Highlights of Northern India & Nepal

To travel between Delhi and Kathmandu, from the bustling cities of the Indian plains to the peace and tranquillity of the highest mountains on Earth, is one of the most beautiful and fascinating journeys in Asia. For culture, the Taj Mahal, 'the Pink City' of Jaipur and the holy city of Varanasi are the highlights. We also follow the footsteps of Buddha, visiting the sacred Buddhist sites of Sarnath and Lumbini. For nature, spotting rhino in Nepal's Chitwan National Park or the first view of the mighty Himalayas will provide lasting memories.

We spend 11 nights in hotels, two nights in lodges and one night on a sleeper train. The hotels are a mixture of standard and comfortable hotels.



In Jaipur and Varanasi, we stay in heritage hotels

In Kathmandu, we stay in a hotel close to the centre

In Chitwan, we stay in a comfortable jungle lodge in twin-bedded huts



Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are only a couple of months in the year when the weather gets cold. You can, however, request more blankets or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter.



Overnight train journey



[caption id="attachment_120297" align="alignnone" width="470"] Sleeper Train[/caption]



The overnight sleeper train from Agra to Varanasi will be booked in two-tier rooms (four people to a compartment) or three-tier (six to a compartment) if two-tier is unavailable. There are many excellent trains in India but the standard of seating and sleeping is not in line with Western standards. Seats are allocated when the tickets are issued, meaning we cannot guarantee the whole group is together in the same carriage; your leader will manage this as best as possible and will always check on you during the journey. Indian trains are safe but we recommend you keep valuables with you at all times as the sleeper compartments are open with curtains for privacy along the aisle. Snacks are often offered on board (at an additional cost) but you may wish to purchase your own food before the journey. While some trains have Western-style facilities, the majority of services are equipped with squat toilets.



Please note, trains are sometimes delayed for reasons beyond our control, but we endeavour to minimise the impact of these delays on the overall itinerary.



Worth knowing



Hotels in India and Nepal usually do not have heating as there are only a couple of months when the weather can get cold. You can, however, request more blankets if needed or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter.

Its common for hotels in India to have limited times in the day for hot water use to save energy. If you find your shower is cold, please let your leader or reception know so they can make sure the water heater is on.

Sleeper trains are not enclosed compartments, bed bunks are set up within a carriage with curtains for some privacy.

Within the sleeper train, you may be sharing a compartment of four beds with members of the public depending on how the seats are allocated.

Single accommodation supplement excludes sleeper trains