Amber Fort
have the option of returning to the Taj Mahal, to witness the shrine at sunset. (B) + Included Experience – Visit the Taj Mahal DAY 5 – Fatehpur Sikri Leaving Agra this morning we continue towards the ancient, abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, built in 1571, as Emperor Akbar’s imperial capital which remains in a remarkable state of preservation, with numerous palaces, wide courtyards and beautiful carvings. Just 15 kilometres away is the Laxmi Villas Palace in Bharat where we stop for lunch before going on to the railway station to catch the Shatabdi Express for our comfortable two and a half hour journey to Ranthambore National Park. Originally the private hunting preserve of Maharajahs, its 400 square kilometres of forested rolling hills, valleys and lakes form a unique ecosystem. Started in 1973, India’s famous Tiger Project was created to protect the country’s tiger population. Despite many difficulties, the tigers of Ranthambore have survived and numbers have stabilised. (B,L,D) + Included Experiences – Visit Fatehpur Sikri and enjoy lunch at the Laxmi Villas Palace in Bharat DAY 6 – Ranthambore tiger safari An early start as we head out to the park for our safari using specially built, 20-person, open-top four-wheel drive vehicles known as ‘canters’. After many years of conservation, Ranthambore
56
is now the best place to spot tigers in India, and over 300 bird species have also been counted here including impressive, crested eagles, painted stork and wild peacocks. Other residents include large numbers of sambars, the largest Asian antelope, as well as marsh crocodiles, wild boar and leopards. Look out for the playful troop of blackfaced langur monkeys near the main entrance gate. We return to our hotel in the late morning, with time to relax. In the afternoon we take our second trip into the park. (B,L,D) + Included Experience – Ranthambore tiger Safari DAY 7 – Jaipur Leaving Ranthambore we head north to Rajasthan’s capital city, Jaipur, known
Viceregal Lodge, Shimla
as the ‘Pink City’ because of the colour of its walls and many of its buildings. Our afternoon tour will cover all the major highlights of this ancient city. The famous Hawa Mahal, known as the Palace of Winds, is one of our first stops before we continue to the Astronomical Observatory constructed in 1726 and on to the City Palace, still home to the present Maharajah of Jaipur, where we’ll view its impressive collections. (B,L) + Included Experience – Guided tour of Jaipur DAY 8 – Amber Fort This morning you’ll visit the immense Amber Fort, one of the masterpieces of Rajput architecture, located in the hills. Sampling all the most fascinating sights, our guided tour includes the sections reserved for the Maharajah’s wives and
