This grand journey shows you the many faces of North India. Begin in Delhi, then fly to Varanasi, the holy city on the Ganges, to watch the sunrise from a boat and the evening Ganga Aarti on the ghats. In Khajuraho, marvel at the thousand-year-old temples and their exquisite carvings, then visit the medieval palaces of Orchha on the way to Agra, where you see the Taj Mahal at sunrise and sunset.
Continue into Rajasthan, the land of the Rajputs: Jaipur, the Pink City, with Amber Fort; Jodhpur, the Blue City, below the mighty Mehrangarh Fort; the marble Jain temple of Ranakpur; and romantic Udaipur, the City of Lakes. Every tour is private and can be tailored to your dates, hotels and interests.
Welcome to India! On arrival at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, our representative meets you after customs and escorts you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest after your journey.
A full day with your guide exploring two very different Delhis. The morning is spent in New Delhi. Visit Humayun's Tomb, the 16th-century garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal, and the soaring Qutub Minar, a 73-metre tower begun in the 12th century. Drive along Kartavya Path past India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Parliament buildings of Lutyens' Delhi.
Then visit Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi's most important Sikh shrine, with its golden dome and sacred pool. Here you can see the langar, the community kitchen where volunteers prepare free meals for thousands of visitors every day, whatever their faith. Please cover your head and remove your shoes before entering.
In the late afternoon and evening, discover Old Delhi, the walled city of Shahjahanabad built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Stop at Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, and drive past the red sandstone walls of the Red Fort. Visit Jama Masjid, one of India's largest mosques, then board a cycle rickshaw for a ride through the lanes of Chandni Chowk, alive in the evening with spice sellers, sweet shops and centuries-old havelis.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world and the spiritual heart of India. On arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel.
In the afternoon, visit Sarnath, where the Buddha preached his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. See the great Dhamek Stupa, the ruins of ancient monasteries, and the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, a modern temple with murals of the Buddha's life. The Sarnath Museum holds the famous Lion Capital of Ashoka, India's national emblem.
Before dawn, take a boat ride on the River Ganges. As the sun rises over the river, watch pilgrims bathing and praying on the long stretch of ghats, the stone steps that line the riverbank, while temple bells ring across the water. It is one of the most moving sights in India.
After breakfast, tour the city. Walk through the narrow lanes of the old town towards the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and its new corridor, visit the Bharat Mata Temple, with its large relief map of India carved in marble, and the leafy campus of Banaras Hindu University. The afternoon is free, with the car at your disposal. In the evening, return to the river to watch the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, a beautiful ceremony of fire, chanting and bells.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Khajuraho, a peaceful village in Madhya Pradesh famous for its temples. On arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax.
Built by the Chandela kings between about 950 and 1050 AD, the temples of Khajuraho are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated for their soaring spires and finely carved sculptures of gods, dancers, musicians and everyday life. In the morning, visit the Western Group, the largest and finest, including the magnificent Kandariya Mahadeva Temple and the Lakshmana Temple. Then see the Eastern Group, with its beautiful Jain temples such as the Parsvanatha Temple.
In the afternoon, walk through the nearby village of Jatkara to see rural life, then visit the Southern Group, with the Duladeo and Chaturbhuj temples.
Drive to Orchha (164 km, about 3 hours 45 minutes), a medieval town of palaces and temples on the banks of the Betwa river, once the capital of the Bundela kings. Explore the grand Jahangir Mahal, built to welcome the Mughal emperor Jahangir, the Raja Mahal with its colourful wall paintings, and the towering Chaturbhuj Temple. See the row of royal cenotaphs along the riverbank.
Later, continue to Jhansi station (18 km, about 45 minutes) for the train to Agra. On arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel.
Rise early for the most magical moment of the tour: the Taj Mahal at sunrise, when the white marble glows soft pink and gold and the gardens are at their quietest. Built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, it took over 20 years and some 20,000 craftsmen to complete. Return to the hotel for breakfast.
