Discovering India and Nepal

Your tour begins as you fly overnight from London to Delhi. You arrive on Day 2 and meet your local tour guide before transferring to your hotel, the 5* Suryaa Hotel in New Delhi. Enjoy some time at leisure to settle into your new surroundings before enjoying your first dinner together as a group this evening.

You are introduced to the sights and sounds of bustling Delhi with a full-day sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi on Day 3. Travel to Chandni Chowk this morning, the oldest and liveliest bazaar in Delhi, for a rickshaw ride through its narrow streets before you continue to Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque. Enjoy a drive past the Red Fort and a visit to Raj Ghat Gandhi memorial before some free time for lunch.

This afternoon, you head to New Delhi, the newer part of the city where you will discover impressive colonial architecture, leafy avenues and dominating government buildings; a distinct contrast to the traditional atmosphere of Old Delhi. Here, you see the president's house and Parliament House, India Gate, and enjoy visits to Qutab Minar and the tomb of Humayun.

• Day 2 - Dinner
• Day 3 - Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving the hotel after breakfast this morning, join the fastest train in India, the Gatimaan Express, to Agra. On arrival, you visit the historic Red Fort, home of Mughal emperors until 1638. Built between 1565 and 1573, the colossal fort more closely resembles a walled city and boasts UNESCO World Heritage status.

This afternoon, after checking into your hotel, enjoy a highlight of any trip to India with a guided tour of the Taj Mahal, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. An inspiring white marble structure adorned with precious stones and carved inscriptions, the Taj Mahal was built as a mausoleum to Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Emperor Shah Jahan, and stands today as a striking testament to undying love.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You visit the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri this morning. Built in 1571 as the political capital of India, it was abandoned after just 14 years due to a lack of water. The ghostly city now serves as an incredibly well-preserved reminder of life under Mughal rule, and you enjoy a tour of its fascinating ancient buildings. After lunch in Bharatpur, we continue to Jaipur.

Day 6 is spent exploring the magnificent 'Pink City' of Jaipur, named due to the pretty hue of the buildings within the Old Town city walls. Start your day with a journey by Jeep to the Amber Fort, an ancient sandstone building that was used as a royal stronghold. Enjoy some time here to explore the grand rooms, before you continue to City Palace, the home of the current Maharaja. Your tour also includes the 18th century Astronomical Observatory and the elegant Palace of the Winds.

• Day 5 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 6 - Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast on Day 7, transfer to the airport for your flight to Kathmandu, via Delhi, where you meet your Nepalese tour guide. Kathmandu is the largest city in the tiny and mountainous Democratic Republic of Nepal, and has enthralled visitors for decades thanks to its blend of history, culture, exquisite temples, and a mountain-setting that provides vistas of breathtaking beauty.

On the morning on Day 8, enjoy a tour of Kathmandu, discovering the many highlights this ancient yet modern city has to offer. Your tour includes the Boudhanath Stupa and Patan City. In the evening, you are treated to a talk by a Sherpa on climbing the most famous mountain in the world, Mount Everest, before a dinner at Rum Doodle Restaurant.

• Day 7 - Breakfast, Dinner
• Day 8 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

See Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most significant Shiva temples in the world today, before heading to Chitwan where you explore the Tharu Cultural Museum and Village. This evening, enjoy an informative presentation on Chitwan National Park.

Day 10 is dedicated to animals, starting with a nature walk and birdwatching session. You visit the National Park's elephants ahead of a Jeep safari in Chitwan Community Forest, tracking the elusive Nepalese rhino. Finally, take a boat ride on the Narayani River. This evening, discover some local customs in the form of a Tharu cultural show and performance. On Day 11, transfer to Pokhara.

• Day 9 - Breakfast, lunch, Dinner
• Day 10 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 11 - Breakfast, Dinner

Wake up early this morning to watch the sun rise over the snow-covered Himalayas from Sarangkot, a stunning mountain viewpoint, before returning to your hotel for breakfast. The rest of the morning is spent sightseeing around Pokhara, viewing natural wonders such as Davi's Waterfall. Your afternoon is at leisure.

After breakfast on Day 13, transfer back to Kathmandu before a farewell dinner at your hotel. On Day 14, transfer to the airport for your flight back to London via Delhi

• Day 12 - Breakfast, Dinner
• Day 13 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 14 - Breakfast