Tamil Nadu & North India Highlights
New
Begin in Delhi and end back in Delhi on this 15 day discovery of North India. You’ll dive into Old and New Delhi’s icons – Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar and India Gate – then zip to Amritsar for the Golden Temple and the lively Wagah border ceremony. Head into the hills around Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj for Tibetan culture. Jaipur brings Amber Fort, palaces and bazaars, while Agra serves the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Continue through Gwalior and Orchha to the sculpted temples of Khajuraho. Varanasi delivers dawn boat rides and Ganga aarti – then Bodhgaya, Nalanda and Rajgir round off the spiritual arc.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more.
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Tour Overview
Duration
15 daysHotel Rating
3, 4 or 5 star hotelsStarts
DelhiEnds
DelhiMinimum Age
No minimum ageMaximum Age
Tours have upper age limits for several reasons, such as but not limited to: tour pace, activity level, and accommodation standards. If you fall outside of this age limit, we do have lots of other tours in India that are suitable for all ages!
Arrival Transfer
YesDeparture Transfer
YesTour Guide
Yes - for included sightseeing.Country
IndiaPassengers
$3,665.00
$2,009.00
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Tour Style
Group Size
Min 1 / Max Private Tour
Trip Type
Private Tours
Range
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Tour Guide
Yes - for included sightseeing.Group Size
Min 1 / Max Private TourRange
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Trip Type
Private ToursPlaces You'll See
New Delhi
Delhi
Amritsar
Dharamsala
McLeod Ganj
Kangra Division
Jaipur
Agra
Abhaneri
Orchha
Gwalior
Khajuraho
Varanasi
Bodhgaya
Bodh Gaya
Rajgir
Nalanda
Patna
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Included
Not Included
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Itinerary
Day 1 - Delhi
On arrival at Delhi airport, we’ll meet you and assist with your transfer to the hotel. Standard check‑in is from 12:00 – early check‑in is subject to room availability. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore at your own pace. Overnight in Delhi.
Day 2 - Exploring Delhi
After breakfast at the hotel, we spend the day exploring Delhi. In Old Delhi, we visit the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and the Khari Baoli spice market, and take a cycle rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk’s bustling lanes. We then continue into New Delhi to see Qutab Minar, Humayun’s Tomb and the Lotus Temple, and drive past the VVIP areas – President’s House, Parliament and India Gate. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 - Train to Amritsar
Delhi – Amritsar. We collect you from your hotel and transfer to the railway station to board Train No. 12029 Swarna Shatabdi – departs 07:20, arrives 13:45 – to Amritsar. On arrival, we meet you at the railway station and transfer to your hotel. Later, we drive to the Wagah Border to witness the Beating Retreat ceremony – held daily just before sunset at the India–Pakistan frontier, where border guards present a 30–minute display of drill and pageantry, with the crowd joining in with chants, applause and dancing to Hindi songs. Overnight at hotel.
Day 4 - Amritsar & Dharamshala
Amritsar – Dharamshala (210 km/5 hrs approx). After breakfast at the hotel, we visit the Golden Temple, famed for its gilded dome and revered as one of Sikhism’s most sacred sites. The Central Sikh Museum sits atop the Clock Tower, and the community kitchen – Guru ka Langar – serves free meals to around 20,000 people daily, rising to about 100,000 on special occasions. We continue to Durgiana Temple, a Hindu shrine with architecture similar to the Golden Temple, then the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum with its collections of paintings, weapons and armour, manuscripts and coins. At Gobindgarh Fort – built by Gujjar Singh Bhangi in the 18th century and later strengthened by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who renamed it after Guru Gobind Singh – we note its five cannons, including the two famed Zamzama pieces. We round off with a rickshaw ride and a walking tour of Amritsar’s old markets. Later, we drive to Dharamshala – around 5 hours – and check in at the hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 5 - Exploring Dharamshala
After breakfast at the hotel, we explore McLeod Ganj, home to many Tibetan exiles with monasteries, schools and temples. We visit the main Buddhist temple – a five‑minute walk from the bazaar and said to resemble the one in Lhasa – surrounded by red and gold prayer wheels turned by devotees. We continue to Dal Lake, ringed by deodar trees, with the lakeside Durgeshwara Mahadev temple. We visit Bhagsunath Temple, known for its fresh water spring, then proceed about 0.5 km to the Bhagsunath waterfall. We also stop at the Church of St John in the Wilderness – built in 1860, noted for its stained glass, damaged in the 1905 earthquake and later rebuilt – whose bells were cast in London and installed in 1915; Lord Elgin, a former Viceroy of India, is buried here. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6 - Fly to Delhi & Journey to Jaipur
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to Dharamshala airport for the flight to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, we meet our driver and continue by road to Jaipur – approximately 265 kilometres, about five hours. On reaching Jaipur, we check in to the hotel for the night.
