PRIVATE GROUP TOURS

India: Delhi, Punjab and Agra

Enjoy this nine-day tour taking in the iconic sights of Delhi and Agra, including the Taj Mahal in all its glory. This tour also includes a powerful and impactful empowerment tourism project, and the chance to witness the hidden gems of Punjab, a lesser explored region boasting incredible local and intimate moments aplenty, including a homestay in a small village. If you want the best of India with authenticity in just over a week, this is a perfect option.

9 DAYS | 8 NIGHTS

DELHI - PUNJAB - AGRA

Persons / Pricing

1 person: $2800 AUD

2-6 persons: $2250 AUD pp

7+ persons: $1650 AUD pp

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TOUR

INTRODUCTION

This is a private tour, if you are looking to join a group for this itinerary please see our scheduled group departures.

This nine-day tour visiting Delhi, Punjab and Agra will take you from busy city life to a more relaxed, rural village experience in lesser-visited Punjab, and ends with the famed Taj Mahal, a view you’ll never forget.

On this tour, as well as seeing the famous sights such as Raj Ghat, the Jama Masjid mosque, the intricate Akshardham Temple and the Taj Mahal, you’ll also see the less famous, but equally as beautiful Golden Temple of Amritsar.

If you are looking for authentic experiences, the unique homestay in the welcoming village of Punjab, coupled with exploring the local area and farming lands, make for an unforgettable insight into life outside of India’s huge cities.

As well as visiting magnificent monuments, savouring the flavours of the region and discovering the inside scoop from your professional tour experience leader, you will also be supporting various empowerment projects throughout the country. Our tours don’t just take you there; they leave a part of you behind. We can’t wait to show you why travelling this way has us hooked, and welcome you to India the second you step out of the airport.

Day One: Delhi

Meet and greet at the airport
Welcome briefing
A visit to the magical and intricate Akshardham Temple for a light show
Authentic Indian buffet dinner

Day Two: Delhi to Punjab

Hotel Breakfast
Transfer to Punjab by express train
Close up Agricultural and nature walk
Sugar cane tour and tasting
Street snacks
Cultural dinner
Unique overnight homestay at a local village

Day Three: Punjab

Gurdwara temple morning visit
Homestay breakfast
Transfer to Amritsar
Tour the beautiful Golden Temple
Evening at leisure

Day Four: Punjab to Delhi

Hotel breakfast
Morning stroll around the Hall Bazaar
Train transfer back to Delhi
Afternoon at leisure

Day Five: Delhi

Hotel breakfast and biryani lunch at project
Project work in the slums – Women empowerment and sanitation
Evening at leisure

Day Six: Delhi

Hotel breakfast and local lunch
Qutub Minar tour
Raj Ghat
Lotus Temple
India Gate
Fusion dinner

Day Seven: Delhi to Agra

Hotel breakfast
Transfer to historical Agra
Fatehpur Sikri tour
Sunset at the Moonlight Gardens opposite the Taj Mahal
Evening at leisure

Day Eight: Agra

Hotel breakfast and local lunch
Taj Mahal tour
Agra Fort tour
Afternoon at leisure

Day Nine: Agra

Hotel breakfast

TOUR

INCLUSIONS

At Hands on Journeys, we believe in including as many incredible sights and authentic experiences in your tour as possible. You can learn more about our inclusions here and see a handy list of exclusions and how much cash to bring for this tour here.

Accommodation

Seven nights at a combination of three and four-star hotels (twin share) and a unique homestay in Punjab

Transport

Transport will be defined by group size. Please note this tour also includes an express train.

For groups of 1-4 persons, you will be driven by your tour experience leader where ground transport is required.

For groups of 5+ persons, your ground transportation will be in a comfortable, air-conditioned coach or vehicle with a driver and tour experience leader where ground transport is required.

