Highlights of India

(14 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Bombay

This tour is an overview of India’s diverse regions and local cultures. Begin in Delhi with touring that includes Old Delhi’s bazaars, the Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, the Lodi Gardens, upscale shopping districts, and the excellent Crafts Museum. Next, visit Varanasi (Benares), one of the oldest cities in the world and, as the spiritual center of the Hindu world, a major Indian pilgrimage site. Watch as believers congregate on the ghats (stone steps) along the banks of the holy Ganges River to perform ritual ablutions. Visit local villages and explore Varanasi’s old town, with its ancient universities and renowned silk shops. Also, take an excursion to Sarnath, believed to be the site of the Buddha’s first sermon. Next, visit Agra and take a sunset carriage ride to the Taj Mahal, the world’s greatest monument to love. Also visit Agra Fort and local markets. Stay in the lavish Oberoi Amarvilas in a room with an uninterrupted view of the Taj.

Continue to Jaipur, Rajasthan’s great “Pink City,” visiting local villages and the centuries-old ruins at Fatehpur Sikri en route. See the rich architectural legacy of Jaipur’s merchants and maharajas (Hindu princes)—hill forts, palaces, gardens, temples and havelis (courtyard mansions)—surrounded by stark desert. Ride an elephant to Amber Fort. Tour the Sheesh Mahal, the ancient observatory, the Palace of the Winds, and Jaipur’s City Palace. Marvel at the luminous saris of indigenous tribal women and the bright turbans of Rajasthani men. One night, attend a ceremony at a local temple. Explore medieval backstreets and browse bazaars selling textiles, leatherwork, woodblock prints, perfume, jewelry and Jaipur’s traditional blue pottery. When not touring, relax in your elegant hotel that reflects the romance and grandeur of Rajasthan.

Continue to Udaipur, India’s most romantic city, for three nights among the grand arches and courtyard gardens of the palatial Oberoi Udaivilas. Cruise Lake Pichola and walk through picturesque backstreets, taking in views of the local villages and the surrounding hills and lakes. Tour the City Palace, Jagdish Temple, the Saheliyon Ki Bari garden, and Udaipur’s bazaars. On a day excursion outside the city, tour the spectacular Jain temples of Ranakpur, where relief carvings cover every surface, including over 1,400 pillars, and have lunch at former royal retreat. The tour concludes with city touring in Mumbai (Bombay).