11-Day Classic India with Tiger Reserve 2026

Highlights

• Delhi: Embark on a culinary adventure as you savor the bold and aromatic flavors of traditional North Indian cuisine at a local restaurant. Toast the adventure ahead with a glass of wine or locally brewed beer as you get to know your Travel Director and fellow guests - a delicious start to your journey through India.
• Agra: Dine at a former princely residence built in the Indo-Saracenic style during the reign of Maharaja Ganga Singh. Surrounded by intricately carved stonework and historic courtyards, enjoy a menu of traditional Indian dishes, with flavors deeply rooted in Rajasthan’s cultural heritage.
• Jaipur: Dine outdoors at a private rural estate once used by Jaipur’s nobility for hunting retreats. Surrounded by the Aravalli Hills, enjoy Indian specialties prepared with seasonal ingredients. Lanterns and traditional furnishings reflect the region’s heritage, while the setting offers an opportunity to experience the rural landscape as Rajasthan’s royals once did.
• Deogarh: Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at a former royal retreat surrounded by orchards and fields. Ingredients are sourced from the palace’s organic farm, which also provides employment for nearby communities. Seasonal produce and traditional recipes reflect the agricultural heritage of the region, served in a setting that blends rural charm with princely history.
• Udaipur: Gather with your Travel Director and fellow guests for dinner overlooking the waters of Lake Pichola. As Udaipur’s lakeside palaces light up at dusk, enjoy regional cuisine in a setting that and raise a toast to your journey through Rajasthan and the stories you’ve shared along the way.
• Delhi: Explore the tangled lanes of Chandni Chowk by rickshaw. Commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th-century, this historic market remains a hub of trade and tradition. The ride offers a front-row seat to daily life, passing spice stalls, textile shops, temples and tea vendors. Continue past the Red Fort’s imposing walls and visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948.
• New Delhi: Visit one of Delhi’s most prominent Sikh temples, built at the site associated with Guru Har Krishan, the eighth Sikh Guru. Known for its golden dome and community kitchen, this spiritual center serves over 10,000 free meals daily in an expression of seva, or selfless service, central to Sikh philosophy.
• Delhi: Explore the sandstone and marble mausoleum of Emperor Humayun, commissioned in 1565 by his widow Empress Bega Begum. A forerunner to the Taj Mahal, this UNESCO World Heritage Site blends Persian and Mughal design and was the first garden tomb on the Indian subcontinent, inspiring later Mughal architecture.
• New Delhi: Explore Agrasen ki Baoli, a centuries-old stepwell believed to have been rebuilt during the Lodi dynasty. Stretching 60 m (197 ft) in length and 15 m (49 ft) deep, its precise, tiered design once served as a vital water source. This well-preserved structure offers a window into medieval urban planning and Delhi’s layered architectural heritage.
• Agra: Visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise, perfect for enjoying the monuments symmetry without the daytime crowds. Built in the 17th-century by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the site exemplifies Mughal architectural precision, combining Persian, Islamic and Indian elements in perfect alignment with its formal gardens.
• Agra: Explore Agra Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former imperial residence of the Mughal dynasty, which ruled over India between the 16th and 19th-century. Constructed in red sandstone by Emperor Akbar in the 16th-century, the fort housed successive rulers and includes ornate palaces, audience halls and a former prison cell where Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, spent his final years.
• Sariska Tiger Reserve: Explore the varied landscapes of Sariska Tiger Reserve on morning and afternoon game drives led by expert trackers. Once the hunting domain of Alwar’s maharajas, the reserve is now home to Bengal tigers, leopards, nilgai, sambar deer and over 200 species of birds, including crested serpent eagles and painted storks.
• Jaipur: Visit Amber Fort, the 16th-century hilltop stronghold of the Kachhwaha Rajputs, built from red sandstone and marble. Travel by Jeep up the winding approach to the fort’s main entrance, passing rugged ramparts and ancient gates. Inside, explore courtyards, mirrored halls and frescoed chambers that reveal the opulence of Rajasthan’s royal past. A special blessing ceremony offers a meaningful encounter with local tradition in a setting once reserved for royalty.
• Jaipur: Explore the City Palace, the official residence of Jaipur’s royal family since the 18th century. Designed with a blend of Rajput and Mughal influences, the complex includes grand courtyards, audience halls and a museum showcasing royal costumes, manuscripts and arms. The palace remains a symbol of the city’s regal heritage and architectural ambition.
• Lake Pichola: Board a traditional boat for a guided cruise on Lake Pichola, a freshwater lake first created in 1362 to support Udaipur’s water supply. Take in key landmarks including the City Palace and Jag Mandir, both built to demonstrate royal power and refinement.
• Udaipur: This sprawling complex was built over four centuries by the rulers of the Mewar dynasty and remains one of the most impressive royal residences in Rajasthan. Perched above the lake, it features mirrored halls, marble balconies and a museum showcasing royal costumes, weaponry and decorative arts. The architecture reflects a fusion of Rajput and Mughal design.
• Agra: Walk through Kachhpura village, where vibrant murals illustrate scenes from the Ramayana, India’s ancient epic chronicling the life of Prince Rama and the triumph of good over evil. Discover local projects focused on sustainable farming and water conservation. The walk ends at Mehtab Bagh, the Moonlight Garden aligned across the river from the Taj Mahal, where you’ll enjoy pakoras and tea with one of the city’s most iconic views.
• Sariska Tiger Reserve: Observe a local chef as they prepare regional specialties using traditional Rajasthani techniques. The demonstration highlights the use of aromatic spices and cooking methods rooted in desert traditions, with recipes often adapted to seasonal ingredients and centuries-old practices passed down through families.
• Jaipur: Experience patangbaazi, the traditional sport of kite flying, at a family-run haveli built by the Thakur of Mandawa. Practised in Jaipur since the 18th-century, this competitive pastime involves cutting rivals’ strings mid-air, a favored pursuit of kings. Join expert kite flyers on the Chandni Terrace and take part in the cultural custom of tying a Rajasthani turban or scarf. Enjoy Indian high tea with spiced chai and regional snacks.
• Jaipur: Experience Jaipur’s walled city by custom-designed e-rickshaw, driven by women trained through a pioneering initiative that provides aspirational livelihoods to those from low-income households. As you journey through the old city’s historic quarters, take in its signature architecture, including the intricate facade of the Palace of the Winds. Your experience directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.
• Jaipur: Visit the Albert Hall Museum, Rajasthan’s oldest state museum, housed in a grand Indo-Saracenic building completed in 1887. Its extensive collection includes miniature paintings, textiles, sculptures and artifacts from across India. Originally envisioned as a center for industrial arts, the museum reflects Jaipur’s role as a patron of artistry and cultural exchange.
• Jaipur: Discover Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. This UNESCO World Heritage Site features one of the world’s largest stone sundials and a series of monumental instruments designed to measure celestial movements with remarkable precision. It stands as a testament to Jaipur’s scientific curiosity and architectural ingenuity.
• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Jaipur: Visit the Albert Hall Museum, Rajasthan’s oldest state museum, housed in a grand Indo-Saracenic building completed in 1887. Its extensive collection includes miniature paintings, textiles, sculptures and artifacts from across India. Originally envisioned as a center for industrial arts, the museum reflects Jaipur’s role as a patron of artistry and cultural exchange.
• Jaipur: Discover Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. This UNESCO World Heritage Site features one of the world’s largest stone sundials and a series of monumental instruments designed to measure celestial movements with remarkable precision. It stands as a testament to Jaipur’s scientific curiosity and architectural ingenuity.