India and the Taj Mahal: A Private Journey

With 21 million residents, India’s largest city is a loud whirlwind of experiences. 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. Arrive and meet your A&K representative, who escorts you to your luxury hotel.

Explore the city’s classic sights, including Victoria Terminus Station and the Gateway of India. Then travel to the Churchgate Railway Station to observe local dabbawallas at work as they prepare to deliver hundreds of thousands of home-cooked meals to working professionals throughout the city with astonishing accuracy. This afternoon, visit Mani Bhawan, a museum dedicated to the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi. Finish today’s exploring with a photo stop at the Dhobi Ghat open-air laundry, a wonderfully colorful spectacle to behold.

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.

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, savor a chef-led cooking demonstration, followed by lunch, learning about royal Mewar cuisine in a local family’s home.

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.

See the Palace of the Winds — built so the women of the royal household could watch street life unobserved — and then explore the Mughal-style Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site crowning a majestic hilltop. Have lunch in a local restaurant, and then discover the bazaars of Jaipur, taking in the vibe of local life. Return to your hotel for some time on your own.

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.

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.

Board a train to Jhansi and continue by road to remote Panna National Park, renowned for its recovering population of Bengal tigers.

Explore on morning and afternoon game drives, spotting crocodiles and searching for tigers, with your chance of sighting one improved by the park’s diligent conservation program.

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 lantern-bearing priests bid the gods and goddesses a restful slumber.

Rise early for a private sunrise cruise on the Ganges River to observe activity along the ghats, where locals and pilgrims cleanse themselves, literally and spiritually. Get to know the city on a short tour, visiting the Bharat Mata temple, a site devoted to the mother goddess that personifies India’s national identity. Fly to Delhi later in the day.

Ever-bustling and excitingly chaotic, Delhi is a study in history and modernization. Start with a visit to 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.

Privately transfer to the airport to catch your flight home.