From heritage walks to food trails, guided tours go online

More than 350 guided tours across over 60 Indian cities are being brought online as part of an initiative aimed at making local cultural and heritage experiences easier to discover and book in advance.The initiative, launched through a partnership between MakeMyTrip and the Ministry of Tourism, covers walking, cycling, vehicle-based and multi-day tours, with experiences priced from ₹500.The catalogue includes tea tasting in Palampur, heritage activities in Agra, a ghost walk through Mussoorie, photography tours in Kolkata and block-printing sessions with artisans in Jaipur. Travellers can also explore experiences around the Ganges in Varanasi, local life in Goa and parts of Mumbai.Guided tours in India have traditionally depended heavily on on-arrival bookings, recommendations and local operators. Bringing them online could make information about availability and pricing more accessible while giving guides and local communities greater visibility among travellers.Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “Our guides, local experts and communities are the backbone of India's tourism value chain. This partnership gives them an opportunity to reach travellers directly and share India's stories.”Rajesh Magow, Executive Director and Group CEO of the travel platform, said, “India has never been short of stories worth telling. What has been missing is a way for travellers to discover and book them as easily as they book a flight or a hotel.”The initiative aligns with the government’s Incredible India and Dekho Apna Desh programmes and aims to encourage domestic travellers to explore local heritage, food, culture and communities through guided experiences.