Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival - DelhiWhen you arrive in Delhi, you'll be collected by your private driver and taken to your hotel. You can choose from either a hotel situated about half an hour's drive from the airport or a charming hotel in Central Delhi, and ideal base to explore both the spice markets of Chandi Chowk and the modern bars of Connaught Place. Here, you can catch your breath and rest after your flight. In both hotels, you'll have a comfortable room with a private en-suite bathroom.

Day 2

Delhi - JaipurToday you'll be transferred to Jaipur by air-conditioned car, a trip which takes around 5 hours. The Pink City is a fantastic place to kick off a trip in India and during your two nights here you can relax, acclimatise, and explore. There is so much to see in this elegant and astonishing city that you could spend weeks here without getting bored. Jaipur centre is a lively mass of saris, saddhus, holy cows, spice markets, street vendors, camel carts, elephants, beggars, rickshaws, temples, forts and palaces.

In Jaipur, you'll stay in a cosy family hotel for a firsthand experience of typical Indian hospitality. Breakfast is served in the romantic English tea garden and the family will go out of their way to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. The rooms here are tastefully furnished in traditional Indian-style and several have four-poster beds.

Day 3

Jaipur - City tourToday, you'll take a guided tour of this remarkable city, visiting the City Palace, the Observatory and the fairy-tale Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal). In the afternoon, you'll visit the imposing Amber Fort that lies just outside the city limits. From the battlements of the Amber Fort, you'll have a wonderful view of the rocky hills and the smaller walls and forts constructed by the Rajputs and the Mughals in the area.

The City Palace and the Palace of the Winds both stand in the ancient quarter of the city. The City Palace has several beautiful museums with fascinating collections. If you see the flag flying, it means that the Maharaja is in residence. The Palace of the Winds is a world-famous, pyramid-shaped building with dozens of windows. This is where the women of the royal harem could watch the processions in the street below, unseen by the masses.

Day 4

Jaipur - Ranthambore National ParkToday, you'll depart from Jaipur and travel by car to Sawai Madhopur, near to Ranthambore. Here, you'll stay in a rustic resort set in beautiful landscaped rolling gardens. You stay in a lovely luxury safari tent with attached bathroom. The owner will have plenty of suggestions for fun activities during your stay. Towards the end of the day, your local guide will take you to Ranthambore Fort, a massive structure full of chattering monkeys and bright green parrots. Here, you can listen for the alarm calls of the gazelles and sambar deer below. If you hear them, there's a real chance that a tiger is on the prowl somewhere nearby. They often use the rocks for cover, so you might spot the end of a tell-tale striped tail waving back and forth in excitement. The success of the tiger project here is mainly due to the commitment of the local people, who are determined to keep their tiger population alive and growling. The jeep will stop to let the locals offer some souvenirs and you can support the tiger project by buying a memento (if you choose).

Day 5

Ranthambore National ParkToday, you'll set off on your first safari at sunrise, in either a jeep or a Canter (truck-based vehicle). This is the time of day when there are often a few tigers stalking around the lakes for a morning drink so, with a little luck, you'll spot one during the safari. Even without tigers, the trip over the sand tracks of Ranthambore is an enchanting experience at dawn. There are magnificently atmospheric views of the lakes, lined with all kinds of animals lapping up the glassy water. From time to time, you'll get a glimpse of the nostalgic hideouts of the maharajas through the undergrowth.

At the end of the morning, you'll return to your hotel for lunch. Afterwards, you'll have time for an afternoon snooze before your evening safari. You'll have around a 50/50 chance per safari of spotting a wild tiger (although this varies according to the season), but you'll certainly encounter gazelles, crocodiles, sambar deer, monkeys and all sorts of other creatures. Leopards are elusive and shy creatures, so you might miss them during your game drives, but now and again they do steal sheep from the local village.

Day 6

Ranthambore National Park - JaipurYou'll depart from Ranthambore during late morning after breakfast and you'll be taken back to the Pink City of Jaipur by air-conditioned car. You'll arrive in the early evening and spend another night in the welcoming family-run hotel.

Day 7

JaipurYou'll spend another night in the welcoming family-run hotel.Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is famous for textiles and jewellery. You can find both of these in abundance in the bazaar, which is one of the biggest, and perhaps the best, in the region. Equally, the pink-meringue-like cinema in Jaipur is famous for its flambuoyant design, making it the perfect place to catch a Bollywood film during your stay. Around a 1-hour drive from Jaipur, you'll find the amusement village of Chokhi Dhani, which celebrates Rajasthani traditions with palm-readers, snake-charmers, camel drivers, elephant rides, snacks, sweets, music and dancing. This is a fun-filled way to spend a spare evening.

