India - Holi Festivals Photography Tour.

Take brilliant portraits in the Festival of Colours.

The Tour.

Join Nathan on an extraordinary photographic journey through India's most vibrant celebrations, where ancient traditions explode into a kaleidoscope of colour, devotion, and joy. Our carefully crafted Holi festival tour takes us beyond the typical tourist experience, deep into the spiritual heartland of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, where this magnificent festival is celebrated with unparalleled authenticity and passion.

Beginning in Delhi, we venture to the sacred villages of Barsana and Nandgaon, the legendary birthplaces of Radha and Krishna, where Holi traditions date back centuries. In Barsana, we witness the unique Lathmar Holi celebrations, where local women playfully defend their temple with bamboo sticks in streets already soaked in vibrant colors. In Nandgaon, we strategically organise our day to witness the final invasion of the temple and gather for Samaj: singing, dancing and other rituals. The theatrical nature of these encounters, combined with the participants' elaborate costumes and genuine devotion, creates extraordinary opportunities to capture dramatic action and intimate human moments.

Our journey continues to the sacred city of Mathura, renowned as the birthplace of Lord Krishna and rich in spiritual and cultural heritage, where the festival takes on a profound spiritual significance. The early morning boat trip to Dwarkadeesh temple offers breathtaking opportunities to photograph pilgrims performing ancient sun salutations as dawn breaks over the sacred Yamuna River. The contrast between the serene devotional practices and the afternoon's explosive color celebrations provides remarkable variety for your portfolio.

From the spiritual intensity of Mathura, we transition to the timeless beauty of Agra, where the iconic Taj Mahal serves as a magnificent backdrop. Our strategic pre-sunrise arrival ensures you capture this wonder of the world in magical early morning light, before the crowds. The afternoon explorations of traditional bazaars offer rich street photography opportunities with authentic interactions, before visiting Agra Fort just before sunset.

The tour's climax unfolds in Rajasthan, where we experience authentic village Holi celebrations in the intimate setting of Pachewar. This 350-year-old fort provides both a stunning heritage accommodation and the perfect vantage point for photographing the main Holi festival as it erupts throughout the village streets. The smaller scale and warm community atmosphere ensure countless opportunities for respectful, authentic photography while participating in this joyous celebration. We then intend to invite some locals back to the fort for our own private Holi and a firework display that we hope will give you more controlled Holi shots.

Our final cultural immersion takes us to Bagru village, renowned for its centuries-old block printing traditions. Here, we document the entire artisanal process, from hand-carved wooden blocks to the careful stamping, dyeing, and drying of beautiful textiles spread across open fields. The intricate craftsmanship, vibrant colours, and welcoming artisans provide compelling close-up photography opportunities that showcase India’s rich artistic heritage and living traditions.

As always, our tour is led by Nathan, whose extensive experience and established relationships with local communities ensure you gain access to authentic moments while developing your photography skills. His expertise in both cultural sensitivity and technical guidance will help you create a portfolio that captures not just the spectacular visual feast of Holi, but the deeper spiritual and cultural significance of this extraordinary celebration.

This isn't simply about documenting a festival – it's an invitation to immerse yourself in India's most joyous celebration, where ancient devotion meets explosive colour in an unforgettable photographic adventure. We have designed this tour for experienced and advanced photographers who can keep up with the fast-paced itinerary, although Nathan will be on hand to provide guidance throughout the journey, ensuring that you capture the most stunning shots possible. Join us on this memorable photographic voyage through the Holi festivities of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Photo Highlights.

  • Woman beating man at Lathmar celebrations in Barsana holi

    Barsana Holi

    Lathmar celebrations

  • Village of Nandgaon Ki Holi celebrations, Uttar Pradesh, India.

    Nandgaon Holi

    Festival of colour

  • Samaj ceremony at Nandgaon Holi festivalUttar Pradesh, India.

    Samaj

    Unique Holi rituals

  • Mathura river bank, Uttar Pradesh, India.

    Mathura

    Where Krishna spent his childhood

  • Taj-Mahal-at-sunrise-Agra-India.

    Taj Mahal

    First through the door

  • Portrait of lady Rajasthan India

    Portraits

    Endless opportunities

  • Alternative view of Taj Mahal Agra India

    River Trip

    Alternative view of the Taj Mahal

  • Holi street party Rajasthan India.

    Private Holi

    Our own Holi party

  • Holi-celebrations-in-small-village-India.

    Street Holi

    Rajasthan village

  • Paint-thrown-in-face-at-Holi-Rajasthan-India

    Off the beaten track

    Spontaneous stops

  • Printed-textile-village-India

    Bagru

    Textile village

  • Hawa-Mahal-Jaipur-Rajasthan-India.

    Jaipur

    Hawa Mahal

Check out our photo book below:

Here’s a photo book we made from the tour in 2025. We’ll provide you with templates (including suggested text) and help you to upload your own images, so that you can make your own on the tour and print it when you get home.

Tour Details.

Established in 2018

Duration: 12 days, 11 nights, 10 days of shooting

Dates and Prices

2026

February 23 - March 6

US$6550

2027

March 13 - 24

US$6750

Past participants will get a special discount.

