Example Itinerary
Price is based on double or twin hotel room occupancy and includes accommodation, transfers, car/driver, English-speaking guide, activities and entrance fees, breakfasts and some casual lunches while touring. Flights and optional special activities will be quoted separately. Most personal expenses, including dinners, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments and gratuities can be paid on the spot while traveling. Prices may vary depending on season, choice of accommodation and other factors.
Among the oldest civilizations in the world, India offers one of the richest tapestry of cultures and heritage woven by history. This 14-day journey that takes you to the country’s top sights and connects you to its land and its people. See the iconic Taj Mahal in all its glory, go on safari for the royal Bengal tiger, feel the spirituality of Varanasi and the sacred Ganges, make bread for the needy as Sikhs do, shop the colorful bazaars of Jaipur, and getaway to a hidden lush oasis in the middle of the arid hills. On this adventure, expertly navigate the colorful and often chaotic scenes of India in replete style with private touring and stays at top luxury hotels.
This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.
Upon arrival at Delhi airport, you will be met and transferred via private vehicle to your hotel. As most international flights arrive in the evening, check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Rest up and get ready for your adventure tomorrow. Those eager to dive in can opt for an evening walking food tour with an expert of the local food scene. Stroll down historic alleys and visit hidden gem family restaurants and food stalls to sample New Delhi favorites such as kebabs, butter chicken, rice pudding, and stuffed flat breads.
Begin your exploration in the heart of Old Delhi at Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest and busiest markets. The historic market began as a bazaar dating back to when Emperor Shah Jahan founded his new capital. Today it is still a popular market densely-packed with beautifully decorated shops selling curios, souvenirs, snacks, textiles and everything in between. Take a rickshaw down the narrow lanes, passing shops, shrines, and havelis. Next to the market is Jama Masjid, one of the largest and perhaps most magnificent mosque in India. Before noon, head to prominent Sikh temple where you will help prepare bread in the community kitchen for lunch. This concept of langar is practiced by Sikhs where vegetarian meals are prepared in the temple's community kitchen and served free of charge to all visitors regardless of race, religion, or gender. Sit and eat together with community members within the halls, if you wish. In the afternoon, take a driving tour of New Delhi, passing government buildings, the parliament house, India Gate, and the president's palace. Then, pay a visit to the stunning Lotus Temple, remarkable for its flowerlike shape. Finally, visit Humayan's Tomb which was the first garden-tomb in India. This UNESCO site was a leap in Mughal architecture and set a precedent for subsequent structures, such as the Taj Mahal.
Spend this morning at leisure before your afternoon flight to Udaipur. We suggest independently visiting one of Delhi's many contemporary art galleries, a stroll through Lodhi Gardens, or visiting one of the city's colorful bazaars. Upon arrival in Udaipur, check in to your lakeside hotel and unwind. In the late afternoon, enjoy a private boat cruise across Lake Pichola. Udaipur, known as the 'City of Lakes,' has seven lakes surrounding the city. Float across the serene Lake Pichola and take in the idyllic scene as the sun slowly sets over the Aravalli Mountains in the distance, fishermen cast their lines, women wash clothes on the banks, and children swim along the ghats. In the evening, if you want an introduction to the dance, costumes, and color of Rajasthani culture, head to a folk dance show held within a small couryard at an old private palace.
Today you’ll explore the City Palace, the ornate Hindu Jagdish Temple, hilltop Monsoon Palace, and Royal Vintage Car museum. Then, stroll Old Town which has a wealth of bazaars and markets offering a range of handicrafts, textiles, leather goods, vintage rugs, and more. As you make your way through a myriad of lanes, admire the colorful buildings and havelis, watch the children playing cricket in the streets, and enjoy a fresh samosa or two. Udaipur is an atmospheric city to be savored, especially lakeside.
Travel onward by quick flight to Jaipur, the Pink City. This royal city amid arid hills is awash in blush-pink buildings, lavish palaces, Hindu temples, colorful bazaars, and artisan workshops. Visit the City Palace Museum and the Jantar Mantar UNESCO-protected observatory next door, a marvel of construction dating back to the 16th century. Also see the beautiful Hawa Mahal, a tall and imposing pink palace famed for its honeycomb of windows. Spend the rest of the day browsing Jaipur's famed bazaars and boutiques. Touting dazzling gems, handmade jewelry, chic fashion houses, exquisite fabrics and rugs, Jaipur is a premier destination international designers flock to for inspiration.
