A Journey Through India Tour

Depart with Emirates from the UK airport most convenient for you. Choose from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow. Alternatively, fly direct to Delhi with Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow for a supplement of £99 per person.

In-flight meals and drinks included

Shimla Extension

The opportunity to extend your tour by travelling on the classic Toy Train to Shimla, the diverse capital of India’s Northern State, Himachal Pradesh, is available to you with a four-day pre-tour extension. Once the summer capital of the British Raj, Shimla is famed for its artistic edge; bazaars, markets, specialist wooden handicrafts, and spectacular views at the foothills of the Himalayas. Please note, this extension is only available on tours departing from September 2020. Please see the end of this itinerary section for further details.

Day 2: Delhi, 3 nights

All flights with Emirates to Delhi travel via Dubai. Our journey through India begins with transfers to the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Delhi, where your Tour Manager and fellow travellers will convene to enjoy an early evening welcome drink. An introduction to the upcoming tour and an opportunity to ask questions of your Tour Manager will commence after everyone is acquainted.

In-flight meals and drinks included

Day 3: Delhi

Delhi is a fantastic introduction to India for all travellers, new and otherwise acquainted. Combining the very best of ancient and modern, we begin today’s tour of the old city with a rickshaw ride via the extraordinary Red Fort – the palace of the Mughal Empire, at the heart of Old Delhi. We continue to India’s largest mosque, the dramatic Jama Masjid, and Chandni Chowk (known as Moonlight Square) – the vibrant, bustling central market of the old city. After that we make our way to the must-see, imposing India Gate and Parliament House, before enjoying a taste of Indian cuisine at the highly-rated Veda Restaurant. The afternoon sees us explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Qutub Minar – India’s famed red sandstone and white marble minaret, as well as the resting place of 16^th Century Mughal Emporer, Humayun’s Tomb.

Breakfast and lunch included

Day 4: Delhi Freedom Day

Take some time out from the tour schedule and catch some time to relax. Today is the first of our ‘Freedom Days’ where you are able to spend the day as you please. Our Distant Journeys Tour Manager will be on hand to provide help, suggestions, and assistance booking potential activities, excursions, additional sight-seeing, and places to eat and drink. You might consider a trip to the amazing complex of Akshardham Hindu Temple and Lotus Temple? Or maybe a walking tour of Delhi’s schools and markets, guided by street children of the Salaam Baalak Trust, is more your thing? Or perhaps one of several tours available indulging you in India’s charming melting pot of cultures, languages and religions? The freedom is yours.

Breakfast included

Day 5: Jaipur, 3 nights

The ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur is our next destination, and we travel there today via a bonus visit to the Heritage Transport Museum for an interesting self-guided tour through the evolution of India’s motor industry. Later, we continue to magnificent Jaipur – stately capital of Rajasthan, where we will be spending three nights in the fantastic Trident Hotel, offering dazzling views of Mansagar Lake and Jal Mahal – the eminent Water Palace.

Breakfast and lunch included

Day 6: Jaipur

A trip to another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the regal Amber Fort, set amongst the beautiful backdrop of pink hills, and overlooking Maoto Lake, is our first destination after breakfast today. Full of nostalgia, and displaying fine Rajput architecture, the prominent façade of the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), decorated with intricate latticework, is our next stop as we journey from Amber Fort to the centre of Jaipur. In the afternoon we continue to the City Palace Museum, the decorated ceremonial seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur and home to an array of Rajasthani and Murghal art, before calling at yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jantar Mantar – an incredible observatory built in 1726. The evening offers you the option of dining at 1135AD, a highly sought-after restaurant set within the celebrated ramparts of Amber Fort.

Breakfast included

Day 7: Jaipur Freedom Day

Today is set aside for some well-earned relaxation in this wonderful city, or the explorers amongst you may want to join a heritage walking tour through the heart of the old city, learning about the local trades and crafts. You could also discover the ancient art of hand block printing and how the region’s famous Blue Pottery is created. Further options for the adventurous amongst you include visiting a local organic farm, and enjoying the chance to watch a traditional Rajasthani chef demonstrate his skills over the stove!

