Iconic India: Delhi, Agra & Jaipur

Upon arrival in Dubai, you’ll be escorted to the airport for your flight to Delhi where you’ll be met by your driver and escorted to your hotel. The balance of the day is at your leisure. Dinner will be served at the hotel this evening.

This morning, hop on a cycle rickshaw for a tour of Delhi—old and new—that’s brimming with legends. As you travel through Chandni Chowk’s bustling streets, savor the smells and sounds of the markets as you approach Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, which you’ll visit briefly, before heading into New Delhi, with a slew of highlights to take in. Following lunch at a local restaurant, continue on your temple exploration to the Sikh’s holy shrine, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Originally a bungalow owned by Raja Jai Singh, this huge complex features a devotion center, a missionary school, an art gallery, a charitable hospital, and Langar, a free community kitchen.

This morning, drive to Agra where you’ll proceed to the impressive Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-Daulah. The 16th-century Red Fort of Agra is a powerful fortress of red sandstone that encompasses, within its 1-mile long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers, comprised of many fairytale-like palaces. Then proceed on a curated experience, designed for you to see traditional Mughal artisanship, showcasing works with semi-precious stones, marble, and Pashmina. Your day ends with a sunset visit to the Taj MahaI, built by Shah Jahan between 1631 and 1652 as a monument to his beloved wife. Although amazingly beautiful from almost any angle, it’s the Taj’s close-up detail that’s really astounding.

Following breakfast, you’ll drive one hour to Fatehpur Sikri, an imperial capital seemingly frozen in time. Built by Akbar the Great around 1570, it was abandoned because of its water shortages only 14 years after it was built. Today, the magnificent fortified ancient city remains an Indo-Islamic masterpiece. Then continue to the “pink city,” Jaipur.

This morning, proceed to the hilltop fortress, Amber Fort, where you’ll visit the famed palaces with their intricate architectural decoration and discrete courtyards. En route you’ll drive past the major landmark, Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds). After, proceed to a private retreat where you’ll meet a feudal prince for an interactive lunch experience, enjoying stories of the past as you savor a Rajasthani meal, before continuing onto Sanganer, famous for its handmade paper, textile printing, and Jain temples. Enjoy a local snack and cup of chai with a local artisan who’ll share the local beliefs and customs.

Continue exploring Jaipur with a visit to the City Palace—an immense complex of exquisite palaces, gardens and courtyards, decorative art, and carved doorways—and Jantar Mantar, built in 1726, which is one of five such astronomical wonders built by Sawai Jai Singh. Enjoy lunch at leisure before being met for your escorted drive to the airport for your flight to Delhi followed by your onward flight home.