Northern India Highlights: Taj Mahal, Rajasthan & Tigers

Fly overnight from your chosen UK airport to India’s capital, Delhi.

Arrive in Delhi and transfer to the 4-star Suryaa Hotel for the night. The hotel lies in South Delhi, a serene oasis away from the busy old city, with leafy suburbs, parks and cafés. Settle into your room, then relax by the hotel pool or book a treatment at the spa. Suryaa has four restaurants where you can refuel after your long journey. This afternoon, you’ll visit Qutub Minar in South Delhi, one of India’s first Muslim monuments, protected by UNESCO for its complex of ancient tombs and ruins. The namesake Qutub Minar tower, built in the 12th century, soars 73-metres high and is carved with verses from the Koran. Afterwards, enjoy dinner and a restful evening at your hotel. (D)

After breakfast, tour Old Delhi’s highlights, starting with the capital’s largest mosque, 17th-century Jama Masjid. Admire the marble and red-sandstone building with its imposing watchtowers and 40-metre-high minarets, one of which you can climb for city views. Afterwards, you’ll drive past the mid-17th century Red Fort for a glimpse of this UNESCO-listed Mughal monument encircled by defensive walls. Your next stop is Gandhi Smriti, a museum dedicated to the life of Mahatma Gandhi, set in the house where he lived until his assassination. Continue to India Gate, a 42-metre-high stone memorial arch surrounded by gardens. Built by Lutyens in 1921, the arch serves as a tribute to Indian Army soldiers killed in various conflicts. Drive out of the city past the Parliament Building and Viceroy’s House, continuing four hours to Agra. Here, you’ll stay at the 5-star Hotel Clarks Shiraz for two nights, within striking distance of the world-famous Taj Mahal. (B, D)

Get up before dawn to watch the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous UNESCO site. Marvel at Shah Jahan’s epic monument to love as the sun’s rays illuminate the white-marble mausoleum belonging to his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Wander through tranquil gardens scattered with fountains and reflection pools. As you get closer, you’ll notice the exquisite detail of the mausoleum’s precious-stone inlays and carvings. Next, visit Agra Fort, also set on the Yamuna River. The walled fortress is lauded by UNESCO for its collection of palaces, mosques and halls that display a mix of Indo-Islamic, Timurid and Persian architecture. Explore the red-sandstone stronghold, built in the mid-16th century by emperors Akbar and his grandson, Shah Jahan. Afterwards, optional trips to the Mehtab Bagh gardens or Itmad-ud-Daulah, a 17th-century Mughal tomb and precursor to the Taj Mahal, hence its nickname, the Baby Taj. (B, D)

This morning, say goodbye to Agra and travel six hours to Ranthambore National Park. On the way, visit the Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri village. Constructed as a water source during the 9th century by King Raja Chanda, this mammoth stepwell has been featured in Bollywood and Hollywood movies for its impressive size and interlinking, geometric design. Chand Baori has 3,500 steps that plunge 13 storeys into a deep water tank. After admiring the stepwell, continue to Ranthambore National Park. This 1,334 square-kilometre stretch of jungle and grassland was once a hunting ground for maharajas but is now a conservation success story. The park is a sanctuary for native wildlife, including rare sloth bears and around 80 endangered Bengal tigers. You’ll spend two nights at the 4-star Ranthambore Regency, a family-run eco-lodge surrounded by jungle, just a 10-minute drive from the park. (B, L, D)

Set off early to discover Ranthambore’s legendary wildlife on a morning game drive. You’ll travel with a guide on a 20-seat, open-top bus called a canter, bumping through a landscape of forest, grassland and jungle dotted with waterholes and lakes. Look out for striped hyenas, boar, flying foxes, langurs and macaques, as well as rare creatures like sloth bears and leopards. Watch the trees for colourful birds and stop at lakes to witness basking soft-shelled turtles and crocodiles, including the snub-nosed marsh variety. If you’re extremely lucky, you may spot some of the park’s shy Bengal tigers, which are safeguarded here by the wildlife conservation scheme, Project Tiger. Spend the afternoon back at your eco-lodge or continue exploring the park with an optional afternoon safari, bookable locally. (B, L, D)

Today begins with a 2.5-hour drive to Bundi, a blue-washed city that dates back to 1241 CE and is home to over 200 temples. You’ll visit Bundi’s lakeside summer palace, Sukh Mahal, where Rudyard Kipling once stayed and wrote part of his novel, Kim. The palace now houses a museum filled with stone sculptures, paintings and artefacts, which you’ll have time to browse, along with the terraced gardens. Continue to Raniji ki Baori, known as the Queen’s Stepwell. This 46-metre well was once a vital source of water and is one of the biggest of its kind in India. Make a final stop at the 84 Pillared Cenotaph, built by Bundi’s royal family, before driving an hour to the ancient city of Kota. End the day at Kotah Garh, a palace complex with ornate frescoes, mirrors and ceilings. Tonight, you’ll stay at the 4-star Country Inn and Suites by Radisson in Kota (B, D)

