The Ganges, Taj & Raj
From Mughal to colonial to up-to-the-minute action, few cities can rival Delhi for vibrancy and contrasts. Varanasi meanwhile remains the most traditional and holy of Hindu cities. The ghat steps lining the Ganges River come alive at dawn as Hindu pilgrims, many from far away, perform rituals at sunrise - a mesmerising spectacle on our dawn river cruise. At Agra we visit one of the world’s most famous and beautiful monuments, the Taj Mahal, before continuing to the eerie abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri. We are hosted by the descendents of Rajput royals at Karauli. Rajasthan's capital, the dynamic 'Pink City' of Jaipur is all colour and action, and centres on the huge Amber Fort. We get away from the bustle to explore Sawarda and Mandawa, two hidden gems in Rajasthan, where experience the region's magic in relative seclusion.
Itinerary
| Day Number(s) | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | (Mon) Arrive in Delhi and transfer to hotel. |
| 2 | Enjoy city orientation, including India Gate and Janpath Bazaar. Catch overnight train to Varanasi. |
| 3 | Arrive in Varanasi. Afternoon visit to Buddhist holy site of Sarnath. |
| 4 | Morning boat ride on Ganges River. Explore the old city. |
| 5 | Free day to explore the holy city. Overnight train to Agra. |
| 6 | Arrive in Agra and visit the Taj Mahal. |
| 7 | Visit Fatehpur Sikri en route to Karauli. Stay in a Rajput palace. |
| 8 | Explore 600-year-old Karauli including the palace and countryside farms. |
| 9 | Drive to Jaipur and visit Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), Jantar Mantar and City Palace. |
| 10 | Morning visit to Amber Fort, free time to shop and explore in Jaipur in the afternoon. |
| 11 | Drive to fort at Sawarda. Enjoy village walk and indulge in the timeless splendour of the countryside. |
| 12 | Drive to Mandawa and discover markets and frescoed 'havelis', then spend the night in a luxury desert resort. |
| 13 | Drive to Delhi. City orientation, including India Gate and Janpath Bazaar. |
| 14 | Trip ends in Delhi this morning (Sun). |
Trip Highlights
Gallery
Video
From Our Blog
Past Travellers' Ratings & Comments
Chris - Australia, 23 Jan, 2012
We had a great time on the trip. The highlights were Varanassi (especially the aarti in the evening and wandering around the old town), and Allahabad which was an addition to our trip. Allahabad was great because we had the opportunity to visit Kumbh Mela.
One suggestion is to provide real opportunities to donate and contribute to the charities that are operating in the locations we visited. One example is the school in Karauli, where we would have liked to contributed to the children's education.
susan - Australia, 26 Dec, 2011
I enjoyed this trip tremendously. The tour guide was excellent, Deependra Singh who was always willing to be of assistance in any way he could. I found him informative and easy to talk to and ask the many questions that everyone in the tour threw at him. I never had to worry about my baggage at any time as I felt Deependra had it all under his control.
The overall trip was good but I would have enjoyed to stay longer in some locations and less travelling time.
At A Glance
Trip Length |
14 days |
Trip Code |
PIGR |
Activities |
|
| Culture (Easy) | |
Countries Visited |
|
| India | |
Start City |
|
| Delhi | |
End City |
|
| Delhi | |