Entrance fees

To many incredible attractions, including highlights such as the The Taj Mahal, Golden Temple, Lotus Temple and Qutub Minar and Jantar Mantar

Tasty Meals

Breakfast daily, four lunches and three delicious dinners

Empowerment Tourism

Two incredible Empowerment Tourism projects: One in Delhi and one in Punjab – we promise these are sustainable, impactful and provide an incredible chance for cultural immersion

Professional Guide

A bilingual local tour experience leader every step of the journey

Local Knowledge

Local expert guides to many of the attractions

Tour Split

60% Incredible Sights
20% Project Work
20% Travel Time

EMPOWERMENT TOURISM

TOUR PROJECTS

On this tour we collectively place 10% of the tour funds directly towards our ongoing and sustainable empowerment projects, you can read more about the #EmpowermentTourism concept here. Previous projects in India have included installing new toilets and water filters in schools and community centres, helping to establish a local cooking school in Jaipur and providing support and marketing materials, such as photography, iPads and a website for a small fashion brand based in a slum to allow them to retail direct and keep all of their profits.

Our future projects will vary depending on the time of year and group size. Some of our upcoming goals in India include sponsoring more children to attend higher education, helping to stimulate more new businesses and further develop our cultural immersion program, which is enriching for both locals and travellers alike. We aim to motivate and encourage locals and most of your time on the ground will be spent meeting those your funds have impacted, rather than trying to achieve every objective in the relatively short space of your visit. Every project is ongoing until the work is done and communities are self-sustainable.

TOUR

ITINERARY

Day One: Delhi

Meet and greet at the airport
Welcome briefing
A visit to the magical and intricate Akshardham Temple for a light show
Authentic Indian buffet dinner

Your tour begins the second you step out of the airport, no matter what your time of arrival we will be ready and waiting to meet you and take you to your Delhi hotel. The rest of the day is free to settle in before our welcome briefing at 4 pm.

After meeting your tour experience leader and covering the upcoming itinerary, it’s off to the mind-blowing Akshardham Temple. One of the most extensive and most impressive temples in Delhi, the intricate and ornate gold and white statues and carvings will captivate you. As a profoundly spiritual place, no phones or cameras are allowed, which only magnifies the magic of walking through the complex. The impressive light and water show occurs as the sun sets, and the courtyard comes alive with a 24-minute projection sharing the life story from the Kena Upanishad.

We round off our first day with an authentic Indian buffet dinner; this casual environment is the ideal way to tickle your taste buds with Indian cuisine.

Day Two: Delhi to Punjab

Hotel Breakfast
Transfer to Punjab by express train
Close up Agricultural and nature walk
Sugar cane tour and tasting
Street snacks
Cultural dinner
Unique overnight homestay at a local village

After a hotel breakfast, it’s time to head off to lesser-explored Punjab. A short vehicle transfer will take us to the train station, where we board an express train. Punjab is a fascinating region, with Amritsar, the main city, founded in the late 1500s by Sikh Guru Ram Das. Here you’ll find many of the holiest worshipping sights for Sikhs and away from the big cities, a more rural way of life.

Once we arrive in Punjab, a short drive will bring us to the village. Here we will meet our homestay host families over Chai. A local guide will then take you on a tour of the village, starting with the vast sugar canes where we will sample the raw, sweet cane straight from the source as well as witnessing the harvest. With Chai with locals, sweet-streets in small markets, and an evening helping make the Roti for our home-stay dinner, this is an intimate day any true traveller will appreciate.

Day Three: Punjab

Gurdwara temple morning visit
Homestay breakfast
Transfer to Amritsar
Tour the beautiful Golden Temple
Evening at leisure

An early morning wake up will take us to Gurdwara Temple for sunrise. One of the holiest temples in India, it’s an honour to be at a place so important to the Sikh community. After the morning temple visit, we return to our homestay for breakfast.

On the way we to Amritsar, we will stop at the Haveli village. This themed resort will allow you to witness some of the local traditions and learn about some of the more traditional aspects of this destination.

