Classic Golden Triangle Tour
With Kerala Beach Stay

Highlights Of India And Kerala’s Tropical Beaches

The tropical idyll of Kerala makes a great combination with a Classic Golden Triangle Tour of north India. The beaches of Kerala are some of the most famous on the sub-continent, and include the resort of Kovalam.

Arrive at Delhi and go on a rickshaw ride through the markets of Old Delhi, a great introduction to the real India. Drive through the wide avenues of Imperial New Delhi and visit Emperor Humayun’s Tomb as well as the spectacular Qutub Minar.

The Taj Mahal and the huge walled city called the Red Fort are located at Agra. Here, the legendary Mughal Emperors ruled India for many centuries.

Jaipur is one of the great princely cities of Rajasthan. The huge City Palace contains vast galleries and museums that display the fabulous wealth of the Rajput rulers. Amber Fort just outside Jaipur is one of India’s most fantastic sights.

Flights leave from Jaipur Airport to either Trivandrum (Kovalam Beach) or Cochin (Marari Beach). Kerala provides an ‘authentic’ Indian experience with a delicious cuisine, rice boats on the backwaters and a totally tropical landscape of coconut palms and sandy beaches.

Recommended For: Anyone who wants a highlights tour of India without too much travelling combined with a relaxing beach stay in Kerala at the end.

 

Day 01

Depart UK

Depart UK – Overnight flight.

 

Day 02

Delhi

The Manor  

Relax On Arrival At Delhi
Relax on arrival at your hotel at Delhi, inside a leafy and exclusive area of Delhi.

Early Evening Rickshaw Ride Through Old Delhi
Let India take hold of your senses with a Cycle Rickshaw Ride through the teeming bazaars and markets of Chandni Chowk. At one end is the huge Jama Masjid mosque (1656)

As the last seat of power of the Mughal Empire, The Red Fort Of Delhi (1639) is an interesting introduction to India’s forts and palaces.

 

Day 03

Delhi

The Manor

Drive Through Lutyen’s Imperial New Delhi
Experience the wide open spaces of imperial New Delhi, with its ordered governmental buildings and leafy avenues. Those with an appreciation of colonial architecture can marvel at Lutyen’s buildings such as Viceroy's House (Rashtrapati Bhavan) and India Gate, one of Delhi's most famous landmarks.

A great way to sample the ambience of the colonial era would be to stop for tea at the lovely Imperial Hotel or Claridges.

Sights Of Southern Delhi
Driving east and south you come across Humayun's Tomb (1570) and the Qutub Complex, dominated by the Qutub Minar, the tallest brick minaret in the world (239 ft), and an important example of Indo-Islamic Architecture.

If you plan your day carefully you can also if you wish, see Rajghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, as well as new landmarks of Delhi such as the Akshardham and Lotus temples.

 

Day 04

Agra

The Trident Agra

Akbar’s Tomb Sikandra
The impressive tomb of Akbar The Great (1612) lies conveniently on the roadside near Agra.

Private Guided Tour Of The Red Fort At Agra
The 16th century Mughal monument known as the Red Fort Of Agra was built by Akbar the Great (1556-1605) and is in fact a walled palace that remained India’s premier city for almost two centuries.

The powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses many fairytale palaces within its 1.5 mile-long enclosure walls, including the Jahangir Palace, the Khas Mahal, audience halls such as the Diwan-i-Khas and the Sheesh Mahal (The Glass Palace) which is inlaid with thousands of mirrors and was once the dressing room of the harem.

 

Day 05

Jaipur

The Trident Jaipur

The Amazing Beauty Of The Taj Mahal
The world’s greatest monument to love – the Taj Mahal. lies overlooking the River Yamuna. The Taj was built in 1631 by Emperor Shah Jahan to enshrine the body of his favourite wife. To truly appreciate the wondrous Taj Mahal and its many moods, you should aim to visit it at dawn or dusk when the reflection of the sun changes the colour of the dome from white to shades of pink.

