Itinerary Textile Treasure Hunt 2025
Join our fully escorted jaunt for the curious and adventurous who want to weave through crowds and poke around in the back laneways of Old Delhi.
Experience the thrill of packed bazaars. Learn to duck and weave the guys with huge bundles on their backs as you look for the ultimate button shop.
Get ready to use the metro and tuktuks to get into all the best markets. It will be amazing and fun, for sure.
How to navigate our new world.
- You need to keep your wits about you – everyone is focused on their jobs, the streets are busy and alive. It is easy to get distracted and stand in the middle of a pathway, step to the side, don’t stop in the middle of it all.
- You are perfectly safe as long as you don’t get in the way of tuktuks and blokes carrying heavy loads.
They have right of way and you need to take notice. - Use a cross body bag- zipped up. We are visiting areas that are busy and known for local wholesale shopping – everyone carries cash and pickpockets might find that interesting.
- It is a fun world, take a big smile and awareness of others hard at work, you’ll have a great visit.
Preparations
If your phone has data- you can use Google Maps
If you won’t have data download Maps.me and the maps for Delhi.
We can mark our meeting points.
Basically, we will have pre-arranged meeting places so we can re-group.
This is the ultimate fabric crawl- bring empty suitcases- your stash will LOVE you!
| Tour: | Textile Treasure Hunt 2025 |
| Dates: | 15 to 24 February. 2025 |
| Group size LIMIT 10 | |
| Solo Traveller ONLY solo rooms available | AU$4220 Note you need to be physically active and prepared for crowds and to carry your shopping- we have to use a lot of public transport to get to the good places. [Approx. US$2800 on 21.3.24] |
| Deposit: | Au$ 1780 due today secures your place |
| Last date for Early Bird Bonus: | 15 July, 2024 Book in by this date and receive AU$200 rebate and our appreciation |
| Date full payment due: | 15 October, 2024 |
| Airport for arrival | Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India |
| Airport for Departure | Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India |
| All prices in Australian Dollars. You can check online for equivalent in your currency. A site like www.wise.com or www.xe.com can quote on current exchange rates. They also reliably handle funds transfer with low fees. |
Booking link OPEN
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Itinerary Textile Treasure Hunt 2025
| day | Location & activity | meals |
| Day 1 Sat 15.2.25 | Stay New Delhi | |
| Arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India | ||
| Airport pickup any time night or day | ||
| We stay in a comfortable hotel in Green Park our first night. | ||
| Tomorrow, we transfer to our private bungalow nearby. Each guest has a private double-bed room with ensuite and TV- we share a kitchen and living area. If you were coming to Delhi to source product this is the option you would probably take. It gives us space to check out our stash. | ||
| We are living like locals [in flash and fancy South Delhi] – there are staff to clean our bungalow, wash up each day and help out. Choice of breakfast options available each day. Lunch will often out be as we wander. Dinner- we can will cook together some evenings- help and learn some Indian recipes with me. OR there are so many great restaurants nearby… as well as a day spa in the local marketplace. | ||
| Day 2 Sun 16.2.24 | Stay New Delhi | B,D |
| We are taking it a bit easy on you today- to get you ready for the busy stuff. Using cars to get around. | ||
| Always visit the Gods before a journey in India. The Lakshmi Naryan Temple is a special place to start. | ||
| Lal Qila or Red Fort- iconic monument of Delhi, it is the wealth that built this great Fort that also led to the development of the wonderful markets of Old Delhi. Sunday so crowds to watch, beautiful old palace and a good historical display. I want you look across the main road and get an eyeful of the BUSY -that is where we are heading tomorrow. | ||
| We will pop into INA market on the way home for supplies and can take a look at what is on offer in Dilli Haart Craft Market. Sometimes it is a lot of dealers, sometimes there are real artisans invited to Delhi to showcase their wares. | ||
| Tuktuk training today as we head out to Hauz Khas Village for our Welcome Dinner. | ||
| Day 3 Mon 17.2.24 | Stay New Delhi | B, L |
| 10.00 am start to catch the Metro [markets and shops don’t get going until 11.00am] Before catching the metro, we will plot our route to make sure we all end up at the same place. Again, I don’t intend to lose you but good to be organized. | ||
| We are off to Chandni Chowk and will then walk to Kinari Bazaar. This narrow alley is home to many, many sparkle and bling shops, beautiful braids and all types of decorations. Fun to squeeze into little shops and inspect what is available. | ||
| Halfway along on the right is a peaceful cul-de-sac with lovely old mansions- perfect spot to stop and take a break from the busy bazaar. | ||
| We will meet at the T intersection at the end of the lane and visit a nearby Old Mansion for lunch. Haveli Dharampura, built in 1887 CE it has been tastefully restored and offers an excellent lunch. It was awarded a special mention in UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2017 | ||
| Visit the Sikh Temple on the way back to the metro- it is a haven of peace in busy Old Delhi. | ||
