.01 / THE COLLECTION

Kerala Backwaters

Fort Kochi, village waterways and unhurried days around Kumarakom and Alappuzha.

Kochi · Kumarakom · Alappuzha

Coconut palms frame Kakolem Beach and the Arabian Sea in Goa.02 / THE COLLECTION

Goa to Kerala

Historic ports, coastal kitchens and quiet backwaters, through Goa, Karnataka and Kerala.

Goa · Gokarna · Udupi / Mangaluru · Bekal · Kannur · Kozhikode · Kochi · Backwaters

Duration tailored to you

Kerala Backwaters

Your preferred travel dates

Move from Kochi’s coastal heritage to the villages and paddy landscapes of Vembanad and Kuttanad, choosing the way you wish to stay beside the water.

These are the highlights of your journey, rather than a day-by-day schedule. Your curator shapes the duration, route and pace around you.

  1. CHAPTER 1

    A city shaped by the sea

    Kochi

    1. Coastal heritage

      Fort Kochi

      Explore the waterfront, fishing nets and historic streets, with time to understand the city’s maritime connections.

    2. Trade and neighbourhoods

      Mattancherry

      Discover the streets, architecture and spice-trading history of Mattancherry, with food and monument visits chosen around your interests and opening days.

  2. CHAPTER 2

    Life beside Vembanad

    Kumarakom

    1. Lakeside time

      A gentler rhythm

      Settle beside Vembanad and leave space for the water, the landscape and a small-boat outing when conditions permit.

    2. Village encounters

      The backwaters, close at hand

      Explore local waterways and, when arranged with willing hosts, discover everyday skills such as coir making, weaving or regional cooking.

  3. CHAPTER 3

    Choose your time on the water

    Alappuzha · Kuttanad

    1. Day-cruise option

      Waterways and paddy landscapes

      Take a private day cruise through an agreed stretch of the backwaters, returning to a hotel for the night.

    2. Alternative overnight stay

      A night aboard

      Choose an overnight houseboat instead, with the vessel, boarding point, route, cruising hours and night halt confirmed before travel.

  4. CHAPTER 4

    The coast, or a considered farewell

    Alappuzha → Kochi · optional Marari extension

    1. Optional coastal extension

      Marari

      Add one or two nights near Marari for time by the coast, extending the backwaters route without introducing a distant hill-station transfer.

    2. Departure

      Return to Kochi

      Arrange the return transfer with a generous flight buffer. After a houseboat night, departure timing allows for disembarkation and the road journey.

Landmark & event information

Allow around six days, with two nights in Kochi, two in Kumarakom and one near Alappuzha. Choose a hotel with a day cruise or an overnight houseboat; vessel, route, cruising hours and night halt are confirmed separately. Marari is an optional coastal extension, with departure timing arranged around the return to Kochi.

Duration tailored to you

Goa to Kerala · The Arabian Sea Coast

Dates shaped around coastal weather and your interests

Follow India’s western shore from Goa to Kerala, discovering temple towns, seaward forts and the living traditions of Malabar before settling beside the backwaters.

These are the highlights of your journey, rather than a day-by-day schedule. Your curator shapes the duration, route and pace around you.

  1. CHAPTER 1

    Goa, beyond the familiar shore

    Goa · suggested stay: 3 nights

    1. Heritage and everyday life

      Panaji & Old Goa

      Explore Fontainhas and Old Goa’s churches, tracing the coast’s layered history. Leave time for Goan cooking and the shore, respecting worship and the privacy of residential streets.

    2. A considered beginning

      Time to settle in

      Keep the arrival day gentle and choose a base around your interests. The onward journey to Gokarna has its own transfer day, with meal and comfort stops.

  2. CHAPTER 2

    Temple streets and open horizons

    Gokarna · suggested stay: 2 nights

    1. Coastal Karnataka

      A town between the hills and sea

      Explore Gokarna’s old streets and nearby shores at an unhurried pace, choosing walks around your mobility, weather and the access permitted at places of worship.

