Dreams of Taj Mahal

Upon arrival, meet your driver/guide for a private transfer to your selected hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. In the evening, meet your guide at your hotel and get ready to enjoy an evening food train with a local chef in Old Delhi.A special food tour of Delhi with a local chef will give you an insider’s view of the city’s food culture, popular eateries, kitchens and related businesses. The presence of a chef with an intimate knowledge of the city and its cuisine makes for a special food tour unlike any other. You will not only taste the food, but you will also learn about the ways of cooking, flavor profiles and various other details.

After breakfast, meet your driver/guide for private city highlights tour of Old and New Delhi. Explore New Delhi with its impressive government buildings, dating back to the 1920’s, an introduction to Delhi’s past. Witness Qutub Minar Observatory, constructed in the 12thcentury, Humayun’s Tomb, the ceremonial avenue, Rajpath, the massive India Gate, and the President and the Parliament Houses. Proceed to Old Delhi, once an ancient walled city, to explore its glorious renaissance on a cycle rickshaw ride through the Old City. Observe the Red Fort, visit Raj Ghat, the memorial site of the Mahatma Gandhi, Jama Masjid, and Chandni Chowk, the colorful market of the old city. In the lanes of Khari Baoli, you will be introduced to saffron, the most expensive spice, by one of the oldest and largest distributors of this exotic spice in the world. (B)

After breakfast, check-out of your hotel and meet your driver/guide for your private transfer to Agra. En route, you will visit or volunteer with the Wildlife SOS bear sanctuary. The Agra bear rescue centre is the largest Sloth Bear rescue facility in the world housing over 250 sloth bears, all of which have been rescued from their lives of torture as dancing bears, which used to ply the villages and highways of the region. The visit includes a personal guided tour of the facility including a video presentation of the 'dancing bears' and a short talk on bear conservation and its challenges in India. Continue on to Agra and, upon arrival at your hotel, check-in and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure. (B)

Early in the morning, meet your driver/guide at your hotel to visit the Taj Majal at sunrise! Watch the palace sparkle as the sun climbs in the sky, then return to your hotel for breakfast. Later, proceed to he impressive Agra Fort with chambers of this royal residence, and Itmad-Ud Daulah Tomb, constructed in 1628. The tomb building consists of a central hall, which houses the tomb of Wazir and his wife. (B)

Following breakfast at your hotel, you will meet your driver/guide for your private transfer to Jaipur. Upon arrival, check-in to your hotel and take the remainder of the day at your leisure. In the evening, take part in a cooking demo, followed by dinner. Witness to legendary hospitality of the Indians while enjoying dinner with a local family. (B,D)

Meet your driver/guide at your hotel and enjoy a morning excursion to the inspiring Amber Fort, 11 kilometers away from Jaipur. The Amber Fort is a marvellous example of Rajput architecture with its terraces and ramparts reflected in the Maota Lake below. Continue your tour with the City Palace Museum to observe traditional Mughal and Rajasthani art. Located in the heart of the walled city, The City Palace Complex gives you an idea of the farsightedness of the founder of Jaipur, Sawai Jai Singh.Spend some time in the city’s crowded and colorful bazaars that sell a wide variety of artisan goods and semi-precious stones, which are the local specialties. (B)

Your guide will meet you at your hotel this morning for a bike ride through the Pink City. Take to the streets as the city is just waking up to sample some of the most famous street food and to witness a puja at one of Jaipur’s most important and popular temples. You will have time to bargain like a local at one of the vegetable markets and to make the obligatory photostop at the Palace of Winds. Return to your hotel for breakfast then depart for Bishangarh. Upon arrival, check-in to your hotel and take some time for a rest. This evening you will be treated to the breathtaking views and delectable meal under the stars in one of the best restaurants in Jaipur. Featuring local and season cuisine in Shekhawat and Bishangarh style, the restaurant also specializes in hunter cuisine with a live fire pit for cooking. Tonight, feast on a three-course meal before returning to your hotel, full of the Bishangarh spirit. (B,D)

After breakfast, meet your driver/guide for your private transfer back to Delhi. Upon arrival, check-in to your hotel and take the remainder of the day at your leisure. You may consider taking this opportunity to visit the community kitchens, a truly local and unique experience in India. Here, any man, woman or child may eat for free or volunteer to serve in a true showing of brotherhood and community caring. (B)

You will be transferred by private car to the airport to continue on to your next destination. (B)