19-Day Colors of India Tour

Tour Overview

Tour Highlights

• Explore Delhi, Mandawa (Shekhawati), Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra, and Varanasi.
• Behold Shah Jahan’s ivory-white marble mausoleum in early morning light.
• Walk inside the inhabited golden sandstone citadel of Jaisalmer Fort and enjoy a sunset camel safari at Sam Sand Dunes.
• Track Royal Bengal Tigers on open-top 4x4 Jeep drives in Ranthambore National Park.
• Boat past the Lake Palace and Jag Mandir island pavilion in Udaipur.
• Attend the evening Ganga Aarti and take a sunrise boat ride on the River Ganges, followed by an excursion to Sarnath.

Tour Information

Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Delhi & Hotel Transfer

   Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in Delhi. Meet your private driver and transfer to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day relaxing or taking a walk around the local markets.

2. Day 2: Full-Day Sightseeing Tour of Old & New Delhi

   After breakfast, explore Old Delhi with visits to Jama Masjid, a rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, and a drive past the Red Fort. In the afternoon, discover New Delhi: visit Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, India Gate, and drive past Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Parliament House.

3. Day 3: Drive from Delhi to Mandawa (Shekhawati Region)

   After breakfast, check out and drive 5.5 hours west into the Shekhawati region to Mandawa. Famous for its 18th- and 19th-century merchant mansions (havelis), take a walking tour of the town to admire intricately painted frescoes. Check into a heritage hotel.

4. Day 4: Drive from Mandawa to Bikaner & Junagarh Fort Tour

   Depart Mandawa and drive 3.5 hours west across semi-arid terrain to the desert city of Bikaner. Check into your hotel and visit Junagarh Fort, an unbreached fortress featuring grand halls like Karan Mahal and Anup Mahal. Visit the Karni Mata Temple (Deshnoke) or the National Research Centre on Camel in the late afternoon.

5. Day 5: Drive from Bikaner to Jaisalmer (The Golden City)

   After breakfast, embark on a 5.5-hour drive west across the Thar Desert to Jaisalmer. Pass desert hamlets and wind farms along the highway. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and enjoy sunset views of Jaisalmer Fort from local city viewpoints.

6. Day 6: Jaisalmer Living Fort Tour & Sam Sand Dunes Sunset

   Explore Jaisalmer Fort (Sonar Qila), one of the world's few living forts home to local families, shops, and centuries-old Jain temples. Tour Patwon ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli. In the late afternoon, drive to Sam Sand Dunes for a camel trek across desert dunes as the sun sets, followed by a cultural folk dance performance.

7. Day 7: Drive from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur (The Blue City)

   Depart Jaisalmer and drive 5 hours east across desert roads to Jodhpur. Upon arrival, check into your hotel. In the afternoon, visit Jaswant Thada, a white marble royal memorial, and take a guided walking tour through the narrow, blue-painted alleys of the old city around the Clock Tower market.

8. Day 8: Mehrangarh Fort & Drive to Udaipur via Ranakpur

   In the morning, tour the grand Mehrangarh Fort, perched 400 feet above Jodhpur. Afterwards, drive south into the Aravalli hills toward Udaipur. En route, visit the Ranakpur Jain Temple, famous for its white marble architecture supported by 1,444 uniquely carved pillars. Arrive in Udaipur and check into your hotel.

9. Day 9: Full-Day Sightseeing in Udaipur & Lake Pichola Boat Cruise

   Spend the day discovering Udaipur with your guide. Tour the grand City Palace, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan overlooking Lake Pichola. Visit Jagdish Temple and Saheliyon-ki-Bari (Garden of the Maidens). In the late afternoon, enjoy a scenic boat cruise on Lake Pichola, floating past Jag Mandir island.

10. Day 10: Drive from Udaipur to Pushkar via Ajmer

    After breakfast, drive 5 hours northeast across central Rajasthan to the holy town of Pushkar. Walk around sacred Pushkar Lake, visit the rare Brahma Temple, and wander through local craft markets. Check into your hotel.

11. Day 11: Drive from Pushkar to Jaipur (The Pink City)

    Depart Pushkar and take a smooth 3-hour drive to Jaipur. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and meet your local guide. Visit the City Palace complex, Jantar Mantar observatory, and stop for photographs at the lattice windows of Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds).

12. Day 12: Amber Fort Sightseeing & Drive to Ranthambore

    In the morning, visit Amber Fort, perched high in the Aravalli Hills. Walk through its royal courtyards and the mirror-adorned Sheesh Mahal. Stop at Jal Mahal (Water Palace) for photos. In the afternoon, drive 3.5 hours south to Ranthambore National Park. Check into your jungle resort and enjoy dinner.

13. Day 13: Morning & Afternoon Tiger Safaris in Ranthambore

    Head out early in an open 4x4 Jeep or Canter for a morning jungle safari in Ranthambore National Park, accompanied by a naturalist guide tracking Bengal tigers, leopards, and sambar deer. Return to the resort for breakfast and rest during midday hours. In the late afternoon, set out for your second safari across core tiger zones.

14. Day 14: Drive from Ranthambore to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri

    After breakfast, drive toward Agra. Stop en route to explore Emperor Akbar's 16th-century red sandstone ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri and its monumental Buland Darwaza. Arrive in Agra, check into your hotel, and visit Agra Fort, finishing with sunset views of the Taj Mahal from Mehtab Bagh.

15. Day 15: Taj Mahal Sunrise, Drive to Delhi & Fly to Varanasi

    Rise early for a breathtaking sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Return to the hotel for breakfast and check out. Drive 3.5 hours back to Delhi via the Yamuna Expressway and head directly to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) for a 1.5-hour domestic flight to Varanasi. Upon arrival in Varanasi, check into your hotel.

16. Day 16: Sunrise Boat Cruise, Varanasi City Tour & Evening Ganga Aarti

    At dawn, take a boat cruise along the River Ganges to witness morning prayers, rituals, and sunrise over the historic ghats. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor area and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). In the evening, attend the spiritual Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat.

17. Day 17: Excursion to Sarnath & Varanasi Heritage Walk

    In the morning, take a 10 km excursion to Sarnath, where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. Explore the Dhamek Stupa, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, and the Sarnath Archaeological Museum. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided walking tour through Varanasi’s narrow silk-weaving lanes.

18. Day 18: Fly from Varanasi back to Delhi

    Enjoy a relaxed morning in Varanasi. After checking out, transfer to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS) for a domestic flight back to Delhi. Arrive in Delhi, transfer to your hotel, and spend your final evening enjoying souvenir shopping or dining.

19. Day 19: Final Departure from Delhi

    Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Depending on your flight schedule, your private driver will transfer you to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) for your international flight home.

What’s Included