Start the day by travelling 3.5 hours west to Chittorgarh Fort. Set on a hilltop, the UNESCO-protected fort sprawls over 700 acres, making it one of the largest in India. Tour Chittorgarh’s collection of stone-carved temples, palaces and stepwells that date back to the 7th century but were later occupied by various rulers. Highlights include Rana Kumbha Palace, Meera Bai Temple and the nine-storied tower, Vijay Stambh. Stop for lunch at a nearby heritage hotel, Pratap Palace, before driving 2.5 hours southwest to Udaipur. This city was once the capital of the powerful Mewar kingdom and features turreted palaces and mansions set among mirror-clear lakes. Here, you’ll stay at the 4-star Trident Hotel for two nights, which lies on the banks of Lake Pichola, set against the backdrop of the Aravalli Mountain range. (B, L, D)

Spend this morning at the City Palace, which dates back to 1599. The cream-coloured complex covers half a kilometre of Lake Pichola’s shoreline, making it the biggest palace in Rajasthan. Tour its collection of decorative courtyards that lead to palaces with royal apartments and halls decorated with mirrored mosaics. Highlights include the well-stocked armoury, the Crystal Gallery with cutlery, chandeliers and even a bed made of sparkling crystal and Manek Chowk courtyard, where you’ll spot former tiger cages. This afternoon, you can lie by the pool at your lakeside hotel, indulge in a spa treatment or continue exploring Udaipur independently. Book an optional boat trip on Lake Pichola to sail around its four-by-three-kilometre expanse, complete with two islands. From the water, you can admire views of the City Palace, which is perfectly reflected on the water’s glassy surface. The evening is yours to enjoy as you please. (B, D)

Leave Udaipur this morning and head 2.5 hours north to Ranakpur temple, a sacred Jain pilgrimage site. This 15th-century architectural masterpiece is made from white marble and features over 1,444 uniquely carved pillars, 29 halls and 80 domes. Look up at the ceilings adorned with mythological tales and divine beings, spot the 1.8-metre-tall statue of revered Jain teacher Lord Adinath and pause to reflect in prayer halls and shrines. Next, drive three hours north to Jodhpur on the fringes of the Thar Desert. Known as the Blue City for its old-town maze of indigo-washed buildings, Jodhpur is set beneath a hilltop dominated by mighty Mehrangarh Fort. Stay overnight at the 3-star heritage hotel Devi Bhawan, run by the Thakur Ratan Singh family. The rest of the day is yours to wander Jodhpur’s old town bazaars or relax at your hotel, which has an outdoor pool. (B, D)

Visit Mehrangarh Fort this morning before leaving Jodhpur. This 15th-century fort, still partly occupied by royals, looms 122 metres above the city and is built from honey-hued sandstone. Enter through its majestic gates, spotting cannonball marks from attacking armies and spikes built to deter soldiers’ elephants. Trawl the museum and take in views from panoramic ramparts still littered with artillery. Afterwards, stop at the white-marble Jaswant Thada, a memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Drive six hours east to Jaipur, nicknamed the Pink City for its rose-coloured buildings. The old quarter has been awarded UNESCO status for its walled, grid-like design and Vedic architecture. Jaipur is also famed for its palaces, family havelis and bazaars selling textiles and handicrafts. Stay at the 5-star Taj Amer for two nights, which offers views of the Amber Fort and lies just a 15-minute drive from Jaipur, away from the overwhelming whirl of city life. (B, D)

Rise early this morning for an optional hot air balloon ride over Jaipur and soak up aerial views of the pink city, bookable locally. Afterwards, explore the stately City Palace. Built by Jai Singh in the 1720s, the palace has been expanded over the centuries and now displays a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. Explore the complex of courtyards and buildings, passing through an art gallery, a museum with royal costume display and armoury that showcases engraved weapons. Your next stop is neighbouring Jantar Mantar, the largest of Jai Singh’s five observatories spread across the country. You’ll see 18 mammoth stone astronomical measuring devices that tell time and determine the position of planets and stars, including a 27-metre-high sundial. Your final stop is the bright-pink Palace of Winds, built to allow high-court women to watch the city below unseen. Enjoy a free evening or enjoy an optional sound and light show at the Amber Fort, bookable locally. (B, D)

This morning you’ll visit the Amber Fort, which was built in 1592 and later expanded across a hilltop overlooking Maota Lake. Wander through the labyrinthine fort made from yellow sandstone, taking in sweeping countryside views from the ramparts and towers. Highlights of this UNESCO site include the Mirror Palace, Ganesh Pol gateway and Jaleb Chowk courtyard. Next, you’ll make the five-hour drive north to Gurgaon City, which lies just south of New Delhi. For your last night in India, stay at the 5-star Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, where you can relax by the pool or savour a luxury spa treatment. The hotel lies just 30 minutes from the airport. (B, D)

Today your India adventure comes to an end. After breakfast and some free time, you’ll be transferred to Delhi Airport for your return flight. (B)