Delhi to Goa

Welcome to India! Arrive in the fun and frenetic capital of Delhi and settle into your hotel. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your group leader and travel pals. After your meeting, take an orientation walk to get your bearings and perhaps head out for an optional dinner with your group.

Start your day with a ride on the metro. Your tour heads first to Old Delhi – the heart of the city. Inch your way through the streets around the Chandni Chowk marketplace. Visit the Jama Masjid – Delhi’s oldest (and India’s largest) mosque, opt to go inside – and then stop by the Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple). Learn about the Sikh guru who, in the 17th century, stuck to his religious beliefs and paid the ultimate price in this very spot. This afternoon is free to explore more of Delhi’s sights at your own pace!

Take the express train to Agra this morning, and head straight to the most recognisable sight in India – The Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This site may well exceed your expectations as the light shimmers off its white marble surface. Best known as a monument to love and loss, the 17th-century Taj is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture, surrounded by trimmed English gardens. The highlights keep coming as you take a motorised rickshaw tour around town – a great way to see the monuments of Agra. You can also visit Akbar’s Mausoleum, a beautiful sandstone and marble tomb built for the greatest of the Mughal emperors. Stop off for an optional meal at Sheroes Hangout – a cafe that supports victims of acid attacks.

Travel by private vehicle to Rajasthan’s colourful capital of Jaipur. Settle into your hotel, then enjoy a walk through the streets and markets of this ‘Pink City.’ Use the rest of the day to explore the city on your own, perhaps visiting Jaipur’s ornate Royal City Palace. Your accommodation for tonight is a family-run heritage hotel. In the evening, maybe take the opportunity to see a Bollywood film – Jaipur is home to one of the world’s great cinema halls, the grand Art Deco Raj Mandir.

As the sun rises this morning, you’ll have the option to hop in a hot air balloon and glide over the Pink City as it wakes up. Later today, you’ll visit the hilltop Amber Fort with your group, an excellent example of Rajput architecture, and see the red stone palace of the Hawa Mahal (The Palace of the Winds). Take in its dazzling, coloured glass work and learn its interesting history from your local leader. Later, maybe head out for dinner with your group.

Travel to Pushkar by public bus and then private vehicle via the town of Ajmer. Pushkar is one of India’s holiest towns and a market centre for the surrounding villages. Head out to explore the town on a walking tour with your group, stopping in at the main bazaar. Here you’ll come across anything from 1960s fashion and glass lamps to jewellery and traditional Rajasthani puppets. After, you’ll have free time to spend as you wish. Maybe take a walk around Pushkar’s lake, considered sacred in Hindu culture and with an interesting mythology behind it. Wander past the bustling ghats and temples, observing the devout as they worship at the city’s holy waters.

Early- risers may like to hike up the hill to the Savitri Temple for sunrise views over the town this morning. If the chai wallah is there, enjoy a steaming cup of tea at the top! Later in the day, you’ll visit the colourful Brahma Temple, which is dedicated to the Hindu god-creator Brahma. If you’re lucky enough to be in town for the Pushkar Camel Fair (held annually in November), you can experience one of India’s most famous festivals tonight. Later, maybe ask your leader for some recommendations on the best local eats.