Best of Indian Culture & Wildlife

meet you there to tailor your sightseeing options based on your arrival time and energy levels. Stay in a comfortable hotel at Connaught Place, centrally located for easy access to attractions, markets, and dining. Enjoy comfortable accommodations ensuring a delightful stay in Delhi.

Next day, you’ll embark on a guided tour of the city, where you’ll encounter a blend of historical monuments, traditional markets, and mouth-watering street food.

The Old Delhi tour will take you on a fascinating journey filled with unexpected sights and ancient surprises. Prepare to have your senses awakened as you navigate the vibrant bazaars of Chandni Chowk. Within Old Delhi, you’ll witness the grandeur of Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, and the iconic Red Fort, both architectural marvels built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century.

In addition to exploring Old Delhi, visit the architectural wonders of Lutyen’s Delhi, featuring buildings and monuments constructed during the colonial period. Consider visiting Raj Ghat, the cremation and memorial site of Mahatma Gandhi, the beautiful Lotus Temple, the magnificent Akshardham Temple, the towering Qutub Minar, and the majestic Humayun’s Tomb.

Delhi offers incredible shopping experiences as well. With a wide range of jewellery, handicrafts, art, fabrics, and souvenirs from various parts of India.

With so much to see and do, your day in Delhi promises to be a rich and immersive experience, allowing you to delve into India’s history, culture, and traditions while enjoying the flavours and vibrant atmosphere of the city.

Today travel west to the romantic city of Agra through the Chambal ravines. On the way stop at the deserted red sand stone city of Fatehpur Sikr, built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. This architectural wonder showcases an exquisite blend of Hindu and Persian styles. Explore the well-preserved imperial buildings, grand gateways, and a magnificent mosque within the walled city as your guide unveils the captivating history behind its creation.

From Fatehpur Sikri, it’s just a short drive to Agra. Your accommodation l boasts a rooftop restaurant that offers amazing views of the iconic Taj Mahal. Take this opportunity to relax and unwind at the hotel, enjoying the panoramic view from the rooftop restaurant or enjoying a refreshing dip in the pool.

Start your day by meeting your guide in the hotel lobby for a visit to the Taj Mahal, an iconic monument best seen at sunrise. After exploring the Taj Mahal, head back to the hotel for breakfast and some rest before continuing your sightseeing in the city. Later, catch an overnight train to Varanasi, a spiritual destination.

The Taj Mahal, built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture. Surrounding the main mausoleum are two red sandstone buildings—a mosque and a guesthouse—along with beautiful gardens and a reflecting pool, adding to its beauty.

While the Taj Mahal is the highlight in Agra, there are other notable monuments to visit. The Red Fort, commissioned by Emperor Akbar, showcases the grandeur of the Mughal Empire with its royal halls, courtyards, mosque, and private chambers. Sadly, Shah Jahan spent his final days as a prisoner here, gazing at the Taj Mahal from his window.

Don’t miss the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, often called the Baby Taj, known for its exquisite Mughal architecture. It’s believed to have inspired the Taj Mahal’s construction. Agra is also famous for its carpet weaving and marble inlay work, offering great shopping opportunities.

After returning to the hotel for dinner, catch an overnight train from Agra Cantt to Varanasi. The train departs at 9:00 PM and arrives in Varanasi at 6:00 AM the next day, providing a comfortable journey with reserved AC compartments and separate bunk beds.

Upon arriving in Varanasi at 6:00 am, your driver will be waiting for you at the train station to take you to the hotel. The hotel is located close to the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple, also known as the Golden Temple, making it a convenient place to stay.

Over the next two days, explore the ancient city of Varanasi with your guide. With a history dating back over 3000 years, Varanasi is considered one of the oldest cities in the world. It’s filled with temples, and tourists from around the world come to take a dip in the sacred Ganga River, making it a popular pilgrimage site.

A guided walk through Varanasi’s old streets and alleys will leave you mesmerized by the city’s sacred and ancient culture. You’ll explore temples, markets, and ghats (riverside steps), experiencing the rich history and vibrant atmosphere of Varanasi. In the evening, you’ll witness the Ganga Aarti ceremony, a profoundly spiritual experience held on the banks of the Ganges River. Priests perform rituals while devotees offer prayers and light floating oil lamps, creating a mesmerising atmosphere.

