Grand Tour of India

Tour Highlights And Inclusions

.Discover Delhi's historic Red Fort and Jama Masjid Mosque, the India Gate war memorial and the ruins of the Quwwat‑ul-Islam

.Enjoy a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi

.A visit to Jaipur's Palace of the Winds and the Amber Fort

.A journey to Ranthambhore National Park to search for tigers

.A visit to Abhaneri's stepwell and a cookery demonstration

.A visit to the wondrous Taj Mahal

.Explore Kochi with its famous Chinese fishing nets

.A night on a traditional houseboat

.A visit to Periyar's Wildlife Sanctuary, with a lake cruise

.A night time cycle-rickshaw ride in the temple-town Madurai

.Visit the Munnar tea plantations and Tata Tea Museum

.15 nights' half-board accommodation staying in Delhi (1 night), Jaipur (2), Ranthambhore (2), Geejgarh (1), Agra (1), Kochi (3), Periyar (2), Madurai (2) and Munnar (1) in hotels and on a traditional houseboat (1) sharing a twin/double room

.Nine lunches, enjoying cuisine typical to the region
.Return flights from your chosen airport to Delhi, returning from Kochi via Mumbai

.An internal flight from Delhi to Kochi

.Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel and transfers

.Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced Tour Manager in India

Day 16 Arrive back in the UK at the end of a wonderful South African adventure.

Tour Dates - subject to availability

Glasgow

28 Feb 2017 £2299.00

25 Apr 2017 £2149.00

16 May 2017 £2149.00

12 Sep 2017 £2299.00

03 Oct 2017 £2499.00

10 Oct 2017 £2499.00

07 Nov 2017 £2499.00

14 Nov 2017 £2499.00

23 Jan 2018 £2699.00

06 Feb 2018 £2699.00

06 Mar 2018 £2699.00

17 Apr 2018 £2499.00

08 May 2018 £2349.00

11 Sep 2018 £2349.00

02 Oct 2018 £2599.00

09 Oct 2018 £2599.00

06 Nov 2018 £2699.00

13 Nov 2018 £2699.00


Heathrow

28 Feb 2017 £2149.00

25 Apr 2017 £1999.00

16 May 2017 £1999.00

12 Sep 2017 £2099.00

03 Oct 2017 £2299.00

10 Oct 2017 £2299.00

07 Nov 2017 £2299.00

14 Nov 2017 £2299.00

23 Jan 2018 £2499.00

06 Feb 2018 £2499.00

06 Mar 2018 £2499.00

17 Apr 2018 £2299.00

08 May 2018 £2149.00

11 Sep 2018 £2149.00

02 Oct 2018 £2399.00

09 Oct 2018 £2399.00

06 Nov 2018 £2499.00

13 Nov 2018 £2499.00

Newcastle

28 Feb 2017 £2299.00

25 Apr 2017 £2149.00

16 May 2017 £2149.00

12 Sep 2017 £2299.00

03 Oct 2017 £2499.00

10 Oct 2017 £2499.00

07 Nov 2017 £2499.00

14 Nov 2017 £2499.00

23 Jan 2018 £2699.00

06 Feb 2018 £2699.00

06 Mar 2018 £2699.00

17 Apr 2018 £2499.00

08 May 2018 £2349.00

11 Sep 2018 £2349.00

02 Oct 2018 £2599.00

09 Oct 2018 £2599.00

06 Nov 2018 £2699.00

13 Nov 2018 £2699.00

Tour Highlights and Inclusions

Itinerary

Day One

Board your overnight flight from the UK to Delhi - the teeming, colourful, enthralling heart of India, where the ancient and modern worlds collide.

Day Two

Arriving in Delhi you'll be met by your Tour Manager and transferred to your first hotel for an included lunch. Freshen up, then join a guided tour of Delhi's Old City. Discover the historic Red Fort, the Jama Masjid Mosque and Raj Ghat, Gandhi's cremation site. We also take you on an exhilarating rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk's narrow lanes.

Day Three

Today we'll explore the grandeur of New Delhi, built by the British Raj to reflect the glories of the Empire. Highlights include the historic India Gate war memorial and the vast boulevard of the Rajpath.

You'll also have time to see the ruins of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and the ornate Qutb Minar tower that rises from them before you travel to the 'Pink City' of Jaipur, this afternoon.

