Corbett & Agra

Days 1 & 2. Depart London [B (day 2 only)]

Depart London for Delhi where you spend the night at the Claridges Hotel.

Delhi is actually two fascinating cities - old and new. Old Delhi pulses with energy and colour, providing a fascinating insight into the sights, sounds and aromas of the Indian sub-continent; and here you will see the enormous Red Fort (please note that this is closed on Mondays), the Jama Masjid Mosque with its tapering minarets and wonderful marble domes and the bustling bazaar of Chandni Chowk. New Delhi is a complete contrast; it is a landscaped city of wide boulevards, colonial monuments, stately palaces and formal parks. Here you find the Parliament Building - once the aweinspiring residence of the British Viceroys and now the Presidential Palace, the Raj Ghat - cremation site of Mahatama Gandhi, India Gate - a majestic memorial to the Indian Soldiers killed in World War I, the ancient and fascinating Qutab Minar tower, Humanyun's Tomb - graceful Mughal fore-runner of the Taj Mahal and finally the Birla Mandir (a large Hindu Temple built in 1938). To see the major sites of Delhi you should allow at least a day (longer if you want to see things at a more relaxed pace).

The Claridges is a first class historic hotel in the heart of New Delhi. All the beautifully appointed rooms are airconditioned and en-suite with a full range of facilities. There is also a swimming pool, four restaurants, and a health club. The Claridges has been a landmark in Lutyen's Delhi since the colonial period.

Days 3 to 7. Corbett National Park [B, L, D]

The drive from Delhi to Corbett National Park is about six hours and once at Corbett your time will be spent between Corbett Hideaway where you spend two nights and the government run guesthouses of Dhikala Guest House where you spend two nights, and Rathuadab Forest House where you spend one night.

Corbett National Park lies at the base of the Himalayan foothills, and was named after the legendary hunter and naturalist, Jim Corbett. His books about the hunting of man-eating Tigers and Leopards in these Kumaon hills, still provide an accurate picture of the wildlife and peoples of this region, if much of the impenetrable tract of forest that once covered all the foothills of the Great Himalaya has now gone. A sanctuary was declared here as early as 1935, the very first national park in India. The park extends for over 270 square kilometres, and protects an undulating land of dry foothills clothed in fire-resistant Sal forest and dense riverine jungle. Large areas of riverside grassland provide a third rich habitat. Corbett's rich variety of habitats, and position in the foothills, are the reason for its good population of mammals.

Rhesus Macaque, Common Langur, Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, Chital, Sambar, Muntjac and Hog Deer are all common and regularly seen, whilst a good population of Indian Elephant is discreet. The park remains famous for its Tigers however which are frequently seen. The birdlife here is exceptional too with more than 620 species having been recorded. Wildlife viewing is by open-topped jeep and on Elephant-back.

Day 8. En-route to Agra

After a leisurely morning you head for the train station and the overnight train to Agra.

Day 9. Agra [B]

On arrival in Agra you will be met and transferred to the Trident Hotel, where you will be based for the night.

The Trident is a first-class hotel set in beautiful landscaped gardens. Depart on a tour of Agra and the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was built as a monument of love by the Mughal Emperor Shah-Jehan in 1630 for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal, to enshrine her mortal remains. For 22 years, 20,000 men laboured day and night to build this masterpiece which has held the world in awe ever since. Agra Fort and the nearby long deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri are also well worth a visit.

Days 10 & 11. Homeward

After a spectacular sunrise visit to the Taj you return to Delhi to catch your homeward flight arriving in same day.