Wildlife & Moghul Cities

This morning, you’ll have a very early start for your train journey to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. Alternating with Delhi as the capital of the Moghul Empire, the city’s past is inextricably linked with the most famous of India’s rulers. Today it is best known as the home of the Taj Mahal but also boasts a fort, a Friday Mosque and the royal tombs on the opposite bank of the river.

You will have plenty of time to explore the Taj Mahal, the masterpiece which shelters the tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Many people believe it to be the most perfectly proportioned building ever constructed; at first glance it appears to be simply white marble, but closer inspection reveals that the surface is inlaid with a profusion of semi-precious stones which form stylised flowers and bowers. Words fail to do it justice; only by visiting it can you appreciate its exquisite beauty. Further along the banks of the river Yamuna, you visit Agra Fort. It was from here that the Moghul Empire was ruled and you spend some time exploring the nooks and crannies within. The afternoon is left free for you to wander at leisure, or relax. Hotel – 1 night (B)

Ranthambore National Park is one of the premier national parks of India - 'Jungle Book' brought to life! A wonderful blend of historical ruins and wildlife, it is the habitat of Bengal tiger, nilgai, sambar and chital (types of antelope), sloth bear and jungle cat, plus crocodile in the lake. You will make a couple of game drives during your stay here, with high hopes of
getting at least one sighting of the majestic Bengal tigers that survive among the ruined forts and temples. Game drives take place early in the morning and in late afternoon to give the best chance of animal sightings. Leopards have been spotted on the periphery of the park, and jackal and hyena can also be glimpsed, so there’s plenty to watch out for! (BLD)

Nb. Ranthambore National Park is closed during the summer months, so on departures over this time, you will visit neighbouring Swai Mansingh Sanctuary. Please see below for more details.
 

In the early morning you will head on a wildlife walk, and explore the rich diversity of life within the sanctuary. The afternoon will allow you to deepen further in the remote parts of the park in search of wildlife through your game drive. 

Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary, one of the major tourist attractions in Sawai Madhopur, is situated at the intersection of two mountain ranges, Aravalli and Vindhayan Hills. The sanctuary boasts of diverse life forms and many rare species of plants and animals.

Its green wealth is evident by the presence of trees like siras, jamun, kadaya, amaltas, kadamb, goya khair, khaair, cheela, raunj, tendu, gurjan, khirni and saintha, salar and kathphadi. The sanctuary also boasts of a great variety of fauna, much to the delight of wildlife lovers. Look out for cats like panthers and jungle cats, or other species like chinkara, nilgai, wild boars, chitals, jackal, hares, hyenas and sambars. The popular bird varieties present here include the quails, minivets, vultures, flycatchers, sand grouses, peacocks, orioles, parakeets, sparrows and stone curlews.

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.

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 (BLD)

After breakfast this morning, you leave the Shekhawati region and continue your onward journey to Delhi, where 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)