Why the desert and the backwaters belong together
Our grandmother called the south 'the country where water is not counted'. In Rajasthan we measure it by the bucket. That contrast is exactly why the pairing works.
Two Indias in one journey: Rajasthan is forts, palaces, deserts and colour. Kerala is water, palms, spice gardens and quiet. Together they show you how different one country can be.
Energy, then rest: a Rajasthan journey is full days of forts and bazaars. Kerala's backwaters and beaches are made for doing very little, which is how many people want a long trip to end.
Facts to know
- Rajasthan
- Dry, sandy, Aravalli hills, the Thar
- Kerala
- Wet, green, coconut palms, lagoons
- Shared
- Ancient faith, grand hospitality, fine craft
- The mood
- Royal and bright, then slow and soft
- History from opposite sides: our kingdoms faced the land routes from Central Asia. Kerala faced the sea, trading pepper and spices with Arab, Chinese and later European merchants for centuries.
- Different faiths in daily life: in Rajasthan you meet Hindu, Jain and Muslim shrines side by side. Kerala adds some of the oldest Christian communities in the world to that mix.
- Two great food cultures: our kitchen runs on ghee, millet and dried desert beans. Kerala cooks with coconut, curry leaves, rice and fish. You will not eat the same meal twice.
- It suits a once-in-a-lifetime trip: many guests come to India once in a decade. Pairing the north and the south gives them both, without trying to see everything in between.
- Our honest view: it is not a short trip. Done in under twelve nights, both halves feel rushed, and you spend too much of the holiday in airports.
Local tip
Read our companion piece, Rajasthan or Kerala, if you are still choosing between the two. This one is for travellers who have decided they want both.
Which comes first, and why we nearly always say Rajasthan
Guests who end in the desert tell us they go home tired. Guests who end on the water go home rested. The order matters more than people expect.
Arrive in Delhi: most long-haul flights land there, and it is the natural gateway to Jaipur and the rest of Rajasthan, about four to five hours by road.
Do the busy half fresh: forts mean stairs, ramparts and early starts. Climbing Mehrangarh on your second day is easier than on your fourteenth.
- End on stillness: a houseboat or a beach hotel is the gentlest possible last few days before a long flight home.
- Weather favours it in early winter: in November the southern monsoon has usually eased, while Rajasthan is already crisp and clear. Starting in the north gives Kerala a few more days to dry out.
- The exception: if you arrive in the south, for example through a Gulf hub, start in Kerala and finish with Rajasthan and the Taj Mahal, then fly home from Delhi.
- Don't zigzag: fly south once. Going back north again for one more sight adds a full day of travel for very little.
Local tip
If your flight home leaves from Delhi, book it from a southern airport with a connection rather than flying back to Delhi the day before. It saves you a night and a transfer.
The months when both regions shine
Rajasthan's season runs from October to March. Kerala is driest from about December to March. The sweet spot, where both are kind, is November to February.
Facts to know
- Best overlap
- November to February
- Rajasthan nights
- Cold in December and January
- Kerala days
- Warm and humid all year
- Kerala monsoon
- Arrives around June
- Busiest weeks
- Christmas and New Year
October, possible but early
- Rajasthan: warm days, festivals such as Dussehra and often Diwali, and the start of the season. Read Rajasthan in October.
- Kerala: the second, north-east monsoon brings showers through October and into November, so the south is green but unsettled.
November, our favourite start
- Rajasthan: golden light, comfortable days and the Pushkar Camel Fair around the Kartik full moon.
- Kerala: the rain eases through the month, and by late November the backwaters are lush and the crowds have not arrived.
December and January, the peak
Rajasthan: sunny days and cold nights, close to freezing in the desert. Kites fill the sky over Jaipur on Makar Sankranti, 14 January.
- Kerala: dry, warm and at its most popular. Christmas is joyful in the Christian towns, and the best rooms sell out months ahead.
- Fog warning: Delhi's winter mornings can delay flights, so we never plan the flight south on a tight connection.
February and March, warming up
- Rajasthan: bright and pleasant, with Holi in late February or March. By late March the afternoons are hot.
- Kerala: hotter and more humid each week, but still dry, and quieter after the winter peak.
April to September, we would not pair them
- Rajasthan: fiercely hot until the monsoon, then green in Udaipur but humid.
- Kerala: the main monsoon from about June to September is heavy and dramatic, which some people love, but it does not suit a first visit.
How many nights to give each half
Count the flight day as a travel day, not a holiday day. With that in mind, here are the shapes we suggest most often.
Twelve nights, the shortest we recommend
North, seven nights: one night in Delhi, three in Jaipur and three in Udaipur.
