The Golden Triangle With Amritsar
India’s Highlights With The Golden
Temple
The Golden Temple at Amritsar is one of India’s great attractions, with huge numbers of pilgrims
converging on the shrine on a daily basis. There is
the added experience of the Wagah Border
Ceremony at the nearby Pakistan Border. Amritsar is easily reached in comfort by daily
express train from Delhi.
After arriving in Delhi you can experience the sights
and sounds of Old Delhi with teeming markets and
bazaars radiating from the Red Fort towards the Jama Masjid mosque. Drive around the tree lined
avenues of New Delhi wih impressive colonial
architecture to reach the extraordinary Qutub
Minar complex in South Delhi.
Then travel to Agra to explore the huge walled city
called the Red Fort of Agra, from where the great
Mughal Emperors ruled the sub-continent. The Taj
Mahal will of course be a wonderful highlight of any
tour of India.
The Pink City of Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan as well as one of its great princely states. Studded
all around the landscape are hill forts, battlements
and fortifications to protect the great wealth of the
Kachwaha dynasty. Exquisite displays are to be
seen in the interesting museums inside the
sprawling Jaipur City Palace.
Recommended For: Anyone who wants a
highlights tour of India with a visit to the holy city of Amritsar.
Day 01
Depart UK
Depart UK – Overnight flight.
Day 02
Delhi
Relax On Arrival At Delhi
Relax on arrival at your hotel 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
Drive Through Lutyen’s Imperial New Delhi
Experience the wide open spaces of imperial New
Delhi, with its ordered governmental buildings and
blossoming 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 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
Akbar’s Tomb At 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 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 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
Delhi
To Delhi
Return to Delhi and relax prior to your journey
to Amritsar.
Day 08
Amritsar
The Colourful Border Ceremony At Wagah
The colourful Beating The Retreat ceremony at Wagah on the Indian-Pakistan border is held at
4:30pm. Large crowd gather to watch the 'lowering
of the flags’.
Day 09
Amritsar
The Golden Temple At Amritsar
Few people know that this is India’s most visited
location. The Sikh shrine attracts more people than
the Taj Mahal in with more than 100,000 visitors on
week days alone and is the number one destination
for non-resident-Indians (NRI) in the whole of India!
The Golden Temple or Sri Harmandir Sahib is the
holiest shrine in Sikhism. Its name literally means
House Of God. Originally built during 1574 AD, the
site of the temple was surrounded by a small lake
in a thin forest. The temple was completed in 1604.
The temple is surrounded by a large lake of water,
known as the Sarovar which consists of Amrit (Holy Water or Immortal Nectar).
Day 10
Delhi
To Delhi
Return to Delhi and relax prior to your departure.
Day 11
Depart Delhi
Depart Delhi – Daytime flights arrive back in UK the
same day.
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options, descriptions of hotels used and daily
schedules.
The Golden Temple At Amritsar
Trinkets At a Market In Old Delhi
Humayun’s Tomb
Annette
Sophie
Tony
Aaron
Natalie 
