India’s Golden Triangle and Tigers

You’ll be met by your private guide and taken on a tour of Old and New Delhi, which will be tailored around your interests. Explore the bustling bazaars and Mughal sites of Old Delhi before having lunch and continuing to New Delhi, seeing the Imperial city that the British created after they moved the capital from Calcutta in 1911.

Get the train to Agra which departs at 0810 arriving at 0940, you’ll be in Executive Class. After lunch, you’ll then explore the city with your private guide, seeing Agra Fort where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, looking out over the tomb he built for his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal. You’ll then see the Baby Taj, or Itmad-ud-Daulah, so called because it was seen as a pre-cursor to the Taj Mahal itself. As the day draws to a close, take a leisurely walk through the traditional villages on the opposite side of the Yumana River to the Taj Mahal, seeing it as the sun sets from a very different angle.

The best time to see the Taj Mahal is at sunrise as the Taj slowly changes colour as the sun rises. After breakfast in the hotel, you’ll head to Fatehpur Sikri, a former Mughal capital that was left deserted when they were said to run out of water and is still perfectly preserved. Take the train from Bharatpur to Sawai Madhopur which  departs at 1030 arriving at 1255. You can head into the park for an afternoon game drive, hopefully making your first tiger sighting!

You’ll head out on a morning and also an afternoon game drive, and hopefully seeing more and more of the varied wildlife that Ranthambore has to offer from deer, monkeys, sloth bear and an array of bird species.

After another game drive, you’ll board the train at 1040 arriving into Jaipur at 1240 in time for lunch. Spend the afternoon at leisure, or wander into to the shops as Jaipur is so famous for.

This morning your guide will meet you and take you on a walking tour through the bazaars and markets of the old town. You’ll see the artisan areas, where traditional workers have based themselves since Jaipur was founded. See the main sites of Jaipur, such as the City Palace and Palace of the Winds before spending the afternoon at leisure.

You might want the morning to leisurely soak up the atmosphere, and in the afternoon, take a walk through traditional Meena tribal villages that lie beside the magical Amber Fort. After your walk, visit the fort and end your day with an optional elephant safari through the surrounding rural countryside at Dera Amer.

Take the late train at 1750 to Delhi arriving at 2200 (there are earlier, but slightly slower trains). Transfer down to Gurgaon for you final night.

Today, you will be taken to the airport in time for your flight home. Alternatively you can extend your time in India.