India A land of remarkable diversity from ancient traditions and artistic heritage to magnificent landscapes and culinary creations.

India A land of remarkable diversity from ancient traditions and artistic heritage to magnificent landscapes and culinary creations.

India Delhi, India s capital territory, is a massive metropolitan area in the country s north. In Old Delhi, a neighborhood dating to the 1600s, stands the imposing Mughal-era Red Fort, a symbol of India, and the sprawling Jama Masjid mosque, whose courtyard accommodates 25,000 people. Nearby is Chandni Chowk, a vibrant bazaar filled with food carts, sweets shops and spice stalls. Agra is a city in northern India s Uttar Pradesh state. It s home to the iconic Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built for the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan s wife, Mumtaz Mahal (who died in childbirth in 1631). The imposing main building features a massive dome and intricately carved white marble inlaid with precious stones. This is set behind a reflecting pool inside a courtyard defined by 4 minarets. Price From: $ 10,990 Ranthambore National Park is a vast wildlife reserve near the town of Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, northern India. It is a former royal hunting ground and home to tigers, leopards and marsh crocodiles. Its landmarks include the imposing 10th-century Ranthambore Fort, on a hilltop, and the Ganesh Mandir temple. Also in the park, Padam Talao Lake is known for its abundance of water lilies. Jaipur is the capital of India s Rajasthan state. It evokes the royal family that once ruled the region and that, in 1727, founded what is now called the Old City, or Pink City for its trademark building color. At the center of its stately street grid (notable in India) stands the opulent, colonnaded City Palace complex. With gardens, courtyards and museums, part of it is still a royal residence. Udaipur, formerly the capital of the Mewar Kingdom, is a city in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded by Maharana Udai Singh II in 1559, it s set around a series of artificial lakes and is known for its lavish royal residences. City Palace, overlooking Lake Pichola, is a monumental complex of 11 palaces, courtyards and gardens, famed for its intricate peacock mosaics. Inclusions 13 Nights in a Double room for Single Use in 4 Star quality Hotels 5 Dinners, 7 Lunches, 13 Breakfasts English speaking Guide throughout Transfers as shown Sightseeing as shown 2 x Game Drives Sunset Cruise in a private boat Rail tickets as shown Hotel Bar is open between 5.30pm and 6.30pm with house wines, beer, soft drinks included for Individual Travellers Porterage Water on vehicles 24 hour assistance during your stay

Day 1 Welcome to Delhi! You will be met on arrival by our airport representative will meet you after you cross the aero-bridge and assist you with Immigration and Customs formalities. In the arrival hall, you will be introduced to our Travel Manager who will transfer you to your hotel and assist you to check-in. The Imperial Hotel, Delhi (or similar) Day 2 You will meet your new friends and Tour Manager and after breakfast you will have a day in Delhi starting with a drive to the Qutb Minar complex (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The best-known structure in the complex is the Qutb Minar, built to honour the Sufi saint Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. Its foundation was laid by Qutb-uddin Aibak, who later became the first Sultan of Delhi. The Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque (or, Dome of Islam), later corrupted into Quwwat-ul-Islam, stands next to the Qutb Minar. From here, you will head to Humayun s Tomb (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), which is considered an architectural triumph of the Mughal Empire. Architecturally, the mausoleum drew its inspiration from the styles prevalent in Samarkand, and the design of the Taj Mahal is based on this tomb. Today lunch will be organized at lovely garden restaurant. The afternoon is at your leisure This evening you have cocktails and a special welcome dinner arranged at the hotel with beer, wine and soft drinks included The Imperial Hotel, Delhi (or similar) B, L, D

