The Essential India

Welcome to exotic India and its capital city, Delhi! Upon arrival at the airport, we will be greeted and transferred to our hotel for our 2 night stay. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. 

With our guide and coach we start our full day Delhi sightseeing tour with a panoramic drive through Old Delhi. Upon arrival at Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi’s major street and one of the oldest and busiest markets, we will hop onto a rickshaw and travel through narrow, crowded alleys that will give us a fascinating glimpse into a lifestyle that has not changed for centuries. Following lunch at a local restaurant (own expense), we continue to New Delhi and enjoy a photo stop at the India Gate.

From here, we proceed to Humanyun’s Tomb, a landmark in the development of Mughal architecture and the basis for the design of the famous Taj Mahal, which was built almost a hundred years later. Our last stop will be at the Qutab Minar, India’s tallest stone tower standing for eight centuries. We return to our hotel in the late afternoon. This evening we enjoy a ‘welcome to India’ dinner at the Lodi Garden Restaurant.

We depart Delhi by coach this morning and head west to Agra. Sit back and view the colourful chaos of daily life in the towns and villages en route: cows, cars, bicycles, motor scooters and everything in between is on display. On arrival, we check in to our hotel before joining our group for a guided tour of Agra Fort. After our tour we return to our hotel for an evening at leisure.

We are up early this morning for our sunrise visit to the world-famous Taj Mahal. Built on the east bank of the Yamuna Rive, the elegant memorizing Mogul architecture was built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife, who died in childbirth. Being described as “a teardrop on the cheeks of time”, it is “its perfect symmetry, the wonderful proportions, the sheer scale, the exquisite detailing covering every inch of marble that justifies it as a wonder of the world.”

After our visit, we return to our hotel for a relaxing breakfast before we board our coach to continue our journey by road to Fatephur Sikri (City of Victory), where we will meet our guide for a guided tour of this fairy-tale ghost city which was the temporary capital of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.

The grand ghost city was carved from red sandstone and only inhabited for 14 years before it was totally abandoned due to water shortages. From here we continue to Bharatpur for lunch at a local restaurant before boarding the train for our 2.5 hr trip to Sawai Madhopur, gateway to Ranthambore National Park and the tigers! Dinner is included tonight at our hotel.

We are up early this morning for our jungle safari in search of the elusive tiger. Our open-air safari vehicles will allow us to scan the landscape for good viewing. Later we return to our hotel for a much-deserved breakfast. We then head off to visit Ranthambore Fort and the Dastakar Centre before returning to our hotel for lunch.
For those keen to spot more tigers, an afternoon safari is included or you can choose to relax at the hotel. Dinner is included at the hotel this evening.

We continue our journey by road to the bustling city of Jaipur in the heart of Rajasthan. In contrast to other cities in India, Jaipur was designed with broad avenues in perfectly straight lines and cross-cutting streets with fascinating bazaars and marvelous palaces. The formal royal seat of the Maharahahs is also known as the “Pink City” as the buildings of the walled city were washed in a rich salmon color in honour of Queen Victoria when Prince Albert visited the city in 1853.

After lunch (own expense) we have the afternoon to explore the local markets which are filled with a vast array of product choices. This evening we take time to witness the fascinating aarti Hindu ceremony at Birla Temple.

We begin our full-day exploration of Jaipur with a visit to Amber Fort and an elephant ride (alternatively jeeps) to the main gates of the fortress where we will meet our guide. Later we take time for lunch (own expense) before continuing on our tour with a visit to the Palace of Winds. This beautiful decorated pink façade stands majestically at the heart of the city and provided the royal ladies with an opportunity to watch activities on the street below without exposing themselves.

Next, we are off to the City Palace, which is an amazing complex with various courtyards, connecting buildings, and fascinating museums displaying royal costumes and weaponry. Before going back to our hotel, we will visit Jantar Manar Observatory, one of the largest and best-preserved observatories built-in 1726. The observatory is equipped with solar instruments, which look like large, abstract sculptures, and are remarkably accurate in measuring celestial data.

Tonight we have a special treat as we transfer to the Sankotra Haveli to have dinner
with one of Jaipur’s “royal” families. Enjoy a night of fascinating chats with your hosts and learn more about past and present life in Jaipur.

After breakfast at the hotel, we head back to Delhi with a stop enroute for lunch (own expense). Due to the late flight departures, dayrooms at the Hotel Ibis Airport have been reserved for you to freshen up for the flight home. Dinner at the hotel is also included.

Arrive Home.