Later, visit Agra Fort, the massive red sandstone citadel of the Mughal emperors, and drive to Sikandra to see the tomb of the great emperor Akbar, set in gardens where deer roam freely. In the afternoon, visit the exquisite Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, often called the "Baby Taj", the first Mughal building faced entirely in white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. As the day ends, cross the Yamuna to Mehtab Bagh, the Moonlight Garden, for a peaceful view of the Taj Mahal at sunset.
Drive west to Fatehpur Sikri, the red sandstone city built by Akbar as his capital in the 16th century and abandoned only a few years later. Its palaces, courtyards and the great Jama Masjid with the white marble tomb of Sufi saint Salim Chishti remain beautifully preserved.
Continue to the village of Abhaneri to see Chand Baori, one of the deepest and most striking stepwells in India, with thousands of steps descending 13 storeys in perfect symmetry, and the nearby Harshat Mata Temple. Arrive in Jaipur in the late afternoon and check in. The evening is free, with the car at your disposal.
In the morning, drive out to Amber Fort, the hilltop palace-fortress of the Kachhwaha Rajput kings, and ride up to its gates by jeep. Inside, wander through courtyards, gateways and the dazzling Sheesh Mahal, the Hall of Mirrors. On the way back, stop to photograph the Jal Mahal water palace.
In the afternoon, tour the Pink City. Visit the City Palace, still home to the royal family, and Jantar Mantar, the 18th-century astronomical observatory and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then stop for photos of the honeycombed façade of the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds. In the evening, join a guided walk through Jaipur's bazaars, tasting local food and meeting the craftsmen behind its famous jewellery, textiles and block prints.
After a relaxed breakfast, transfer to Jaipur station for the train to Jodhpur. The journey crosses the heart of Rajasthan, past villages, fields and the scrublands that lead towards the Thar Desert. On arrival in the late afternoon, you are met and transferred to your hotel.
In the morning, tour Jodhpur, the Blue City, founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha of the Rathore clan. Visit the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, rising sheer from a rocky hill, with richly decorated palaces and a museum of royal palanquins, armour and miniature paintings. From its ramparts the old city spreads out below in shades of blue. Nearby stands Jaswant Thada, a graceful white marble memorial to the Rathore rulers. End the morning amid the colourful stalls of Sardar Market around the Clock Tower.
In the afternoon, drive out to the Bishnoi villages. The Bishnoi community has protected trees and wildlife for over five centuries, and you may spot blackbuck and chinkara roaming freely near the villages. Meet local families, see their traditional round huts, and watch potters and weavers at work.
Drive south through the Aravalli hills to Ranakpur, home to one of the finest Jain temples in India. Built in the 15th century from pale marble, the Chaumukha Temple is famous for its 1,444 intricately carved pillars, no two of which are alike. Explore it at your own pace with an audio guide.
Continue to Udaipur, the City of Lakes, and check in to your hotel. The evening is free, with the car at your disposal.
Spend the morning discovering Udaipur, founded by Maharana Udai Singh II in the 16th century. Visit the vast City Palace, a complex of courtyards, balconies and towers overlooking the lake, and the Jagdish Temple with its finely carved stonework. Stroll through Saheliyon-ki-Bari, the Garden of the Maidens, with its fountains, lotus pools and marble elephants.
In the late afternoon, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Pichola, gliding past bathing ghats, the white Lake Palace and the island palace of Jag Mandir as the city glows in the setting sun. In the evening, watch a lively folk dance show with traditional Rajasthani music, dance and puppetry.
Transfer to Udaipur airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for last-minute shopping or relaxing before your journey home.
Transfer to Delhi International Airport in time for your flight home, or onward to your next destination in India. Tour ends with happy memories!
Train numbers and timings are indicative and confirmed at the time of booking. Itineraries can be adjusted for monument closing days, your travel dates and special interests.
A private tour, quoted individually for 1 traveller or more.
Tell us your dates and preferred hotels, and we will send a detailed quote, usually within 24 hours.
