DAY 01: DELHI.
Welcome to Delhi, India! a monumental city with a vibrant mix of old and new teeming bazaars, stately British boulevards, powerful Mughal palaces and forts, and intricate, ethereal towers, temples and tombs.

You will be met on arrival at Indira Gandhi International airport by a representative of Indus Travels and escorted by private vehicle to the hotel. Overnight in Delhi.

DAY 02: DELHI.
Our adventure begins in Old Delhi, the Mughal capital established by Shah Jahan in 1638. At the famous Red Fort, where Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the flag of newly-independent India on August 15, 1947, we trade our car for bicycle rickshaws. Weaving through the warren of crooked, congested alleys off Chandni Chowk, one of India's oldest and busiest bazaars, we will see the traditional workmanship for which India is well known still thrives. We will also visit Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi's serene and evocative cremation site, and the Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India. Overnight in Delhi

Optional: In Delhi and several other places on the tour, there will be an option to visit an orphanage, school or project for under-privileged children; or a women's cooperative.

DAY 03: DELHI.
After breakfast New Delhi sightseeing excursion shows you the Secretariat buildings, Parliament House, Presidential Palace, and India Gate, commemorating Indian and British soldiers, Humayun's Tomb, set in beautiful gardens. This Mughal creation popularized Persian-influenced architecture and was an inspiration for the Taj Mahal.This afternoon visit the Qutb Minar, a stunning 240-foot minaret - the tallest in the world - surrounded by an elaborate complex built in the Indo-Islamic architectural tradition. Overnight in Delhi.

DAY 04: DELHI - VARANASI (BY FLIGHT 9W - 723 DEP 1030 ARR 1145 HRS).
After breakfast, transfer to Delhi airport to catch our flight to the ancient city of Varanasi, the center of Hindu culture. A holy city dedicated to Shiva, Varanasi has survived the centuries because of its sanctified place in Indian religious life. Late this afternoon enjoy an excursion to the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Sarnath. At the museum, see excavated pillars from the Maurya dynasty (323-185 B.C.) and ancient stupas. At sunset, cruise the Ganges River to witness the evening Aarti prayer ritual. Overnight in Varanasi.

DAY 05: VARANASI - KHAJURAHO (BY FLIGHT IT - 231 DEP 1115 ARR 1155 HRS).
Enjoy an early morning boat ride to see the many pilgrims gathering at the Ghats to bathe in the sacred Ganges as the city begins to come alive in the misty light of dawn. After breakfast back at the hotel transfer to Varanasi airport and board a flight to Khajuraho. Upon arrival, in Khajuraho you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. This afternoon enjoy a half day city tour of the Eastern also known as the Jain Temples of Parasnath & Adinath & the Western group of Temples the Kandariya Mahadev & the Chaunsath Yogini). Overnight in Khajuraho.

DAY 08: AGRA - RANTHAMBORE (BY SURFACE 290 KMS / 7 HRS).
After breakfast we will continue overland to Ranthambore. We will stop en route at Fatehpur Sikri, the eerily abandoned capital of the Mughal Empire between 1570 and 1586. Akbar built this city to celebrate the birth of his son and future heir to the throne, Emperor Jahangir. While Akbar is believed to have been illiterate, he took great interest in the arts and architecture; Fatehpur Sikri is one of his masterworks. Sadly, it served as a capital for little more than a decade, eventually being abandoned for lack of accessible water. Overnight in Ranthambore.

DAY 09: RANTHAMBORE.
Ranthambhore National Park, at 150 square miles, is one of India's smallest tiger reserves, but (remove- it) boasts one of the country's largest tiger populations and an impressive array of other animal and bird life (over 270 species of birds have been documented). It is located between the Aravalli and Vindhya mountain ranges, forested with deciduous trees and dotted with natural and manmade lakes and spectacular ancient ruins. Wildlife including leopard, sloth bear, wild boar, langur nilgai, sambar and chital inhabit the park in abundance. Crocodiles are found in some of these lakes, which are also seasonally rich in water birds. Our day will begin with pre-dawn coffee and biscuits before setting off on an early morning game drive with our park guide in search of the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger. After lunch back at our hotel, we will return to the park for an afternoon game drive, ending our day just before sunset. Overnight in Ranthambore.

DAY 10: RANTHAMBORE - JAIPUR (BY SURFACE 175 KMS / 4 HRS).
After breakfast travel overland to the "Pink City" of Jaipur, Rajasthan's capital. The origin of Jaipur's nickname becomes immediately apparent as we enter the old city walls and greet the pink-colored buildings that rise at every turn. In the late afternoon explore the old city on your own or pick an optional INDUS EXEPERIENCE of your choice in Jaipur. Jaipur is an excellent place to enjoy unparalleled shopping and people watching. Spend time in the oldest and busiest of markets in the walled city, Johori Bazaar, a true feast for the senses. Aromatic spices fill the air, while oxcarts, rickshaws, cows, bejeweled women and men with shocking pink turbans jostle through the labyrinthine streets. Overnight in Jaipur.

DAY 11: JAIPUR.
This morning we will drive a short distance outside of the city to Amber Fort & Palace. Perched on a hillside on the outskirts of town, the palace was constructed in the 1590s by Maharaja Man Singh, the commander of Akbar's army, and was largely motivated by the highly defensible location. This is a beautiful and very well preserved structure, built on four levels and surrounded by ruins, which served as the backdrop for the Mira Nair movie "Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love." Travel up to the fort on elephant back as the maharajahs of the past once did. We then return to the city for a look at the grand Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). This magnificent structure was built to allow the royal ladies of the palace to discretely watch the grand processions along the main street, visit the City Palace and impressive Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory built in the early 1700s by Maharaja Jai Sing II, the great warrior-astronomer to which this city owes its name. Overnight in Jaipur