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Best of India & Sri Lanka: Land of the Taj & Tigers 2027
19 days from Delhi to Colombo
Tour Description:
Discover the gems of India’s Golden Triangle and Sri Lanka’s sacred sites without spending a fortune on this 19-day budget-friendly vacation in India and Sri Lanka. In Delhi, visit the India Gate and the pink Presidential Palace, then travel through the vibrant Chandni Chowk bazaar by rickshaw. Visit Humayun’s Tomb and Qutub Minar before departing Delhi for Agra. Here, you’ll marvel at the splendid Taj Mahal at sunset, as the fading rays reflect changing hues across the spectacular marble monument to love. Embark on a thrilling open-air safari game drive through Ranthambore National Park in search of marsh crocodiles, striped hyenas, and the elusive Bengal tiger. Continue to the “Pink City” of Jaipur—home to the legendary Amber Fort. Explore its alabaster Hall of Victory and incredible Chamber of Mirrors, and visit Jantar Mantar and the City Palace Museum to browse ancient art and artifacts. Continue to Sri Lanka, where ancient sites, lush landscapes, and abundant wildlife set the stage. Travel from Colombo to Habarana for a jeep safari in Minneriya National Park—known for its elephant herds—and visit the dramatic rock fortress of Sigiriya. In Kandy, explore the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and enjoy a hands on cooking class before journeying through waterfall lined hill country to the tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya. A scenic train ride via Ella passes the iconic Nine Arches Bridge, leading to Yala National Park, famed for its leopards and diverse wildlife. Conclude your remarkable journey in historic Galle, with a visit to the UNESCO listed Dutch Fort and time at leisure along the coast. This value-minded tour to see India’s famed Taj and tigers and Sri Lanka’s landscapes and leopards is a treasure not to be missed!
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Dates & Pricing
| Thursday 14 Jan 27 — Tuesday 02 Feb 27 | Starting at $3,619 | Get a Quote | |
| Thursday 11 Feb 27 — Tuesday 02 Mar 27 | Starting at $3,619 | Get a Quote | |
| Thursday 11 Mar 27 — Tuesday 30 Mar 27 | Starting at $3,619 | Get a Quote | |
| Thursday 16 Sep 27 — Tuesday 05 Oct 27 | Starting at $3,479 | Get a Quote | |
| Thursday 07 Oct 27 — Tuesday 26 Oct 27 | Starting at $3,589 | Get a Quote | |
| Thursday 21 Oct 27 — Tuesday 09 Nov 27 | Starting at $3,589 | Get a Quote | |
| Thursday 11 Nov 27 — Tuesday 30 Nov 27 | Starting at $3,679 | Get a Quote | |
| Thursday 02 Dec 27 — Tuesday 21 Dec 27 | Starting at $3,679 | Get a Quote |
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & SightseeingThe world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi (where available). Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!Your tour includes: •Guided city sightseeing of Delhi including admission to Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar, and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib•Rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk •Admission to Agra Fort•Admission and guided tour of Taj Mahal at sunset•Open-air safari game drive in Ranthambore National Park •Fatehpur Sikri visit •Guided sightseeing of Jaipur including admission to Amber Fort, City Palace Museum, Jantar Mantar•Jeep safari game drives in Minneriya and Yala National Parks•Visits to Sigiriya, Dambulla Cave Temple, and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic•Visit to spice garden with lunch•Cooking class with lunch•Admission to the Royal Botanic Peradeniya Gardens•Visit to local tea factory with tasting•Train ride through countryside to Ella•Visit to Elephant Transit Home •City sightseeing of Galle including visits to Galle Dutch Fort and the Clock Tower•Intra-vacation flight from Delhi to Goa
Notes:
In the interest of safety and ensuring wildlife well being, cell phones are banned in several national parks and tiger reserves across India—including Ranthambore National Park. Before your game drives, you will be required to leave your phone at the hotel. Personal cameras are still permitted. Your Tour Director will also have a camera and can take photos on your behalf if you are not carrying your own.Maximum enjoyment of this vacation requires walking on uneven surfaces, stone pathways, and climbing stairs.
In the interest of safety and ensuring wildlife well being, cell phones are banned in several national parks and tiger reserves across India—including Ranthambore National Park. Before your game drives, you will be required to leave your phone at the hotel. Personal cameras are still permitted. Your Tour Director will also have a camera and can take photos on your behalf if you are not carrying your own.Maximum enjoyment of this vacation requires walking on uneven surfaces, stone pathways, and climbing stairs.
