Goa with Taj Mahal & Rajasthan

Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Delhi
Arrive at Delhi. Check-in at the hotel Taj Mahal, Delhi after traditional welcome. Overnight: Hotel Taj Mahal, Delhi (2 nights)

Day 2 : Delhi
Morning - Tour with New Delhi and visit the famous India Gate followed by the Houses of Parliament, Connaught Place and the Qutub Minar.  New Delhi is a blend of Moghul India, Hindu India, British India and certainly modern independent India. Our afternoon concentrates on Old Delhi, starting with the famous Red Fort, built by Shah Jehan. Next, we visit the Jama Masjid which is India's largest mosque, followed by the Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. We end our tour with a bazaar experience at Chandni Chawlk, the street of silver and goldsmiths.

Day 3: Delhi - Agra (Shatabdi Express)
Early morning, we arrive at the Delhi Railway Station to board the deluxe Shatabdi Express to Agra. We arrive in the city that houses the most well known of the wonders of the world - the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj is built of white marble, beautifully carved and studded with semi-precious stones. Next, we visit Agra Fort. Overnight: Hotel Taj View (1 night).

Day 4: Agra - Jaipur (Via Fatehpur Sikri)
A short drive  to Fatehpur Sikri, the beautiful capital built in 1640 by the Moghul king, Akbar. The city was later abandoned for lack of water. A superb example of Moghul architecture, it stands perfectly preserved in the desert. We also visit the artistically designed mausoleum of Salim Chisty who is reputed to have prayed for a son for Akbar leading to the birth of Salim Jehangir, the builder of the Taj. From here, we continue on a countryside drive to Jaipur, the rose pink capital of Rajasthan. Overnight: Hotel Trident Oberoi, Jaipur (2 nights).

Day 5: Jaipur
Jaipur City palace. Jaipur, a royal experience awaits us as we take an elephant ride uphill to the intriguing Amber Palace, a distinguished example of 17th Century Rajput architecture. After the tour and enjoying a panoramic view, we return to Jaipur to visit the old astronomical observatory built by the founder of the city, Jai Singh. We also visit the majestic Palace, which houses a rare collection of Indian art, and the colourful bazaar.

Jaipur is noted for its craftsmen, skilled in brass inlay, lacquer work and stone setting. Most of the buildings in the old city are made of pink sandstone and one of the most beautiful is Hawa Mahal, Palace of Winds, where the ladies of the royal harem used to watch the city from behind the intricately carved facade. Evening is free to enjoy both shopping and a cultural experience in the bazaars of Jaipur.

Day 6: Jaipur - Jodhpur (Train)
Morning – On your own at Jaipur for shopping  and general tour

 Late afternoon - Arrive at the railway station to catch the Jaipur-Jodhpur Intercity Train. We arrive at Jodhpur Railway Station at about 11:00 pm and are met and transferred to our hotel. Overnight: Hotel Taj Hari Mahal (2 nights)

Day 7: Jodhpur
 we tour Jodhpur. Surrounding the city is a massive fortress, safeguarding the Royal palaces with their collections of arms and priceless jewels, the Mehrangarh Fort. We also visit the exquisite Jaswant Thada and the Mandore Gardens. In the afternoon, we take a Jeep Safari to Bishnoi Village to see the traditional lifestyle of rural Rajasthanis living in small houses and wearing their colorful dresses.

Day 8: Jodhpur - Udaipur (Drive)
After the Jodhpur experience, we get a different feel of Rajasthan as we visit the Ranakpur Temples, home to an exceptionally beautiful complex in the Aravali range and a popular pilgrimage for the Jains. We arrive at early evening at the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur. We enjoy an evening boat ride in Lake Pichola arranged by the hotel. Overnight: Hotel Lake Palace (2 nights) .

Day 9: Udaipur
If Jaipur is a study in pink; Udaipur is a vision in white. The City of Dawn, surrounded by the ancient Aravali Mountains and set on the edge of three lakes, is a brilliant kaleidoscope of narrow lanes flanked by bright stalls, gardens, lakes, palaces and temples. Eight marble porticos mark the spot where the Mewar sovereigns were weighed in gold, the equivalent value of which was then distributed to the poor.

 Within the City Palace are several architectural and artistic highlights such as the Mor Chowk, known for its stunning peacock mosaics and the Bhim Vilas Palace with its series of lovely wall paintings. The most memorable parts of Udaipur are its lake palaces, shimmering like jewels on Lake Pichola. Jag Mandir, the other island palace with a marble dome, is a marvel in red sandstone. It was a refuge for the Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan when he was in exile following a quarrel with his father, Emperor Jahangir.

Day 10: Udaipur - Bombay (Mumbai) (Flight)
An early morning flight gets us to the city for which India is equally well known - Bombay, or Mumbai as it is now called. After checking into our hotel, we take a tour of Bombay including the Gateway of India landmark archway, the world's largest open-air laundry, Jain Temple, Marine Drive, Hanging Gardens and the Prince of Wales Museum.

Evening is free to enjoy the many attractions that Bombay offers in art, theatre, shopping or just loitering in one of the largest cities in the world. Overnight: Taj Palace Hotel (1 night)

Day 11:  Departure from Bombay.
After an inspiring tour of Rajasthan and bid farewell to India, with our minds filled with lovely memories of amazing sights, sounds end experiences.

Day 12: Bombay - Goa (Flight)
A short flight takes us to the one time Portuguese colony of Goa, which offers a unique blend of India with a strong Portuguese influence. Check in to a beachside resort to enjoy the relaxing Goan lifestyle and activities on the sea. The beaches in Goa offer both quite and a public area where one would find lots of families enjoying the silver sands and the local hawker selling home cooked snacks. Overnight: Hotel Taj Holiday Village, Goa (2 nights).

Day 13: Goa
A day of leisure activities in this tropical beach resort. You may also wish to visit the World Heritage Site of the churches and convents of Goa, the former capital of the Portuguese Indies. Of particular interest is the Church of Bom Jesus, which contains the tomb of St Francis-Xavier, a great illustration of the evangelisation of Asia. These monuments were influential in spreading forms of Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque art to all the countries of Asia where missions were established.

Day 14: Relax
Day free to relax on beach

Day 15:  Departure from Goa.

Depart on time to your home town or country. Our representative will help you with flight boarding and other immigration formalities.

Tour Highlights

• Old & New Delhi.
• A Shoping at Chandni Chawk.
• View of the majestic Taj Mahal.
• Mausoleum of Salim Chisty.
• Elephant ride to the Amber Palace.
• Jeep Safari to Bishnoi Village
• Gardens, lakes, palaces of Udaipur
• Inspect Gateway of India
• Participate in art, theater, shopping activities in Mumbai.
• Enjoy the Goan lifestyle, sea activities