India, a unique country and civilization, is a mind-boggling potpourri of sights, sounds, colours and experiences as well as a culture-shock of astonishing contrasts. Immerse yourself in this tour and prepare for a revamp of any preconceptions towards one of the world’s ‘must-see’ destinations. The jewel of our tour is surely the Taj Mahal at sunrise, when its colours and ethereal beauty is at its most amazing. Built to house the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, Emperor Jahan’s wife, it took 20,000 men 22 years to finish it. The end result transcends the extraordinary world monument it is. The tomb represents the ultimate expression of a pure and enduring love, a tangible expression of the unquantifiable. But there’s more.
We’ll see the real India, a sub-continent that covers the full gambit of evolution, from the natural world, including the nation’s unofficial symbol, the tiger, in Ranthambore, through the Rajasthan forts and palaces of the Mogul empire, to the more recent Raj and British colonial influence.
We’ll stay for three nights in Rajasthan, regarded as India’s most colourful state, a region fringed by deserts, populated by a fiercely proud, warrior race and a plethora of forts and palaces. No area in all of India more clearly illustrates the paradox of ancient and modern which exist side by side.  
We stay in the capital city of Jaipur, known as the pink city due to the colour of its walls and so many of its buildings, and we visit the Maharajah’s City Palace as well as the great Amber Fort, one of the masterpieces of Rajput architecture, guarding the northern approaches to the city.
We delve, ever deeper, into the culture and history of Rajasthan with our stay at the Castle Mandawa, a restored fort, converted into one of the region’s best heritage hotels. A wonderfully romantic setting where Belgian crystal chandeliers hang above exquisite marble floors, quarried from the very quarries that supplied the builders of the Taj Mahal.
But India is not all history and architecture – genuine Indian cuisine is far more varied and interesting that what we are used to at home. From a simple hot chapatti fresh from the oven, to the delicate spices of Kheer, a sweet rice pudding, a trip to India will change your view of Indian cookery – and don’t worry, many of the curries are quite mild! However, for the brave at heart, there’s the gasket-blowing prospect of Phaal curry. Whichever culinary delight you choose the one guarantee is that the Indian people are supremely hospitable and will go out of their way to ensure their visitors enjoy their stay.