Maharajas and Mountain Kingdoms

Your North India travel starts off when you arrive into Delhi. You will be met on arrival and transferred by private car to your Delhi hotel. You can choose from either a hotel situated about half an hour’s drive from the airport or a charming hotel in Central Delhi, and ideal base to explore both the spice markets of Chandi Chowk and the modern bars of Connaught Place. Here you can catch your breath and rest after your flight. Both hotels are clean and comfortable with a private en-suite bathroom and a great atmosphere.
 

This morning your driver will collect you from your hotel and you will continue your North India Travel down to Jaipur, this trip usually takes around 5hours. Jaipur is known as the Pink City and is a fantastic place to kick off your North India trave. During your two nights here you can relax, acclimatise, and explore with beautiful town. There is so much to see in this elegant and astonishing city that you could spend weeks here without getting bored. Jaipur centre is a lively mass of saris, saddhus, holy cows, spice markets, street vendors, camel carts, elephants, beggars, rickshaws, temples, forts and palaces.

In Jaipur we have selected a cosy family hotel for a firsthand experience of typical Indian hospitality. Breakfast is served in the romantic English tea garden and the family will go out of their way to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. The rooms here are tastefully furnished in traditional Indian-style and several have four-poster beds.
 

On day 3 of your North India travel you start off with a guided tour of this remarkable city visiting the City Palace, the Observatory and the fairy-tale Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal). In the afternoon the tour continues onto the imposing Amber Fort that lies just outside the city limits. From the battlements of the Amber Fort you will have a wonderful view of the rocky hills and the smaller walls and forts constructed by the Rajputs and the Mughals in the area.

The City Palace and the Palace of the Winds both stand in the ancient quarter of the city. The City Palace has several beautiful museums with fascinating collections. If you see the flag flying it means that the Maharaja is in residence. The Palace of the Winds is a world-famous pyramid-shaped building with dozens of windows. This is where the women of the royal harem could watch the processions in the street below unseen by the masses.


 

Your Independent North India travel experience continues as you leave Jaipur and head for Pushkar standing sleepily on the banks of a beautiful lake. The accommodation we have selected in Pushkar is in a grand palace where almost all of the rooms have stunning lake views. The palace is fantastic with a completely unique atmosphere. It has an exotic inner garden and a palm terrace providing magnificent views over the glassy lake. On the opposite bank of the lake, you are able to witness pilgrims bathing and if you listen carefully you might even hear them singing.

Pushkar is a picturesque holy town in the desert with pastel-coloured buildings lining narrow streets. There are dozens of rooftop cafes looking out over the city towards the lake- perfect places to linger over coffee or lunch. Pushkar has been attracting long-term hippie-style visitors for many years and they gather next to the palace every evening to watch the sunset over the lake. Wander through the twisting alleys of the old centre and take a look at the Ghats (stone staircases that lead into the water) where the pilgrims perform ritual bathing. You can take part in this ceremony too, but watch out for saddhus (priests) offering to become your spiritual guide in return for hefty sums of money. During the famous Camel Fair, usually held in November, over 25,000 camels will plod into the town to be traded by their owners, and huge crowds of pilgrims in a rainbow of colours will arrive.  

On day 5 your driver will take you across to Udaipur, the most romantic town in Rajasthan and a must see for any North India travel experience. Elegant Udaipur is surrounded by green hills, a brilliant contrast to the sparkling white palaces and the blue waters of Lake Pichola. The legendary Lake Palace floats on an island in the centre of the lake giving the town a fairy-tale feel. This palace was the winter residence of the Maharaja and featured in the James Bond film Octopussy.

 

We have added a whole day extra in Udaipur, after all you’ve come a long way to get here. In the morning we have included a Udaipur city tour visiting the City Palace with its impressive murals and mosaics and its collection of Delft Blue ware. The tour continues onto visiting the Jagdish Temple where you can admire the famous Lake Palace from a distance. Once the city tour has finished you have the remainder of the day free to explore Udaipur on your own. On your North India travel experience to Udaipur why not wander through the old town, packed with tiny shops of fabrics and handicrafts, and try your hand at haggling in the market. You could take a peek into one of the many mysterious little temples and havelis. In the evening Udaipur has a magical atmosphere so try some delicious local food in a rooftop restaurant and watch the lake shimmer in the darkness.
 

