The Tale of the Tiger

Fly overnight from your chosen airport to Delhi.

On arrival, transfer to the 5-star Taj Mahal Hotel for two nights. In the afternoon, visit the Lodhi Gardens and the mausoleum of the Mughal Emperor Humayun, UNESCO listed as the first garden-tomb in India.
(D)

India’s ‘capital territory’, Delhi is a kaleidoscope of cultural heritage. Passing the Red Fort, parliament building and Viceroy’s House, a tour of the city visits the 17th-century, Jama Masjid (‘Friday Mosque’), the second-largest mosque on the sub-continent; the Raj Ghat memorial to Gandhi, marking the place of his cremation, and the Ghandi Smriti, where he spent his last few months, now a museum of his life and legacy; the National Museum, with thousands of objects from the Indus Valley (Harappan) civilisation; stately India Gate arch; and the Qutab Minar, a 73m-tall ‘tower of victory’, built in the 12th century, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
(B)

Leave on the morning Gatimaan Express train to Agra. Visit the 16th-century Agra Red Fort, a UNESCO listed and lavishly opulent palace, set beside the Yamuna River and encompassing the perfect and peaceful Pearl Mosque. Optional visit to the ‘Baby Taj’, Itmad-ud-Daulah, a forerunner of its more famous monument; with a view of the Taj Mahal from the Mughal gardens (£25, bookable locally). Enjoy dinner in a local restaurant and overnight at the 5-star ITC Mughal.
(B, D)

Begin the day with a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. With acres of print and galleries of pictures of this romantic icon, it needs no introduction, yet a first sight of it still thrills. Drive to the UNESCO listed Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri. Filled with red sandstone temples and monuments, the fortified enclave was founded in 1571, and completely abandoned in 1610. Continue to Bharatpur, and take a rickshaw ride into Keoladeo National Park, recording 366 species of endemic and exotic birds, from ospreys to herons, cranes, and storks; and boasting an equally sizeable variety of flora. Overnight at the heritage Hotel Laxmi Vilas Palace, Bharatpur.
(B, D)

Travel (6hrs) to Ranthambore National Park, visiting a farm, and including lunch enroute at Umaid Lake resort Kalakho. Two nights at the 4-star family-run Ranthambore Kothi boutique hotel. Enjoy a wonderful afternoon safari and this evening, relax in your hotel, ready for another great day tomorrow.
(B, L, D)

 As the Ranthambore National Park is now closed on Wednesdays, today is free to rest and relax after a morning excursion to the Ranthambore Fort and Ganesh Temple. This evening enjoy a drink as you hear a ‘Tiger Talk’ by a local naturalist.
(B, L, D)

After an early morning jeep safari, travel (4hrs) to Jaipur. The chaotic capital of Rajasthan, the regal 18th-century Pink City, and the setting for the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Jaipur is a paradox of opposites and extremes. Two nights at the 5-star ITC Rajputana Hotel.
(B)

See the Pink City and its surrounds on an optional balloon ride this morning (£225, bookable locally, dependent on weather). Drive to nearby Amer to visit the Amber Fort, known for its huge, gated ramparts and Hindu design; visit the City Palace, its temples and pavilions set amid courtyards and gardens; and the 18th-century Jantar Mantar Observatory, UNESCO listed for its significance as a site for observation of astronomical positions; and view the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) wall of windows, from which the women could observe unseen. This evening, enjoy a cocktail and dinner at Rambagh Palace.
(B, D)

Drive toward Delhi (5hrs), stopping for refreshments enroute at Samode Bagh, the 20-acre gardens of a splendid marble palace. Featured in Monty Don’s ‘Paradise Gardens’, its fountains, pavilions, and waterways punctuate manicured lawns and lush greenery. Continue to Gurgaon, just southwest of New Delhi, for overnight at the Holiday Inn.
(B)

Transfer to Delhi airport for your return flight.
(B)