India

India

India, a unique country and civilisation, is a mindboggling potpourri of sights, sounds, colours and experiences as well as a culture-shock of astonishing contrasts.

Immerse yourself in this tour and prepare for a revamp of any preconceptions towards one of the world’s ‘must-see’ destinations! The jewel of our tour is surely the Taj Mahal in the early morning, when its colours and ethereal beauty is at its most amazing. We’ll see the real India, a subcontinent that covers the full gamut of evolution, from the natural world, including the nation’s unofficial symbol, the tiger, in Ranthambore, through the Rajasthan forts and palaces of the Moghul Empire, to the more recent Raj and British colonial influence.

India is not all history and architecture – genuine Indian cuisine is far more varied and interesting than what we are used to at home. From a simple hot chapatti fresh from the oven to the delicate spices of Kheer, a sweet rice pudding, a trip to India will change your view of Indian cookery. Our India tour encompasses the very best of northern India, ensuring a lifetime of truly amazing memories.

What's included:

• 10 nights’ accommodation in three, four or five-star hotels
• Daily breakfast, 3 lunches and 5 dinners
• Return flights and transfers
• 8 included experiences
• Expert tour manager
• Welcome drink & dinner (2027 only)
• Average group size of 22 guests (2027 ony)
• Checked luggage
• 2 local guides on most guided tours (2027 only)
• Maximum 36 guests on all Classic tours

Highlights:

• Experience a wonderful tour of northern India’s ‘Golden Triangle’ - see the breathtaking Taj Mahal bathed in soft morning light, and marvel at the extraordinary location and beauty of Amber Fort, home of one of India’s most powerful maharajas.
• Visit all the major sights of both Old and New Delhi on city tours.
• Enjoy a guided tour of the 400-year-old deserted Moghul city of Fatehpur Sikri.
• Embark on a driving safari in Ranthambore National Park, the best place in India to spot the elusive tigers.
• Explore the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur, capital of the desert kingdom of Rajasthan with a guided city tour.

Day 1: Departure

Begin your journey to Delhi.

Day 2: Arrival in New Delhi

Embark on a guided tour of New Delhi and stay at the five-star Le Meridien Hotel.

On arrival, we transfer to the five-star Le Meridien Hotel for one night. After a short rest we commence our guided tour of New Delhi. The city centre, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911, is bisected by wide, tree-lined avenues, a hub which clearly reflects the Raj legacy and home to the former Viceroy’s Palace, now the Presidential Palace.

Heading down the imposing Rajpath, we pass India Gate and the Parliament building. We’ll visit some of Delhi’s older monuments, including the Qutub Minaret, started in 1199, which is the tallest stone built tower in India.

A buffet dinner is included tonight.

• Guided tour of New Delhi
• Stay at Le Meridien Hotel - New Delhi

Day 3: Old Delhi

Explore further into the city on a tour of Old Delhi, starting with the Raj Ghat, and stopping off at the Red Fort and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Temple.

This morning we continue our city tour, first visiting Old Delhi, starting with the Raj Ghat, a fittingly simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. We also visit the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Temple, one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwaras - or Sikh house of worship - in Delhi.

We leave Delhi in the afternoon for our drive to Agra, arriving at our four-star Oberoi Trident hotel, in the late afternoon.

• Guided tour of Old Delhi
• Visit the Raj Ghat
• Visit the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Temple
• Stay at Oberoi Trident Hotel - Agra

Day 4: Taj Mahal

Rise early to catch the sun rising over the Taj Mahal, with a visit to the vast red sandstone Agra Fort.

We rise early to catch the sun rising over the Taj Mahal. In the soft morning light, as the mist rises from the Yamuna River behind it, the Taj Mahal seems to float, mirage-like, above the surrounding landscape. A combination of extraordinary beauty, symmetry and history makes this wonder of the world one of the most amazing monuments on the planet and you will have plenty of time to admire it from all angles.

Moving on, we continue our tour with a visit to the vast red sandstone Agra Fort. Completed in 1573, it was the headquarters of the Mughal Empire, boasting vast size and opulence, its buildings make it more of a walled palace than a fort.

In the evening you have the option of completing a wonderful day with another visit to the Taj Mahal, to witness the shrine at sunset.

