India is a vast country of contrasts waiting to be explored, from world-famous landmarks to wondrous hidden treasures. Your visit will be a real feast for the senses as the vibrant colours, delicious flavours and heady scents combine to make a truly unforgettable holiday. Specially tailored for people travelling alone, our tour starts in rural Rajasthan, where a potpourri of the ancient and the modern is so clearly exhibited. The ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur is popular for its wealth of palaces, fine examples of jaw-dropping architecture.
The natural world is also a major attraction and there will be the opportunity to spot tigers in their natural habitat in Ranthambore. Of course, the highlight for many is the sublime Taj Mahal, a mausoleum so often seen in films and photographs, but there is simply no substitute for the feeling of seeing it first-hand. We conclude our wonderful journey with a breathtaking train journey into the Himalayas and the hill station of Shimla. A microcosm of Victorian English society during its colonial past, Shimla is the perfect way to conclude a visit to this amazing country.
Itinerary
Begin your journey to Delhi.
We will transfer to the five-star Hyatt Regency Delhi Hotel for an overnight stay. After time to freshen up, we begin our solo tour with a visit to New Delhi, where we see the Parliament building and the India Gate, as well as some of the more ancient sites of Qutub and the tomb of Humayun.
This evening we enjoy a pleasant and informal welcome dinner, where you’ll have the opportunity to get to know your tour manager and other like-minded travellers exploring the world on their own.
Included experience:
Guided tour of New Delhi.
After breakfast, we continue our exploration of the city to Old Delhi, where we visit Mahatma Gandhi’s modest memorial, as well as the imposing Red Fort and one of Asia’s largest mosques, Jama Masjid.
We continue to Agra where we stay at either four-star hotel – the Oberoi Trident.
Included experience:
Guided tour of Old Delhi.
An early start this morning will be worth the while when we witness the glorious sun rising over the stunning Taj Mahal.
As the mist rises above the adjoining Yamuna River, the constantly changing colours of the marble domes further highlight the symmetrical beauty of one of the modern wonders of the world. Our tour continues to the huge terracotta-coloured Agra Fort, the headquarters of the Moghul Empire for many years.
Later this evening, you’ll have the option to return to the Taj Mahal to enjoy the sunset.
Included experience:
Visit the Taj Mahal.
Leaving Agra this morning we continue towards the ancient, abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, built in 1571, as Emperor Akbar’s imperial capital. Although it was mysteriously abandoned just 15 years later, it remains in a remarkable state of preservation, with numerus palaces, wide courtyards and beautiful carvings.
We stop for lunch (included) at the the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Bharat before going on to the railway station to catch the Shatabdi Express for our comfortable two-and-a-half-hour journey to Ranthambore National Park.
Originally the private hunting preserve of Maharajahs, its 400 square kilometres of forested rolling hills, valleys and lakes form a unique ecosystem. Started in 1973, India’s famous Tiger Project was created to protect the country’s tiger population. Despite many difficulties, the tigers of Ranthambore have survived and numbers have stabilised.
Our hotel for the next two nights is the comfortable family-run three-star Ranthambore Regency on full board basis.
Included experience:
Visit Fatehpur Sikri and enjoy lunch at the Laxmi Villas Palace in Bharat.
This morning, we rise early in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Ranthambore’s famous tigers on safari. Specially adapted four-wheel-drive vehicles manned by expert drivers will take us around the vast national park to spot the many different wildlife species that call it home, including antelopes, monkeys, crocodiles, wild boar, and rare sloth bears.
We return to our hotel later this morning with plenty of time to relax and have a bite before our second safari drive to spot yet more fantastic wild creatures. Dinner is included this evening.
Included experience:
Ranthambore tiger Safari.
The ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur is our destination today, as we leave the natural playground of Ranthambore behind. One of Jaipur’s highlights is the Astronomical Observatory, home to a multitude of huge sundials. We will also visit the City Palace where the Maharajah of Jaipur still resides.
Later we check into our hotel, the new four-star Hilton Jaipur for two nights.
Included experience:
Guided tour of Jaipur.
Another icon of India is the colossal Amber Fort, located in the hills above Jaipur. We are treated to a local guide’s expert insights, so we can truly appreciate the fine details of this most magnificent of structures.
Included experience:
Guided tour of the Amber Fort.
After breakfast we will head north into rural Rajasthan, stopping at the historical site of Bhangarh Fort. We will arrive at our hotel in time for lunch and the rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy the surrounding nature or perhaps relax by the pool. This evening we will enjoy a cooking demonstration and some local music and dancing, before our included dinner.
Included experience:
Guided walking tour of Bhangarh Fort.
After breakfast we leave Rajasthan behind and return to the nation’s capital, New Delhi, for a one-night stay before our journey into the Himalayas.
Tonight, we stay at the five-star Hyatt Regency Delhi Hotel. Dinner is included this evening.
This morning we take the express train from Delhi to Kalka in ‘chair-class’ carriages with air-conditioning and large windows. We transfer at Kalka to the narrow-gauge ‘toy train’, which although does not have the same creature comforts, offers increasingly stunning views as it crosses 800 bridges and goes through 100 tunnels along the 100km-route to the small station in Shimla.
After a busy day of travelling, we will check into the luxurious five-star Oberoi Cecil hotel for three nights.
Included experience:
Travel on the Shimla Narrow-gauge railway.
Shimla’s colonial past is the main theme of our exploration today as we encounter the Viceregal Lodge and its stunning botanical gardens. Certain parts of the building are open to visitors and give a tantalising glimpse into the life of the Viceroy and his staff, who resided here for six months of the year.
Included experience:
Visit Shimla and the Viceregal Lodge.
Enjoy a day at leisure in Shimla, relax at the hotel pool or spa, or maybe take another stroll along the mall and do some last-minute bargain hunting in the markets. Alternatively, there are a number of short local ‘treks’ that can be arranged in the surrounding hills.
A sumptuous buffet dinner is included this evening.
This morning after breakfast, we drive to Kalka and then return by express train to New Delhi for our last night at the Hyatt Regency Delhi hotel.
We leave Delhi in the early afternoon for our flight home, arriving back the in the UK on the same day after a truly wondrous holiday.
What's Included
Holiday Highlights
A wonderful tour of northern India’s ‘Golden Triangle’
See the breathtaking Taj Mahal bathed in soft morning light, gazing in awe at the simple purity of its white marble and the exquisite craftsmanship of its inlay work
City tours of both Old and New Delhi seeing all the major sights
Enjoy a guided tour of the 400-year-old deserted Moghul city of Fatehpur Sikri
Driving safari in Ranthambore National Park, the best place in India to spot the elusive tigers
Explore the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur, capital of the desert kingdom of Rajasthan with a guided city tour
Marvel at the extraordinary location and beauty of Amber Fort, home of one of India’s most powerful maharajas
Travel on the famous Shimla railway on board a classic toy train for Kalka and stay for 3 nights in Shimla
Guided tour of the Viceregal Lodge in Shimla plus a walking tour of the city
Our Price Includes
The price of this holiday is per person, based on one person in a twin/double room for sole occupancy. Price includes:
Thirteen nights’ accommodation in three, four or five-star hotels
Daily breakfast and ten meals
Scheduled flights to/from Delhi
All transfers
All local accommodation taxes
All flight taxes 
All touring as mentioned
All local transport by train or coach as described
Hotel porterage of one item of luggage per person
The services of an experienced Riviera Travel tour manager
Indian visa not included.
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Other Information
Holiday code
R311
Holiday provided by Riviera Travel
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE: This holiday is sold and operated by Riviera Travel (ABTA V4744, ATOL 3430). These ABTA and ATOL bonds mean that, when you book a Riviera Travel holiday, you can be 100% sure that your money is safe.