Taj & Tigers Tour with 5-Night Goa Beach Stay

Arrive at Delhi Airport.

Meet and greet at the airport folloed by private transfers to your hotel.

ACCOMMODATION: Leela Ambience, Shahadra or Hotel Vivanta by Taj, Delhi or similar 

After breakfast set off on a sightseeing tour of Old Delhi.

Old Delhi: Former Mughal capital with remnants of Emperor Shah Jahan's grandeur, now centered around the bustling market of Chandni Chowk, offering a variety of goods.

Rickshaw Ride in Old Delhi and Jama Masjid: Enjoy a rickshaw tour through Chandni Chowk and visit Jama Masjid, one of India’s largest mosques, built from 1644 to 1658 with impressive gateways, towers, and minarets.

Raj Ghat: Visit the simple black marble platform marking Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation site, set in a park with trees planted by notable figures like Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower.

After breakfast, drive to Agra and check in to your hotel; once checked in, you'll visit the Taj Mahal (UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 7 New Wonders of the World). 

Described by Rudyard Kipling as 'the embodiment of all things pure', the Taj was built by Shah Jahan in 1632 as a testament to lost love for his third wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. Heading inside the mausoleum you can walk around the tombs of both Jahan and Mumtaz, whilst exploring the complex you'll discover the perfect symmetry of the building and perhaps snap a photograph on the 'Diana seat'.

PAID OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: EXPERIENCE THE MOHABBAT-E-TAJ SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW @ GBP 23 PER PERSON PAYABLE LOCALLY (TIME PERMITTING)

This 80-minute musical show features a replica of the Taj Mahal made in pure white Makrana marble like the original monument. The Taj show will be presented in 10 different moods, representing varying seasons and hours of the day. It narrates a love story set in the Taj during the 17th century.

ACCOMMODATION: Taj Hotel & Convention, Agra or similar.

MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast.

Post breakfast, check out and visit Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of India’s finest Mughal forts. Built in 1565, it was home to four generations of Mughal emperors until 1638. The fort features a maze of buildings, including the Jahangir Palace, Khas Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas, and two beautiful mosques. Many structures have been destroyed over time, but it remains a city within a city.

You'll then make your way to Fatehpur Sikri, a UNESCO Heritage site.

Emperor Akbar built Fatehpur Sikri in 1569 to honor Saint Sheikh Salim Chishti, who prophesized Akbar's heirs. The city served as Akbar's capital for 14 years before being abandoned due to water scarcity. Visit the well-preserved "Ghost City" with its Jama Masjid, Salim Chishti’s tomb, Panch Mahal, and other grand palaces

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then transfer to Bharatpur Railway station to board your train to Ranthambore (Sawai Madhopur Station).

Train journeys in India are a truly memorable experience and offer wonderful insights into local life. Strike up a conversation with a local and you may even end up making some friends!

There will be meet and greet and assistance on arrival at the Railway station and then transfer to your resort

ACCOMMODATION: Puritan Qila, Ranthambore, or similar

MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast.

Today you get the chance to go for an early-morning and afternoon game drive.

Dawn is ideal for spotting the elusive Bengal Tiger in Ranthambore National Park, home to leopards, wild boars, and various deer species. Game drives offer a chance to see tigers in their natural habitat, part of India’s Project Tiger conservation effort.

After the safari, return to the hotel for breakfast and relaxation by the pool; later, enjoy a second game drive. The park also features historical attractions, including the 10th-century Ranthambore Fort.

ACCOMMODATION: Puritan Qila, Ranthambore, (or similar)

MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

After breakfast you'll drive to Jaipur and check in at your hotel, with free time for lunch (at own expense).

Post lunch take part in a 'Block Printing and Textiles of Jaipur' demonstration.

Hand Block Printing is one of the most famous traditional arts of Rajasthan. See how the prints are hand made with small wooden blocks using different coloured dyes extracted from nature.

During this demonstration develop a fuller appreciation and outlook into a world filled with colour and seeped in tradition and old-world techniques. 

Later on visit the local market (Javeri bazar) to see or by some some local handicrafts.

