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India, 19 Days · Classic tour
Rajasthan, Golden Triangle, Khajuraho, and Varanasi
North India in full
Looking for a trip to India that takes you to everything you've always wanted to visit? Embark upon this itinerary of legends, palaces, world-famous monuments, spectacular landscapes, vestiges of ancient families of power, mythology, worship, and customs. Let your senses be the gateway to experiences you'll never forget.
Departure date
Departures from October 2024 till March 2025
From
London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow...
Travel details
City of origin - Delhi
Departure with destination Delhi. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.
Delhi - Mandawa
Breakfast. Departure by road to Mandawa, located in the Shekhawati region, which once was part of the Silk Road. Its inhabitants, rich merchants, decorated their houses, known as havelis, with paintings reflecting religious, historical, folklore and social issues. In the afternoon, we'll visit the havelis of Mukundgarh, Jhunjhunwala, Chowkhani, Gulab Rai Ladia, Lakshminarayan Ladia, Mohahanlal Saraf and Bhagchandika, as well as several of the painted mansions. Dinner and overnight stay.
Mandawa - Bikaner
Breakfast. Departure to Bikaner, enjoying a picturesque view of the desert en route. The city, more popularly known as the "Land of the Camels", was founded by Rao Bikaji in 1488. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon tour of the city, Junagarh Fort and its museum (built between 1588 and 1593 by Raja Jai Singh), and the Jain temples. Dinner and overnight stay.
Bikaner - Jaisalmer
Breakfast. Departure to Jaisalmer via the Thar Desert. Rising from the heart of the desert, like a golden mirage, is the city of Jaisalmer. It has a fascinating legend, according to which Lord Krishna - the ruler of the Yadav Clan - foretold Arjuna that a remote descendent of the Yadav Clan would build their kingdom atop the Trikuta hill. His prophecy was fulfilled in 1156, when Rawal Jaisal, a descendent of the Yadav Clan and a Bhatti Rajput, abandoned his fort at Lodurva and founded a new capital, Jaisalmer, perched on the Trikuta hill. Arrival and check-in at hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.
Jaisalmer
Breakfast. Morning tour around the city of Jaisalmer, dominated by the Sonar Fort, believed to be the oldest permanently inhabited fort in the world. Visit also to Lake Gadisagar and the havelis of Patwon Ki and Salim-Singh-Ki. In the afternoon, departure to the dunes of Sam to visit a typical village of the Rajasthani desert and take a camel ride at sunset. Dinner and overnight stay.
Jaisalmer - Jodhpur
Breakfast. Morning departure by road to the city of Jodhpur in the Thar Desert, founded in 1459 by King Rao Jodha and famous for its fortress with majestic palaces and elegant buildings. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, we'll visit the city, including the Maharajah's Palace, the Mehrangarh Fort and its museum. Within the fort are a number of palaces added by successive rulers, hosting - among other marvels - a range of miniature paintings from various schools and also a collection of musical instruments. Then we'll stop at Jaswant Thada, the memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh built in 1889 in white marble, followed by a visit to the clock tower and the local market. Dinner and overnight stay.
Jodhpur - Ranakpur - Udaipur
Breakfast. Morning departure by road to Udaipur, visiting en route the famous Jain temples in Ranakpur, which date back five hundred years and are best known for the central temple called Chaumukha, with its twenty-nine marble halls supported on 1,444 pillars. The building is full of intricate friezes and sculptures. Visit to two more Jain temples and the Temple of the Sun God, with its erotic sculptures. Onward journey to Udaipur, a beautiful city surrounded by sky-blue lakes and perched at the foot of the lush Aravallis mountains. Udaipur is a fascinating fusion of sights, sounds and experiences, providing inspiration for the imagination of poets, painters and writers. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. Note: audio guides are used in the Jain temple.
