Trip Style
National Geographic Journeys
Departures
Budget
Affordable
Max. Group Size
16
Pace
Leisurely
Guide Level
Fully Guided
Trip Code
AHHNG
Overview
Read reviews and enjoy exclusive savings on G Adventures 15 Day Journeys: Discover India. Delve into northern India’s cultural riches on an unforgettable journey from Delhi to Varanasi, Agra to Jaipur, and beyond. Discover the world’s most magnificent monument to love, the Taj Mahal; learn about the spiritual significance of the Ganges River with a local scholar; and gain insights into rural life in a quaint Rajasthani village. Get a glimpse of a rarely seen side of Delhi alongside a youth guide from a G Adventures–supported project, and immerse yourself in...read more the culinary heritage of Lucknow on a food tour.
Itinerary
There are no planned activities until the evening welcome meeting, so check into the hotel (check-in time is 12:00 noon) and begin exploring! Stay: Best Western International Maharani Bagh
Set out to discover Delhi, the capital of India, which consists of two cities: historic Delhi and New Delhi, built by the British in the early 20th century. Explore New Delhi’s lively Paharganj district with a youth guide from the G Adventures–supported City Walk project, and hear about how the program provides opportunities to disadvantaged street youth. Then delve into the narrow, winding lanes of Old Delhi on a rickshaw, visiting the 17th-century Jama Masjid—the largest mosque in India—and the Sikh temple Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib. Stay: Best Western International Maharani Bagh (B)
Fly to ancient Varanasi, one of Hinduism’s holiest cities, located on the banks of the Ganges River. Sit down at one of the picturesque ghats or steps that run along the river and enjoy a talk by a local scholar about Varanasi’s spiritual and social significance. Later, embark on a boat ride on the sacred Ganges, where more than a million pilgrims come each year to purify themselves and perform funeral rites for loved ones. Observe the evening aarti or prayer ceremony, and join pilgrims as they float candles and flower offerings down the river. Stay: Hotel Surya (B)
Pre-book the Varanasi Heritage Walk and enjoy a guided tour that focuses more on the local life in Varanasi and its philosophical and cultural values. Witness pilgrims singing and gain a deeper understanding of the importance of Varanasi in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Stay: Hotel Surya (B)
Travel to Lucknow, the former capital of the Muslim nawabs of Oudh, who were known as great patrons of art, architecture, dance, and music. Explore the imposing Bara Imbambara complex, an 18th-century Shia Muslim shrine which includes a mosque, a grand hall, ornate courtyards, and gateways. Then set out on a food tour of Lucknow with an expert local guide, sampling dishes that were developed for the royal family and delectable street eats—from spicy kebabs to a variety of curries, breads, and sweets. Stay: Best Western Lucknow (B/D)
Travel by private bus to Agra, a former capital of the Delhi sultanate as well as the Mughal Empire. Settle into your hotel and spend the evening at leisure. Stay: Da Bungalow (B)
This morning, visit the magnificent Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, this iconic mausoleum was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Later, travel to Ranthambore National Park—the fabled wildlife reserve that is said to have inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Stay: Pug Mark (B/D)
Spend the day exploring Ranthambore National Park, which once served as the private hunting ground of the maharajas of Jaipur. Set out on morning and evening safaris with local rangers in search of monkeys, deer, sloth bears, leopards, and, if we're lucky, the elusive Bengal tiger. Wander amid the ruins of the 10th-century Ranthambore Fort and visit the Trinetra Ganesha Temple, dedicated to the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha. Stay: Pug Mark (B/D)
India's "Pink City," also known as Jaipur, was founded in 1728, and has the distinction of being one of the best-planned pre-modern cities. Stay: Hotel Madhuban (B)
Explore Jaipur, known as the “Pink City” for its rose-coloured buildings. Take a tour of the sprawling Amber Fort, the former residence of Jaipur’s Rajput rulers; and visit Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Winds, a stunning five-story sandstone building with distinctive honeycombed windows. Discover the rich collections of the City Palace museum, and stop by the 18th-century royal observatory known as Jantar Mantar. This evening, enjoy a culinary experience with a local family, including a visit to a market and a cooking demonstration and meal in their home. Stay: Hotel Madhuban (B/D)
Nestled in the stunning valley of the Aravalli Range, near the edge of the holy town of Pushkar we stay in cottages which are constructed in the traditional thatched-roof style by local artisans. The camps concept is to give customers an experiential understanding of the rural Rajasthan life with all the comfort at the camp resort. Each accommodation has been made using local material, has large windows and verandah and private ensuite. The staff is from the surrounding hamlets and the camp has zero plastic use. Stay: Camp Landsend (B/D)
Udaipur is famous for its lakes and Raj-era palaces. The most famous of these, and certainly the most photographed, is the Lake Palace, which we view from the boat. This beautiful white marble palace is now a hotel and entirely covers a small island in Lake Pichola. Originally known as the Jag Niwas, the palace took three years to build and was inaugurated in 1746. Stay: Aaram Mahal (B)
During free time, journey out to the hilltop Monsoon Palace, summer resort of the Maharajas. Sit atop a hill with a panoramic view of the city’s lakes and watch the sunset. Stay: Aaram Mahal (B)
Fly to Delhi for your final evening in India, and opt to join your group for a farewell dinner. Stay: Best Western International Maharani Bagh (B)
Depart at any time. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Walk the backstreets of Delhi with a local guide.
