India's Golden Triangle & Tiger Safari

We leave London Heathrow on our overnight flight to Delhi, arriving in the morning of Day 2. We are then transferred into the heart of Delhi, where we spend two nights at the heritage 4-Star Maidens Hotel, located on the banks of the River Yamuna close to the quaint bazaars of Chandi Chowk.

Today we explore Delhi, India's vibrant, hectic, awe-inspiring capital city. We begin our tour with a rickshaw ride in Old Delhi. We visit Jama Masjid, a 17th-century mosque which is the largest in India, before taking a fascinating rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of Delhi's lively bazaar. As we head towards Chandi Chowk, we wind through a sea of pedestrians going about their everyday lives.

We leave the enticing aromas of street food behind and move on to New Delhi, where we visit Humayun's Tomb and Qutab Minar - India's tallest stone tower. Other highlights include India Gate, the Parliament Building and Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Early this morning we have our first experience of rail travel in India as we board the Gatimaan Express to Agra, home to the truly magical Taj Mahal. On arrival in Agra we visit the enormous Agra Fort, an enormous UNESCO listed complex that stands over Agra. Its red hued walls were built over 8 years, before being finished in 1573. The building was worked on every single day for that entire time period, due it its invaluable strategic position. We then cross Agra by coach to visit the Taj Mahal, another UNESCO world heritage site, and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Our sunset visit ensures we experience the magical aura as the sun's final rays catch the natural pink and red hues of the white marble. We leave the Taj Mahal after a truly captivating day and transfer to the Trident Hotel Agra, where we spend the night.

Today we travel by coach on an excursion to Fatehpur Sikri. Built in the 16th century as the brand new capital city of India, Fatehpur Sikri was abandoned after only 14 years of rule when local water supplies ran dry. The deserted city has been preserved in almost the exact state it was left in 400 years ago and provides a vivid glimpse into life during the time of the Mughal Empire.

After time to explore, we continue to Bharatpur where we take lunch together at a local restaurant. Later we travel by train to Sawai Madhopur, where we transfer to the Ranthambore Kothi Hotel, for a two-night stay.

Today we head into the Ranthambore National Park for an early morning game drive in open-topped safari vehicles called 'Canters', which are for the exclusive use of Great Rail Journeys' customers.

Many rare creatures such as leopards and panthers can be found here including hyenas, marsh crocodiles and sloth bears. The park's most popular resident, however, is the tiger. In fact, the park is one of the only places in India where the incredible tiger can still be found in the wild, thanks to the successful efforts of Project Tiger. To increase our chances of seeing all of the creatures, we embark on a second game drive in the afternoon.

Today we travel by coach to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. It is popularly known as the 'Pink City', as pink sandstone was used to construct the pretty buildings within the old city walls. On arrival, we check into our hotel for the next three nights.

This morning we embark on an exciting sightseeing tour of Jaipur. We head to the grand City Palace, which is home to the current Maharaja of Jaipur. The ornate building was completed in 1728, and is now enclosed by high walls and set in fine gardens. We also see the early 18th century Astronomical Observatory, a splendid complex featuring a number of early geometric devices for tracking locations of planets.

We then see the spectacular Palace of the Winds, an opulent red and pink sandstone building created for royal ladies to overlook the city without being seen. Your afternoon is spent at leisure.

Today we transfer to the ancient village of Amber, to visit the immense Amber Fort. Located high on a hillside, the fort was traditionally the royal stronghold, before Rajasthan's capital relocated to Jaipur. After ascending by jeep, you are free to stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls.

The views of the fortifications on the surrounding mountains are stunning. The imposing exterior of the defensive building contrasts with the intricate and detailed interior of the rooms. Many of the rooms have beautiful wall paintings with mirrors and precious stones inlaid in the walls.

We travel by coach to the town of Patan today. On arrival, we are transferred by camel cart to the Patan Mahal Palace Hotel. Built around 1790, shortly after the battle of Badal- Mahal, the Patan Mahal Palace has been lovingly turned into a heritage hotel, and is ours for today and this evening. As befi tting visitors to a palace, we receive a royal welcome when we reach the grounds, and are decorated with flowers and rangoli.

This afternoon we enjoy a guided walking tour of Patan town, a wonderful opportunity to see life in an unspoilt rural Indian town, a world away from the hustle and bustle of the big Indian cities. Tonight we are indulge with a farewell gala dinner in the grounds of our palace hotel, a fitting end to our Indian odyssey.

Today we bid farewell to the Patan Mahal, and drive to Delhi. Here we connect with our overnight flight to London, where we arrive on Day 12.