DAY 1 – ARRIVE MUMBAI, INDIA
Arrive in Mumbai, India’s largest city and a loud whirlwind of experiences: impromptu cricket matches in winding gullies (alleys); a twinkle-eyed barter in the Chor Bazaar; the first fiery bite of a potato-stuffed vada pav street snack. Lavish, dome-topped palaces stand as grand bookmarks in a storied past, while the Gateway of India – a symbol of the nation, on the city’s busy waterfront – is brought to life as the saffron beams of the setting sun pass through its graceful arch.
Accommodation: The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
DAY 2 – MUMBAI, INDIA
Experience Mumbai’s incredible vibe as you visit a Bollywood studio and try some choreographed steps yourself. At a local spice market, take in the dazzling array of colors and scents. View the Gateway of India, with its design reflecting Muslim and Hindu traditions, and hop a train for a short ride, as millions do here daily. Finish at Dhobi Ghat, the world’s largest open-air laundry, a spectacle to behold. Tonight, gather for a welcome dinner.
Accommodation: The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 3 – UDAIPUR
Fly to Udaipur and settle into your stunning palace hotel set on an island in the middle of scenic Lake Pichola. Romantic, wistful and serene, Udaipur is a city built around shimmering lakes. After time to relax, embark on a private cruise past Jag Mandir, a marble palace with eight life-size sculptures of elephants flanking its entrance.
Accommodation: Taj Lake Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 4 – UDAIPUR
Visit the stunning marble City Palace complex as well as the Crystal Gallery in Fateh Prakash Palace. Stroll through the Sahelion Ki Bari (Garden of the Maids of Honor). Later, watch a chef-led cooking demonstration, followed by lunch, learning about royal Mewar cuisine in a local family’s home.
Accommodation: Taj Lake Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 5 – JAIPUR
Fly to Jaipur for a stay at the former residence of a Maharajah. Capital city of northern India’s Rajasthan state, beautiful Jaipur traces its origins to the 18th century and is today a bustling metropolis replete with archaeological splendors. Explore the City Palace, a complex of pavilions, gardens and temples, viewing textiles at the “Auspicious Palace.” Head outdoors to visit Jantar Mantar, an open-air array of astronomical instruments.
Accommodation: Rambagh Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6 – JAIPUR, DESIGN YOUR DAY
View the Palace of the Winds — built so the women of the royal household could watch street life unobserved. Explore the Mughal-style Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This afternoon, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities.
- Practice Yoga during a Private Session at historic Rambagh Palace.
- Visit Badal Mahal to interact with local women receiving training in craft making, supported by A&K Philanthropy.
- Discover the Bazaars of Jaipur, taking in the vibe of local life and shopping for keepsakes from your journey.
Return to your hotel for some time on your own.
Accommodation: Rambagh Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 7 – AGRA
Drive to Agra, observing the colorful rural life of Rajasthan. Poised on a bend of the Yamuna River, Agra is a magnet for those who come to behold the Taj Mahal. Visit the peerless structure in the late afternoon, as the setting sun bathes it in a soft orange glow.
Accommodation: The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 8 – AGRA
Return to the Taj Mahal in the morning, when the rising sun lends a warm pink tint to its marble face. Then visit the Agra Fort, once the prison of the same Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal.
Accommodation: The Oberoi Amarvilas
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 9 – PANNA NATIONAL PARK
Board a train to Jhansi and the remote Panna National Park, renowned for its recovering population of Bengal tigers. On an A&K-exclusive experience, meet with a member of the local Pardhi community to learn their role in efforts to grow the park’s precious cohort of the big cats.
Accommodation: Pashan Garh, Panna National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 10 – PANNA NATIONAL PARK
Rise early for a 4×4 game drive, spotting crocodiles and searching for tigers, with your chance of sighting one improved by the park’s diligent conservation program. Return to the lodge for an Indian cooking demonstration led by a chef. Set off on one more game drive for a last chance to see India’s tiger in the wild.
Accommodation: Pashan Garh, Panna National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 11 – KHAJURAJO & VARANASI
Drive to Khajuraho to see all of life — joy, love, divinity, war — depicted in detail on every inch of its 85 Hindu and Jain temples. Then, fly to Varanasi, a city of more than a thousand Buddhist and Hindu temples and shrines. At dusk, beside the Ganges, witness the aarti ceremony. Chanted prayers and rhythmic drumming fill the air as you watch lanternbearing priests bid the gods and goddesses a restful slumber.
Accommodation: Taj Ganges, Varanasi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 12 – VARANASI & DELHI
Rise early for a private sunrise cruise on the Ganges River to observe activity along the ghats, where locals and pilgrims cleanse themselves, both literally and spiritually. Later, fly to Delhi for a farewell dinner.
Accommodation: The Oberoi, New Delhi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 13 – DELHI
Visit the great Jama Masjid, the most important mosque in India. Then ride by rickshaw through the narrow alleys and stalls of bustling Chandni Chowk bazaar. After lunch, tour New Delhi, including Humayun’s Tomb, an architectural precursor of the Taj Mahal.
Accommodation: The Oberoi, New Delhi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 14: DEPART DELHI
Transfer privately to the airport early this morning for your flight home, or begin your post-tour extension to Kathmandu.
Meals Included: Breakfast
