The Deccan Odyssey The Experience
Guests enjoy local performances at each sojourn while riding the Deccan Odyssey.
Over the course of seven days, the Deccan Odyssey embarks from New Delhi, and sojourns in Sawai Madhopur, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Vadodara, Ellora Caves, before pulling into Mumbai. Arriving to board, guests are greeted with a red-carpet welcome complete with a live sitar player, marigold leis and a tilak blessing placed on guests’ foreheads. The experience sets the tone for the journey to come, which includes colorful performances at each destination that highlight the traditional music...
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and dance of each region.

The Deccan Odyssey
Royal gardens at the Amer Fort near the city of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Our guide Yogi, in Agra, was not only a fountain of knowledge on the history of the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Hinduism, he also has two daughters, which led to a long discussion on the modern strides India is making towards greater gender equality. While walking through Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, one of the largest observatories in the world, our guide Viru recounted the story of his father visiting an astrologist to weed out the best...
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astrological match for his arranged marriage. Deshpal, our guide in Udaipur, walked me through the city’s vibrant warren of markets bustling with life and commerce as I snapped photos of local women shopping in their neon-colored saris. In Vadadora, our Muslim guide Haseeb indulged my curiosity by explaining the tenets of Islam as we explored Jami Masjid, a 17th century mosque inside a UNESCO archaeological park. These enriching conversations, as much as the country’s extraordinary palaces, forts and temples, helped provide a more meaningful cultural context and deeper understanding of what we were experiencing.

The Deccan Odyssey = Local women shopping in the markets of Udaipur.
In the evening, guests mingled over dinner swapping stories of the day’s exciting adventures like spotting the elusive Bengal tiger in Ranthambore National Park, playing with children in a local village, haggling for a handmade scarf in a textile bazaar, and theories of how ancient civilizations could hand carve massive architecture marvels without the aid of modern technology. With each passing day the rolling scenery beyond the train began to feel more familiar and the fellow passengers, who started out as strangers, slowly became friends.
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to Know
Cox & Kings' Indian Odyssey journeys depart monthly from October through April with rates starting at $6,100 USD for deluxe cabins based on single occupancy and $8,750 USD for double occupancy (plus taxes). Cox & Kings requires guests to arrive at least one day prior to departure, giving travelers good reason to stay at the famed Oberoi New Delhi, sparkling from a nearly two-year top-to-bottom renovation. Before departing Mumbai, spend the night at India’s most storied hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace. The best time to visit is in winter (November to February) when temperatures range from low 70s to high 80s during the day, and drop below 50 degrees in the evenings. An entry visa is required for most countries, but E-visas, which take 96-hours to process, can be obtained online here.