Grand Tour of India: Pushkar Camel Fair special departure

In Delhi you will stay at the Hyatt Regency, in Agra you will stay at the Jaypee Palace Hotel or similar. In Ranthambore National Park you will stay at the Nahargarh or similar, in Jaipur you will stay at the Country Inn and Suites, in Bangalore you will stay at the Pride, in Hassan you will stay at the Hoysala Village and in Mysore you will stay at the Fortune JP Palace. In Cochin you will stay at the Trident Hotel. In Kovalam beach area you will stay at the Travancore Heritage Hotel.

In Pushkar, your accommodation will also add to your experience as you’ll be staying in tents at the fair. They are equipped with home comforts such as proper beds and electricity, but the atmosphere of staying on the camp will be something you’re sure to remember.

This special departure features everything in the main itinerary, plus a visit to Pushkar and the camel fair, staying for two nights in special tented accommodation with private facilities. Two breakfasts, one lunch and two dinners are also included.

Hotels will be confirmed in your final documents. All rooms have private facilities and airconditioning.

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 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 in the 12th century.

This afternoon 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.

Meals: Dinner

Day 3: Agra

Included 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. Depart for a two-night stay in Agra.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

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 Shah 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. This afternoon you will visit Agra Fort, pause to admire the Jasmine Tower before returning to your hotel and enjoying some time at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 5: Sawai Madhopur

Today we drive 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. We then catch the train to Modhopur near Ranthambore where we stay for two nights.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 6: Ranthambore

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. Evening free to relax.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

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.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Days 8 - 9: Pushkar Camel Fair

The town of Pushkar, around 90 miles from Jaipur, is famed for its sacred lake and annual Camel Fair, which takes place in November. Pushkar itself is a very important religious city and a pilgrimage destination for many Hindus and this, coupled with the excitement of the camel fair make this a truly unforgettable experience. The whole event is an explosion of colour and activity as the locals come to trade livestock and set up colourful stalls. Some will have travelled for days or even weeks to reach the fair and then set up camp on the outskirts of Pushkar. Over the couple of days you’re there, more and more people and their livestock will emerge from the desert to take part in the event. It really is like taking a step back in time, as you see people travelling on foot and by cart dressed in traditional clothing, with their livestock in tow and handicrafts to sell.

Billed as the greatest tribal gathering in India, the camel fair is an experience of a lifetime that you’ll never forget. Watch as camels, cattle and even horses are paraded around and hear the sound of pounding hoofs on the dusty ground as camels take part in races, encouraged by their enthusiastic owners. See the ornately decorated saddles and equally ornate clothing and jewellery and then take time to explore the bazaars that are bursting with colourful wares and displays. Every year this spectacular, traditional event attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world and you’ll be glad you were one of them.

Day 10: 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, 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.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 11: Bangalore

Fly from Jaipur via Mumbai to Bangalore and transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 12: 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.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 13: 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.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 14: 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. Return to Bangalore this afternoon, stopping at Srirangapatnam, the island fortress of the warrior king Tipu Sultan.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 15: Cochin area

Today you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Cochin in the state of Kerala, where you will stay for the next two nights.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 16: Cochin area

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. Included lunch with a cooking demo at Nimmy Paul’s house. In the afternoon, you will take a harbour cruise and have a closeup 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.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 17: Kovalam Beach

Depart Cochin for the drive to Alleppey for another highlight in this exciting itinerary. Here you will take a cruise through Kerala’s famous backwaters. These form INDIA Delhi Jaipur Agra The Backwaters Ranthambore/Sawai Madhopur Bangalore Mysore Hassan Cochin Trivandrum Kovalam Bay of Bengal 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 drive to the Kovalam beach area. Two nights’ accommodation has been arranged.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 18: Kovalam Beach

Free to enjoy the stunning coastline. You can stroll on the beach and watch the fishermen pull in the huge nets which they lay across the entire bay.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 19: Kovalam Beach

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Mumbai. Enjoy a city tour of Mumbai and an early dinner before flying back to the UK.

Meals: Breakfast / dinner

Day 20: UK

Arrival in the UK.