HEY MUM, LET'S WALK WITH ELEPHANTS

I've always envied people who go on real I adventures with their kids - you know the ones: they simply throw a change of clothes into a rucksack and head for the Taj Mahal, babies swinging contentedly in their papooses. For me, organ-ising a trip to the local park is hard enough. So the idea of planning an excursion to a faraway subcontinent with children in tow sounds a tad overwhelming.

I'm not known for my navigation skills, either. When we had a few hours in Paris recently, we missed the Eiffel Tower altogether (I took a wrong turn). And while on holiday in Spain last year it took me more than an hour to work out which way the sea was - and we were staying in a beachfront hotel. So the only way I'll ever manage a trip to a place as thrillingly vast and far away as India is if someone else does all the organising for me.

Fortunately, there are an increasing number of family friendly operators out there willing to do exactly that. Take the Adventure Company (0845-450 5316; adventurecompany.co.uk). The joy of these very nice people is that they'll do all the stuff I'm no good at and they'll also make sure my brood won't miss any important sights. This operator is particularly good at planning "beginners" itineraries for families taking their first tentative steps into India.

The Tiger Trails and Taj Mahal Family Holiday, for example, features highlights such as a train journey to Agra to see the Taj Mahal at dawn and a two-night safari in Ranthambore National Park, which boasts leopards, crocodiles and tigers. For the even more adventurous, check out its trip to the foothills of the Himalayas, where you get to do whitewater rafting as well as tiger spotting and camp on the banks of the Ganges.

Responsible Travel (01273 600030; responsibletravel .com) has some very well-thought out family agendas in India, too. All its holidays feature the assistance of trained guides to keep you informed en route. The "Poppadums and Palaces" trip will have you and your mini-adventurers indulging in some serious spice tasting, and there's safari and rickshaw rides through Old Delhi, with two nights in a sand-dune camp thrown in for good measure.

Other reputable companies include Explore (0870-333 4001; explore.co.uk) and Exodus (0870-950 0039; exodus.co.uk). If you fancy something a little more sedentary there's a lot of luxury on offer in India too. The splendid Wildflower Hall (00 91 177 264 8585; oberoi hotels.com), a five-star fairy-tale residence at the foothills of the Himalayas, is the perfect place to explore the mountain trails. Book with Cox and Kings (020-7873 5000; coxandkings.co.uk) to organise your stay here as well as two nights in Delhi.

As for Indian beachside luxury, Scott Dunn (020-8682 5075; scottdunn.com) has just the thing. It features an irresistible family sojourn in Kerala, where you stay in the Malabar House in Cochin. Staff cater to your every whim at this little gem set in tropical gardens with a swimming pool, only a minute's walk from the harbour and glorious beaches.

For total peace and quiet, though, head inland and stay in the hilltop Serenity Hotel (see Scott Dunn, or call 0091 484 221 6666; malabar house.com) a private catered villa set in tropical spice gardens. It comes with its own resident elephant, Laxmi, who can be taken out for a trip around the estate. The kids will love that. And as long as he knows his way back, I'll be fine....

Katy's top tip

Time your trip to catch one of the colourful and entertaining annual festivals. In Jaipur, for example, there's the Elephant Festival in March or the Kite Festival in January (festivals.tajon line.com). Real Holidays (020-7359 3938; real holidays.co.uk) features a 10-night Golden Triangle holiday to Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore and Jaipur, including festivals.

Katy Holland (k.holland@ independent.co.uk) is associate editor of 'Mother and baby' and 'Pregnancy and birth' magazines

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