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Maharajas Express Luxury Train - Golden Triangle, India: Taj Mahal + Jaipur + Goa

Maharajas Luxury Train India (3 nts): Golden Triangle + Goa
Maharajas Express Luxury Train Golden Triangle India Taj Mahal Jaipur Goa
10 NIGHTS FROM:
$6,682
Per person sharing
Scheduled flights quoted separately
9IYA10D
• Maharajas Express Train
• Golden Triangle, India
• Old & New Delhi
• Taj Mahal
• Agra Fort
• Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
• Jaipur
• Amber Fort
• Goa Beaches
• India Luxury Train

Experience the opulance and luxury of a bygone era on the Maharajas Express luxury train, travelling through the Golden Triangle in India. Visit Delhi, view the spectacular Taj Mahal in Agra & the Amber Fort in Jaipur. Also enjoy a jeep safari in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Afterwards fly to Goa to relax on its glorious beaches. All transfers, specified sightseeing & internal flight to Goa included.

Day 1
You will be met at Delhi Airport and transferred to your hotel in this ancient capital of kingdoms and empires that is now a sprawling metropolis.
 
Delhi's strategic location was one of the main reasons why successive dynasties chose it as their seat of power and today it is a conglomerate of seven cities. The division between the old walled city and New Delhi marks a division in lifestyles, with the old city retaining its past traditions whilst New Delhi strives to match the pace of the 21st century.
Day 2
Today enjoy a full day tour of modern New Delhi and the 17th century walled city of Old Delhi, which came to prominence when Shah Jahan moved his capital here from Agra.
 
In Old Delhi enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through 300-year old Chandni Chowk market, a maze of lanes crowded with noisy shops selling an extraordinary variety of items and foods, and past the Jamia Masjid (or Friday Mosque), the largest in India, and drive past the imposing walls & battlements of the Red Fort, once the most opulent palace in the Mughal Empire. We continue to the Raj Ghat - the simple but moving memorial on the site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated.
 
In the afternoon our tour of New Delhi starts with a visit to the Qutub Minar, an ancient victory tower built of red sandstone and marble in 1199 and still the tallest minaret in India. With its imposing cylindrical towers and surrounding ruins, it is today a World Heritage Site. Our next stop is Humayun's Tomb, the beautiful mausoleum of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, that inspired the Taj Mahal.
 
We drive along the Rajpath - the capital's broadest avenue - where you will see the imposing arch of the India Gate war memorial, Parliament House, the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential residence built for the Viceroy of India, and the government buildings on Raisina Hill.
Day 3
Transfer to Delhi Safdurjung Railway Station in good time to board the luxurious Maharaja's Express departing at 08.15 towards the ancient city of Agra, set along the banks of the Yamuna River and originally the capital of the Mughal Empire.
 
Experience the opulance and luxury of a bygone era, as you travel like royalty and visit the many historic sights of the Golden Triangle.
 
After brunch and a briefing on board we disembark in Agra, world renowned as the home of the Taj Mahal - that great symbol of love built by emperor Shah Jahan in the 16th century as a memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent white marble mausoleum took 22 years to build and, apart from its stunning design and perfect symmetry, it is noted for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best marble inlay work ever done.
 
After visiting this stunning monument you can choose an optional activity - either a spa treatment at a luxury hotel or Mohabbat the Taj Show (pay locally). Dinner is then served aboard the train.
 
Note: You are allowed a maximum of 3-hours at the Taj Mahal and cannot take in anything except your camera, water and essential medicine.
 
Dress code on board the train is smart casual, with suitable walking shoes for off train excursions.
Day 4
Rise early this morning for a visit to Agra Fort.
 
This massive structure has walls over 70-ft high and 1.5-miles long that encompasses an astounding collection of well preserved buildings, many of them completed during the reign of Shah Jahan. After he was deposed by his son, he was imprisoned in this fort where he remained until his death - spending the rest of his life looking out along the river to the final resting place of his beloved wife.
 
After breakfast on board the train, we proceeds towards Sawai Madhopur. After lunch we disembark for a jeep safari in Ranthambore National Park. This world famous tiger sanctuary was originally the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Today it is the largest wildlife reserve in northern India, covering an area of over 250 sq miles (400 sq km). Please be aware that it is extremely difficult to spot tigers in the jungle and sightings are never guaranteed. Best viewings are generally at the end of the dry season (March to May, although it is extremely hot from April onwards), when the tigers search out the waterholes.
 