Day 7 - Exploring Jaipur & Amber Fort
After breakfast at the hotel, we visit Amber Fort – enjoying a Jeep ride at the fort – and Jaigarh Fort. Later, we continue with a city tour of Jaipur, taking in the City Palace, the Observatory, the Palace of Winds, the Albert Hall Museum and the Birla Temple. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 8 - Abhaneri, Fatehpur Sikri & Agra
After breakfast, we drive from Jaipur to Agra – approximately 245 km/5 hours. En route, we stop at Abhaneri, a small village known for its impressive stepwells and temple, and then at Fatehpur Sikri, the 16th–century ghost town. We continue to Agra to check in at the hotel for the night.
Day 9 - Sunrise at the Taj Mahal, Gwalior Fort & Orchha
Agra – Orchha (220 km – 5 hrs approx). We start at sunrise with a visit to the Taj Mahal, then return to the hotel for breakfast. We continue with Agra Fort, the grand Mughal citadel, and the refined Itmad‑ud‑Daula Tomb, known for its delicate marble inlay. We then drive to Orchha, stopping en route to explore Gwalior Fort, a commanding hilltop stronghold. Continue to Orchha and check in at the hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 - Orchha & Khajuraho
Orchha – Khajuraho After breakfast at the hotel, we explore Orchha’s fort complex, temples and graceful chhatris. In the afternoon we drive 178 km – around 4 hours – to Khajuraho and check in at the hotel. In the evening we attend the light and sound show. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 11 - Khajuraho & Fly to Varanasi
Khajuraho – Varanasi (flight). After breakfast, we explore the eastern, western and southern groups of Khajuraho temples, renowned for intricate carvings that celebrate life, including their remarkable erotic sculptures. Later, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Varanasi. On arrival, we’re met and transferred to the hotel. In the evening, we visit the ghats and nearby temples and attend the Ganga Aarti on the riverfront. Overnight at hotel.
Day 12 - Varanasi & Sarnath
Early morning we take a boat ride on the Ganges, passing the ghats where devotees bathe and pray. After breakfast at the hotel, we continue with a city tour of Varanasi, visiting Banaras Hindu University, the Ramnagar Fort Palace and local temples. In the afternoon we head to Sarnath – one of Buddhism’s holiest sites – where the Buddha delivered his first sermon in 528 BC, and visit temples representing diverse Buddhist traditions. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 13 - Varanasi to Bodh Gaya
After breakfast in Varanasi, we drive 250 km – around 5 hours – to Bodh Gaya and check in to the hotel. Later, we visit the Mahabodhi Temple – a UNESCO World Heritage Site with an ancient railing dating to around 100 BC – and the Bodhi Tree where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. We also visit the Tibetan Monastery, the Burmese Temple, the Chinese Temple and Monastery, the Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, the Thai Temple and Monastery, and other nearby monasteries. You have time to relax in the late afternoon, then in the evening we attend the temple aarti. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 14 - Nalanda, Rajgir & Fly Patna to Delhi
After breakfast, we set out from Bodh Gaya for a full day excursion, travelling via Nalanda and Rajgir en route to Patna – about 170 kilometres in total and approximately three hours of driving. In Nalanda we visit the ancient university, a renowned centre of learning established in the 5th century. At Rajgir we visit the marble Vishwa Shanti Stupa on a hill about 400 metres high. We then continue to Patna airport to board the flight to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, we provide assistance and transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 15 - Delhi
After breakfast at the hotel in Delhi, we transfer you to the airport – timed to your flight schedule – to board your onward flight.
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Tour Reviews
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Extras and add-ons
If you'd like to add extras or add-ons to your booking, you can do this easily during checkout. Just review the available options and select any additional services or upgrades you'd like before completing your purchase.
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Hotels
The hotels listed below are examples which we frequently use on this tour. Alternative hotels of a similar standard may be used instead.
Accommodation Standard
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Prices & Dates
The prices you see below are a guide, with final prices per person being determined by the number of travellers in your booking party, desired hotel standard and the rooming arrangements required. To see an accurate price, please click "Book Dates" and enter the details for your booking party.
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