I’ll admit it. When I was planning a trip to Bhutan, and Delhi came up as a stopover option, I didn’t exactly jump at the idea.
Years ago I spent a good chunk of time—three months—backpacking through India’s north with a friend. While the country absolutely entranced me in a multitude of ways, and I told anyone who’d listen that they simply had to go, returning as a solo female traveller fired up my anxiety. Until I learned about India For Beginners, that is.
What is India For Beginners?
Fellow Canadian Mariellen Ward founded India For Beginners based on her deep knowledge of the country. “Most of my travels in India have been solo, so I wanted to help other solo female travellers,” Mariellen says. “The concept behind India for Beginners is to offer travellers to India a safe and ethical option for travelling India on your own—supported by a team of caring and knowledgeable people.” Their specialty? Custom tours. Whether foodie, fashionista, history buff, or somewhere in-between, their goal is to craft an itinerary specifically tailored to your likes.
Mariellen and her team, which includes Anjani Nandan and Ujjwal Mukherjee, encourage visitors to meet their favourite people and experience their most beloved places. No matter what, they’ll ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible. (It is India, so one always has to go with the flow!)
Once I was sold on the idea of Delhi, I started noodling what I wanted to do for three days while overcoming my jet-lag. We planned an itinerary that started with a spa day, moved onto a shopping day, and ended with a busy culture and food day.
Who is Mariellen Ward?
How did Mariellen become so enchanted by India that she started a tour company?
“I felt called to travel to India at a very difficult time in my life about 20 years ago,” she says “when I was trying to overcome grief and depression.” Based in Toronto at the time, Mariellen was studying to become a Yoga teacher and was influenced by a teacher who’d arrived from India. “From the first day, I felt an uncanny affinity with India—I felt as if I was home,” she says. “Then, for six months I travelled the length and breadth of India and fell in love—in love with India, in love with travelling, and in love with travel blogging.”
India changed Mariellen, inspiring her to become a professional travel writer, urging her to start her travel blog, Breathedreamgo, and, eventually, sowed that seed for India For Beginners. “Also, I had the very good fortune to meet my business partner Anjani, a tourism professional in Delhi who had his own small travel company,” she says. Mariellen had spent years in India at this point—12 trips in total—and had decided to move there permanently.
What’s to Love about India?
“To me, India is the world’s most technicolour country—it pulsates with life!” Mariellen notes. Not only is it bursting with culture, joy, spirituality, and warmth, but the people are easygoing, warm, and quick to feel joy. “Indians celebrate life—there’s a festival almost every day!—and see life as a privilege, not a right.”
Festivals aside, the ancient culture of the country is alive and well; there’s the delicious food (just try and find someone who doesn’t enjoy some form of Indian cuisine), the music, the epic train rides, the mountain villages… Oh, and the sun. “ I love that the sun is yellow—very different from the cool, blue-ish tinge of the sun in Canada,” Mariellen says. “It bathes everything in a golden hue and makes colours pop.” In India, Mariellen found a second, welcoming home and a new lease on life. I dare you to have one conversation with her and not emerge utterly inspired to visit.
Solo Female Travellers in India
Even if you haven’t travelled in India as a solo female, you’ve surely come across some worrisome headlines. While you could allow these to deter you from your dream trip, chances are you’ve also encountered some unsavoury headlines speaking to events happening in your own neighbourhood. I know I certainly have.
Mariellen has written an entire blog post on solo female travel in India full of very helpful tips and tricks on what to do—and what not to do. “I know that India can be a challenging place for female travellers,” she says. “India is not for everyone, but for those women who feel called to visit India, I encourage them to do lots of research and to use caution and common sense.”
While backpacking over a decade ago, I certainly experienced my fair share of harassment. However, I didn’t always trust my intuition and neglected to dress as the local ladies do. This time around I felt safe and confident, not only because of how I took care to dress—long, kurta-like tops with flowing pants—but because I behaved in a confident manner and wouldn’t acknowledge men who tried to pester me. Of which there were very few! And, of course, having a driver, a guide, and a home in a safe neighbourhood most certainly helped.
Booking a Trip with India For Beginners
India can be daunting to visit if you’re, say, over the age of 25 and no longer a carefree backpacker. Somehow, the country had become increasingly vast to me and dealing with the chaos felt insurmountable. Plus, those memories of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no answers were pretty domineering. That is, until I connected with Mariellen.
“I know India can be a challenging travel destination, especially for first timers,” says Mariellen. “The biggest challenge facing first time travellers to India is the scammers, con men, and touts. They are insidious and can ruin your trip. Sadly, the hospitality sector is riddled with scammers. Even companies that seem totally legit often cheat tourists.”
With India For Beginners, however, you’re in good hands. Their “I Love Delhi Tours” have been created to counter Delhi’s reputation and showcase all the magic that can be uncovered in India’s buzzy metropolis.
The booking procedure includes emails and/or Zoom calls, allowing you to finesse your itinerary and have all your concerns addressed. You can expect a pre-departure email with finalized details including key phone numbers, where you’ll be picked up at the airport, and how to get a SIM card upon arrival. No matter what, you can trust that your driver, shopping companion, or homestay family always have your best interests at heart. Plus, there’s tons of info on the website itself and on Breathedreamgo.
If you’re keen to travel as sustainably as possible, note that India For Beginners strives to supporting local businesses and encourages responsible travel. “As an example, we usually put a stop at Wildlife SOS on our itineraries that include driving from Delhi to Agra,” Mariellen notes. A leading elephant sanctuary in India, Wildlife SOS rescues abused elephants and takes care of them. “We don’t allow any elephant riding on our tours, or any other forms of animal cruelty,” Mariellen says.