On arrival at Amritsar, you’ll instantly notice the change in your surroundings as we find ourselves in the old walled town. Here you’ll be amazed by the stunning Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), before having the evening to enjoy the city as you please.

Day Four: Punjab to Delhi

Hotel breakfast
Morning stroll around the Hall Bazaar
Train transfer back to Delhi
Evening at leisure

After a hotel breakfast, we take a stroll around the impressive Hall Bazaar. This bustling market of local goods and wears takes you to the soul of the city and is an ideal place to pick up any gifts or souvenirs before we take the train back to Delhi.

Once we have checked back into our Delhi accommodation you’ll be free to take your tour experience leaders suggestions on how to enjoy your free evening.

Day Five: Delhi

Hotel breakfast and biryani lunch at project
Project work in the slums – Women empowerment and sanitation
Evening at leisure

After a hotel breakfast, we board our coach to the local slum we work with in this region. Alongside a local NGO, numerous small schools have been opened across three slums, each of which also provides female empowerment projects and sanitation supplies, such as water filters and new toilets.

We will spend the day with the community, seeing first hand the impact tour funds have and how they are changing lives. This also provides a unique cultural exchange moment, as we will enjoy a lunch with the local community and share stories that give an intimate look at domestic life.

The evening is free for you to do as you please, many of our travelers find after seeing the slums of Delhi they enjoy taking the evening to reflect and either enjoy some downtime or split into smaller groups for dinner.

Day Six: Delhi

Hotel breakfast and local lunch
Qutub Minar tour
Raj Ghat
Lotus Temple
India Gate
Fusion dinner

After a hotel breakfast, we depart on a full day tour to see the best of Delhi.

We begin at the Qutub Minar, a minaret which is part of the Qatar complex, another impressive UNESCO world heritage site. Towering an incredible 73 metres into the air, this is the tallest brick minaret in the world. With five distinct stories, it is a wonder to behold.

Next on our tour is Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Home to both a museum and marble platform, we pay our respects at this special place. The Lotus Temple is a Bahá’í House of Worship and is unique in being open to all, regardless of their religion or faith. The white flowerlike shape is sometimes compared to the Sydney Opera House in its design. Our final stop is India Gate; an emotional memorial dedicated to the 70,000 soldiers who died in World War I. The grand gate standing at 42 metres high, draws many local and international tourist to pay their respects.

After some downtime at the hotel, we head back into the chic part of the city to enjoy a fusion dinner in one of city’s coolest venues, which combines excellent food with an impressive drinks menu.

Day Seven: Delhi to Agra

Hotel breakfast
Transfer to historical Agra
Fatehpur Sikri tour
Sunset at the Moonlight Gardens opposite the Taj Mahal
Evening at leisure

After a hotel breakfast, we to continue to Agra.

Outside of the city, we will stop at the fascinating Fatehpur Sikri, a former capital of the Mughal Empire which was founded in 1571. Home to palaces, grand gateways and one of the largest mosques in India, this World Heritage Site provides countless architectural gems to discover.

After checking into our Agra hotel, we cross the river to see a unique view of the Taj Mahal from the Mehtab Bagh (the moonlight gardens). Just north of the Taj Mahal these gardens make for the perfect sunset spot and allow you to marvel at the majestic marble mausoleum from a different angle.

Day Eight: Agra

Hotel breakfast
Taj Mahal tour
Agra Fort tour
Afternoon at leisure

After a hotel breakfast, we depart to see Agra’s main attraction, the Taj Mahal. This UNESCO world heritage site was constructed between 1631 and 1648 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife. The ivory-white marble mausoleum is the jewel of Muslim masterpieces in India and famous worldwide for a good reason. After our local expert guide has taken us through the history and highlights of the complex, there will be free time to admire it more in-depth and capture the perfect photograph.

