India Delight

DAY 01: ARRIVE DELHI

Welcome ceremony on arrival with Mauli ritual. Mauli is a cotton thread which is used in many religious activities. This symbolic tying Mauli on your wrist is our traditional way to start the journey at an auspicious note.

DAY 2: DELHI 

Tour New Delhi built by the British in the 1920s and visit two monuments of Delhi's past—Humayun’s Tomb and Qutub Minar—both of which have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Your drive takes you past the imposing India Gate and Parliament House. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon and relax.

Later this evening, enjoy your interaction at a private house of a culinary expert, who will welcome you for a cooking class/ demonstration, followed by dinner.

DAY 3: DELHI 

Start the day with a cycle rickshaw ride though Old Delhi. Drive past the Red Fort, the most opulent Fort and palace of the Mughal Empire.

Stop by the markets of Old Delhi—sacks of spices and nuts, edible sheets of silver and local pickles make for an aromatic day out. In the lanes of Khari Baoli, you will be introduced to saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, by one of the oldest and largest distributors of this exotic spice. The other amazing highlight is to be taken into his beautiful home, which for a guest would be hard to achieve otherwise. The house's rooftop is where another Delhi comes into view with flying kites and other surprises. The best seat in the house is on the open terrace with the Jama Masjid soaring up on one side, an old couple watching TV in a little house on the other, and the whole neighborhood unfurling like a gleaming, glittering, wrinkled skirt before your eyes.

DAY 4: DELHI / AGRA

Visit the magnificent monument to love, the Taj Mahal. Built by Emperor Shah Jahan, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is a memorial to his favourite wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal.

Enjoy dinner at Peshawari Restaurant: ITC Mughal, where you will discover a definitive dining experience with refined cuisine and impeccable service.

DAY 5: AGRA / FATEHPUR SIKRI / JAIPUR

Drive from Agra to the "Pink City" of Jaipur, known as one of the world's best planned cities built in accordance with Vastu Shastra (the Indian alternative to Chinese Feng Shui). En-route, visit Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted, red sandstone city built by Emperor Akbar as his capital, now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Continue on the drive through the picturesque Rajasthani countryside.

On the way, stop at Bharatpur for lunch and continue on your drive to Jaipur.

DAY 6: JAIPUR  

Morning tour of the Amber Fort, a marvelous example of Rajput architecture, decorated in intricate ivory, mirror and glass work overlooking the scenic Maota Lake.

Proceed for lunch at Dera Amer, arrive at the camp situated in the middle of the forest surrounded by Aravali hills and the wilderness.

DAY 7: JAIPUR  

Visit the City Palace Museum, where you can observe a remarkable blend of traditional Rajasthani and Mughal art, including a collection of royal princess robes, finely detailed carpets, an armory of old weapons and miniature paintings portraying court scenes, battles and processions.

Stop at local markets to sample the authentic colors, scents and flavor of Rajasthan. In the evening, enjoy dinner with a cooking demonstration at a local family's house, including hands-on experience of ‘chapati'—Indian bread making.

DAY 8: JAIPUR / MUMBAI

Today, after breakfast check out and transfer to airport for your flight to Mumbai.

Mumbai is a cluster of seven Islands and derives its name from Mumbadevi, the patron goddess of the Koli fisher folk, its oldest inhabitants. The city is also India's financial powerhouse, the nation's industrial heartland and its economic nerve centre.

• After a leisurely afternoon, enjoy dinner at the famous Khyber Restaurant.

DAY 9: MUMBAI 

Enjoy a morning city tour. Begin at the Gateway of India, Mumbai's principal landmark, continuing to Crawford Market named after Bombay's first municipal commissioner, Arthur Crawford, and finishing at Prince of Wales Museum (closed on Mondays), a magnificent, but somewhat strange structure, built in a confluence of Gothic and Moorish styles and crowned by a sparkling white dome—It boasts a good collection of ancient Indus Valley artifacts dating back to 2000 BC, plus some priceless Tibetan and Nepali Art.

• Enjoy your lunch at Trishna Restaurant serving mouth-watering sea food delicacies and tandoori dishes. Remainder of the day is at leisure.

DAY 10: DEPART MUMBAI By: International Flight