Our fee includes hotels, entrance fees, breakfast, bottled water throughout the tour, as well as all transport including airport transfers. This tour also includes one internal flight. We base our fee on accommodation in a single room, (always A/C with private bathroom) though we offer discounts for couples sharing rooms, as well as for non-photographers. If you need help with insurance for this tour, please let us know and we can put you in touch with a broker that should be able to help you.

Our Itinerary.

  • Girl playing Holi in Mathura, India

    Day 1

    Arrive any time: Enjoy free transfer to your hotel

    Sunset: Meet Nathan and the group

    Sleep: Delhi Aerocity hotel

  • Man at Laddu sweet holi in Barsana, India.

    Day 2

    Sunrise: Breakfast

    AM: Barsana drive

    PM: Laddu (sweet) Holi

    Sunset: Shri Radha Rani Temple

    Sleep: Barsana hotel

  • Holi, the festival of colour in Barsana, India

    Day 3

    Sunrise: Rest

    AM: Process pictures

    PM: Barsana Holi - Lathmar celebrations

    Sunset: Krishna and Radha battle it out

    Sleep: Barsana hotel

  • Nandgaon Holi Lathmar festival celebrations in Mathura, India

    Day 4

    Sunrise: Rest

    AM: Process pictures

    PM: Nandgaon Holi festival

    Sunset: Samaj rituals

    Sleep: Barsana hotel

  • Mathura-river-side-Uttar-Pradesh-India

    Day 5

    Sunrise: Rest

    AM: Drive to Vrindavan

    PM: Back street walk Mathura

    Sunset: Yamuna river boat trip

    Sleep: Vrindavan hotel

  • View across river of Taj Mahal Agra India

    Day 6

    Sunrise: Vrindavan ghats

    AM: Drive to Agra

    PM: Check-in to hotel

    Sunset: Taj Mahal from river

    Sleep: Agra luxury hotel

  • Life on the river at Agra India.

    Day 7

    Sunrise: Taj Mahal - first in the door

    AM: Taj Mahal - from the boat

    PM: Old market

    Sunset: Agra Fort

    Sleep: Agra luxury hotel

  • Portrait-of local man-Rajasthan-India

    Day 8

    Sunrise: Free

    AM: Drive to Karauli

    PM: City Palace

    Sunset: Private Dance

    Sleep: Vilas Palace

  • Roadside-flower-stall-Rajasthan-India.

    Day 9

    Sunrise: Palace grounds

    AM: Drive to Pachewar

    PM: Walk around town

    Sunset: Local Ghats

    Sleep: Pachewar Garh Fort

  • Local-man-covered-in-Holi-paint-Rajasthan-India.

    Day 10

    Sunrise: Free time

    AM: Pachewar Holi

    PM: Fort Holi (special arrangement)

    Sunset: Fireworks

    Sleep: Pachewar Garh Fort

  • Happy-passangers-on-roof-taxi-jeep-Rajasthan-India

    Day 11

    Sunrise: Drive to Dudu

    AM: Bagru textile village

    PM: Wholesale market

    Sunset: Palace of the Winds

    Sleep: Jaipur boutique hotel

  • Young kid covered in paint during Calcutta Holi festival

    Day 12

    Early morning flight to Delhi

    Depart at any time

    Enjoy airport/hotel transfer if you need

    Bon Voyage

Make the dream a reality.

Tuition.

On any of our tours, stunning photography is the name of the game, and our objective is for you to leave with a collection of images that you'll be proud to show off. Indeed, many of our past participants have gone on to win awards and competitions with photographs taken on our tours.

Nathan’s teaching approach is very hands-on, as he believes in learning by doing. He will guide you through technical challenges, provide artistic inspiration, and lead by example in approaching locals for great portraits. You'll be amazed at the striking and authentic images you'll be able to capture.

We also offer Lightroom workshops during our tours, where we cover workflow management and picture processing. We'll show you the tools to take your travel photography to the next level and provide tips on saving your pictures for various outputs like social media, e-books, and printing.

Where we stay.

  • A luxury hotel room in Mathura, India

    Single rooms

    Unlike many other tours, we assume that you will want a private room to yourself. We do not charge a single-person supplement but we do offer a discount if you choose to share a room if you are travelling with a partner or friend. We are very competitively priced, but we don’t cut corners on accommodation; on the contrary, others can charge more for less, and we have no hidden costs.

  • Hotel forecourt overlooking the Ganges river in Varanasi, India

    Great locations

    We have gone to great lengths to secure the best accommodation available in most locations to enhance your overall sense of being in India. You can guarantee comfortable rooms wherever we stay, and most also offer fabulous photography opportunities right on your doorstep.

  • Best accommodation in Pashewar

    Our own Holi

    For India’s real Holi, we have decided to head to Pachewar. Using the famous fort as our accommodation and base, we will enjoy being at the center of the action. In the morning, we will join the street Holi celebrations on our doorstep, and in the afternoon, we will host our own Holi party with music, paint, and fireworks. We hope to invite the village to come to us and collaborate in creating great photo opportunities under our own control.

TripAdvisor.

Jon B - March 2024

Fantastic Holi.

I went on the Holi tour with Nathan and had a fantastic time fully immersed in the festival itself, placed in the heart of the action it was an experience of a lifetime.

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