Day 3 This morning, we will take you on an inner city walk conducted in partnership with the Salaam Baalak Trust, which works with street children in Delhi, providing them with a secure environment as well as health and education. The Trust has developed an inner city walk, and your guide will be a young person who has been rescued and knows the area intimately. While introducing you to the heritage and the life in the backstreets of Delhi, he will also share with you stories of his life. (This is not a slum tour as the walk does not take you into the slums and photography is not allowed in certain sections of the walk. The tour is seeing the life in the city through the eyes of your young guide.) You will next drive to the Old City. Here you will take a fun cycle rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of the 300-year old wholesale market, Chandini Chowk.2 Colorful, chaotic and bustling with life, this is a great market to visit and see organized chaos in motion. You will disembark at the Jama Masjid for a visit to the country s largest mosque. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. You will return to your hotel via Rajghat, the last resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. The cremation of Mahatma Gandhi took place at the Delhi Raj Ghat on 31st January 1948. The memorial stone of Mahatma Gandhi placed there is a simple square platform made of black stone, with the words Hey Ram (Oh God!) inscribed on it. An eternal flame, in a copper urn is kept in homage to the Mahatma. Enclosing the memorial is a low wall; simple with no ornamentation. Every Friday, a remembrance ceremony takes place at the Delhi Raj Ghat National Memorial. As you return to your hotel your guide will point out some of the famous landmarks that you will drive past: Rajpath (Kingsway), the imposing approach to New Delhi, India Gate, the national War Memorial, Parliament House and the grandest of them all, Rashtrapathi Bhawan which is the official residence of the President of India. The rest of the day will be at leisure Hotel Bar is open between 5.30pm 6.30pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks The Imperial Hotel, Delhi (or similar) B, L

Day 4 This morning with your Tour Manager you will drive to Agra by the new Expressway. The drive will take 3.5 hours, excluding stops. Upon arrival, you will have lunch and then complete the check-in formalities. At 4.00 pm you will leave the hotel to visit the Taj Mahal (UNESCO World Heritage Site), a symbol of devotion and love and an expression of the magnificence of Mughal architecture. The monument is best seen at different times of the day when the white marble reflects the nuances of the changing light from the sun. We will time your visit with sunset. ITC Mughal Hotel, Agra (or similar) B Day 5 Today is an early start to the day as you visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise. You will then return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast you will visit two important sights, starting with the imposing Agra Fort (UNESCO World Heritage Site) built by Emperor Akbar. The Fort highlights the Mughals ability to blend defensive and decorative architecture. Later you will visit Itmad-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj) the third great monument of Agra city. It was the first Mughal building to use the craft of facing buildings with white marble and decorating them with inlaid semi-precious stones, and art which reached its zenith in the Taj Mahal. Though lacking the grandeur and artistry of the Taj Mahal, Itmad- ud-daulah is small, intimate and serene. The rest of the day will be at leisure Hotel Bar is open between 5.30pm 6.30pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks ITC Mughal Hotel, Agra (or similar) B

Day 6 After breakfast you will check out and set off for Bharatpur, stopping an hour outside Agra to visit one of the Mughal Empire s most inspired creations, Fatehpur Sikri. Fatehpur Sikri was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to honor the Saint Salim Chisti who foretold the birth of Akbar s son and heir. Built entirely in vibrant red sandstone, architecturally it draws its inspiration from Hindu, Persian and Islamic styles. From here you continue a further hour to Bharatpur where you will have lunch at a local restaurant before taking the train departing at 3:30 PM for Ranthambore. Your seats will be reserved in the first class compartment. You will arrive at 6:15 PM into Sawai Madhopur station from where you will be escorted to your resort. At one time, Ranthambore was the private hunting ground for the Royal family of Jaipur before being declared a Sanctuary. In 1972 it was brought under the Project Tiger scheme. The varied flora of the park supports a large number of animals including a variety of deer, the sloth bear, the shy caracal, leopards and of course, the tiger. The best tiger sightings in the country have been reported in this park. Tonight enjoy Dinner with drinks included in your Hotel Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge, Ranthambore (or similar) B,L, D Day 7 Twice in the day in the early morning and again in the late afternoon, you will be taken on Game drives inside the Ranthambore National Park by jeep, along with your naturalist. In-between the safaris, you may like to visit Ranthambore Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) or visit the local villages. Recommendations: Dress in layers. It will be cold in the mornings but gets progressively warmer Avoid bright colored clothing as the wildlife may get distracted. It is better to opt for comfortable clothing with soothing colors grey, forest green, brown, which blend with the foliage Apply suntan lotion / mosquito repellent and carry a cap/hat, sun glasses etc. so that you are protected from the heat Don t forget to carry your cameras Lunch is at your leisure in the Hotel Hotel Bar is open between 5.30pm 6.30pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge, Ranthambore (or similar) B

