Culture Tour with Regal Tigers of India (14 days) C194

Introduction

Incredible India!  This tour is perfect for anyone who appreciates the finest of architecture, cultural experiences and with a sense of adventure.  The journey begins in Delhi, then on to the city of Agra, most famous for the Taj Mahal – capable of bringing a tear to some eyes it is so incredible in its beauty.  More awaits in Agra – visit the vast and impressive Agra Fort and the Baby Taj.  Then to Jaipur with its famous Amber Fort and popular City Palace and Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds).  Time then to enjoy the natural beauty of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve and fingers crossed for that special sighting of India’s top predator, the Bengal Tiger.  Look up Bundi – wow and another Mahal to visit there!  This tour ends in romantic Udaipur – several of it’s palaces featured in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy.  We have included an evening boat trip on Lake Pichola.   Photographic opportunities await, almost around every corner! 

Itinerary and price

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Meals: Payable directly today Arrive at New Delhi airport where you will be welcomed by our representative.  Your driver will then take you to your hotel.  Check-in at most places is from 12 noon – often earlier if the room is available.  Explore Delhi for half a day (with your driver).  From here we recommend a leisurely few hours to see the Lotus Temple and enjoy the grounds and have a relaxing evening. Night in Delhi Meals: Breakfast in Delhi Full day to explore Delhi with your driver. There are many cultural places in and around the capital.  Humayun’s Tomb, Jama Masjid and Qutub Minar are well worth a visit.  You can enjoy a journey by cycle rickshaw around the narrow streets of Old Delhi, visit Raj Ghat and drive past India Gate and the Government Buildings.  Note: In the cities there are plenty of places where you can eat out cheaply, or alternatively you can check the menu at your hotel.  To allow flexibility we have priced this on a bed and breakfast basis.   Interested in wildlife?  Look out for Black Kites overhead and Five-striped Ground Squirrels and Rhesus Macaques in green spaces. Night in Delhi Meals: Breakfast After breakfast leave for Agra.  Expect the journey to take around 4 – 5 hours depending on traffic.  Check in at your hotel, then in the afternoon visit the extensive and very beautiful Agra Fort, followed by the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays) and watch the colour of the marble change in the mid to late afternoon light. Night at hotel in Agra. Meals: Breakfast Depending on your choice, after breakfast your driver can take you to the Baby Taj (in Agra), or you can commence the journey of around five hours plus stops to Jaipur.  If you wish after about 45 minutes en route, you can explore the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri (a World Heritage Site). Continue on to the Pink City of Jaipur.  On arrival at your hotel, you could relax for a while then explore locally in the late afternoon/early evening with your driver. Night at hotel at Jaipur. Meals: Breakfast Following breakfast explore the impressive Amber Fort, City Palace, the Observatory and, if there is any spare time, walk the streets of this vibrant, colourful city which is famous for silk. Return to your hotel for the evening. Meals: Breakfast in Jaipur, lunch and dinner at Ranthambhore After breakfast your driver will take you to the train station to connect with the Intercity Express train in air conditioned chair class which departs at 1105 hours and arrives in Sawai Madhopur (the nearest station to Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve) at 1315 hours.  Our representative will meet you on the station platform and you will be transferred to your lodge/resort.  The staff at your lodge/resort will confirm meal times and how the safaris work.  In the afternoon we have included a shared canter (open lorry) safari inside Ranthambhore National Park.  See supplement should you prefer to take a shared jeep (up to four people) or an exclusive jeep which is preferable to the canter. Relax for the evening at your lodge/resort at Ranthambhore. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner Morning and afternoon canter safaris ( or chosen vehicle) inside the stunningly beautiful Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. Night at lodge/resort at Ranthambhore Meals: Breakfast After breakfast you will be driven to Bundi.  Expect the journey to take around five hours, plus stops on the way at Kota.  You can visit the Maharaon Madho Singh Museum, an old palace which is now home to a wonderful collection of paintings, sculptures and other valuable antiques.  If time permits explore the local markets.  From Kota to Bundi is an hour's drive. Check in and relax at your hotel in Bundi Night at Bundi Meals: Breakfast Spend the morning in and around Bundi, visiting Bundi Mahal and Bundi Palace, famous for fresco paintings and intricate architecture.  At a time to suit you, leave Bundi for Parsoli village and Lake Nahargarh which is on the way to Chittorgarh.  Expect this journey to take around three hours. The final part of your journey will be by boat, as your hotel Justa Lake Nahargarh is in the middle of a private lake surrounded by eighty acres of land by the Aravali Hills. Night at Lake Nahargarh Meals: Breakfast Today you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Lake Nahargarh or journey approx. 30 minutes to Chittorgarh for a full day to explore Chittorgarh Fort with its havelis and temples.  Return to Lake Nahargarh and enjoy some rest and relaxation by the pool side and lake. Night at Lake Nahargarh Meals: Breakfast After breakfast,  at a time to suit you, leave for the three hour drive to Udaipur. Take a tour of the City Palace and Sahelion Ki Bari and enjoy a shared boat ride on Lake Pichola at sunset. Night at Udaipur Meals: Breakfast Enjoy a full day visiting the exquisitely-carved Eklingji Temple, 22km north of Udaipur and Nagda Temple. Explore markets and have time to yourselves to walk around the lake and just relax in what is considered to be one of the most romantic cities in India. Night at Udaipur Meals: Breakfast Morning at leisure or further explore the city before being transferred to Udaipur airport to take an internal flight to Delhi (excluded from our price and to be booked by you directly).  One option is with Indigo Airways flight no. 6E2315 departing Udaipur at 1410 hours arriving in Delhi at 1540 hours. Our services end with the transfer to Udaipur airport.  If you require an extra night in Delhi to connect with an international flight the next day, please let us know and we can supply a supplement. All our itineraries can be amended to suit you. Prices for different hotel categories, the names of hotels and a list of inclusions/exclusions are shown below.  * Important note: We haven’t included the cost of the entrance fees to monuments mentioned in this itinerary (where they are charged) as some travellers prefer to pay for these directly to retain flexibility each day.  The supplement to include the entrance fees will be approximately £140 per person.  If you would prefer us to book a local culture guide in advance for the monument visits in each city this will cost an additional £186 per person based on two travelling, £125 based on three and £93 per person based on four travelling.  Alternatively you can just pay the entrance fees directly and visit which monuments you would prefer on your own and without a guide.   This approach allows flexibility and you can confirm which is best for you.  Naturally, we can book everything on your behalf. Price per person for low budget hotels option: 2 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £885 * 3 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £840 * 4 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £785 * Single room supplement £215 * See supplements above if you'd like the cost of monument entrance fees and a culture guide to be included at each location. Low budget price is based on the following hotels:

