Summary
Short description
Experience Northern India's unique royal heritage
Highlights
- Explore Delhi's temples, mosques and markets
- See the changing colours of sunset over the Taj Mahal
- Move on to Rajasthan to compare its royal heritage with centuries-old rural traditions.
- Stay at luxurious Taj hotels, including former royal palaces in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
- Enjoy the services of a private guide and included transfers throughout
In Brief
- 2 Nights Delhi
- 1 Night Agra
- 2 Nights Jaipur
- 2 Nights Jodhpur
- 2 Nights Udaipur
- 1 Night Delhi
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
City | History & culture | Independent tour
With a history grounded in the regal traditions of the Rajput kings, Rajasthan is the jewel in India’s crown – a place of glittering palaces, shimmering lakes, battle-scarred ramparts and storybook forts. Cities, all riotous pinks and dazzling blues, are a showcase for India’s liveliest bazaars, where turbaned traders deal in everything from camels and cattle to handicrafts and spices. And, in the countryside, centuries-old customs live on in remote tribal villages. You’ll experience it all as you travel from the capital, Delhi, via Agra’s Taj Mahal, to the royal cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur, staying throughout in luxurious Taj hotels, three of which – Rambagh Palace, Jaipur; Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur; and Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur – are themselves the former homes of Rajasthan royalty.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
Depart the UK
Enjoy included airport lounge access before your overnight flight to Delhi.
Days
2-3
Delhi
Arriving into India’s capital, you’ll transfer to the city’s Taj Mahal Hotel whose opulent spa, marbled halls and luxury suites pave the way for a day of guided exploration. You'll begin on day three with a chef-led walk among the bustling markets and food stalls of Old Delhi, gaining a unique insight into the city's food scene. It's also a chance to take in some of the capital's ancient monuments and exquisite architecture, some of which dates back as far as the Mughal Empire Contrast Old Delhi’s 17th century Red Fort and Jama Masjid mosque with the leafy boulevards and palatial government buildings of its New Delhi cousin.
Stay: The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
4
Agra
Heading east from the capital to Agra, you’ll look out to the famous white-marble domes of the Taj Mahal from your city-centre hotel before a guided tour brings you to Agra Fort, the main residence of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the capital moved to Delhi. Then, head to the Taj itself to see the changing colours of sunset cast their glow over India’s architectural icon. Built over a period of 18 years and using the skills of some 20,000 craftsmen to complete, it’s the ultimate legacy of the Mughal Empire and its then-Emperor, Shah Jahan.
Stay: ITC Mughal, Agra (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
5-6
Jaipur
Today’s journey takes you south, via the 17th century grandeur of Fatehpur Sikri, to Jaipur. From its Palace of the Winds to its Jantar Manar observatory, City Palace complex and fairy-tale Amber Fort, Rajasthan’s ‘Pink City’ capital – complete with buzzing rickshaws and ambling camels – is a colourful, chaotic introduction to India’s most intriguing state. A full-day tour takes in its highlights, while the five-star indulgence of your heritage palace hotel – the former residence of the Maharajah of Jaipur – will account for any down time. This evening, another special experience awaits as you join a local family at their home for a cookery demonstration and a delicious dinner.
Stay: Rambagh Palace, Jaipur (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
7-8
Jodhpur
Continue to your next hotel, Umaid Bhawan Palace, perched high above Jodhpur’s stunning desert setting. The city’s vivid jumble of cobalt-blue buildings is best seen from its 15th century cliff top fort – Mehrangarh. Explore its victory gates and royal quarters on a guided tour before you venture into the tangled web of medieval lanes that sprawl out from its base to its ancient city walls. Then, swap city bustle for rural heritage as you head into the countryside to visit a Bishnoi tribal village. Here, you’ll be welcomed into the villagers’ homes to learn about their unique customs and close association with the natural world.
Stay: Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
9-10
Udaipur
Your final stop in Rajasthan is Udaipur, perched idyllically on Lake Pichola’s serene shoreline. With its tumble of palaces, temples and narrow haveli-lined streets, it’s surely one of India’s most atmospheric settings. Take it all in on an expert-led tour that will bring you first to Rajasthan’s largest palace complex before leading you, via the 17th century Jagdish Temple and Saheliyon-ki-bari’s garden verdure, to the tightly clustered market stalls that fan out from behind the City Palace. Each evening, retire to the marbled, 18th century opulence of the Taj Lake Palace hotel where butler-served suites look out to unrivalled views of Lake Pichola and city beyond.
Stay: Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur (Ultra)
Meals: B
Day
11
Delhi
Transfer to the airport in time for your flight to Delhi for a final night at the Taj Mahal hotel.
Stay: The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
12
Arrive in the UK
Depart for the airport after breakfast and board your flight home, arriving in London the same day.
Meals: B
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
12-day tailor-made holiday
from £4,430 pp incl. flights
Deluxe
Low Season
from £4,430 pp. incl. flights
High Season
from £6,615 pp. incl. flights
Includes:
- Complimentary UK airport lounge access
- Return flights between London and Delhi
- Domestic flight from Udaipur to Delhi
- 9 nights accommodation in 5* (Deluxe) hotels on a B&B basis
- Private transfers and touring throughout
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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