Five-Star India’s Golden Triangle & Shimla

Your exploration of India's Golden Triangle and the Himalayan foothills begins at London Heathrow. Meeting the travelling group and Tour Manager, we board an evening flight to India. This captivating country dazzles and beguiles visitors with its heady mix of sights, scents and spiritual beliefs. During the flight, we can sit back and anticipate the fascinating experiences that await, from colonial history in Shimla and the energetic capital of Delhi to the iconic landmarks of Agra, Jaipur and stunning national parks.

Landing in Delhi late this morning, we transfer to our five-star hotel for a chance to unwind. Delhi is one of India's most colourful and exciting metropolises, where old and new exists in harmony. Our hotel is opposite the central Delhi forest, the green lungs of the city that protects it from hot desert winds blowing in from Rajasthan. The National Railway Museum is also a short distance away. Here, you can find items showcasing more than 160 years of railways in India.

With an outdoor pool and on-site spa facilities, the hotel is a great place to relax and acclimatise. You may also like to visit the Tea Lounge, where you will find an expansive array of coffees and exotic teas. This evening, we regroup to get to know one another better over dinner in the restaurant.

• Dinner

Early this morning, we transfer to New Delhi station for our first experience of India's railways. Boarding the AC Chair Class carriages of the Shatabdi Express, we travel the 170 miles to Kalka in a little over four hours.

From here, we switch to the UNESCO-listed, narrow-gauge Himalayan Queen, affectionately known as the 'Toy Train'. With a picnic lunch provided, we embark on a winding route through the Shivalik Hills. Our vintage train crosses hundreds of bridges and traverses 102 tunnels as we journey at a leisurely pace to the mountain town of Shimla. For those who would prefer, you can travel this route by car.

Formerly the summer capital of the British Raj, delightful Shimla enjoys a cooler climate than India's bustling cities. On arrival, we check in to our historic five-star hotel which has enjoyed wonderful views across the valleys and hills for more than a century. The centre of Shimla's social scene during the Raj, this hotel remains popular today with our customers. This evening, we enjoy dinner together in the hotel's restaurant.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, author and historian Raaja Bhasin presents an informative talk full of spellbinding stories about his hometown. Afterwards, we put this newfound knowledge of Shimla to good use as we are taxied around Shimla in private cars.

Our sightseeing begins at the Viceregal Lodge, Shimla's most historically important building. As the summer residence of the Indian Viceroy, the leader of the British Raj, many significant moments occurred here, including the discussions which lead to the Partition of India in 1947. This elaborate stately home has sat at the top of Observatory Hill since 1888. Today, it is surrounded by manicured gardens and offers fantastic views of cedar-dappled hills.

Next, we visit the colourful Sankat Mochan Temple, a serene complex dedicated to Hindu god Hanuman, where we admire idols to deities including Rama, Shiva and Ganesha. The tour continues at the Gothic revival Gaiety Theatre. Popular with Bollywood filmmakers to this day, this hall of irrefutably British style has seen many famous people tread its boards, including Rudyard Kipling and Robert Baden-Powell.

Later, we enjoy dinner back at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is spent at leisure among the fresh mountain air and beautiful tree-covered slopes of Shimla. One option is to take a trip to Kufri, where the sense of entering the elemental Himalayas really dawns. Although a resort with many amenities, visiting Kufri really feels like you are heading off the beaten track. From here, indulge in the luxury of a high-tea lunch in the opulent surroundings of Wildflower Hall.

Alternatively, take a leisurely stroll down Mall Road and the Ridge, the centre of Shimla's colonial town. Enjoy great views from Scandal Point - so named as it was once a popular place for people to gather and share gossip - before admiring the charming Children's Library and stately Christ Church. With classic British architecture, these buildings wouldn't look out of place around a peaceful English village green. In the afternoon, you could also make your way to Lakkar Bazaar, a long stretch of open-air stalls selling traditional woodwork and souvenirs.

This evening, we regroup at our hotel for dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our time in the Himalayas draws to a close after breakfast this morning. Leaving Shimla, we return down the mountains in private cars, navigating the twisting route amid incredible scenery of verdant valleys fading into the haze.

At Chandigarh Junction railway station, we board the train in AC Chair Class for our journey back to Delhi. With a picnic lunch to enjoy at our seats, we can observe daily life in the state of Haryana, from the buzz of large towns to pastoral rural scenes that pass by our windows, spotting the occasional temple enroute.

We arrive back at our five-star Delhi hotel in late afternoon, with time to relax or take a dip in the pool before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Founded in 1648, after Shah Janan moved his capital here from Agra, we uncover Delhi's attractions on a sightseeing tour with a local guide today. Travelling by coach, we first head to Jama Masjid to view one of India's largest mosques. After a short rickshaw ride through narrow streets of Chandni Chowk bazaar, we pass the striking Red Fort and the simple but moving Gandhi memorial, Raj Ghat.

There is free time over lunch before we explore New Delhi's colonial architecture, designed in part by Edward Lutyens. Its ceremonial centre, Kartavya Path, contains the India Gate triumphal arch and Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of India's president. After a visit to the opulent 16th-century tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun, we conclude our tour at the Gandhi Smriti Museum. Anti-colonial nationalist and nonviolent campaigner Mahatma Gandhi spent his final days here, until he was assassinated in 1948. We learn about the life of the man who Indians call the 'Father of the Nation' through informative artefacts and personal items.

We return to our hotel this evening in time for dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A highlight of your holiday awaits today. Leaving Delhi on the Gatimaan Express after breakfast, we travel to Agra in AC Chair Class. On arrival, we head straight to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World - the Taj Mahal.