| Heading home via metro. | ||
| Day 4 Tues 18.2.25 | Stay New Delhi | B,L |
| 10.00 am heading out via car to Seelampur Cloth Market. This place is huge and busy, you could spend hours or days here to look at every stall. It is a remainders market- left over metres from commercial production runs. I know a place that has beautiful silk and linen and I am sure we will find other treasures as we wind our way through the market, taking care of the passing rickshaws and motorbikes. | ||
| After lunch we will visit the workshop and warehouse of Pero by Aneeth Arora www.instagram.com/ilovepero . Exquisite details and handmade finish is the signature of this inspiring designer. Inspiration for using your treasures.. | ||
| Day 5 Wed 19.2.25 | Stay New Delhi | B |
| 10.00am metro to RK Ashram Marg | ||
| Then electric rickshaw into the busy, busy Sadar Bazaar Market. This is the place for wholesale glitzy decorations, bangles and sparkly baubles, haberdashery, buttons, zips by the millions, scissors, thread and so much more. It is amazing to poke around and see what you can see- all the while keeping out of the road of the busy people hauling huge parcels on their shoulders, | ||
| Once we have checked it all out, we will meet at the intersection at the other end. Take electric rickshaws to the Spice Market area of Old Delhi. Do you want to buy varq- edible silver to decorate your cakes back home? We will walk through the wedding market- so beautiful. | ||
| Lunch in Parantha Gali- this little lane has served up the best paratha [stuffed Indian breads] since 1870. It is always busy and a treat to feast here. | ||
| Metro to haul our finds home. | ||
| Day 6 Thurs 20.2.25 | Stay New Delhi | B,D |
| I expect you will be a little tired by now, your mind reeling at all you have seen so today is a slow day. | ||
| We will catch the Shatabdi Express to Chandigarh, breakfast is served on the train. We will have time to relax, read, work on our notes or stitch. | ||
| Chandigarh is quiet compared to Delhi, filled with trees and parks, such a contrast. It is a planned city and famous for buildings designed by Corbusier and The Rock Garden. | ||
| We will be visiting The Rock Garden– it is an amazing bit of whimsy and wonderful place built of recycled materials. | ||
| Afternoon tea at a delicious sweets shop and then onto the train for our return trip. Dinner is served on the train. | ||
| Day 7 Fri 21.2.25 | Stay New Delhi | B, D |
| 10.00am metro we are heading to Mujna ka Tila- Tibetan Colony. India is home to the Dalai Lama and a huge number of Tibetan refugees. They are united in their efforts to keep their culture alive, and this community is their place in Delhi. Completely different items in the market and great restaurants for lunch. | ||
| In the afternoon we will head to Janpath, there is a side lane known for its second-hand textiles. | ||
| Just around the corner is a beautiful stepwell. It is not known how old it is, but it is thought to have been rebuilt in the 14th Century. Amazing little spot with modern Delhi just outside. | ||
| Dinner out tonight- I’ll book us into one of the great places nearby | ||
| Day 8 Sat 22.2.25 | Stay New Delhi | B |
| 10.00 am metro to Nehru Place. Passing through the IT market we are heading to the cloth market, amazing range of fabrics here. Let’s see what we can find. An excellent range of blockprint, ikat and natural dyed kalamkari as well as contemporary printed cloth. | ||
| Up market Khan Market – good book shops, check out beautiful designer clothes and homewares and enjoy lunch at a fancy café. | ||
| Day 9 Sun 23.2.25 | Stay New Delhi | B, D |
| Dastkar Bazaar visit today- their blurb. Dastkar is a private not-for-profit NGO established in 1981, working to support traditional Indian craftspeople, many of them women and village based, with the objective of helping craftspeople regain their place in the economic mainstream, in a country where the craft sector is second only to agriculture in providing employment. They usually have an excellent range of artisans exhibiting. | ||
| Afternoon free to pack and organize your stuff. | ||
| Day 10 Monday 24.2.25 | Departures Departures from | B |
| We’ll drop you to the airport |
Trip Includes
- pick-up & dropping to airport ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT
- accommodation on Single rooms
- group transport during trip- metro, car, tuk-tuk, train
- all sightseeing and activities listed in itinerary.
- breakfast and meals mentioned in itinerary
Trip Excludes
- Shopping!!
- airfares
- visa
- travel insurance
- laundry
- meals not mentioned in itinerary
- drinks and bottled water
- gratuities/ tips
India has been our neighbourhood for years- check our blog for some stories.
Creative Arts Safaris offers craft, textile & travel sketching tours to exotic locations.
We offer fully escorted small group tours and travelling workshops with respected tutors.
On tour we like to get our hands dirty taking workshops, exploring locations and culture. We include lots of local experiences as well as visiting iconic sites.
Crafts, travel sketching and textiles are our passion.
Our friendly groups are inclusive. They are companionable and well organized allowing a relaxed adventure, great for solo travellers.
They include pickup & drop to airport, accommodation, group travel, sightseeing, workshops, and most meals. Almost everything EXCEPT the shopping – that is your job. Help the local economy