    2. At your own pace

      A pause by the coast

      Keep a full day here before continuing south, choosing coastal walks and time by the shore around your interests and the local conditions.

  3. CHAPTER 3

    The coast, told through its kitchens

    Udupi or Mangaluru · suggested stay: 1 night

    1. Regional tables

      Udupi & Mangaluru

      Discover the coast’s distinct food traditions, from Udupi’s vegetarian cooking to Mangaluru’s coconut-rich dishes. Choose a few tastes and a comfortable overnight base along the route.

    2. On the road

      South towards Bekal

      Use this chapter to divide the longer coastal drive, with a selected town or shore visit if time allows. Continue into Kerala without packing both cities into a single sightseeing day.

  4. CHAPTER 4

    A fortress facing the Arabian Sea

    Bekal · suggested stay: 2 nights

    1. Coastal heritage

      Bekal Fort

      Walk the fort’s public paths and look across its seaward ramparts, choosing cooler hours and allowing time for the uneven surfaces and exposed setting.

    2. Time beside the sea

      A quieter interlude

      Settle into the northern Kerala coast, with an open afternoon for the shore, a leisurely meal or simply the pleasure of staying still.

  5. CHAPTER 5

    The living traditions of Malabar

    Kannur · suggested stay: 2 nights

    1. Craft and community

      The handloom country

      Discover Kannur’s weaving traditions through a visit arranged with a willing workshop or cooperative, respecting working hours and asking before photographing people.

    2. When the calendar aligns

      Theyyam

      A scheduled Theyyam ritual may form part of the journey when local hosts welcome visitors. Dates, access and etiquette are confirmed locally; this is a living observance, not a performance on demand.

  6. CHAPTER 6

    A port city with a generous table

    Kozhikode · suggested stay: 1 night

    1. Malabar’s maritime world

      Kozhikode & Beypore

      Choose a focused introduction to the city’s food and trading history, or Beypore’s boat-building heritage. A working boatyard visit depends on permission and the work taking place.

    2. The onward passage

      A day for the journey

      Allow the following day for the substantial road transfer to Kochi, with thoughtful breaks. Inland stretches and busy towns are part of this coastal route; it is not a continuous seafront drive.

  7. CHAPTER 7

    Kochi, shaped by the sea

    Kochi · suggested stay: 2 nights

    1. A meeting of cultures

      Fort Kochi & Mattancherry

      Explore the waterfront, historic streets and spice-trading neighbourhoods, selecting monuments around opening days and your interests.

    2. Room to discover

      A city at walking pace

      Keep time between visits for galleries, regional cooking or a quiet courtyard. Plan a manageable walking route, with transfers whenever they make the day more comfortable.

  8. CHAPTER 8

    The coast gives way to quiet water

    Kumarakom or Alappuzha · suggested stay: 2 nights

    1. Your choice of stay

      Life beside the backwaters

      Choose a lakeside hotel with a day cruise, or include an overnight houseboat. The vessel, boarding point, cruising hours, route and night halt are agreed before travel.

    2. A personal ending

      Marari, or a considered farewell

      Extend the journey with one or two nights near Marari if you wish. Otherwise, return to Kochi with generous time for the road journey and your departing flight.

Landmark & event information

Allow around sixteen to eighteen days for the full overland route across three states. The suggested stays total fifteen nights, with room to linger longer. These are adjustable chapters: a shorter journey omits stages, while Marari can add one or two nights. Your proposal confirms stays, transfers, boat arrangements and local access. Ritual visits depend on the community calendar; working craft visits depend on permission and availability.

Exceptional Hotels · Private Travel Suites · Luxury Tented Retreats

One booking request. A personal quote. Every detail confirmed with you before payment.

EVERY DETAIL, CONSIDERED

The route is
yours to shape.