Place	Hotel name	No. of nights
Delhi	Pamposh Guest House, Deluxe Room	2
Agra	Hotel Crystal Inn, Deluxe Room	1
Jaipur	Hotel Ram Vilas, Deluxe Room	2
Ranthambhore	Ranthambhore National Resort, Deluxe Room	2
Bundi	Bundi Inn - Heritage Haveli, Deluxe Room	1
Lake Nahargarh, nr Chittorgarh	Justa, Lake Nahargarh, Standard Room	2
Udaipur	Hotel Sarovar, Deluxe Room	2

Price per person for mid budget hotels option: 2 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £965 * 3 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £915 * 4 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £860 * Single room supplement £280 * See supplements above if you'd like the cost of monument entrance fees and a culture guide to be included at each location. Mid budget price is based on the following hotels:

Place	Hotel name	No. of nights
Delhi	Hotel Almora, Deluxe Room	2
Agra	Hotel Seven Hills Tower, Deluxe Room	1
Jaipur	Park Regis, Deluxe Room	2
Ranthambhore	The Pugmark Resort, Deluxe Cottage	2
Bundi	Bundi Haveli, Deluxe Room	1
Lake Nahargarh, nr Chittorgarh	Justa Lake Nahargarh, Standard Room	2
Udaipur	Hotel Mewargarh, Deluxe Room	2

Price per person for standard hotels option: 2 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £1065 * 3 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £1020 * 4 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £965 * Single room supplement £385 * See supplements above if you'd like the cost of monument entrance fees and a culture guide to be included at each location. Standard price is based on the following hotels:

Place	Hotel name	No. of nights
Delhi	Justa The Residence at Panchsheel, Superior Room	2
Agra	The Retreat, Deluxe Room	1
Jaipur	Umaid Bhawan or Umaid Mahal, Royal Deluxe Room	2
Ranthambhore	The Pugmark, Deluxe Cottage	2
Bundi	Dev Niwas Bundi, Deluxe Room	1
Lake, Nahargarh, nr Chittorgarh	Justa Lake Nahargarh, Deluxe Room	2
Udaipur	The Shaharkot, Super Deluxe Room	2

Price per person for deluxe hotels option: 2 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £1325 * 3 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £1280 * 4 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) £1220 * Single room supplement £540 * See supplements above if you'd like the cost of monument entrance fees and a culture guide to be included at each location. Deluxe price is based on the following hotels:

Place	Hotel name	No. of nights
Delhi	Pride Plaza, Aerocity, Deluxe Room	2
Agra	Crystal Sarovar Premium, Premier Taj View Room	1
Jaipur	Shahpura House, Suite Room	2
Ranthambhore	The Tigress Spa and Resort, Deluxe Suite	2
Bundi	Hadoti Palace, Deluxe Room	1
Lake Nahargarh, nr Chittorgarh	Justa Lake Nahargarh, Suite Room	2
Udaipur	Fatehgarh, Superior Room	2

Price includes

• Accommodation in the above mentioned hotels with meals as listed
• All mentioned transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
• Short cycle rickshaw ride in the narrow streets of Old Delhi
• Ranthambhore entrance fees and canter safaris as listed in the itinerary
• All currently applicable taxes
• Pre-travel information including how to apply for a tourist visa

Price excludes

• Any international airfare to/from India including International airport tax
• Any internal airfare
• Meals not specified
• Tourist visa and travel insurance
• Entrances fees to monuments listed in the itinerary - see supplement for adding these
• Local culture guide to accompany you in each location to visit the culture sites - see supplement if you'd like us to book culture guide services
• Camera fee and camcorder fee where levied
• Any additional taxes levied by the Government of India on the tourism sector in future
• Any increase in the monument entrance fees in the future - should you wish these to be included in the price.  The price is based on currently applicable monument fees
• Any expenses of personal nature such as hard/soft drinks, laundry, phone/fax calls, tips etc.
• Any item not mentioned in the price includes section
• Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors beyond control

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