MEALS
MEALS ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1 DELHI, INDIA
Welcome to Delhi, a magnetic blend of old and new, and the capital of modern India. Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in
Day 2 DELHI–AGRA
Your day starts with an orientation drive to see India Gate and the Presidential Palace. Then, take a rickshaw ride through the alleys of Chandni Chowk, a captivating bazaar. Visit Jama Masjid and Qutub Minar, the world’s tallest brick minaret, dating back to the 11th century. Next, explore Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi’s largest and most prominent Sikh gurudwara (house of worship). Drive to Agra this afternoon. Your Tour Director hosts a welcome dinner at your hotel tonight. (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast
DinnerDay 3 AGRA
Start your day with an incomparable sunrise visit to the famous Taj Mahal. This remarkable monument, commissioned by Sjah Jahan as a memorial to his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, took 22 years to build. Return to your hotel for some time at leisure. This afternoon, visit Agra Fort, a colossal, red sandstone UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the spectacular Mughal Palace with audience halls, the Room of Mirrors, and the pavilion where Shah Jahan spent his last days. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 4 AGRA–FATEHPUR SIKRI–RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK
Today, stop at Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tour the sandstone palaces, elegant courtyards, and victory gate of this ghostly place built in 1569 and deserted by its people when water was no longer available. Then, travel to Sawai Madhopur, gateway to Ranthambore National Park. (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast DinnerDay 5 RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK
Explore Ranthambore National Park on a morning game drive in an open-air safari vehicle. In addition to Bengal tigers, the park is home to leopards, sambar deer, sloth bears, marsh crocodiles, striped hyenas, and more. Return to your resort where the remainder of the day is free for you to enjoy your jungle surroundings. You may wish to join an optional game drive this afternoon for another chance to spot wildlife. (B,L,D)
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 6 RANTHANBORE NATIONAL PARK-JAIPUR
Enjoy free time this morning. After lunch at the hotel, drive to Jaipur, often referred to as the “Pink City” for its distinctive rose colored buildings painted in the 19th century to welcome royal visitors. (B,L)
BreakfastLunch
BreakfastLunchDay 7 JAIPUR
Sightseeing today starts at Jantar Mantar, then explore the City Palace Museum with its collection of paintings, carpets, weapons, and costumes. Later, visit the legendary Amber Fort, the “Sleeping Beauty of Rajasthan.” This fortress-palace has a somber exterior that hides a richly ornate interior of royal apartments, including an alabaster Hall of Victory and a superb Chamber of Mirrors. The afternoon and evening are yours to explore Jaipur
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 8 JAIPUR–COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Colombo (via Delhi), Sri Lanka’s capital city. Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel tonight. (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast DinnerDay 9 COLOMBO–HABARANA
Depart Colombo by road, traveling inland to Habarana, located in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle. This afternoon, embark on an exciting jeep safari in Minneriya National Park, renowned for its large elephant gatherings, as well as spotted deer, water buffalo, and birdlife. The evening is at leisure to relax at your hotel. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 10 HABARANA
This morning, visit the iconic Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dramatically rising above the surrounding plains. Explore the ancient citadel, frescoes, and landscaped water gardens before stopping for lunch. The afternoon is free; perhaps join an optional excursion to the nearby Polonnaruwa ruins. (B,L)
Note: Reaching the summit of Sigiriya Rock Fortress involves a steep climb with many steps. You may choose to enjoy the lower gardens and views at a more relaxed pace if preferred
BreakfastLunch
BreakfastLunchDay 11 HABARANA–KANDY
Begin the day with a visit to the Dambulla Cave Temple, a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site featuring centuries-old murals and statues set within limestone caves. Continue to a local spice garden, where you’ll learn about Sri Lanka’s prized spices. Later, arrive in Kandy, a jumble of culture, history, and colonial buildings. Visit the revered Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism’s holiest shrines, and enjoy dinner at your hotel tonight. (B,L,D)
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 12 KANDY
Enjoy a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class this morning, followed by lunch featuring the dishes you help prepare. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore this green city, stroll around Kandy Lake, or relax at your hotel. If you’re feeling energized tonight, tap along to the rhythms of an optional Kandyan drum and dance performance. (B,L)
BreakfastLunch
BreakfastLunchDay 13 KANDY–NUWARA ELIYA
Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya this morning, renowned for its extensive collection of orchids, spices, and medicinal plants. Then, journey through the central highlands, stopping at Ramboda Falls along the way, before arriving in the elegant hill town of Nuwara Eliya, often referred to as “Little England.” (B,L)
BreakfastLunch
BreakfastLunchDay 14 NUWARA ELIYA
Set high above sea level and surrounded by rolling hills, Nuwara Eliya’s cool temperatures, humidity, and rainfall provide the perfect climate for tea production. Today features a visit to a tea factory and plantation, where you’ll learn about Ceylon tea production and enjoy a tasting. Later, enjoy time at Lake Gregory and take in panoramic views from Victoria Peak. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 15 NUWARA ELIYA–ELLA–YALA NATIONAL PARK
Board a scenic train journey to Ella, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful rail routes in the world. Continue onward to Yala National Park, stopping en route to view the famous Nine Arches Bridge, an engineering marvel set amid lush jungle scenery. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 16 YALA NATIONAL PARK
Rise early for a morning game drive in Yala National Park, home to leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife. Return to your lodge later in the morning. The afternoon is at leisure to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings or perhaps join an optional second game drive this afternoon for your chance to spot more wildlife. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 17 YALA–GALLE
Travel toward Sri Lanka’s southern coast today, stopping en route at the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home. Observe young elephants being rehabilitated before they are released back into the wild. Continue to Galle, where afternoon sightseeing includes the UNESCO-listed Galle Dutch Fort and its historic clock tower. (B,L)
BreakfastLunch
BreakfastLunchDay 18 GALLE
Enjoy a full day at leisure in Galle. You may wish to relax by the coast, explore artisan shops within the fort walls, or choose an optional stilt fishing experience. For a photo-worthy glimpse of coastal tradition, join an optional excursion to witness local fishermen practicing this time-honored technique, balancing gracefully above the surf as they fish from atop narrow wooden stilts. (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast DinnerDay 19 GALLE
Your tour ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Accommodations
Accommodations| Delhi | Agra | Ranthambore National Park | Jaipur |
Suryaa New Delhi
Superior First-Class
Superior First-Class
