DAY 1 - DEPARTURE Arrive for your overnight flight to Delhi.
DAY 2 - ARRIVAL IN AMRITSAR We connect with the flight to the holy city of Amritsar. Our hotel for two nights is the five-star Radisson Blu. During the early evening we enter Amritsar to view the remarkable floodlit Golden Temple, silhouetted against the dark sky. (2016 departures will stay at the Hyatt Amritsar).
DAY 3 - GOLDEN TEMPLE The Golden Temple is also extraordinary by day, reflected in its huge sacred pool, surrounded by marble colonnaded arcades. Inside, the gilded inlay work is extraordinary - wood panels decorated with gold and silver plus ivory carvings, all under a brilliant dome containing 100kg of gold. Sikh custom dictates anyone is offered sustenance without charge, with the resultant kitchens capable of feeding 6,000 people per hour – we see their huge vats of dhal and an ancient machine producing continual hot chapattis! We visit the site of the Amritsar Massacre, where in 1919 the British, without warning, fired upon a nationalist demonstration. This had a profound effect on Gandhi, who initiated his ultimately successful ‘civil disobedience’ campaign. Later we go to the nearby Bagh Border post with Pakistan, where a light- hearted, bizarre competition as to who has the most flamboyant marching style and vociferous supporters has developed. It’s typically Indian, a blend of theatre, party and military parade. Finally, both border gates are ceremoniously closed and the flags lowered for the night! A buffet dinner at your hotel is included.
DAY 4 - FLY TO DELHI Fly to Delhi. After lunch continue to Agra and the Taj Mahal, staying at the four-star Taj Gateway.
DAY 5 - TAJ MAHAL In the morning light, as the mist rises from the Yamuna River, the Taj Mahal floats above the surrounding landscape. A combination of extraordinary beauty, symmetry and history makes this an amazing monument. Then, in stunning contrast, you visit the vast red sandstone 16th century Agra Fort, once the headquarters of the Moghul Empire. Later we drive to Jaipur in Rajasthan, staying two nights at the Radisson Blu Hotel.
DAY 6 - AMBER FORT & JAIPUR Our first stop is the Amber Fort, located in the nearby hills. Our tour includes sections reserved for the Maharaja’s wives and concubines and the amazing hall of mirrors. Next is the pink sandstone Palace of the Winds, an incredible honeycomb of windows from which the royal household’s ladies watched the street life. Next, we visit the City Palace, home to the present Maharaja of Jaipur, viewing the superb collection of robes, carpets, fine paintings and armoury. Finally, we see the 18th century Jantar Mantar open-air Observatory, a collection of early astronomical instruments.
DAY 7 - PUSHKAR We leave Jaipur using the iconic railway system, boarding the ‘chair class’ carriages of the Shatabdi Express travelling to Ajmer. We drive to Pushkar, home to the world’s largest camel fair. 160,000 dealers may gather, along with musicians, snake-charmers and dancers on hot coals. After checking into the three-star superior Pushkar Resort, we visit the rare Brahma temple - the only place in the world where it is permitted to worship the creator-God of the Hindu religion. A buffet dinner at your hotel is included.
DAY 8 - NAGAUR FORT & KHIMSAR We continue towards Nagaur Fort. With its 800-year history and careful restoration, it deserves its UNESCO recognition. We drive through an arid landscape of sand dunes, surrounded by the rural India of ox carts and small villages, before seeing the astonishing Khimsar Fort. This 16th century edifice is extraordinary, has been in the same family for 21 generations and is now a charming Heritage Hotel. There’s a bar,
restaurant, tearoom and spa, plus a lovely pool. Dinner is included within the ruins or along the battlements.
DAY 9 - FREE DAY We have a free day enjoying our surroundings, with an optional jeep drive into the local ‘bush’ to spot antelopes, then a walk experiencing village life. There’s time to relax or explore and enjoy this delightful hotel. This afternoon perhaps enjoy a drive to the dunes and a camel cart ride before halting at the desert’s edge to view the magnificent sunset. This evening, there’s a delightful Kalbelia dance troupe, a typical Rajasthani puppet show and traditional musicians.
DAY 10 - JODHPUR We move to Jodhpur, the ‘Blue City’, named after the colourwash of its Old City, which is dominated by the Mehrangarh Fort. Its museum houses Emperor Akbar’s sword, numerous howdahs and antique belongings of the Maharajas. Later we walk through Jodhpur’s open-air Clocktower Market, crammed with orange and red turbaned vendors selling absolutely everything. We stay at the four- star Taj Vivanta. (2016 departures will stay at the WelcomHotel Jodhpur).
DAY 11 - UDAIPUR We leave Jodhpur and drive east to the Aravali Hills. Here the landscape changes to bare hilltops interspersed with lush green valleys, in one of which lies Ranakpur with one of India’s finest Jain temple. Beautifully constructed from white marble and covered by some of the finest intricate carvings, no two of its 1,444 columns are identical. Later we continue to Udaipur, staying three nights at the four- star Oberoi Trident Hotel. You may upgrade your stay to the five-star Taj Lake Palace, one of the world’s finest hotels.
DAY 12 - UDAIPUR Udaipur, the City of Lakes, with its green-covered hills, is stunning! The stage for countless ‘Bollywood’ films and James Bond’s ‘Octopussy’, Udaipur’s most famous sight is the white marble Lake Palace. Overlooking this is the City Palace complex, where we’ll see the Maharani’s private apartments, courtyards, pleasure gardens and a host of miniature paintings, palanquins and armaments. We’ll see the great Durbar Hall and the Crystal Gallery, lined with thousands of unique items of crystal, all produced in Birmingham in 1877. The afternoon is free to explore. Dinner is included.
DAY 13 - FLY TO DELHI We fly back to Delhi for one night at the five- star Hyatt Regency Hotel. We drive through the city’s wide, tree-lined avenues designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and tour the best sights of Old and New Delhi, including Humayun’s Tomb, the Qutub Minaret and the reminders of the British Raj, before an afternoon at leisure.
DAY 14 - RETURN FLIGHT Transfer to the airport for the return flight to London.
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