 Breakfast included

Day 8: Ranthambore, 2 nights

Ranthambore National Park, once the private hunting ground of the Maharaja, is our next destination. The park is celebrated for its wildlife conservation and will give you the possible opportunity to witness India’s majestic Bengal Tigers roaming their natural habitat. After lunch, we embark on our first safari in search of sambar deer, marsh crocodiles, sloth bears, monkeys and more than 250 species of birdlife. Riding in our shared open canter vehicles, we hope to enjoy some once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities! Accommodation for the next two evenings will be the magnificent Nahargarh, a hotel in a tranquil setting, built in the distinctive style of a traditional Rajput hunting palace.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 9: Ranthambore Safari

Today is an early start as we head back out on safari into Ranthambore National Park, where we will explore different areas of the park under the skilled supervision of local guides. After returning to the hotel for breakfast, we will be offered a further opportunity to do as we please – maybe take the opportunity to relax beside the hotel’s serene pool with a good book! This evening, within the hotel’s scenic grounds, we offer a barbecue dinner, giving us the chance to reflect on your unique safari experiences with fellow travellers.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Day 10: Agra, 2 nights

Today, after breakfast, we journey towards the ‘Eastern City Gate of Rajasthan,’ Bharatpur, where we enjoy lunch in the peaceful setting that is Laxmi Niwas Palace. We continue via a stop at the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for once being an imperial city of the Mughal dynasty, on our way towards Agra. Built in the 16th century by Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri was deserted after only 14 years of rule, and is a fascinating point of interest. This abandoned city provides a captivating insight into life in the time of the Mughal dynasty. After indulging in such an absorbing history, we continue to Agra and our exceptional hotel, the Trident Agra.

Breakfast and lunch included

Day 11: Agra’s Taj Mahal

Tour Highlight

The Taj Mahal, India’s iconic masterpiece, will be our first visit of the day. Known as one of the world’s architectural masterworks, this incredible ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of Agra’s Yamuna River was commissioned in 1632 by Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, to provide a resting place for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is said that it took over 20,000 stone carvers, masons, and artists from across India, Turkey and Iraq to construct this UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue on to the striking Agra Fort – built entirely of red sandstone. Once the imperial city of the Mughal rulers, and the place in which India was governed for many years, the fort will leave you breathless with its stunning scenery. In the afternoon there is further chance to relax after an overwhelming morning ticking bucket-list sights! The evening will offer an opportunity to experience Mohabbat The Taj show, depicting the love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal – inspiration for the construction of the Taj Mahal.

Breakfast included

Day 12: Amritsar, 2 nights

Tour Highlight

Transfer to Delhi Airport, where we board our flight to Amritsar, home to the legendary Golden Temple (Sikhism’s holiest shrine. Amritsar was founded in 1577 by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das, and when illuminated at night, the Golden Temple is an awe-inspiring sight. After freshening up at our hotel, the fabulous Hyatt Amritsar, we will be taken to the Temple, where we will enjoy the music-filled Palki Ceremony – a ritualistic display in which the Sikh Holy Book is paraded through a crowd of worshippers amidst mesmerising drums and customary hymns.

Breakfast included

Day 13: Amritsar

There is a chance to indulge further in spiritual Indian history this morning as we explore Harmandir Sahib – the huge gurdwara complex surrounding the Golden Temple. First we visit Akal Takhat, home to a collection of sacred Sikh weapons, and the astonishing community kitchens, which continues to produce up to 20,000 meals per day. Jallianwala Bagh, a public garden established in 1951 commemorating the massacre by British occupying forces, will provide a chance for reflection, as will our passage through the accompanying museum. In the afternoon we enjoy the unique and memorable opportunity to visit the Wagah Border separating India and Pakistan, to witness its daily ceremonial flag lowering and closing of the gates

Breakfast included

Day 14: Varanasi, 2 nights

After a relaxing breakfast at the hotel, we embark on our journey to Varanasi. Fly from Amritsar to Delhi, and then continue with our connection to Varanasi. The next two evenings will be spent at the refined Taj Gateway Hotel. Considered one of the oldest and holiest cities on the planet, sacred Varanasi is an essential place to visit, particularly to Hindus, who travel to the ghats lining the Ganges to wash away sins and cremate their loved ones. This is authentic India; a mesh of smells, sounds, and kaleidoscopic colours will greet you around every turn, and a deep sense of spirituality pervades the streets. In the evening, there is an optional dinner in the outstanding Brijrama Palace, one of the classic landmarks of Varanasi.