Day Four

This morning we'll visit Amber for the chance to discover the opulent Royal Halls and sweeping rampart-top views of this 16th-century fort. In the afternoon, we'll tour Jaipur itself, exploring the City Palace complex with its museums and ancient observatory, and the Hawa Mahal or 'Palace of the Winds', with its innumerable windows and screened balconies. Dinner tonight is with a local family in Jaipur.

Day Five

Ranthambhore National Park, one of the best examples of India's conservation programme, Project Tiger, is your base for the next two nights. Once here, rest and relax at your hotel, or join an afternoon optional excursion to Ranthambhore Fort, and take in the stupendous views of the park from its 600m-high vantage point.

Day Six

Today you'll enjoy two open-air vehicle (canter) safaris through the Park. Scour the grasslands and waterways of this former hunting ground of princes, in the company of a knowledgeable naturalist guide, searching for signs of the famed, endangered 'Tigers of Ranthambhore' in their natural environment.

Day Seven

Though little more than a village, ancient Abhaneri boasts some of India's most unusual architectural treasures. Don't miss the intricate carved panels and terraced steps lining Chand Baori, a huge and astonishing stepwell, or the stunning temple to Harshat Mata, Goddess of Joy and Happiness.

This afternoon we'll continue to Geejgarh for an insight into India's traditional heritage, staying in a private lodge. Enjoy a cookery demonstration before dinner.

Day Eight

Agra, City of Love and home of the iconic Taj Mahal, completes the first part of your tour. See the royal pavilions, palaces and courtyards of majestic Agra Fort, and then enjoy your first visit to the exquisite Taj Mahal, bathed in glorious evening light, at sunset.

Day Nine

Today you'll return to Delhi. From there, you'll fly south to Kochi, on the shore of the Indian Ocean.

Day 10

Discover Mattancherry Palace's exquisite murals, the ancient Jewish synagogue, and enchanting Fort Cochin, where Chinese fishing nets line the shore, on this morning's guided tour of historic Cochin.

This evening, experience a traditional Kathakali dance performance - a colourful spectacle that combines elaborate costumes with literature, music, painting and dance.

Day 11

Rise early to see the fresh catches of fish being landed on fishermen's beach before a tuk-tuk drive through the fish market. After breakfast with a local family, we'll head to Alleppey and board a traditional, thatch-roofed 'Kettuvallam' houseboat for a lazy cruise along the labyrinthine canals and waterways that run between the region's coconut groves, rice fields, hidden temples and tiny islands.

This evening the houseboat chef, who will prepare a series of traditional meals during your voyage, will give a cooking demonstration, and you'll enjoy a guided walk through a traditional Keralan village.

Day 12

Bid farewell to your floating home, and journey into a lush landscape of tea and spice plantations as you head to Periyar. Check in at your hotel, then join our guide and explore the Spice Plantation to learn about the mystery and history of the Indian tea and spice industry.

Day 13

See elephants and colourful birds - and just maybe rarely glimpsed tigers and leopards - on an optional, guided trek this morning through Periyar's Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is home to several species of endangered mammals and over 250 bird species. This afternoon, enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the lake at its heart.

Day 14

Journey east, into the province of Tamil Nadu, to spend the next two nights in Madurai, one of Asia's oldest cities. Soak up the atmosphere of this unforgettable metropolis, which is dominated by the vast Meenakshi Temple.

Day 15

A guided sightseeing tour introduces the Old City of Madurai, today. The ornate facade, colonnades, shrines and towering gopurams (monumental gateways) of the Meenakshi Temple are the breathtaking highlight. Marvel at the continual round of ceremonies and devotions, and the lively markets that take place within the temple enclosure. We'll also visit the beautiful 17th-century palace of Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal.

This evening, head out from your hotel once more for a cycle-rickshaw ride through the streets and local markets of old Madurai.

Day 16

Leaving the bustle of the city behind, you'll drive through increasingly dense forest to the hill-station at Munnar. Spend a night in this remnant of the glories of the Raj, with its verandas and manicured lawns, and enjoy visits to a working tea-plantation and the fascinating Tata Tea Museum.

Day 17

Spend your final morning relaxing, then journey back down to the shores of the Indian Ocean and back to Kochi for a final night in India.

Day 18

This morning we'll take a short flight to Mumbai, and connect with our flight back to the UK.

Single rooms are available for a supplement