'Golden Triangle' India Private Tour -7d/6n

Please Note: Breakfasts only are included on this tour, except at Ramathra Fort hotel where all meals are included. Otherwise lunches & dinners are additional and can be taken at restaurants/hotels of your choice.

DAY 1:
Arrive Delhi by flight.
Delhi Airport-Agra by road (210 KMS/4 HRS)

Arrive Delhi International Airport.

Please Note:
If you are travelling on an India e-Visa please carry a hardcopy of the approval & ensure you go to the e-Visa counters at the end of the Immigration Hall.

You will meet our Target Tours travel executive in the arrival hall, after collecting your luggage & passing through customs. The Target Tours executive will provide a briefing of your tour and introduce you to your driver before your transfer to the hotel in Agra.

Depart by road to Agra using the Expressway. Hotel check-in time in Agra is from 1400 hrs.

AGRA
This was the seat of the Mughal Empire before it moved its capital to Delhi. Agra is home to some of the most inspired Mughal architecture including the Taj Mahal. In the 16th & 17th centuries the Mughal Courts were at their most powerful and were great patrons of the arts. Agra attracted artisans, poets, and musicians from across India, and also nearby regions, transforming the city into a renowned cultural and architectural centre.

In the evening, enjoy a guided cultural walking tour of Agra. Explore the city’s hidden laneways, bustling spice market, and religious mosques and temples. Sample treats at a 200-year-old sweets shop, hop on a cycle rickshaw, and learn why Hindu families dress their idols. Hear the legends that have been passed down through generations and learn how modern-day India is reshaping itself. Finish it all up with the spectacular sight of the Taj Mahal from a secret spot.

Overnight stay at your choice of Agra hotel:
4-Star Grand Mercure in a Deluxe Room (hotel renamed Grand Mercure from 01JUL23)
OR 5-Star Trident Hotel in a Deluxe Garden View Room

DAY 2:
Exploring Agra & transfer to Ramathra (205 kms 4 hrs; B = breakfast included)

This morning, arise early and experience the Taj Mahal at sunrise to avoid the crowds.

Described as a most extravagant monument ever built for love, this sublime Mughal mausoleum is India’s most ogled icon. The Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child in 1631. The death of Mumtaz left the emperor so heartbroken that his hair is said to have turned grey virtually overnight. Construction of the Taj began in the same year and was not completed until 1653. Not long after completion, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb and imprisoned in Agra Fort where, for the rest of his days, he could only gaze out at his creation through a window. Following his death in 1666, Shah Jahan was buried in Taj Mahal alongside Mumtaz.

Return to your hotel for breakfast.

Next visit Agra Fort (aka the Red Fort). Commissioned by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565 it is another of Agra’s UN World Heritage Sites.  It was constructed before 1000 AD but was later renovated by Akbar. The red sandstone fort was converted into a palace during Shah Jahan’s time and reworked extensively with marble & Pietra dura inlay. 

Also visit a local market.

Later depart to Ramathra by road, On arrival check in at hotel.

Ramathra was granted as a jagir (fiefdom)in 1645 AD to Thakur Bhoj Pal by his father the Maharaja of Karauli. The name Ramathra honours Lord Rama, who, it is believed, camped here while on his epic journey to Lanka. Today, Ramathra Fort belongs to Thakur Brijendra Raj Pal and his family who are descendents of the founder.

Dinner & Overnight stay at Ramathra Fort hotel.

DAY 3: Ramathra – Jaipur by road (165 KMS/3-4 HRS) (D,B,L)

Breakfast in the hotel

This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Ramathra.
Ramathra Village walk, a complete walking tour of Ramathra village, a small hamlet of farmers and cattle herders, takes about 3 hours. You see all kinds of work associated with the tending crops and animals; Bird Watching, there are a variety of species of birds seen around the Fort & Lake. Bird watching can be done at the lake, at the marshes below the fort or during your walk to the village.

After lunch check out from the hotel and Continue your drive to Jaipur and check in at your hotel.

Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It is the first well planned city of India and is now the capital city of Rajasthan state. Jaipur reflects the taste of the Rajput’s and their Royal families. Jaipur has evolved to become a major business centre.

Overnight stay at your choice of Jaipur hotel.
4-star Shahpura House Hotel in a Deluxe Room
OR 5-Star Trident Hotel in a Deluxe Garden View Room

DAY 4:
Explore Jaipur (B)

Breakfast in the hotel

Your full day tour of Jaipur includes:
Amber Fort – A UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated at top of the rugged Aravali hills 11 km north of the city. Amber fort is an awesome  example of Rajput architecture. Ascend to the fort on Elephant’s back and return by vehicle. Amber was once the ancient capital of the Jaipur state.

