Ladies' Trip to India

Depart via international flight to Delhi.

When you arrive at Delhi’s New International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your &Beyond India host and chauffeured to the Leela Palace New Delhi, considered to be among the finest hotels in India. Recently opened, the Leela Palace will be a welcome respite to decompress from your flight. The hotel is in close proximity to many of Delhi’s main tourist attractions.

Delhi, Old and New, is India’s vibrant and fascinating capital. Over the past 1,000 years there have been many Delhi’s. This latest incarnation, with its sprawling wide boulevards, is the seventh city built by the British. Old Delhi (the 1st city) was built on the remains of older regimes by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It is still thriving and very much the heart of Delhi.

Spend three nights at the Leela Palace, Delhi. Accommodation is a Grand Deluxe Room with ensuite facilities. Your stay is on a bed & breakfast basis.

This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, you’ll be taken on a guided tour of the major sites and monuments of New Delhi, including the Qutub Minar, the India Gate, and Rashtrapati Bahwan.

Qutub Minar, the world’s tallest brick minaret, is a survivor from a distant world, a testament to the ingenuity of its builders with its beautiful bold and intricate designs. It is a prominent example of Indo-Islamic architecture and one of Delhi’s most visited monuments, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

India Gate, the Imperial British equivalent to a Mughal arch, pays tribute to the Indian soldiers who died in the World War I. The monument was completed in 1931 and the names of the soldiers who died in these wars are inscribed on the walls. From under the arch you can look up the expansive wide boulevard to the imposing Presidential Palace.

Rashtrapati Bahwan, Hindi for Presidential Palace, is the official residence of the President of India. Before India’s independence in 1947, it was the home of the British Viceroy (Viceroy House). Edwin Lutyens, who was commissioned by the British to build “New Delhi” designed the magnificent neo-classical residence with great pomp.

This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, you’ll be taken on a guided tour of Old Delhi, including Jama Masjid, Chandi Chowk, and Humayun’s Tomb.

Jama Masjid or Friday Mosque is the largest in India and Old Delhi’s most splendid monument built high above the city where you will be rewarded with a view of Delhi below. The mosque is an architectural marvel built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, with alternate vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble. It has the capacity to hold an astounding 25,000 people. Be prepared to shed your shoes in the mosque.

Chandi Chowk or “Silver Street” is the soul of Old Delhi. Here you can mingle with the slow moving tide of pedestrians in colorful saris and turbans and experience the chaos of rickshaws. Off the main street you will visit a roofed labyrinth of twisting lanes – the covered bazaar. This is a great place for exploring the traditional crafts which make Delhi famous. The market still hosts the descendants of royal chefs, the famous Chudiwali gali (the bangle lane) and the parathe wali gali (the alley of fried bread).

Humayun’s Tomb is striking in its perfection. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor’s wife in 1562, it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent and the first important Mughal monument. The design of the double-shelled dome is the origin of the Taj. The formal Mughal gardens surrounding the tomb invite a stroll. The complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Rest of the day is at leisure or for independent activities.

This morning after breakfast, you will be chauffeured to Delhi’s domestic airport for a flight to Agra where you will be met upon arrival and chauffeured to your palace hotel, the Oberoi Amarvilas, just 650 yards from the Taj Mahal. All rooms offer stunning views of the monument.

Agra, is best known for the Taj Mahal, Emperor Shah Jahan’s immortal love letter to his departed wife, a woman of great beauty and intellect. Although a ruthless politician, he was profoundly moved by her death, “Empire has no sweetness; life itself has no relish left for me now.”

You cannot imagine the Taj Mahal’s beauty until you see it, perhaps the most beautiful building in the world, it is one of the finest examples of Islamic-inspired architecture. The mausoleum is in perfect harmony with the intricate decorations of the Mughal style. Set in a formal Persian garden, the majestic tomb belies its size and is so light and delicate that it appears to float above the Yamuma River.

You’ll be taken on a private guided tour of the Taj Mahal in the late afternoon for sunset, a perfect time for taking photographs.

Early this morning we’ll again visit the Taj Mahal. Bathed in the first light of day, the tomb appears incandescent, the marble reflecting different colors that change with the time of the day. This is another opportunity to capture stunning photographs of this impressive masterpiece.

We’ll return to the Oberoi for a leisurely breakfast.

Later we’ll explore the Agra Fort complex and Itmad-ud-Daulah mausoleum, two impressive legacies from the Mughal empire, not to be missed.

Agra Fort is the most important fort in India. The country was once governed from here. The red sandstone fort, which is a mile upriver from the Taj Majal, was also built by Shah Jahan. You can look back across the mud flats and see the rising dome of the Taj. This was the view the Emperor gazed upon for eight years when he was later imprisoned by his son.

Itmad-ud-Daulah, the exquisite tomb built by a Persian nobleman for his daughter. Many of the design elements are a precursor to the Taj. It was the first Mughal building to be extensively made of marble and pietra dura inlay.

