Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
Essence of India (New Delhi, Small Groups, None)
Premier
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Truly experience India by traveling during one of its famed festivals. On select departures, in the fall you can experience Diwali, which means “row of lights” and is honored by all Indians, regardless of faith.
- Truly experience India by traveling during one of its famed festivals. On select departures in spring, experience the ancient Hindu celebration of Holi, known for its colorful parades.
- Delhi: View the monuments of Old and New Delhi when you drive out to Red Fort, the former home of the Mughal emperors. Cruise down the Rajpath to see India Gate and Parliament House.
- Delhi: Take a tour of Jama Masjid with your Travel Concierge. Feel the majesty of the largest mosque in India with its three great gates, 40-meter-high minarets, and a courtyard large enough for 25,000 devotees.
- Delhi: Jump into the hustle and bustle of Old Delhi by taking an exhilarating rickshaw ride through the busy streets of Chandni Chowk. Let the city’s sights and sounds swirl around you as you’re transported in traditional style.
- Delhi: Visit a Sikh temple and community kitchen, where meals are given out to locals and travelers. Those of the Sikh faith regularly open their place of worship to those in greater need.
- Agra: Visit the impressive fortress in Agra and delve into the history of the Mughal Dynasty, who ruled their empire for over 300 years. See the glorious mosques and fairytale palaces such as the Sheesh Mahal within its protected walls.
- Agra: Rise in the morning light to view one of the greatest monuments in the world, the grand Taj Mahal. With the light of dawn and fewer visitors, you can fully appreciate its grandeur in peace, accompanied by only the birds and monkeys.
- Ranthambore: Sit back and relax on the express train from Bharatpur to Ranthambore. Enjoy the scenic vistas of northern India as you are transported door-to-door in just a few hours. Experience the quickest way to travel in India, as small villages and plantations whizz by.
- Ranthambore: With an expert naturalist, seek out a rare sighting of tigers in their natural habitat on your dawn and dusk safaris in the maharajahs’ former hunting grounds. Witness a wealth of local animals as you search for those elusive stripes.
- Jaipur: Ascend by jeep to stroll through the intricately designed complex of courtyards and halls of Amber Fort. Enjoy the shimmering walls and ceilings and wonderful views of the surrounding countryside and receive a special blessing at this 16th-century residence.
- Jaipur: Meet the ladies of Pink City Rickshaw who will take you on a tour of Jaipur. Hear their stories from growing up in the slum to becoming part of this unique initiative where they have become shareholders in their own company. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience advances SDG 5: Gender Equality. The ladies of Pink City Rickshaw got the chance to rise from the slums and turn their lives around ultimately becoming shareholders in their own company.
- Jaipur: Explore Hawa Mahal alongside your Traveling Concierge and marvel at its incredible 953 windows. The unusual façade of this Palace of the Winds was designed to allow ladies of the court to look out on the street below while hidden from view.
- Jaipur: Visit the colorful cavalcade of the fresh flower and spice market. Alternatively, visit the white marble Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple and witness aarti, a traditional prayer ceremony.
- Jaipur: Enter the towering gates to the City Palace Museum for a look back through time at chandeliers, cannons, chariots and incredible murals. Built between 1729 -1732, this glorious complex is still home to the Jaipur royal family and young king.
- Optional - Delhi: Visit the 12th century Qutub Minar, and see the tallest brick minaret in the world before enjoying lunch.
- Optional - Delhi: Join a well-known chef for a culinary exploration of Delhi streets where you will tantalise your taste buds. Experience a wide variety of foods and learn the effect that mixing different flavors has on the palate as you sample Indian delicacies from local stallholders.
- Optional - Agra: Meet the community living in the shadow of the Taj Mahal when you take a Mughal Heritage Walk. Discover hidden gems of the area and learn about daily life in the ancient village with impressive vistas of India’s most famous monument. Through this initiative the community is supported from tourism to improve their living conditions.
- Optional - Agra: Visit a private colonial bungalow for high tea, meet the host family and listen to their stories about the British Raj and today's Indian culture and society.
- Optional - Jaipur: Focus on the art of block printing and blue pottery as you visit a workshop.
- Optional - Jaipur: Step in the side lanes of old Jaipur and see the highly skilled local artisans who are passionate about passing their crafts on to preserve this slice of the cultural heritage.
- Jaipur: Enjoy a private access tour around Jaipur City Palace including the maharajah’s personal living room, normally off limits to visitors. Savor an Indian inspired high tea on the regal terrace after viewing the spectacular handcrafted crystal table by René Lalique.
Short Description
Adventure across India—from the Presidential Palace of Delhi, to the tigers of Ranthambore and onwards to the pink city of Jaipur. Delhi impresses with a private tour of Jama Masjid, while in Jaipur a VIP Afternoon Tea experience unlocks the private living room of the Maharaja. The culinary highlights continue at the opulent 1135 AD restaurant where a Highlight Dinner is served in a royal interior, with traditional music and stunning sunset views. In Ranthambore, search out the elusive tigers in their natural habitat as you stalk the former private hunting grounds of the maharajahs, peppered with palatial ruins and traditional Chhatri. Later explore Jaipur your way with the choice of shopping the fresh flower and spice markets, or a visit to the Hindu Temple Birla Mandir—to witness the traditional aarti prayer ceremony.
