Itinerary
Days 1 - 2 ~ Delhi
Rickshaw ride
On arrival we transfer to the historic Imperial, renowned as Delhi’s landmark hotel. Meet our fellow travellers and tour leader for a briefing over drinks before enjoying dinner – our first chance to sample some delicious, authentic Indian cuisine. We start our exploration of Delhi’s famous sites and landmarks including the Red Fort, Gandhi’s memorial and the vibrant backstreets of Old Delhi.
Day 3 ~ Agra & Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
Journey by road to Agra which is home to one of the world’s most famous and most beautiful sites – the breathtaking Taj Mahal. We explore the city of Agra itself, visiting the workshop where generations of the same family create the painstaking marble inlay work which decorates the interior of the Taj. We wait until sunrise the following day to visit this stunning monument and marvel at its beauty bathed in the pinkish light of dawn.
Days 4 - 5 ~ Ranthambore National Park
Travelling part of the way by road and part by train, we arrive at the exotic national park of Ranthambore, stopping to visit the ruined city of Fatehpur Sikri en route. Home to a few dozen of India’s last remaining Royal Bengal Tigers, we explore the park’s beautiful woodlands, lakes and fort-crowned hills by vehicle at dawn and dusk, hoping to spot some of the variety of wildlife which inhabits the park.
Days 6 - 7 ~ Jaipur
Palace of the Winds
Today we travel to Jaipur, one of Rajasthan’s most famous and vibrant cities. Painted pink to celebrate a visit from the Prince of Wales in 1876, the city has maintained this colourful tradition ever since. We visit the City Palace, the Palace of Winds, the stunning Amber Fort and the Observatory, using the wonderful Rambagh Palace, a former maharajah’s residence, as our base.
Days 8 - 9 ~ Pushkar and Osian
Pushkar Lake
Continuing on to Pushkar, we explore this small holy city with its pleasant central lake and colourful ‘sadhus’, or holy men. We visit the only temple in India which is dedicated to the Hindu creator Brahma and take a short walking tour. From here, we venture into Rajasthan’s great Thar Desert to stay at an atmospheric tented camp on top of one of the area’s sand dunes. Explore the dunes by camel at sunset and the surrounding villages on an exciting jeep safari.
Days 10 - 12 ~ Jodhpur
Meherangarh Fort, Jodhpur
We end our journey in Jodhpur, staying at the breathtaking Umaid Bhawan, surely one of India’s most opulent palace hotels. We explore the fascinating Meherangarh Fort, the lively bazaar where we will have the opportunity to purchase some beautiful Rajasthani handicrafts. Our final night will be spent learning the secrets of Northern Indian cuisine at a cooking school which takes place at lovely ‘Rohetgarh’, a former royal residence just outside of Jodhpur. We transfer to the airport in time for our onward flight on day 12.
Checklist & How we Travel
Inclusions:
• 11 nights deluxe accommodation including one night in a tented camp
• All road transport in modern air-conditioned vehicles
• All sightseeing as specified, including entrance fees
• Arrival and departure transfers
• Breakfast daily, three lunches and four dinners
• Western tour leader based on a minimum of seven people
• Local English-speaking guides throughout
GETTING AROUND: We try to ensure that all accommodation and transport on all of our journeys is of a high standard, safe, and clean and comfortable. While there are several four to five hour road trips on this tour, we use comfortable and spacious mini-buses or coasters. We travel for two hours by train from Bharatpur to Sawaimadhopur (near Ranthambore National Park). The trains are comfortable, fan-cooled and with reclining softs seats. We also enjoy a short camel trek and a jeep safari.
WHERE WE STAY: We use some of the best and most fabulous accommodation in all of Asia; luxury, history and an unmistakable Indian style. In Delhi, we use the Imperial, a refined and elegant option with a central location. In Agra we use the Taj View Agra, in Ranthambore we use the Dev Vilas designed in harmony with the natural environment, in Jaipur we use the fantastic Rambagh Palace, a former maharajah's residence. This is an old property and not all rooms are of the same size or shape. In Pushkar we use the Pushkar Palace overlooking the lake. In Osian we stay at the luxury tented camp - tents are fan-cooled and simple but it is an unforgettable experience. In Jodhpur, we stay in the Umaid Bhawan, another opulent and luxurious palace. Most of the hotels we use have swimming pools, TVs and well-appointed rooms.
WHAT WE EAT: At Travel Indochina we are keen to provide as wide an array of culinary opportunities as possible, in both local and some very special easting establishments. Tour leaders will always be on hand to provide you with a number of options, no matter what your inclination. Tour leaders also frequently join you for meals, revealing some of their favourite dishes. Don’t forget that we do not usually include meals (except breakfast) in the price of your tour. This is to allow you flexibility when choosing what you would like to eat. There is a wide range of delicious food in India, a country which is famous for many culinary delights. Main courses at good restaurants are generally 10 USD to 12USD. Well-known dishes worth sampling include lentil dahl, tasty naan breads, one of the many famous types of curry such as dopiaza (less spicy) or tandoori. Southern Indian food tends to be more spicy with delicious prawn and coconut curries or delicious biryani. If you are not sure what to try, try a thali - a large plate which contains small portions of several different dishes. For desert, try tasty gulab jamul if you have a sweet tooth.
