The Golden Triangle & Holi Festival

Breakfast at the hotel. The first order of the day is an exciting Jeep transfer to the atmospheric Amber Fort. Here you can see the palace of Jag Mandir and the famous Sheesh Mahal, a room embedded with beautiful, bright pieces of mirror, all the while imagining the glamorous lives of the Maharajas. 

Next up, visit the much-photographed Hawa Mahal, Palace of the Winds, one of India's most beloved historic buildings with a fascinating past. In the afternoon, it's back to Jaipur for a city tour, including the illustrious Palace of the Maharaja, home to an informative museum that brings this era to life.

Afterwards, get to know a little about India's scientific achievements at the Jantar Mantar, the largest observatory in the world. Imagine star-gazing from here! Overnight stay in Jaipur. 

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you will be taking part in the festivities of Holi, known as the festival of colors, love and spring, one of the most important celebrations in Hindu culture held in February or March depending on the Moon’s placement in the Gregorian calendar. You will be celebrating with a local family for a truly authentic experience.

To many Hindus, Holi festivities mark an occasion to reset and renew ruptured relationships, end conflicts and rid themselves of accumulated emotional impurities from the past. For this reason, not only is it a playful cultural event used as an excuse to throw coloured water at friends or strangers in jest but also a deeply meaningful spiritual experience. 

To fully experience the splendor of Holi, you will be provided with pichkaris, little syringes filled with colored water to be sprayed around and a Kurta pajama, the traditional attire worn during the festival. In addition, you will get to enjoy a delicious lunch with an included alcoholic beverage (beer) and witness a Chang dance performance, a cultural extravaganza to be remembered forever!  After the celebration, return to your hotel and overnight stay in Jaipur.

Breakfast at the hotel. You're getting closer to iconic Agra. Stop in the ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri, where time stands still, and pass through the Bulund Darwaza gateway, the highest gateway in the world and a monument of Mughal might! 

Arrive in Agra and you'll notice the contrasts between red sandstone and white marble in the city's buildings and feel its tantalizing charms. Transfer to the hotel for check-in and in the afternoon visit the Agra Fort, a formidable structure which houses the picturesque Pearl Mosque. Just walking through the main gate, you'll feel like Mughal royalty! Return to the hotel and overnight stay in Agra.

Estimated transfer distance 146 miles / 235 km.

Breakfast at the hotel. It's finally here, the day you tick the legendary Taj Mahal off of your bucket list! The ivory-white marble mausoleum, the brilliant domes, the fountain and that famous bench where everyone has their photo taken; today you'll experience it all for yourself! Home to the tomb of a Mughal Emperors beloved wife, both the story and the beauty of the structure itself may well leave you feeling teary-eyed and filled with a warm fuzzy feeling.

Take some time to soak it all up and take the perfect photo, one you'll treasure for a lifetime. Afterwards, enjoy a scenic afternoon drive back to Delhi, where you can spend the remainder of the day reminiscing about your journey and all the wonderful, soul-stirring sights you've seen as well as the warm people who've shared their culture with you along the way. Overnight stay in Delhi.

Estimated transfer distance 130 miles / 210 km.