INDIA ITINERARY

Feb 19 Arrive Delhi in the evening. Transfer to the Radisson Marina Hotel.

Feb 20 Half day tour of Delhi, including the Red Fort, which dates to the very peak of the Mughal power; India Gate, the 130’ high arch of triumph; and Jantar Mantar, an observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1725. The rest of the day at your leisure. Radisson Marina Hotel.

Feb 21 After breakfast transfer to the train station for the Express Train to Agra. Check into the Taj Gateway Hotel. This afternoon we’ll take a leisurely tour of the Taj Mahal, the apex of Mughul architecture, completed by Emperor Shah Jahan from 1631 to 1653 with the help of 20,000 workers. The white marble structure embedded with semi-precious stones is the
world’s most famous monument to a man’s love for his wife.

Feb 22 With an early breakfast, drive to Jaipur. Along the way we’ll stop for a visit at Fatehpur Sikri, the splendid, perfectly preserved capital city of the Mughal Empire during the reign of Akbar, in the 16th Century. On arrival in Jaipur check into the delightful Samode Haveli Hotel, once the townhouse of the prime minister of Jaipur, 200 years ago.

Feb 23 A full day tour of Jaipur, known as the Pink City for the color of many of the buildings. Pink was the color representing hospitality during the Rajput era. We’ll visit the Hawa Mahal, the delicately honeycombed Palace of the
Winds; the Amber Fort, the capital of Jaipur in the 1500’s and the home of maharajas, and another Jantar Mantar. Samode Haveli Hotel.

Feb 24 After breakfast drive 3 hours to Rantambhor National Park and check into the Taj Vivanta Hotel. Rantambhor was the private hunting preserve of the local maharajas, but now it’s one of the best places to find tigers.

Feb 25 A full day tour of Rantambhor Park. Here we’ll search for tigers by vehicle, driving slowly through this lovely forested park. Civets, nilgai, sambur, chital, and leopards also roam freely here. Those who wish may hike up to the 1000-
year-old Rantambhor Fort which looms from a hilltop in the park. After an early dinner transfer to the train station for our 7:30 PM train to Jabalpur. This is the 1st Class Air-Conditioned sleeper train, India’s most luxurious train.

Feb 26 Arrive Jabalpur at 9AM and drive 4 hours to Kanha National Park. Check into the Jungle Lodge.

Feb 27 We’ll spend the entire day in Kanha Park, which was the setting for Kipling’s “Jungle Book”, where tigers are frequently sighted. The forests and grasslands of the park harbor large populations of deer (chitral, sambar,
barasinga), leopards, gaur, and many other mammals. We’ll track the game in the mornings and evenings by 4x4. Those who wish may track tigers by elephant back. Jungle Lodge.

Feb 28 Drive 5 hours to Bandhavgarh National Park, and check into Jungle Camp.

Feb 29 The rocky hills, grassy swamps and forested valleys of Bandavgarh Park were once the private hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Rewa, but now hold one of India’s finest wildlife preserves, and offer unusually good daylight-sighting possibilities for tiger and other mammals. This is where the famous white tigers originated. The park also has an ancient fort, and caves and old rock-shelters with shrines and inscriptions. Those who wish may search for
tigers from the backs of elephants. 240 species of birds have been sighted here. Jungle Camp.

March 1 Drive 5 hours to Khajaraho. Check into the Taj Chandela Hotel.

March 2 This morning we’ll visit the 1000-year-old temples of Khajuraho.They are superb examples of Indo-Aryan architecture, liberally decorated with excellent stone carvings showing many aspects of Indian life, including
gods and goddesses, warriors and musicians, animals, but the most common representations are of women and sex. This afternoon we’ll transfer to the airport for a flight back to Delhi. Check into the Radisson Marina Hotel.

March 3 A free day in Delhi to explore on your own. Evening transfer to the airport for flights back home.

March 4 Arrive home.

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