Country(ies): India
Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 12
Accommodation: 3 to 4-star hotels, homestay and heritage properties
Meals:
Transport: A/C minivan/minibus and sleeper train
Highlights: Udaipur, Ranakpur Jain temples, Jodhpur, Holy town of Pushkar, Pink city of Jaipur, Tordi Garh, Abhaneri step well, Keoladeo NP, Fatehpur Sikri, Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra Fort, River Ganges at Varanasi, Buddhist Sarnath, Delhi
This is a comprehensive and contrasting 17-day tour of northern India, heading from the forts, palaces and temples of Rajasthan in the west, through Agra where we see the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, to the Holy City of Varanasi on the River Ganges in the east of the country.
We start in India's capital, Delhi, before taking to India's famous railway network for an overnight sleeper train journey south to the lakeside city of Udaipur. Also known as the 'Venice of the East', or the 'City of Lakes', Udaipur is one of Rajasthan's most attractive cities and we tour the main sites here including the city palace, gardens and a boat trip on Lake Pichola. We'll also visit some less known temples at Eklingii and Nagda.
Our next stop is to break our journey to Jodhpur to see the beautiful white marble Jain temples at Ranakhpur. Jodhpur itself is a classic Rajasthani town, with a large fort dominating a hill overlooking the town, but it is especially famous for its blue painted houses and streets. Next comes another lakeside stop, this time the holy town of Pushkar, home to one of the only Brahman temples in the world. Our exploration of Rajasthan completes with time in its capital, the Pink City of Jaipur, and the remote rural village of Tordi where we have an enjoyable night staying in another converted palace.
We head east next, passing the huge Abhaneri Step Well to Keoladeo National Park where we take a cycle rickshaw into the park to see the huge variety of birdlife the park is famous for. The Taj Mahal in Agra is our next highlight, and what a highlight it is. This monument to love is a spectacular building with a tragically romantic story behind its construction. We'll see it close up at sunrise, and also from an unusual vantage point on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River where we take a walk through farm fields and homesteads with a local village guide.
W'ell then explore the towering Agra Fort and some of the less-touristy parts of the city, before boarding an overnight sleeper train to Varanasi - one of the oldest living cities on the planet and considered to be one of the holiest cities in India, as many flock here to bathe in the holy waters if the River Ganges.
We'll explore the River Ganges by boat, participate in an Aarti Ceremony, giving candlelit offerings to the river, enjoy a home-cooked meal with a muslim family, explore a weavers village famous for making some of the best saris in the whole of India, before visiting Sarnath, the place where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon. Our journey ends with another overnight sleeper train back to Delhi (flight upgrades are available if preferred). Accommodation is in a mix of comfortable mid-range modern-style hotels and heritage hotels converted from Havelis and Palaces.
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Restoration of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, one of India's most iconic structures, is getting a much need facelift. The almost-four-century-old Taj Mahal is finally showing signs of ageing. Air pollution is unfortunately turning its ivory-white complexion - yellow. Adding to the colouration problems, the Yamuna River, with which the Taj Mahal shares a river bank, is contaminated and the insects that breed in its waters are leaving patches of green residue on its marble. In order to restore the Taj Mahal's glistening white marble, mud-pack therapy is being used. If you're worried that it might affect your India tour, this handy Taj restoration guide will tell you everything you need to know.
This tour is also available for booking privately for travel anytime through the year, and we can also customise the itinerary to fit your personal requirements. Please contact us for details and prices.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often use on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination youre visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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