Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in Delhi. A single transfer from Delhi Airport is provided. Sightseeing in Old
Delhi.
Arriving in Delhi, you are met by a KE representative who will arrange the transfer to the group hotel in the city.
After settling in and lunch, we have an afternoon sightseeing tour on foot and by rickshaw. Delhi has seen the rise
and fall of many empires and each dynasty has left behind monuments and memories to commemorate the
grandeur of bygone days. Very few cities in the world offer such diversity in architectural styles, successfully
combining the ancient with modernity. The capital of India has two distinct parts: Old Delhi and New Delhi. On our
tour we will visit the majestic Jama Masjid, the principal mosque of Old Delhi. Built in 1656 by the Mughal Emperor
Shah Jahan, who went on to build the Taj Mahal, it is the largest and best known mosque in all of India. Afterwards,
we will take to the warren of backstreets in a rickshaw to reach Chandni Chowk, the old marketplace of
Shahjahanabad. This incredible experience will give us a true appreciation for the true flavour of India, as we
explore fascinating new sights, sounds and smells. We will then drive past the Red Fort to marvel at its sheer size
and dominance on the way to visit Raj Ghat, the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi before returning to our
hotel.

Day 2: Train to Agra. Explore Agra Fort in the afternoon and see sunset at the Taj Mahal.
This morning, we have an early transfer to New Delhi Railway Station for the Shatabdi Express to Agra. Travelling
on this special fast tourist train is a very comfortable experience. Unlike most trains in India, it has air-conditioned
carriages fitted with aircraft type seats and, during the 2 hour journey, we will be served breakfast and
refreshments. Outside the window, a fascinating landscape rolls by offering glimpses of rural life in India. Arriving
in Agra, we are met by our local guide who will escort us to our private tour bus. We transfer to our hotel where we
can have some lunch and perhaps a quick swim. The first stop of our afternoon is a guided tour of Agra Fort, which
was more a walled city than a fort, boasting several grand buildings and ornamental gardens. Overthrown from
power by own son, Shah Jahan kept under house-arrest here until his death. From the decorated open windows of
his cell, we can look across the Yamuna River to the Taj Mahal, his final view of his wife's resting place. It took 22
years to build, at great expense, using the skills and labour of 20,000 men and the power of 1,000 elephants. It is
said that the Emperor planned to build a twin, black-marble tomb for his self on the other side of the river. Before
he was able to do so, his son took the throne by force and imprisoned his father in Agra Fort. We visit at sunset,   
and marvel at how the changing light of sunset projects its colours across the white marble of this stunning
memorial.

Day 3: Transfer to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, stopping off to explore the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri.
Rickshaw ride in Bharatpur.
After breakfast, we transfer to Bharatpur. The drive is about an hour, but on the way we stop at the abandoned
ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri. This splendid fortified settlement was built during the second half of the 16th century
by Emperor Akbar. The city used to be the seat of the Mughal Empire but was said to have been abandoned after
its water supply dried up. Afterwards, we continue onto Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. This famous sanctuary is host to
thousands of different birds; some 230 different species. Bharatpur is otherwise known as Keoladeo Ghana
National Park and is a mosaic of grasslands, woodlands and open wetlands. The wetlands were originally man-
made 250 years ago by the maharaja and were used as hunting grounds for the ducks and geese that came in their
thousands. Now, the reserve is a sanctuary for the birds and is free of motor vehicles with only cycling and walking
allowed. This afternoon, we have a rickshaw ride observing some of the enormous cranes, pelicans, geese, duck
and eagles. We then transfer to our hotel to relax in the gardens and cool off in the swimming pool. This evening,
our guide will prepare an entertaining quiz about what we have seen at the Taj Mahal and the birds at the
sanctuary.

Day 4: Visit to the Ganga Mandir temples. Express train to Ranthambore National Park.
This morning, we visit the temples of Bharatpur including Ganga Mandir, before returning to relax around the
hotel pool. After lunch, we transfer to the railway station in Bharatpur where we board the evening express train
for Ranthambore National Park. Travelling long distances on Indian railways is a rite of passage and a splendid
experience. The train arrives at the local station of Sawai Madhopur in the evening and from here we make a short
(5km) transfer to our resort hotel, situated on the edge of the reserve, nestled between the green Araveli Hills.

