Wildlife & Moghul Cities

After your flight you’ll transfer to your first night’s accommodation and check in. This afternoon you are introduced to India with a half-day tour of Delhi. Old Delhi is bustling and vibrant, a network of narrow streets and alleys teeming with people. Mosques and temples are squeezed into unlikely places between shops and market stalls. You’ll visit the Jami Masjid, Delhi’s largest mosque, which is not only a place of religious worship, but also a lively meeting place for the city’s Muslims. A fascinating contrast awaits as you head into New Delhi. Its wide boulevards and imposing buildings conjure up images of the British Empire at its zenith. Hotel - 1 night

You set off today to take the road leading to Fatehpur Sikri, some 38km (about two hours) away. Along the way are the remains of the Kos Minars - wayside markers which survive only as crumbled towers, pointing the way to this city built of rich red sandstone. Akbar the Great built Fatehpur Sikri, (the ‘City of Victory’), outside Agra as a tribute to a sage who foretold the birth of three sons. He duly moved his court to this new capital, only to abandon it after 15 short years because the water supply deteriorated. Today its rose-coloured walls provide the visitor with an unforgettable impression of the majesty of a 16th century royal court.  This afternoon, you will take a train journey of just over two hours from Bharatpur to Sawai Madhopar, near Ranthambore National Park. Hotel - 1 night (BD)

Perched on a hill some 11km from Jaipur and nestling among the Aravalli Hills is the historic fort-palace of Amber. You reach the palace along a twisting road that passes Maota Lake before turning uphill, past the elephant stables, to Jai Pol ‘Victory Gate’. This is the ancient capital of the Kachhawaha Rajputs who gave their loyalty to Moghul overlords. From the spoils of war they gradually built a fabulous complex of royal rooms. Today these rooms remain lavishly decorated with murals, jali-work and scalloped niches that once held candles to reflect the soft light from tiny mirrors, embedded in eggshell plaster.

Please note – there are elephant rides available at Amber Fort. Concerns over the welfare of the animals had led to The Adventure Company not offering this as an optional activity at the fort in the past. However, since the involvment of an NGO, conditions have improved for the elephants - they now only carry a maximum of 2 passengers, work limited hours during the day and have regular rest and 'holiday' periods, so The Adventure Company have now reintroduced this optional activity.

You can thoroughly explore the site and village opposite before travelling into the ‘Land of Princes’ – Rajasthan. As you take a four-hour drive through the princely state of Rajasthan you will catch glimpses of life in the most colourful of India’s regions. Most notable are the elegant women, who carry terracotta pots of water from the village well, dressed in saris in a myriad of colours, their bangles tinkling as they walk. There may be an opportunity to walk around the village and meet or even have a game of cricket with the locals! Hotel– 1 night (BD)

After breakfast this morning, you leave the Shekhawati region and continue your journey to Delhi wherer you'll arrive by midday. The remainder of the day is then free for some final sightseeing or shopping. Ghandi’s house in New Delhi tells the life story of one of India’s most renowned figures, whilst there are bargains galore to be found in the shops and markets around Connaught Place. No doubt your Group Leader will arrange a ‘last supper’ where you can look back over the trip of a lifetime. Hotel – 1 night (B)