Today, you’ll continue on your North India travel and set off in the direction of Jodhpur, The Blue City. This journey takes about 6hours and on the way you can stop off at the striking Jain temple of Ranakpur situated in a beautiful green valley. The enormous temple complex has 1444 pillars with stunning decorations carved from stone. Incredibly, none of the pillars are the same. Each has been decorated in its own unique way. Jainism is a religion that originated in northeast India about the same time as Buddhism (around 400BC) and it is still popular across the country today.


 

In the afternoon your driver will then take you through to Jodhpur. This city is the home of Mehrangarh Fort one of the most dramatic Moghal forts in India. Here you can wander through the narrow alleyways of the city, where rope-makers colour their warps, spice-sellers display their aromatic wares, and hairdressing salons barely stretch to the size of one square metre. The shopping hotspots are the Sojati Gate, the Tripolia Bazaar, the Mochi-ki-Gali and the Lakhara Bazaar. If you’re looking for hand-woven material, head for Rajasthan Khadi Sangh. The central bell tower is a good orientation point, as you’ll always manage to find your way back. The accommodation we have selected on this North India travel experience is in the old part of Jodhpur at the foot of the mighty fort.

After breakfast you have the opportunity to climb up above the city to Meherangarh Fort and enjoy the views from the massive walls over the town. The houses are all painted Brahmin blue, giving Jodhpur its nickname of The Blue City. Initially the colour was used to signify the homes of the Brahmin caste, but now it is a trademark of the town. When the golden sunlight falls obliquely over the houses they have a enchanting indigo glow to them.

After visiting Meherangarh Fort your North India travel experience continues as your driver takes you across the desert to reach the remote desert town of Jaisalmer. The journey will take around 5 hours. As you approach the town its contours will begin to appear on the desert horizon like an amazing mirage. This sense of magic will continue to grow as you are dropped at the gates of the old fortress town with its dozens of castellated towers. The Fort is built from sandstone, almost blending into its surrounding landscape and giving it a bewitching haziness. From the uppermost walls of the fort you will have a magnificent view over the desolate Thar Desert that spreads dramatically from the foot of the castle. In the distance, you’ll see Sahara-style sand dunes. .

In the evenings, you can eat in one of the small restaurants in the fort or in one of the many rooftop restaurants outside the castle walls. The accommodation we have selected on this North India travel experience is in a authentic haveli gilded in gold.


 

As this is a independent North India travel experience you have time to explore magical Jaisalmer at your own pace. You can wander around the havelis, Lake Gadi Sagar, or Jaisalmer Fort. The fort has four entrances: Akhaiya Pol, Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol and Hava Pol. You might even bump into a camel or two on your way or hear the sound of a sitar playing from inside a haveli.

Built on a hill above the city, the golden tone of its sandstone makes Jaisalmer Fort look as though it is melting into the surrounding desert.The narrow streets inside the fort are lined with shops and food stalls and scattered with Jain temples with eyecatching sculptures.

On day 10 of your North India travel experience you will have most of today free to make the most of your remaining time in Jaisalmer. Then in late afternoon your adventures continues with a overnight train back to Jaipur.





 

Your train arrives into Jaipur early in the morning, we have included early check in at the same family hotel as earlier in your North India travel trip. After checking into your hotel you have the remainder of the day to explore parts of Jaipur or just to relax. 

Jaipur is famous for textiles and jewellery. You can find both of these in abundance in the bazaar, which is one of the biggest, and perhaps the best, in the region. Equally, the pink-meringue-like cinema in Jaipur is famous for its flambuoyant design, making it the perfect place to catch a Bollywood film during your stay. Around a 1-hour drive from Jaipur, you'll find the amusement village of Chokhi Dhani, which celebrates Rajasthani traditions with palm-readers, snake-charmers, camel drivers, elephant rides, snacks, sweets, music and dancing. This is a fun-filled way to spend a spare evening.