Udaipur
Breakfast. City tour in the morning taking us places such as the Royal Palace, built in limestone and decorated with exquisite works on mirrors, tiles, ornaments and multicoloured mosaics that adorn its beautiful rooms; the Jagdish Temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu; and Sahelion ki Bari, the gardens of the Ladies of Honour with beautiful Mughal-style fountains and ponds. In the afternoon, we'll take the ferry across the placid waters of Lake Pichola, marvelling at the sunset and visiting the palace-island of Jag Mandir. Dinner and overnight stay.
Udaipur - Pushkar
Breakfast. Departure to Pushkar, an ancient city home to the only temple dedicated to the God Brahma, "Creator of the World and the Hindu Trinity". Arrival and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, we'll visit the famous Brahma Temple and Lake Pushkar, with some 400 temples and 52 ghats (steps leading down to the waters) surrounding the lake. Dinner and overnight stay.
Pushkar - Jaipur
Breakfast. Morning departure by road to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, with its distinctive dark pink buildings, a colour that represents hospitality according to local tradition. Founded by Raja Jai Singh in the eighteenth century, it's surrounded by hills crowned by forts and palaces that have inspired many a legend. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon visit to a Hindu temple. Dinner and overnight stay. Note: a technical visit to a textile factory is included.
Jaipur - Amber - Jaipur
Breakfast. Early departure to Amber Fort. In the afternoon, the tour of Jaipur will stop at places such as the Maharaja Palace (also known as the city palace) and Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory built in stone and marble by Jai Singh between 1728 and 1734. En route we will make a brief stop to take the customary photograph of Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds). Lastly, we'll take a stroll through the old quarter. Dinner and overnight stay.
Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra
Breakfast. Morning departure by road to Agra. En route we'll visit the Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri. Onward journey to the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri and its palace, built by King Akbar in the sixteenth century, where prominent civil buildings include Diwan-i-Am (the Hall of Audience), Diwan-i-Khas (the Hall of Private Audiences), the Jodhabai Palace, Birbal's House, Mariam's House, and the Panch Mahal Palace. Onward journey to Agra. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.
Agra
Breakfast. At first thing, we'll head off to the Taj Mahal, a truly jaw-dropping monument to love with architecture in white marble. Shah Jahan ordered its construction as an expression of his love for his beautiful wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Work of Persian architect Ustad Isa, it took twenty-two years to build and has become one of the wonders of the world. Its design is imposing, with a perfect symmetry that is broken only inside the main building. It boasts elegant carved domes and, among other examples of outstanding craftsmanship, the best stone inlay work ever seen. Later we'll visit Agra Fort, which was built by Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573 and reflects the Mughal talent for combining defensive architecture with beauty and design. This fort-palace was started by Akbar the Great as a purely defensive citadel and was later completed by two successive generations, who added the delicate marble mosaic work and the magnificent palaces. The fort commands a magical view of the Taj Mahal. Then we'll visit Itmad-ud-Daulah, nicknamed the Baby Taj, an exquisite tomb in honour of Mirza Ghiyas Beg built by his daughter. Dinner and overnight stay. Note: a technical visit to a marble workshop is included.
Agra - Jhansi - Orchha - Khajuraho
Breakfast. In the morning, transfer to the station to take the train to Jhansi. Upon arrival, departure by road to Khajuraho. En route, we'll stop off at Orcha, an interesting pocket-sized city full of palaces and temples. Arrival in Khajuraho. Dinner and overnight stay.
Khajuraho - Varanasi
Breakfast. Morning visit to the world-famous kama sutra temples of Khajuraho, built by the Chandela monarchy between 950 and 1050. They're known for their erotic teaching scenes. We'll also visit the temples of Kandariya Mahadev, Chaunsat Yogini, Visvanath, Lakshmana, Varaha and Chitragupta. In the afternoon, onward journey by road to Varanasi. Arrival in Varanasi, transfer to hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.
