Tigers and Thalis

When you arrive in Delhi at the beginning of your Northern India itinerary, you’ll be collected by your private driver and taken to your hotel. You can choose from either a hotel situated about half an hour’s drive from the airport or a charming hotel in Central Delhi, an ideal base to explore both the spice markets of Chandi Chowk and modern Connaught Place. Here, you can catch your breath and rest after your flight. In both hotels, you’ll have a comfortable room with a private en-suite bathroom.

 

Next on your North India itinerary, you’ll take a guided tour of this remarkable city, visiting the City Palace, the Observatory and the Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal). In the afternoon, you’ll visit the imposing Amber Fort just outside the city limits. From the battlements, you’ll have a wonderful view of the rocky hills and the smaller forts constructed by the Rajputs and the Mughals.

The City Palace and the Palace of the Winds both stand in the ancient quarter of the city. 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.
 

Today, you’ll travel by car to Sawai Madhopur, near to Ranthambore, the next stop on your North India itinerary. Here, you'll stay in a lovely safari tent with attached bathroom (non a/c). Towards the end of the day, your local guide will take you to Ranthambore Fort, a massive structure full of chattering monkeys and bright green parrots. Here, you can listen for the alarm calls of the gazelles and sambar deer below. If you hear them, there’s a chance that a tiger is on the prowl somewhere nearby. The success of the tiger project here is due to the commitment of the local people, who are determined to keep their tiger population alive and growling. The jeep will stop to let the locals offer some souvenirs and you can support the tiger project by buying a memento (if you choose). 

Note: If you're travelling in May or June, when temperatures in this area reach their highest point, you'll stay in a safari hotel with air-conditioning rather than a tent.  
 

Today, you’ll set off on your first safari at sunrise, perhaps one of the highlights of your North India itinerary, in a truck-based 20-seater Canter (just ask our India specialists if you would prefer a jeep upgrade). This is the time of day when tigers stalk around the lakes for a morning drink so, with a little luck, you’ll spot one during the safari. Even without tigers, the safari is an enchanting experience at dawn. There are atmospheric views of the lakes, lined with all kinds of animals lapping up the glassy water. From time to time, you’ll get a glimpse of the hideouts of the maharajas through the undergrowth.

At the end of the morning, you’ll return to your hotel for lunch. Afterwards, you’ll have time for an afternoon snooze before your evening safari. You’ll have around a 50/50 chance per safari of spotting a wild tiger (although this varies according to the season), but you’ll certainly encounter gazelles, crocodiles, sambar deer, monkeys and all sorts of other creatures. 
 

You’ll depart from Ranthambore during late morning (Day 6) and you’ll be taken back to the Pink City of Jaipur by air-conditioned car. You’ll arrive in the early evening and spend another 2 nights in the welcoming family-run hotel on your North India itinerary.

Jaipur is famous for textiles and jewellery. You can find these in abundance in the bazaar, which is one of the biggest in the region. Equally, the pink-meringue-like cinema in Jaipur is the perfect place to catch a Bollywood film during your stay. Around a 1-hour drive from Jaipur, you'll find the amusement village of Chokhi Dhani, which celebrates Rajasthani traditions with palm-readers, snake-charmers, camel drivers, elephant rides, snacks, sweets, music and dancing. This is a fun-filled way to spend a spare evening.    

On Day eight of your North India itinerary, you’ll drive from Jaipur to Shekawati (around 3 hours). The roads will become smaller and dustier as you approach Nawalgarh. Finally, you’ll arrive through a small, intriguing entrance at a group of clay huts. The friendly owners will welcome you warmly, and explain how their unique sustainable accommodation works. The electricity is solar powered, and the owner builds the attractive furniture with his own hands. Behind the huts, there is a piece of land with a buffalo and a vegetable garden. During your stay you’ll eat delicious, home-grown, freshly prepared meals on a plate of woven leaves. You can enjoy the peace of this idyllic spot, worlds away from the crowded chaos of the cities on your North India itinerary.
 

This morning, you’ll take a guided walk through the old town of Nawalgarh. You'll be welcomed into the artistically decorated havelis to see how the owners live in an open-air museum of quirky paintings. Colourful, bizarre artwork can be found on walls, ceilings, pillars and galleries. Each haveli is completely unique. The local people rely on tourism and you can support their community by buying a small memento (if you choose).

After a tasty lunch, you could set off on foot to explore the local rural lanes or book an Indian cookery class with the family. They also offer Rajasthani tie-dye classes and bangle making at the eco-lodge, just be sure to request these extras on arrival. Or you can just relax at the lodge and enjoy the peace and quiet.  
 

This morning, you'll leave Jaipur and head east towards Galta, an optional stop on your North India itinerary. The Monkey Temple here is a pilgrimage site that attracts flocks of devotees. The stream here is reputed to come from the holy 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 that have been overrun with monkeys.

