Old Delhi

This morning we continue our city tour, first visiting Old Delhi, starting with the Raj Ghat, a fittingly simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. We continue past the imposing walls and battlements of the great Red Fort before visiting the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Temple, one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwaras - or Sikh house of worship - in Delhi.

We leave Delhi in the afternoon for our drive to Agra, arriving at our four-star Oberoi Trident hotel, in the late afternoon.

Fatehpur Sikri

Leaving Agra this morning we continue towards the ancient, abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, built in 1571, as Emperor Akbar’s imperial capital. Although it was mysteriously abandoned just 15 years later, it remains in a remarkable state of preservation, with numerus palaces, wide courtyards and beautiful carvings. We stop for lunch (included) at the the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Bharat before going on to the railway station to catch the Shatabdi Express for our comfortable two-and-a-half-hour journey to Ranthambore National Park. Originally the private hunting preserve of Maharajahs, its 400 square kilometres of forested rolling hills, valleys and lakes form a unique ecosystem. Started in 1973, India’s famous Tiger Project was created to protect the country’s tiger population. Despite many difficulties, the tigers of Ranthambore have survived and numbers have stabilised.

Jaipur

Leaving Ranthambore after breakfast we head north to the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. Our afternoon tour will cover all the major highlights of this
ancient city. The famous Hawa Mahal, known as the Palace of Winds, is one of our first stops before we continue to the Astronomical Observatory constructed in 1726 and on to the City Palace, still home to the present Maharajah of Jaipur, where we’ll view collections of
costumes, carpets, paintings and the impressive armoury. Our hotel for the next two nights is the new four-star Marriott Jaipur.

Rajasthan

Heading north deeper into rural Rajasthan, we'll pass small villages and towns on our way to the Sekhawati region of the state and the village of Alsisar. Once part of India's Silk Road, over the years the merchants here grew very rich, building luxurious mansions known as ‘havelis’ to
display their wealth with magnificent frescoed walls. Though most have been abandoned, the imposing and luxurious residence of the local
kings has been lovingly restored as a Heritage hotel. This afternoon we'll take a guided walk through the village to explore the best examples of the havelis and see the locals going about their day.

Return home!