Enjoy a leisurely morning however you wish. Explore the labyrinthine alleyways and browse more markets, sample freshmade sweets from streetcarts, and have a sumptuous yet simple thali meal. Head out of the bustling city and into the peaceful countryside to the UNESCO Heritage Site, Amber Fort. The hilltop fort was built in 1592 and is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture due to continuous modifications made by successive rulers. Then, visit a nearby elephant camp, a sanctuary for rehabilitated working elephants. Embark on a rural village walk to the nearby Meena tribe community where you will be invited for a cup of chai and to learn about their self-sustaining lifestyle. Back at the camp, spend time with the elephants, feeding them and strolling alongside them. As the evening settles in, have a candlelit open-air dinner on camp grounds before returning to Jaipur.
If you wish, arise early for a hot air balloon ride over the city and surrounding countryside. Depart Jaipur and drive onward to the outskirts of Alwar, two hours away. Check in to Amanbagh and unwind in your pavillion. Once used by the Maharaja of Alwar as the staging area for royal tiger huts, the lush estate of towering palms and manicured vegetation is an oasis amid the rugged Aravalli Hills. In the late afternoon as the day cools down, venture out to the rural countryside and explore the surrounding picturesque villages and ancient ruins.
Preferred Hotel
Start the day with an early visit to the eerily beautiful ruins of Bhangarh town, surrounded by much legend and believed by locals to be haunted. If you wish, have a private sunrise meditation or yoga session in this ethereal setting. You’ll also visit the intricately adorned Neelkanth Hindu Temple and embark upon a Mansarover Lake cruise in a traditional shikara boat. Retreat to the walled oasis resort and lounge by your private pool or indulge in an Ayurvedic spa treatment. For a unique experience, participate in a fire meditation ceremony led by Amanbagh's in-house guru.
This morning you depart from the staging grounds and head on the hunt. Arrive at Ranthambore National Park by noon and check in to your luxury tented camp. After lunch, be ready to head out on a wildlife safari. Once a part of the royal hunting grounds, Ramthambore National Park's protected grounds are a sanctuary for buffalo, deer, wild boar, antelope and other small animals. It is also the home of the Royal Bengal tiger. If you are lucky, you might be able to spot one of these elusive crepuscular big cats.
Spend the day exploring the park on morning and afternoon safaris. The park is divided into 10 zones so there is much to see. More than 300 species of migratory and domestic birds flit around the park while a large number of Marsh crocodiles can be found resting on lake banks. Besides tigers, other large rare animals that can be found are sloth bears and leopards. When not on safari, feel like a Maharaja back at your tented camp which features wood floors, large bathrooms with claw-foot tubs, four-poster bed, and frescoed paintings. Pamper yourself with a spa treatment after a long day before dining privately by the lily pond under fire torches and moonlight.
Travel onward by road to Agra. Enroute, just before Agra, stop at Fatehpur Sikri. This ancient Mughal capital was built by Emperor Akbar who raised three palaces for each of this favorite wives. Though quickly abandoned after his death, the red sandstone buildings remain intact and the mosque is still in use today. Upon arriving in Agra, check in to your hotel and freshen up before heading out to see the Taj Mahal at sunset. This stunning landmark is made even more beautiful during sunset as the white marble is set aflame in orange and red hues. Retire to your room at Amarvilas, where your suite has a view of the Taj Mahal. Under the moonlight, you can see the monument gleaming in elegant white light.
Preferred Hotel
In the morning, if you wish, take another look at the Taj Mahal. Sunrise is an equally beautiful time to view the mausoleum, and its quietest hour. Pay attention to the exquisite ornamentation with pearls and precious gemstones inlaid in the white marble. Explore Agra Fort before your flight to Varanasi, a holy sacred city on the banks of the Ganges river. Board a private boat this evening and witness the grand aarti ceremony from the river, a majestic spectacle of fire, incense smoke, and conchshell blowing.
Preferred Hotel
Varanasi is a city burgeoning with spirituality and non-stop action, as you will see on today’s tour of the city. Walk along the river where the many ghats are awash with scenes of life and death. The renowned ever-smoky burning ghat is where bodies are brought for Hindu cremation and scattered into the river. In another ghat, pilgrims are taking a dip in the sacred waters. Visit a few prominent temples in the city before heading out to Sarnath, to the deer park where Buddha first taught the Dharma, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world. If you wish, see the evening’s aarti ceremony again, this time from the banks for a closer view.
Arise early on your final day for a peaceful sunrise cruise on the Ganges river. Observe as the east-facing city awakens in the morning light, symbolic of rebirth and new life. Smoking pyres are relit, women beat their laundry along the banks, pilgrims make their way into the river. This remarkable experience is a sublime cap to your classic India journey. After breakfast, enjoy your morning at leisure until your private transfer to the airport for your flight onward.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
An Asia-focused magazine brought to you by Remote Lands - a platform for adventure, luxury, and authenticity from experts and explorers around the continent.
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