India
New Delhi, Jaipur, Ranthambore National Park, Agra
Note: India requires visas from citizens of many countries. Make sure to review requirements well in advance of your trip. Unlike many Blabbott Travel destinations, we do not recommend driving in India. There are, however, many fine companies in India that offer a stress-free car and driver service.
Note: India requires visas from citizens of many countries. Make sure to review requirements well in advance of your trip. Unlike many Blabbott Travel destinations, we do not recommend driving in India. There are, however, many fine companies in India that offer a stress-free car and driver service.
Day 1: Assuming your flight lands in the evening, have your driver take you to your hotel for check-in and, if you are hungry, a bite to eat before retiring for the evening after a long flight.
Day 2: On your first day in this interesting country, get some breakfast and then have your driver take you to old Delhi to start your visit. Begin your tour at the Red Fort, which was the built at the zenith of Moghul power. Inside the giant Lahori Gate, wander through the sprawling complex of museums, pavilions, apartments, a covered bazaar, and royal baths. While you could spend all day here, limit your visit to a few hours because there is much to see in amazing Delhi. Next, visit the nearby Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque. While technically free, be flexible as attendants may want to charge for cameras or additional clothing if in their discretion they decide you are not appropriately attired. You will also need to pay a small fee to climb the minaret, which gives you a great view of the city. After taking in the mosque, have your driver take you for a quick lunch and then off to the tomb of Humayun, Delhi’s best mausoleum. Built before the Taj Mahal, Humayun’s tomb bears a strong resemblance to that masterpiece, which is unmistakable. The grounds also contain other tombs that are worth a look as well as wild green parakeets that inhabit the area. End your day by wandering through Lodi Gardens, a large park with monuments to rulers who predated the Moghuls. After a long but very engaging first day, have your driver take you to a good Indian restaurant for dinner before collapsing into bed.
Day 3: After a good breakfast, begin your day with a walk through Purana Qila, a peaceful garden with walls, gateways, and other monuments from the 1500s. Afterward, have your driver take you for a quick look at India Gate, a memorial to India’s war dead, and then head to the National Museum, which contains many treasures from India’s past. After learning more about India’s history and culture, take a well-deserved late lunch break and then drive to the Qutab Minar Complex in the outer city. Spend the rest of your day admiring the huge crumbling complex watched over by a massive decorative minaret. Relax and enjoy your time at this special place before going back into the city and getting dinner. Then, get a good night’s rest for the trip to Jaipur the next day.
Day 2: On your first day in this interesting country, get some breakfast and then have your driver take you to old Delhi to start your visit. Begin your tour at the Red Fort, which was the built at the zenith of Moghul power. Inside the giant Lahori Gate, wander through the sprawling complex of museums, pavilions, apartments, a covered bazaar, and royal baths. While you could spend all day here, limit your visit to a few hours because there is much to see in amazing Delhi. Next, visit the nearby Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque. While technically free, be flexible as attendants may want to charge for cameras or additional clothing if in their discretion they decide you are not appropriately attired. You will also need to pay a small fee to climb the minaret, which gives you a great view of the city. After taking in the mosque, have your driver take you for a quick lunch and then off to the tomb of Humayun, Delhi’s best mausoleum. Built before the Taj Mahal, Humayun’s tomb bears a strong resemblance to that masterpiece, which is unmistakable. The grounds also contain other tombs that are worth a look as well as wild green parakeets that inhabit the area. End your day by wandering through Lodi Gardens, a large park with monuments to rulers who predated the Moghuls. After a long but very engaging first day, have your driver take you to a good Indian restaurant for dinner before collapsing into bed.
