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Golden Triangle India Holidays Delhi Taj Mahal Jaipur Rajasthan Tigers

Holidays to Shimla, India (Himalayan Queen 'Toy Train') + Delhi + Taj Mahal + Tigers

India: Golden Triangle + Ranthambore + Amritsar + Shimla
Holidays to Shimla India Himalayan Queen Toy Train Delhi Taj Mahal Tigers
15 NIGHTS FROM:
$3,699
Per person sharing
Scheduled flights quoted separately
IPE15D
• Holidays to Shimla, India
• Delhi - Old & New
• Taj Mahal
• Tigers of Ranthambore
• Jaipur
• Amber Fort
• Alsisar
• Shimla
• Walking Tour
• Himalayan Queen 'Toy Train'

Our holidays to Shimla in India combine the spectacular Himalayas mountains with a cultural trip on the Himalayan Queen 'Toy Train' from Delhi. Also explore the cultural treasures of the Golden Triangle - Delhi, the 'pink city' of Jaipur and the incomparable Taj Mahal in Agra - and search for tigers in the wild. All transfers, private jeep safaris & sightseeing with English speaking guides 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 private 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 Jama 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.
 
Note: The Red Fort is closed on Mondays.
Day 3
This morning we drive 3.5-hours from Delhi to the ancient city of Agra, set along the banks of the Yamuna River and originally the capital of the Mughal Empire.
 
Along the way we visit the Agra Bear Rescue Centre. This facility provides sanctuary to over 200 orphaned and distressed sloth bears, including many rescued dancing circus bears.
 
Afterwards we continue to Agra, which is 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.
 
In the late afternoon, visit the Mehtab Bagh Gardens that are located across the river from the Taj Mahal, to enjoy your first views of this magnificent edifice at sunset.
Day 4
Rise early this morning to visit the stunning Taj Mahal at sunrise. 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. Sunrise and sunset are particularly good times to visit and see the dome subtly change its colour.
 
After returning to your hotel for breakfast, later in the day we visit Agra Fort, a massive structure with 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.
 
Note: Taj Mahal is closed every Friday. You are allowed a maximum of 3-hours at the monument and cannot take in anything except your camera, water and essential medicine. From mid-January to mid-February there may be early morning fog, in which case you will visit the Taj Mahal a little later.
Day 5
This morning we leave Agra and travel 1-hour to the magnificent red sandstone royal city of Fatehpur Sikri, built by the emperor Mohammad Akbar as the capital of the Mughal Empire. The city was abandoned due to water shortage, when the capital was moved north to Delhi, and in more recent years the fort has provided a dramatic backdrop to several famous films.
 
We then drive 2-hours to the village of Abhaner where we have a guided tour of the ancient Chand Baori Stepwell, which extends 30 metres downwards, making it one of the largest and deepest stepwells in India.
 
Afterwards we continue 2-hours to Jaipur which is the capital of Rajasthan. Check into your hotel in this chaotic and colourful "Pink City" that is home to over 3 million people.
 
Note: At Fatehpur Sikri there is a short transfer from the car park in a local bus, that will be very full and will not be air-conditioned.
Day 6
Today enjoy a full day tour of the city of Jaipur, which has been declared a World Heritage Site due to its cultural heritage.
 
Our first stop is to view the magnificent Hawa Mahal (the "Palace of the Winds") designed in the form of the crown of the Hindu god Krishna. This five-storey frontage looks like a bee's honeycomb with 953 small windows, each decorated with intricate latticework so that the court ladies living in secluded purdah could watch royal processions, without being seen themselves. Built of red and pink sandstone, it is particularly striking early in the morning when lit by the sunrise.
 
We continue to the imposing Amber Fort - another 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 (own account) we visit the Jantar Mantar Observatory, the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world and also 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.
 
Our day finishes with a visit to the nearby City Palace, the former Royal Residence part of which is now a museum. 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.
Day 7
This morning you have the opportunity to enjoy an Elephant Interaction, spending 2 to 3-hours up close and personal with Asian elephants cared for by a mahout family. You can touch and help feed them and learn about elephant decoration, medicines and treatments, before taking a walk with the elephants into the village. During the summer you can also see them being washed.
 
Your afternoon is at leisure.
 
In the evening enjoy a Cookery Demostration and dining with a local family, where you will taste spicy Rajasthani food and gain insight into their lifestyle, with different generations living under the same roof.
Day 8
Today we travel 4-hours from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur in southeast Rajasthan.
 
On arrival say goodbye to your guide, who will drop you off at your lodge situated near Ranthambore National Park. Originally the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur, this famous tiger sanctuary is the largest wildlife reserve in northern India and covers an area of over 250 sq miles (400 sq km).
Day 9
This morning enjoy a private jeep safari in Ranthambore National Park.
 
