Welcome to India! Your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in
• Your private guided sightseeing starts with an orientation for photos at some of the city’s famous sites, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Gateway of India.
• Witness Mumbai’s fascinating tiffin lunch box delivery system. At Churchgate Station, the dabbawalas (box carriers) transfer the lunch boxes onto a wooden cart on a local train. Board the train for the short ride to Mahalaxmi Station where you’ll disembark and watch the boxes being sorted by color for final delivery.
• Visit a traditional Dhobi Ghat (open-air laundromat) and visit Mani Bhavan, the former residence of Mahatma Gandhi.
(B,L)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch
• Today, fly to Varanasi, the holiest of Hindu pilgrim cities.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Near dawn, board a boat and watch a moving religious ritual—the Hindus’ devotional bathing in the Ganges. Observe hundreds of pilgrims gathered at the river’s edge, practicing yoga, meditating, take a ritual dip and offer flowers to the river. Return to your hotel for breakfast and leisure time.
• In the evening, witness the Ganga Aarti (spiritual worship) on the ghats (steps) leading to the sacred Ganges River.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Today, fly to Delhi, India’s capital city.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Your private guided sightseeing tour starts with a drive to see the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, India Gate, and the Presidential Palace.
• Take a rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, a captivating local bazaar. Ancient alleyways are lined with quaint shops selling goods and souvenirs—from silver and saris to spices and electronics.
(B,L)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch
• This morning, explore Delhi on a private guided tour. Start at Qutub Minar, the world’s tallest brick minaret constructed in the early 13th Century.
• Visit Humayun’s Tomb and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi’s largest and most prominent Sikh gurudwara (house of worship).
• After lunch, drive to Agra, a city where much of the city’s impressive past is still evident in the majesty of her buildings.
(B,L)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch
• Meet your Local Guide for a special visit to the captivating Taj Mahal at sunrise. This extravagant marble monument was built by Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his beloved wife, who died during childbirth.
• In the afternoon, a private guided tour brings you to Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by Moghul Emperor Akbar, this impressive fortress of red sandstone conceals the imperial city of the Moghul rulers and its many palaces.
(B)
INSIDER PICKS
Explore more on your own or join an optional excursion to Itmad-ud-Daula, the city’s beautiful “Baby Taj.”
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Today, drive to Jaipur, often referred to as the “Pink City.”
• After lunch, visit Jantar Mantar and explore the City Palace Museum with its collection of paintings, carpets, weapons, and costumes.
• Lastly, visit Ladli, a training program teaching orphaned children in need the valuable skills they need. Here learn about the project, interact with the children, and help them practice their English skills.
(B,L)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch
• Visit the legendary Amber Fort, known as the “Sleeping Beauty of Rajasthan.” This fortress-palace was built entirely of white marble and red sandstone, and features intricate mosaics, carvings, paintings, and mirror works.
(B)
INSIDER PICKS
Join a guide for a walking tour through old Jaipur
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Today, drive back to Delhi.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
(B)