ACCOMMODATION: Taj Devi Ratan, Jaipur or similar.

MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast.

After breakfast, visit the UNESCO-listed Amber Fort, ascending by Jeep. The rugged exterior conceals a beautiful interior with painted miniatures, precious stones, and mirrors embedded in plaster.

Stop briefly for photos at Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds.

Continue to the Maharaja’s City Palace, a former royal residence now partially a museum. Built by Sawai Jai Singh II, it includes Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal.

After lunch (at your expense), visit Jantar Mantar, a UNESCO site with medieval geometric devices for tracking constellations, observing orbits, and measuring time. It's one of the largest astronomical observatories in the world.

Later drive back to hotel.

ACCOMMODATION: Taj Devi Ratan, Jaipur or similar.

MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast.

After breakfast you'll leave Jaipur for Goa, with your internal flight included. 

Once you arrive in Goa, your transfer is waiting for you to drive you to your hotel for check-in.

Accommodation: Zuri White Sands, Goa or similar

Meals included: Breakfast.

Relax by the beach in a 5* resort.

Accommodation: Zuri White Sands, Goa or similar

Meals included: Breakfast.

Today you will transfer back to Goa Airport for your included internal flight back to Delhi.

On arrival in Delhi you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Accommodation: Hotel Vivanta by Taj, Delhi or similar 

Meals included: Breakfast.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home. 

MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast

The Gurdwara includes a temple, kitchen, holy pond, school, and art gallery. Practicing 'langar' (free kitchen), it serves 10,000 meals daily. At Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in central Delhi, everyone is welcome to a meal. Fascinated by the busy 'langar', which serves 180 people every 15 minutes, visitors see people of all castes, religions, and ages sitting on mats. Volunteers distribute chapatti, spiced basmati rice, dal, a spicy potato dish, and turmeric-based sauce with onion pakora. The community includes those relying on the food, socializing, or helping serve.

Visit Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the earliest example of Mughal architecture in India, recently renovated with restored gardens and fountains. Architecturally inspired by Samarkand, it influenced the design of the Taj Mahal.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant near India Gate (at your own expense).

Then, visit the Qutub Minar complex, home to India's first mosque, Quwwat-ul-Islam, built from the stones of demolished temples, signifying the political victory of Islam in northern India. The Qutub Minar, started in 1199 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, features elegant balconies and carvings.

Finally, drive past India Gate, the Presidential Palace, and Parliament House, admiring the colonial architecture by Edwin Lutyens.

If there’s still time at the end of the day and you wish to see more please talk to your guide who can show you the sights of Dilli Haat or Sunder Nursery.

ACCOMMODATION: Leela Ambience, Shahadra or Hotel Vivanta by Taj, Delhi or similar 

MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast.

This is a fantastic opportunity to live like a local and join an Indian family for dinner at their residence as well as take part in festive rituals.

The men will participate in turban tying and the women will be presented a ceremonial scarf, signifying compassion. All the guests will be honoured with a Tikka. The Tikka, a red vermilion, paste is applied with the thumb in a single upward stroke to the guests’ forehead to signify the energy of spiritual enlightenment and wisdom. The welcome reflects the rich culture and tradition of Indian society.

This is an exciting moment for you to observe and experience true Indian culture up close. You will get an opportunity to roll the chapatis and understand the ingredients of Indian cuisine.

In the evening, experience local culture as you witness the Aarti Ceremony at Birla Temple in Jaipur.

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi, the Birla Mandir is a fabulous architectural landmark of Jaipur. The temple offers the chance to see the enchanting Aarti (religious ceremony) from close quarters. The Aarti is performed by a holy man. The temple was originally known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple. It is situated below the Moti Dungri Fort in Jaipur. Made of pure white marble, the architecture is slightly different from those of the traditional ancient Hindu temples, as it was built with a modern approach.

The ceremony is a fundamental part of Hindu culture; representing the elements of fire, earth, water and air as well as the senses. The priest has a tray with a small bell, lamp (diya) and offerings of food, water, flowers and incense. The lamp is passed around the deity, accompanied by singing and the ceremony ends with everyone sharing the food, which has been offered to the Gods.