• Visit the Taj Mahal
• Visit the Agra Fort

Day 5: Fatehpur Sikri

Head towards the ancient abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri and enjoy lunch at the Laxmi Villas Palace in Bharat.

Leaving Agra this morning we continue towards the ancient, abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, built in 1571, as Emperor Akbar’s imperial capital. Although it was mysteriously abandoned just 15 years later, it remains in a remarkable state of preservation, with numerus palaces, wide courtyards and beautiful carvings.

We stop for lunch (included) at the the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Bharat before going on to the railway station to catch the Shatabdi Express for our comfortable two-and-a-half-hour journey to Ranthambore National Park.

Originally the private hunting preserve of Maharajahs, its 400 square kilometres of forested rolling hills, valleys and lakes form a unique ecosystem. Started in 1973, India’s famous Tiger Project was created to protect the country’s tiger population. Despite many difficulties, the tigers of Ranthambore have survived and numbers have stabilised.

• Visit Fatehpur Sikri
• Enjoy lunch at the Laxmi Villas Palace in Bharat
• Stay at Ranthambore Regency

Day 6: Rathamnbore Tiger Safari

Prepare for an early morning start as we head out to Ranthambore safari to try and spot the elusive tigers.

An early start this morning is worth the sacrifice as we head out to the park for our safari using specially built, 20-person, open-top four-wheel drive vehicles known as ‘canters’. After many years of conservation, Ranthambore is now the best place to spot tigers in India, but the reserve is about more than tigers – over 300 bird species have been counted including impressive, crested eagles, painted stork and wild peacocks.

The park’s residents also include large numbers of sambars, the largest Asian antelope, as well as marsh crocodiles, wild boar and rare sloth bears and leopards. Look out for the playful troop of black-faced langur monkeys near the main entrance gate.

We return to our hotel in the late morning, with time to relax before and after lunch. In the afternoon we take our second trip into the park for another chance to spot the elusive tigers.

Dinner is included this evening.

• Ranthambore tiger safari

Day 7: Jaipur

Journey north to the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur for a guided tour of its ancient highlights.

Leaving Ranthambore after breakfast we head north to the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. Our afternoon tour will cover all the major highlights of this ancient city. The famous Hawa Mahal, known as the Palace of Winds, is one of our first stops before we continue to the Astronomical Observatory constructed in 1726 and on to the City Palace, still home to the present Maharajah of Jaipur, where we’ll view collections of costumes, carpets, paintings and the impressive armoury.

Our hotel for the next two nights is the new four-star Marriott Jaipur.

• Guided tour of Jaipur
• Stay at Jaipur Marriott Hotel

Day 8: Amber Fort

Witness the remarkable hall of mirrors as we visit the immense Amber Fort.

This morning another highlight, on a tour of highlights: you’ll visit the immense Amber Fort, located in the hills just a short drive out of Jaipur. Sampling all the most fascinating sights, our guided tour includes the sections reserved for the Maharajah’s wives and concubines as well as the remarkable hall of mirrors, with tiny delicate convex mirrors embedded like a mosaic in the walls and ceilings.

• Guided tour of the Amber Fort

Day 9: Rajasthan

Head north into rural Rajasthan, stopping at the historical site of Alisar.

Heading north deeper into rural Rajasthan, we'll pass small villages and towns on our way to the Sekhawati region of the state and the village of Alsisar. Once part of India's Silk Road, over the years the merchants here grew very rich, building luxurious mansions known as ‘havelis’ to display their wealth with magnificent frescoed walls. Though most have been abandoned, the imposing and luxurious residence of the local kings has been lovingly restored as a Heritage hotel.

This afternoon we'll take a guided walk through the village to explore the best examples of the havelis and see the locals going about their day.

• Walking tour of Alsisar
• Stay at Alsisar Mahal

Day 10: New Delhi

Travel back to Delhi for the final night of our tour. After breakfast we head back to Delhi and the last night of our tour, at the five-star Hyatt Regency Delhi Hotel.

Dinner is included this evening.

• Stay at Le Meridien Hotel - New Delhi

Day 11: Return home

Say goodbye and start your journey home after a once-in-a-lifetime tour.