Day 1 : ARRIVAL DELHI Upon your arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, a tour representative will meet and greet you before leading you to the transfer to your hotel for check-in. Delhi is a bustling metropolis where the past and the present merge, both defining the capital’s cultural and architectural heritage. If you’re feeling knackered after the flight, you can stay in the hotel to put your feet up and make the most of the available services. But if you’re itching to start exploring this fascinating city, then hit the streets and explore this bustling metropolis on your own pale. You could also join our optional Bollywood performance at the Kingdom of Dreams (not included). Overnight in Delhi. Day 2 : DELHI Breakfast at the hotel is followed by a morning sightseeing tour of Old Delhi – the 300-year-old walled city built by Emperor Shah Jehan in 1648 to be his capital, which he named after himself. The magnificent Red Fort (closed on Mondays) built of red sandstone contains within its walls marble palaces and a grand audience chamber, the Diwan-i-Khas, where Moghul emperors held court and the Peacock Throne once stood. Opposite the fort is the black-and-white onion domes and minarets of the Jama Masjid, the most elegant mosque in India. Drive past Kotla Firoze Shah, the ruins of a 14th-century fort and the Ashokan Pillar of the year 3 BC. Then visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948. In the afternoon, it’s time for a tour of New Delhi, the new capital designed by Sir Edward Lutyens. Drive past the Presidential Palace and the Secretariat buildings – the centre of all government activity – and down the main avenue, the impressive Rajpath, to the World War I memorial arch, the India Gate. Visit Humayun’s Tomb, the 72-meter-high Qutub Minar and the ruins of Quwat-ul-Eslam Mosque. You’ll even see Delhi’s most curious antique: the uncorroded Iron Pillar, which dates back to the 4th century AD. Overnight in Delhi. Day 3 : DELHI – JAIPUR (255 km – 6 hrs) Start the day with breakfast at the hotel and then proceed with a leisurely drive to Jaipur. En route, make a stop to visit the fascinating Samode Palace, a lavish building brimming with a mix of Mughal and Rajasthani art that will truly make you feel like a member of royalty. In this historical setting you will also enjoy lunch. Once you have finished admiring the building and filling up, continue the drive to Jaipur. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel and spend the remained of the afternoon free, exploring your new destination at your leisure. Overnight in Jaipur. Day 4 : JAIPUR Breakfast at the hotel is followed by a morning sightseeing tour of Jaipur, starting with the Amber Fort. This is one of the most fascinating forts in all of India, comprising a palace of mirrors, a hall of a public audience and many beautiful gardens, all of which give us a glimpse of the majestic life it housed in a bygone era. The tour continues in the afternoon with a city tour, stopping at Hawa Mahal, the ‘Palace of the Winds’, and later visiting the Jantar Mantar, the largest observatory made of stone and marble in the world. The observatory contains 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition. End the tour with the City Palace, now a museum containing a fine collection of Rajput and Moghul paintings, rare manuscripts and an armory. Overnight in Jaipur. Day 5 : JAIPUR – FATEHPUR SIKRI – AGRA (235 km – 7 hrs) After replenishing your energy with breakfast at the hotel, depart for Agra, and make a stop en route to visit the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri. This city was built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century but was deserted 14 years after its founding because of a scarcity of water. Visit the remarkably well-preserved and graceful buildings of the 'Ghost City', including the Jama Masjid, the tomb of Salim Chisti, the Panch Mahal Palace and other palaces that speak of the grandeur and splendor of the Mughal empire at the height of its power. Continue the drive to Agra and check-in on arrival. Overnight in Agra. Day 6 : AGRA Start the day with breakfast at the hotel followed by a visit to the world-famous Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays). Erected by Shah Jahan in 1630 to enshrine his queen Mumtaz Mahal’s mortal remains, this architectural marvel is a perfectly proportioned masterpiece fashioned entirely from white marble that stands testimony to the skill of the 20,000 craftsmen brought together from Persia, Turkey, France, and Italy to erect it. This 'Love Poem in Marble' took 17 years to complete. Later proceed to visit the Agra Fort, also built by Emperor Akbar. Constructed with red sandstone, the Agra Fort is a breath-taking combination of Islamic and Hindu architectural styles. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon and spend the remainder of the day free at leisure Overnight in Agra. Day 7 : AGRA – DEPART DELHI (220 km – 4 hrs) Begin the day with one last breakfast at the hotel before beginning the drive back to Delhi, where a transfer will take you to the airport to board your flight to your following destination.