Day 8

Jaipur - NawalgarhToday, you'll drive from Jaipur to Shekawati, a journey that takes around 3 hours. The roads will become ever smaller and dustier as you approach Nawalgarh. Finally, you'll arrive through a small, intriguing entrance at a group of clay huts. The friendly owners will welcome you warmly, and explain how their unique and sustainable accommodation works. The electricity comes from the sun, and the owner builds the attractive furniture with his own hands. Behind the huts, there is a piece of land with a buffalo and a vegetable garden and during your stay you'll eat delicious, home-grown, freshly prepared meals. Food will be served in the traditional style, on a plate of woven leaves. You can enjoy the peace of this idyllic spot, worlds away from the crowded chaos of the cities.

Day 9

Nawalgarh - Village tourThis morning, you'll take a guided walk through the old town of Nawalgarh. You will be welcomed into the artistically decorated havelis to see how the owners live in an open-air museum of quirky paintings. Colourful, bizarre artwork can be found on walls, ceilings, pillars and galleries. Each haveli is completely unique. The local people are heavily involved in tourism and you can support their community by buying a small memento (if you choose).After a tasty lunch, you'll set off in a camel cart to visit some of the smaller villages in the local area. Here, the people live a timeless lifestyle in the countryside, tending to their animals. They'll feel very honoured that you have come to take a look, as tourists don't generally travel this far into the Shekawati region. You'll then be brought back to the huts for a home-cooked and a steaming cup of chai.

Day 10

Nawalgarh - JaipurAfter breakfast you'll leave Nawalgarh and head back to Jaipur, where you'll check into the same lovely hotel as before for one final night. By now, you'll practically be part of the family. You can spend your free time haggling for souvenirs at the bazaar, revisiting the astounding palaces, or simply sitting and soaking up some Indian sunshine.

Day 11

Jaipur - Galta - Bharatpur - Fatehpur Sikri - AgraThis morning, you'll leave Jaipur and head east towards Galta, a secluded mystical spot that will leave a lasting impression on you. The Monkey Temple here is a pilgrimage site that attracts flocks of brightly-robed devotees every day. The stream that trickles out of the rocks here is reputed to be water from the holy River Ganges, although this is geographically impossible. People bathe and sing on the steps (ghats) that lead down into the pools. Their voices echo through the rocky gorge, which opens into a wider valley dotted with temples that have been overrun with monkeys. This is an exhilarating sight.After Galta, you'll drive for another three hours before arriving in Bharatpur. This is a fascinating waterworld, criss-crossed by all sorts of dykes. Maharajas of the historic Singh family used this region as their hunting grounds, and the scenery is breathtaking. If you like, you can pedal through Bharatpur on a ‘sturdy' Indian bike (cycle hire costs arouond £1.50). There are hundreds of rare birds in the Bharatpur wetlands, such as the rare Siberian crane. Currently, there are several tigers here, originally from Ranthambore National Park, which pounce on the waterfowl as they doze. It's unlikely that you'll see this in action, but keep your eyes peeled all the same.A few kilometres further on, you'll come to stunning Fatehpur Sikri. The great ruler Akbar set up his capital here, and built a grand city, but after only 40 years the water supply became too difficult to maintain in this dry area, so all of the inhabitants packed up and moved on. They left behind a phenomenal collection of grand temples and palaces, with the ruins of old houses standing between them. Now it is an atmospheric ghost city, full of green parrots and monkeys.We'll arrange for a guide to lead you through the forgotten city, and tell you the stories behind the monuments.After visiting Fatehpur Sikri, you'll drive on to Agra, where you'll arrive at the Lamba family home. Here, you can experience the warmth of a true Indian family, who will go out their way to make you feel at home. Mr Lamba is a retired army officer with plenty of incredible tales to tell. Of course, if you would prefer to stay in a hotel rather than a family home, we can book a hotel for a small extra charge.

