Compare Rajasthan and Varanasi: Bike Tours & the Taj Mahal by G Adventures vs India by International Expeditions

Day 1 Delhi

Arrive at any time and welcome to India's bustling capital - Delhi! Tonight, wander through the electric Karol Bagh market for your first night out; pick the best looking spot and cheers to new adventures and friends!

Day 2 Delhi/Bīkāner

Gain a unique perspective of Delhi on a youth-led tour with G Adventures-supported City Walk project. Afterward, embark through Old Delhi experiencing the historic and cultural side of this vibrant city while visiting the "Great Mosque" and Sikh temple. In the evening, board an overnight train and wake up in Bikaner.

Enjoy a youth-led walking tour of Delhi with G Adventures-supported project, City Walk. This tour offers a unique perspective of Delhi while supporting at-risk youth. Afterwards, an orientation walk takes you through Old Delhi to experience some of the history and culture of this vibrant city.

Day 3 Bīkāner/Rāisar

Arrive early in Bikaner, a semi-arid part of the Thar Desert with sandy dunes and scattered villages. After freshening up, buckle-in to local jeeps and cruise to the sandy village of Raisar for short tour of the village. Explore 100 year old looms, the old water system and the rural life before a 3 km walk along a farm trail. Once the group arrives at the camp sitting atop the dune you will have lunch and a little rest. Then, mount camel carts and ride for 2-3 hours on the dunes until you reach that perfect point to witness the red sun setting in the vast desert. As the sun slowly disappears, climb down to the overnight camp and pitch your tent before enjoying a simple but delicious Indian dinner. Fall asleep to the unique sounds of the desert.

Day 4 Rāisar/Bīkāner

Opt to wake early and experience the sunrise from atop the dunes and feel the sand warming under your feet. After breakfast, transfer back to Bikaner and embark on an orientation stroll through the Old City and bustling markets. Afterward, opt to visit the ancient Junagarh Fort or, if you aren't squeamish, the Deshnok Rat Temple dedicated to, well, rats.

Day 5 Bīkāner/Jaisalmer

Arrive in the medieval fortress city of Jaisalmer and have the rest of the day to relax after the long journey or explore the city at your leisure. Jaisalmer, known as the "Golden City," stands on a ridge of golden sandstone in the heart of the Thar Desert. Wander through the lanes of the walled city and inside the ancient fort. Houses, temples, and havelis are very different from what you would find in other regions of Rajasthan. This evening, watch the setting sun's reflection on the fort with your fellow travellers.

Day 6 Jaisalmer

Enjoy a free day to continue exploring the "Golden City." Check out the seven interconnected Jain Temples, paddle a boat at Gadsisar Lake, and catch the sunset from Vyas Chhatri. There is an adventure around every corner.

Day 7 Jaisalmer/Jodhpur

Travel eastwards to the centrally located metropolis of Jodhpur, the second largest city in Rajasthan, and sometimes called the “Blue City” for the many houses painted that colour. Stark desert landscapes meet a riot of palaces, forts, and temples, all enclosed within imposing city walls. Six enormous gates provide entry to the city centre and overlooking it all stands the imposing shadow of Meherangarh Fort. On arrival, take an orientation walk of the city, then opt to visit this famous fort.

Day 8 Jodhpur/Udaipur

Journey southeast to the city of Udaipur, famous worldwide for its plethora of breathtaking lakes and Raj-era palaces. Get to know the Old City on an orientation walk, then opt to visit the Lake Palace - an island palace built of white marble on Pichola Lake.

Day 9 Udaipur

Another day, another adventure in Udaipur! With so much to do in the royal city, enjoy a day to freely explore. Relive life as royalty at Sajjangarh Fort, also known as the Monsoon Palace, sitting atop a hill with a panoramic view of the city’s lakes. Check out its ingenious rainwater collection system, essential in the dry desert conditions. Or opt to visit the Jagdish Temple, the Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandir folk museum, Saheliyon-ki-Bari (the Garden of Maidens), the City Palace and Museum, and take in an evening dance performance at Bagore Ki Haveli with your new friends.

