India's Golden Triangle and the Tigers of Ranthambore

Overview

This fascinating tour of India encapsulates the glittering royal past of the Golden Triangle. You’ll start and end in Delhi, and also overnight one night in Agra, two nights in Ranthambore National Park, and two nights in Jaipur.

No tour to India is complete without a visit to the famous Taj Mahal, and you’ll have the opportunity to view it at sunset. This remarkable edifice was built by Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his beloved wife. Also visit the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, and tour its sandstone palaces and elegant courtyards. Next, visit to Ranthambore National Park, said to have provided the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Here, three game drives in an open-air, 4-wheel-drive safari vehicle give you an opportunity to see native wildlife, including the elusive Bengal tiger.

Other highlights include a cycle rickshaw ride through Old Delhi and a visit to the legendary Amber Fort in Jaipur. Stunning architecture, captivating culture, spectacular views of nature—this value-minded tour as it all!

Depart UK

Delhi

Welcome to Delhi, the capital of modern India. Delhi is a magnetic blend of old and new, boasting a fascinating array of sights, from elegant shops and lively bazaars to impressive forts and mosques that were once the power-base for India’s Mughal emperors. Hotel rooms are available for a mid-afternoon check-in.

Delhi

Your day starts with a sightseeing tour of Old Delhi including a CYCLE RICKSHAW RIDE. See the splendid 17th century Mughal Red Fort before visiting landmarks such as RAJ GHAT and the majestic three-domed JAMA MASJID, the largest mosque in Asia. Experience a walk in the alleys of CHANDNI CHOWK; and later, visit the ancient stepwell AGRASEN KI BAOLI, which has 103 steps and a series of carved chambers and passages. This afternoon, enjoy New Delhi’s major sights, including the towering QUTUB MINAR, ancient tomb of the Emperor Humayun; the grand India Gate war memorial; then, a drive past Parliament and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Delhi-Agra

Today, we travel to Agra and visit AGRA FORT, a colossal, red-sandstone UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the spectacular Mughal Palace with audience halls, the Room of Mirrors, and the pavilion where Shahjahan spent his last days. Visit the famous TAJ MAHAL at sunset. This remarkable edifice was commissioned by Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and took 22 years to build.

Agra-Fatehpur Sikri-Rathambore National Park

Today, stop at FATEHPUR SIKRI, an abandoned city. Tour the sandstone palaces, elegant courtyards, and victory gate of this ghostly place built in 1569 and deserted by its people when the water ran out. After lunch, board a TRAIN for Ranthambore National Park, home to its famous tigers and the only place in Rajasthan where these impressive creatures can be seen in the wild. The area is said to have been the first setting and an inspiration of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.

Ranthambore

Keep a watchful eye to spot telltale tiger stripes during two jungle SAFARIS today. Also, look out for leopards, striped hyenas, sambar deer, sloth bears, and Indian wild boar.

Ranthambore-Jaipur

Rise early this morning for one last SAFARI in this magical land. Later, arrive at Jaipur, Rajasthan’s quintessential royal city. Often referred to as the “Pink City,” Jaipur is studded with intricately adorned temples and monuments.

Jaipur

Today, we start with a visit to the legendary AMBER FORT, known as the “Sleeping Beauty of Rajasthan.” This fortress-palace has a somber exterior that hides a richly ornate interior of royal apartments, including an alabaster Hall of Victory and a superb Chamber of Mirrors. Explore the ANOKHI MUSEUM and the CITY PALACE MUSEUM, with its collection of paintings, carpets, weapons, and costumes; then enjoy time at the bustling markets of the old city.

NOTE: Museum visit subject to opening times.

Jaipur-Delhi

Depart early this morning for your train to Delhi. Transfer to your hotel in Gurgaon on arrival.

Delhi. - Home Landing in the UK

Your tour ends with breakfast this morning.