Day 12

Agra - Taj MahalYou'll have breakfast this morning in the garden at the Lamba family home. Afterwards, you'll set off to visit another two breathtaking sites. First, you'll be taken to the Taj Mahal, a highlight of any trip to India. Standing serenely in the first light of the morning, we are sure that this stunning building will surpass all your expectations. It is one of the few buildings in the world that has the ability to move people. It was built by Shah Jahan as a token of his love for his deceased wife, and is undoubtedly the most romantic burial site in the world. After visiting the Taj Mahal, you'll head for Agra Fort. This huge but restrained structure seems to be immersed in a dreamy atmosphere when it's bathed in the golden light of late afternoon, which slants through the pillars and galleries. From its majestic walls and through its arches, you can see the Taj Mahal, just as Shah Jahan would have done centuries ago, when he was imprisoned here by his son. You'll return to the guest house by lunch and the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Day 13

Agra - OrchhaThis morning, your train leaves Agra Central Station at about 8am on its way to Jhansi. We'll arrange your transfer to the railway station at your hotel. After about 2½ hours (give or take a little in India), you'll arrive in Jhansi. You'll be collected at the station by a your driver, who will take you to Orchha (about 16 km away). Orchha is a charming small town of only 9000 residents and it is one of the few places in India that you can easily wander about without being approached by beggars or touts. The town is renowned for its breathtaking Ram Raja Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple and Lakshmi Narayan Temple. In the afternoon, you'll have free time to explore the town at your own pace. At the end of the day, you'll tumble into bed in your hotel and drift off to sleep, tired but contented.

Day 14

Orchha - KhajurahoThis morning, you'll drive on to the tranquil town of Khajuraho. In the afternoon, you'll visit the western temples of Khajuraho, principally known for their erotic images from the Kama Sutra. The temples are about 1000 years old and they are still in incredibly good condition, even though there are only 22 of the original 85 temples still left. You'll stay in a very comfortable hotel, set in 4 acres of quiet grounds.

Day 15

Khajuraho - VaranasiToday you'll be taken to the little town of Satna to catch the train to the city of Varanasi on the River Ganges. The train leaves about 8.15am, so it's a pretty early start, but you'll arrive in Varanasi a little after 4pm. The journey takes about 8 hours. When you arrive in Varanasi, you'll be greeted and transferred to a charming hotel that lies right on the banks of the river. The Ganges is flanked by a series of ‘ghats' – broad stone staircases leading down to the water – that stretch into the horizon. Each ghat has its own significance. The hotel stands close to the Assi Ghat, towards the south of the town, which is used by pilgrims during a special pilgrimage route called 'Panchatirthi Yatra'.

Day 16

Varanasi - Ganges boat trip - City tour - SarnathThis morning, you'll make a very early start to take a boat trip on the Ganges at dawn. This is an extremely special experience and you cannot help but soak up the intensely spiritual atmosphere. You'll drift past pilgrims of all ages and classes as they perform their ritual bathing just before sunrise. After the boat trip, there's a guided walk through the old centre of Varanasi. Watch out for the holy cows in the narrow alleyways.In the afternoon you'll head for the small town of Sarnath, which is not far from Varanasi. Sarnath is another place of pilgrimage, this time for the Buddhists. It was here that Buddha gave his first lecture. After his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, Buddha came to Sarnath to preach about the Middle Way of reaching Nirvana. After this, the religious ruler Ashoka built an enormous stupa (temple) and several Buddhist monasteries to commemorate the teaching. Each Buddhist country in the world now has its own temple, which often makes the place seems like a World Expo is being held. In contrast, the village itself is small, with a feeling of tranquillity. After you've spent a while exploring Sarnath, you'll be taken back to Varanasi, where you'll have the rest of the evening to wander through the city.You'll spend another night in the hotel overlooking the Ganges.

Day 17

Varanasi - Overnight train to DelhiThe day is free for you to explore. Life and death rubs shoulders here like nowhere else on earth, and the experience is very inspiring. Seeing a cremation take place on the ‘burning ghats' is something that you will remember forever. Next to the cremation ghat, you'll find kids playing cricket, cows nosing through rubbish, and women beating laundry on rocks. Then, in the evening, you will be transferred from your hotel to the railway station for your overnight journey to Delhi.

Day 18

Arrival in Delhi - End of itineraryAfter a unique, if bumpy, night on the train, you'll arrive in Delhi early in the morning and your itinerary ends here. If you have time to spare in Delhi, you can use today to explore the crowded, narrow alleyways of Old Delhi spice market, the stately Humayan's Tomb, the greenery of Lodi Gardens, the informative Gandhi Museum and the modern bars of Connaught Place. Otherwise, you can simply make your way to the airport for your flight home to the UK.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Accommodation with breakfast, transport and excursions.

Exclusions -

International flight, local entry fees, meals other than breakfast.

Extras -

This is a private tour based on 2 sharing (no group tours). This tour leaves everyday from Delhi except Tuesdays. The Taj Mahal is closed to visitors on Fridays. Ranthambore National park closes on 1 July-1 October.