Discover the early morning serenity of the city by pre-booking the Udaipur Sunrise Cycle tour extra, or opt to sharpen your culinary skills by pre-booking the Udaipur Cooking School extra.

Day 10 Udaipur/Pushkar

Travel over Snake Mountain to Pushkar, site of the world’s only temple to the Hindu god of creation, Brahma. This city is so sacred that no meat, alcohol, or eggs are allowed within the city. Take an orientation walk and visit the 14th century Brahma Temple. In your free time, follow local tradition and ride a camel out to the desert or wander this holy Hindu centre on foot or bicycle. Take a cooking class or scour the bustling markets. Rajasthan is famous for its textiles, jewellery and handicrafts, and few places in the country are better for shopping than the bazaars of Pushkar.

Day 11 Pushkar/Tordi Sāgar

Cruise to peaceful Tordi Sāgar and dive into rural life by visiting local potters, cobblers, and markets on a guided walk through the village. If you're feeling athletic, join in on a cricket match with some local players. In your free time, opt to bounce around with your new friends during a jeep safari or camel cart ride to the dunes for sunset. Head out for a hike in the hills or get a henna tattoo from local women. Tordi Sāgar is your oyster!

Day 12 Tordi Sāgar/Jaipur

Before leaving Tordi Sagar, enjoy a local lunch prepared by traditional methods at a village hamlet. Afterward, travel to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, clothed in pink stucco in imitation of sandstone. Wide-avenued Jaipur is one of the most important heritage cities in India and home to India’s second most visited site, the Hawa Mahal, or "Palace of the Winds." Take an orientation walk around town, then enjoy a free evening to immerse yourself in the exciting nightlife.

Day 13 Jaipur

Embark on a guided tour of Amber Fort, another UNESCO World Heritage Site to check off your list. The Fort's sandstone walls are perched on a hill almost blending in with the terrain, perfectly reflecting in Maota Lake creating a mirage effect (and perfect photograph). Wander through the halls, courtyards, and palaces inside and admire the intricate details. Afterward, head back to Jaipur and spend the free afternoon exploring the city with your fellow travellers. For your big night out, head to a rooftop bar and enjoy a drink on us to cheers to the new adventures you've just shared.

Opt to visit the City Palace with its fine collection of textiles and costumes or admire the mind-boggling architecture of Hawa Mahal. Discover more of the wisdom and history of the Mughals by wandering around the Jantar Mantar, an observatory built in the 1700's, or opt to sit back and relax - sipping a cocktail in any of the luxuriously converted palaces. If you aren't afraid of heights, pre-book the Jaipur balloon ride to admire the city from above. Or choose to visit Kitchen With A Cause and have a delicious meal that allows you to give back to the community.

Day 14 Jaipur/Āgra

Take an afternoon train to the Muslim city of Agra, known for India’s most famous landmark - the Taj Mahal! Immerse yourself in a guided tour of this iconic mausoleum and learn of its unique history as you admire the impressive Mughal architecture.

If you want to see more of Jaipur before departing, pre-book the Cycle Tour and explore the city from a morning perspective.

Day 15 Āgra/Varanasi

Spend the day getting to know Agra. Opt to ride one of the ubiquitous cycle rickshaws to visit Baby Taj and the Agra Fort, the Taj’s less famous — but no less impressive — sister monument, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the evening, board an overnight train and wake up in Varanasi.

Day 16 Varanasi

Arrive to legendary Varanasi, the quintessential Indian holy city where millions of Hindu travel for pilgrimage, to worship, to mourn, or to die. Walk the narrow twisting alleys, poke around some of the thousands of temples and shrines, and experience the energy of the dawn rituals of bathing and burials as you float past the famous ghats of the Ganges. Take an evening boat journey out onto the sacred Ganges River for sunset and enjoy a mesmerizing candle flower ceremony.