Breakfast and lunch included

Day 15: Varanasi and the River Ganges

Varanasi wakes with the rising sun, as pilgrims flock to the river banks to bathe in the holy water, and we will be there to witness it all as we take a memorable sunrise boat trip on the Ganges. After such spiritual infusion, we will explore Bharat Mata Temple, and catch a glimpse of the old city before returning to the hotel for breakfast. Later on we head out again to Sarnath, the village north-east of Varanasi where Buddha first taught the Indian philosophy of Dharma after attaining enlightenment. Here we will view the important historical treasures kept in Sarnath’s archaeological museum, before returning to the ghats on the Ganges to experience the sacred Aarti ceremony, illuminated by hundreds of candles and flower offerings.

Breakfast included

Day 16: Mumbai, 3 nights

Transfers to the airport for our onward flight to Mumbai will commence after breakfast, and upon arrival in India’s largest city, we will be escorted by coach to our hotel, the grand and conveniently located Trident Nariman Point, for the final three nights of the tour. No visit to Mumbai is complete without time to peruse the sights, sounds and smells of the city’s markets and bazaars. We will visit one of these markets, Colaba Causeway (known as ‘Fashion Street’), a much-renowned shopper’s paradise, in the evening. If shopping is not your thing, Colaba Causeway is home to some of Mumbai’s finest cafés and restaurants.

Breakfast  included

Day 17: Mumbai and Elephanta Island

Dating back to around the sixth century, Elephanta Island is one of Mumbai’s most significant historical sites, and we begin the morning by boarding our motorboat and sailing across the Bay of Mumbai to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. There we will explore the exciting caves, and admire the historic carvings and sculptures. After boating back to the mainland, we have the unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of real life in India’s massive industrial metropolis, home to an estimated 22 million people. Witness the locals washing their clothes at the 140-year-old dhobi ghat – a place where thousands of kilos of clothes are washed daily by traditional dhobis and their families, thrashing the dirt out on flogging stones, before pitching them into boiling starch and hanging them out to dry. After proceeding down Marine Drive for an exquisite look over the bay, we continue to the museum and memorial dedicated to civil rights activist and tireless promoter of peace, Mahatma Gandhi. Our day concludes with a drive by the stunning Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and Mumbai’s principal landmark, The Gateway of India, celebrating the landing of the first British monarch in India, King-Emperor George V, in 1911.

Breakfast  included

Day 18: Mumbai Freedom Day

A freedom day in Mumbai offers great opportunities for you to enjoy one final sight-seeing at your own leisure. Early risers may wish to explore Mumbai at Dawn – an intriguing insight into how the days unravel in this incredible city. Don’t miss the lively bazaar, teeming with traders selling vegetables, milk, fish, newspapers and other daily supplies. Or why not head to the green market, where thousands of vendors go about their morning’s trade, or to witness how cricket has stolen the hearts of an entire nation? There is the chance to join a local guide on a tour of the ‘Spices and Thieves Market’, or immerse yourself in Indian culture one last time with a ‘Five Senses’ tour, all of which your Tour Manager can help you arrange. Alternatively, relax and prepare yourself for a final day’s travel.

Breakfast  included

Day 19: Depart India – Arrive UK

We depart Mumbai with Emirates and fly via Dubai to our chosen airport, bringing our unforgettable Indian adventure to a close. Alternatively, fly with Virgin Atlantic direct to London Heathrow. Breakfast and in-flight meals and drinks included

Breakfast and in-flight meals and drinks included

SPECIAL OFFERS: Please call our team for details.

Shimla Extension (on departures from September 2020)

Why not extend your tour by travelling to Shimla, the eclectic capital of India’s Northern State, Himachal Pradesh?

