Highlights of India, Mumbai and the Golden Triangle

We gather at London Heathrow, where we meet our fellow travellers and Tour Manager ready for an evening flight to India. A magical and captivating country, our holiday to India takes us to bustling cities, spellbinding palaces and wild landscapes where iconic animals wander free. As our flight continues overnight, we can begin to anticipate the incredible experiences that await.

After we touch down in Delhi in the morning, we make our way to our 5-Star hotel where there is time to unwind. With an on-site spa and an outdoor pool, there are many opportunities to relax before we gather for dinner this evening and get to know one another better.

Delhi is a lively and colourful metropolis where old and new cohabit side by side. For those wishing to explore the local area, our hotel is a few kilometres from the ruins of a 14th-century Tughlaq fortress. A more modern site is the remarkable Baha'i temple constructed in the 1980s that resemble a lotus flower.

Founded in 1648 by Shah Jahan and now a sprawling world city, Delhi has many spectacular sights which we get to view on a morning rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of Old Delhi.

From the frenetic stalls of the Chandni Chowk bazaars we head to Jama Masjid, one of India's largest mosques. Made from red sandstone and white marble, this impressive 17th-century place of worship can accommodate 25,000 worshippers. Our enjoyable rickshaw tour comes to an end after we pass the striking Red Fort and the moving Gandhi memorial, Raj Ghat.

There is free time to enjoy lunch before we embark on a sightseeing tour of New Delhi's wide avenues and colonial architecture. Partly designed by notable architect Edward Lutyens, the new city was lauded as a testament to Britain's imperial aspirations. Its ceremonial centre, Kartavya Path, contains India Gate, a triumphal arch commemorating Indian soldiers killed during the First World War. At the other end of this leafy boulevard is Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of India's president and originally the palatial home of the viceroy. After a visit to the opulent 16th-century tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun, we conclude our tour at the Gandhi Smriti Museum. 'Father of the Nation' Mahatma Gandhi spent the final 144 days of his life here, until he was shot in 1948, and we learn about his life through informative artefacts and personal effects.

We return to our hotel this evening in time for dinner.

Today is a highlight of any visit to India as we leave Delhi on the Gatimaan Express bound for Agra in AC Chair Class. On arrival we head straight to the city's most famous attraction, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World - the Taj Mahal. This UNESCO-listed mausoleum was built by emperor Shah Jahan to honour his wife Mumtaz Mahal and this monument to undying love is regarded as the pinnacle of Mughal architecture and considered to be the most beautiful building ever built.

We enjoy a guided tour of the sumptuous Taj Mahal and its magnificently manicured Charbag gardens before checking in to our hotel, where there is time to relax before visiting the imposing red sandstone Agra Fort. The centrepiece of this historic complex is the Musamman Burj, an octagonal tower with a marble balcony where Shah Jahan spent the final eight years of his life imprisoned in view of the Taj Mahal. Inside the fort complex, we can observe exquisite specimens of Mughal architecture, including the Moti Masjid - a white marble mosque.

After a day sightseeing, we return to our hotel for dinner this evening.

Leaving Agra after breakfast this morning, we board a comfortable Volvo coach to travel to the perfectly preserved red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri. Constructed under the orders of Mughal emperor Akbar the Great in the 16th century it was India's political capital for just 14 years before a lack of water lead to it being abandoned.

Remarkably, this deserted city remains almost exactly as it was more than 400 years ago, providing an insight into the opulent lifestyle of the Mughal Empire. On a guided tour, we visit the emperor's private chambers and the Palace of Jodha Bai, named after Akbar's wife. To demonstrate the importance of Fatehpur Sikri, the city's Palace of Winds and its Charbagh gardens remain. Outside the impressive Jama Masjid stands the astounding Buland Darwaza, or Door of Victory, built to commemorate a military victory over Gujarat.

Continuing our journey into Rajasthan, we stop at the opulent Laxmi Palace Vilas, the 1850s home of a local prince. After enjoying a traditional lunch in regal surroundings, we board AC Chair Class carriages for a train journey to Sawai Madhopur. Our hotel for the next two nights is on the edge of Ranthambore National Park, and this evening we sit down for dinner together in the hotel.

An early morning safari provides a highlight of our Indian adventure as we enter Ranthambore National Park. In open-topped safari vehicles called 'canters', we embark on a safari into this fascinating wilderness. Declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973, it is a favourite among wildlife photographers and tourists as it can be possible to see a mighty Bengal tiger in the wild. These regal animals are elusive, but we will be keeping our eyes peeled in the hope of seeing a majestic beast basking in the sun or prowling its domain.

While Bengal tigers are the main attraction, Ranthambore National Park is also home to a whole host of incredible species. With leopards, hyenas, caracals, crocodiles, mongooses, cobras, pythons and jackals prowling the landscape, our safari should prove memorable.

