Golden Triangle tours in India
| country: | India |
| location: | Rajasthan, Golden Triangle in India |
| departures: | 2010: 29 Jan, 26 Feb, 12 Mar, 2 Apr, 30 Jul, 13 Aug, 22 Oct, 5 Nov, 3 Dec, 21 Dec, 28 Dec 2011: 28 Jan, 25 Feb, 25 Mar, 15 Apr, 5 Aug, 26 Aug |
| price: | From £895 - £1265 (10 days) including flights from the UK. From £385 - £405 excluding flights. Optional single supplement £150. Price includes accommodation, 8 breakfasts, 1 dinner, transport, tour leader and driver. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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This cultural trip uses a variety of mainly public transport to explore the key highlights of the Golden Triangle and also includes time in the relaxing holy desert town of Pushkar. Flexibility and a sense of adventure are recommended!
Delhi & the Taj:
Arriving in the capital we take the newly opened metro to head straight to Chandni Chowk, the chaotic heart of Old Delhi, where a trip around the bazaar by cycle rickshaw is the best way to experience quintessential India full on! We also visit the Jami Masjid, India's most beautiful mosque. In Agra, sunrise is the best time to visit the breathtakingly beautiful Taj Mahal and there's also time to explore the impressive Fort. We then journey by bus to Akbar's red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri (AD 1574) where he played human chess with dancing girls as pieces.
Birds & the 'Pink City':
Our next stop, Bharatpur, is right by the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. This tranquil World Heritage Site is a birdwatcher's paradise which can by explored by either bike or cycle rickshaw. A train journey takes us to Jaipur, Rajasthan's famous 'Pink City', where you can discover the unusual Observatory, graceful Palace of the Winds or perhaps browse through the exotic jewellery market. At the hilltop fortress of Amber which can be reached on an elephant, there are awesome views over the deserts beyond.
Holy Pushkar:
The small town of Pushkar nestles in a narrow dry valley with a holy lake at its heart and is a popular pilgrimage spot for Hindus. With its laid back atmosphere, it's the perfect spot for a camel safari into the surrounding desert or a stroll to the hilltop Savitri temple. Or why not while away some time in one of the lakeside cafes? A final train sees us make full circle back to Delhi.
Included highlights:
Highlights of North India on a 'shoestring' Marvel at the Taj Mahal & Jaipur's forts & palaces Take a desert camel safari from laid-back Pushkar
Delhi & the Taj:
Arriving in the capital we take the newly opened metro to head straight to Chandni Chowk, the chaotic heart of Old Delhi, where a trip around the bazaar by cycle rickshaw is the best way to experience quintessential India full on! We also visit the Jami Masjid, India's most beautiful mosque. In Agra, sunrise is the best time to visit the breathtakingly beautiful Taj Mahal and there's also time to explore the impressive Fort. We then journey by bus to Akbar's red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri (AD 1574) where he played human chess with dancing girls as pieces.
Birds & the 'Pink City':
Our next stop, Bharatpur, is right by the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. This tranquil World Heritage Site is a birdwatcher's paradise which can by explored by either bike or cycle rickshaw. A train journey takes us to Jaipur, Rajasthan's famous 'Pink City', where you can discover the unusual Observatory, graceful Palace of the Winds or perhaps browse through the exotic jewellery market. At the hilltop fortress of Amber which can be reached on an elephant, there are awesome views over the deserts beyond.
Holy Pushkar:
The small town of Pushkar nestles in a narrow dry valley with a holy lake at its heart and is a popular pilgrimage spot for Hindus. With its laid back atmosphere, it's the perfect spot for a camel safari into the surrounding desert or a stroll to the hilltop Savitri temple. Or why not while away some time in one of the lakeside cafes? A final train sees us make full circle back to Delhi.
Included highlights:
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly Delhi. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Delhi. |
| Day 3: | Optional Old Delhi by cycle rickshaw; train Agra. |
| Day 4: | Optional Taj Mahal at sunrise & Agra Fort. |
| Day 5: | Drive Bharatpur via Fatehpur Sikri; optional visit Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary. |
| Day 6: | Train Jaipur; orientation walk; optional Palace of the Winds, Observatory. |
| Day 7: | Optional visit to Amber Fort & elephant ride. |
| Day 8: | To Pushkar by train and jeep; optional camel safari. |
| Day 9: | In Pushkar; PM train Delhi. |
| Day 10: | Fly London. |
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment:
Most journeys on this tour are made by rail. Travelling by public transport is not only a great way to get a flavour of the country and mix with local people; it’s better for the environment as it reduces our reliance on specially chartered vehicles. We operate to a strict Responsible Tourism Policy and this ensures that a high environmental standard is maintained on this tour; particularly on our overnight desert camp. We also ensure that the animals we use are well treated and able to manage their workload. Community: Using public transport whenever practical and staying at simple, locally owned hotels and guesthouses, these tours really get off the beaten tourist track. Accompanied by an expert tour leader, we travel and mix with local people every day and seek out the most authentic local places, truly getting under the skin of the destination. The itinerary and activities are planned to be as flexible as possible, so you have the freedom to do your own thing: join in as much or as little as you want – it’s a very un-packaged experience! In order to give you the best insight into the local culture we employ local tour leaders on this trip who can offer a true insight into local life, as well as explain the history and culture of the region. Using local leaders is consistent with our policy to generate local employment and deliver direct economic benefits to the areas we are travelling in. It is important that the people who work for us are treated fairly and confident in their work. This is why we take care to train all our local tour leaders and give them all the support they need to do their job well. We support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |