Arrive Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Meet our representative at the airport & transfer hotel by air conditioned vehicle. Specify your flight

Delhi stands as the capital of Modern India. Here you can see the mingling of the Old and New India, the ancient and the modern. Delhi is made up of seven ancient cities, spanning the period from the 11th to 20th centuries. Delhi has seen the rise and fall of many emperors, which have left behind a plethora of monuments that commemorate the grandeur and glory of bygone ages. Very few cities in the world can express such a profusion of architectural styles. Overnight stay at hotel.

Morning visit to Old Delhi - an ancient walled city, Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan in 1650 switched the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi; we take rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of Delhi's bazaar - which gives us an incredible and authentic insight into the real, everyday lives of the millions of people who live in the city. As your rickshaw travels towards Chandni Chowk, you will be immersed in real India - surrounded by people, sounds and smells as we squeeze past vegetable carts and impromptu market stalls, avoiding delivery men carrying boxes on their heads. We duck underneath Sari displays and ride through the fragrant steam of street-side food stands and restaurants. We visit the Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India. Overnight stay at hotel [B, D]

Afternoon on a tour of New Delhi was designed and built by the British in the 1920's - it's a city of wide boulevards impressive Government buildings, green parks and gardens. In 1911 King George V announced the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. The King's architects, Lutyens and Baker, set in motion the Design and construction of Delhi's eight cities - New Delhi. Lutyens designed an "Imperial City" having palatial-sized buildings set amid broad tree-lined avenues punctuated by Mughal style gardens, complete with fountains and shallow pools. It took 20 years to complete this immense undertaking only to have the British pack up and relinquish the subcontinent in 1947.

You will visit the monuments from Delhi's past & known as two of the 26 World Heritage sites of India - Humayun’s Tomb Persian influenced Humayun's Tomb - a memorial to the second Mughal Emperor, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and Qutub Minar. Your drive takes you along the ceremonial avenue, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the Indian president. Also visit Sikh Gurudwara Bangla Sahib to see the worship etc.Overnight stay at hotel [B, D]

Morning we take southbound Gatimaan Express at 08.10 hrs arrive Agra at 09.50 hrs. you will be meet by our representative at station transfer to hotel. Agra - at the time of the Mughals, in the 16th & 17th centuries, Agra was the capital of the grand Mughal Empire. During this period the city became a leading centre of art, science, commerce and culture. Akbar the Great made Agra great. The city's origins are dim but Akbar's grandfather Babur is credited with Agra's founding.

Take Horse cart (Tonga Ride) to the Magnificent Taj Mahal – The New 7 wonder of the world and Monument of Love, which was built in 1630 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1631, and is believed to have taken 18 years to complete, with over 20,000 craftsmen working around the clock. The design and construction is said to be that of the legendary architect, Ustad Ahamad Lahori. Legend has it that once construction was completed, what makes the Taj Mahal unique is its perfect proportions, distinct femininity, medium of construction and ornamentation. Its marble exterior reflects rose and golden tints at sunrise and sunset, while it is dazzling white during the day. It is impossible to visualize the Taj Mahal in any surrounding others than its paradoxical garden. Paradise, in Islam, is visualized as a lush garden where running streams flow. When the Mughal brought this concept to India they elevated it to heights of Incomparable artistry.

Also visit Agra Fort. Evening take Gatimaan Express to come back to Delhi for Overnight stay at hotel [B, D]

After breakfast transfer to airport to board the internal flight for Bagdogra. On arrival, we transfer by car to Darjeeling. Overnight stay.[B, D]

Early morning visit Tiger Hill viewpoint, where we watch the sunrise from behind Kanchenjunga, India's highest mountain. Later we travel on the steam-hauled Toy Train to Ghum, to visit the town's Buddhist monastery. In the afternoon we visit Darjeeling's Mountaineering Institute. We will also have the opportunity to see the red panda at Darjeeling Zoo. Overnight stay [B, D]

Today, we take the Red Panda toy train to Kurseong, before enjoying lunch at Cochrane Place. This afternoon, we visit the Makidari Tea Estate. For centuries Darjeeling has been famed as a tea-growing centre, and after our time at the estate, we return to Darjeeling, where we enjoy a tea tasting at a local market, and visit the Planter's Club. Overnight stay in Siliguri [B, D]

Breakfast at hotel,We have time at leisure before taking the toy train from Tindaria to Siliguri. Overnight stay in Siliguri [B, D]

This morning we board the Shatabdi Express to the Farakka Barrage, where we board our fabulous vessel - the ABN Rajmahal - for a sevennight cruise along the Lower Ganges. Known locally as the 'Hooghly River', this distributary of the Ganges is named for its 'rebirth', after the almost-extinguished river was revived by the building of the Farakka Barrage, which quenched the Hooghly with an increased water flow. After our first night on board [B, D]

Our ship pauses on at Gaur, a historic former capital with roots dating back to 12th century Hindu rule. During our excursion, we discover the remnants of centuries past, preserved in the ancient monuments and mosques of the city.

[B, L, D]

Having explored India's cities, today our holiday takes a different approach, as we cruise to the sleepy village of Baranagar. Here we experience idyllic rural India at its best, as we stroll through the fields to the town's superb terracotta temples, admiring delicate designs and intricate carvings of Shiva. We continue to Murshidabad, a small town dominated by a 19th century mansion, named the Hazarduari Palace, or 'house with a thousand doors'. [B, L, D]

We continue down river to Khushbagh Gardens, the resting place of the 18th century Nawal rulers of Bengal. Later, we visit the site of the Battle of Plassey, famous as the conflict which secured the East India Company's hold over Bengal, with Clive of India paving the way for British dominance in India.[B, L, D]

Our tour of authentic rural Indian life continues today, as we stop along the Hooghly for a shore excursion to Matiari, a small village where brassworking has been the local trade for generations. During our time here, we observe the methods used for the last 100 years to create brass utensils and works of art. Later, we visit Mayapur, watched over by its imposing ISKCON Hindu temple.[B, L, D]

Our first stop today takes us to Chandernagore, the 'City of Liberty', a famously beautiful city that was in French possession from the 17th century until the 1950s. Whilst here, we visit the former governor's residence, Dupleix House, and the Elglise du Sacré Coeur, or Sacred Heart Church. Later we continue to Barrackpore, a former British military centre, for a short walking tour of the city's main highlights, past the Semaphore Tower and the Temple of Fame.[B, L, D]

Our time on board the ABN Rajmahal comes to an end today. Disembarking in Kolkata, we check in at the fabulous Oberoi Grand Hotel, ahead of a coach tour, taking in Victoria's Memorial and Tagore house. We then take a circular train to Prinsep Ghat, to see the James Prinsep Memorial and Garden. [B, D]

In the morningwe begin with a morning walking tour of Kolkata, seeing the flower market and the Jain temple. This afternoon, we visit the railway museum. We transfer to the airport to board the flight for onward destination. [B]