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Discover Amritsar’s sacred Golden Temple, search for tigers and see the Taj Mahal on this enthralling holiday in Northern India
SEARCH for tigers and see the Taj Mahal on this enthralling holiday in Northern India. Discover Amritsar’s sacred Golden Temple as you tour the Punjab, and the beautiful Himalayan hill state of Himachal Pradesh. See the border-closing ceremony at Wagah on the Indo-Pakistani border, and take a first-class train ride from Delhi to Jalandhar on the Shatabdi Express.
Day One: Fly overnight from the UK to Delhi.
Day Two: Meet your Tour Manager and transfer to your hotel for lunch. This afternoon, explore the ruins of the ancient Quwwat-ulIslam mosque and the ornate Qutb Minar tower.
Day Three: Today’s explorations begin with a guided tour of the Old City, and an exciting rickshaw ride through the lanes of Chandni Chowk. Afterwards, you’ll explore New Delhi. This afternoon, you’ll travel to the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur, where you will enjoy a two-night stay.
Day Four: Visit Amber’s extraordinary hill-top fort, travelling by jeep to explore the Royal Halls and enjoy magnificent views. This afternoon, see the sights of Jaipur, including the stunning City Palace museum complex, the famous astronomical observatory and the 18th-century ‘Palace of the Winds’. Dinner tonight is with a local Rajasthani family.
Day Five: Beautiful Ranthamb- hore National Park is one of the best examples of India’s conservation programme Project Tiger, and the destination for your next twonight stay.
Day Six: Today’s highlights will be two canter (open-air vehicle) safaris. Search for signs of the Tigers of Ranthambhore, as well as some of the park’s other inhabit- ants: striped hyenas, sambar deer, sloth bears and perhaps even leopards. Lunch is included today.
Day Seven: Journey through the Rajasthan countryside to Dholpur to your next hotel - the Ras Niwas Palace. Once a Royal retreat, this glorious, red sandstone, Raj-era building stands in 13 acres of manicured gardens.
Day Eight: An early morning cruise on the Chambal River offers the opportunity to spot crocodiles, turtles and an assortment of birds. Then, travel to Agra, the ‘City of Love’, whose crowning glory is the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal. Visit majestic Agra Fort before your first sight of the ‘Taj’ - a monument to undying love - viewed in all its glory at sunset.
Day Nine: Start your day with a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal from across the Yamuna River. Afterwards, bid farewell to Agra, and make your way back to Delhi.
Day 10: This morning, we’ll board the air-conditioned Shatabdi Express train from Delhi to Jalandhar. You’ll travel in first class, and breakfast will be provided en route. On arrival, enjoy lunch, and then transfer to Pragpur hill station, where you’ll stay for the next two nights. This former Royal settlement was declared India’s first Heritage Village and has become a living museum radiating relaxed charm, history and culture. There will also be a cookery demonstration at the hotel during your stay.
Day 11: Spend a full day out in the foothills of the Himalayas, calling at Dharamsala, where lunch is included. This former British hill station still draws international visitors - as does its upper town, McLeod Ganj, not least because it’s the Dalai Lama’s home-in-exile. On our return, we’ll enjoy views and a late lunch at hilltop Kangra Fort.
Day 12: A scenic journey across the Punjabi plain to Amritsar. Freshen up at your hotel before the perfect introduction to this city. At the breathtaking Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest shrine, join the throng for the extraordinary Palki ceremony. Visitors are welcome to join the devotees who line the bridge over the sacred lake each evening for the procession of the Granth Sahib, Sikhism’s Holy Book.
Day 13: Another opportunity to visit the Golden Temple.
You will also have the chance to visit the bustling bazaar in the Old Town. This evening, visit the IndoPakistani border crossing at Wagah, where the gates are closed and the flags lowered at sunset in a colourful ceremony.
Day 14: Fly home to the UK via Delhi.