- South, five nights: two nights by the backwaters and three on the coast or in the hills.
- What you give up: Jodhpur, the desert and the Taj Mahal. It is a taste of each half, not the whole meal.
Sixteen nights, the balance we like best
North, ten nights: Delhi, Jaipur, a night in Agra for the Taj at sunrise, then Jodhpur and Udaipur. Our Golden Triangle and Udaipur journey is close to this shape.
- South, six nights: backwaters, tea hills and the coast, two nights each, with time to do nothing at all.
- Why it works: two nights or more almost everywhere, and only one flight between the halves.
Three weeks, unhurried
- North, fourteen nights: add Ranthambore for tigers or Jaisalmer for the dunes. Our three weeks in Rajasthan page shows the possibilities.
- South, seven nights or more: room for an Ayurvedic stay, a wildlife reserve or a slow week by the sea.
Local tip
If you have only ten nights, we gently suggest choosing one region. Our two weeks in Rajasthan and one week in Rajasthan pages show what a single region gives you.
The Rajasthan half, chosen for a shorter stay
When Rajasthan has to share the trip, we keep the places that give the most per night. These are the ones we choose first.
Jaipur, our home city
- Why first: close to Delhi, full of palaces and bazaars, and the best introduction to Rajput India.
- Don't miss: Amber Fort in the morning, the walled city at dusk, and a night in a palace hotel such as Rambagh Palace.
Udaipur, the lakes
- Why it pairs well: its lakes are a gentle bridge to Kerala's water, and it has direct flights to Delhi and Mumbai for the journey south.
- Stay: on the water at Taj Lake Palace or with lake views at The Oberoi Udaivilas.
Jodhpur and the desert edge
- Why add it: the most dramatic fort in Rajasthan and the blue lanes below it, the strongest possible contrast with the green south.
- Stay: Umaid Bhawan Palace, the last great palace built in India, or a haveli under the fort.
Agra and the Taj Mahal
- Why add it: for most first-time visitors, India without the Taj feels incomplete.
- Remember: the Taj is closed on Fridays, so the rest of the north fits around that day.
The flight south, and how to make it painless
From Jaipur to the Kerala coast is nearly two thousand kilometres as the crow flies. One well-planned flight day covers it.
Fly from where you finish: Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur all have airports with flights to the big hubs. We choose your last Rajasthan city partly by its connections.
Mid-morning is best: it avoids winter fog in the north and lands you in time for a late lunch and a swim.
Facts to know
- Delhi to Kerala
- About three hours by air
- Usual connections
- Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru
- Door to door
- Allow most of a day
- Main gateway
- Kochi, Cochin International Airport
- Don't stack it: never plan a sunrise fort and an afternoon flight on the same day. Rest the morning before you fly.
- Luggage on domestic flights: allowances are often smaller than on long-haul tickets. We check them for you and pack the car accordingly.
- Meet and greet at both ends: our team sees you off in Rajasthan, and a car waits for you on landing so the change of state is seamless.
- Trains are not the answer here: a train from Rajasthan to Kerala takes well over a day. Our guide to airports and flights explains the routes we use.
The Kerala half, in broad strokes
We are a Rajasthan family, so we speak about the south as admiring neighbours, not locals. These are the landscapes most of our guests choose there.
The backwaters: a long web of lagoons, rivers and canals behind the coast, lined with paddy fields and villages. A slow day on a rice boat converted for guests is the classic experience.
The old port towns: centuries of spice trade left churches, synagogues, warehouses and old merchant houses along the waterfront.
- The tea and spice hills: the Western Ghats rise inland, cool and misty, with tea estates and cardamom and pepper gardens on their slopes.
- The coast: long beaches and fishing villages facing the Arabian Sea, at their best in the dry winter months.
- Wildlife: forest reserves in the hills shelter elephants, gaur and many birds. We prefer walks and boats to anything involving captive animals.
- Performing arts: Kathakali dance-drama, with its painted faces and great costumes, and the martial art of Kalaripayattu are both worth an evening.
- Pace: distances are short on the map but roads are slow, so two or three bases are plenty.
Local tip
Choose a backwater stay away from the busiest boat routes. The magic of the water is in the silence, the herons and the sound of paddles, not in a queue of houseboats.
Contrasts to look out for
Half the pleasure of this journey is comparison. Here is what our guests notice when they move from our desert to the south.
The plate
- In Rajasthan: dal baati churma, ker sangri, laal maas and millet breads, built for a land without rain. Our Rajasthani food guide explains them.
