Itinerary Expand all Depart London.Flights usually depart London in the evening. Day 1 Start Delhi; transfer to Sariska National Park.Those who are on the group flights will land in Delhi in the morning. Those not on the group flights will need to be at the start hotel by 9am (or at the airport when the group land). A local representative will meet Land Only clients at the start hotel and provide a transfer to the airport where we meet clients arriving on the group flight; once everyone has arrived we will then transfer to Sariska National Park.Standard Hotel Arrive Delhi; transfer to Sariska National Park.Those who are on the group flights will land in Delhi in the morning. Those not on the group flights will need to be at the start hotel by 9am (or at the airport when the group land). A local representative will meet Land Only clients at the start hotel and provide a transfer to the airport where we meet clients arriving on the group flight; once everyone has arrived we will then transfer to Sariska National Park.Standard Hotel Day 2 Morning game drive around Sariska National Park; drive to Jaipur in the afternoon.This reserve was declared a sanctuary in 1955 and is home to nilgai, wild boar, jackals, hyenas and chowsingha (four-horned antelope). The game drive will be in the buffer zone of this national park mainly on sealed roads (there will not be an opportunity to see tiger during these summer months). Although these departures operate during the rainy season the crowds are reduced and those with an interest in bird life will find an abundance in Sariska. In the afternoon we drive to Jaipur and transfer to our hotel.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Visit City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and the Amber Fort; free time for exploring.Built in the late 18th century, Jaipur is a planned city of broad avenues built of sandstone and painted pink at a later stage. We visit the City Palace in the centre of Jaipur, formerly the residence of the Maharaja, now a fine museum containing rare manuscripts, paintings, royal garments and weapons. Close to the palace is one of the most intriguing sights of India, the observatory of Jai Singh. This is an assembly of immense astronomical instruments made of marble and brass set in a pleasant garden. We will also see Jaipur's impressive landmark, the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds. We then see the impressive and splendid Amber Fort, a few miles from the main city, rising above a lake where elephants bathe. Jaipur is a centre of many handicrafts, such as durries (woven rugs), carpets, printed cloth, semi-precious stones, leatherwear etc. It will be difficult to leave a workshop without buying anything!Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Drive to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri.Today we drive to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri. Fatehpur Sikri is the Emperor Akbar's deserted royal city. This impressive and well-preserved citadel became his capital in 1571, after the blessing of a local Moslem holy man correctly predicted the birth of a longed-for son, his successor the Emperor Jehangir. The mosque, designed to hold ten thousand worshippers, the palaces, residences and halls of audience are all made of decorative red sandstone. But this magnificence only lasted 14 years, as in 1584 Akbar left Fatehpur Sikri to secure his outlying territories, leaving this city much as we see it today - in perfect condition. This is another very full but rewarding day. Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 5 Visit the incredible Taj Mahal and Agra Fort; overnight train to Varanasi.Today we will rise early to visit the beautiful white marble Taj Mahal at sunrise; built by the Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. The Taj is serenely beautiful and never fails to amaze a first time visitor; the white marble exterior changes colour according to the position of the sun during the day and is matched by the rich interior detail. Within striking distance is the imposing Red Fort of Akbar, third of the Moghul Emperors, whose mighty sandstone walls enclose the beautiful white marble Pearl Mosque and the palaces, halls, courtyards and fountains of his sons and successors, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. It is here that the latter spent his last years, imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb. Later in the day we will transfer to Agra train station and join the overnight sleeper train to Varanasi.Sleeper Train Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Relax and enjoy the wonders of Varanasi.We arrive in Varanasi during the morning and transfer to our hotel. Varanasi, located on the river Ganges, is one of the most holy cities in India and stands at the centre of the Hindu Universe. As such, the city lives and breathes Hinduism: there are thousands of pilgrims, wandering holy men (Sadhus), religious elders and casual visitors. It is a city to get immersed in by exploring its maze of narrow lanes and the many temples, and watching the Hindu ceremonies that take place around the clock. There is time to explore the emporiums specialising in silks and brocades or maybe take a massage by the banks of the Ganges. Your leader can organise various optional sightseeing trips during your 2 days here.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Dawn boat ride on the Ganges; afternoon flight to DelhiJust before dawn, we take a boat out on the Ganges to witness the extraordinary spectacle on the ghats, the steps leading down to the river. Every day thousands of Hindu pilgrims come to these three miles of riverbank to soak in the holy waters. This afternoon we fly back to Delhi.Standard hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Delhi free day or optional sightseeingToday you are free to relax or explore the sites of New and Old Delhi (an optional sightseeing trip will be organised if you wish). Recommended sites are the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, India Gate, Jama Masjid (India's largest mosque), Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) and Raj Ghat. For last minute shopping, we recommend the market area of Chandni Chowk or Karol Bagh.Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 End Delhi.Those on the flight inclusive package will depart for the airport this morning for the daytime flight back to London; Land Only arrangements will finish after check-out from the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast Fly to London.Those on the flight inclusive package will depart for the airport this morning for the daytime flight back to London; Land Only arrangements will finish after check-out from the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast
IndiaVisas are required if you are British and for most other nationalities. For UK residents full details of the visa process can be found here. Other nationalities should check with their travel agent or the relevant embassies.If your trip visits Ladakh, in the very north of India, or Sikkim in the northeast, do not mention this on your Indian visa application. This can sometimes slow down or even cause the embassy to reject your visa.When you reach immigration, you are required to pick up an immigration form. If you have an e-visa, ensure you stand in the correct queue - please follow the signs to the e-visa booth (in Delhi this is at the back of the immigration hall). You will need to fill out an additional form at the booth - please make sure that you have the details of your start hotel ready (these details can be found on your Final Joining Instructions).
IndiaThere are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approx. 2000m, there is low to no risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips going to altitudes of over 3000m there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the TRIP NOTES for further information.
Hotels & Sleeper Train On this trip we spend 7 nights in standard city tourist hotels with en-suite facilities and 1 night in air-conditioned sleeper train. The overnight train from Agra to Varanasi will be booked in 2-Tier sleeper A/C. There are many excellent trains in India but the standard of seating and sleeping is not in line with European standards. Single rooms are available (excludes sleeper train) though the price will depend on the season you are traveling so please check with our sales team. Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are really only a couple of months in the year when the weather can get rather cold. You can however request more blankets or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter.
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Reviewed September 2014 Sean CHighlights of Northern India A fantastic trip giving you an experience of the countries culture, the local wildlife and numerous modes of transport. It’s an excellent trip for first time travellers.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Watching the sun rise over the Taj Mahal. A magnificent white marble building that turns golden as the sun rises. Our guide ensured we were the very first to witness the Taj in the morning, this made for amazing pictures with nobody else in the background.What did you think of your group leader? Our guide Chandrajeet Rathore was excellent; he really did make the trip. He was very knowledgeable, insightful and a great story teller. It was really obvious how much he loved his country. Throughout the trip he would explain their religion, food and really did help us experience their culture first hand.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Its the kind of holiday you truly want to immerse yourself in. The food, the people and the atmosphere as a whole, if you do so you're guaranteed a great trip.Is there anything else you would like to add? This trip was a fantastic and truly unique, an experience everyone must try. As this was my first trip solo I was hesitant at first, but the guide was waiting there in the airport after you arrive and everything is organised and ready for you. I loved every minute and would seriously recommend to anyone who has ever wanted to see India.
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