Highlights of Northern India

Our tour starts in New Delhi, India's bustling capital, where old meets new and you can catch glimpses of a bygone era at every turn.

For those arriving in time, our tour leader will meet us in the hotel reception at 1.30pm for a welcome meeting followed by an afternoon city tour. We'll visit Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India and Humayun's Tomb dating from the Mughal Dynasty. We also drive past the imposing India Gate (war memorial arch), the Parliament buildings and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President's residence.

If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), which is around a 40-minute drive from the hotel.

If you'd like to join the city tour, you need to arrive at the hotel by 1.30pm. If you're booking your own flights, we recommend giving yourself at least one hour to clear the airport and 45 minutes to transfer to the hotel. The latest your flight should arrive is 12pm. If you miss the welcome meeting, the tour leader will catch you up as soon as possible.

Compared to New Delhi, the Old City is closer to the image conjured up by Rudyard Kipling. This morning, we'll travel to Old Delhi by metro and walk around the narrow, packed lanes, culminating with a jamboree of sounds at Chandni Chowk Bazaar. A short cycle rickshaw ride will then take us to the Jama Masjid Mosque, a sublime example of Mughal architecture built by emperor Shah Jahan and an oasis in the midst of the city. While in Old Delhi we'll get to try some of the capital's street food treats straight from the stall sellers including aloo chaat (fried potato and spice mix) or paneer tikka (cottage cheese marinated in spices) along with freshly cooked breads like parathas and rotis.

In the early afternoon, we'll drive to Jaipur - this will take around six hours, including comfort breaks.

The capital of the state of Rajasthan, Jaipur was India's first planned city. Here, the usual Indian urban chaos is replaced by wide streets and formal gardens.

This morning we'll visit the once mighty Rajput capital of Amber (traditionally known as Amer) and its fortress. Lying at the mouth of a rocky mountain gorge, overlooking Maotha Lake, the fort is crafted from white marble and red sandstone and contains a mix of Hindu and Muslim decoration, including the breathtaking mirrored halls of the Sheesh Mahal. It was from these towering walls that the Kachchawahas ruled over their kingdom for seven centuries until its importance was eclipsed by nearby Jaipur.

We'll also take in the unique Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds, whose extraordinary façade of red and pink sandstone towers five stories above the city streets. Built at the end of the 18th century, its 935 windows were designed to allow the women of the harem to gaze out on the city below without being seen.

We'll spend some time exploring the lavish and well-preserved City Palace, where we'll find a collection of textiles, costumes, and armoury. Later this afternoon, we'll visit the extraordinary Jantar Mantar - a star-gazing observatory built by Jai Singh, the great Maharajah-astronomer.

There's free time this morning to explore Jaipur at your own pace. You might want to visit one of the many bazaars, which are bursting with delights, from marble statues to antique textiles; traditional print blocks to local musical instruments.

In the early afternoon, we'll drive to Pushkar, known for its camel trading fair which happens each year in November. The town is also an attraction for many Hindus as its lake is believed to be the site where a lotus thrown by the creator god of Hinduism Brahma landed. On arrival, we'll take a short orientation tour around Pushkar Lake and its waterside ghats (the steps leading to a river or lake).

Taking to camelback this morning we'll trek through the marketplace and up to the camel fairgrounds. Travelling by camel gives us a taste of the remote life of the tribesmen and their families and gives us a new perspective to appreciate our surroundings. Some people find that they prefer to combine riding with periods of walking, so make sure you have appropriate footwear. If you don't want to take part in the camel safari, our guide can arrange a walking tour of Pushkar.

We spend the rest of the day visiting the famous Pushkar camel fair. There is plenty to see from the highly decorated camels to traders bartering for livestock. There are food stalls, handicrafts, and musicians throughout the festival ground and plenty of chances to chat with locals who have travelled to enjoy the celebrations.

As the day draws to an end, we'll hike up into the nearby hills to visit the Savitri temple for sunset. Dedicated to Brahma's first wife, the temple lies at the end of a long series of steps that run behind the Brahma Temple and the lofty vantage point is perfect to watch the sun setting over the city.

We'll have an early start this morning, setting off on a five-hour drive back to Ranthambore. On arrival, we'll check into our accommodation before setting off for an afternoon game drive, where we might be able to spot tigers in the wild.

Ranthambore National Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957, although it was still used as a hunting reserve until the early 1970s. It became part of the Project Tiger scheme in 1974 and, today is home to over 40 of the remarkable beasts.

Aside from its more famous residents, the park is also home to sloth bear, langur, striped hyenas, marsh crocodiles, pythons and Ganga soft-shelled turtles. There's also the chance to spot a myriad of bird species, including crested hawk eagle, crested serpent eagle, jacana, parakeet and white-breasted kingfishers. Aside from its rich wildlife, the park's beauty is also noteworthy. Once part of the jungles of Central India, it comprises of rivers, lakes and forests that nestle among a surrounding girdle of steep cliffs and rocky outcrops.