Day 17 Varanasi

Cruise the Ganges on a morning boat tour with free time in the afternoon to shop, wander, and absorb the atmosphere of Varanasi. Opt to explore the monasteries and ruins of nearby Sarnath, the site of the Buddha's first sermon.

Pre-book the Guided Visit of Sarnath and learn about the life of the Buddha. Discover the archeological ruins of the monastery. Explore the museum at Sarnath and the sacred Maha Bodhi Tree. Visit temples constructed by the buddhist people of Sri Lanka, Thailand and Japan and stop to admire the Buddha statue during the three hours of guided exploration.

Day 18 Varanasi/Delhi

Enjoy a free day to uniquely explore the spiritual capital of India more in-depth. Opt to bathe in the sacred waters or visit Kashi Vishwanath, the Golden Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, before boarding an overnight train to Delhi.

Pre-book the Varanasi Heritage Walk and enjoy a guided tour that focuses more on the local life in Varanasi and its philosophical and cultural values. Witness pilgrims singing and gain a deeper understanding of the importance of Varanasi in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Day 19 Delhi

Arrive back in the bustling capital of India. The day is yours to explore the temples, markets, and museums in this fast-paced city.

Day 20 Delhi

Wow! What a trip, right? Luckily there is no such thing as goodbye, only until next time. Hug your newfound friends, exchange social medias, and depart at any time.

Day 1 U.S. / En Route
Fly independently to Delhi, India. (Meals Aloft)

Day 2 Delhi
We arrive in Delhi in the late evening, meet our guide and transfer to the Taj Palace, our home for the first two nights of our India tour. (Meals Aloft)

Day 3 Delhi
We enjoy a full day of sightseeing round both Old and New Delhi. We begin this morning in Old Delhi including Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana - the cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India and drive past Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. Following lunch we visit New Delhi, designed by Sir Lutyens, New Delhi became political capital of India in 1911. Our afternoon includes Qutub Minar, built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibek in 1199, Humayun's Tomb and India Gate (War Memorial Arch). We’ll drive past President's House, Parliament House, Government Secretariat Buildings and Connaught Place, New Delhi’s main shopping center. (B,L,D)

Days 4-6 Delhi / Jabalpur or Raipur / Kanha National Park
Board our flight to either Jabalpur or Raipur (based on best flight schedule) and continue on to Kanha National Park. Kanha is one of India's signature wildlife areas and often described as a model of wildlife conservation. The Sal forests, grasslands, flat-topped hills and streams here are home to a rich variety of wildlife and nearly 300 species of birds. We explore the park in open 4X4 jeeps in search of barasingha deer, Indian gaur, sambar deer, chital, wild boar, gray jackal, wild dog and troops of langurs. We keep an eye out for the park’s greatest prize of the India tiger safari: the Bengal Tiger. In addition to Bengal tiger, with luck we may even see leopard and sloth bear. Listen to the sounds of the jungle, an experience both exciting and chilling. While relaxing at the lodge, you may hear the alarm calls of deer or an occasional roar of the Bengal tiger. During our three nights at Kanha Jungle Lodge, we enjoy stargazing and cooking demonstrations using the lodge’s organically grown produce. (B,L,D Daily)

Day 7 Kanha / Bandhavgarh National Park
After breakfast we drive to the renowned Bandhavgarh National Park. The park is made up of rocky hills, lush deciduous forests, marshes and stretches of meadows. It is considered the best place in the world to observe wild tiger. Tonight we enjoy an outdoor barbeque dinner cooked over an open flame. Spend three nights at Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge. (B,L,D)

Days 8 & 9 Bandhavgarh National Park
Morning and afternoon excursions are the ideal opportunity to search for Bandhavgarh's tigers and spot some of the park's 250 species of birds, including the vibrant peacock, breeding pairs of sarus cranes, paradise fly-catcher, Malabar pied hornbill and orange headed ground thrush. While exploring the dense sal and bamboo forests, your naturalist may point out blue bull, leopard, wild boar, gaur, chital, sambar, chinkara, barking deer and bear. (B,L,D Daily)