This morning your driver will meet you at your hotel and take you though the countryside and head east towards Galta, a secluded mystical spot that will leave a lasting impression on you. The Monkey Temple here is a pilgrimage site that attracts flocks of brightly-robed devotees every day. The stream that trickles out of the rocks here is reputed to be water from the holy River Ganges although this is geographically impossible. People bathe and sing on the steps (ghats) that lead down into the pools. Their voices echo through the rocky gorge which opens into a wider valley dotted with temples that have been overrun with monkeys. This is an exhilarating sight.

From Galta you continue on your North India travel experience as your driver takes you on another three hours before arriving in Bharatpur. This is a fascinating waterworld, criss-crossed by all sorts of levees. Maharajas of the historic Singh family used this region as their hunting grounds, and the scenery is breathtaking. If you like, you can pedal through Bharatpur on a ‘sturdy’ Indian bike (cycle hire costs around $4).

There are hundreds of rare birds in the Bharatpur wetlands, such as the rare Siberian crane. Currently there are several tigers here originally from Ranthambore National Park they are hard to spot so keep an eye out. 

A few kilometres further on you will reach the stunning Fatehpur Sikri. The great ruler Akbar set up his capital here and built a grand city but after only 40 years the water supply became too difficult to maintain in this dry area so all of the inhabitants packed up and moved on. They left behind a phenomenal collection of grand temples and palaces with the ruins of old houses standing between them. Now it is an atmospheric ghost city, full of green parrots and monkeys and a real eye opener on your North India travel experience.Its also a good idea to get a local guide to lead you through the forgotten city, and tell you the stories behind the monuments.

After visiting Fatehpur Sikri you will finally arrive in Agra after an exciting day of sightseeing and travelling. The accommodation we have selected in Agra is a clean and comfortable hotel near the centre of town. Or you can choose to stay in a authentic homestay or for something more special you can stay at our upgrade accommodation. 

After an early breakfast this morning your drive will collect you from the hotel and take you to the Taj Mahal, a highlight of any north India travel experience. Standing serenely in the first light of the morning we are sure that this stunning building will surpass all your expectations. It is one of the few buildings in the world that has the ability to move people. It was built by Shah Jahan as a token of his love for his deceased wife, and is undoubtedly the most romantic burial site in the world. After visiting the Taj Mahal your journey continues onto the Agra Fort. This huge but restrained structure seems to be immersed in a dreamy atmosphere when it’s bathed in afternoon light which slants through the pillars and galleries. From its majestic walls and through its arches you can see the Taj Mahal just as Shah Jahan would have done centuries ago when he was imprisoned here by his son. 

 

This morning your train leaves Agra Central Station at about 8am on its way to Jhansi to start your next stage of your North India travel. You can arrange the easy transfer to the railway station at your hotel – just ask at reception. After about 2½ hours (give or take a little in India), you will arrive in Jhansi. Upon arrival into Jhansi you will meet your new driver who will then take you to Orchha (about 16 km away). Orchha is a charming small town of only 9000 residents and it is one of the few places in India that you can easily wander about without being approached by beggars or touts. The town is renowned for its breathtaking Ram Raja Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple and Lakshmi Narayan Temple. As this is a independent North India travel experience you have the whole afternoon to explore the town at your own pace. We have selected a quite and authentic style accommodation in the heart of Orchha.

This morning your driver will take you to the tranquil town of Khajuraho. In the afternoon you are able to visit the western temples of Khajuraho, principally known for their erotic images from the Kama Sutra and a unique experience in your North India travel. The temples are about 1000 years old and they are still in incredibly good condition even though there are only 22 of the original 85 temples still left. We have chosen a comfortable guesthouse with a great view over the temples of Khajuraho.

 

On day 16 of your Independent North India travel your driver will take you down to the little town of Satna to catch the train to the city of Varanasi on the River Ganges. The train leaves about 8.15am so it’s a pretty early start as the train arrives Varanasi a little after 4pm. The journey takes about 8 hours. When you arrive in Varanasi a highlight on any North India travel experience you will be greeted and transferred to a charming hotel that lies right on the banks of the river. The Ganges is flanked by a series of ‘ghats’ – broad stone staircases leading down to the water – that stretch into the horizon. Each ghat has its own significance. The hotel stands close to the Assi Ghat, towards the south of the town, which is used by pilgrims during a special pilgrimage route called 'Panchatirthi Yatra'.
 

