Taj to Varanasi (Kleine Groep)

Details

This 11-day northern India tour finishes with two days exploring the Holy City of Varanasi on the banks of the River Ganges, after exploring Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, rural Rajasthan and Jaipur.

This India tour starts in the capital city, Delhi, with tours of both the old and new sides of this bustling city, now home to over 18 million people. We then head south into the arid state of Rajasthan, home to impressive forts and palaces, colourful saris and jewellery, and fascinating Indian history. We firstly visit Agra, home to the incomparable Taj Mahal, the world's most famous monument to love. We continue the tour's theme of mixing unmissable tourist sites with activities and experiences more off the beaten track by taking a Mughal Heritage Walk with a local villager through farmland and homesteads on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River to the Taj Mahal. This tour supports the local community and provides a fascinating insight into village life in Agra as well as providing great views of the Taj not normally seen. We'll also see the Taj Mahal close up at sunrise as the changing morning light brings the building to life in different hues and colours.

Our next stop is the small and remote town of Hinduan where we stay in a converted palace and explore the village and surroundings, getting a real feel for rural Indian life. We'll then visit the Amber Fort, City Palace and the Jantar Mantar Observatory in the 'Pink City' of Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan, as well as exploring its famous craft and produce markets.

After returning to Delhi, we take to India's famous railway network for the journey to Varanasi. One of the world's oldest living cities, Varanasi is also considered one of India's holiest and is an especially auspicious place for Hindus to make a pilgrimage to bathe in the waters of the River Ganges. While in Varanasi, we'll take an early morning boat trip on the river, take part in an evening Aarti ceremony giving candlelit offerings to the river, and visit Sarnath, where the Lord Buddha preached his first sermon.

Another train journey then takes us back to Delhi to finish the India tour (flight upgrades are available if preferred).

The accommodations used on this tour have been carefully selected and include a home-stay style hotel whilst in Delhi, modern properties in Agra and Varanasi, plus heritage hotels in Jaipur and Hinduan.