Below you’ll find itinerary details, useful information and instructions for your airport pickup. Please read carefully!
Feb 15th:: If you have enough energy after your flight, I’ll be in the lobby of the hotel at 3pm if you want to head out into the city with me for a wander, followed by dinner.
Feb 16th: I’ll be in the lobby of the hotel at 10am to help you plan your day if you want to head out for some more activity before the tour starts.
Tour orientation: 6:00pm at our hotel
Day 1 (Feb 17th): Delhi
Activities: Old Delhi, Akshardham Temple
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Transportation: Private vans, walking
Day 2: Agra
Activities: Drive to Agra (4 hours), visit the Taj Mahal at sunset
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
Transportation: Private vans, walking
Day 3: Ranthabmore
Activities: Drive from Agra to Ranthambore (5 hours) with stops along the way
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
Transportation: Private vans
Day 4: Ranthambore
Activities: Morning tiger safari, village visit, afternoon free time
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Transportation: Private vans, walking
Day 5: Bundi
Activities: Drive to Bundi (3.5 hours), Bundi Palace, Old City
Meals included: Breakfast
Transportation: Private vans, walking
Day 6: Bundi
Activities: Queen’s stepwell, incredible chai tasting, free time
Meals included: Breakfast
Transportation: Walking
Day 7: Udaipur
Activities: Surprise excursion, drive to Udaipur (6 hours)
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
Transportation: Private vans, walking (short hike)
Day 8: Udaipur
Activities: City Palace, Jagdish Temple, Monsoon Palace
Meals included: Breakfast
Transportation: Walking, rickshaws, private vans
Day 9: Udaipur
Activities: Saheliyon ki Bari, Animal Aid Unlimited, free time
Meals included: Breakfast
Transportation: Walking, private vans
Day 10: Varanasi
Activities: Late morning transfer to airport, flight to Varanasi (2.5 hours)
Meals included: Breakfast
Transportation: Flight
Day 11: Varanasi
Activities: Ancient markets, holy ghats, evening surprise!
Meals included: Breakfast
Transportation: Walking
Day 12: Varanasi
Activities: Sunrise boat trip on the Ganges River, Assi Ghat, evening puja (ceremony)
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
Transportation: Row boat, walking, rickshaws
Day 13: Varanasi / Delhi
Activities: Free morning, flight to Delhi (1.5 hours)
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
Transportation: Walking, flight
Day 14: Delhi – Departure day
Meals included: Breakfast
The above is a general outline and does not include every activity. There will be plenty more we will be doing on this trip! I like to keep the tour flexible though by avoiding an hour-by-hour set schedule. India is just too much of an unpredictable country for that.
Also, most days include group activities and free time. Of course, I’ll always be around to assist with free time, to provide recommendations and to help out in any way I can.
Once we meet in Delhi, I’ll reveal more about the awesome experiences ahead!
Visa: You MUST print out a copy of your e-Visa approval notice. You will need to show this to the airline staff upon check-in for your flight and again to the immigration officer at the airport in Delhi.
Meals: For the included meals listed above, you may order any combination of food/drink* up to 500 Rupees (Indian currency) and for anything over that amount, you can simply pay the difference. With that said, 500 Rupees is very reasonable for a large meal and a drink all over the country.
*Alcohol is not readily available in Indian restaurants but when it is available, it is not included.
For other meals that we eat together, bills can usually be paid separately or we will simply collect all the money at the end of the meal to pay the total bill.
Packing: Packing lightly will make it easier to load up the vans that we use and will also be less of a hassle as we move from place to place. Sometimes, due to the narrow lanes, we’ll have to walk with our luggage for a short while to reach our accommodation.
Probiotics: I recommend taking probiotics starting at least two weeks prior to the trip (if you don’t start two weeks prior, they are not as effective). I would then bring enough for the duration of the trip as this will reduce the risk of having any stomach issues from the food/water. If probiotics are expensive in your area, you can buy more in India where they are very inexpensive ($3 USD for 3 weeks’ worth).
SIM cards – If you do not have an international plan for your phone, you can obtain a local Indian SIM card so that you will have internet on your phone during the trip. Please bring 3 passport headshot photos and a photocopy of the details page of your passport and we can set it up when you arrive. It costs about $10 USD.
(The wifi at our hotels ranges from good to okay, which is normal in India. There can be periods where it doesn’t work each day.)
Indian currency: This is just another IMPORTANT reminder that you should NOT exchange money before arriving in India. India recently discontinued several denominations of bills and replaced them with new ones, making the originals completely worthless. If you exchange money at home, you run the risk of ending up with worthless Indian rupees. ATMs and reliable exchange offices can be found in every town we visit. Once you arrive I’ll help you exchange money without any hassle.
Please follow the below instructions upon arrival at Delhi’s International Airport:
Please note: When filling out the Landing Card upon arrival at the Delhi Airport, you will need to enter the name of the hotel where you will be staying. Please enter:
The Prime Balaji Deluxe Hotel, Paharganj, Delhi