Varanasi
Departure from hotel at dawn for a boat ride on the River Ganges. During the ceremony, we will see pilgrims immersing themselves in the river's waters in order to cleanse their souls. Afterwards, we'll see the crematoria ghats and visit the University of Varanasi, the Kashi Vishwanath temple, the Durga temple and the Bharat Mata temple. Return to hotel for breakfast. Later, we will head out to Sarnath, the place where Buddha gave his first sermon, the Maha-Dharma Chakra Pravartan, known as the Wheel of the Law. In Sarnath, among other structures, we will visit the ruins of the temple representing the Mulagandha Kuti, and other monasteries and stupas, including the Dhamekh Stupa. Sarnath also has a rich collection of Buddhist sculptures featuring numerous images of Buddha and Bodhisattva, which can be seen in the Archaeological Museum. In the evening, we'll attend the aarti religious ceremony dedicated to the River Ganges. Dinner and overnight stay. Note: During the monsoon season, it may not be possible to take boat trips on the Ganges.
Varanasi - Delhi
Breakfast. Free time. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport to take a domestic flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, transfer to a restaurant to enjoy dinner. Transfer to hotel. Accommodation.
Delhi
Breakfast. In the morning, we will visit Old Delhi, stopping at the Jama Masjid, the country's largest mosque, and the Red Fort (one of the opulent forts from the time of the Mughal Empire). We will also take a fascinating rickshaw ride through the old streets of the capital's historic centre. We will continue our tour by going to New Delhi, visiting the Raj Ghat (memorial to Gandhi), as well as important buildings such as the India Gate, the Parliament building, the Presidential Palace and the amazing Qutub Minar, which, at 73 metres, is the highest minaret in the world. And to round the day off, a tour of a fascinating Sikh temple. Dinner at a local restaurant near the airport. Afterwards, transfer to the hotel.
Delhi - City of origin
Flight with destination the city of origin. Arrival. End of the trip and our services.
Your trip includes
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Return flight.
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Internal flight.
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Overnight stay in the listed hotels, or similar.
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Transfers according to the itinerary.
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Regular tours mentioned in the itinerary, not stated as optional.
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English-speaking local guides.
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Diet: 17 breakfasts, 17 dinners.
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Insolvency protection.
Your trip doesn't include
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Electronic Visa to enter in India.
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Any other service not previously mentioned as included.
Destinations Visited
Expected Hotels (or similar)
In this section you will find a selection of hotels according to the category specified in the itinerary.
Category B
Radisson Blu Hotel, New Delhi Dwarka
Plot 4, Delhi
Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Dwarka, New Delhi
Plot no 3, Sector 10, District Center, Dwarka, Delhi
Category A
Golden Tulip Suites Gurgaon
Sector 2, Gwal Pahari, Gurgaon Faridabad Road, Delhi
Important remarks
- Triple rooms in India are generally rooms with twin beds or a double, in which a folding bed is installed to accommodate the third person. Due to the inconvenience this causes, we advise against using this option as far the possible.
- The baggage allowance on domestic flights of most airlines in India is usually 15 kg per person, so lower than on international flights. Please take account of this when packing your bags.
- Please check with your international vaccination centre about the recommended healthcare measures in India.
- The tours include cultural stops at local workshops so you can learn about the production of traditional crafts.
- To reconfirm services at the destination, please send us your passport details within 24 hours of booking.
- Please check which documents are required to enter the country.
- The boat ride on Lake Pichola will depend on the water level.
- During the monsoon season, it may not be possible to take boat trips on the Ganges.
- Groups may be multilingual.
- Pushkar is a small town in Rajasthan with a simpler infrastructure than in other areas of the country, as well as being considered a holy city. This is why the diet there is vegetarian and the consumption of alcohol isn't allowed.
- The order of the itinerary may be altered for logistical reasons, without prior notice, but no scheduled trips will be cancelled (except in the case that adverse weather conditions prevent its realisation).
- A credit card is considered a guarantee, so sometimes you will need one for check-in at hotels.
- Prices are calculated based on admission fees to the sights as of the date of publication. If there is an increase in these prices, you will be promptly informed.
- If you are a person with reduced mobility, please contact us to confirm the suitability of the trip.