DAY 1 - UK/Delhi
Depart on your scheduled flight to Delhi.
DAY 2 - Delhi
Upon arrival you will transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay. New Delhi is a spacious open imperial city created by the British as the capital of India in 1911. By contrast Old Delhi is a 17th century walled city with city gates, narrow alleys, temples, mosques and bazaars. This is the Delhi of the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan, and is largely preserved in its original layout. On the outskirts of the city stands one of its most lasting monuments – the Qtub Minar, a soaring tower of sandstone and marble built as a Muslim symbol of victory over the Hindu Kingdom in the 12th century. Included afternoon sightseeing tour of Old Delhi. You will see the Jami Masjid Mosque and the Raj Ghat, the cremation grounds of Mahatma Gandhi. Also included is a drive through the fabled street bazaar of Chandni Chowk.
DAY 3 - Agra
This morning we have included a sightseeing tour of New Delhi. You will visit Humayan’s Tomb (aptly described as the predecessor of the Taj Mahal) and Qtub Minar. You will then drive through the diplomatic quarter seeing the official residence of the President and the Indian Gate.
Lunchtime departure from Delhi for the drive south to Agra for a two night stay, en route visiting Sikandra, home of the Tomb of Akbar the Great.
DAY 4 - Agra
A highlight of your tour will, of course, be a visit to the world-famous Taj Mahal. Situated on the banks of the Yamuna River, this magnificent mausoleum was built by Emperor Shan Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Twenty thousand men took twenty years to complete the world’s most extravagant and beautiful expression of one man’s love of a woman. Seeing the Taj at dawn is a remarkable experience, and so your visit will begin early in the morning. In the afternoon you drive from Agra to the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri. This graceful sandstone city was built in 1569 by Emperor Akbar to commemorate the birth of his son. Return to the hotel and this afternoon visit Agra Fort, where you will see the Jasmine Tower.
DAY 5 - Sawai Madhopur
This morning you will drive to Bharatpur, where you will board the afternoon train to Sawai Madhopur, near Ranthambore. Evening arrival for a two night stay.
DAY 6 - Sawai Madhopur
Ranthambore is considered to be the best game reserve in India for observing the elusive tiger. It has thick forest with lush vegetation and waterfalls, and boasts over 300 species of birds. Other species include leopard, crocodile, hyena and jackal. Today we will enjoy two game drives. Lunch is included. Afternoon free to relax.
DAY 7 - Jaipur
After breakfast drive to the famous ‘pink city’ of Jaipur which is set amongst barren hills and is the capital of Rajasthan. Here, India is arguably at its most colourful and exotic. Under the British, Rajasthan continued as a collection of princely states, each with its own Maharaja. Huge battle-scarred forts dominate almost every town, the most spectacular of which is the Amber Fort, eight miles outside Jaipur. Accommodation is for two nights.
DAY 8 - Jaipur
Morning visit to the lovely Amber Fort, the old capital of Rajasthan, set high above its surrounding valley and lake. In the afternoon we have included a sightseeing tour of Jaipur. The old city itself is surrounded by a wall with seven historic gates. All the buildings are painted pink by Maharaja’s decree, and the central landmarks are the City Palace and the Hawe Mahal (Palace of the Winds) which is considered to be one of the best known sights in India. Built in pink sandstone, this stunning building is of unique design, consisting of tier upon tier of curved arches, surmounting casement and trellis work through which the wind whispers.
DAY 9 - Bangalore
Fly from Jaipur to Bangalore and transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay.
DAY 10 - Hassan
There will be a short tour of Bangalore. In the afternoon you will drive to Hassan, the state of Karnataka’s oldest town, and cross to the neighbouring town of Chikmanglur for a two night stay.
DAY 11 - Hassan
This morning we include an excursion to two ancient capitals of the Hoysala empire – Halebid and Belur. In both we will find magnificent ruined temples, whose architecture is simply stunning and completely unique. The ornamentation and carvings that decorate the temples is incredibly intricate, even hundreds of years after they were built and abandoned. The afternoon is free to make your own discoveries.
DAY 12 - Mysore
Your drive today takes you to the fabled city of Mysore, where you stay overnight. This afternoon we include a sightseeing tour of Mysore, including of course the magnificent Palace, seat of the Maharaja, which dominates the skyline. Mysore is famous for local crafts and aromatics, especially incense, sandalwood, rosewood and jasmine.
DAY 13 - Cochin
Return to Bangalore this morning, stopping at Srirangapatnam, the island fortress of the warrior king Tipu Sultan, en route. On arrival in Bangalore, transfer to the airport for the flight to Cochin in the state of Kerala, where you will stay for the next two nights.
DAY 14 - Cochin
Kerala is arguably the most beautiful state in India. It is a narrow fertile coastal strip with banana and rubber plantations, rice fields, gorgeous beaches, and a much more relaxed atmosphere than elsewhere. The people speak Malayalam, not Hindi, and Delhi seems a million miles away. The mountains of the Western Ghats have protected Kerala from invasion from the north, but nevertheless it has always had its own links with the western world, especially the extraordinary port of Cochin. Your sightseeing will include the Jewish Quarter and 16th century synagogue, the Dutch Palace and St. Francis Church, where Vasco da Gama was originally buried. In the afternoon, you will take a harbour cruise and have a close-up view of the amazing Chinese fishing nets which are still in use. There will be a special display of the Kathakali Classical Dance in the evening.
DAY 15 - Kovalam Beach
Depart Cochin for the short drive to Alleppey for another highlight in this exciting itinerary. Here you will take a cruise through Kerala’s famous backwaters. These form a vast area of canals, lakes and channels, separated by narrow spits of land where whole communities live and farm. Your cruise will be an enchanting experience. On arrival in Trivandrum there will be a short drive to the Kovalam beach area. Two nights’ accommodation has been arranged.
DAY 16 - Kovalam Beach
Free to enjoy the stunning coastline. You can stroll on the beach and watch the fishermen laboriously pull in the huge nets which they lay across the entire bay.
DAY 17 - Kovalam Beach
Transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK via Bombay.
DAY 18 - UK
Arrival in the UK.