Day 10 Bandhavgarh / Khajuraho
After one last tiger safari, drive to Khajuraho, passing through the villages and countryside of Madhya Pradesh. Tonight dinner is at the Hotel Chandela, where we spend the night. (B,L,D)

Day 11 Khajuraho / Varanasi
Visit the amazing temples adorned with vivid erotic stone carvings dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. Built by the Chandela kings between 950 AD and 1050 AD., the most important temples within the complex are Chaunset Yogini, dedicated to goddess Kali. Kandariya Mahadev, and Chitragupta — or Bharatji — home to an image of an 11-headed Vishnu. Visit the Eastern group of temples, where we tour Parasvanath Temple, Khajuraho’s only surviving Jain temple. After lunch, fly to Varanasi. Check into the Hotel Ganges, Varanasi before an evening rickshaw ride. Venture to the banks of the Ganges, one of India’s holiest places, to witness the ceremonial Aarti, a Hindu ritual. (B,L,D)

Day 12 Varanasi
Historic Varanasi is one of the world's oldest living cities, being contemporary with the ancient cities of Nineveh and Thebes. For those who want an in-depth look into the fascinating Hindu religion, there is no better place to explore than Varanasi. Our India tour travels also the banks of the Ganges, where we see devotees taking to the river for ritual bathing and to throw the ashes of their loved ones into the holy water. Tour the city itself, visiting Bharat Mata, Durga temple and Benares Hindu University, one of the largest residential universities in the world. This afternoon, tour the sacred Buddhist site of Sarnath, where Lord Buddha gave first sermon after attaining enlightenment. Wrap-up our day with excursions to Dhamaekha Stupa, Moolgandha Kuti Vihar and the Sarnath Museum, which houses a rich collection of Indian antiques. (B,L,D)

Day 13 Varanasi / Agra
After a morning trip to the Dasaswamedh Ghat, board boats for a sunrise ride on the Ganges. From the middle of the river, our small group watches as thousands of Hindu faithful come to the riverbank to bathe and pray, while in the background, temples and palaces rise in tiers from the water’s edge. Stroll through the cobblestone streets along the banks of Ganga. As shops open, the area almost buzzes with activity. Fly to Agra, and spend the afternoon exploring Agra Fort and the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah. Spend tonight at the ITC Mughal. (B,L,D)

Day 14 Agra / Fatehpur Sikri / Samode
This morning we visit the spectacular Taj Mahal, a touchstone site that fully lives up to its reputation as one of the most glorious monuments in the world. Built by Moghul Shah Jahan for his beloved wife the project took 22 years to complete. Continue to Fatehpur Sikri (Victory City). Once the Mughal capital, this walled city is a blend of Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. See the graceful buildings including the Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal and other palaces. Drive to the sleepy village of Samode and spend two nights in the 18th century palace which dominates the hilltop. (B,L,D)

Day 15 Samode: Jaipur
Today we drive to Jaipur, capital of the state of Rajasthan. It is known as the “Pink City” because of the reddish color applied to the old city walls and palace as a symbol of welcome to a visiting Prince. A labyrinth of fascinating bazaars, opulent palaces and historic sights, tradition and modernity exist side by side. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh, the notable astronomer, this city is 260 years old. Explore the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), Maharaja's City Palace and the Observatory. Discover the Amber Fort, Rajasthan's ancient capital. We continue to Sheesh Mahal or the Hall of Victory, glittering with mirrors. Return to Samode, where the afternoon is free to explore the village. (B,L,D)

Day 16 Samode / Delhi / En Route
Spend a morning exploring the nearby village of Samode, renowned for the printed cloth and glass bangles produced by local artisans. Drive to Delhi. Dayrooms are available at the Radisson Blu Plaza before meeting your independent flights home. (B,L,D)

Day 17 Arrive
Meet your connecting flights home. (Meals Aloft)