Continue your exploration of Jaipur city visiting Hawa Mahal – Palace of Winds. This five-storied building which looks out over the main street of the old city and is one of Jaipur’s major landmarks. Hawa Mahal was built to enable the ladies of the royal families to watch the daily life of the city.

Jantar Mantar – Constructed by Raja Jai Singh in 1728, an excellent example of marvellous precision, where each component has a specific purpose to measure the position of stars, altitudes and azimuths and for calculating eclipses. The most striking instrument is the Sun Dial, which is 90 feet high.

City Palace Museum – A mix of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture, where part of the palace is still the house of the former Maharaja of Jaipur. Explore the galleries displaying the armoury, clothes, and art of the Rajput clan.

Take the opportunity for shopping. Jaipur is known as a shopper’s paradise famous for jewellery, handicrafts, carpets, blue pottery, and textiles.

Overnight stay at your choice of Jaipur hotel.
4-star Shahpura House Hotel in a Deluxe Room
OR 5-Star Trident Hotel in a Deluxe Garden View Room

DAY 5:
Jaipur-Delhi by road (265 KMS/5-6 HRS) (B)

Breakfast in the hotel.

Delhi –India’s capital is packed with captivating ancient monuments, magnificent museums, a vibrant performing-arts scene and some of India’s best restaurants.

This evening visit Gurudwara Bangla Sahib – this is one of Delhi’s most important Sikh gurdwara, or Sikh houses of worship. Well-known for its association with the eighth Sikh Guru Har Krishan, as well as the pool inside its complex, the ‘Sarovar.’

Later this evening enjoy meandering through Khan Market, one of the more upmarket shopping precincts in Delhi. This area boasts some of the best shopping and eating options in the city.

Overnight stay at your choice of Delhi hotel.
4-Star Suryaa Hotel in a Deluxe Room
OR 5-Star Le Meridien in an Executive Room

DAY 6:
Exploring Delhi (B)

Breakfast in the hotel

DELHI
The capital of India, home to 16 million people, is the third largest city in India. The strategic location of the city ensured it served as the capital for the great empires that ruled India. These empires constructed significant monuments, the most visible being from the Mughal and the British. However, touring through the city will bring to you ruins from previous capitals, the earliest dating back to the 12th century.

Today at 9: 00 AM meet your guide in the hotel lobby for your full day sightseeing tour of Old & New Delhi.

Drive past the Red Fort (Monday closed – a UNESCO World Heritage site)
Red Fort is a historic fort in the centre of Delhi. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty for nearly 200 years, up until 1856, and it houses several museums. In addition to accommodating the emperors and their households, it was the ceremonial and political centre of the Mughal state.

Visit the Jama Masjid – the Great Mughal Mosque
This is one of the largest mosques in India. Located in Old Delhi, it was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656 at a cost of 1 million rupees and was inaugurated by an Imam from Bukhara, (Uzbekistan). The mosque was completed in 1656 AD. Approximately 5000 craftsmen were involved in the construction of the mosque and the massive courtyard can accommodate more than 25,000 persons. On the floor inside the mosque are a total of 899 black borders marked for worshippers.

For your next escapade in Old Delhi, navigate the bustling alleyways through the fabled Chandni Chowk, literally translated as ‘Silver Square’. Designed by Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan’s favorite daughter, it becme the commercial hub of the Mughal era and at that time inhabited by the wealthier families of the city.

Continue on to Raj Ghat (the memorial of the father of the nation of India, Mahatma Gandhi).

We recommend you enjoy lunch (at your own expense) at Chor Bizarre restaurant located near India Gate in New Delhi, as you move between Old Delhi & New Delhi on your tour. The restaurant serves authentic regional Indian cuisine in a unique atmosphere.

This afternoon visit Humayun’s Tomb – One of the earliest examples of a Mughal Garden Tomb, the prototype for future tombs such as the Taj Mahal. Recently the gardens, tomb and monuments have been restored to their former glory.

View Qutab Minar (UNESCO World Heritage site)
Qutub Minar is a 73 m tall tapering tower of five storeys. A 14.3 metres base diameter reduces to 2.7 metres at the peak. It houses a spiral staircase of 379 steps. The walls consist of intricately carved quotations from Koran. Qutab Minar is acknowledged as one of the most perfect towers of the Persian world.

The tour also includes a drive through of the the Lutyens Delhi, an upmarket residential area notable for its unique British Raj era architectural style; India Gate (The War Memorial) and also a drive past President’s Palace & Parliament House.

After the tour return to the hotel.

Overnight stay at your choice of Delhi hotel.
4-Star Suryaa Hotel in a Deluxe Room
OR 5-Star Le Meridien in an Executive Room

DAY 7:
Depart Delhi by flight (B)

Breakfast in the hotel.

Transfer by private vehicle to Delhi International or Domestic airport for your onwards flight.

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