We then continue to Agra Fort, another of the city’s star attractions. Also a UNESCO world heritage site, it lies just a few kilometres away from the Taj Mahal. It was one of the most important strongholds of the Mughal empire and behind its imposing walls lies history, magnificent gardens and impressive architecture.

With the rest of the afternoon at leisure, a dip in the pool or the chance to shop for souvenirs is a welcome rest from the midday heat.

Day Nine: Agra

Hotel breakfast

After enjoying your hotel breakfast, our tour concludes at check out. It’s time for plenty of emotional goodbyes, exchanging contact details and chatter about future travel plans.

It was everything I dreamed and more! Not only was our trip to India organised and professional, it was unforgettable and will be an experience I will treasure forever. We were very well taken care of and were able to see so many sites as well as make a difference in some of the impoverished communities. Meeting and connecting with local children and community leaders was rewarding and life changing. I highly recommend taking a tour with Hands on Journey if you want a unique and authentic experience of another culture.

LindsayUSA, Review from Facebook

I can’t say enough amazing things about Hands on Journeys. I went on the India tour in Sept 2017 and it changed my life in so many ways. I was nervous and hesitant to travel to India but Hands On Journeys made me feel safe and educated throughout the whole experience. The whole tour was run very professionally and every meal and accommodation was perfect – no details were missed. We got to see India and experience everything in such a real and authentic way. India can be quite an intense country but I left wanting more! The service projects left me inspired and opened my eyes and heart to so much beauty and happiness despite the intense conditions of the slums. I never want to travel any other way now! Hands on Journeys really attracts amazing and big hearted people and I made lifelong friends on this tour.

MeaganReview from Facebook

TOUR

EXCLUSIONS

Unlike many other tour operators, we don’t spend the tour trying to sell you upgrades or leaving you hanging around on the street because you can’t afford an unexpected attraction. While we do allow spare time to visit markets or meet the locals, all of the entrance fees are covered on tour so you don’t need to dig into your pocket.

We promise to treat you to some delicious meals on tour. With a mix of fusion, street, traditional and western cuisine we don’t just palm you off to the typical tour bus restaurants. We have personally eaten in and hand-picked each delicious dish we offer you. On this tour some meals are excluded, giving time to break off solo or head on an adventure with your group. Alcoholic and soft drinks are excluded at meal times. Water and on most occasions hot drinks are included.

How much cash should I bring? With only a couple of meals, your drinks, souvenirs, tips and any extra shopping or personal items you buy to account for, you could likely get by with just a few bills in your pocket but we suggest bringing around $300 AUD cash in hand to be safe and in case of any emergencies. Anything you don’t spend makes an excellent addition to your next travel fund.

Flights are not included, but we are more than happy to help you find the best deal possible. We have some awesome tips here, a list of suggested routes here and one of our travel-loving trip coordinators is always happy to help you dig into the plethora of flight options and find the best one for you and your budget, just tick the ‘Help with Flights’ box when making the booking.

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incredible sights cultural immersion empowering communities

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PRIVATE GROUP TOURS

India: Delhi, Punjab and Agra

9 DAYS | 8 NIGHTS

DELHI - PUNJAB - AGRA

Persons / Pricing

TOUR

INTRODUCTION

Day One: Delhi

Day Two: Delhi to Punjab

Day Three: Punjab

Day Four: Punjab to Delhi

Day Five: Delhi

Day Six: Delhi

Day Seven: Delhi to Agra

Day Eight: Agra

Day Nine: Agra

TOUR

INCLUSIONS

Accommodation

Transport

Entrance fees

Tasty Meals

Empowerment Tourism

Professional Guide

Local Knowledge

Tour Split

EMPOWERMENT TOURISM

TOUR PROJECTS

TOUR

ITINERARY

TOUR

EXCLUSIONS

OUR NEWSLETTER

SIGN UP FOR A BROCHURE

BOOK YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE

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