- In Kerala: rice, coconut, curry leaves, tamarind and seafood, often served on a banana leaf.
The buildings
- In Rajasthan: stone forts on hilltops, carved jharokhas, the projecting balconies of our palaces, and courtyard havelis.
- In Kerala: steep tiled roofs built for heavy rain, carved wooden ceilings and houses that open onto gardens.
The colours
- In Rajasthan: saffron turbans, pink and red odhnis, the women's head-cloths, and mirror-work against the sand.
- In Kerala: cream and gold handloom cotton, white dhotis and the endless green of the palms.
The temples
- In Rajasthan: most temples welcome visitors of every faith who dress modestly. Our temple etiquette guide has the details.
- In Kerala: many temples admit only Hindus, and some have strict dress rules for men and women. Ask before you go in.
The climate
- In Rajasthan: dry air, sharp sun and cold winter nights.
- In Kerala: warm, humid air day and night, and sudden showers even in the dry season.
Ayurveda, yoga and slowing down
Kerala is famous for Ayurveda, the old Indian system of health. Many guests want a few days of it after the forts, and that is sensible planning.
Know the difference: a massage at a resort is pleasant for anyone. A full traditional course of treatment usually needs much longer, often two weeks or more, and a doctor's assessment.
Talk to your own doctor first: especially if you have a health condition. We do not give medical advice, and neither should a travel company.
- Rajasthan has its own calm: our palace hotels have fine spas, and we can begin the slowing down before you fly south. Read about spas and Ayurveda.
- A gentler north: if wellness is the main aim, our wellness and slow travel and yoga and Ayurveda journeys keep the Rajasthan half unhurried.
- Leave space: don't fill the Kerala half with sightseeing if you have booked treatments. The point is rest.
Packing for two climates in one suitcase
In January you can need a shawl at dawn in Jaisalmer and a sun hat by lunchtime in the south, a week later. Pack in layers.
For the northern nights: a warm jacket or fleece and a scarf. Desert evenings in December and January are cold.
For the southern days: light cotton and linen, a hat and plenty of sunscreen.
- For both: clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temples, and shoes you can slip off quickly.
- For the water: insect repellent, especially at dusk on the backwaters.
- For the rain: a light folding umbrella in November or March, when a shower can surprise you.
- Leave room: for block prints from Jaipur and spices from the south. Our packing guide has the full list.
The mistakes we see most often
Most combined journeys that go wrong do so on paper, months before anyone boards a plane. These are the traps we steer our guests around.
Too many stops: five Rajasthan cities and four Kerala bases in two weeks means packing every second morning. Choose fewer places and stay longer in each.
Landing day sightseeing: a long-haul flight followed by a fort the same afternoon costs you the next two days. Sleep first in Delhi.
- A flight on a festival day: Diwali, Christmas and New Year are the busiest travel days in India. Fly a day before or after them.
- Forgetting the Friday: the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, and a whole route can hinge on that one day.
- Ignoring winter fog: December and January mornings in Delhi and the north can delay flights for hours. We keep a buffer around every connection.
- Booking the south last: the best backwater and coastal rooms over Christmas fill earlier than palace hotels in Rajasthan. Settle both halves together.
- Commission shopping: in both regions, drivers and strangers may steer you to shops that pay them. Our shopping guide explains how we avoid it.
Local tip
Write down the one thing you most want from each half before you plan anything else. For most of our guests it is a palace night in Rajasthan and a silent morning on the water in Kerala, and everything else follows.
Who will love this pairing, and who should not
We would rather tell you honestly at the start than watch a journey disappoint.
Honeymooners: palaces first, then quiet water. It is one of the loveliest shapes for a Rajasthan honeymoon.
First-time visitors with time: the clearest picture of how varied India is.
- Families: forts and camels, then a beach. Children usually love both halves.
- Not for a short trip: under twelve nights, choose one region.
- Not for heat-shy travellers in March: by then the south is steamy and the north is warming fast.
- Not for collectors of sights: if you want to see the whole of India in two weeks, you will see airports. Choose depth instead.
How we plan it with you
Every combined journey begins with one conversation about pace, rooms and what you most want to feel at the end.
We start with the north: Rajasthan is our home, and we plan every hotel, guide and drive there ourselves.
We fit the flight to your energy: the right departure city and hour, with the car waiting at the other end.
- Tell us what you want in the south: backwaters, hills, coast or Ayurveda, and how many nights, and we shape the Rajasthan half and the flights around it.
- No published prices: the season, the rooms and the hotels change everything. Our page on what a luxury journey costs explains how we quote.
- One planner on WhatsApp: the same person from your first message to your last morning.