Distillation Apparatus for Essential Oil in Kannauj

‘Grasse of India’ – Kannauj (Perfume Making)

Kannauj is a small town between Lucknow and Agra, that has an older history of perfumeries than Grasse in France. Well connected with India’s best expressway, Lucknow-Agra, Kannuaj falls just about 2 hours away from Lucknow and about 2.5 hours from Agra and is a convenient stopover on this route.

Perfumes from Kannauj have a long history and have enjoyed royal patronage – they were worn by the Mughal Emperors for their high quality and unique scents. It is believed that Kannauj has been a perfumery town since more than 1000 years and the traditional perfume making skills of perfumers are passed on from one generation to another within the family. The traditional perfumes are called ‘Itar’ or ‘Attar’ and are usually made from flowers and herbs, but one of the unique varieties here is made from mud, where the scent of first monsoon rain on dry earth is captured to create a perfume. Very few would know, that some of the leading international brands of perfumes pick-up concentrates from here for further production, giving Kannauj perfumes an international reach.

Though a lot of world around Kannauj has changed, but the town of Kannauj still takes pride in producing perfumes in traditional ways and passing on the art within the family of perfumers. One can smell the fragrance even in the drains of Kannuaj, in which the residue from innumerable perfumeries flow.

We have curated a very exclusive experience around the perfume industry of Kannauj, as a great introduction and appreciation of the traditional art of perfume making, that has survived all the modern interventions in this field only to produce the best of fragrances.

Cost :

INR 17,000 per person (operates on minimum 2 guests)

Starting Time : 

8:30 – 9 am (Flexible)

Expected Duration : 

5-6 hours

Remarks : 

This is an exclusive tour.

Guests are picked up from their hotel in the city (Agra or Lucknow) and dropped in any hotel (Agra or Lucknow). The duration of this tour is about 5 hrs.

Best suited for guests travelling between Agra and Lucknow as an en route experience. Though may also be taken as an excursion from any of the two cities.

This tour is not conducted on Tuesday & Sunday and on any National Holiday.

This tour remains suspended for a fortnight after the Indian festivals of Diwali, Holi and Eid.

Programme…

  • Post breakfast pick up from any hotel in Lucknow/Agra and drive to Kannauj (2 / 2.5 hrs drive).
  • Reach Kannauj by 1100 hrs and start your tour by visiting the flower fields to understand the early morning plucking process (plucking of flowers takes place at sunrise, thus it is only possible to see this where an overnight stay is involved).
  • Break for lunch either at a local restaurant or enjoy a packed lunch within the perfumery
  • Later at the perfumery, understand the traditional art of developing the essential
  • After understanding the process, visit a perfume store to enjoy a tea session with a perfumer who will talk about different scents.
  • Tour will end at about 1600 to drive further to Lucknow/Agra (2 / 2.5 hours).


  • Inclusions
  • Exclusions

An exclusive air-conditioned car from and to Agra/Lucknow with an e route stop at Kannuaj.

Accompanying exclusive English speaking specialist guide.

Exclusive and privileged access to a perfumery.

Meals : Lunch (01), Tea & Refreshments as per programme.

Bottle of traditional essential-oil as giveaway.

Any meals, other than lunch and refreshments on board our transport or as mentioned in ‘Inclusions’.

Cost of overnight stay.

Tips & gratuities (at guests’ discretion).

Experiences