From New Delhi await the colours of Rajasthan — Jodhpur blue, Jaipur pink — and the marble white of the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The route will then head south: the lake of Udaipur, the coastline toward Mumbai and the palm-fringed beaches of Goa.
From New Delhi await the colours of Rajasthan — Jodhpur blue, Jaipur pink — and the marble white of the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The route will then head south: the lake of Udaipur, the coastline toward Mumbai and the palm-fringed beaches of Goa.
Further south waits a different India: the maharaja’s palace in Mysore, the rainforest of Silent Valley, the Chinese fishing nets of Kochi and the great temples of Madurai and Thanjavur — a region few overlanders ever reach. The convoy will drive to the finish at Marina Beach in Chennai, in good time to celebrate Christmas at home.
Hotels will be inspected and placed for calm. Navigation will run offline, with permits and borders prepared in advance.
A capable 4×4 is required. Think Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Hilux, or similar. Essential items include adequate ground clearance, underbody protection, quality all-terrain tires, two spare wheels, a compressor, and a VHF radio; helpful extras include a dual-battery system, a fridge, tablet mount, and additional USB power. All modifications are documented so any mechanic knows what sits where. Technical support will be on the road, border assistance is arranged, and the goal is simple: everyone reaches the finish.
We select and personally inspect hotels for location and calm before departure; dinners and breakfasts are included on driving days, and in larger stops you can dine independently with recommendations provided and costs reimbursed to keep the experience simple. Where the route enters very remote areas, expect a few simpler nights that trade luxury for access and atmosphere.
Part 1 will open on the Caspian shore in Aktau, Kazakhstan, running through Turkmenistan, the Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand and over the high Pamir to Kashgar. The Karakoram Highway, the Wagah border ceremony and the Golden Temple of Amritsar will lead the way to the finish in New Delhi.