Yulia - Travel Expert
- Train journeys through the major cities of Northern India.
- Comfortable accommodation and local support.
- Authentic immersion in India’s railway network.
Delhi
Arrival in Delhi overnight (flight on request). Pick-up on arrival and transfer to the hotel for check-in.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Delhi
Delhi
New Delhi is the world’s 2nd largest city. Your first day of sightseeing is an introduction to the city and the country. You discover, piece by piece, various aspects of Indian culture and history.
. With your private guide and driver, discover Qûtb Minar, the world’s 3rd tallest minaret dating back to the 12th century, and the Humayun’s Tomb, the second Mughal emperor. You gently explore the Muslim Mughal period, which you will then delve into further in Rajasthan.
. You’ll also get to know Hindu culture, with a visit to the Birla Mandir temple, a classic example of Hindu architecture, built in the 1930s and dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune.
. At the end of the day, you head to Bangla Sahib, Delhi’s largest Sikh temple, to understand the distinctiveness of this little-known monotheistic religion before returning to the hotel via Rajpath and the India Gate, reminders of the Indian British period.
Free lunch and dinner.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Delhi (BFB)
Agra
Morning transfer to the station to take the train to Agra (1h40). Air-conditioned 1st class.
Welcome on arrival at the station, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Rest.
Free lunch.
Afternoon – You visit the Red Fort, a replica of Delhi’s, and a symbol of power.
You discover the Taj Mahal, the 17th-century funerary mausoleum, UNESCO-listed. It was built by the Great Mughal Shah Jahan in honour of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The white marble building, topped with a huge dome framed by delicate little minarets, stands in the back of a splendid Mughal garden with various water features.
Overnight at a 5* hotel in Agra, with swimming pool and rooftop restaurant (BFB in a basket)
Agra
Morning – Day trip by car to Fatehpur Sikri, 40 km from Agra.
Visit this astonishing capital that was used for only a few decades before being abandoned due to lack of water. The palace has served as a backdrop for many historical Bollywood films, including the famous Jodhaa Akbar, which covers the Mughal ruler Akbar’s conquest of India in the 16th century, as well as the controversial love story between this Muslim emperor and the Rajput princess.
Free afternoon. Free lunch and dinner.
Overnight at a 5* hotel in Agra, with swimming pool and rooftop restaurant (BFB)
Jaipur
Morning transfer to the station to take the train to Jaipur (4h). Air-conditioned 1st class.
Pick-up on arrival at Jaipur station, transfer and check-in at the hotel.
Afternoon: visit Jaipur’s old town, nicknamed the Pink City, a true jewel of the 17th century. Visit the City Palace, part of which is still inhabited by the Maharajah and his family, but also the incredible Observatory, built in the 18th century by a prince who was in love with the stars. Pass by the Palace of Winds – Hawa Mahal – which allows royal women to watch the street scenes without being seen.
Free lunch and dinner.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Jaipur, traditional haveli-style – with restaurant and swimming pool (BFB in a basket)
Option: overnight possible at a 5* hotel
Fort d'Amber
Morning: discovery of the Fort of Amber, a magnificent fortress perched on top of a hill, with a jeep ascent. Visit the Kali temple, dedicated to the terrifying goddess sticking out her tongue, the public audience hall with red sandstone, the private audience rooms around a splendid Mughal garden decorated with mosaics of colorful glass, and the women’s quarters.
Free afternoon or visit the Galtaji temple, located in the heart of mountainous gorges. This complex of rose sandstone temples houses various shrines. It is known for hosting many tribes of monkeys and pilgrims who bathe in the pools in a peaceful atmosphere.
Free lunch. Free dinner.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Jaipur, traditional haveli-style – with restaurant and swimming pool (BFB)
Option: overnight possible at a 5* hotel
Deogarh
Morning departure by road to Deogarh.
On arrival, check in at the hotel, the former residence of the local Maharaja.
Free lunch.
Afternoon: stroll through Deogarh village. Discover the charm of rural India by meeting local people and learning about their everyday life in the local bazaar, the temples, the village lanes…
Dinner included at the hotel.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Deogarh, traditional haveli-style – with swimming pool and restaurant (BFB, L)
Udaipur
Morning: local train (1h30 – not air-conditioned). Depart for a journey through the Aravali hills by “passenger” train on a line built by the British in the 1930s. You experience provincial train travel conditions, with the local population and stops to feed the monkeys, representatives of the god Hanuman.
The distance covered is only 17 km, but the experience is intense!
At the next station, the driver will be waiting for you. You then drive to Udaipur.
On the way, stop to visit the giant Shiva statue, Vishwas Swaroopamà Nathdwara, inaugurated in 2022. An astonishing complex that feels more like an amusement park than a religious site.
On arrival, check in at the hotel in the heart of the hills surrounding Udaipur, with a view of the lake.
Free lunch at a restaurant on the way – Free dinner.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Udaipur (BFB)
Optional: 5* hotel in the mountains with restaurant and swimming pools
Udaipur
Morning: visit Udaipur, nicknamed “the Venice of the East”, the most romantic city in Rajasthan. Discover the vast and magnificent City Palace, the former main residence of the maharajas, offering breathtaking views over the city and the lake. You’ll also visit the Jagdish Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, and the beautiful garden of Sahelion Ki Bari.
In the late afternoon, enjoy a mini-cruise by boat on the Pichola Lake to the Isle of Delights, taking in the magnificent reflections of the setting sun on the lake.
