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India: The Taj Mahal and Beyond
11 Days Tour
Sept 2025 - Mar 2026
Rolled out like a fine carpet, India is an intriguing tapestry of discovery, its ancient cities full of decadent palaces, ornate mausoleums and tranquil gardens shaped by centuries of rule by maharajas and Mughal emperors. Discover India’s most iconic cities on this unforgettable journey from Mumbai to Delhi, via the lakeside palaces of Udaipur, rose-hued Jaipur and the Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, in all its symmetrical majesty. Perfectly tailored to your tastes, this journey connects you with in-the-know local guides who will bring India’s fascinating stories to life, and hands you the keys each night to exceptional hotels – among the finest in the world – fit for a maharaja.
Experience India at its finest, delving into the glories of the Mughal Empire and the frenetic whirl of the country as it is today
Stay in some of India’s most luxurious hotels, landmarks in their own right
Lose yourself in the thrilling rhythms of Mumbai, birthplace of Bollywood and the home of impressive national monuments
Witness a flamboyant puja ceremony in Madurai, one of the oldest and most sacred Hindu cities
Be awed by the Brihadishwara Temple, the grand showpiece of Thanjavur’s Chola heritage
Take in the opulent colonnades and courtyards of Chettinad’s 19th-century mansions
Discover Kochi’s rich past and myriad cultural influences on a morning tour of the city
Join a local chef in Pondicherry for a tour of the market and a lesson in delicious Creole cookery
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A city of bold brilliance spilling onto the Arabian Sea
With 21 million residents, India’s largest city is a loud whirlwind of experiences: impromptu cricket matches in winding gullies (alleys); a twinkle-eyed barter in the Chor Bazaar; the first fiery bite of a potato-stuffed vada pav street snack. Lavish, dome-topped palaces stand as grand bookmarks in a storied past, while the Gateway of India – a symbol of the nation, on the city’s busy waterfront – is brought to life as the saffron beams of the setting sun pass through its graceful arch.
Your HIDDEN JOURNEYS Experiences: Discover some of Mumbai’s greatest architecture on a privately guided tour: visit the palatial Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the elegant residences of Malabar Hill and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum for its extensive collection of miniature paintings and Tibetan art.
Your Hotel:The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
Palatial discoveries on serene, shimmering lakes
A city of palaces, islands and sunsets reflected in lotus-strewn waters, Udaipur is India at its most evocative – set on the banks of tranquil Lake Pichola. Some of the country’s most lavish temples and havelis (mansions) are here, as if clamoring for a spot by the water. Explore the ornate tombs of the Jagdish Temple, wander amid the fountains and ponds of the Saheliyon-ki-Bari garden or take in the city’s timeless grace from the water, with the Aravalli Range rolling away behind the rooftops.
Your HIDDEN JOURNEYS Experiences: Discover the romance of Udaipur with an evening cruise on Lake Pichola as the sun dips behind the hills. Sail past Jag Mandir Palace, built on an island in 1622. This magnificent monument dazzles with its domes, pillars and fountains, as well as a row of marble guardian elephants.
Your Hotel:Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Rich architecture and royal stories in the Pink City
Like the forts that dominate its graceful skyline, Jaipur is regal to its blushing-pink core. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II commissioned the construction of this majestic place beneath the Aravalli mountains in 1727, endowing it with grand sights, from the Mughal facades of the City Palace to the ornate havelis that crowd the Old City. The romantic soul of the Rajasthani capital reveals itself in that rose-pink tangle of streets where the intoxicating scent of laal maas curries drifts through bazaars heaving with wood carvings, pottery and gleaming lacquer bangles.
Your HIDDEN JOURNEYS Experiences: Explore the Amber Fort, one of India’s most evocative sights. Built from red sandstone and marble, this ornately detailed Mughal citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is considered one of the finest hilltop forts in India, a regal maze of decorated halls, temples and immaculate gardens.
Grand histories and the world’s greatest monument to love
Though Agra bustles with bazaars and is littered with grand forts and mausoleums, many visitors find themselves lured to one wondrous thing: the Taj Mahal, the ivory-white crown jewel of Muslim architecture. Built in the mid-17th century by Shah Jahan for his late wife, it looms over the stillness of the Yamuna river, an edifice of elegance shimmering against the rise of the morning heat as bare feet step quietly across its marble floors.
Your HIDDEN JOURNEYS Experiences: Wake early and visit the Taj Mahal as the sun tinges its white marble of a blushing shade of rose. Later, set out for Agra Fort, a 14th-century Mughal palace that blends defensive and decorative architecture, before visiting Itmad-Ud-Daulah – nicknamed “Baby Taj" – a Persian-style tomb that rivals the Taj Mahal in architectural splendor.
Your Hotel:The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
A world of discoveries in India’s capital territory
This vast metropolis surrounding the capital, New Delhi, is a frenetic web at the heart of the nation, sending winding roads and railways in all directions – though Delhi has much to keep travelers within its grand, historic grip: the crimson towers of the Red Fort, the former home of Mughal emperors; the grand palm trees and lavish mausolea of the Lodi Gardens; and the bustling bazaars of Chandni Chowk, where everything – from heaps of spices to ornate rugs – is sold side by side.
Your HIDDEN JOURNEYS Experiences: Lose yourself in Old Delhi on a rickshaw ride exploring the colourful chaos of the Chandni Chowk shopping bazaar. Visit Raj Ghat, with its black marble platform marking the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948, before visiting Humayun’s Tomb – a grand 16th-century mausoleum that influenced the forms of the Taj Mahal.
Your Hotel: The Imperial, New Delhi
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