Taj to Varanasi
- Best price guaranteed
- No booking fees
- COVID-19protected
- Explorer
- duration 12 days
- tour type Group
- guiding method Live Guide/Instructor
- Old & New Delhi
- Pink city of Jaipur
- Tordi Garh
- Abhaneri step well
This 12-day tour of Northern India takes you to the holy city of Varanasi located on the banks of the Ganges River, the pink city of Jaipur, rural Rajasthan and Agra - the home of the Taj Mahal mausoleum.
We’ll kick things off in Delhi, exploring both the old and new sides of this busy city before we make our way south to Rajasthan, famous for its towering forts and palaces and rich cultural history.
When in Jaipur, we’ll make our way to the Amber Fort, the City Palace and explore the strange Jantar Mantar Observatory, before visiting some of its renown craft and produce markets. Our next stop is a visit to the ancient village of Tordi, where we’ll reside in a redesigned palace and explore the remote village and its surroundings, giving you an authentic feel of rural Indian life.
We’ll also head to the massive Chand Baori stepwell at Abanheri - the largest of its kind in the world before exploring the variety of birdlife on show in the Keoladeo National Park via a guided cycle rickshaw ride.
As we make our way to Agra, we’ll visit the well-preserved, deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri. Once we reach Agra - we’ll get our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal - one of the world’s most iconic monuments. We’ll then head off the beaten track a bit, exploring the Mughal Heritage Walk led by a local villager, as you gain unique insight into the life of the villagers on the banks of the Yamuna River and spectacular views of the Taj.
We’ll view the spectacular Taj Mahal once more at sunrise - watching how its colour changes with the morning light before visiting the Agra Fort and some of the less visited regions of the city. We then board an overnight sleeper train to Varanasi - one of the world’s oldest and holiest cities. We’ll enjoy an early morning boat ride on the serene waters of the Ganges before joining in on an evening Aarti ceremony giving candlelit offerings to the river, enjoy a home-cooked meal with a muslim family, explore a weavers village famous for making some of the best saris in the whole of India, and visit Sarnath, where the Lord Buddha preached his first sermon.
We’ll board one more sleeper train back to Delhi (flight upgrades are available if preferred). On this India Tour, we’ll stay in a mix of comfortable mid-range modern-style hotels and heritage hotels converted from Havelis and Palaces. An extended version of this tour is also available which heads north from Varanasi into Nepal (check our Delhi to Kathmandu tour for details).
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Day 1 : Welcome to Delhi
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Day 2 : Exploring Delhi and a street food experience
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Day 3 : Goodbye Delhi, Hello Jaipur. Optional activity available
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Day 4 : Exploring Jaipur. Optional activity available
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Day 5 : A visit to the Tordi Village. Optional activities available
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Day 6 : Birdwatching in the Keoladeo National Park and a visit to the world’s largest stepwell
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Day 7 : The magnificent Taj Mahal. Optional activity available
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Day 8 : Sunrise at the Taj Mahal
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Day 9 : Exploring the villages of Varanasi
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Day 10 : A boat trip on the Ganges and a Hindu cooking lesson
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Day 11 : Free day in Delhi. Flights and transfers included
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Day 12 : Free time in Delhi. Airport transfer included
- All accommodation in mid-range hotels and heritage properties
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (11 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner)
- All transport and transfers in AC vehicles
- 24-hour airport arrival & departure transfer service
- Services of a local tour leader and specialist local guides
- 2nd class AC sleeper train journeys from Agra-Varanasi and Varanasi-Delhi
- Sightseeing tours and activities as per the itinerary
- International flights (available on request)
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance (compulsory, available on request)
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Drinks, snacks and other personal expenses (e.g. laundry)
- Tips for drivers and guides
- Entrance fees (allow approx. US$139)
- Any other items not mentioned above
- Real-time prices and availability.
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No additional cancellation fees apply for this Taj to Varanasi tour. You can cancel the tour up to 56 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 55 days of departure.
PaymentFor any tour departures within 21 March 2021, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 21 March 2021, a deposit of 250 USD is required to confirm the tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 55 days before trip departure.
Travel InsuranceTaj to Varanasi tour requires that you have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. We recommend using World Nomads' travel insurance.
VisaFor this Taj to Varanasi tour getting the required visa(s) is the responsibility for each individual traveller, as visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. We recommend to check with your local embassies representing the countries that you are travelling to, as part of this itinerary.
COVID-19 Safety MeasuresThis trip incorporates the following COVID-19 measures:
- Tours will be reduced to smaller group sizes to protect against COVID-19.
- Wearing a mask, hand washing and sanitizing has been implemented per local government advice. Frequent disinfection of regularly touched surfaces is highly encouraged. Hygiene safety measures and distancing will be ensured in our accommodations and also during transportation.
- Several COVID-19 distancing measures have been adopted on this package tour to keep travellers safe.
- This package trip adheres to protocols which are in line with the recommendations from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s ‘Safe Travel’ guidelines.