Tour Q&A
I’ve never travelled on a group tour before. Is group travel for me?
Our Small Group Journeys are not conventional group tours. You will be travelling with a maximum of 15 travellers (16 on Family Journeys), but most of our journeys have less than 12! They are designed to provide you with a good balance of personal discovery and group activity with like-minded travellers – and an enjoyable holiday. We shun mass tourism and all of its trappings – and we believe our style of travel will give you the best experience of your chosen destination.
Who will I be travelling with?
Travel Indochina travellers are of all ages and from all parts of the world. They share a passion for travel in Asia – a desire to savour the cuisine, meet the people and connect with the lives and cultures of these extraordinary places. Most travel to Asia from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
How fit do I have to be to join a Travel Indochina Small Group Journey?
Most of our holidays are suited to anyone of normal fitness and mobility with a desire to get out and experience Asia. Walking and optional leisurely cycling are common on all of our itineraries. Trekking and more adventurous activities are reserved for our journeys with an ‘adventurous’ grading, and this will be clearly marked on the tour page in this site. Some of our trips feature long drives or more basic accommodation. This will be clearly marked as well. Our accommodation is always chosen with your best interests in mind – location, cleanliness, quality and atmosphere are all important to us. The most important thing is that you pack a positive attitude and a desire to experience Asia and her people first hand. Download one of our trip dossiers or peruse this award-winning website for comprehensive information on your preferred journey. Click here for full description of journey grading.
What happens if I’m a single traveller?
Our groups are a mix of single travellers, couples, families and friends. Single travellers can choose between paying a supplement for a single room, or paying the twin price and sharing with another single traveller of the same sex. If we can’t match you with another traveller and you’re willing to share, you will travel in a single room without paying a supplement. You will not be pushed into a cumbersome triple share arrangement!
Can I bring the kids?
In short – yes! We offer a range of exciting Family Journeys in several countries. Asia is an ideal destination for family travel, with amazing historical sites and a range of unique, exciting activities like elephant trekking, river-rafting and kite-flying to name a few. There’s never been a better time to introduce your children to a region that will assume ever-increasing importance in their lifetimes.
What kinds of hotels will I be staying in?
We’d like to think that if you had the time to find the accommodation offering the best of location, cleanliness, atmosphere and value, you would make the same choices as us. Our hotels are both comfortable spaces to relax and unwind at the end of a busy day and great bases for exploration of the places you are visiting. A typical hotel will feature clean, comfortable rooms, private facilities and air-conditioning as well as great extras like a swimming pool and restaurants. Experiencing Asia isn’t about large gaudy international hotels devoid of local character. Nor is it about finding the cheapest hotel available. We’ve struck a balance. On our more adventurous tours basic accommodation is used in remote areas and this will be clearly marked.
What about your Deluxe Journeys?
Asia is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and historic hotels. With this in mind, we designed our range of Deluxe journeys. The emphasis by day is unchanged – small groups and an authentic experience of Asia. At night, however, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the ambience of these specially selected hotels. These are not luxury holidays. While staying in some of the finest hotels in the world, your focus will be on meeting the people, eating the food and getting into the history and culture of your chosen destination. That’s the way we do things on all of our trips. Please note that in some places Deluxe accommodation is not available. In these cases we use the best available hotels. This will be clearly marked in your itinerary. Single supplements apply to Deluxe options.
Why are your groups accompanied by both Western tour leaders and local guides?
We believe our combination of local and western tour leaders provides for the best travel experience. The feedback from our travellers over the years confirms the same. Our local guides are uniquely placed to share personal insights that simply can’t be provided by outsiders or guidebooks. Our western leaders call Asia home and have a network of friends and experiences to share. They are also able to fully appreciate your interests and needs and ensure these are being met. You will be inspired by their enthusiasm and passion.
How will I be getting around?
The journey itself is very much a part of the experience of travelling with Travel Indochina. Local transport provides for great experiences in cities and towns, and you will find that we include everything – sampans in the Mekong Delta, elephants in Thailand, cyclos in rural Vietnam and camels on the Silk Road. On longer journeys we use modern, comfortable buses. Some travel companies bring together a collection of local bus tickets and a rigid local bus timetable as a means of minimising the cost of their tours. We believe this minimises the experience as well. There is nothing more rewarding than a spontaneous stop in a village to mix with the locals or to snap that magical photo in the fields.
What happens at meal times?
Eating is one of the highlights of travelling with Travel Indochina, and we like to make sure you get to experience as much local flavour as you like. Apart from the great variety of culinary experiences on offer, food in Asia is usually very inexpensive. For this reason we do not include many meals in your tour cost. Our group leaders have a wealth of knowledge of restaurants from the mainstream to the obscure. On most nights, your leader will join you at a favourite restaurant while also making suggestions to those wanting to try something different.
What's the difference between Travel Indochina and the other companies offering small group travel?
We don’t know of any company that offers the combination of well thought out itineraries, tasteful accommodation, insightful western and local leaders, value for money and a base in the region ensuring an ear to the ground. If you’re shopping around, ask about your accommodation, transport and the tour leaders and guides who will take care of you during your journey. It may also be worth looking at the number of nights spent on trains and in hilltribe villages when checking out the value of your holiday. We don’t cut any corners!