It’s worth returning to the ghats in the early morning, where you can take a boat ride on the sacred Ganges River with your guide. In the calm of dawn, you’ll experience the lively culture and traditions of the Hindu people firsthand as you witness the city come to life. You will see the cycle of life and death unfold before your eyes. Enjoy the dynamic sights and smells of this vibrant city, whose essence is deeply rooted in the ghats.

During your time in Varanasi, you’ll visit the revered Kashi Vishwanath Temple, also known as the Golden Temple, and explore Sarnath, a sacred site associated with Lord Buddha’s first sermon. Sarnath holds great significance in Buddhist culture and is home to impressive stupas and monasteries dating back to the 3rd century BC.

Varanasi is well-known for its street food, particularly its chaat—a tasty snack made with crispy fried dough, potatoes, chickpeas, and various chutneys and spices. Trying Varanasi’s chaat is a must for food lovers!

In the evening, you can enjoy a leisurely walk around the ghats and markets. You’ll discover a wide range of local souvenirs and traditional items to choose from. And be sure to treat yourself to local delicacies like lassi, chaat, jalebis, and rabri—they’re absolutely delicious!

From Varanasi travel south to Khajuraho in the heart of India to Madhya Pradesh state. The route is initially busy with traffic, but soon rural India will take over, and you will pass through several big and small villages that provide fantastic photo opportunities.

Upon arrival in Khajuraho, relax at your hotel nestled amidst verdant gardens and close to the renowned temples of Khajuraho. The hotel offers well-appointed rooms that provide a comfortable and relaxing stay.

You will have a full day to explore Khajuraho with your guide. The temples of Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were built by the Chandela dynasty between the 9th and 10th centuries and are renowned as one of the seven wonders of India, second only to the iconic Taj Mahal.

The intricate sculptures adorning the temples provide a glimpse into the vibrant life in ancient India. These exquisite stone friezes depict gods, goddesses, heroes, kings, concubines, and more, showcasing various aspects of Indian society from a thousand years ago. Notably, the temples are famous for their unique and captivating erotic sculptures inspired by the Kama Sutra. While these sculptures represent only a tiny fraction of the temple artwork, they have become synonymous with love and erotica.

Beyond the erotic art, the Khajuraho temples are architectural marvels, boasting brilliant symmetry and intricate designs. The temples portray royalty, courtship, marriage, spiritual teachings, meditation, kinship, and intimate scenes that capture the depth of human emotions and relationships.

In the evening you attend the captivating light and sound show. The show skilfully narrates the history of Khajuraho through a mesmerising combination of lights, music, and narration, bringing the ancient temples to life.

From Khajuraho travel to the realm of tigers to the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve. You will reach in the afternoon at lunch time giving you plenty of time to relax or go for a walk in the forest to see birds or in the neighbouring village to experience the charm and simplicity of rural life in India.

Accommodation in Bandhavgarh will be a jungle lodge which offers unique combination of modern comforts and a timeless ambience. It is dedicated to conservation-based tourism and profoundly connects with the surrounding land.

The Reserve is named after the highest hill Bandhavgarh, in the centre of the Reserve. Wildlife includes the spotted deer or chital, chinkara, wild boar,
sambhar, muntjac and nilgai. In more significant numbers, other animals
in reserve include
three species of mongoose, rhesus macaque,
Indian bison or gaur and the delightful palm squirrel.
Common Langurs are also plentiful. Over two hundred fifty species of
birds have been identified in reserve. The most
commonly seen are the peafowl, red jungle fowl,
grey hornbill, red-wattled lapwing, crested serpent eagle, white-breasted kingfisher and lesser adjutant stork.

Tigers, Bandhavgarh’s main attraction, offer unparalleled opportunities for observation and photography, thanks to skilled guides tracking their movements. During your two full days at Bandhavgarh, you can immerse yourself in the wilderness and search for tigers and other captivating wildlife. Each day will be dedicated to morning and afternoon jeep safaris, maximising your chances of encountering the park’s majestic tigers and experiencing its rich biodiversity.

After fulfilling breakfast, start your journey to Jabalpur airport to catch flight to New Delhi for your onward journey. We can also arrange comfortable accommodation if you prefer to spend a night in New Delhi.