Diwali, Festival of Light

Upon arrival into Delhi, you'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax and enjoy the hotel or explore this bustling capital city on your own.

Delhi is the capital of modern India. It has also been the capital of at least seven previous civilizations as well as the British Raj, and each have left behind a trail of monuments.

 

Explore both Old and New Delhi, including Humayun’s Tomb of the Mughal Emperor, Qutab Minar - the world’s tallest brick tower and Jama Masjid - India’s oldest and largest mosque. Experience a busy & bustling local bazaar with a cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk.

 

Enjoy a communal lunch at a local Sikh Temple (Gurudwara), it is an expression of equality and sense of community.

 

Breakfast       Lunch

Drive to Agra, the erstwhile capital of the Mughal Empire. Visit Agra Fort, a prison built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who also built the Taj Mahal. Later we visit a Marble Inlay workshop run by local craftsmen who maintain the Taj Mahal.

 

This evening we celebrate the Day of Fortune with a dinner.

 

Breakfast        Dinner

Let’s size up the Itimad-ud-Daulah tomb, the "Baby Tāj”, a Mughal era mausoleum.

 

Visit the legendary Taj Mahal. Built by Emperor Shah Jahan in loving memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz, who tragically died in childbirth in 1631. The most extravagant monument ever built for love and one of India’s most enduring symbols.

 

Enjoy a festive celebration dinner tonight.

 

Breakfast      Dinner

En route to Jaipur we visit the ghostly former Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri (City of Victory), which has been deserted for over four centuries. Thanks to the very durable red sandstone from which it was built, Fatehpur Sikri remains well-preserved and a fascinating place to explore.

 

Marvel at an AD800-AD900 century step well, Chand Baori, in the village of Abhaneri.  The step well stores water in the desert state. At the bottom of the well, the air remains 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface.  It was also a community gathering place, a pavilion and resting room for the royals. Chand Baori has been used as filming locations many times including for Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

 

Continue to Jaipur. In the evening, watch Jaipur’s skyline light up with a breathtaking fireworks display and join the celebration as locals light firecrackers in the streets. We celebrate with an authentic Indian Diwali feast.

 

Breakfast      Dinner

Visit the stunning 16th century Rajput Amber Fort on a jeep or elephant. The fort is perched on a hillside overlooking the dusty plains below, regal palaces, sleepy villages, and stone carved temples.

 

City Palace is an imposing blend of traditional Rajput and Mughal architecture. It is a vast palace complex occupying nearly one-seventh of the Pink City with a series of temples, pavilions, gardens and palaces like Chandra Mahal (home to present Maharajah of Jaipur), Mubarak Mahal (housing a textile museum). Continue to Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), its interior embellished with reflective glass tiles that embellish the interior.  Enjoy the sight of Jal Mahal (Water Palace), a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. Visit Jantar Mantar, an open-air astronomical observatory and UNESCO world heritage site. See Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), it’s high screen wall allowed the women of the royal household to observe street life without being seen.

 

Celebrate the 4th day of Diwali, New Year Day, this evening.

 

Breakfast       Dinner

Drive to Mandawa, a busy market town fortified in the 18th century by wealthy merchant families of Rajasthan. These businessmen constructed many havelis (mansions) and commissioned artists to paint the walls with elaborate designs.

 

Half-day sightseeing tour, visiting havelis that reflect the cultural splendor of this bygone era. See 18th-century Mandawa Fort.  At the palace, you’ll find antique murals, a marble fountain, a whimsical weather vane in the design of a peacock and an arched window that overlooks a lush garden.

 

Breakfast      Dinner

This morning, relax and enjoy the hotel or explore Mandawa on your own.

 

Have an early lunch then checkout and depart at noon. Return to Delhi with an approximately 6-hour drive.  Relax this evening.

 

Breakfast

After breakfast, the tour comes to an end.  Please inform us of your international or India domestic flight schedule in order to schedule your airport transfer to Delhi (DEL) airport.

 

Breakfast