Free lunch and dinner.
Overnight at a 4* hotel in Udaipur (BFB)
Optional: 5* hotel in the mountains with restaurant and swimming pools
Udaipur
Free time to explore the city.
You’ll use this free day for a few purchases, as Udaipur is rich in quality craft shops.Plan to buy a few food items to eat on board the train in the evening.
Transfer to Udaipur station to take the night train to Delhi. Train departs at 18:30.
You check in on your Udaipur > Delhi night train and in 4-berth or 2-berth sleeper compartments.
Free lunch and dinner.
Overnight on the night train. 1st class closed, air-conditioned sleeper compartment.
Delhi
Arrival in Delhi at 7:10 a.m. Welcome and transfer to the hotel with early check-in and rooms made available in advance. Rest.
Afternoon: visit Old Delhi. You pass by the walls of Red Fort to reach Jama Masjid, the most important mosque in India.
On leaving the mosque, the guide takes you through a maze of bustling market lanes, where you’ll discover the lively atmosphere of the spice market and the bridal market.
Free time or visit Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation site.
Lunch and dinner are free.
Overnight at the 4* hotel in Delhi (B/B)
Varanasi
Morning: transfer to the station to take the train to Varanasi (8:00 a.m.)
Optional: Delhi > Varanasi flight
Welcome on arrival. Transfer and check-in at the hotel. Free lunch.
End of the day: depart for the ghats (steps) along the sacred river, the Ganges, for the traditional evening Ganga Aarti ceremony.
Free dinner
Overnight at the 5* hotel in Varanasi, with restaurant and pool (B/B basket)
Varanasi
Morning: excursion to a village, on the outskirts of Varanasi, on the banks of the Varuna. Talk with the villagers and discover rural life and its activities. Learn how women prepare food for the markets, visit a dairy farm, and see how locals use biogas to cook. Visit the Sanskrit school and the Indian classical dance school.
Afternoon: visit Sarnath, a sacred site of Buddhism classified by UNESCO. Visit the Stupa, the ruins of the monasteries, and the Ashoka Column. If time allows, visit the (closed Friday). museum.
Free lunch and dinner
Overnight at the 5* hotel in Varanasi, with restaurant and pool (B/B)
Varanasi
Very early in the morning boat ride on the Ganges. You glide along the ghats and watch Hindus at prayer, performing their ablutions in the river. You’ll see the cremation fires and wood sellers. You then weave through the city’s lanes and the bazaar, in front of the Aurangzeb Mosque and the Golden Temple.
Return to the hotel, breakfast and rest.
Free afternoon or visit the Ashrams. In ancient India, an ashram was a hermitage in an isolated place, where a sage sought union with God in solitude and great austerity. Today, the word refers to an institution led by a guru. Mumukshu Bhawan was created in the 1920s, known as the Gate of Salvation. According to Hindu belief, dying here is said to break the cycle of death and rebirth, and thus reach salvation. Visit the widows’ ashram, where rejected widows find refuge and spiritual uplift.
Overnight at the 5* hotel in Varanasi, with restaurant and pool (B/B)
Varanasi
After breakfast, flight Varanasi – Delhi.
Back.
Overnight in the plane.
Early arrival in France (flight on request)
End of your trip Rajasthan Varanasi by train
- 13 nights in a 4* and 5* hotel depending on the itinerary
- 1 night aboard the train Udaipur > Delhi, closed air-conditioned compartment sleeper (4 or 2 berths), 1st class
- 1 morning availability of the room in Delhi (upon arrival of the overnight train)
- 1 room available at the airport for the connection in Delhi on the last day
- All breakfasts (B) + one dinner at the hotel in Deogarh (D)
- Welcome and assistance upon arrival and departure of all trains
- Airport transfers upon arrival and departure in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Train Delhi > Agra, reserved seats – air-conditioned compartment
- Train Agra > Jaipur, reserved seats – air-conditioned compartment
- Train Delhi > Varanasi, reserved seats – air-conditioned compartment
- Sightseeing and excursions with a French-speaking guide and an air-conditioned vehicle according to the itinerary
- Entrance tickets for all monuments according to the itinerary
- Shared cruise on Lake Pichola in Udaipur
- Morning boat ride on the Ganges in Varanasi
- Rickshaw (tuk-tuk) excursion through the streets of Varanasi
- Domestic flight Varanasi > Delhi and taxes
- Local taxes
- Phone assistance from our local French-speaking agency throughout the tour
- International flight Paris <> Delhi and taxes (on request)
- Electronic visas (€85) or paper visas (€220)
- Personal expenses: laundry/pressing, drinks, phone bills…
- Tips: plan on €3–5 per guide/driver per day, and small change for hotel staff, etc.
- Travel and medical insurance (included in your quote by Discovery Trains)
- Meals not mentioned
- Early-morning arrivals or late departures not indicated with the hotels
- Supplements
- 5* hotel option in Jaipur (Samode Haveli – Deluxe Room): €250 pp.
- 5* hotel option in Udaipur (Fateh Garh – Renaissance Room): €78 pp.
- Flight option: Delhi > Varanasi by plane instead of train: from €88 pp.
- Room availability on the last day until 8pm instead of 6pm: €40 pp.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
- No vaccine is required for India
- On domestic flights: carry-on baggage 7 kg, checked baggage: 15 kg (beyond that, an additional fee must be paid)
- For your visa, your passport must be valid for 6 months after the date of your return
- E-cigarettes are prohibited in India
