Northern India Family Holiday

Namaste! Welcome to India. Your adventure begins in the one of the oldest cities in the world and India’s capital – Delhi. You and the family will have a welcome meeting today at 1 pm to meet your local leader and fellow families. After, head out on a guided sightseeing tour to explore the contrasts of Old and New Delhi. Squeeze through the Old City’s fortified walls on the way to Jama Masjid – dominating the city’s skyline, this mosque is a social hub as much as a place of worship. If you’d like, why not catch a rickshaw to the brilliantly coloured Red Fort. Then, leave the crowds behind and breathe a little easier in contrasting New Delhi. Visit the main sights – Parliament House, President House and India Gate, before returning to the hotel.

Rise early to catch a train to Agra – the city was the capital of the Moghul Empire and has heaps of things to see, like one of the Seven Wonders of the World! When you arrive, take some time to relax, before heading out to see the city. Agra’s not just all about the Taj Mahal, it’s also home to one of the finest looking forts in India – sitting along the banks of the Yamuna River, Agra Fort is part stronghold, part palace and part prison. Enter the dark red sandstone fort by crossing the (now empty) crocodile-infested moat. Search through throne rooms and the tiny, decorated mosques, then climb to the top to get your first glimpse of the Taj across the river! Tonight, you’re free to relax, explore at your own pace or find some delicious local dinner.

Get up before the sun this morning to see it rise over the Taj Mahal – this wonder of the world is a UNESCO World Heritage site and maybe the most iconic site in India! Watch the colours play across the marble in early morning light and soak it all in! Best known as a monument to love and loss, the Taj is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture and is surrounded by trimmed English gardens. After ticking something huge off the list, you’ll all head east and pass the Kos Minar medieval milestones, which point the way to the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri. This well-preserved 16th century royal complex is full of courtyards, pavilions, gardens, the Jama Masjid Mosque and the intricately carved Rumi Sultana palace. This afternoon, you’ll continue to Ranthambhore National Park – the 'Jungle Book' brought to life!

Ranthambhore National Park is one of the best national parks of India, teeming with wildlife – a place where nature has reclaimed ancient fortresses and temples. Today, you’ll make a couple of game drives to try and spot the majestic Bengal tigers that live among the ruined forts and temples here. Your drives will be early in the morning and in the late afternoon, as this is when the animals are most active! Even if the tigers are being too stealthy, the park is filled with other animals like gazelle, hyenas, sloth bears, crocodiles, jackals, three types of antelope (nilgai, sambar and chital) and leopards.

Head northwest to the pink city of Jaipur – the capital of Rajasthan. When you arrive, grab the kids and head to the Jantar Mantar observatory, home to a cool collection of astronomical instruments built by the Rajput King Sawai Jai Singh II. Later, you’ll have some free time as a family to swim in the hotel pool or wander through the Pink City’s streets, busy with camels, motorbikes, rickshaws, and traditionally dressed Rajput men. Maybe head to the Old Town for raj kachori chaat (a big, fluffy chaat served with chutney, yoghurt, chilli and potato) and cool off with a lassi (a mango yoghurt dirnk) from Lassiwala – Jaipur's oldest and most famous lassi shop!

Today, you’ll all visit the sprawling City Palace, once home to the Maharaja – an amazing complex home to colourful courtyard gates, museums displaying royal costumes and old weaponry. Then, it’s on to the five-storied Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds, with its detailed honeycombed outside filled with windows. The impressive structure makes it the most photographed building in the country, after the Tj Mahal! The rest of the day is free to explore with your family or to find a spot to people watch and relax.

Climb the twisting roads of the Aravalli Hills to the massive Amber Fort today. This opulent palace is packed with rooms full of lavish murals, arches and delicate jali work. Don’t miss the sparkling Mirror Palace, covered floor-to-ceiling in thousands of reflective tiles, looking down over Moata Lake – the kids will love a photo here! Later, leave the city behind and travel to the relaxed village of Nawalgarh. Catch glimpses of local life in the most colourful regions of India – sari-clad women carrying terracotta pots of water, bangles tinkling as they walk. When you arrive, take a walk around the village and meet the locals before continuing to your final stop for the day – the small town of Alsisar.