Taj Mahal, Tigers and Teens

Old Delhi by Rickshaw

Delhi

Tour Old Delhi by rickshaw to visit temples and markets, taste street food and meet the locals in a convenient and fun way. The city is a crowded, congested place so travelling by rickshaw makes it a comfortable experience and you can cover more ground. The rickshaws look traditionally Indian but with wider seats and better safety standards. They have audio headsets so your guide – a Delhi local - can provide live commentary along the way.

You will start at a Jain temple known for its intricate architecture and bird hospital, before boarding the rickshaws. As you drive through the city you’ll see famous landmarks like the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. There will be a visit a Sikh temple and the Jama Masjid, which is one of the largest mosques in India. Guests love the buzzing bazaars and spice market, with its different colours and scents, the vendors are so friendly and will want to show you how they prepare their masala spices and take pictures with you. Eventually you will reach the Gadodia Palace, which has an incredible view over Chandni Chowk from the fourth floor.

After working up an appetite, you will visit a local restaurant to try some typical Delhi dishes (guest to pay direct) such as puri puri, Indian bread which is deep fried so it blows up into a ball, served with a chickpea and potato curry. There’s also samosas and jalebi, a traditional deep-fried sweet soaked in syrup. The final stop on the tour is Naughara, a street with nine old havelis that feature Mughal architecture. Here you will get to meet a resident who’ll invite you in to have chai, chat and see the historic haveli where he’s lived all his life.

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Half Day Visit to Amber Fort

Jaipur

Jaipur has so many beautiful monuments, Amber Fort being the most impressive at 1,000 years old, located high on a hill, surrounded by the Aravalli mountains. The rampart is around 11km long and in some ways looks like the Great Wall of China.

Founded in the 16th century by the great commander of the Mughal rulers, Raja Man Singh, the whole palace is divided into four levels each with their own courtyard. Enter through the east-facing Sun Gate used by the maharajas and their VIP guests that in turn opens up to the first courtyard where victory parades would take place.

You will then go through the Singh Pol or the Lion Gate to the Hall of Public Audience filled with beautiful paintings, carved pillars and latticed marble. In the second courtyard, visit a beautiful hammam with stunning views of the Maota Lake below and Saffron Garden, constructed using the well-known star-shaped geometrical architecture attributed to the Mughals. Ganesh Gate, the entry point to the private palace of the maharajas, is one of the most beautiful gates in the world, decorated with countless fresco paintings and semi-precious stones. Inside the complex, you’ll find the Hall of Mirrors, adorned with a ceiling filled with mirror mosaics and colourful glass which used to glitter under candlelight.

Enter the Hall of Pleasure used as a summer retreat with white marble and walls made of sandalwood that would perfume the evening air. You can’t miss the oldest part of the Amber Fort where Man Singh’s 12 wives were kept in apartments. Each room has a secret passage to the maharaja’s palace!

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Supper on the Roof at Ikaki Niwas

Jaipur

When you visit this family home for a cooking experience, you’re greeted with a shower of petals. You will be shown around their temple and don't be surprised if some of the family albums come out. Then it’s up to the terrace for drinks and pakoras.

During the cooking demonstration you will be shown how to make a curry using local spices and the famous halva, a delicious pudding with carrot and cardamom. Dinner genrally starts with salad and a soup, followed by two vegetarian curries with seasonal vegetables such as eggplant, pumpkin or okra cooked with the all-important mustard oil. There will probably be a meat dish and of course rice and daal. There’s no family secret, just fresh ingredients most of which are sourced from the family farm outside the city.

The family will dine with you as it’s not just about cooking but the conversations. Your host is a political speech writer and his wife and sister can talk about local cultures and tradition.

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Discover the Stories of Iconic Mughal Women

Agra

Discover the untold stories of Agra’s Mughal women on this local walking tour. You’ll be led by Mehir, an artist who grew up in Agra and knows the city intimately. She can show you Agra through her eyes and share what life is like for women today in India. It provides a fresh perspective that you then carry on your journey across India. During the tour, you’ll also get to meet and interact with women who live in Agra now.  Travellers love this contemporary view and having the chance to meet and hear about the real women of Agra.

Discover the untold stories of Agra’s Mughal women on this local walking tour. You’ll be led by Mehir, an artist who grew up in Agra and knows the city intimately. She can show you Agra through her eyes and share what life is like for women today in India. It provides a fresh perspective that you then carry on your journey across India.

As Mehir guides you through the city, she’ll show you key monuments that have either been built by women or inspired by them. Many people don’t realise that the women of the Mughal dynasty like Khanzada Begum and Mumtaz Mahal were a powerful force who shaped politics and culture. You’ll stop at the Itmad ud Daulah, which is known as the baby Taj as it served as inspiration for the Taj Mahal itself. It’s a majestic, white-marble monument that resembles a jewellery box, built by Mehr-un-Nissa as a tomb for her father. An emperor’s wife, Mehr was one of the most famous women of her era.

During the tour, you’ll also get to meet and interact with women who live in Agra now. Mehir will introduce you to various artists and jewellery makers, a flower garland specialist and Zardozi embroiderer. You’ll get to chat and learn about their lives as modern women in Agra. Travellers love this contemporary view and having the chance to meet and hear about the real women of Agra.

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Taj Mahal by Sunrise

Agra

Every day, the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous World Heritage Site, will see on average 15,000 people. Visit at dawn though and you cut those numbers right down resulting in a more peaceful stroll around the magnificent monuments. The early hours really are the best time to visit when you can just sit quietly and listen to the birds as you take in its architectural beauty.

When the sun starts to rise on a clear day, you can see the mausoleum turn from gold yellow to orange to a sparkling mountain white. You can roam the splendid gardens decorated with fountains and inspect the ornamental craftwork without the crowds. As the sun slowly bathes the walls, the stunning pietra dura inlay lights up the whole façade. This only occurs during the hours of dawn and makes the early start well worth it.

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