Day 3: After a good breakfast, begin your day with a walk through Purana Qila, a peaceful garden with walls, gateways, and other monuments from the 1500s. Afterward, have your driver take you for a quick look at India Gate, a memorial to India’s war dead, and then head to the National Museum, which contains many treasures from India’s past. After learning more about India’s history and culture, take a well-deserved late lunch break and then drive to the Qutab Minar Complex in the outer city. Spend the rest of your day admiring the huge crumbling complex watched over by a massive decorative minaret. Relax and enjoy your time at this special place before going back into the city and getting dinner. Then, get a good night’s rest for the trip to Jaipur the next day.
Day 4: If jet lagged, you can catch up on some sleep on the drive today to Jaipur. Bring something for lunch in the vehicle, or ask the driver to stop at one of the roadside rest areas. When you arrive in Jaipur, have your driver take you to the Amber Fort, which is usually less crowded when visiting in the afternoon. Many tourists arrive at the fort in the morning and ride elephants up to the fort, but the walk takes only 10 minutes, and the abuse of these magnificent creatures in captivity is certainly not worth the photo op. The fort served as a royal palace and contains beautiful courtyards, temples, halls, and apartments. After your visit, retire to your lodging to freshen up after a long travel day and then get some dinner before bed.
Day 5: After breakfast, get in your vehicle for the ride to Ranthambore National Park for an Indian safari. Prices on crafts in this area are somewhat lower than you will find in other cities on this trip, so if you are interested in shopping, let your driver know so he can take you to some shops while you are here. If you get an early start, you will arrive at your hotel in time for a game drive and a chance to see tigers. After your game drive, return to your hotel for dinner and then get some rest before your early game drive the next morning.
Day 6: Get up early and dress warm for your morning game drive and perhaps your best opportunity to see tigers. Even when you don’t spot any tigers, the safari is very memorable for the other wildlife you can see, including bears, deer, and many species of birds. After a successful game drive, get some breakfast and then relax around the pool or do some shopping. After lunch, get ready for your last game drive and final chance to see tigers in India. Afterward, return for dinner before retiring for the night.
Day 7: Today is another busy day, so get up early, have your breakfast, and hit the road. The first stop today will be at Fatepur Sikri, a former Mughal capital a short distance from the famed city of Agra. After your long drive, stretch your legs walking through this beautiful complex of courtyards, halls, pools, pavilions and palaces of finely carved sandstone representing a mixing of various Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian designs. Afterward, continue on to Agra, where you can check in to your hotel and then get some lunch before heading to the highlight of the trip, the famed Taj Mahal. Yes, it is crowded and expensive, but it is a small price to gaze at what many consider to be the most beautiful structure in the world. Take your time here. As the daylight fades and the crowds disperse, enjoy the sunset. Observe the graceful tomb that took 20,000 builders more than 30 years to build from all angles to appreciate its majesty and symmetry. Make sure to get close to the tomb to view the fine carvings and inlaid precious stones. As darkness envelops the site, take one last look at this timeless beauty and then enjoy the end of a memorable day with a tasty Indian dinner before bed.
Day 8: On your last day of sightseeing in India, get an early start after breakfast at another of Agra’s signature spots, the Agra Fort. On your tour, you have seen forts before in Jaipur and in Delhi, but this one is the best of the three. It is so grand, in part, because Shah Jahan, the visionary leader who ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his dearly departed wife, turned the fort into a palace. Later, when his son seized power, it became his prison. After entering through an imposing gate, you will wander through a series of halls, courtyards and palaces culminating at the supreme white marble palace where Shah Jahan was imprisoned and, during his final days, watched his monument to his deceased wife rising in the distance. After your visit to the fort, spend some time at Itimad-ud-Daulah, better known by its nickname, the Baby Taj. It isn’t as big or well known, but it doesn’t have the crowds either and spending time at this predecessor to the Taj Mahal, with its delicately carved screens, will not be forgotten. Afterward, get some lunch and then get back on the road to Delhi for your flight home in the evening or next morning. As you drive back to Delhi, reflect on your time in this ancient land. It is not as easy to visit as the well-traveled paths in some other places, but it contains as many travel treasures as any place on Earth.