India's Golden Triangle, Tigers & Shimla

Your spectacular Indian vacation begins today in Delhi. Delhi is one of India's most colorful and exciting metropolises, where old and new exist in harmony. Upon landing, transfer independently to our five-star hotel, which offers a stunning retreat within the busy streets of New Delhi. If you have free time upon checking in, you could relax in the hotel's pool, which overlooks the city and is a great place to acclimate to your new surroundings. Alternatively, you could begin your vacation with pampering in the on-site spa facilities.

This evening, meet the Tour Manager and your group of fellow travelers for a welcome meeting that reveals all the wonders to come in majestic India. Following our meeting, we head to the hotel's restaurant to enjoy our first meal together. Overnight New Delhi.

• Dinner

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

From here, we board the World Heritage, narrow-gauge Himalayan Queen, affectionately known as the "Toy Train." We begin our meandering route through the scenic Shivalik Hills with a picnic lunch provided. Traveling at a leisurely pace, our train crosses hundreds of bridges and enters 102 tunnels en route to the relaxed hill town of Shimla. Those who prefer can take the trip up to Shimla by car instead.

Formerly the summer capital of the British Raj, Shimla has a cooler climate than Delhi. On arrival, we check into our historic five-star hotel, which has provided wonderful views across the valleys and hills for over a century and was once the center of Shimla's social scene during the Raj. This evening, we dine in the hotel restaurant. Overnight Shimla.

Please Note - For departures February 12 & 15 and November 10 we will stay at the WelcomHotel Elysium Shimla hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, author and historian Raaja Bhasin presents an informative talk full of stories about his hometown. Afterward, we embark on a guided tour of 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 discussions that led 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 formal gardens with views over cedar-dappled hills. Next, we visit the colorful Sankat Mochan Temple, a serene complex dedicated to the Hindu god Hanuman, which also pays tribute to other deities including Rama, Shiva and Ganesha.

After having lunch at a local restaurant, our tour continues with a walk to the Gothic Revival Gaiety Theatre. Popular with Bollywood filmmakers to this day, this hall has seen many famous people tread its boards, including Rudyard Kipling and Robert Baden-Powell.

Later, we enjoy dinner back at our hotel. Overnight Shimla.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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

Alternatively, take a stroll down Mall Road and the Ridge, the center of Shimla's colonial town. There are great views from Scandal Point - once a popular place for people to gather and share gossip - and you could look around 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. This afternoon, you could make your way to Lakkar Bazaar, a long stretch of open-air stalls, where traditional woodwork and souvenirs are sold.

We regroup this evening for dinner at the hotel. Overnight Shimla.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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

We stop to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then continue to Chandigarh Junction railway station, where we board the train in AC Chair Class for our journey back to Delhi. We can observe daily life in the state of Haryana from our windows - from buzzing towns to pastoral rural scenes. We may even be able to spot the occasional temple en route to the bustling city.

We arrive back in New Delhi in the late afternoon and make our way to the hotel for check-in, before dinner this evening. Overnight New Delhi.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Founded in 1648, after Shah Jahan moved his capital here from Agra, Delhi is filled with intrigue and attractions, which we discover on a sightseeing tour with a local guide. Traveling by coach, we first head to Jama Masjid to view one of India's largest mosques. After a short rickshaw ride through the 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. Its ceremonial center, Kartavya Path, contains the India Gate triumphal arch and Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of India's president. After a visit to the 16th-century tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun, we conclude our tour at the Gandhi Smriti Museum. The peaceful campaigner Mahatma Gandhi spent his final days here until he was assassinated in 1948. We learn about the life of the man whom Indians call the "Father of the Nation" through informative artifacts and his personal items.

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

• Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Agra after breakfast this morning, we board a comfortable coach and 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 a 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 and Akbar himself. On a guided tour, we visit the emperor's private chambers and the Palace of Jodha Bai, as well as the Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Residence - famed for its carved central pillar often called the Lotus Throne.

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

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a relaxed morning, a naturalist joins us 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. Previously the private hunting grounds of the maharajas, the park was declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973. Since then, it has become a favorite among wildlife photographers and tourists, as it is possible to spot a Bengal tiger in the wild. These animals are elusive, but with the help of our knowledgeable guide, we may be lucky to see one basking in the sun or sauntering through the wilderness.

While Bengal tigers are the main attraction, Ranthambore National Park is home to a host of species. With leopards, hyenas, caracals, crocodiles, mongooses, cobras, pythons and jackals prowling, our safari should prove memorable. We return to the hotel before dinner this evening. Overnight Ranthambore.

*On certain departures, we will have two safaris on this day, followed by a morning at leisure on Day 10

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hopping back into the open-topped vehicles, we set out on an early morning safari in the pristine wilderness of Ranthambore National Park. Heading out early increases our chances of seeing wildlife, such as sloth bears, macaques, wild boar and leopards. We are guided through this evocative landscape by a local naturalist who understands the daily patterns of the animals, hopefully improving our chance of seeing an elusive Bengal tiger.

After breakfast back at our hotel, there is time to relax before lunch is served. This afternoon, we leave the Ranthambore National Park and make the journey to beautiful Jaipur by coach. En route, we enjoy a moving picture of rural Rajasthan from our windows and pause at the Birla Mandir in Jaipur.

This marble structure is full of intricate carvings and has been an important religious destination since it was built. On arrival, we watch an evening aarti ritual before continuing to our five-star hotel on the edge of the city. We have dinner upon checking in this evening. Overnight Jaipur.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As 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 pink, the color of hospitality. The prince, who later became King Edward VII, named Jaipur the "Pink City," and this title has remained ever since.

Our sightseeing tour of this historic and colorful city begins with one of Jaipur's most renowned sights - the Palace of the Winds. Its incredible five-story façade of pink and yellow sandstone is latticed to reveal a stunning honeycomb effect. Next, we 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.

Afterward, we experience Jaipur in a unique way as we ride through the sights in pink tuk-tuks operated entirely by women. The rest of the day is at leisure, and you could unwind at our hotel or explore Jaipur's excellent shops at your own pace before dinner this evening. Overnight Jaipur.

• Breakfast, Dinner

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

Nearing the Amber Fort, we board Jeeps up to hilltop entrance. The serene UNESCO-listed palace first appears almost as a mirage, floating above the Aravalli Hills and overlooking Maota Lake. We arrive with a chance to explore the ornate rooms of the palace complex and its enchanting Jaleb Chowk courtyard. With intricately decorated walls, ornamental gardens and rugged views of surrounding mountains, it is easy to be spellbound by this reminder of India and Rajasthan's grandiose history.

This afternoon, we close the sides of the Golden Triangle as we are transferred by coach back to New Delhi, making stops enroute to enhance our journey. Returning to our five-star hotel, we gather this evening for dinner, marking the final night of this exquisite Indian adventure. Overnight New Delhi.

• Breakfast, Dinner

India and its stunning Golden Triangle have been revealed through ornate palaces, spectacular wildlife and colonial cities, where the past mingles with the present. From the shady 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 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.

Your Indian exploration comes to a close today after breakfast. Checking out of our Delhi hotel for the final time, you are free to make your way to Delhi's airport and begin your onward travel home.

• Breakfast