Delhi, Jaipur & Agra

Royalty and nobility, vast palaces and grand mansions, Old Delhi was once the majestic capital of India and is still filled with the incredible architecture of its former glory days. See the impressive Jama Masjid, built in 1656; it is the largest and best-known mosque in India. Visit the vast Lal Quila (Red Fort) the former residence of the Royal Family and headquarters for the British Army during British occupation. Then, pay your respects to one of the greatest men in Indian History, Mahatma Gandhi, at his memorial the Raj Ghat.

New Delhi serves as the seat of the Indian Government and is characterized by wide tree-lined boulevards and impressive national monuments. Drive down the Rajpath, or Royal Mall, arguably the most important road in all of India, and head to Connaught Place, the largest financial and business district in New Delhi. Visit Humayun’s Tomb, which was the first garden-tomb built in India, and marvel at its massive white marble dome and red sandstone sides. Wander along Janapath Market and browse through hundreds of shops set up along the sidewalk selling inexpensive jewelry, Indian artifacts and pure essential oils and perfumes.

Visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal. Construction began in 1632 in memory of Shah Jahan’s wife who, with her dying breath, requested that he build a mausoleum for her. The Taj (as it is often called) is considered the greatest example of Mughal architecture and its characteristic white dome is recognized world-wide. Sit beside the glass-like reflecting pool directly in front of the mausoleum and take in the surrounding manicured gardens and exotic flowers.

Considered one of the most important forts in India, Agra Fort was once the home to important Mughal rulers. The fort is surrounded by a seventy foot-tall wall with four embellished gates on each side and is representative of both Hindu and Muslim architecture. Although overshadowed by its neighbor, the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort is still an impressive and important monument, and is visited by a large number of tourists each year.

Intricate Hindu motifs of swans, elephants and parrots cover the interior of the Palace of Jodha Bai and are an impressive sight. Built as a Harem, a sacred space for women that is forbidden for men to enter, the Palace of Jodha Bai is comprised of numerous connected apartments surrounding a massive inner courtyard, and was most likely home to the queen and her royal female attendants.

How can you keep a palace cool in the stifling Indian heat before there was electricity or AC? You build one with 953 windows! At least that’s what the builders of Hawa Mahal did in order to keep a constant cooling breeze throughout the palace in the summer months (hence the name, Palace of the Winds). Built of red, pink and white sandstone and in the shape of the crown of Krishna, a Hindu God, the Palace of the Winds is a unique must-see.

Known as the “Pink City”, Jaipur is an impressive pre-modern Indian city known for its wide boulevards and well-planned streets. During your tour pass by the famous Palace of the Winds and the breathtaking Jal Mahal, a “water palace” that sits in the middle of Mansagar Lake. During the hot summer months the lake dries up but during the rainy season the lake fills with water, creating a magical glass-like reflection of the palace and surrounding it with beautiful purple water flowers.