Taj Mahal and the Treasures of India - Pushkar Fair - A Luxury Small Group Journey (2021)

Arrive in Mumbai, where an A&K representative meets and transfers you to your iconic hotel.
The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

After a morning at leisure, explore the city’s classic sites, including the Gateway of India, an 85-foot-high arch with a design that reflects India’s Muslim and Hindu traditions. Visit the Prince of Wales Museum and Mani Bhawan, a museum dedicated to the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi. Next, see the Dhobi Ghat, the largest open-air laundry in the world and a wonderfully colourful spectacle to behold. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner alongside fellow guests.
The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai | Meals: BD

Fly to Udaipur this morning and settle into your stunning palace hotel set in the middle of scenic Lake Pichola. Relax this afternoon before embarking on a private cruise past Jag Mandir, a marble palace on an island in Lake Pichola, followed by a Scenic Sundowner and dinner at your hotel. The next morning, visit the stunning City Palace, a marble complex that offers unforgettable views of the lake and its surroundings. Continue to the Crystal Gallery in Fateh Prakash Palace. Stroll through the Sahelion Ki Bari (Garden of the Maids of Honour) before returning to your hotel.
Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur | Meals: BD (Day 3); BL (Day 4)

Early this morning, drive to the otherwise quiet, secluded desert town of Pushkar, sharing the road with camels, trucks, cattle, water buffalo and rickshaws as you approach. Spend the next two days experiencing the bustling Pushkar Fair, a colourful whirl of activity drawing people from all around the globe. See painted and adorned camels and cattle being traded; peruse stalls selling camel tassels and woven gypsy dowry bags; and witness Hindu devotees as they throng the ghats around Pushkar Lake in order to bathe, cleanse their sins and attain a place in heaven.
Pratap Mahal, Ajmer-IHCL SeleQtions | Meals: BLD

Travel overland to Jaipur and check in to your hotel, the former residence of the Maharajah of Jaipur. Later, explore the City Palace, a unique and arresting complex of several palaces, pavilions, gardens and temples. Located within the palace’s gates is the Mubarak Mahal, or “Auspicious Palace,” which contains textiles including the royal formal costumes, sanganeri block prints, Kashmiri pashminas and silk saris. Then, visit Jantar Mantar, an open-air array of astronomical instruments. The next day, view the Palace of the Winds — built for the women of the royal household to observe street life without being seen. Proceed to explore the beautiful Mughal-style Amber Fort. This red sandstone and marble palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This afternoon, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities.

• Tour the Gyan Museum, exploring its private collection of antiques and art.
• Visit Digantar Vidyalay to interact with the students at an innovative school supported by A&K Philanthropy.
• Discover the Bazaars of Jaipur, taking in the vibe of local life and shopping for keepsakes from your journey.

Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure.
Rambagh Palace, Jaipur | Meals: BD (Day 7); BL (Day 8)

Drive to Agra, observing the colourful rural life of Rajasthan on your journey. Upon arrival, catch your first glimpse of the breathtaking Taj Mahal from your luxurious room. Visit the Taj Mahal in the late afternoon, as the setting sun bathes it in a soft orange glow. Return the next morning, when the rising sun lends a warm pink tint to its marble face. Visit the Agra Fort, once the prison of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal after the death of his beloved wife.
The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra | Meals: BL (Day 9); BD (Day 10)

Depart by express train to Jhansi. After lunch, continue to remote Panna National Park, a haven for India’s wildlife, and check in to your wilderness lodge. Then meet with a member of the nomadic Pardhi community to learn about their role in the continuing effort to repopulate Panna National Park with the Bengal tiger, an exclusive insider access moment.
Pashan Garh, Panna National Park | Meals: BLD

Rise early this morning for a game drive in Panna National Park aboard a four-wheel-drive vehicle, spotting crocodiles or perhaps the elusive Bengal tiger. Learn how a successful conservation program has grown the park’s tiger population, increasing the odds of a sighting. Return to the lodge to enjoy an Indian cooking demonstration, as a chef prepares local delicacies for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon game drive before returning to your lodge for dinner.
Pashan Garh, Panna National Park | Meals: BLD

Drive to Khajuraho to see all of life — joy, love, divinity, war — depicted in detail on every inch of its 85 Hindu and Jain temples. Then, fly to Varanasi, a city of more than a thousand temples and shrines, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. At dusk, beside the Ganges River, witness the Aarti ceremony. Chanted prayers and rhythmic drumming fill the air as you watch lantern-bearing priests bid the gods and goddesses a restful slumber.
Taj Ganges, Varanasi | Meals: BLD

Rise early for a private sunrise cruise on the Ganges River to observe activity along the ghats (stone steps leading down to the river), where locals and pilgrims cleanse themselves, literally and spiritually. Later, fly to Delhi and settle into your hotel, where you later gather for a farewell cocktail and dinner.
The Oberoi, New Delhi | Meals: BD

Visit the great Jama Masjid, the most important mosque in India. Completed in 1656, its two minarets, made from red sandstone and white marble, each stand 131 feet tall. Then, set off on an exciting rickshaw ride through the carts and stalls of Chandni Chowk bazaar, one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi. Like Jama Masjid, it dates to the era of Shah Jahan, and today is a vital part of everyday life here — frequented by locals and a must-see destination for visitors. After lunch, tour New Delhi, including Humayun’s Tomb, the last resting place of an esteemed 16th-century Mughal emperor and an architectural precursor of the Taj Mahal.
The Oberoi, New Delhi | Meals: BL

Transfer to the airport early this morning for your flight home, or begin your post-tour extension to Kathmandu.
Meals: B

Internal air included: Mumbai/Udaipur/Jaipur; Khajuraho/Varanasi/Delhi
This journey contains some active elements.
Minimum age is 10 years.
First group event: welcome briefing at 12:00 p.m. on Day 2. 
Last group event: end sightseeing at 6:00 p.m. on Day 15.
Departures are guaranteed to operate with a minimum of 2 guests.