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My Delhi Home: Prakash Kutir
A major reason why I enjoyed my return to Delhi so much was my home-away-from-home: Prakash Kutir. Run by Ajay and Savita Gupta, and anchored by son Sagar, this lovely bed and breakfast is located in a gated community in posh South Delhi.
If you’re looking for an authentic Indian experience and true hospitality, this is how to do it. In the lead up to the Commonwealth Games, a freshly-retired Ajay and Savita decided to open up their home to guests, starting with two rooms and eventually expanding to six. This is far from a low-key retirement, but they wear it so well!
Every morning I sipped coffee on my shared terrace as the city began to stir. My room was comfy, with a king bed, desk and TV, two fans plus air conditioning, as well as a little kitchenette. A common area was positioned directly outside my room next to a larger kitchen, while the family’s kitchen-slash-living area was on the main floor.
Breakfast is included with your room, and the Indian meal on offer switched up daily, depending on what was fresh. (Toast and jam is available for those who fancy it.) Should you want to tuck into some dinner, just text the family a few hours beforehand to let them know. (Note that, unlike breakfast, this is an additional cost.) Regardless of the meal, the cooking was excellent. They even made their own tamarind sauce and chutneys!
It was wonderful returning after a bustling day and connecting with the Guptas—and other travellers—over a warm, hearty meal. “We always enjoy having discussions with our guests and getting to know them over food,” says Sagar. It’s clear that, for guests, the feeling is mutual; it’s a brilliant way to experience Delhi.
My Custom Delhi Tour
“There are so many reasons I like Delhi, and so many reasons to visit this city,” Mariellen notes. Since she started visiting India on the regular, it’s always been her home base. Delhi, a huge hub and the closest airport to the Taj Mahal, is quite often where tourists will land to start their journeys, with many keen to do the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur).
“I know that Delhi does not have a good reputation due to the massive size of the city, the traffic, the air pollution, and the worst crime rate in India,” Mariellen says. “Nevertheless, I feel Delhi is underrated—mostly because tourists have no idea how to ‘do Delhi right.’”
As someone keen to truly do it right, we planned a three-day itinerary that took into account what I’d already seen, my interests, and the unavoidable force that is jet-lag. Upon Mariellen’s recommendation, I took it relatively easy on the first day.
India For Beginners: Delhi Day 1
After a morning stroll, I was whisked away by my driver to Connaught Place for a quick tour. Then I checked out the shopping stalls at Janpath, where I discovered an artisan market that was set up for Diwali.
Soon it was off to The Imperial New Delhi Hotel—an iconic property that’s been around since 1936 and is positively swimming in history. I got an informative tour of the city oasis, which also happens to be an art gallery thanks to the presence of some 5,500 Indo-European artworks onsite.
The spa, however, was the main draw. I dabbled in a bubble bath before enjoying the signature massage, a treatment complete with hot moisturizing candles that were massaged into my sore muscles, truly bringing me back to life after my 15 hour flight.
My day ended with a sumptuous dinner at The Spice Route, a restaurant with breathtaking murals and a menu that skipped across South East Asia and never faltered.
India For Beginners: Delhi Day 2
The next day was all about shopping. I was joined by Liz Hartman Sitaraman. Liz is a bubbly American uni prof and fashion designer who decamped to Delhi due to her deep-seated love of textiles. And the urge that to experience something different! As you can imagine, India is brimming with incredible talent. Already a fan of some local brands, Liz introduced me to more local talent and suggested an itinerary that took Delhi traffic into account. (Very key, as I quickly learned.)
We swung by HP Singh, a fabric shop with some brilliant textiles from across the country. I got some vintage Rabari neckpieces from Kutch, Gujarat. Next we headed to Dahn Mills, a trendy shopping district with local fashion brands like NorBlack NorWhite, Bohame, and Rkive City. The latter stole my heart. Designer Ritwik Khanna was taught at Parsons in NYC before making it his mission to salvage North American textile waste and transform it into supercool pieces. I bought some incredible culottes and they were tailored to fit on the spot!
Our busy day ended at the Dastkar Nature Bazaar, an artisan market with crafts from across the subcontinent. If only I had a giant shipping container I could’ve filled (not to mention the home and the funds). One can dream.
India For Beginners: Delhi Day 3
The final day was all about culture with some food. My guide for the day—Gagan—was a highly intelligent man who was a veritable encyclopedia on all things India. Politics, religion, international affairs, food…you name it, he had a story.
We started at the famed Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, before weaving through the busting Dariba Kalan, taking in all the sights, sounds, and occasional bites.
Lunch was at a restaurant established in 1875. We also popped by a Sikh temple and I handed out chapati to diners. (All Sikh temples offer food to anyone who needs it, ensuring nobody goes hungry.) We toured the breathtaking gardens of Humayun’s Tomb where Delhi’s youth try to find love. The busy day ended at Agrasen ki Baoli, an impressive stepwell that is surprisingly tranquil. A very thorough and informative tour.
Throughout my tour, I kept in contact with Ujjwal, who was fast to answer my questions on WhatsApp. The Prakash Kutir family was also always eager to help, and they had lots of recommendations for those moments when my time wasn’t already booked up. My driver, Yadav, was on time at Prakash Kutir every morning—no small feat in the traffic, trust me. Overall, my Delhi stopover was as smooth as silk—especially compared to my chaotic memories of India.
Overall, I had a truly wonderful tour of Delhi and my love of India has been reignited. Now the only question is: where shall I explore next?