The Tomb Of Itmad Ud Daulah (1622)
A lovely surprise in Agra is this delightful tomb of a nobleman that is often called the ‘mini’ Taj Mahal.

Fatehpur Sikri
The deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri (1570) was the capital of Emperor Akbar between 1570 and 1585. The city was abandoned, for reasons still not understood, after only fifteen years and the capital was relocated back to Agra. As a result Fatehpur Sikri stands untouched and perfectly preserved, a complete medieval fortress of red sandstone, with vast central squares, exquisitely carved multi-tiered pavilions, cool terraces and formal gardens.

Laxmi Vilas At Bharatpur
The Laxmi Vilas Palace (1887) is an ideal place to have lunch on the way to Jaipur.

 

Day 06

Jaipur

The Trident Jaipur

The Fabulous Amber Fort And Palace
After breakfast leave for Amber (pronounced Amer), 7 miles from Jaipur with one of the most fantastic settings in the whole of India.

Here, the Amber Fort (1592) lies cradled in picturesque and rugged hills with a long line of ramparts and battlements leading up to the Jaigarh Fort in the distance.

The forbidding exterior of Amber Fort belies an inner paradise with palaces that are a beautiful fusion of Hindu and Mughal architecture. The top attraction here is the chance of an Elephant Back Ride to ascend to the top.

Private Guided Tour Of Jaipur City Palace
The old Pink City of Jaipur has a stunning backdrop of ancient forts and palaces that stand as dramatic testimonials of a bygone era and a reminder of their lingering romance. Seven gates into the old city remain, one of which leads into Johari Bazaar - the famous jewellers' market that has the best selection of precious stones in India.

The magnificent City Palace built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728 is enclosed by high walls and set amidst courtyards with fine gardens.

The City Palace is now a vast museum with exhibits that have lost none of their splendour. Royal retainers, clothed in turbans and full livery, still guard the principal halls and entrances with fine displays of royal costumes and armaments.

The Palace of the Winds or Hawa Mahal (1799) is Jaipur’s most famous landmark originally built to offer the women of the court a vantage point from which to watch the activity in the bazaars below.

The Jantar Mantar (1734) is a fascinating astronomical observatory that is also well worth visiting.

 

Day 07

Beach Stay In Kerala

To Kerala’s Beaches
You can fly from Jaipur Airport to Trivandrum via Mumbai for Kovalam and Varkala beaches. There are direct flights from Delhi Airport to Cochin for the resort of Marari.

Beach Resorts In Kerala

Mararikulam
Located about 1 hour to the south of the historic port of Cochin, and accessed via Cochin Airport. Marari is a secluded beach with endless stretches of white sand and only a local fishing village nearby. It is an ideal location to explore the fabulous Alleppey Backwaters, which are a mere 20 minutes away.

Varkala
The destination of choice for budget travellers to Kerala. The famous Varkala Cliffs rise above Papanasam Beach with a Kashmiri bazaar on top and exceptional sunsets over the Arabian Sea.

Kovalam And Chowara
Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the resort offers an endless sight of coconut trees. There are 3 crescent-shaped beaches. The southern, and the most popular, is Lighthouse Beach. The northern Samudra Beach is a laidback one and time seems stands still here. The middle, Hawah, in the early day, is a hive of activities with fishermen setting out to sea.

Chowara Beach to the south is the place for a relaxed beach holiday if you want to avoid the crowds at Kovalam.

Poovar
A beach and backwater resort rolled in to one, where an idyllic river estuary is held back by a sand bar. The hotels are reached by boat. The ultimate tropical escape in Kerala.

Other options further afield include The Lakshadweep Islands that lie off the coast of Kerala. It’s one of the last great unspoilt island paradises with some of the best diving and snorkelling that the world has to offer.

NOTE: You can choose as many beach nights as you require.

 

Depart Kerala

Depart Kerala – Daytime flights arrive back in UK the same day.

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