Combine your interests, choose your preferred stays and travel at your own pace. We bring the details together around you.

Explore other themes
Access, season & practical details

Choose the landscapes you want to experience and the way you want to be within them. A gentle walk, a considered viewpoint, time on the water or a longer trail can each reveal a different world. Regions, seasons, access and stays are planned around your interests.

Routes, permits, overnight stops, activities and specialist support depend on conditions and availability. Your curator confirms the details in your personal proposal.

Your stays & service

Choose Exceptional Hotels, Private Travel Suites or Luxury Tented Retreats, or combine them within your journey.

Your curator brings together thoughtful hospitality, appropriate transport and discreet support. Guides, dining and specialist services are arranged around your interests, with stays and inclusions confirmed in your personal proposal.

Explore stay options
Silver luxury motorhome at dusk with an outdoor seating area

YOUR PRIVATE SANCTUARY

At home, wherever
the road takes you.

Your suite is part of the journey — a considered space to rest, share a meal and watch the landscape change. Your curator matches the vehicle and setup to your route, group size and comfort preferences.

We partner with multiple luxury motorhome providers.

JOURNEY

From arrival to farewell

Begin at the airport, return to the airport — with your private travel suite connecting every experience in between. Pickup and drop-off can also be tailored to your plans.

REST

Comfort, without compromise

A dedicated sleeping area, inviting seating, linen and essential comforts for unhurried mornings.

Wellbeing, woven into your journey

Herbal infusions, thoughtfully sourced regional meals and optional herbal baths or bath kits are part of your personalised luxury motorhome hospitality. Your crew arranges these comforts around your tastes, dietary needs and preferred pace, with ingredients and bathing facilities agreed during planning.

DINE

Something delicious, wherever you are

Meals planned around your preferences, with local flavours and memorable outdoor dining when the setting allows.

CREW

A dedicated crew, discreetly at your service

Every AUREL Trails journey is fully managed, with a dedicated crew tailored to our guests’ preferences and itinerary. Depending on your requirements, this may include an experienced chef, professional driver, security personnel or expert guide. Attentive when needed and discreet throughout, our team takes care of every detail while respecting your privacy and personal space.

AMBIENCE

Every sense, considered

Inside your suite, all five senses are thoughtfully considered: beautiful surroundings, gentle sounds, soft textures, tailored menus and subtle aromas. Your crew uses carefully sourced natural essential oils with a delicate touch, personalising fragrance and flavours to your preferences, with a scent-free setting available whenever you wish.

Luxury motorhome layout, chef service, equipment and ambience are confirmed in your personal proposal.

YOUR PRIVATE JOURNEY

Make it yours.

Choose your themes

One or several. All part of the same journey.

A few personal touches Optional
Airport pickup & return Arrange together

Airport-to-airport travel is included in your planning. Share locations now, or decide with your curator.

ONE PERSONAL PROPOSAL

Your journey, so far

Travel dates Flexible
Phone & coupon Optional

No payment now. Your curator confirms availability and your personal quote.

Your privacy

When you send a journey request or enquiry, your details are stored for AUREL’s team to respond. Requests do not confirm a reservation or collect payment.

Theme and experience choices may be saved on this device. Contact details, addresses, preferences and free-text notes stay in this tab until you submit.

Optional analytics starts only after you allow it. AUREL and Google Analytics measure visits and journey-planning activity without sending contact details, form contents or chat messages to analytics. With permission, we store Google ad click identifiers for up to 90 days and attach them to requests. We share those identifiers, request references and request or booking-confirmation times with Google Ads to measure enquiries, booking requests and confirmed bookings. You can withdraw permission in Analytics preferences.

Chat messages are processed to answer your questions. Avoid sharing sensitive personal information. Coupons are checked using your email and chosen themes.

YOUR PRIVATE ESCAPE

Your private journey

No payment now. Your reservation is confirmed after you and our team agree availability, the itinerary and your personal quote.