Day to day itinerary
Day 1. Arrive in Delhi, sightseeing in Delhi
You are met at the airport in Delhi and transferred to your hotel. The day includes a sightseeing tour of Sir Edward Lutyens’ New Delhi, the garden city built in 1911 by the British. We also visit the Birla Mandir (Lakshminarayan Temple), the President’s House, Humayun's Tomb (the forerunner of the Taj Mahal), and the India Gate. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.
Day 2. Drive to the ‘Pink City’ – Jaipur - the Amber Fort and City Palace
A journey by road takes us to princely Jaipur. Jaipur, known as 'Pink City', was founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743) and is the capital of Rajasthan. It is a city of contrasts where camels and elephants wait at traffic lights along with cars and scooters. The whole city was painted Pink when the Prince of Wales, Edward VII, visited Jaipur in 1876. Today, every home in the city is obliged by law to maintain this façade. While in Jaipur, we visit the Amber Fort, the former capital of the royal family of Jaipur, taking an elephant ride to the top. Another highlight is the City Palace, the former royal residence built in a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal styles. The palace houses a museum with a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes and Mughal and Rajput weapons. We also visit the Jantar Mantar observatory and the Hawa Mahal. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel in Jaipur.
Day 3 - 4. Drive to Ranthambore, visit the Ranthambore Fort and jeep Safari to the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
These next days we spend in Rathambhore. Rathambhore is a wonderful game reserve, dominated by the ruined battlements of Ranthambhor Fort - one of the most dramatic and also mysterious forts in Rajasthan. It is one of the finest examples of the Hindu concept of a “vana-durg” or a fort protected by a jungle. The Fort was built in AD 944, the interiors today lie in splendid ruin. After visiting the fort we - of course - visit the Ranthambore National Park. The park has a core area of 158 square miles and is part of the Tiger conservation project. We go in the early morning and evening for game viewing by jeep safari. The Rathambhor tigers are famous - they are not merely nocturnal but rather often stalk their prey in full view of visitors. This has made Ranthambhore a favorite place for wildlife fans and photographers. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Ranthambore.
Day 5 - 6. Drive to Agra, visit the Taj Mahal and the Agra fort
Today we travel by coach to the Mughal splendor of Agra to visit Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. The Taj Mahel is one of the wonders of the world. It was built in 1652 by Emperor Shah Jahan. It took 22 years and 20,000 skilled artisans to complete. The Agra Fort lies across the river Jamuna. It was here that Aurangzeb, the third son of Shah Jahan, kept his father under house arrest. One can get a fantastic view of the Taj from the little octagonal tower in the Fort. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel in Agra.
Day 7. Agra - Delhi, we explore Old Delhi on cycle rickshaws, in the night transfer to airport,
Return to Delhi by road. Back in Delhi we visit the old city built by Emperor Shah Jahan. We visit the Red Fort, and then take a bicycle rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes to the Jama Masjid – the largest mosque in India.
After dinner, we transfer to the airport.