Golden Triangle with Tigers Overview: This tour blends the best of India’s art, history and culture. Your tour will begin in Delhi, Capital City of independent India which rewards the determined sightseer with more than a thousand monuments. You will then journey to Agra, home to the iconic Taj Mahal. Search for elusive Royal Bengal tigers in their natural habitat in Ranthambhore National Park, one of India’s premier national parks. The journey begins and ends in Delhi. Next you journey to discover the proud and valorous regal splendor of Rajasthan in Jaipur amongst its magnificent forts and palaces, mansions and landscaped estates.

Highlights of the tour

• Experience the contrast between Old and New Delhi • Visit World Heritage Sites –Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, Amber Fort & Jantar Mantar in

Jaipur, Taj Mahal and Red Fort in Agra • Stunning views of the Taj Mahal • Magnificent fort and palaces in Jaipur • Game drives in Ranthambhore National Park • Living cultures, gentle folks, grand vistas

Quick Reference Itinerary

Day Date Destinations

01 01 Feb’19, Fri Arrive Delhi

02 02 Feb’19, Sat Delhi

03 03 Feb’19, Sun Delhi / Agra

04 04 Feb’19, Mon Agra / Bharatpur / Ranthambhore

05 05 Feb’19, Tue Ranthambhore

06 06 Feb’19, Wed Ranthambhore

07 07 Feb’19, Thurs Ranthambhore / Jaipur

08 08 Feb’19, Fri Jaipur

09 09 Feb’19, Sat Jaipur / Delhi

10 10 Feb’19, Sun Delhi / Departure

Map:

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01 – 01 Feb’19, Fri Arrive Delhi On arrival at the Indira Gandhi International airport, proceed for immigration clearance after disembarking. Thereafter collect baggage from the baggage carousel and walk to the arrivals lounge after clearing customs. You will be greeted by our company representative, with a placard bearing your name on it. He will assist you with your luggage, transfer you to the hotel and hand over the travel documents for your India tour. (Check in time at the hotel is 1400 hrs / Check Out time is 12 noon) Overnight at The Claridges – Deluxe Room

Day 02 – 02 Feb’19, Sat Delhi Breakfast at the hotel Your guided tour of Old Delhi in the morning will focus on magnificence of Jama Masjid and a pedi-cab ride through Chandni Chowk with its busy bazaars with narrow streets. Each lane specializes in a commodity: Khari Baoli is famous for its spices, Dariba Kalan for is the lane of jewellers and silversmiths while Kinare Bazaar sells a bewildering array of tinsel sequins. Afternoon guided tour of New Delhi includes: Vijay Chowk - vantage point for grand sweep of British Raj Era Buildings; Humayun’s Tomb -first Mughal garden tomb and inspiration for several later monuments such as the incomparable Taj Mahal; Sikh Temple Bangla Sahib - topped with gold onion domes is an important shrine having a constant hive of activity and the Qutab Minar – towers. Note: Red Fort and Museums in Delhi remain closed on Mondays Overnight at the hotel

Day 03 – 03 Feb’19, Sun Delhi / Agra (240 Kms, 4 hours) After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Agra Arrive at Agra and check into your hotel Check in at the hotel is 1400 hrs / Check Out is at 12 noon

After guided visit of the city - visit the impressive Red Fort, built by Emperor Akbar in between 1567 and 1573. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it encompasses an enormous complex of courtly buildings. Next tour to experience the wonderful effects caused by the reflections of the setting Sun in front of the Taj Mahal. With its shimmering white marble domes and exquisite craftsmanship, the Taj Mahal is Agra’s pride and one of the world’s greatest monuments. Built in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz, the Taj is inlaid with black marble and semi-precious stones on its inside and outside, while the entire Koran is inscribed on the exterior of its main dome. Note: Taj Mahal remains closed on Fridays

Overnight at The Oberoi Amarvilas – Premier Room Day 04 – 04 Feb’19, Mon Agra / Bharatpur / Ranthambhore (270 Kms, 5 – 5.5 hours) After breakfast at the hotel, drive about 1 hour to Bharatpur Visit the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary with a local naturalist. The park apart from the wetlands has patches of grassland, woodland and acacia scrub. Your mode of transport inside the park is cycle rickshaw but frequently we will have to walk on to the trails where the rickshaws cannot go. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue your drive to Ranthambhore Arrive at Ranthambhore and check into your hotel (Check in time at the hotel is 1400 hrs / Check Out time is 12 noon) Overnight at Khem Villas – Standard Room

Day 05 – 05 Feb’19, Tue Ranthambhore Full day safari permit in Ranthambhore National Park. You will be allowed to be inside the park from sunrise to sunset. Game drives in Ranthambhore National Park are done by sharing small 4WD vehicles called Gypsy that seat 4 to 6 person For full days visitors’ entry is permitted 15 minutes before the normal entry time & also an extra 15 minutes window is available post normal safari timings. This permit also allows you to have no zone restriction, you can choose to visit any of the zones, allowing you ultimate freedom & flexibility in tracking wildlife. Overnight at the hotel