Day 5: Two tiger-spotting game drives in Ranthambore National Park.
Once the hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur, Ranthambore was first established as a wildlife sanctuary in
1955 and became part of Project Tiger in 1973. In the early eighties, the tiger reserve was given National Park
status and expanded to its present size of 392 square km. Project Tiger has enjoyed great success and
Ranthambore is one of the best places in India to still be able to see these magnificent animals in their natural
habitat. It's easy to forget that the park is also home to leopard, nilgai, dhole, wild boar, sambar, hyena, sloth bear
and chital as well as over 300 species of trees, plants, birds and reptiles. Today, we will go out and explore the
reserve in 4X4 jeeps or canters with an expert naturalist who has worked closely with the park authorities to save
tigers and other wildlife in the area. Their knowledge and skills will give us the best chance of spotting a tiger,
though of course nothing can be guaranteed in the wild. The best time for game spotting is early morning or just
before sundown when the animals visit the watering holes and we have 2 game drives included, one at each end of
the day. Our resort accommodation nearby provides our base during the day and the pool will offer respite from
the midday heat. The local children are also always keen for a game of cricket and our guide may be able to
organise an impromptu match!
Ranthambore summer amendment
Please note that Ranthambore National Park is divided up into 10 zones and game drives can be in any of these
zones. In the summer months, game drives are restricted to zones 6 to 10 in the area of Ranthambore known as
Swai Mansingh Sanctuary.

Day 6: Transfer to Jaipur, stopping off to visit a local school. Watch a Bollywood movie at a downtown
cinema.
After breakfast, we drive around 3 hours to Jaipur. To break our journey, we will stop off at a local school to visit
local children and learn about Indian schools. We continue to Jaipur, the famous regional capital of Rajasthan, also
known as the 'Pink City' thanks in part to a visit by Prince Albert in 1876. The maharaja ordered the entire city to be
painted its uniform terracotta hue in an effort to impress the travelling royal. The streets here are lined with
palaces and grand houses, known as haveli. The haveli design with its inner courtyard provided both shade from
the hot summer sun and privacy from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. We stay in a heritage hotel which
was built in the style of a traditional haveli, with its rooms surrounding a quiet courtyard open to the sky. There is
so much to see in Jaipur including the City Palace, an astronomical observatory and the 'Palace of the Winds'; an
elaborate façade containing hundreds of tiny windows, where the princesses of the Rajputs could peer out at the
city's inhabitants without being seen. After checking into our hotel (and possibly a quick swim), we go out to the
local cinema to watch a Bollywood movie. These films are in the Hindi language and are usually along the theme of
a romantic musical with a lot of singing and dancing. Without speaking Hindi, these movies can still be understood
with their beautiful costumes, dancing and singing, all set with the backdrop of colourful India.

Day 7: Visit Amber Fort. Explore the highlights of Jaipur.

This morning, we visit the impressive Amber Fort, perched strategically on a hill. The fort was built by the Meenas,
who were in a constant state of war with the Rajputs of Rajasthan. The fort, built from amber-coloured sandstone,
was a formidable military fortress, famous also for the opulence of its inner palaces. The fort is a labyrinth of
secret passageways and courtyards and our guided tour will last most of the morning. We return to Jaipur for
lunch and in the afternoon we visit Hawa Maha, City Palace and the fascinating working astronomical observatory
monument of Jantar Mantar. As the sun starts to go down, the local colourful bazaars come alive, and in the early
evening, they are well worth a visit. At dinner, we have a cookery demonstration, where we learn all about the
different spices and variety of regional curries.

Day 8: Transfer to Pushkar. Take a camel cart ride into the desert.
After breakfast, we leave Jaipur and head south-west along Highway 48 for 2-3 hours to reach Ajmer. From here,
we turn off the main highway and follow a twisting road which climbs for 20 minutes or so into the Araveli Hills to
reach the spectacular location of Pushkar. This holy town is the site of the only Brahma temple in all of India and is
an important place of pilgrimage. On arrival, we check into our comfortable hotel and in the afternoon we can try
our hand at camel driving. Pushkar is synonymous with camels and in fact, once every year, stages the biggest
camel fare in India. We will all have the opportunity to ride a camel cart out into the desert. Anyone who does not
wish to take part may prefer wander around this interesting town, enjoying its special ambience or relax around
the tranquil hotel pool. After the short camel cart ride, we will visit explore parts of this mystical and spiritual town.

Day 9: Morning free for some exploration of Pushkar. Train back to Delhi.
This morning we visit the Brahma Temple. This hugely important site is the only temple dedicated to the deity
Brahma in the whole of India and draws pilgrims from far and wide. We also explore the ghats of Pushkar Lake and
learn all about the significance of this body of holy water. After lunch, we transfer the short distance to Ajmer,
where we catch the mid-afternoon train to Delhi. The journey back will give us an opportunity to review and reflect
on an incredible adventure, packed with experiences and memories that will stay with us forever. As the sun goes
down, dinner is served on the train and we arrive back in Delhi shortly before 11 pm. From the railway station, we
transfer (around 30 minutes) to a hotel near the airport for our final night in India.

Day 10: Departure day. A single transfer to Delhi Airport is provided.
We transfer to Delhi Airport after breakfast where KE Land Only package services end.