- Enjoy a talk with a local historian and scholar.
- Explore the grand forts and palaces in Rajasthan.
- Enjoy a safari in Ranthambore National Park.
- Experience village life near the holy town of Pushkar.
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Ganges River Talk, Varanasi
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Lucknow Local Food Walk, Lucknow
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Family Culinary Experience, Jaipur
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Doongariya khurd Village Experience, Pushkar
- Your G for Good Moment: Women With Wheels Transfer, Indira Gandhi International Airport
- Your G for Good Moment: City Walk, Delhi
- Your G for Good Moment: Anoothi Block Printing Experience, Jaipur
- Your Wellness Moment: Yoga Class, Udaipur
- Rickshaw tour of Old Delhi
- Orientation walk of Varanasi and Pushkar
- Excursion to Sarnath
- Sunset and sunrise boat trips on the Ganges River
- Tour of Lucknow
- Bara Imambara visit
- Tour the Taj Mahal
- Safari drive
- Visit Ranthambore Fort and the Ganesh temple
- Tour Jaipur and visit Amber Fort
- Tour Udaipur
- Internal flights
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
- Hotels (13 Nights), cottage (1 Night)
- A variety of styles of hotels/guest houses are used in India. These can vary in terms of service, efficiency and cleanliness. In many instances they might not be like what you are used to back home. Power cuts can and are a regular occurrence in many places, especially throughout North and Central India. Although a number of hotels have generators there may be times when these won’t work. It is also recommended when you are in your room to lock the door, as staff will sometime enter without reason.
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides
- 14 breakfasts, 5 dinners
- Minibus, train, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, boat, plane, walking
- Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
Trip Reviews (1) Most Recent 'Journeys: Discover India' Reviews
5.0
5 Star
4 Star
3 Star
2 Star
1 Star
This was a fantastic tour, which easily exceeded our expectations. The itinerary is well designed, and while you can’t see everything in 2 weeks, it does tick most of the boxes. The use of domestic flights does remove some of the drudgery of all day trips, although you are paying extra for this of course. Flying in India does consume a fair chunk of ...read more the day still, but is obviously more relaxing overall.
Our guide was exceptional and very experienced. He carefully planned the schedule each day and often made minor modifications and adjustments, all of which were improvements. He always got the consent of the group before making any changes. A couple of the extra highlights he arranged were getting us into the Taj Mahal first, with a professional photographer, so we all got individual people-free photos in front of the Taj, which is no mean feat. He also organised two musicians (sitar and tabla), to accompany us on our dawn boat ride on the Ganges, which was a magical experience. He knew many good restaurants - paying as you go for most meals was good, because you don’t always feel like a big meal.
The pace of the tour may be a bit demanding in the first week, with 4 or 5 consecutive early starts, but if you examine the itinerary, you can see these are all worthwhile. Overall, it’s fine and there is good variation in the tour, both in sightseeing and travel mode. Our small group of 13 all got along very well and the provided buses and local guides were all great.
Being a National Geographic version of a G Adventure tour did seem to make the whole experience more comfortable and informative, while still having many opportunities to connect with local people. The small town visit to Jojawar was very rewarding. The company’s commitment to assisting the local disadvantaged appeared quite genuine as well.
If you can manage it, I would suggest perhaps spending an extra day in Delhi, to check out some of the sights missed on this tour eg. Huyamans Tomb, Red Fort etc. Getting around Delhi by car is a real pain however, so either do this on Sunday when the roads are quieter (i.e. the last day of this tour), or use the modern Metro rail system.
Our guide was exceptional and very experienced. He carefully planned the schedule each day and often made minor modifications and adjustments, all of which were improvements. He always got the consent of the group before making any changes. A couple of the extra highlights he arranged were getting us into the Taj Mahal first, with a professional photographer, so we all got individual people-free photos in front of the Taj, which is no mean feat. He also organised two musicians (sitar and tabla), to accompany us on our dawn boat ride on the Ganges, which was a magical experience. He knew many good restaurants - paying as you go for most meals was good, because you don’t always feel like a big meal.
The pace of the tour may be a bit demanding in the first week, with 4 or 5 consecutive early starts, but if you examine the itinerary, you can see these are all worthwhile. Overall, it’s fine and there is good variation in the tour, both in sightseeing and travel mode. Our small group of 13 all got along very well and the provided buses and local guides were all great.
Being a National Geographic version of a G Adventure tour did seem to make the whole experience more comfortable and informative, while still having many opportunities to connect with local people. The small town visit to Jojawar was very rewarding. The company’s commitment to assisting the local disadvantaged appeared quite genuine as well.
If you can manage it, I would suggest perhaps spending an extra day in Delhi, to check out some of the sights missed on this tour eg. Huyamans Tomb, Red Fort etc. Getting around Delhi by car is a real pain however, so either do this on Sunday when the roads are quieter (i.e. the last day of this tour), or use the modern Metro rail system.
Brochure
G Adventures National Geographic Journeys (2023-24)
Combining National Geographic’s more than 130 years of global exploration, science, and storytelling, with the fun, responsible, and culturally immersive travel experiences for which G Adventures is a global leader. Support global initiatives, community projects, and enjoy access to exclusive ventures. Dive into a blend of comfort and discovery, just...more as the renowned National Geographic explorers did.
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Note
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in Australia. T&C’s apply.
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in Australia. T&C’s apply.
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by G Adventures. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from G Adventures. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by G Adventures. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from G Adventures. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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