Day 1 UK to Delhi

After taking your VIP door-to-door travel service to the airport, fly overnight to Delhi.

Day 2 Delhi

Transfer to the 5-star Vivanta New Delhi Dwarka (4Q), where you’ll stay two nights.

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure and a welcome reception with tea and cookies this evening. D

Day 3 Delhi

Discover the colourful street life, beautiful parks and varied architectural styles of this ancient city on an included sightseeing tour. In Old Delhi, you'll visit the Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi’s mortal remains were cremated, the Jama Masjid – India’s largest mosque – and the commercial area of Chandni Chowk. In New Delhi you'll see the India Gate war memorial, visit the Mausoleum of Emperor Humayun and the Sikh temple, Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. D

Day 4 Delhi-Jaipur

Visit the 12th-century Qutub Minar minaret, at 71-metres high, the tallest brick-built minaret in the world.

Afterwards, see your first glimpses of rural India today as you make the long drive to Jaipur (174 miles, six hours).

Stay three nights at the 5-star Hilton Jaipur (4Q). B, D

Day 5 Jaipur

Enjoy a full day of sightseeing starting at Amber Fort, a classic, romantic Rajasthani Fort Palace. Inside the Amber Fort you can contrast stark early palaces with those built after the Rajput court adopted Mughal influences, resulting in the lavishly ornamental later palaces, especially the palace of mirrors.

This afternoon visit the Maharaja's City Palace, some of which is still used by Jaipur's Royal family.

Later visit the Jantar Mantar – the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world. You'll drive past Hawa Mahal – the Palace of the Winds. This five-storey building has 953 sandstone windows from which the royal ladies could watch life going on outside without being seen. B, D

Day 6 Jaipur

Today is at leisure. Alternatively, join an optional morning visit to Jaigarh Fort. One of the most spectacular and intact forts in India, it sits on top of the hill above Amber Fort to which it is connected by 'secret' passages.

This evening there's the option to see the Aarti ceremony at the modern, white marble Birla Temple, where brilliantly costumed and ornamented idols of Lord Ram and Sita are presented and greeted with holy chanting. B, D

Day 7 Jaipur-Ranthambore

This morning, travel to Ranthambore (110 miles, three hours) where you'll stay at the 4-star Ranthambore Regency Hotel (4Q) for two nights. B, L, D

Day 8 Ranthambore

This morning, visit the largest wildlife reserve in Northern India, Ranthambore National Park – Rajasthan's first tiger reserve – for a safari by open-topped bus. The park is home to sambar, the largest species of Asiatic deer, a wealth of birds, crocodiles and, of course, tigers. After lunch, enjoy another safari. Relax at your hotel tonight. B, L, D

Day 9 Ranthambore-Agra

Early this morning travel to Sawai Madhopur railway station to board the train for Bharatpur (two hours). On arrival you'll visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri. Built in 1571, it was the Mughal capital for just 14 years, before being abandoned. Made of red sandstone, it combines influences from both Hindu and Mughal architecture.

Continue to Agra (35 miles, one hour) and the 5-star Taj View (4Q), where you stay for the next two nights. B, D

Day 10 Agra

The Taj Mahal in Agra is celebrated for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty. Built by Shah Jahan in 1560 in memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal it's constructed in white marble and took 22 years and over 20,000 workers and craftsmen to complete. Join an included excursion this morning to see this fabulous building in the early morning sun. After breakfast at the hotel you'll visit the 16th-century Agra Fort, near the gardens of the Taj Mahal. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses many fairy-tale palaces and two very beautiful mosques. The afternoon is at leisure. B, D

Day 11 Agra-Delhi-UK

This morning you will have a very early departure from Agra for the transfer by coach to Delhi airport (135 miles, five hours), for your return daytime flight, arriving in the afternoon for your included door-to-door travel service home. B