Itinerary
Day 1: Delhi, a Rich Melting Pot
A traditional floral garland welcome to your luxury tour from Delhi awaits, before your private chauffeur whisks you to your elegant hotel. Tonight, dine on fine cuisine as the sun sets over Delhi.
The Leela Palace.
Dinner
Day 2: Delhi Sightseeing
See Delhi’s Red Fort and Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India. Curate your day and join a renowned chef for a foodie walk in Old Delhi or visit the 12th-century Qutub Minar. Take an exhilarating rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, visit a Sikh temple and its community kitchen, and view the President Palace, India gate and Parliament House.
The Leela Palace.
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3: An Agra Adventure
Arrive at Agra’s historical fort and elegant Muthamman Burj palace. Personalise your day with an eye-opening Mughal heritage walk or visit a private colonial bungalow for an intimate high tea with a local family.
Taj Hotel and Convention Center, Agra.
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: The Taj Mahal and Ranthambore
Bask in the majesty of the Taj Mahal, framed in the warm hues of sunrise. Travel to the historic town of Bharatpur for lunch before boarding the Jan Shatabdi Express, the Express Train to Ranthambore, and taking in the views. Arrive at your hotel nestled in the foothills of the Aravalli Range.
Nahargarh Ranthambhore.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: In Search of Tigers in Ranthambore
Experience the beauty of Ranthambore National Park, the former private hunting grounds of the maharajahs of Jaipur. Join a Local Expert on a quest for the elusive tiger. Explore the lakes and palace ruins of the park with an Expert Naturalist, including traditional Chhatri dome-shaped pavilions, old fortifications and a majestic 1,000-year-old fort.
Nahargarh Ranthambhore.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Jaipur, the Pink City
Wind through the countryside to the Rajasthan capital of Jaipur, the Pink City. Revel in the warm tones of the historic buildings and discover Amber Fort’s royal halls of ivory, mirrors, glass and exquisite paintings. The day ends embracing India’s spiritual majesty with a blessing ceremony before dinner the opulent 1135 AD Restaurant.
Taj Devi Ratn.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Jaipur Sightseeing Relaxed Start
View the Palace of the Winds followed by a visit to Jantar Mantar, the royal observatory. Luxuriate in a VIP Indian influenced high tea at City Palace. Meet the inspiring ladies of Pink City Rickshaw before visiting the fresh flower and spice market or Birla Mandir for a prayer ceremony. Toast to your travels with a decadent final dinner at the Cinnamon Restaurant in Jai Mahal Palace.
Taj Devi Ratn.
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8: Depart Delhi
Concluding your India luxury tour, your transfer awaits to take you to Jaipur Airport for your onward flight to Delhi.
Breakfast
Availability
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345 Luxury Gold Travel Reviews & Ratings
Essence of India (New Delhi, Small Groups, None)
Company Reviews
Inspiring Australia
Anonymous
A perfect experience
Excellent service & helpfulness in everyday. I loved the entire experience
Train travel in Japan is a unique aspect of tour
Anonymous
The tours were interesting, accomodation , food and drink were of a high standard.
However, we were disappointed to discover on day 2 of our tour that the tour to Abu Simbel was not included and an option that required additional payment whilst on the trip.
This caused us a great deal of stress as we tried to transfer funds to our travel visa card to pay for the tour.
We weren’t able to do this because the wi fi on the boat was so poor which resulted in my husband resorting to switching his phone onto roaming which was still unsuccessful.
The end result being we missed the tour and have an additional $110 to pay on our phone bill.
This scenario could have been avoided if we’d known that we needed extra funds in our travel card for the tour and if the wi fi on the boat was better. (We were advised by our travel agent that we didn’t need to purchase another sim as we’d have access to wi fi !)
The other main issue confronting us was that we were explicitly told by our Australian travel agent that tips were included in the tour price.
However, on arrival we were advised by the luxury gold concierge who picked us up at the airport that it is customary to tip guides, drivers etc.
We hadn’t allowed funds for this which also affected our cash flow and caused us a bit of stress at times.
There seems to be mixed messaging about tipping in Egypt.
It’s a pity these things marred an otherwise amazing trip.
Details
Group Size
Small Group - 24 max
Maximum Number of People in Group: 24
Accommodations
- The Leela Palace.
- Taj Hotel and Convention Center, Agra.
- Nahargarh Ranthambhore.
- Taj Devi Ratn.
Trip ID#:
luxury-A503ZN18
Meals Included
- 6 Dinner (D)
- 7 Breakfast (B)
- 4 Lunch (L)
- Delhi: Relax and acclimatise before your days in Delhi get underway with a delicious Welcome Dinner in the comfort of your hotel. Get to know your Travel Concierge and other travelers over superbly prepared local food and wine.
- Jaipur: Dine in the elegant surroundings of 1135 AD, one of Jaipur’s most revered local restaurants, offering fine Indian dining served amid opulent royal interiors with stunning sunset views. Hear traditional music playing as you indulge your palate.
- Jaipur: Savor an exquisite Celebration Dinner created by head chef Kuldeep Rajvanshi using expertise developed over 30 years of dedicated service at Jai Mahal Palace hotel at its pan-Indian restaurant, Cinnamon. Raise a glass to your travels and the memories you have created.
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