Elite Golden Triangle

Delhi – Agra – Jaipur – Delhi

Day 1, Arrival Delhi

After arrival at New Delhi’s International Airport you will be met by your english speaking chauffeur at the arrival hall and transferred by private car to your hotel.

India`s capital and a major gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi is a bustling metropolis, which successfully combines in its folds – the ancient with the modern. Amidst the fast spiralling skyscrapers the remnants of a bygone time in the form of its many monuments stand as silent reminders to the region`s ancient legacy. The first impressions for any visitor traveling in from the airport are of a spacious, garden city, tree-lined with a number of beautiful parks.

Your english speaking guide will meet you at the hotel and together you depart for sightseeing tour of Old & New Delhi.

The tour will begin at Old Delhi with a visit to Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi; we drive past the Red Fort Palace, continuing to the Jama Massjid one of Asia`s largest mosque and walk through the bustling lanes of Chandni Chowk viewing the mosque from the outside. People stream in and out of the mosque continuously and the presence of a nearby bazaar means that the area is rarely quiet.

After visiting Old Delhi, you will carry on to New Delhi, which reflects the legacy left behind by the British. The division between New and Old Delhi is the division between the capitals of the British and the Mughals respectively and also marks the division in the life-styles. The walled city is all tradition where one will be able to experience a gone-by life-style in all its facets, colours and spells. New Delhi in contrast, is a city trying to live up to the expectations of 21st century standards.

The tour to Imperial Delhi will include a visit to the Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India. Qutab-ud-din Aibak started to built Qutab Minar and the attached Quwwat-ul-Islammosque in 1199, pulling down 27 Hindu and Jain temples and using their columns. We will drive past the imposing India Gate, the Parliament House and the Rastrapathi Bhawan – the President`s residence.

After the sight seeing tour, your guide will drop you off at your hotel.

Overnight: Hotel in Dehli.

Day 2, Delhi – Agra                                                                    200 Km, 5 hours drive

After breakfast your driver will meet you at the hotel and transfer you from Delhi to Agra, the city of the famous Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world. On arrival at the hotel you will be welcomed by one of the hotel representatives and checked in.

In the afternoon, you will be met by your english speaking guide and visit Agra and the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays). The Taj Mahal is everything that has been said about it and more. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and was transported to the site by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, in mid 17th century, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the world. Though the Taj appears to be amazingly perfect from almost any angle, it is the close-up marble inlay work, which is really astounding. You will have ample time to view and be mesmerised by this outstanding piece of architecture.

Afterwards we will visit The Red Fort, an outstanding example of Mughal architecture and the seat and stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. This was the seat of Mughal rule and administration and the present structure owes its origins to Akbar who erected the walls and gates and the first buildings on the eastern banks of Yamuna River. Shah Jehan added the impressive quarters and the mosque while Aurangzeb added the outer ramparts. Visit its Hall of Public Audience and its Royal Pavilions.

The Red Fort has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.

After the sight seeing tour, your guide will drop you off at your hotel.

Overnight: Hotel in Agra.

Day 3, Agra – Jaipur                                                                  230 Km, 5 hours drive

After breakfast you depart Agra with your private chauffeur and transfer to Jaipur.

En-route you will visit  Fatehpur Sikri where your english speaking guide will join you. Fatehpur Sikri is the deserted city of Emperor Akbar which literally means The City of Victory and was built in 1569 and abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. Fatehpur Sikri with the remaining monuments are under protection of UNESCO.

Continue you travel to Jaipur. On arrival at the hotel you will be welcomed by one of the hotel representatives and checked in.

Overnight: Hotel in Jaipur.

Day 4, Jaipur

After breakfast, you will visit the capital of Amber which is only a few kilometres north of Jaipur.

Maharaja Mansingh, Mughal Emperor Akbar`s most successful General, started the construction of Amber Fort in the 17th century. Before the City Palace was constructed in Jaipur, Amber was the seat of power.

Jeeps or Elephant will bring you leisurely up to the Fort.

After our visit of Amber Fort you will stop and see the Palace of Winds, otherwise known as Hawa Mahal. It is really an elaborate facade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in the streets below. It is extremely intricate in its pink sandstone carving. The cool wind blows through its facade of windows and latticed screens through which the queens of the court once viewed the streets of the city.

In the afternoon, you will visit the City Palace, which is an overwhelming complex of exquisite palaces, gardens and courtyards and also the famous observatory Jantar Mantar (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

CLASSIC JOYRIDE

In the late afternoon  you will explore the city in a Vintage car with your english speaking guide.

We will drive past some of the notable landmarks of modern day Jaipur whilst cutting across wide roads, avenues and roundabouts. After a short stop at the beautiful Birla Mandir our ride ends at Narain Niwas where you will be hosted by the Kanota family.

What sets this royal house apart from the rest in Rajasthan is their culinary expertise which is widely acknowledged. All recipes were collected from various places and hand-written down in 50 books to be passed on over the generations. The Kanota family even has their own Liqueur named Chandra Haas which they brewed in their private distillery once upon a time. Today you will have the opportunity to participate in an interactive cooking session and create two of Kanota original recipes. One of the Kanota family members will guide and assist you.

This will be followed by dinner – of course your own cooked dishes – and tasting of the Chandra Haas liquor.

Note: Pick up place – Rambagh only in the late afternoon. Not recommended for the months of April – September because of weather conditions in India. However the tour is available all year round.

Overnight: Hotel in Jaipur.

Day 5, Jaipur – Delhi                                                                  255 Km, 5 hours drive

After breakfast private-chauffeur-transfer to Delhi and check in at hotel.

In the afternoon, after some leisure time you will meet your private guide at Hazrat Nizamuddin and experience Sufism in Delhi.

SUFISM, THE HEART OF ISLAM

Visit the historical Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti where you will be taken on a tour by a local resident of this 12th century village, that grew around the shrine of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamudddin Auliya.

On Fridays, after the visit to the Basti, you may want to go to the Dargarh and listen to Qawwali, which is a vibrant musical tradition that stretches back more than 700 years. Often listeners, and even artists themselves, are transformed in a trance-like state where they feel at one with the Supreme.

Note: Tour starts in the late afternoon only. Not recommended for the months of April – September because of weather conditions in India. However, the tour is available all year round.

Overnight: Hotel in Delhi

Day 6, Departure Delhi

The morning is at leisure. Check out at 12h00.

Depending on your flight time, your driver will pick you up from the hotel and transfer to the airport.

Hotel Recommendations:

INCLUSIVE:

• 5 Nights sharing in double room as per recommended hotels, or similar
• Daily buffet-breakfast at the hotel
• Transfers as per itinerary in private air-conditioned Toyota Innova
• All toll and parking fees, local government taxes, porterage at hotels and airport
• 1 Elephant ride or Jeep Transfer at Amber Fort
• Entrance Fees as specified in the itinerary
• Local english speaking guide for city tour at Delhi, Agra and Jaipur
• Local english speaking guide for ‘Classical Joyride’ in Jaipur and ‘Sufism, the Heart of Islam`
• 2 Bottles water per person per day
• Local assistance on site – arrival and departure coordination
• All required taxes

EXCLUSIVE:

• All personal expenses, such as gratuity, laundry, telephone, drinks, medical assistance and others
• Any travel insurance or medical insurance or other insurance required

NOTE:
Hotel Check in: 14h00 / Check out: 12h00