Small Group Journeys – 8 Days Golden Triangle & Tiger Safaris

On arrival at the airport, meet your tour manager who will assist you to transfer to the hotel for two nights stay in Delhi. (No Meals)

Enjoy breakfast and a brief introduction of the city before starting city tour of old and New Delhi. Visit Qutb Minar, India Gate, Gandhi Memorial, explore Chandni Chowk and largest spice market. (B, D)

After breakfast travel to Jaipur. Check in at your designated hotel and explore the Local Bazaar in the evening. Jaipur; the first planned city of India, a treasure-trove of culture, art and history, famous for its colour, lifestyle and Rajasthani cuisine, a world-famous jewellery market offering a variety that ranges from chunky tribal jewellery, to enamelled gold, to modern diamond jewellery, necklaces, armlets, anklets, earrings, rings, bangles inset with precious to semiprecious stones. stay two nights at Jaipur. (B,D)

After breakfast enjoy guided city tour and visit Amber Fort, the ancient capital of Rajasthan and the majestic palace complex to witness a unique system of air-conditioning of 17th century. The most enthralling experience of Amber Fort is the jeep ride. A beautiful complex of Palaces, halls, pavilions, garden and temples built by Raja Mansingh, Raja Jaisingh and Sawai Jaisingh over a period of about two centuries, it still stands in its magnificent state. The red sandstone and white Marble palace has some very interesting apartments- Diwan-I-Am, Ganesh Pol, Sheesh Mahal, Sukh Niwas, Jai Mandir, Man Singh Palace and Shila Devi Temple. City Palace Museum; boasts to have some of the priceless handwritten Hindu scriptures of the ancient past, miniature delicate paintings, preserved painted ceilings and the elephant saddles (haudas),and is registered in the Guinness Book of Records to contain the biggest silver objects in the world. Visit Maharaja’s City Palace, Jantar Mantar; one of the famed observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh is a complex of astronomical instruments, chiselled out of stone which provides fairly accurate information to this day, photo stop at Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace); built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh at a time when women of the royal family had to observe strict purdah, it is believed that this palace was built for them to take pleasure in the processions and various activities taking place in the streets below without showing themselves and thus enjoying a sense of freedom. Drive-pass the old parts of Jaipur city. Overnight at Jaipur.(B,D)

After breakfast we travel to Sawai Madhopur the place known for its Ranthambhore Tiger reserve. The Ranthambhore tiger reserve at junction of the Aravalli and the Vindhyas is a unique juxtaposition of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously in the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 Kms from Sawai Madhopur. It is Rajasthan’s best sizable area of forest and savannah. Capture some spectacular views of the majestic Aravalli ranges in your camera as you make way to your jungle resort. Check in at the resort and take a village tour. Stay two nights at the wildlife resort. (B,L,D)

Wake up early in the morning and prepare for the first game drive at 6:00 – 9:30 am kindly check with the reception if there is any change in time. Enjoy the national park traveling in a canter with an estimated area of 400sq Km of this amazing reserve. The park is dotted with steep rocky hills and the dominating architecture of Ranthambhor Fort (built in the 10th century), adds to its landscape. The rugged park terrain alternates between dry deciduous forest, open grassy meadow, dotted by several lakes and rivers that are only made passable by rough roads built and maintained by the Forest Service. The tiger is not the only attraction at Ranthambore although it is the one park resident that people come to see. A variety of birds including Owlets, the ubiquitous Langur (monkey), Leopard, Caracal, Hyena, Jackal, Jungle Cat, marsh Crocodiles, Wild Boar, Bears and various species of Deer are the other attractions. Return to the hotel at approximately around 9:30 am and have your breakfast. Later in the afternoon, we have another game drive. Stay overnight at the tiger reserve. (B, L, D)

After breakfast start your Journey to Agra, en-route visit Fatehpur Sikri, also known as the abandoned city of Mughals built by Emperor Akbar in 1569. The city was intended to embody the noble ideas and the humanitarian bent of this dynamic Emperor. He had planned this city as his capital but a shortage of water compelled him to abandon the city. This deserted city has retained many of the old structures and is one of the finest examples of Mughal architectural splendor at its height. It is prolific and versatile Indo-Muslim composite style, which is a fusion of the composite cultures of indigenous and foreign origins. The entire city of Fatehpur Sikri has been listed among the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Enjoy guided sightseeing tour and an interesting birth story of this beautiful city also known as the city of Mughals. Proceed to Agra. Check in at a hotel. Stay overnight at Agra. (B, D)

Pay a visit to the immortal Taj Mahal (closed on Friday), the inimitable poem in white marble is the first expression of love of an Emperor Shahjahan for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond any adequate description. The Taj rises on a high red sandstone base topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by four tapering minarets. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen. Standing in the center of a luxurious Persian garden, it is an architectural jewel of its time, with its unparalleled glory and exquisiteness surpassing beyond all human imaginations. Also, visit Agra Fort a UNESCO World Heritage; the imposing structure on the banks of the river Yamuna is replete with priceless examples of craftsmanship in the Mughal period. It blends the Hindu and central Asian architectural styles very beautifully. Built by Emperor Akbar the maze of courtyards, mosques and private chambers of the fort, echo the story of the Mughal Empire. You travel back to Delhi with direct transfer to International Airport to board your onward flight. (B)