Region: North India
Duration: 07 Days/06 Nights tour by road and flight
Areas covered: Delhi, Agra, Jaipur
Season: All year round

Highlights: Cycle-rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk and the magnificent structures of Old & New Delhi; Elephant ride to the top of Amber Fort and other sights of Jaipur; the Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri; the Taj Mahal and the historic Agra fort, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites

The perfect place to start this classic tour is Delhi, the sprawling capital of India, which lies on the living ruins of seven older cities that spanned several empires. Though Delhi has well over 60,000 recognized monuments built across many millennia, we'll visit some of the more prominent ones. Old Delhi or 'The walled city' was the capital of Muslim India between the 12th and 19th centuries and one can find mosques, gateways, monuments and forts of medieval times. Highlights include the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in the country, Qutab Minar and yet another UNESCO site - Humayun's Tomb. New Delhi, the imperial city created as India's capital by the British, is intricately planned and comprises of imposing buildings displaying a blend of Eastern & Western architecture.

From Delhi you move to Agra, from where four of the mightiest Mughal rulers ruled their vast domain. This was where Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of the Yamuna. This was where Shah Jahan built the greatest monument of love in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1643 - the Taj Mahal. The great Akbar, who was without an heir for a long time, made a pilgrimage to the renowned Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chisti to seek his blessings. When a son was born, Akbar named him after the saint and as a mark of his gratitude built the new capital of Fatehpur Sikri. The complex of monuments and temples built in red sandstone show a synthesis of various regional schools of craftsmanship such as Gujarati and Bengali as well as Hindu and Jain influences with Islamic elements.

The third leg of your tour takes you to Jaipur, the capital city that serves as the gateway to Rajasthan. Surrounded by magnificent forts perched on rocky outcrops, Jaipur is littered with palaces, gateways and monuments. Built in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh as per Shilpa Shastra, Jaipur is perhaps the first planned city of India divided into sectors with wide avenues and neatly arranged markets. All the structures inside the walled city are in pink sandstone, allegedly done so to commemorate the visit of Edward VII in 1876. The royal hospitality you experience at Jaipur makes it the perfect culmination point of a memorable tour.

Itinerary

Day 01: ARRIVE DELHI
Arrive IGI airport Delhi and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel

Day 02: DELHI
After breakfast combined tour visiting important sites of New and Old Delhi - Qutab Minar a 12th century tower and one of the tallest of its time, Humayan's Tomb considered to be one of the forerunner of the Taj Mahal and evening drive past President's House, India Gate and other colonial buildings. In Old Delhi visit 16th century Red Fort the ultimate symbol of Mughal power in India, take a cycle rickshaw ride in the narrow alleyways of Chandni Chowk which once served as a royal market, Jama Masjid one of the biggest mosque in India built during the same time as Red Fort. Overnight at hotel

Day 03: DELHI to AGRA
Morning depart Delhi for Agra by surface (200 km/ 04 hrs). Arrive Agra and check in at hotel followed by afternoon visit to the Agra fort. Explore the palaces built by successive rulers amongst them hall of private audience, hall of public audience, Moti Masjid are most talked about. In the evening visit the fabled Taj Mahal. Overnight at hotel

Day 04: AGRA to JAIPUR
Morning drive Agra - Jaipur (250 km/ 05 hrs approx.) stopping en route to visit the deserted capital of Fatehpur Sikri which is in a remarkable state of preservation. It is believed that this place was abandoned due to lack of potable water. Arrive Jaipur and check in at Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure or free for optional activities. Overnight at hotel

Day 05: JAIPUR
Morning excursion to Amber Fort, the Old Capital of Jaipur, which guarded the city from invading enemies. Climb atop the fort on elephant back to explore some impressive palaces of a bygone era. Visit Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace) en route to Amber Fort. Afternoon visit the City Palace and the museum, which houses the royal armory, old manuscripts and textiles. Visit Jantar Mantar an old astronomical observatory which works quite accurately till date. Overnight at hotel

Day 06: JAIPUR to DELHI
Morning after breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to visit Samode village (40 km one way) - this sleepy village near Jaipur will provide a glimpse of life in rural Rajasthan. Arrive Samode Palace in time for lunch (paid directly), the palace has been converted into a hotel and is one of the most impressive in the state. Walks around the palace reveal the extravagantly florid painted Darbar Hall (Meeting Hall) and the overlooking gallery that forms the spectacular Sheesh Mahal - the hall of mirror. Continue your drive to Delhi (220 kms / 4 hrs drive). Arrive Delhi and check in at the hotel. Overnight at hotel

Day 07: DEPART DELHI
In time transfer to the international airport to board the flight for onward destination.


Culture Tours in India:
1857 Mutiny Tour, North India Culture Tour,
Varanasi and Khajuraho Tour, Kerala Spice Coast Tour,
Rajasthan Culture Tour, Camel Safaris in Rajasthan