06^th Apr’10 (TUE)       MUMBAI 

Morning at leisure. Choose from the hotel's full Western and exotic Indian Breakfast Buffet.

11:00 AM Depart hotel for a tour of the fish and food markets. The colors, the aromas, the exotic ingredients... this is part of the real India that you need to see in order to truly appreciate the traditions and luxuries that you areabout to experience.

Lunch at Trishna. Renowned for its incredible array of fresh, seasonal seafood, right off the local boats. Of course, it’s popular with Mumbai politicos and glitterati.....but it also draws gastronomes from all over the world – The New York Times’ R.W. Apple once put it on his list of best restaurants on the planet. We will order an epic menu, including chili-rubbed shrimp, pomfret (a delectable Indian Ocean fish) baked in green masala (this spice paste includes cilantro, ginger, garlic and green chilies), and the restaurant's signature dish......king crab with garlic and ghee (pictured)! Joining you at lunch will be one of Mumbai's most respected restaurant critics, who will talk about the local cuisine.

Afternoon City Tour of Mumbai. Your first stop will be the Jain Temples, built of marble and dedicated to the first Jain, Tirthankara. From the temples you will be driven along Malabar Hill via the Tower of Silence – a round stone construction on which Parsis (originally from Persia over a thousand years ago) place their dead to be eaten by the vultures (burial and cremation have always been prohibited in Parsi culture) – and then past the Hanging Gardens which are built over Bombay’s reservoir. From here one can get a panoramic view of picturesque Marine Drive. On to the Dhobi Ghats, a huge open-air laundry, unique to Mumbai. Whenever many people visits Mumbai, they are sure to make a quick pilgrimage to Mani Bhavan, where the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Ghandi, stayed on his visits to Mumbai from 1917 to 1934, now a museum. The room in which Gandhi stayed is preserved as it was, and scenes of Gandhi’s life are well presented in photographs and models.

Early evening at leisure.

Welcome Dinner at the Orchid Rooftop Restaurant.  This is a great Maharashtrian-cuisine restaurant, and the chef, a close friend and classmate of Prasad, has a passion to share Maharashtrian pleasures. He will present you with a staggering array (at least two dozen dishes) of foods that are typical of the Maharashtra region. This is so different from the “Indian” food that people usually experience outside of India. The feast will include the real "Bombay Duck" – a delicately spiced and expertly fried fish from the Arabian Sea – only available at this time of year. With the chef available for questions, you will never have a better opportunity to understand the Maharashtrian cuisine!

Overnight at Taj Mahal Hotel.

07^th Apr’10 (WED)      MUMBAI 

Our last stop will be the Cafe Leopold, which was also targeted in 2008, but added to its legend by reopening the following morning as Mumbaikers rallied round. Their menu is eclectic, catering to tourists since 1871, but their lassis are definitive and the ambience is quintessential Indian hospitality.

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As the wind whispers through the halo of legends crowning the land of the mighty Marathas, a lone majestic whistles blows its salutation of honor as it gracefully traverses this land of fantastic fantasy.  Welcome to the luxury and hospitality of India...

08^th Apr’10 (THU)       AURANGABAD

Wake up to a dawn at Daulatabad in Aurangabad, where you will take in the sights of ancient art and architecture through the day.

After breakfast on board, you proceed towards Ellora Caves, one of the most highly-visited World Heritage sites of India, where you will witness ancient Buddhist and Hindu Brahmanist and Jainist cultures through monasteries and temples dating back to 600 AD. It also home to some excellent stonework depicting the legends related to Lord Shiva.

After lunch at the Taj Residency Hotel, you will visit Ajanta Caves, an architectural marvel for its time and another World Heritage site of today. Rock-cut cave monuments with masterfully carved sculptures and paintings of Buddhist religious art, encompassing a universal art flow between Buddhist and Hindu faiths that prevailed here from 200 BC to 650 AD.

We then catch up with The Indian Maharaja at Jalgaon railway station.

The day ends with a splendid dinner as we travel overnight towards our next destination, Udaipur. 

09^th Apr’10 (FRI)        UDAIPUR

A late brunch would be a great way to begin this day as you pass the lush scenery on the approach to Udaipur, arriving at 10:30 AM.

We begin our sightseeing in Udaipur City. Set on the shores of the pristine Lake Pichola, Udaipur is surrounded by scenic hills and is known as the City of Lakes. We start with the vast and exquisit  City Palace, a well-fortified, majestic white monument, built on the banks of Lake Pichola. The main entrance, a triple-arched gate named the Tripolia, was built in 1725 and is a marvel. The Suraj Gokhada, or  Balcony of the Sun, where the Suryavanshi Maharanas of Mewar presented themselves in times of trouble to the people to restore their confidence, is also a fascinating sight. We continue with a visit to the Cristal Gallery.

As you drive past Fateh Sagar Lake, make a visit to the Garden of the Maids-of-Honor (Sahelion-ki-Bari) with its many fountains and pools embellished with kiosks and elephants. Offer your prayers at the splendid 16th-century Jagdish Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the largest and most splendid in Udaipur.

If the monsoon God has showered enough rains to fill up the lake, you may get to cruise Lake Pichola to visit the marvelous Jag Mandir Palace that’s spread over four acres and noted for its marble pavilion and imposing dome.