We return to our hotel for breakfast and some free time before we head out again after lunch, increasing our chances of seeing the native wildlife, such as sloth bears, macaques and wild boar. As we are guided by local experts who are well-versed in the animals' movements, we hopefully have a good chance of spotting a tiger. Over dinner this evening at our welcoming hotel, we can discuss the day's viewing and the amazing wildlife we have hopefully been lucky enough to witness.

There is free time after breakfast to enjoy a leisurely morning in our hotel. After lunch, we travel deeper into Rajasthan, viewing everyday life from the windows of our comfortable Volvo coach. Lush greenery gives way to sun-baked fields, while ornate temples dot the landscape.

Arriving in Jaipur in the evening, there is time to unwind before dinner in the hotel. The stunning hues of the 'Pink City' date back to the 19th century. As the citizens prepared for the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876, the local ruler - Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II - decided to paint the city in shades of resplendent pink, the colour of hospitality. The prince, who later became King Edward VII, named Jaipur the 'Pink City', a moniker that has remained ever since. One year later, the Queen of Jaipur declared herself a fan of pink so the maharaja passed a law stating all future buildings should be that colour.

After breakfast this morning, we get to know Jaipur as Jeeps transport us up to the remarkable Amber Fort. A majestic and imposing structure of yellow sandstone, Amber Fort is believed to have been built for the Rajput maharajas around 1600 on the site of a 10th-century fortress. The serene UNESCO-listed palace first appears almost as a mirage on top of Aravalli Hill overlooking Maota Lake. We have the chance to explore the palace's ornate rooms and its enchanting courtyard. With intricately decorated walls, ornamental Charbagh gardens and rugged views of surrounding mountains, it's easy to be utterly spellbound by this majestic reminder of India and Rajasthan's glorious history.

Our sightseeing continues in the afternoon with a visit to the City Palace, a gorgeous 17th-century palace blending decorative Mughal and Rajput architecture. Later, we travel to the UNESCO-listed Jantar Mantar, an early 18th-century astronomical observatory. One of Jaipur's most renowned sights is the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds. The eastern façade of this pink and yellow sandstone structure is incredibly ornate. Five storeys of intricate lattice work dotted with 953 small windows lend a honeycomb effect. This now decorate feature, built in 1799, allowed cool air to flow into the palace, making the interior a much more appealing place during the hot summers.

There is free time after breakfast this morning before we are transferred to Jaipur airport for an internal flight to Mumbai, renowned as the birthplace of Bollywood. Originally seven separate islands, this important financial centre was ruled by the Gujarat Sultanate and Portugal before the English took possession in 1661. A large engineering project merged the islands in the late 18th century, and the city received the country's first passenger rail line in 1853.

Located on India's west coast beside the Arabian Sea, Mumbai benefited from the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, securing a vital position on the spice trading routes and becoming the 'Gateway to India'. We have the chance to taste some of these delicious flavours ourselves at a cooking demonstration held before dinner at our hotel, overlooking Back Bay and the gleaming towers of Malabar Hill.

We rise at daybreak today to enjoy an extraordinary dawn walking tour that gives us an authentic insight into Mumbai life. We start at one of the city's oldest docks, Sassoon Docks in Colaba, where we watch fishermen bringing in their hauls after a night at sea. Continuing along the almost empty Dadabhai Naoroji Road - usually the nerve centre of the city - we pass colonial-era buildings on our way to Crawford Market, an authentic Indian bazaar, filled with people shopping for fresh ingredients. We also explore the vibrant neighbourhoods of Byculla and Dadar before returning to the hotel for breakfast and some free time. 

Later, we set out on a sightseeing tour by coach which includes the Gateway of India, an arched monument from the colonial era, the impressive Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a 19th-century UNESCO-listed railway station, and Mani Bhavan, the former home of Mahatma Gandhi. Our final stop is Mahalakshmi Dhobi Ghat, an open-air laundromat where hundreds of dedicated washers clean clothes the time-honoured way - with elbow grease and concrete tubs.

After breakfast this morning, we check out of our Mumbai hotel and transfer to the airport for our flight back to London Heathrow. Bidding farewell to magical and colourful India, we can recall the wonderful sights we have witnessed during our adventure. From the astonishing 'poetry in white marble' of the Taj Mahal and Jaipur's ancient Amber Fort, to Delhi and Mumbai's bustling bazaars and the serene wilderness of Ranthambore National Park, we have seen a fascinating cross-section of what this enchanting country can offer.

On arrival back in the UK, we say goodbye to our fellow travellers and Tour Manager with whom we have shared these unforgettable experiences and the many memories that will remain.