Its a  early start on day 17 as we have included a early morning boat trip on the Ganges at dawn. This is an extremely special North India travel experience and you cannot help but soak up the intensely spiritual atmosphere. The boat will drift past pilgrims of all ages and classes as they perform their ritual bathing just before sunrise. After the boat trip we have included a guided walk through the old centre of Varanasi. Watch out for the holy cows in the narrow alleyways.

The rest of the day is free for you to explore. Life and death rubs shoulders here like nowhere else on earth, and the experience is very inspiring. Seeing a cremation take place on the ‘burning ghats’ is something that you will remember forever. Next to the cremation ghat, you’ll find kids playing cricket, cows nosing through rubbish, and women beating laundry on rocks. 
 

This morning on your North India travel you head toward the small town of Sarnath, which is not far from Varanasi. Sarnath is another place of pilgrimage, this time for the Buddhists. It was here that Buddha gave his first lecture. After his enlightenment in Bodhgaya Buddha came to Sarnath to preach about the Middle Way of reaching Nirvana. After this the religious ruler Ashoka built an enormous stupa (temple) and several Buddhist monasteries to commemorate the teaching. Each Buddhist country in the world now has its own templewhich often makes the place seems like a World Expo is being held. In contrast, the village itself is small, with a feeling of tranquillity. After you’ve spent a while exploring Sarnath we continue back to Varanasi for the remainder of the afternoon free to explore before making your way to the train station for your overnight journey back to Delhi. 

Your North India travel experience continues to Nepal where you start off with a highlights of Kathmandu guided tour with your english-speaking guide. The sightseeing trip begins in Durbar Square, an ideal starting point from which to explore this ancient city. After this your guide will take to towards the temple complexes of Swayambunath and Pashupatinath - the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites in Nepal. Take a seat on the steps of one of the many temples, indulge in some people-watching and soak up the energetic local atmosphere. Another highlight of the tour is the trip to Bouddhanath temple, a Tibetan Buddhist monument and one of the largest stupas in the world. 

By the end of the day you will be totally templed-out, but you will have a clear understanding of the important role that religion plays in Nepalese daily life. For a more detailed description of the various sights in the city, take a look at our Kathmandu Valley information page.

 

Its a early start this morning as you continue your North India travel on a 5-hour bus journey to Chitwan National Park on the tourist class Green Line bus. We'll point you in the right direction to the bus station, but it is a journey that really is far easier (not to mention cheaper) to organise on the spot. However, if you would prefer, we can arrange a private transfer for you or even a flight to Chitwan NP. After a short briefing about wildlife and safety in the park, you can freshen up in your quaint bungalow and grab some lunch.

In the afternoon you have your first elephant safari. Perched high on the back of your gentle giant, you'll be safely out of reach of anything lurking in the tall grass. If you're lucky you'll spot a rhino, although there's a better chance of seeing them on foot on your walking safari tomorrow morning. If your trusty elephant spots a rhino, he may sound the alarm with an almighty growl, just to let the rhino know who's boss...

 

Chitwan National Park is at its most beautiful at dawn, when the early golden light seeping across the plains, giving it a mystical atmosphere. The river is even more magical at this time of day. Working elephants stride through the water, rickety ferries glide across the river, and rhinos graze contentedly in the grass. Today, you'll start off with a guided walk through the jungle, hiking along narrow paths through the forests and plains where the high grass seems almost impenetrable.

It's a little scary knowing that this long grass is the perfect hiding place for rhinos, leopards and tigers, but the experienced North India travel guides know exactly what they're doing. If a rhino gets too close, you'll be quickly directed to scramble up the nearest tree. As harmless as these animals may seem, don't underestimate them! In the afternoon, you'll take another thrilling elephant safari through the wilds of the park.
 

Your North India travel experience through North India and Nepal ends after breakfast this morning, and, when the time comes, you'll head towards the airport to check in for your flight home.

Of course, you could choose to stay and explore more of Nepal.