Four nights from only £695 per person

Shimla was known as the ‘Queen of the Hills’ and was the summer capital during British rule in India (when it was known as Simla). In the 19th-century, the British colonial government retreated from the heat of the Indian summer and found this idyllic tiny hamlet with a temperate climate in the Himalayan foothills.

Strung out along a crescent-shaped ridge, surrounded by steep forested hills falling away on all sides, and with snow-covered mountains as a backdrop, it is little wonder Shimla exerted such a magnetic influence and blossomed into a thriving British hill station. Today, the town still exudes a colonial charm and it retains a certain romance for British visitors.

The Shimla Extension may be added to the beginning of any of our tours to India. Guests choosing to take the Shimla Extension will leave the UK four days earlier than the departure dates featured in the brochure.

Day 1: Depart UK

Depart with Emirates from the UK airport most convenient for you. Choose from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow. If you are travelling on the Highlights of India or Journey Through India itineraries, you also have the option to fly direct to Delhi with Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow. No matter which airline or UK airport you choose, there will be no additional cost. In-flight meals and drinks included

Day 2: Delhi, overnight

All flights with Emirates to Delhi travel via Dubai. On arrival into Delhi, we meet our Tour Manager and transfer to the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel.
In-flight meals and drinks included

Day 3: Shimla, 3 nights

Tour Highlight

An early start as we take the morning Shatabdi Express train for our wonderful journey north to Kalka. Our comfortable ‘chair-class’ seats are in air-conditioned carriages with large viewing windows. On arrival in Kalka, we board the Himalayan ‘Toy Train’. As you would expect from an historic rail journey on a narrow-gauge railway, carriages are smaller and are not air-conditioned, but this is more than compensated by the increasingly spectacular views across the lower Himalayas. Our rail adventure ends in Dharampur, where we stop for lunch, and the remainder of the journey to Shimla is by road. Shimla was the summer capital of British India, and nicknamed the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’. Shimla sits in a stunning location at an altitude of 7,267 feet, sprawling across a crescent-shaped ridge deep in the Himalayan foothills. We spend our three fabulous nights in Shimla at the deluxe Radisson Jass Hotel.
Breakfast and lunch included

Day 4: Shimla

The best way to explore Shimla’s most important sights and landmarks is on foot, and this morning we discover the many reminders of British colonial life. During the 19th-century, a stream of British officials and their families travelled to Shimla and created a home away from home, which can be seen in the Georgian, Victorian, mock-Tudor and baronial-style architecture throughout the town. We begin at the buttermilk-yellow Christ Church, overlooking the town, and meander through the pedestrianised streets seeing Scandal Point, Gaiety Theatre and the half-timbered Town Hall.

Arguably the most impressive building is Viceregal Lodge and its beautiful botanical gardens. Built in Scottish baronial style, it was the summer residence of the Viceroy of India, and is now an institute of advanced studies, with some rooms open to the public. In the afternoon, we drive to Shimla’s highest hilltop to visit the vermillion-pink statue of monkey-god Hanuman, and enjoy incredible views of the surrounding area. On the walk back to Shimla, there is an opportunity to stop at the Book Café, a government-funded project to rehabilitate the prisoners of Shimla. Breakfast included

Day 5: Shimla Freedom Day

A Freedom Day in Shimla to relax or further explore this wonderful town at your leisure. Alternatively, you may wish to make the short journey to the Himalayan village of Dhami. Enjoy a walk through the village and its nearby forests, teeming with birdlife, in the company of Kunwar Dushyant Singh, a descendant of the last formal ruler of Dhami. Later, enjoy the wonderful flavours of local Dhami dishes, prepared by Kunwar Dushyant’s family. Please note, this experience is subject to the family’s availability during your visit.
Breakfast included

Day 6: Delhi, 3 nights

Following breakfast, we transfer by road to Chandigarh Airport, where we board our flight to Delhi. We return to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, for the next three nights. This evening, enjoy a welcome drink with your fellow travellers to become acquainted and learn more about our adventure ahead.
Breakfast included

From this point, please follow day 3 of your preferred itinerary