Day 06 – 06 Feb’19, Wed Ranthambhore Full day safari permit in Ranthambhore National Park. You will be allowed to be inside the park from sunrise to sunset. Overnight at the hotel Day 07 – 07 Feb’19, Thurs Ranthambhore / Jaipur (170 kms, 3.5 – 4 hours) You will be woken up before sunrise. After tea or coffee, you will go on game drive in Gypsy accompanied by a local park naturalist. After lunch, drive to Jaipur

Arrive at Jaipur and transfer to the hotel (Check in time at the hotel is 1400 hrs / Check Out time is 12 noon)

Rest of the day at leisure Overnight at Dera Mandawa – Suite Room Day 08 – 08 Feb’19, Fri Jaipur Breakfast at the hotel Morning guided excursion to the Amber Fort. You will have an opportunity ride up to the fort on elephant back. Crowning a hill crest it offers panoramic view of moated lake and historical old town at its base. Stop and admire the picturesque 18 century Jal Mahal "Water Palace"

Your city sightseeing today will includes labyrinth of fascinating bazaars, opulent palaces and historical sights. You will head towards the old walled city area which has the city palace, an astronomical observatory and bazaars that sell everything from shoes to jewellery. Visit from outside the whimsical Hawa Mahal "Palace of Winds" erected in 1799 to enable the veiled ladies of the harem to observe unnoticed the lively streets below; City Palace Museum - which provides splendid introduction to Jaipur's princely past, and its’ fascinating arts and crafts. End the day by viewing the Jantar Mantar - Royal observatory. Built between 1728 and 1734 and has been described as "the most realistic and logical landscape in stone". Overnight at the hotel Day 09 – 09 Feb’19, Sat Jaipur / Delhi Breakfast at the hotel Morning at leisure at the hotel Later transfer to the airport to board flight for Delhi Jaipur / Delhi – Air India - AI 492 - 1330 / 1425 hrs (Reporting time for domestic flight is at least 1 hour prior to flight departure time) Meeting and assistance on arrival at the Delhi airport and transfer to your hotel (Check in time at the hotel is 1400 hrs / Check Out time is 12 noon) Overnight at Roseate House – Deluxe Room Day 10 – 10 Feb’19, Sun Delhi / Departure

Later transfer to the airport to board international flight for onward journey (Reporting time for international flights is at least 3 hours prior to flight departure time) End of Services

************

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS TO PRE BOOK GAME DRIVES IN NATIONAL PARK Limited numbers of visitors are allowed inside the National Parks. Booking is done on first cum first serve basis. Therefore, we would request you to please send us the following information at the earliest in order to enable us to book game drives or a scanned copy of the relevant pages of the passports.

Inclusive of: Non-inclusive of:

• Accommodation in a double occupancy room in the hotels mentioned above

• Breakfast at all the hotels • All meals at the hotel in Ranthambhore • Arrival & Departure transfers and

inter-city drives in private chauffeur driven AC Toyota Innova (MUV)

• Sightseeing tours as mentioned in the itinerary

• Services of an English speaking local guide for the sightseeing tours

• Monument entrance fee (one visit only)

• Pedi-cab ride in Delhi • Visit to bird sanctuary in Bharatpur • Lunch at a local restaurant in

Bharatpur • Two full day safari permits and one

morning drive by exclusive jeep in Ranthambhore

• Bottles of packaged drinking water in the vehicle during road journeys

• All presently applicable taxes

• Domestic airfare (mentioned separately)

• Elephant ride at Amber Fort • International airfares • Travel & Health insurance • All international /domestic airport

taxes • Hotel early check in / Late check out • Overweight luggage • Personal expenses – mineral water,

telephone calls, laundry, etc • Tips & gratuities • Camera Fees • Other services/activities which are

not listed in inclusive column

1. Salutation (Mr/Mrs/Miss)

2. Passport Number

3. First Name as per Passport

4. Date of Issue of Passport

5. Last Name as per Passport

6. Date of Expiry of Passport

7. Nationality 8. Place of Issue of Passport

9. Date of Birth

EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING Casual clothing is the order of the day. Hard wearing, easy to wash travel clothes are ideal. We may wish to pack one set of slightly smarter clothes to wear at the hotels. Laundry service will be available at all the places we stay. Early morning can be cold (November to March) until the sun is up especially on game drives, in open top Jeeps and in the jungle. A light windproof or fleece jacket, warm hat, gloves and scarf are recommended. During the day we will need a wide brimmed sun hat and sunglasses. Lightweight, comfortable walking shoes are advised for throughout the holiday and for sightseeing. Special note: No bright colors in the field please, including brightly colored clothes, hats, gloves, etc. Although the birds and other wildlife are relatively approachable, muted colors are essential to improve our chances. We should bring a pair of binoculars in good repair. If we are keen birders we may want to bring a spotting scope. We should bring all the camera equipment, spare batteries and film that you will need. For digital camera users bring sufficient memory cards and storage. If we are using rechargeable batteries you will need to bring our charger and a travel adapter (round two pin). Plastic bags, cotton bags or pillowcases are useful to protect our camera equipment from dust and sand. A small daypack/camera bag is essential for carrying excess clothing, camera equipment and a water bottle.