Poetry in white marble, the UNESCO-listed mausoleum complex was built by emperor Shah Jahan to honour his wife Mumtaz Mahal and is regarded as the pinnacle of Mughal architecture. On a guided tour, we discover why this spellbinding structure is regularly considered to be the most beautiful building ever built.

Later, we check in to our five-star hotel, where there is time to relax before visiting the imposing red sandstone Agra Fort. The centrepiece of this historic complex is the Musamman Burj, an octagonal tower with a marble balcony where Shah Jahan spent his last eight years of his life imprisoned, in view of the Taj Mahal. Inside the fort are some exquisite specimens of Mughal architecture, including the Moti Masjid - a white marble mosque.

After a day sightseeing, we return to our hotel for dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Agra after breakfast this morning, we board a comfortable coach as we travel to the perfectly preserved red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri. Constructed under the orders of Mughal emperor Akbar the Great in the 16th century it acted as India's political capital for just 14 years before it was abandoned due to lack of water.

Remarkably, this deserted city remains almost exactly as it was more than 400 years ago, giving us an insight into the opulent lifestyle of the Mughal Empire. On a guided tour, we visit the emperor's private chambers and the Palace of Jodha Bai. The complex includes one of the largest mosques in India, the impressive Jama Masjid. Outside here stands the astounding Buland Darwaza, or Door of Victory, built to commemorate Akbar's victory over Gujarat.

Continuing into Rajasthan, we stop at the Laxmi Palace Vilas, built in the 1850s as a home for a prince, where we enjoy a traditional lunch. Later, we travel on to Ranthambore, checking in to our hotel for two nights and gathering for dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A naturalist joins us after a relaxed morning to deliver a talk on the region's renowned wildlife. Heading out after lunch, we begin a highlight of this trip to India.

In modern open-topped vehicles called 'canters', we embark on a safari into Ranthambore National Park. Declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973, it is a favourite among wildlife photographers and tourists as it can be possible to see a mighty Bengal tiger in the wild. These regal animals are elusive, but we will be keeping our eyes peeled in the hope of seeing a majestic beast basking in the sun or sauntering through the wilderness.

While Bengal tigers are the main attraction, Ranthambore National Park is also home to a whole host of incredible species. With leopards, hyenas, caracals, crocodiles, mongooses, cobras, pythons and jackals prowling the landscape, our safari should prove memorable. We return to the hotel where we can discuss the afternoon's viewing over dinner this evening, ready for an early start tomorrow.

*On certain departures, we will have two safaris on this day, followed by a morning at leisure on Day 11

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hopping back into the open-topped 'canters', we set out on an early morning safari in the pristine wilderness of Ranthambore National Park. Heading out early increases our chances of seeing the native wildlife, such as sloth bears, macaques, wild boar and leopards. Guided through this evocative landscape by local experts who understand the animals better than anyone, we hopefully have a chance of seeing an elusive Bengal tiger.

After breakfast back at our hotel, there is time to relax before lunch. Later, we leave the gorgeous surroundings of Ranthambore National Park this afternoon and make the journey by comfortable coach to beautiful Jaipur. Enroute, there is time to discuss this morning's wildlife sightings or unwind as rural Rajasthan passes by our windows.

On arrival in Jaipur this evening, we check in to our modern five-star hotel on the edge of the city for two nights, where we also have dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As the citizens of Jaipur prepared for the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876, the local ruler - Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II - decided to paint the city in shades of resplendent pink, the colour of hospitality. The prince, who later became King Edward VII, named Jaipur the 'Pink City' and this moniker has remained ever since.

Our sightseeing tour of this colourful city begins with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Jantar Mantar, an early 18th-century astronomical observatory, before we view the Mughal and Rajput architecture of the 17th-century City Palace. One of Jaipur's most renowned sights is the Palace of the Winds, with its five-storey façade of pink and yellow sandstone, latticed to reveal a stunning honeycomb effect.

Afterwards, we experience Jaipur in a unique way as we ride in pink tuk tuks. Operated entirely by women, this is part of a social enterprise project to provide the city's women with the opportunity for their own livelihoods. The rest of the day is at leisure, and you can unwind at our hotel or explore Jaipur's excellent shopping options.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast this morning, we travel by Jeep to the remarkable Amber Fort. On our journey, it's possible to spot camels and decorated elephants. Amber Fort is believed to have been built for the Rajput maharajas around 1600.

The serene UNESCO-listed palace first appears almost as a mirage on top of Aravalli Hill overlooking Maota Lake. We have the chance to explore the ornate rooms of the palace complex and its enchanting Jaleb Chowk courtyard. With intricately decorated walls, ornamental Charbagh gardens and rugged views of surrounding mountains, it's easy to be utterly spellbound by this majestic reminder of India and Rajasthan's glorious history.

This afternoon we close the sides of the Golden Triangle as we are transferred by coach back to Delhi. Returning to our five-star hotel, we gather this evening for our final dinner together to look back on this exquisite Indian adventure.

• Breakfast, Dinner

India and its stunning Golden Triangle has been revealed through magical palaces, spectacular wildlife and colonial past. From the cool Himalayan foothills around Shimla to the dazzling landscapes of Rajasthan, we have explored the contrasts and cultures of northern India. Being guided through Delhi and Jaipur on rickshaws and tuk tuks provided an authentic glimpse into the bustling cities, while guided tours allowed us to admire the beauty of the Taj Mahal, Amber Fort and Ranthambore's wildlife-dominated landscapes.

Checking out of our Delhi hotel for the final time with a picnic breakfast this morning, we transfer to the airport for our flight back home. Landing at London Heathrow, your Indian exploration comes to a conclusion.

• Breakfast