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India, 18 Days · Classic tour
Grand Tour of Rajasthan and Varanasi
Quintessential India
Join us on a fascinating journey through the most vibrant India, the one that smells of spices and flowers, the one that treasures legends carved in stone, the one that prays with devotion to its gods and the one that flows alongside the Ganges. We'll start off in the capital, with the contrasts between Old Delhi and New Delhi, and then head to Mandawa, where the havelis compete to be the most colourful; Bikaner, with its majestic fort; Jaisalmer, the gateway to the Thar Desert; the blue city of Jodhpur; Ranakpur, with its delicate Jain temples; the romantic Udaipur; Pushkar and its sacred lake; Jaipur, vibrant, lively and multicoloured; the dazzling beauty of the Taj Mahal in Agra; and, finally, the city that symbolises the essence of the country's spiritual tradition, Varanasi, where the Ganges takes centre stage.
Are you up for it?
Departure date
Departures from December 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 temples.
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 - Delhi
Breakfast. Morning devoted to visiting the most famous Indian monument of all, the Taj Mahal. This is 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 boasts a stunning design, perfect symmetry, elegant carved domes and some of the best inlay work in stone in the entire history of architecture. We'll also visit Agra Fort, built by Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573, which is a magnificent example of the fusion of defensive architecture with beauty and design. This fortress/palace was originally built by Akbar as a purely defensive citadel and was later completed by two successive generations, which added the intricate marble mosaic and the magnificent palaces. The fort also commands a magical view of the Taj Mahal. In the afternoon, departure to Delhi. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. Note: a technical visit to a marble workshop is included.
Delhi
Breakfast. In the morning, we'll visit Old Delhi, stopping at Jama Masjid (the country's largest mosque) and the Red Fort (one of the most opulent forts of the Mughal empire), followed by a fascinating rickshaw ride along the ancient streets. We'll continue our tour round Delhi with a trip to the Raj Ghat (memorial to Gandhi), the India Gate, the Parliament building, the presidential palace, Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret in the world at seventy-three metres, and a visit to a fascinating Sikh temple. Dinner. Return journey to the hotel and overnight stay.
Delhi - Varanasi - Sarnath - Varanasi
Transfer to airport and flight to Varanasi. Arrival and overnight stay. In the afternoon, we'll set off on a trip to Sarnath. This is where Buddha gave his first sermon and proffered his teachings to the world. He delivered two speeches here: the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta. The ruins of Sarnath are surrounded by gardens. Later on, at sunset, we'll enjoy an aarti ceremony on the steps leading down to the Ganges River. Accommodation.
Varanasi
At dawn, we'll set off on a boat trip along the Ganges, getting to see the incineration ghats and how life awakens in this sacred city. After the trip, we'll return to the hotel for breakfast, visiting en route the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Alamgir Mosque of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Later, we'll visit the Bharat Mata Temple, where there's a huge map of undivided India carved in marble, and the Durga Temple, dating back to the eighteenth century and commonly known as the temple of monkeys. Rest of the afternoon at leisure. Accommodation.
Varanasi - Delhi
Breakfast in the hotel and free time until the arranged time for the transfer to the airport.
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 flights.
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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: 16 breakfasts, 13 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
Vivanta New Delhi, Dwarka
Metro Station Complex, Sector 21, Delhi
Category A
Golden Tulip Suites Gurgaon
Sector 2, Gwal Pahari, Gurgaon Faridabad Road, Delhi
Ashok Country Resort
30, Rajokri Road, Kapashera, Gurgaon
Excellent
9
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.
- Check-in time at the hotel on the day of arrival depends on each establishment, but in no case will it be before 3:00 p.m., unless otherwise indicated.
- The boat ride on Lake Pichola will depend on the water level.
- 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.
- Consult the necessary documentation to enter the destinations visited and for transit in the countries where air stopovers are made.