For Further Reading:

Cities Visited

Delhi - Unlikely connections of the old and new are seen everywhere in Delhi – bullock-carts and cars; hand-pulled trolleys and trucks; Western fast food café’s and roadside golgappa ‘watery Indian bread’ carts; buses and rickshaws; suits and traditional Indian wear. Delhi is said to have been destroyed and rebuilt seven times during the reign of different royal dynasties,

hence the legend of the “seven cities of Delhi.” Modern archeological evidence show settlements in the region dating back to 1000 BC. Apart from Indraprastha, these included Quila Rai Pithora, Siri, Jahanpanah, Tughlakabad, Ferozabad and Shahjahanabad. Much like its hybrid culture, Delhi’s architecture is a fascinating mix of Indo-Saracenic monuments and a new urban metropolis. Its historic heart, Old Delhi, is a dense network of narrow alleys and tightly packed markets and houses while New Delhi conceptualized by the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and designed by Hebert Baker is symmetrical, lined with rows of trees, wide roads and grand colonial buildings. Then there is the “globalized” Delhi of glass-cased corporate offices, shopping malls, brands and dizzying traffic. Also known as ‘Dilli’ by the locals, the smells, sights and sounds of this city sweep your senses, disorienting and fascinating you at the same time. Gateway to the rest of India, Delhi is a truly cosmopolitan city and set to leave a lasting impression on every visitor.

Agra - Often overshadowed by Taj Mahal’s popularity, many are unaware of Agra’s other hidden wonders. The city’s surviving art, culture, architecture and royal cuisine from that era are exceptional. Skilled local craftsmanship is almost genetic here; with artisans designing vases and trays with Pietra dura technique (using cut and fitted, highly-polished colored stones to create images) and weaving embellished garments. You’ll find most of these items in the city’s bazaars. Although now a bustling industrial city, the beauty and elegance of its monuments and heritage shine on. Contemporary Agra can only be described as an intense yet grand experience. Ranthambhore was once the private game reserve of the maharaja of Jaipur. Said to be one of the most picturesque game reserves in the world, the entire forest being dominated by the silent, ruined battlements of Ranthambhore Fort. In 1972 it became the first project tiger reserve, a conservation project. This park lies in the shadows of the Aravali and Vindhya mountain range. Its core area of 275 sq. km. has razor-sharp ridges, deep boulder-filled gorges, lakes and thick jungles an ideal habitat for carnivores. Ranthambhore is noted for its tigers, which are not merely nocturnal, but frequently seen during the day, often stalking their prey in full view of visitors. Because of such sightings, Ranthambhore has become a favourite place for wildlife buffs and professional wildlife photographers. Other predators here are the leopards, caracal, hyena, jackal and jungle cat. Marsh crocodiles can also be seen basking by the banks of the lakes. There are various species of deer, such as the sambar, chital, chinkara, and Blue Bull antelope. Ranthambhore is also known for its rich birdlife, drawn here by the wide variety of flora and the lakes. Some of its many species of birds are the great Indian horned owl, various species of eagle, painted and white-necked stock, spoonbill, partridge and quail. Jaipur’s stunning hilltop forts and royal palaces on its desert landscape form an exotic backdrop to Rajasthan’s romantic capital. Part of the golden triangle along with Delhi and Agra, Jaipur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Its founder, Maharaja Jai Singh II was a lover of mathematics and science, and designed the city on principles of Indian astrology and Hindu concept of the universe. Traditionally the color of hospitality in Rajasthan, Jaipur was awash in pink to welcome Prince Albert in 1856. Since then, it’s become customary

to pink-wash the city’s buildings, thus popularizing Jaipur as the ‘Pink City’. Its old markets are famous for traditional crafts: hand-dyed and embroidered textiles, jewelry, precious stones and metals. Chaotic and congested at times, Jaipur can easily distract you with glimpses of its regal past, brilliant bazaars and some of the most colorfully dressed people on the planet.

SPECIAL NOTES

⎯ Prices are subject to change with any increase in the cost ⎯ Rates include only those items specified in your itinerary ⎯ In case of any currency fluctuations or amendment in local Government taxes, or any

fuel hike, we reserve the right to adjust the tour price accordingly ⎯ Flight schedule is subject to change without notice