India & Nepal

Tour Itinerary

• Day 1 • Flight to Delhi

  Your holiday begins with an overnight flight from the UK to Delhi.

• Day 2 • Arrival in Delhi and included Humayun's Tomb visit

  Arrive in Delhi, this morning, to be greeted by your Tour Manager, and transferred to your hotel. Later, after an included lunch and time to freshen up, join your tour manager on a guided tour to the sixteenth century red sandstone and marble Humayun's tomb, an impressive example of Mughal architecture with lush Persian style gardens.

• Day 3 • Delhi guided tour and Agra's Taj Mahal at sunset

  This morning a guided tour of the Old City will reveal Jama Masjid Mosque and Raj Ghat, Gandhi's cremation site. You'll also see the Red Fort and take a rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk. Later, you'll see some of the city's Imperial highlights including the India Gate war memorial, the vast boulevard of the Rajpath and Parliament House. Later we'll journey to Agra, India's City of Love and site of the exquisite Taj Mahal. Built as a monument to undying love by grief-stricken Shah Jahan, after the death of his beloved wife, the Taj is seen in all its glory at sunset with a guided tour which will also take in the royal pavilions, palaces and courtyards of majestic Agra Fort.

• Day 4 • See Abhaneri's stepwell and journey to Ranthambore

  Start your day with the unforgettable view of the Taj Mahal at dawn, seen from across the Yamuna River. Later, you'll visit Abhaneri, a small town famed for its amazing baoris (stepwells) and the mighty Harshat Mata Temple. Discover the architectural beauty of the Chand Baori stepwell and its intricate carved panels. Leaving Abhaneri you'll travel to Ranthambore National Park, one of the prime examples of Indian conservation and your base for two nights. Once the hunting ground of Indian princes, this national park stands atop a 600-metre-high hill range and plays host to a number of India's elusive and endangered tigers. After lunch you're free to relax for the afternoon, then in the evening enjoy the 'tiger talk' with a local naturalist, in preparation for tomorrow's adventure.

• Day 5 • Included Ranthambore safaris

  This morning you'll enjoy the first of two guided tours in search of some of the park's most revered inhabitants; striped hyenas, sambar deer, sloth bears and of course tigers (and maybe even a leopard). After lunch there will be another chance to see these and many other incredible creatures at close quarters, on your second guided tour into the park.

• Day 6 • Optional Ranthambore Fort visit and travel to Jaipur

  An optional excursion this morning brings the chance to visit Ranthambore Fort. We'll then travel through Rajasthan to Jaipur, India's pink city, for a two-night stay. Settle into your heritage hotel in downtown Jaipur, and enjoy the on-site facilities, including a cooling outdoor pool.

• Day 7 • Included Amber Fort and Jaipur city tour

  Visit Amber, ancient capital of the Rajput Empire, with its magnificent palaces and temples dominated by the stronghold of the Amber Fort. Climb by Jeep to the Fort, and marvel at the royal halls and the splendid views from the ramparts. This afternoon enjoy an included sightseeing tour of Jaipur, introducing the Palace of the Winds, the City Palace and the amazing astronomical observatory built by the city's founder Jai Singh II. Dinner tonight is with a local family in Jaipur.

• Day 8 • Visit Bhangarh Fort en route to Vanaashrya

  Bid farewell to Jaipur and journey across the desert plain to Vanaashrya. En route you'll make a stop at the atmospheric ruined fort of Bhangarh, dating from the 17th Century, where you'll enjoy a welcome tea or coffee. Continue to Vanaashrya resort where you'll spend two nights in your private, air-conditioned, cottage designed to give a sense of the India of the past.

• Day 9 • Vanaashrya and village visit

  A relaxing day - just relax on your terrace or enjoy a swim. Later, hop onto a camel cart and visit the local village before a pre-dinner cookery demonstration with the chef.

• Day 10 • Fly to Kathmandu

  Today, you'll transfer to the airport for a short flight to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. Set in the foothills of the Himalayas, and as colourful, bustling and intoxicating a city as any on earth, Kathmandu offers an idyllic retreat from India's bustling metropolises. On arrival, your local guide and coach will be waiting to take you to visit Patan city where you can enjoy a walking tour before going to the hotel. Dinner this evening will be at the legendary Rum Doodle restaurant in the company of a Sherpa or Everest summiteer who will answer all of your questions about the world's ultimate climb.

• Day 11 • Included Kathmandu sightseeing tour

  Enjoy a guided tour of the Nepalese capital. Highlights will include the UNESCO-listed Old City and the temples and pagodas of Durbar Square. You'll also visit Boudhanath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world and visit Patan city where you will enjoy a walking tour.

• Day 12 • Travel to Pokhara

  Leaving Kathmandu, today, you'll follow a scenic route through the Himalayan foothills to Pokhara on the shores of Lake Phewa. Spend two nights in this beautiful location, enjoying distant views of the Annapurna range and triangular Fishtail Mountain.

• Day 13 • Climb Sarangkot Hill and explore Pokhara

  Wake before dawn to drive a short way to Sarangkot Hill. Climb to the viewing platform, approximately 45 minutes up an at times steep but safe walk from the halfway station, and from which the breath-taking panorama of the world's highest mountain range unfolds as the sun rises. You'll return to the hotel for breakfast before a fascinating day of visits to beautiful Davis Falls, the Tibetan Refugee Camp and the Gurkha Memorial Museum, as well as an afternoon cruise on Lake Phewa.

• Day 14 • Travel to Chitwan National Park

  This morning your coach will take you west to Chitwan National Park and the Jungle Villa resort, your home for two nights, close to the park's headquarters. Enjoy lunch on arrival, before an afternoon ox-cart ride to a local Tharu (an indigenous population with unique culture) village.

• Day 15 • Included wildlife tours

  Rise early this morning to join a guide for a canoe trip along the Rapti River, home to gharial and marsh mugger crocodiles, and rare bird species. After a visit to the Crocodile Breeding Centre return to the hotel for breakfast, followed by an exciting jeep safari, as you join a naturalist guide an head in search of one-horned rhinoceros, elephants, sloth bears, wild boar and - for the very fortunate - Bengal tigers. This evening, end your stay with a traditional tribal dance performance.

• Day 16 • Return to Kathmandu

  Returning to Kathmandu, you'll spend a last evening in the Nepalese capital and enjoy your final dinner at a traditional restaurant with a cultural dance show.

• Day 17 • Fly home

  Transfer to the airport this morning and board your daytime flight home.