Day 8 This morning and Lunch is at your leisure After lunch you will check-out and drive approx. 4 hours to Jaipur. The rest of the day is at your leisure Hotel Bar is open between 5.30pm 6.30pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks Narain Niwas Palace, Jaipur (or similar) B Day 9 Today you will tour the city, visiting the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Albert Museum which has the finest collection of sculptures, paintings, ivory carvings, decorative art objects and natural history specimens as well as an Egyptian mummy and miniature paintings of various sub-schools of Rajasthan. Your guide will take you to the private areas of the City Palace, not normally accessible where you will be served sparkling wine and soft drinks in the royal living room. You will end the morning tour with a walk through the markets of the Old City where you will get the opportunity to interact with the traditional businessmen who have been plying their trade for years. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. You will have the rest of the day at leisure. Optional there will be chauffeur driven cars at your disposal to visit the city Hotel Bar is open between 5.30pm 6.30pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks Narain Niwas Palace, Jaipur (or similar) B, L

Day 10 For those who want to wake up early, a visit to Galta at sunrise is very rewarding. Hundreds of monkeys flock here to be fed by priests who arrive in three wheelers carrying loads of bananas to feed them. To start the day, feeding monkeys is considered very auspicious. You will return to your hotel for breakfast. For the rest of you, you have a lazy start to the day! Lunch is at your leisure The afternoon tour will start after lunch with a visit to the fort-palace at Amber (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhwahas of Amber, before the capital was shifted to present day Jaipur. From here, you will visit the excellent Anokhi Museum*, which chronicles the regeneration of hand block printing techniques in Rajasthan using traditional methods. You will drive another 15 minutes to Dera Amer (a private farm house abutting the forest). Here you will arrive by Jeep at a private venue where you will partake of a home cooked Rajasthani feast. Over cocktails, you will have the opportunity to learn the steps to some of the most popular songs in Hindi films. Shake a leg, or hip or both as you try and master the many steps that are part of the dances seen on screen and loved by millions. The ladies will get their hands painted with heena, wear the bangles and bindis, whereas the gentlemen will have turbans tied. You will have the perfect look for a soon to be Bollywood star! The lesson lasts about an hour and is more a fun event rather than a class. Narain Niwas Palace, Jaipur (or similar) B, D Day 11 After an early breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport in time to board your flight to Udaipur. On arrival, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the City Palace for sightseeing. (As the hotel check-in time is 14:00 hours you will check-in after the morning tour is over). This sprawling palace was built over three centuries and is a series of four interconnecting palaces, illustrative of various architectural styles. Then, you will take a walk through the Crystal Gallery, which has a rather eclectic collection of Crystal Objet d art and furniture. Later you will visit the Jagdish temple located near the City Palace. An example of the Indo-Aryan style of architecture, the temple was built by Maharana Jagat Singh I in 1651, and enshrines a black stone image of Lord Vishnu. Chanting, ringing of bells and music can be heard throughout the day. It is the largest and most splendid temple of Udaipur You will return to your hotel for lunch at your leisure and thereafter, you will check-in. Early in the evening, you will go on a sunset cruise on Lake Pichola in a private boat, sailing past its picturesque ghats and palaces. Hotel Bar is open between 7.30 pm 8.30 pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks v Fateh Prakash Palace, Udaipur (or similar) B

Day 12 Today you will stroll through the Old City with your guide. Sharing space with cows, elephants, people and bicycles, the walk through the winding lanes gives you a flavour of the lives of people in small town India. You will also be taken to the home of a priest, where you will see the ancient art of painting on water, a dying skill practiced by very few today. A complete canvas takes anywhere from 4 to 10 hours to finish, and you will arrive in time to see the priest giving the finishing touches to one such painting. You will then return to your hotel and the rest of the day and Lunch will be at your leisure. Tonight, the curtains will come down with a unique culinary experience conducted by the noble family of Bedla who were premier noblemen of Mewar. They have hosted Queen Elizabeth, Jacqueline Kennedy and the first Prime Minister of India. The secret age-old recipes of the Bedla family have been passed through generations and are guarded passionately. This will be followed by cocktails and dinner with the host family. Fateh Prakash Palace, Udaipur (or similar) B,D Day 13 After a leisurely breakfast, you will check-out of the hotel. You will then be escorted to the airport in time to board your flight to Delhi. On arrival, you will be met by our representative and escorted to your hotel. Tonight you will enjoy a special farewell dinner with your new friends in the Hotel with beer. wine, soft drinks included JW Marriott Hotel, Delhi (or similar) B, D Day 14 After check-out you will be transferred to Delhi Airport for your onward flight Namasthae!!