REGAL RAJASTHAN

After arriving at Delhi airport (DEL), you’ll be met by one of our reps and transferred to your hotel in the Indian capital. You’ll have the afternoon free to either kick back in your hotel, or hit the streets for a spot of solo exploration. We’ll reconvene back at the hotel in the evening for a welcome dinner, where you’ll get acquainted with the other folks on this trip. 

It’s always rush hour in Delhi, but at least this morning you’ll be up early enough to dodge the heaviest traffic – for the best, as you’ll be hitting the streets on two wheels, on a bicycle tour of Old Delhi. Shahjahanabad, as it’s otherwise known, was a walled city that served as the capital of the Mughal Empire for over 200 years, and is home to Delhi’s oldest buildings. After whizzing about the main sites, you’ll head back to your hotel for breakfast, before hopping aboard a transfer to Agra. Once checked into your hotel there, you’ll have the evening free to stretch your legs or take a dip in the pool. 

It’s India’s most iconic sight: the vast marble mausoleum on the bank of the Yamuna river. Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1632, the Taj Mahal is best experienced at sunrise, when the golden light turns the central dome in a glowing orb – which is exactly why you’ll be up early again today. After breakfast back at your hotel, we’ll be hitting the road – this time west, to Jaipur. We’ll stop en route at Fatehpur Sikri, the pink sandstone town that was abandoned in the 17th century. In Jaipur, you’ll check into your hotel before having the evening to yourself. 

After breakfast at your hotel this morning, we’ll be jumping into a 4x4 to tackle the gravel track that leads to Amer Fort – also known as the Amber Palace. This monumental site looks like something out of a fantasy film, with its towering ramparts and vast entry gate all built into the rocky hillside. After some free time for lunch, we’re off to Jaipur itself for a walking tour of the Old City, followed by a Rajasthani cooking class and dinner. As part of the experience, you’ll help to source ingredients from the local market.

After breakfast we’ll head to what, at first glance, may look like a modern sculpture park. But this array of large stone objects is actually an 18th-century observatory called Jantar Mantar. After getting your bearings, we’ll head to City Palace, with its exquisitely decorated archways, courtyards and salons, before driving on to the town of Rohet, on the edge of the Thar desert. 

It’s another early start this morning, as we’ll be heading out on a jeep excursion to a Bishnoi village. The Bishnoi are a small Hindu community that live by a set of nature-preserving principles, maintaining a traditional way of life that’s barely changed over the centuries. After the village visit, we’ll fuel up with some breakfast before heading into Jodhpur for a city tour. We’ll thread our way through the labyrinth of cornflower-blue buildings, stopping off at major sights, including the 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort. Want to see this knockout site from a different angle? Sign up for the zipline tour, which whizzes you over ramparts and lakes on six interconnected lines. 

Today, after breakfast, we’ll be heading south to the picturesque village of Narlai, built into – and around – Elephant Hill, a towering granite monolith. We’ll take a walk around the village with a local community member, ending with a light trek up to the top of the hill for panoramic views. The rest of the day is yours to spend soaking up the scenery of rural Rajasthan. 

Our destination today is Udaipur, a couple of hours south of Narlai. We’ll set off after breakfast, stopping along the way to visit the Jain temple at Ranakpur. This 15th-century site is one of the largest Jain temples, and certainly one of the most spectacular – decorated all over with mind-blowingly intricate carvings. Once we arrive in Udaipur, you’ll have the rest of the day free to explore or relax. 

It’s our last full day in India, and we want to give you some time to really soak it in. After breakfast, we’ll embark on a sightseeing tour of Udaipur – but after that, the rest of the day and evening are yours to rest and reflect on an incredible adventure. 

After a final breakfast at your hotel this morning, we’ll be regrouping in the lobby for the last time – to hop aboard the transport to Udaipur airport (UDR), where this trip concludes.