After Galta, you’ll drive for another three hours before arriving in Bharatpur. This is a fascinating waterworld, criss-crossed by paths and waterways, and a lovely place to take a break on your North India itinerary.

There are hundreds of rare birds in the Bharatpur wetlands, such as the rare Siberian crane. Currently, there are several tigers here, originally from Ranthambore National Park, which pounce on the waterfowl as they doze. 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 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.This is another optional stop and you can arrange for a guide locally to lead you through the forgotten city, and tell you the stories behind the monuments.

After visiting Fatehpur Sikri, you’ll drive on to Agra, where you’ll arrive at your clean and comfortable hotel, the next stop on your North India itinerary. 

After breakfast on day twelve of your North India itinerary, you’ll set off to visit two breathtaking sites. First, you’ll be taken to the Taj Mahal, a highlight of any trip to India. Standing serenely in the first light of the morning, this stunning building will surpass all your expectations. It was built by Shah Jahan as a token of his love for his deceased wife, and is undoubtedly the most romantic burial site in the world.

After visiting the Taj Mahal, you’ll head for Agra Fort. This huge 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 return to your hotel by lunchtime and you'll have the rest of the afternoon at your own pace.

 

This morning, your train leaves Agra Central Station at about 8am on its way to Jhansi. We'll arrange your transfer to the railway station at your hotel. After about 2½ hours (give or take a little in India), you’ll arrive in Jhansi. You’ll be collected at the station by a 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 wander about without being approached by beggars or touts. This is the perfect place to take a breather from hectic city life, and just relax on your North India itinerary. The town is renowned for its breathtaking Ram Raja Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple and Lakshmi Narayan Temple. In the afternoon, you’ll have free time to explore the town at your own pace. At the end of the day, you’ll tumble into bed in your hotel and drift off to sleep, tired but contented.
 

This morning, you’ll drive on to the tranquil town of Khajuraho, the next stop on your Northern India highlights tour. In the afternoon, you’ll visit the western temples of Khajuraho, principally known for their erotic images from the Kama Sutra. The temples are about 1000 years old and they are still in incredibly good condition, even though there are only 22 of the original 85 temples still left. You'll stay in a very comfortable hotel, set in 4 acres of quiet grounds.

Today you’ll be taken to the little town of Satna to catch the train to the city of Varanasi on the River Ganges, the next stop on your North India itinerary. The train leaves about 8.15am, so it’s a pretty early start, but you’ll arrive in Varanasi a little after 4pm. The journey takes about 8 hours. When you arrive in Varanasi, you’ll be greeted and transferred to a charming hotel that lies right on the banks of the river. The Ganges is flanked by a series of ‘ghats’ – broad stone staircases leading down to the water – that stretch into the horizon. Each ghat has its own significance. The hotel stands close to the Assi Ghat, towards the south of the town, which is used by pilgrims during a special pilgrimage route called 'Panchatirthi Yatra'.
 

This morning, you’ll make a very early start to take a boat trip on the Ganges at dawn. This is an extremely special experience. You’ll drift past pilgrims of all ages and classes as they perform their ritual bathing just before sunrise. This really will be one of the highlights of your North India itinerary. After the boat trip, there's a guided walk through the old centre of Varanasi. Watch out for the holy cows in the narrow alleyways.

In the afternoon you’ll head for the small town of Sarnath, which is not far from Varanasi. Sarnath is another place of pilgrimage, this time for the Buddhists. It was here that Buddha gave his first lecture. The village itself is small, with a feeling of tranquillity, once your inside the temple compound, but be prepared for some hassle from Rickshaw drivers and 'guides' when you arrive. After you’ve spent a while exploring Sarnath, you’ll be taken back to Varanasi, where you’ll have the rest of the evening to wander through the city.

Day seventeen of your Northern India highlights tour is free for you to explore at your own pace. Life and death rubs shoulders here like nowhere else on earth, and the experience is very inspiring. Seeing a cremation take place on the ‘burning ghats’ is something that you will remember forever. Next to the cremation ghat, you’ll find kids playing cricket, cows nosing through rubbish, and women beating laundry on rocks. Then, in the evening, you will be transferred from your hotel to the railway station for your overnight journey to Delhi.

After a unique, if bumpy, night on the train, you’ll arrive in Delhi early in the morning and your North India itinerary ends here. If you have time to spare in Delhi, you can use today to explore the crowded, narrow alleyways of Old Delhi spice market, the stately Humayan’s Tomb, the greenery of Lodi Gardens, the informative Gandhi Museum and the modern bars of Connaught Place. Otherwise, you can simply make your way to the airport for your flight home to the UK.