India’s Genuine Golden Triangle

Arrival in Delhi

On arrival in Delhi, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore the capital. Formed from what were once seven separate cities, today Delhi is a vibrant metropolis with a string of impressive sights, from the Red Fort to the elaborate Jama Masjid Mosque. Choose from a range of optional local experiences, including a hands-on cooking lesson, or get to know your hosts at tonight’s guest house. You’ll be staying at a family-run homestay opened by the owner’s father, who was a colonel in the British Indian Army. Take in the sunset from the terrace and enjoy a traditional north Indian dinner prepared by your hosts as you get an insider glimpse into local life. Overnight at The Colonel's Retreat.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Home from home at the Colonel’s Retreat

Optional

Stay at Haveli Dharampura, a family-run heritage hotel

Optional

Claridges: where luxury reigns supreme

Optional

The Imperial: A dip into Delhi's history

Optional

Saffron Palate: learn to cook like a local

Delhi

Enjoy a full day in the city today. If you’re feeling energetic, opt for a Delhi by Dawn tour to see the city come alive in the early hours. Alternatively, enjoy an optional culinary tour with a local food expert, take a rickshaw ride round Old Delhi’s higgledy-piggledy lanes or embark on a night tour of the neighbourhood to see its bazaars in a different light. Otherwise, head out to explore this captivating city on your own terms, before returning to your guest house for more stories (the colonel sometimes pops by, so if you’re lucky you might get to meet him). Overnight at The Colonel's Retreat.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Home from home at the Colonel’s Retreat

Optional

Get a taste of Old Delhi with a local

Optional

Tour Old Delhi by rickshaw

Optional

The magic of Delhi by dawn

Delhi & Jaipur

After breakfast, transfer by private car to Jaipur, also known as the Pink City. Painted rose to welcome the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria in 1876, this striking walled city is home to several colourful temples, as well as the famous Amber Fort. Explore independently or head out on a private tour; options range from an architectural walking tour to a cooking lesson at a local 19th-century guest house. Your home for tonight is Ikaki Niwas, a historic haveli house where you can enjoy neighbourhood walks with the family and tuck into meals prepared from the hotel’s 20-acre farm. Overnight at Ikaki Niwas.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Ikaki Niwas: a haveli-style hotel with a family touch

Optional

Dera Mandawa, Jaipur’s top heritage homestay

Optional

Samode Haveli: a royal abode

Optional

Cooking with a noble family in Jaipur

Optional

Discover Jaipur’s architectural treasures on foot

Jaipur

This morning is free to enjoy optional activities. Take to the skies in a hot-air balloon ride to enjoy a different perspective of the city, high up away from the hustle and bustle below. You may wish to embark on an optional walking tour of Old Jaipur’s haveli homes and temples or wander these blushed streets independently. In the afternoon, you’ll be driven to Amber Fort – a sprawling, UNESCO-listed palace, built from sandstone in the 16th century on a hill overlooking the city. Wander its cobbled paths, historic ramparts and elaborate halls – among them the Sheesh Mahal, or mirror palace. Built by Shah Jahan (who commissioned the Taj Mahal), this opulent, marbled hall is covered in sparkling mirrors inlaid into the walls and ceilings. Return to your guest house for another memorable evening with your hosts. Overnight at Ikaki Niwas.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Ikaki Niwas: a haveli-style hotel with a family touch

✓  Included

Experience the magnificence of Amber Fort

Optional

Tour the temples and havelis of old Jaipur

Optional

The hot air balloon ride with a red-carpet arrival

Jaipur & Agra

Travel to Agra this morning to see one of India’s true bucket-list sites – the Taj Mahal. Set on the banks of the Yamuna River, Agra was the capital of the Mughal Empire until Emperor Shah Jahan shifted it to Delhi, and traces of its imperial history remain in much of its architecture today. En route you’ll have the option to visit Fatehpur Sikri, a walled city built from red sandstone that was once the Mughal capital. Otherwise, spend the day exploring Agra at leisure and settle into tonight’s accommodation – a brightly-coloured guest house run by a local tour guide and his wife, where home-cooked vegetarian meals are served at a shared table. Overnight at The Coral Tree.

Things to do:

✓  Included

The Coral Tree: your colourful Agra homestay

Optional

Fatehpur Sikri: a city designed for grandeur

Optional

Oberoi Amarvilas: a window onto the Taj Mahal

Optional

A boutique Agra getaway at Ekaa Villa

Agra

Set the alarm early this morning for a memorable sunrise visit to see Agra’s crowning glory, the Taj Mahal. Commissioned in the 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his late wife, this marble masterpiece is best seen at dawn, when the sky turns peach above its elaborate domes. Wander the gardens to admire its architecture before exploring the interiors, inlaid with semi-precious stones and inscriptions. Afterwards, opt for a guided walking tour through Old Agra, pedal around local villages on a cycling trip or embark on a heritage-themed tour to learn more about the women of the Mughal dynasty. Overnight at The Coral Tree.

Things to do:

✓  Included

The Coral Tree: your colourful Agra homestay

✓  Included

Taj Mahal at sunrise

Optional

Learn the stories of Agra with a local

Optional

Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal

Optional

Discover the untold stories of Agra’s Mughal women

Optional

The Agra countryside bike tour

Agra & Delhi

This morning enjoy the backdrop of the Taj Mahal before being driven to Delhi. Spend the rest of the day taking in the city under your own steam or choose from one of several tours. Options range from a photography workshop capturing the city’s spice markets to an evening tour of Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk market. Overnight at The Colonel's Retreat.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Home from home at the Colonel’s Retreat

Optional

Stay at Haveli Dharampura, a family-run heritage hotel

Optional

Claridges: where luxury reigns supreme

Optional

The Imperial: A dip into Delhi's history

Optional

Explore Chandni Chowk after dark

Optional

The Old Delhi street photography tour

Delhi & Departure

Your tour comes to an end today. You’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight home or onward travel.