India & Nepal - Tigers, Taj & Temples

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

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.

Today's guided tour will introduce Delhi's vibrant Old City. Drive by the historic Red Fort, Jama Masjid Mosque and Raj Ghat – Gandhi’s cremation site close to the Yamuna River – and enjoy an exhilarating rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk.

You’ll also experience the grandeur of New Delhi, built by the British Raj to reflect the glories of the Empire. Highlights will include the historic India Gate war memorial and the vast boulevard of the Rajpath. You’ll finish this morning’s sightseeing with a stop at the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, one of India’s most significant Sikh temples. See the temple’s grand façade mirrored in its nearby sarovar (reflecting pool) and marvel at the impressive marble walls and golden domes of this remarkable landmark.

Later, after an included lunch in Delhi, travel to Jaipur, the ‘Pink City’. After checking into your hotel, and taking dinner with your fellow travellers, enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure.

After breakfast, visit Amber, the ancient capital of the Rajput Empire. Climb by jeep to the city's vast sixth-century hill-top fort to wander its Royal Halls and take in the magnificent views from the ramparts. After an included lunch, you'll tour Jaipur to see the City Palace complex, with its museums and ancient astronomical observatory, and drive past the innumerable windows and screened balconies of the 18th-century Palace of the Winds.

This evening, enjoy dinner a special dinner at the Nokha House, hosted in traditional Rajasthani style by the Rathore family.

Depart Jaipur this morning, after enjoying breakfast at the hotel, and travel to Ranthambore National Park. Once the hunting ground of Indian princes, Ranthambore is landscape of thorn trees, scrub and grasslands dotted with beautiful ponds, streams and lakes is a perfect habitat for the famous, elusive (and still endangered) tigers of Ranthambore, and other species.

Upon arrival, lunch will be served at the hotel in Ranthambore, and you'll then have the afternoon at leisure to settle in and relax. This evening, enjoy a fascinating tiger talk with a local naturalist, the ideal way to prepare for tomorrow's adventures.

Wake early this morning and board your vehicle to explore the wilderness of Ranthambore National Park, an opportunity to explore the untamed landscapes alongside your knowledgeable naturalist guide.

As the sun rises over the treetops, you’ll venture off to witness the park’s incredible biodiversity. Keep your eyes peeled for the Bengal tigers, leopards, sloth bears, jackals, wild dogs, and hyenas that call Ranthambore National Park home. Your naturalist guide will share their expertise, providing insights into the behaviour, habitats, and unique characteristics of the animals you encounter.

Breakfast will then be served back at the resort followed by some time to relax, perhaps by the swimming pool before lunch.

Later, gear up for an afternoon safari game drive – another chance to spot more animals on your wish-list and survey more of the prey-rich woodlands and bird species before dinner in the evening.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning before setting off for Agra, India's City of Love. There’ll be a comfort break along the way, and will stop for lunch at a local restaurant en route before proceeding to Agra.

Upon arrival in Agra, take in the royal pavilions, palaces and courtyards of majestic Agra Fort, which has stood watch over the city for over 500 years and was once the royal residence of the city’s Mughal emperors. You’ll then head out under the evening light to the Taj Mahal, a monument to undying love, to see it in all its glory at sunset and enjoy a guided tour.

This evening, check into your hotel and enjoy dinner at your leisure.

Early this morning, you’ll be taken to Mehtab Bagh – a garden complex away from the bustle of the city and on the opposite side of the Yamuna River, showcasing a splendid view of the Taj Mahal in all its glory as the sun rises.

You’ll then return for breakfast at the hotel and afterwards, drive to Chand Baori Stepwell in Abhaneri, which was built over 1,000 years ago and is one of the biggest stepwells in the world. With intricately geometrically designed staircases, this architectural wonder serves as a source of water and a place of respite in the desert heat. Also of interest will be the Harshat Mata Temple, an ancient place of worship dedicated to the goddess of happiness and joy, Harshat Mata.

Journey across the desert plain into the Aravali Hills to the jungle-resort of Vanaashrya, where you’ll spend the next two nights.

Enjoy today at leisure in Vanaashrya, perhaps with a dip in the pool or a quiet few moments to reflect on your journey through India. You can also join in on activities arranged at the hotel, including a camel cart ride in the afternoon and a cooking demonstration in the evening.

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 Orient restaurant in the company of a Sherpa or Everest summiteer who will answer all of your questions about the world's ultimate climb.

Please note: The Rum & Doodle restaurant is now permanently closed and so all departures will have dinner at the Orient Restaurant instead.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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