13 days/12 nights
Guided Small Group Adventure Tour
Guide Price €1,095 per person (based on 2 adults sharing)
Head from bustling Delhi to remote Tordi, get down and dirty with the best street food, gape at the Taj, cruise down the holy Ganges in Varanasi, hang in Buddha’s hometown (Lumbini), search for sloth bears and rhinos at Chitwan and finish up in Kathmandu.
- Start the trip in the chaos of Delhi. It's all kinds of crazy as well as all kinds of delhi-ciousness
- Hear (and see) the poetic history of the Taj Mahal
- Ditch your alarm and wake up with a sunset sail along the Ganges
- Visit the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and tour its temples and the legendary Ashoka Pillars
- Fall asleep to the calls of the jungle in Chitwan National Park, then embark on a jeep or canoe safari
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Itinerary
Day 1 Delhi
This Himalaya adventure kicks off in Delhi. Meet your tour leader and new travel mates at a 6pm welcome meeting.
Day 2 Delhi to Tordi
Journey through picturesque countryside by train, first to Jaipur, and then onwards by private vehicle to Tordi (approximately 7 hours). This remote and rarely visited village offers a fantastic glimpse of the real Rajasthan. We stumbled across it years ago, and everyone loved it so much we put it on the itinerary. The locals will feed you and you'll sleep in a 16th Century palace with its owner as your host.
Day 3 Tordi to Jaipur
Kick on to Jaipur (approximately 2.5 hours), India's oh-so-pretty 'Pink City'. You'll have plenty of free time here to haggle to your heart's content at the bazaars and backstreets where vendors sell a variety of textiles, precious and semi-precious gems and stunning blue pottery. Drop by one of India’s finest palaces, the Royal City Palace, where the guards’ moustaches are almost as impressive as the building itself.
Day 4 Jaipur
If you're keen for a different view of the Pink City, an optional early morning hot air balloon ride is a trip highlight for many visitors. Later in the morning, you’ll drop by Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), the impressive five-storey facade with pink and honeycombed windows is it the most photographed building in the country after Taj Mahal. Then it’s out to the old capital of Amber and an exploration of the hilltop fort complex known as the Amber Fort. The rest of the day is free for you to use as you like.
Day 5 Jaipur to Agra
Take advantage of the chance to rub shoulders with the locals on a five-hour public bus ride to Agra today. Agra might not be the prettiest city in the world, but the minute you check out its top-notch site that won’t matter one bit. Of course, we're talking about the Taj Mahal, India's most enduring symbol and an epic monument to love and loss.
Day 6 Agra to Varanasi
Today is free to explore at your leisure. Agra Fort is a spectacular option where you can stroll the palatial gardens of this red sandstone stronghold and get some great views of the Taj Mahal from afar. Then it's on to the next stop - Varanasi. Tonight it’s time for a unique slice of Indian life aboard an overnight train (approximately 12 hours).
Day 7 Varanasi
One of holiest cities around, Varanasi is the ultimate destination for Hindu pilgrims who travel from far and wide to experience this spiritual city. Overflowing with temples, shrines and devotees, it might not be one of the world's cleanest cities but there’s no doubt it’s one of the most amazing. Maybe take the chance to perfect your yoga in this epic chakra-balancing place. Otherwise, just chill out and soak in the spiritual surrounds as it's an early start tomorrow.
Day 8 Varanasi
Today’s an early start, but it’s completely worth it - a sunrise boat ride along the sacred Ganges is a revelation. Pass the many ghats (stairs leading to the water) and temples along the river, and watch thousands of Hindu pilgrims cleanse their sins in the holy water as the sun bathes the surrounds in glorious shades of amber and orange. Afterwards, set off by auto rickshaw to the oldest part of the city, to explore its maze of narrow alleyways packed full of small shops, stalls and lumbering cows.
Day 9 Varanai to Lumbini
Wave goodbye to India as you travel to the border (Sunauli border crossing) and enter into Nepal, continuing to the town of Lumbini. Make sure to charge up your music and fish out your book as it's a long day of travel (about 8-10 hours including stops). Lumbini is no ordinary border town, but the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and one of his four holy places of pilgrimage. Later on, bunk down in a jungle camp for the night.
Day 10 Lumbini to Chitwan National Park
Take off you religious hat and pop on your safari one as you drive to Chitwan National Park by private vehicle (approximately 5 hours). UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site in 1984, and it offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Asia. Think the Jungle Book come to life with rhinos, deer, monkeys and a wide array of birds, including Nepalese wild chickens, all found here.
Day 11 Chitwan National Park
This morning you’ll hop aboard a jeep, meet your local guide and take a safari drive through Chitwan National Park. Maybe you might catch a glimpse of one of the 100-or-so Bengal Tigers that call the park home.
Day 12 Chitwan National Park to Kathmandu
On to your final destination of the Nepalese patchouli–scented capital, Kathmandu (approximately 7 hours). Maybe book in for a massage or a yoga session when you get there to ease those body kinks.
Day 13 Kathmandu
Say goodbye to your travel crew - the adventure ends after breakfast today.
Departs: Selected departures, Jan - Dec
Price & Inclusions
- 6 nights hotels, 2 nights jungle lodge, 3 nights heritage properties & 1 night overnight sleeper train
- Journey by cycle rickshaw, boat, private vehicle, private bus, public bus, overnight sleeper train & 4WD
- 1 dinner
- International flights
We negotiate new offers daily from discounted flights, tours and vehicle hire to free upgrades, added value and unique inclusions. Please call for our latest offers.
The tour itinerary, inclusions and departures are based on travel from 01/04/2023 to 31/12/2024. Guide prices are based on twn/dbl share, are subject to availability and may vary by departure date. For travel outside of these dates, the itinerary and inclusions may vary to that shown above - please ask for details.Offers are subject to availability and restrictions may apply.
Flights
As we can offer you such a flexible choice of flights, we don't include international airfares with our tour prices. The price you pay will be determined by the time of year you travel, your departure airport, airline and availability.
Your Trailfinders Travel Consultant will be able to find the best flights to suit you and your choice of tour. Contact us for our latest flight offers or take a look at our flights pages for a general idea of prices.
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