Travellers will be arriving from all different corners of the world so there are no arranged activities on day 1, but we ask you to arrive by 6:00pm for an important group meeting. Check the noticeboard in the hotel to find out exactly where this important meeting will take place. Please note that your leader will collect your local payment today. 

India's capital is an exciting, busy, and often chaotic city but it's also one of the most interesting in the world. With historical sites from different eras, museums and galleries, shops and endless bazaars, there is more to see and do than we can possibly fit in during our short time here. For an opportunity to explore the many attractions, for instance, the ruins of Qutb Minar and Purana Qila, the crafts museum, Indira Gandhi Museum, Birla House (the site of Gandhi's assassination) and the centre of Imperial British India at Rajpath, we highly recommend arriving early.

In the morning of day 2, we kick-start our adventure with a visit to Old Delhi, also known as the walled city of Shahjahanabad, built by the great Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. We also visit one of its most impressive buildings and Delhi's oldest mosque, the Jama Masjid. Afterwards, we join the crowds to walk in the bazaars of the old city, immersing ourselves in the noise and smells of the crowded narrow streets and alleys, where different areas specialise in different things, including festival paraphernalia, silk, copper, brass and spices. The afternoon is free for further exploration on your own.
 

An early start takes us away from Delhi and south to the Muslim city of Agra (approx. 4 hours). The undisputed symbol of India, the majestic Taj Mahal, surpasses all expectations and there are opportunities to visit it at different times of the day to see how its colour changes with the light. We also take cycle-rickshaws to visit Agra's Red Fort, built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. 

Please note that only 1 entry to the Taj Mahal is included in your trip. Additional visits are at your own expense - allow INR750 (USD17) per visit.

Travelling first by train (approx. 5 hours) and then by jeep (1 hour) we continue our journey along back roads to Chanderi, a small medieval town - home to Muslims, Hindus and Jains. Still off-the-beaten-track, Chanderi is a place where you can experience the life of a movie star as the moment you stroll into town, you instantly become the centre of attention. Take a walk around dusk and it's also almost certain you'll be roped into a friendly game of cricket.
 

Please note that in Chanderi, accommodation may be basic and menus in restaurants may be limited but this is a small town in rural India as it really is and you'll get fascinating insight into local life. We have a local guide to take us around the temples and mosques, walk out with us to ruins beautifully situated in the fields, and there is the chance also to drive out to see some fantastic prehistoric rock paintings. Tonight, we enjoy dinner in our guide's home, a great chance to meet his large family!
 

Crossing a classic Indian rural landscape, we travel to the picturesque town of Orchha to experience a very different side of India (approx. 4 hours). 

Situated on the banks of the Betwa River, Orchha has changed little over the centuries. Originally a hunting area, it became the centre and capital of the Bundelas (a Rajput clan), and as a result, has a startling number of temples and palaces - more than any town of this size deserves!

We spend our first morning here with a local guide exploring the palace and temples scattered across the peaceful countryside, walking in rural areas untouched by modern life and meeting the very friendly locals. The river water is cold but clean enough to swim in. There's free time afterwards to stroll the few streets or walk along the river. Maybe spend the evening taking in the puja ceremony between 7:00pm and 8:00pm - it's held twice daily at the Ram Raja Temple (please note that this is seasonal).

During our stay in Orchha, we also visit a Responsible Travel project, Taragram. This unique papermaking plant was set up to give tribal women from the area a chance to work outside the traditional areas normally afforded to them. All the paper is made from recycled clothing and wood pulp.

We stay in Swiss-style tents during our time in Orchha.
Note - During the monsoon (between July and September) we may stay in hotel rooms instead of in tents.

Leaving Orchha, we head through the rural landscapes of Madhya Pradesh. This can be a reasonably long journey along a road that is often poorly maintained (approx. 4 hours), but it's the very remoteness of Khajuraho that saved its 1,000-year-old temples from destruction by foreign invaders. 

Beautifully preserved, these Tantric temples are infamous for their explicit carvings depicting the entire Kama Sutra. There's time to check these out and explore the surrounding countryside either on foot or by bicycle before we head out to the nearby Panna National Park.

Leaving Khajuraho behind, we enter the Panna National Park (approx. 1 hour), home to one of India's many tiger reserves. We spend the night in unique hut-style accommodation by the banks of the fast-flowing Ken River and during our stay, we also make a visit to the Tiger Reserve area in search for the elusive Bengal tiger. With luck, you may spot one of these magnificent great cats, and you'll also have plenty of opportunities to spot other interesting wildlife in the region.

We head north by jeep across the rough and bumpy roads of Madhya Pradesh to the holy pilgrimage town of Chitrakoot (approx. 7 hours). Sprawled along the banks of the Mandakini River, Chitrakoot is a famous Vaishnavite centre and the site of a major incident in the holy Ramayana epic - it was here that Rama and Sita spent 11 of their 14 years in exile. 

Chitrakoot's spiritual legacy stretches back through the ages. The great sages Atri and wife Sati Anusuya meditated here and the principal trinity of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva took their incarnations here as well. Today, the bazaars are abuzz with pilgrims, there are over 30 active temples and down by the river, bathing ghats line the water's edge. This is very much a town off the main tourist routes, so expect to once again be the centre of attention. Our accommodation is basic and the food options mainly Indian-vegetarian but any inconvenience is more than made up for as we have the chance to witness rituals and traditions continue as they have for hundreds of years.

Today, we travel to the holy city of Allahabad. This city is sacred to all Hindus as the sangam (confluence) where the mighty Yamuna, Ganges and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. It is home to one of the greatest melas (fairs) in India, the incredible Kumbh Mela which occurs every 12 years (next scheduled in 2013), and there is also an annual Magh Mela and Ardh Mela (half-mela) every 6 years. 

Allahabad played an important role in the development of modern India as, after the 'mutiny' of 1857, the British moved the headquarters of their Northwestern Provinces here. We visit the Anand Bhawan Museum, the boyhood home of the first prime minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, and have time to catch a Bollywood film and maybe even a glimpse of someone famous! This city is, after all, the birthplace of the most famous of all Bollywood film stars, the Sean Connery, Robert de Niro and Al Pacino of Hindi cinema all rolled into one - Amitabh Bachchan... a god to the whole of India!

We continue our journey to Varanasi (approx. 3 hours). One of the world's oldest surviving cities, Varanasi seems to encapsulate all of India within its boundaries. The ultimate destination for all Hindu pilgrims, the city is full of temples, shrines and devotees. We walk in the old city with its maze of narrow twisting alleys full of small shops and stalls and take boats out onto the river to see the sun rising over the ghats. There's also the opportunity to visit monasteries and the ruins of nearby Sarnath, the site of Buddha's first sermon.
 

Spend the evening soaking up the magical atmosphere of a candle flower ceremony as you watch the sun set. There is plenty of time to do some shopping here as well as just hang out by the ghats and watch the pilgrims go about their rituals.
 

In the afternoon of day 14 we take an overnight train back to Delhi. Travel is by 3-tier air-conditioned sleeper carriage, basic bedding is provided and food is available on the train.
 

On arrival in Delhi early in the morning, we transfer to our starting-point hotel where the trip finishes. We have a couple of rooms for you to use until midday so take the opportunity to freshen up. Please note that if you are departing India today its best to book your flight for later in the afternoon as train delays can and do occur. 

Please also note that luggage storage and additional accommodation are also available in Delhi.