As well as Golden Triangle gems, this trip has some sacred specials. Head to Varanasi to see life on the Ganges, and Ranthambore National Park to spot the sacred tiger.
DelhiJaipur2 game drives in Ranthambore National ParkFatehpur SikriTaj MahalVaranasi and the Ganges
North India holidays will always feature a colourful swirl of romance and rickshaws with the luscious pinks of Jaipur blending effortlessly with the russet red sunsets over the Amber Fort in Agra.
On a round trip from Delhi, this fabulous ten day north India holiday incorporates all of the iconic highlights from the region with time spent people watching on the banks of the River Ganges, just as enthralling as an afternoon game drive in the peaceful confines of Ranthambore National Park.
This is one Northern India holiday that never fails to excite and relax in equal measures with visits to the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort just as memorable as overnight train journeys to Varanasi and back to Delhi.
Map
Price information
£2075To£3775including UK flights
Convert currency:
From £1095 - £1395 excluding flights. Optional single supplement from £185 - £215. Minimum age 16.
Contact Us
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Holiday information
Small group tour, ideal for solos & couples:
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modeled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. For those with limited time, a small group tour will save valuable time in planning, and on holiday.
Our top tip:
Have cushion, will travel. This is best rule of thumb for this busy trip, with lots of travelling by bus and train. So have something cosy to cuddle.
Trip type:
Small group with maximum 16 people. Min. age 16
Solos:
Solo travellers welcome, with surcharge for single rooms.
Accomm:
6 nights in standard, ensuite city hotels. 2 sleeper train journeys.
Included:
Flights, accommodation, all breakfasts except day 1, 1 lunch, all transport, tour leader.
Meals:
Allow £13 -15/day for lunch and dinner.
Diet:
We cater for both vegetarians and vegans.
Reviews
1 Reviews of Northern India holidays
4 out of 5 stars
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Reviewed on 08 Nov 2016 by Janet Morris
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The visit to Ranthambore
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't bother to take a book to read as you'll spend all your time looking at India passing you by.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
To some extent, although the interaction with local people is limited
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent value for money
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet
Wildlife With the exception of summer departures, this tour includes the wonderful chance to visit Ranthambore National Park for 2 game drives. Ranthambore is a tiger reserve under Project Tiger- a conservation effort which has now been running with progressing success for over 40 years. Tigers have been targeted for centuries by poachers for their fur and various body parts for Chinese medicine, but with increasing tourist numbers investing in a mutually safe form of tiger tourism, population numbers are on the rise. By paying National Park fees at Ranthambore, this tour contributes to the upkeep of this vital habitat for the tigers, deer, crocodiles, bird and plant life etc.
Accommodation & Meals This trip sees you spend 6 nights in standard city tourist hotels with en suite facilities two nights in an overnight train with air conditioning from Agra to Varanasi and Varanasi to Delhi. You will notice that our hotels employ locally and use local produce from markets in the area wherever possible. The hotels are waste and energy conscious and have their own policies like asking guests to turn off the power when leaving a room in order to save electricity. Where meals are not supplied, our group leaders always encourage people to try local restaurants and street food vendors. They can make recommendations which will help boost small businesses and celebrate local specialties. In Jaipur, Varanasi and Delhi, clients can even see how the food is made e.g. Masala Chai (Tea), Samosa (Mashed Potato Snacks), Jalebe (Indian Donuts), Lassi (Yoghurt Drink), etc.
UK Office: It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
People
Charity For years we have been involved in campaigning for tiger conservation in Bandhavgarh. In late summer 2014 we teamed up with The Corbett Foundation, an Indian charity dedicated to conservation-oriented research. They have proved instrumental in enabling us to get the funds to where they are needed. Through this we have now completed the building of a community hall at Tala Village, solar pumps in the park for wildlife and staff in the dry season, bio gas plants and smart stoves for villagers and provided the salary for 2 full time teachers at the government school. Our work in India continues to be of great significance and most recently we have been able to purchase a 4 wheel drive medical vehicle and pay for outreach medical support.
Local Craft & Culture We are keen to encourage guests to engage with the culture of Northern India and to purchase local crafts and services where possible. Your local guide will be able to recommend the best of the areas colourful and vibrant markets and small businesses and through our commerce, tourist wealth is more evenly distributed. You might pick up some street food in Delhi or in Varanasi take the opportunity to explore the emporiums specialising in silks and brocades, have a massage by the banks of the Ganges or buy block printed material and pottery in Jaipur. There are locally crafted gifts and souvenirs available by most of the landmarks we visit, and your guides will be able to advise you on which to buy and which to avoid. For example, some bangles and other decorative items in Jaipur claim to be made of ivory and, although this is mostly fake, we are against the popularisation of this kind of product and make a point of including a warning in the briefing.
Group Size: This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.