India's Golden Triangle

Most people when travelling to a country for the first time want to take in all the major sights and yet also journey off the beaten track to experience something more authentic. For this reason, our unique mini-adventure to India enriches a classic first-time itinerary with experiences that transport its participants closer to the heart of India. The railway stations for example present a tableau as rich as a bazaar. All classes and castes that can afford the cost of a ticket are present on its thronging platforms, whilst many that can’t are also present, plying their trade to the assembled. ‘Passage to India’ readily springs to mind as one waits to travel (Chair Class) to Ajmer.

A further sought-after experience that we’ve included is a stay at an historic ‘hotel’ at Kuchaman. Previously a fort and the ancestral home of an aristocratic family, it has been converted into a hotel by local artisans. Its murals are outstanding, depicting historical scenes featuring the ruling family and detailing everyday life at their court. Most striking perhaps is the feeling of immediacy of contact, both with the building’s history and its former occupiers, which at better-visited sites is somehow lost in a confusion of visitors.

Firmly back on the tourist trail is the palace at Amber. What a wonderfully romantic monument! Entering the so-called Golden Triangle formed by Jaipur, Agra and Delhi, we include a visit to Fatephur Sikri, Akbar’s deserted city, in addition is the icon of the entire sub-continent, the magical and romantic Taj Mahal.

VJV Special Event - Visit to a Stepwell
Visit a baori (stepwell) to learn about their historical and social significance; their role in water conservation and rain water harvesting.