Other animals you can hope to see include leopard, hyena, jackal, jungle cat, caracal, civet, desert cat, mongoose, ratel, sloth bear, langur & macaque monkeys, wild boar, palm squirrel, flying fox, porcupine, long-eared hedgehog, marsh crocodile, tortoise and soft shelled turtle. Also antelope such as sambar deer, chital, nilgai, chinkara and black buck .There are also over 270 bird species - including eagles, falcons, owls, graylag geese, flamingos, parakeets, fly catchers, bee eaters, grebe, terns, woodpeckers, hornbills and kingfishers.
 
After returning to the train, enjoy dinner on board as we travel towards Jaipur which is the capital of Rajasthan. This chaotic and colourful "Pink City" is home to over 3 million people and has been declared a World Heritage Site due to its cultural heritage.
Day 5
This morning we visit the Amber Fort - a World Heritage Site.
 
This magnificent royal palace was built from pale yellow & pink sandstone and white marble and is divided into four main sections, each with its own courtyard. You will enter via the main courtyard (Jaleb Chowk), where returning armies would display their war booty and women could view them from the veiled windows of the palace. Once inside explore the amazing Palace of Mirrors and Hall of Public Audience.
 
After lunch on board the train, there is the option of either a spa treatment or a visit to the City Palace, the former Royal Residence part of which is now a museum (pay entrance fee locally). One of the major attractions here is the armoury with its impressive array of pistols, blunderbusses, flintlocks, swords, rifles and daggers used by the Maharajas of Jaipur. The Textile and Costume museum on the first floor is another fine display, with items from all over India. You can also visit the Jantar Mantar Observatory, the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world and a World Heritage site. It is the best preserved of five observatories built by Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur. It has 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition.
 
In the evening enjoy a special dinner at Rambagh Palace, before returning to the comforts of the Maharajas’ Express as we travel towards Delhi.
Day 6
After breakfast on board, we arrive at Delhi Station at 10.00 where we disembark at the end of our incredible journey.
 
Here you will be met and transferred to your hotel in this capital city.
Day 7
Transfer to Delhi Airport for your flight to Goa.
 
You will be met at Goa Airport and transferred to your hotel in this holiday city, which was once a Portuguese colony and is the smallest state in India.
 
Check in and relax at your beach resort, offering miles and miles of golden beaches and spectacular sunshine.
Day 8
This morning we suggest an optional private tour of historic Old Goa (Panjim City) with its many inner streets, small hotels, restaurants, shops and churches, followed by a visit to Divar Island.
 
Founded by Adil Shah in the 16th century and later conquered by Afonso de Albuquerque, you will visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus (meaning 'Infant Jesus') - a World Heritage Site built in red stone, in three different architectural styles. This splendid marble and silver mausoleum is the final resting place for the relics of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of the city. Also visit the impressive Se Cathedral dedicated o |Saint Catherine and said to be the largest church in Asia. On top of its façade hangs \the Golden Bell, also Asia's largest, whose sound can be heard all over Goa. Inside the cathedral are eight chapels, a main alter and six side alters
 
Afterwards we drive past the ruins of St Augustine Tower and proceed to the Capela De Monte for a panoramic view of Old Goa, the Mandovi River, the islands of Divar and Chorao, and the town of Raibandar.
 
From here we drive to the Divar Ferry Terminal, where we meet a local guide who will accompany you to Divar Island. Enjoy a picturesque ferry ride across the serene Mandovi River and discover the island’s multicultural heritage, as you visit landmark monuments such as ancient Hindu temples and Goa’s finest 18th century Baroque church, offering stunning panoramic views. Also visit the archeological ruins of a 12th century temple and Porne Tirth, a mystical holy bathing site, before returning by ferry to the mainland. Lunch is for your own account today.
Days 9 To 10
At leisure to relax and enjoy the splendid beaches of Goa on the Arabian Sea.
 
You can visit historic Old Goa (Panjim), a World Heritage Site, and the 16th century Portuguese fort, Fort Aguada. Take a guided tour of a restored colonial mansion, such as the Palacio do Deao by the Kushavati River in Quepem, and in Loutolim visit the Ancestral Goa Centre (or Big Foot Museum) that has recreated a traditional Goan village to showcase local customs.
 
Goa is a great destination for eating out, with delicious curries and other international cuisine. The shopping is also outstanding. Tailors will make you a fitted suit, tailored dress or whatever you fancy for a fraction of the cost back home, and prescription spectacles are very cheap. The local markets are also fantastic and don’t forget to sample feni spirit, made from cashew apples or coconut palm sap.
 
Goa is also renowned for its holistic spas and new age treatments, as well as its yoga sessions and fantastic sunsets over the Arabian Sea.
Day 11
Transfer to Goa Airport for your flight home.