Early morning is the best time to see tigers, but be aware that it is extremely difficult to find them in the jungle and sightings are never guaranteed. Best viewings are generally in the cooler months (December to March), when tigers are most active - but you need to take at least 4 game drives for a good chance of a sighting.
 
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 softshell turtle. Also antelope such as sambar deer, chital, nilgai, chinkara and black buck.
 
In the afternoon return to the park for another game drive. In addition to the many mammals and reptiles, there are over 270 bird species - including eagles, falcons, owls, greylag geese, flamingos, parakeets, fly catchers, bee-eaters, grebe, terns, woodpeckers, hornbills and kingfishers.
 
Note: Zones 1 to 5 are closed every Wednesday and during Holi and the monsoon season (July to early October). Zones 6 to 10 are closed every Tuesday, but otherwise remain open all year.
 
You will need to take your passport with you to enter the national park. Please note that we have no control over the driver and vehicle allocated to you, as this is done by the local park authorities according to a rota. In the winter months wear warm clothes, including woolly hats and gloves to protect you from the wind chill in your open vehicle.
 
Also do not expect this to be like an African safari, as there will be many jeeps in the park and fewer animals.
Days 10 To 11
This morning transfer to Sawai Madhopur Station to board the express train (air-conditioned chair car) for your 5-hour journey to Delhi.
 
You will be met at Delhi Station and transferred to your hotel situated near the airport.
 
Note: To avoid unnecessary stress, on the train you will be accompanied part of the way by a local helper. Please note he is not a guide and may have limited English. Always be alert for possible theft (eg do not wear expensive watches or jewellery & never leave your belongings unattended); do not buy any food or drink from hawkers and know the toilets are likely to be in a poor condition. Because of the very short (2-minute) stops at each station, train travel in India is not recommended for the elderly or those travelling with children.
Day 12
This morning we visit the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Gardens, the site of the Amritsar massacre where on 13 April 1919 British Indian Army troops under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, fired into a crowd of peacefully protesting men, women and children - killing hundreds of unarmed civilians.
 
Afterwards we continue to the magnificent Golden Temple shining in the morning light, with its large dome surrounded by elegant minarets and splendidly gilded interior panelling. This temple is an important place of worship for devotees of the Sikh faith worldwide. We walk around the large lake that surrounds the temple and visit the Langar - the largest community kitchen in the world, which serves over 100,000 free meals every day. Here you can watch local volunteers preparing and serving food to devotees - an incredible sight.
 
In the afternoon we drive 30-minutes to the Wagah Border, the only crossing point between India and Pakistan. Here the changing of the guards and flag-lowering ceremony is performed daily with blustering pomp and perfect drill by both side - described by Michael Palin as "carefully choreographed contempt". A jawan (infantryman) stands at attention on each side and as the sun sets, the iron gates at the border are opened and the two flags are lowered simultaneously. The ceremony ends with a retreat, followed by the closing of the gates again.
 
In the evening we return to the Golden Temple so that you can photograph it lit up at night - a spectacular sight. If you wish, you can stay late to watch the daily Palki Sahib ceremony which takes place at 10pm. To the accompaniment of drums and hymns, a gold and silver gilded palanquin decorated with silk brocades and flowers is used to carry the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book) from the main shrine to the gateway where it rest overnight. Do let your guide know if you don’t want to stay for the Palki Sahib ceremony, so that he can plan accordingly.
 
Note: You need to remove your shoes and socks and cover your head when visting the temple. Smoking and the consumption of alcohol is also forbidden.
 
There are huge queues to visit the inner sanctum of the temple (1.5 to 3-hours, depending on the time and day of the week), so if this is important to you we suggest staying an extra day in Amritsar and visiting the Golden Temple in the afternoon, whilst most people are at the Wagah Ceremony at the Pakistan border. Also try and avoid weekends and festivals, when queues are at their longest.
Days 13 To 15
This morning leave Amritsar and transfer 5.5 hours through lovely Himalayan scenery to Dharampur, stopping for lunch along the way (own account).
 
Here you will board the narrow gauge Himalayan Queen Train, departing at 13.27 and travelling for 3-hours through beautiful mountain scenery to Shimla. One of India's five 'toy trains' built by the British, it is registered in the Guinness Book as the greatest narrow gauge engineering achievement in India. The train passes through breathtaking landscapes of the majestic Himalayas - with 103 tunnels, 969 bridges, 919 curves and over 20 railway stations along the way. Enjoy splendid views of the snow-clad Himalayas, covered with thickly populated pine and oak forests.
 
Arrive at the hill station of Shimla in the late afternoon, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Referred to as the "Queen of Hills", Shimla was the summer capital of British India and is steeped in colonial history. On arrival check into your hotel and relax in the fresh mountain air.
 
Note: The small Toy Train has no facilities, so be prepared for an interesting cultural experience (not a luxury journey).
Day 16
Transfer to Delhi Airport for your flight home.