Udaipur hosts a massive series of palaces built at different times from 1559.  The balconies of the palace provide panoramic views of the Jag Niwas (Lake Palace Hotel) Jag Mandir on one side and on the other side the city of Udaipur. Udaipur grew in complete contrast to the harsh deserts of the rest of Rajasthan. As capital of the old Mewar State it was the only Rajput stronghold to uphold its Hindu allegiance in the face of Muslim invasion. From the late 16th century, peace brought about an era of renaissance in the arts and encouraged the building of beautiful palaces around the lake, culminating in the City Palace, one of the largest palace complexes in the world. The lake itself is a romantic setting surrounding the gleaming white Lake Palace and the Jag Mandir, a refuge of the rebel Mughal prince, Shah Jahan, soon to be the creator of the incomparable Taj Mahal.

10^th Apr’10 (SAT)        SAWAI MADHOPUR  

Wake up to an exciting day as we take you on a jungle safari to Sawai Madhopur, India’s exclusive abode to the tiger!

Sawai Madhopur, in Rajasthan, is home to the famous Ranthambore National Park and India’s efforts to conserve the dwindling wild cat species. If it’s your lucky day, you could spot a tiger lolling around lazily in the sun, or feverishly hunting down Sambhar around the lakes! You will have ample time to try during your morning and afternoon safaris. April is the best month to spot tigers as they must travel distances for water in this dry season before the summer monsoons.

A high tea and wildlife presentation is scheduled at Taj Lodge.

We leave the jungle behind, share the spoils of your photoshoot as you prepare to savor your dinner amid the luxury of your train.

11^th Apr’10 (SUN)        JAIPUR

An elephant will spare you the trouble of reaching the ancient capital of Amber to see the fabulous Amber Fort.  Maharaja Mansingh, Mughal Emperor Akbar's most successful General, started the construction of the Amber fort in the 17th century.  Before the City Palace was constructed in Jaipur, Amber was the seat of power.  The fort is surrounded by fortified battlements and overlooks Moat Lake. Ruins and remains are spread over the Aravalli hills and Sprawling crenulated walls lattice the surrounding area.  Once on top, stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls.  Many of the rooms have delightful wall paintings which are inlaid with precious stones and mirrors.  Most fascinating is the Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors) where a single lamplight is reflected in the many mirrors, lighting up the room.  En-route to Amber you will stop and see the "Palace of Winds", otherwise known as Hawa Mahal.  It is really an elaborate facade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in the street below.  The elaborately intricate pink sandstone latticework cooled the air for the queen and her ladies of the court 

Lunch gives us a chance to sample true Rajastani cuisine with Chef Prasad leading us through the many selections while enjoying the beautiful surroundings of the Jai Mahal Palace.

Jaipurs's Jantar Mantar is the most famous of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh in India.  Jai Singh was a great admirer of progresses and research made in fields of science and technology but he was passionate about astronomy.  There is a very interesting story behind the construction of this observatory, considered to be the largest stone observatory in the world.  Jai Singh sent his emissaries to all parts of the world before commencing the construction of this observatory.  The emissaries returned with many manuals on astronomy containing cutting edge technological information.  One of theses manuals was La Hire's Tables.  The King ordered the observatory to be built according to the details contained in this manual. When the construction ended, to the astonishment of the King and others the observatory was 20 seconds more accurate than the one mentioned in the table. 

There will be an optional visit to the jewelry stores to view the stones for which Jaipur is known.

12^th Apr’10 (MON)       AGRA

Agra in terms of ambience is still associated with it's Mughal period.  The Mughals  besides being great rulers were alsogreat builders and they preserved their best architectural wonders for Agra and its neighborhood. It has many wonderful monuments and the Taj Mahal, the greatest of them all, is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture at it's best.  The massive but elegant Agra Fort, the delicate artistry of Itimad-ud-daulah's tomb, the magnificent Taj and Akbar's deserted capital, Fatehpur Sikri, are each unique and outstanding.  Their architectural genius can also be seen in th eforts, palaces and aestetically laid out gardens - each one a silent witness to a grand style of a golden era.

We will enjoy a feast at the Gateway Hotel worthy of Mughal royalty while Chef Prasad talks about the cuisine worthy of an emporer.

A late afternoon visit to the Taj Mahal proves it is everything that has been said about it and more. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and was transported to the site by a fleet of 1,000 elephants.  Built by the Mughal Emperor Shan Jahan in the mid 17th century as an expression of love for his wife Mumta Mahal, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders on the world. Though the Taj appears to be amazingly perfect from almost any distance or angle, astonishing marble-inlay work distinguishes each facade and reveals its stories.

13^th Apr’10 (TUE)        DELHI

Begin this day with sightseeing of Delhi after breakfast.

India’s capital and a major gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi is a bustling metropolis that successfully mixes the ancient with the modern. The city’s ancient monuments stand as silent reminders to its ancient legacy, against the fast-spiraling skyscrapers. The city is spacious and is laced with gardens trees and a number of beautiful parks.

You will first make a trip to Old Delhi, where you will visit Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. You will then drive past the Red Fort, a World Heritage site, and visit the Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India that can accommodate upto 25,000 worshippers at a time!

Lunch at Taj Palace hotel.

The tour to Imperial Delhi will include a visit to the Qutub Minar, the tallest stone tower in India, built by Qutub-ud-din Aibak in 1199. There will also be a photo stop at the imposing India Gate, the Parliament building and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President’s residence.

Enjoy a cocktail dinner onboard thereafter and reminiscence about the week gone by on our final night of our journey. It is safe to say that after your week on The Indian Maharaja, you will never look at train travel in the same way again...

14^th Apr’10 (WED)       DELHI  

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS TO COME

PRICING TO COME