This morning, an early start affords us more chances to spot tigers on our second game drive in Ranthambore. The tigers are usually most active early in the morning, before the heat of the day forces them to take shelter.

After our safari we drive towards Agra and stop to visit the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri. Founded in 1569 and, for a brief time the capital of the Mughals under Akbar the Great, the city was deserted just 16 years later following the political unrest. Today it remains a ghostly testament to the power of 16th century Mughal India and is a perfectly preserved example of an imperial court. Amongst the many treasures left in the city are the five storey Panch Mahal, believed to have been a pleasure pavilion for the ladies of the harem, and the stunning lotus shaped carved central pillar of the Diwan-i- Khas (Hall of Private Audience). The city also features a central courtyard that contains a pachisi board, where the emperor played an Indian equivalent of chess, using real slave girls as pieces.

Later we continue our drive towards Agra.

An early start this morning as we visit one of the most universally recognised buildings on earth. The Taj Mahal was built by the emperor Shah Jahan to honour the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz, and was once described by Rudyard Kipling as '…the embodiment of all things pure'. Built of marble and decorated with the most exquisite inlay work, it required the labours of 20,000 men and is estimated to have cost something in the region of 3 million rupees (at today's prices around $70 million) We visit at sunrise to watch the colours of the building changing as the sun slowly rises in the sky.

After returning to the hotel for breakfast we make our way to the imposing Agra Fort, whose grandeur and importance has seen it inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Built by Emperor Akbar and then embellished by his grandson, Shah Jahan, this was once a great city, with palaces, mosques and halls all lying behind the protective embrace of 20m high walls. We will also visit is the exquisite Itimad-ud-Daulah on the east bank of the river, a 17th century tomb built for the Emperor Jehangir's chief minister, also known as the Baby Taj.

Leaving Agra, this morning we'll take a two-hour drive to Mela Kothi-Chambal Safari Lodge, an eco-lodge that lies amongst acres of sprawling plantation and farmland, right in the heart of the Chambal Valley. The lodge accommodation is simple but has everything needed to enjoy the surroundings - including a library filled with books about the animals we hope to spot over the next few days.

After settling into our rooms, we'll head out on a nature walk. Starting off in the grounds of the lodge, we'll keep our eyes peeled for hornbills, babblers and barbets and as the sun goes down we'll be on the lookout for fruit bats and several species of owls.

The Chambal Sanctuary is rich with wildlife but has limited accommodation. Note that during the busiest part of the year, during the Bateshwar Festival (late October to early November), the lodge supplements its rooms with tented accommodation. The tents are homely with full-sized beds and en-suite facilities with hot and cold running water.

Continuing our exploration into nature, this morning, we'll take to the River Chambal in motorboats. We'll be led by boatmen who are skilled at spotting soft=shell turtles, gharials and sarus cranes from a distance.

Once we're back on dry land, we'll drive to Bateshwar, a collection of 40 Hindu temples set on the banks of the River Chambal. Originally more than 170 temples lined the riverbanks, but many have crumbled over the years. We'll spend some time wandering through the temples and the small market. Afterwards, we'll transfer back to our lodge for the evening.

Today we'll have a well-earned rest with free time to enjoy the peaceful area around the lodge. If you're not finished with wildlife, there's the option to take another river excursion, too.

In the early afternoon, we'll drive to Agra where we'll board an overnight train to Varanasi. Sleeper trains are a rite of passage on any journey through India and are a great way to meet locals as we travel. Please note, we try our best to book second class carriages and keep the group together, however due to demand and the train booking system, our group might be split, with some passengers in third class. If this happen, our tour leader will make sure everyone finds their seat and is comfortable.

Second class sleeper carriages have four bed per compartment, separated by curtains. They're air conditioned and bedding is provided, however, you might want to bring a sleeping bag liner for added comfort.

Arriving in the early morning, we'll take a short transfer to our hotel.

Varanasi (Benares) has been the centre of Hinduism since the dawn of history; its age is contemporary with Babylon and Thebes. Often known as 'Kashi' (City of Light) by Hindus it attracts over a million pilgrims each year - many of whom come to spend their last years here in the holy city. After breakfast and a freshen up, we'll take an orientation walk around the winding streets of the city. Then, in the evening, we'll make our way to the ghats to witness the evening aarti ceremony when the River Ganges is venerated with a display of light and sound.

After breakfast, we'll visit nearby Sarnath. Having gained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya the Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his first sermon. The city was at its peak in the 5th century, when it was a respected centre of religious activity, learning and art. Muslim invaders destroyed much of the city and today the remains of several monasteries and stupas can be seen. There'll be free time later on to explore the labyrinth of streets, bazaars and temples that line the banks of the river. Then, in the early evening, we'll take an overnight sleeper train back to Delhi

On arrival in Delhi, we'll head to our hotel to freshen up. The day is then free to explore the capital at your own pace.

Our tour ends at our hotel in Delhi.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like a hotel transfer, you'll need to depart from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL).