DISCOVER the well-kept secrets of mainland India. Steeped in heritage, history and culture, this is a popular tour to step back in time and adventure through the historical heart of India. Here your journey will zigzag across a vast region which has witnessed all the major influences that have borne fruit in India’s diverse culture possessing great unspoilt tracts, one of India’s finest and almost unknown wildlife sanctuaries and the largest concentration of India’s tribal people. Yet for all that, it remains off the beaten track. All the more reason we think you’ll agree to explore it.
Arrive in Mumbai, where your room is available for immediate occupancy. This afternoon, visit the Prince of Wales Museum, the Gateway of India, an 85-foot-high arch in front of the sea, followed by Mani Bhawan, the former residence of Mahatma Gandhi. Afterward, view the colossal Dhobi Ghat. Tonight, join for a welcome dinner.
A privately chartered cruise through Mumbai Harbor brings you to the rock-cut cave temples on Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can ride a Toy Train to the steps leading up to the sculptures. Later, fly to Udaipur.
Spend two days in the romantic, wistful and serene city of Udaipur. Visit the City Palace and take a private tour of the Crystal Gallery, located in Fateh Prakash Palace. Stroll through Sahelion Ki Bari, the "Garden of the Maids of Honor."
Today explore the temples of Eklingji and Nagda and have lunch at Devi Garh, a fort-palace hotel in the Aravalli Hills. Take a private cruise to Jag Mandir on Lake Pichola (water levels permitting) and enjoy a private dance performance during dinner.
Today, drive through the picturesque Aravalli Hills to the Jain pilgrimage center of Ranakpur. Over 1,444 exquisitely detailed marble pillars support the temple. After lunch, continue to Jodhpur, once the capital of the former princely state of Marwar and an important stop on the ancient silk road.
After breakfast, enjoy a four-wheel-drive safari to the Salawas area and spend time with local potters in a Bishnoi village, which was created soon after the great famine of 1485. A wise local man observed that the famine was the result of the deforestation in the region and formulated a list of 29 rules (Bish-noi means "29"in the Hindi language), including the prohibition of tree cutting, that form the basis of the Bishnoi philosophy. This afternoon's exploring includes the Mehrangarh Fort, one of the largest forts in India, and Jaswant Thada, a 19th-century cenotaph.
After a morning at leisure, take an afternoon flight to Jaipur, known as the "pink city"for its abundance of pink plastered stone.
A tour of the Amber Fort precedes an elephant ride at a local Indian village accompanied by a professional mahout.
Continued from previous day; Today visit city palace and museam also Jantar Mantar Observatory, view the "Palace of the Winds." and shop till you drop with your guide.
Enjoy a morning at leisure before boarding a flight to Agra.
After breakfast, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Agra, visiting two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the imposing Agra Fort, built of red sandstone and marble, and the Taj Mahal. This afternoon you have the option of an excursion to Fatehpur Sikri, a deserted red sandstone city. End your day watching the breathtaking sunset over the Taj Mahal.
After a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, travel overland towards Delhi, stopping en route at Sikandra, the tomb of the great Mughal emperor Akbar.
Spend two days exploring the cultures and contrasts of both Old and New Delhi.
View the awe-inspiring Red Fort, pause at Ghandi's memorial on the banks of the Yamuna River and visit Humayun's Tomb, a Mughal complex whose designs prefigured the Taj Mahal.
Transfer to the airport to board a homebound flight.