A Taste of India

When you arrive in Delhi at the beginning of your India holiday package, you’ll be collected by private car. Your driver will take you directly to your hotel. You stay in a comfortable hotel, with modern facilities, in Central Delhi, an ideal base to explore both the spice markets of Chandi Chowk and the modern bars of Connaught Place. Street stalls, shops and restaurants are nearby. Here, you can catch your breath and rest after your flight. All our Delhi hotels have comfortable rooms with private en-suite bathrooms and breakfast included. 

Although there's nothing planned for you today, if you have time you might want to visit the impressive Qutab Minar complex and Humayun's Tomb, both World Heritage Sites. The Qutab Minar has a 5-storey, 72-metre victory tower of red sandstone. Humayun's Tomb is a grand sandstone mausoleum in proper Mughal style. The Taj Mahal, built much later, follows a similar style of architecture.

 

Today you'll be transferred to Jaipur by air-conditioned car, which takes around 5 hours. The 'pink city' is a good introduction to Rajasthan. In fact it is the colourful capital of Rajasthan state. During your two nights here, you can relax, acclimatise and explore. There is so much to see in this elegant and astonishing city that you could spend days here without getting bored. Jaipur centre is a colourful mix of saris, sadhus, holy cows, spice markets, street vendors, camel carts, elephants, beggars, traffic, temples, forts and palaces.

During the Jaipur part of your India holiday package you’ll stay in a friendly family run hotel where the owners will always make you feel welcome. Breakfast is served in the peaceful courtyard area. The rooms here are tastefully furnished in traditional Indian-style and some have four-poster beds. The hotel has a swimming pool for refreshing dips.
 

On day three of your India holiday package, you’ll take a guided tour of this remarkable city, visiting the City Palace, the Observatory and the fairy-tale Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal). In the afternoon, you’ll visit the imposing Amber Fort that lies just outside the city limits. From the battlements of the Amber Fort, you’ll have a wonderful view of the rocky hills and the smaller walls and forts constructed by the Rajputs and the Mughals in the area.

The City Palace and the Palace of the Winds both stand in the ancient quarter of the city. The City Palace contains a beautiful museum with fascinating collections. If you see the flag flying, it means that the Maharaja is in residence. The Palace of the Winds is a world-famous, pyramid-shaped building with dozens of windows. This is where the women of the royal harem could watch the processions in the street below, unseen by the masses.

 

This morning, you'll leave Jaipur and head east towards Galta, an optional stop on your India holiday package. The Monkey Temple here is a pilgrimage site that attracts flocks of devotees. The stream is reputed to be water from the River Ganges, although this is geographically impossible. People bathe and sing on the steps (ghats) that lead down into the pools. Their voices echo through the rocky gorge, which opens into a wider valley dotted with temples overrun with monkeys.

After Galta, you’ll continue your India holiday as you drive for another three hours before arriving in Bharatpur. This is a fascinating waterworld, criss-crossed by pathways that your cycle rickshaw driver can take you along. Maharajas of the historic Singh family used this region as their hunting grounds. If you like, you can stretch your legs here and see some of the wildlife and birdlife attracted by the wetlands.

There are hundreds of rare birds in the Bharatpur wetlands, one of the lesser known North India highlights, such as the rare Siberian crane. Currently, there are several tigers here, originally from Ranthambore National Park, which prey on the waterfowl and wildlife. It’s unlikely that you’ll see this in action, but keep your eyes peeled all the same.

A few kilometres further on, you’ll come to stunning Fatehpur Sikri. The great ruler Akbar set up his capital here, and built a grand city, but after only 40 years the water supply became too difficult to maintain in this dry area, so all of the inhabitants packed up and moved on. They left behind a phenomenal collection of grand temples and palaces, with the ruins of old houses standing between them. Now it is an atmospheric ghost city, full of green parrots and monkeys. You can arrange for a guide to lead you through the forgotten city locally, and tell you the stories behind the monuments or explore by yourselves. This is also an optional stop on route to Agra and well worth a visit.

After visiting Fatehpur Sikri, this India holiday package will take you on a drive to Agra, where you’ll arrive at your hotel in Agra. The hotel will be comfortable, with a restaurant and a swimming pool.

You'll have breakfast this morning or head off very early for a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal and eat later. You’ll be taken to the Taj Mahal by your driver and a guide. This is sure to be a real highlight of your India holiday package. The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan as a token of his love for his deceased wife, and is undoubtedly the most romantic mausoleum in the world.

After this, you’ll head for Agra Fort. This huge but restrained structure seems to be immersed in a dreamy atmosphere when it’s bathed in the golden light of late afternoon, which slants through the pillars and galleries. From its majestic walls and through its arches, you can see the Taj Mahal, just as Shah Jahan would have done centuries ago, when he was imprisoned here by his son. You'll then return to your hotel and the rest of the day is completely free.
 

We 've arranged your private transfer to Agra Station. Your train leaves at about 8am on its way to Jhansi. After about 2½ hours (give or take a little in India), you’ll arrive in Jhansi and you’ll be collected at the station by your driver, who will take you to Orchha (about 16 km away). Orchha is a charming small town of only 9000 residents and it is one of the few places in India that you can easily explore on foot without being approached by beggars or touts. The town is renowned for its breathtaking Ram Raja Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple and Lakshmi Narayan Temple. It is also set on the banks of the beautiful Betwa river. In the afternoon, you’ll have free time to explore the town at your own pace or just relax at your hotel. There are limited options for cafes and restaurants so you may want to enjoy an evening meal at your hotel.

Today you are free to explore Orchha at your leisure or just relax in the lovely surroundings of your hotel. The swimming pool is great for refreshing dips if it's hot. Perhaps take a walk down to the ruined chhatris (cenotaphs to Orchha's rulers of old) by the river where vultures roost at sundown. If you head across the small stone bridge across the river (water levels permitting) the view of Orchha looking back across the rocks and water is really beautiful. In the centre of town there is a wider granite bridge that takes you across a tributary to three abandoned 17th century palaces in various stages of repair. If you climb up to the higher levels you are rewarded with some great views. This small town has a village atmosphere where homes are brightly painted and goats and cattle wander the quiet streets. Orchha only gets busy when pilgrims come to town to visit the temples.

If you're short on time, and don't mind a fast paced trip, we can reduce your time in Orchha to one night. Just let your India Travel Specialist know!

It's an early hours departure today so you'll need to skip breakfast or ask the hotel the night before to prepare a packed breakfast for you. Your driver will take you to the station at Satna to pick up the train to Varanasi. The train is a sleeper service so you may need to get horizontal for the first stretch of the journey before the lower beds are stowed away and turned into seating for the remains of the journey.

If you'd prefer a slower start to the day and want a leisurely breakfast then we can switch the train ride to a domestic flight from Khajuraho to Varanasi. The flight is much quicker and naturally a more expensive option. Both train and plane are subject to availability. Just speak to your travel specialist on 01273 322044.

The train arrives in Varanasi just after 4pm and there will be a transfer waiting to take you straight to your hotel. The evening is free for you to do as you wish. You can walk down to the ghats and take an atmospheric evening stroll along the Ganges or enjoy your evening meal on the roof terrace at your hotel.