Wings Over India

Arrive in Mumbai, the ‘gateway to India’, where you are met and privately transferred to your luxurious hotel.

Today, your explorations of Mumbai will appeal to all of your senses, starting with a visit to a railway station to watch the famous dabbawalas at work. In a feat of the utmost efficiency, they deliver thousands of hot, home-cooked meals to Mumbai’s workforce on a daily basis. Continue to the Prince of Wales Museum admiring its majestic architecture as you enter before savouring lunch at a local restaurant. Then, browse a fragrant local spice market. Return to you hotel where this evening a welcome cocktail and dinner awaits. 

Embark on two thrilling game drives through Ranthambore’s wild jungle scrub, on the lookout for some of the National Park’s resident wildlife. While crocodiles, sloth bears and leopards all call these landscapes home, it is the rare and majestic Bengal tiger for which it is most famous. Alternatively, you may choose to visit Ranthambore Fort this afternoon, which offers panoramic views of these former royal hunting grounds.

Travel overland to Jaipur arriving at your luxurious accommodation. Here, there will be time to settle into your beautiful room, set in magnificent gardens and featuring exotic design touches such as vivid local textiles in pinks, purples and greens. In the afternoon, stroll through a bustling bazaar, soaking up the colours and vibrancy of local life.  

Explore the colossal Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built of red sandstone and overlooking a lake, its opulence and design flourishes remain worthy of the proud Rajput rulers who once called it home. Sit down to lunch at a local restaurant, then discover the grandeur of the City Palace and visit Jantar Mantar Observatory, where an eclectic mix of astronomical instruments are on display. Built in the 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the fascinating collection includes the world’s largest stone sundial. 

Experience a blessing ceremony with a pandit (Hindu priest) at the hotel’s 300-year-old temple before a lunch that includes a Chef’s Table cooking demonstration around the use of Indian spices in local specialities. Then, enjoy one of these Design Your Day options:

Perfect your practice in a private yoga session at your hotel

Mingle with the students and teachers at Digantar Vidyalay, a school supported by A&K Philanthropy

Discover how Rajasthan historically managed water resources during a stroll outside of Nahargarh Fort

Fly to Agra via private charter. Travel straight to the incomparable Taj Mahal, exploring the complex and standing before its ethereal beauty in an unforgettable travel moment. Later, reboard your jet and fly to Varanasi, a sacred city on the River Ganges that is home to thousands of temples and shrines of both the Hindu and Buddhist religions. 

Visit Sarnath, the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. Wander the peaceful ruins of a once-flourishing Buddhist monastery and look around a museum of Buddhist art and sculpture. Return to Varanasi where, at dusk, you’ll witness the aarti ceremony on the atmospheric banks of the Ganges, as lantern-bearing priests bid the gods a restful slumber.

Rise before the sun for a private dawn cruise on the River Ganges. Pause by the sacred ghats (the stone steps leading down to the water) to observe the morning rituals and activities that take place daily, as locals and pilgrims come to the river to cleanse themselves, both literally and spiritually. Later, fly to Delhi where you’ll enjoy a farewell dinner.

Set out to explore Delhi, both old and new. Start at Jama Masjid, India’s most important mosque then ‘Ride Like a Local’ by rickshaw through the vibrant Chandni Chowk bazaar. Admire the symmetrical beauty and paradise gardens of Humayun’s Tomb, a structure considered the first step in the advancement of Mughal architecture that peaked with the Taj Mahal 60 years later. Return to your hotel by late afternoon.

After breakfast, bid farewell to the chaotic charms of India, transferring to the airport for your departing flight.