Summary
Short description
Pair city stays in Delhi and Mumbai with a five-star rail journey through royal Rajasthan
Highlights
- Travel across India in luxurious style aboard the Maharajas' Express
- Sip champagne as you watch the sun rise over the Taj Mahal
- Explore the glittering palaces and battle-scarred forts of Rajasthan
- Go in search of tigers in Ranthambore National Park
- Explore the city sights of both Delhi and Mumbai
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
History & culture | Honeymoon | Rail journey | Wildlife
Travel in style across India aboard the Maharajas' Express, a train experience as opulent and luxurious as the palaces that inspired it. Starting in Delhi, you'll compare the capital's endlessly colourful street markets to its centuries-old mosques and imposing, rust-red forts set against a breathless backdrop of buzzing rickshaws and traffic-choked streets. Then, with a tiger safari amid Ranthambore's jungle-shrouded ruins sandwiched in between, you'll let expert-led tours introduce you to the marbled beauty of Agra's Taj Mahal, the desert sensibilities of Bikaner and the glittering palaces of Jaipur and Udaipur, all framed by the stunning landscapes of Rajasthan, India's land of kings. Finally, head south to Mumbai, the Subcontinent's commercial powerhouse, where the bright lights of Bollywood reflect against the gently lapping waters of the Arabian Sea.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
Depart UK
Arrive at the airport to enjoy your included VIP lounge access before departing on your overnight flight to Delhi.
Day
2
Delhi
Arriving into Delhi, a private transfer will see you to your city-centre hotel whose award-winning blend of old-world charm and art deco flourishes set the scene for gourmet dining and indulgent spa relaxation. This afternoon, we've included a half-day private city tour. Call into the 16th-century Red Fort – a former palace of Mughal kings – and stop at the poignant Raj Ghat memorial to Mahatma Gandhi before the grand architecture of the Jama Masjid mosque leads you on to Chandni Chowk. This sprawling market's chaotic bustle is a marked contrast to the tree-lined boulevards and landscaped-garden surrounds of New Delhi's Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb and India Gate.
Stay: The Imperial Hotel, Delhi (Deluxe)
Day
3
Delhi/Agra
This morning, a private transfer brings you to Safdarjung Railway Station to board the Maharajas' Express. It's the starting point of your rail journey through India, beginning with a gourmet brunch and cross-country jaunt north to Agra in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. As a former capital of the Mughal Empire, it's host to some of India's great architectural treasures, including one of the country's most impressive sandstone forts. Indeed, Agra Fort is akin to a palatial walled city, which was once the home of some of the great Mughal emperors, from Akbar to Shah Jahan. You'll take in some of its myriad highlights in the company of an expert guide before retuning to the train for dinner.
Stay: The Maharajas’ Express (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
4
Agra/Ranthambore
Rise early to embark on a tour of one of the world's true architectural icons – the Taj Mahal. Watch the changing colours of sunrise across its white marble façade before a champagne breakfast at Taj Khema, served to spectacular front-row views of the Taj Mahal's gleaming mausoleum. It's then on to Ranthambore National Park. Once the maharajas' hunting ground, since the 1970s the park has become a standard bearer for Indian conservation and is now perhaps the best place on the Subcontinent to spot tigers in their natural habitat. But, even if you don't see a tiger – and there is certainly an element of luck involved with a population of just over 50 animals – there's plenty more to keep your eyes peeled for; crocodiles fill the lakes as everything from jungle cats and jackals to sambar deer and Indian wild boar roam the forest floor. Return to the train this evening for dinner and an overnight journey to Jaipur.
Stay: The Maharajas’ Express (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
5
Jaipur
Having travelled south across the state, you'll arrive refreshed in Rajasthan's capital and 'Pink City' – Jaipur. Here, a sightseeing tour will introduce you to its architectural wonders, from the impressive Amber Fort to the Hawa Mahal Palace and Jantar Mantar – an observatory built in the 18th century by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II. Then, after returning to the train for lunch, you'll set off once more, this time to desert city of Bikaner.
Stay: The Maharajas’ Express (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
6
Bikaner
Arrive early into Bikaner where you'll begin with a leisurely breakfast on board before perhaps taking an optional tour to Lalgarh Palace, Deshnok Temple or one of the region's many camel breeding farms, an important industry in this part of Rajasthan. After lunch, an included tour will bring you first to the palaces, temples and pavilions of Junagarh Fort before a unique opportunity to partake in a camel cart procession will put your right at the heart of Rajasthan's desert culture. You'll also be treated to a traditional folk dance performance as you relax with a cocktail and barbecue dinner served as the sun sets over Bikaner's rolling dunes.
Stay: The Maharajas’ Express (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
7
Jodhpur
After a night spent crossing the Rajasthan desert, you'll arrive into Jodhpur. A city characterised by the cobalt-blue jumble that fans out from the base of Mehrangarh Fort, it's a place of winding, medieval lanes and thronging markets where turban-clad locals trade everything from spices and saris to snuff. After breakfast on board, there's time to relax or explore the city at your own pace. Then, following lunch, you'll join your guide for a tour of the fort itself before peering down from its battle-scarred ramparts to sweeping views of the surrounding countryside and giant blue mosaic below. That's followed by a walking tour of the thronging Old Clock Tower Market, where market stalls sell everything from sweets and spices to textiles and handicrafts. Return to the train this evening for dinner on board as you continue on to Udaipur.
Stay: The Maharajas’ Express (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
8
Udaipur
Framed by the rolling Aravalli Hills, Udaipur is Rajasthan's most romantic city. Perched on the storied shores of Lake Pichola, its glittering lake palace – now a luxury hotel – is among India's most evocative buildings while the timeless lanes of the city itself – packed incense-filled temples and countless havelis – are an atmospheric joy to explore. Your day here begins with a scenic boat ride on the lake and a tour of the City Palace before a gourmet lunch served at one of the city's most exclusive hotels. You'll then enjoy an afternoon at leisure before boarding the train this evening for dinner as you push ever southwards towards Mumbai.
Stay: The Maharajas’ Express (Deluxe)
Day
9
Mumbai
After breakfast and lunch on board you'll arrive into Mumbai for a private transfer to your luxury hotel. If you've time, perhaps add on a day to explore this intriguing city where millionaires' mansions and grand colonial buildings sit side-by-side with some of Asia's largest slums. It's a commercial powerhouse and home to the country's film industry, a place of unrelenting development and a hotbed of conflicting religions. Often challenging, but always rewarding, Mumbai provides a fitting end to your stay on the Subcontinent.
Stay: The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai (Deluxe)
Meals: B L
Day
10
Mumbai/UK
A private transfer brings you to Mumbai's international airport for your daytime flight home. If opting for an evening flight, we highly recommend a city tour of Mumbai's icons in the morning.
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:
10-day luxury rail holiday
from £7,670 pp incl. flights
Deluxe
Special Offer
50% companion discount for train departure on 15 December: Save up to £1,915 pp.
Book by: 30 November 2024
Includes:
- Complimentary UK airport lounge access
- Return flights from London to Delhi and Mumbai to London
- Private transfers from/to airports and rail stations
- 6 nights accommodation aboard Maharajas Express on a full-board basis including shared excursions
- 2 nights accommodation in 5* (Deluxe) hotels on a B&B basis
- Private half day Delhi tour
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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