After breakfast, we’ll be chauffeured to Jaipur, (approximately 5 hours 30 minutes), a busy road running through flat farmlands. We will be stopping en route for guided sightseeing of the ancient abandoned town of Fatehpur Sikri, and for lunch at the Bagh in Bharatpur.

Fatehpur Sikri is the deserted city built by Akbar, the greatest of the Mughals. One finds ancient monuments preserved almost intact. The city was abandoned after completion because there was no water to sustain the population hence its isolation. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We will stop for lunch at the delightful Bagh Hotel known for its gardens and birdlife.

Upon arrival in Jaipur, we’ll check into our palace hotel, Taj Rambagh or the “Jewel of Jaipur”. The Ram Bagh Palace, home of generations of kings, was converted to a hotel in 1972, and offers its guests a taste of royal living.

Spend three nights at the Taj Rambagh, Jaipur. Accommodation is a Palace Room with ensuite facilities. Your stay is on a bed & breakfast basis.

The morning is at your leisure.

Jaipur, Rajasthan’s capital city, may be overpopulated but it is distinguished by its beauty and its people – so much of India is seen in the faces of its people. Jaipur is the capital of adornment, of exquisitely painted palaces and startling colors. Here you will have a glimpse of its princely past. After lunch, we’ll take a private guided tour of the stunning Amber Fort, followed by a visit to Dera Amer for a private safari and dinner.

Amber Fort, the magnificent pink-fort palace in ancient Amber is located 11km from Jaipur. The palace is divided into four sections each with its own courtyard, in which perfumed water once flowed to cool the interiors. The zenana, was found in the fourth courtyard where the maharaja would make nocturnal visits to the respective chambers. Amber Fort is known for its unique artistic style, blending both Hindu and Mughal elements.

Dera Amer is a private family-owned farm where we will dine al fresco. You will be able to ride elephants here should you wish (elephant rides at the Amber Fort are not recommended).

After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll be taken for a private guided tour of Jaipur including the City Palace and the Hawa Mahal.

City Palace is an impressive mix of Mughal and Rajput architecture. It is now, in part, a museum. The maharajah loved all things astronomic and some of the instruments in the observatory next door are still used today to forecast the weather.

Hawa Mahal or “Palace of Winds” is a central landmark in Jaipur. The five story structure was built to enable the veiled women of the harem to remain hidden behind shutters while they observed the street life below.

Afternoon is free for shopping or other independent activities.

The morning is at your leisure.

After lunch you will be you be chauffeured to Jaipur’s airport for a flight to Hyderabad where you will be met upon arrival and chauffeured to your palace hotel, the Taj Falaknuma Palace. Once the residence of Nizam Kings, it is now yours to catch a glimpse of the imperial lifestyle. The palace took 10 years to restore and is worth the trip to Hyderabad on its own.

Hyderabad, the “City of Pearls” was once ruled by the fabulously wealthy Nizams. Much of the splendor remains. It has always been a city famous for its wealth, its diamond trade, and sumptuous sultans’ palaces. It is often described as the link between north and south.

Spend three nights at the Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad. Accommodation is a Palace Room with ensuite facilities. Your stay is on a bed & breakfast basis.

The morning is at your leisure.

After lunch you will be taken on a private guided tour of the Golkonda Fort.

Golkonda Fort is city within a city, built on a dramatic crag that is 120 meters (400ft.) high and is surrounded by massive crenulated ramparts. Famous for its acoustics, it is hard to distinguish what is rock and what is wall. The palace once belonged to one of the most powerful Muslim sultanates and was the center of a flourishing diamond trade. The fort finally fell to into ruins after a siege and its fall to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

After a leisurely breakfast, you will be taken on a private guided tour of three monuments erected by the Qutub Shahi dynasty in honor of the kings of Golkonda.

Charminar or Four Towers is Hyderabad’s landmark built to commemorate the founding of the city. It sits in the heart of Islamic Hyderabad amongst narrow streets and fruit vendors. Each archway faces a cardinal direction - north, south, east and west. The second floor is home to Hyderabad’s oldest mosque. From the top of the structure one has a magnificent view of the charming city below.

Mecca Masjid, built alongside the Charminar, is one of the largest mosques in the world and certainly South India’s most important. Some of the bricks in the central archway were made with soil from Mecca, hence the name. The construction of this holy mosque took 80 years to complete under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Salar Jung Museum houses the extravagant collection of three generations of the Nizam regime. It contains an astonishing number of objects d’art from all corners of the world which includes Persian carpets, miniature paintings, china, sculptures, porcelain, and a massive ivory collection that will leave you awe struck.

Afternoon and evening are free for shopping and enjoying the old “Nawabi” hospitality. You will find amazing pearls, diamonds and textiles. It is also worth noting that the Taj Falaknuma Palace has in-house tailors which can produce a bespoke garment in 24 hours.

The morning is at your leisure for independent activities.

In the afternoon you will be met and chauffeured to the Hyderabad airport to connect to your flight to Delhi.

Upon arrival at Delhi’s Domestic Terminal, you will be met by your &Beyond India representative and chauffeured to the International Terminal to connect to your flight back home.

Please provide your international flight information so we can coordinate your domestic flight and our services.