Best of Northern India

Best of Northern India Overview

Discover the jewels of Northern India on our holiday to Jaipur, Delhi, Agra and Varanasi

Offering a blend of magical experiences, this short holiday manages to capture the very essence of northern India. We start out in the ‘Pink City' of Jaipur, famed for its skilled gem-stone cutters and fabled jewellery shops. One of the most attractive cities of the princely state of Rajasthan; with its splendid Palace of the Breeze, the Jantar Mantar Observatory and the imposing Amber Fort, Jaipur was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2019. We then drive through rural India to the ‘Project Tiger' reserve of Ranthambore, where we have included evening and morning game drives to give us the best chance of spotting a tiger, in addition to a huge diversity of other wildlife. Continuing our journey eastwards, we visit the Emperor Akbar's abandoned ghost palace of Fatehpur Sikri, once seat of the Mughal Empire. We arrive at Agra and prepare ourselves for what will undoubtedly be the highlight for many: experiencing sunrise over the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum and tribute to his beloved wife. Agra Fort takes many by surprise, overshadowed as it is by the Taj Mahal. The sheer scale and workmanship of this red sandstone and white marble palace is incredible and is surely worthy of the trip to Agra alone. We then take a night train to Varanasi, known as the City of Light, a nod to the candle-lit evening prayer ceremonies that take place on the ghats of the River Ganges. We take to the river at dawn by boat to observe the countless Hindu pilgrims coming to bathe in the holy waters and to pray and give offerings. We round off this incredible voyage with a sightseeing tour of Delhi, to explore the temples and bazaars the city is famed for. A holiday for those seeking complete sensory immersion into the fascinating cultural experience that is northern India.   View our full range of walking and trekking holidays in India.