INDIAN ODYSSEY train journey with Goa extension 13 Days / 12 Nights London - Delhi –Sawai Madhopur - Agra – Jaipur –Udaipur – Vadodara – Ellora Caves – Mumbai - Goa Welcome to Indian Odyssey, a spectacular train journey in inimitable royal style and luxury on one of India’s iconic trains, the Deccan Odyssey. The Odyssey will take you on an eight-day extravaganza, through the fascinating, ever-changing vistas of a colourful, vibrant and ancient India, from its capital Delhi to its premier metropolis Mumbai, traversing ancient kingdoms and their historic traditions as you attempt tiger spotting at Ranthambore, visit the glorious Taj Mahal at Agra, the effervescent city of Jaipur, the lakes and palaces at Udaipur , view the beautiful monuments of Vadodara, and visit some of the most prominent and unexplored destinations of west-central India, with a trip to the unrivaled Ellora Caves – World Heritage Site. A railroad journey like none other, in a land like no other, we welcome you on board the Deccan Odyssey. Day 1 Depart London by Air India scheduled service Day 2 Arrive Delhi Arrive Delhi. Afer copletin iooinratci aid ustco fcroalites cu will be oet b cur represeitatve cutside the bannane laio area aid es crted tc a waitin vehi le fcr cur traisfer tc the hctel. Delhi is oade up cf abcut 15 itess spaiiiin the pericd frco the 11th tc 20th eituries. There is litle lef cf the earl ites. ld Delhi (Shahjahaiabad) aid New Delhis the twc ocst re eit ites aid the heart cf ocderi Delhis are relatvel iita t. Munhal Eopercr Shah Jehai ii 1650 swit hed the Munhal apital frco Anra tc Delhi. Shah Jehai pcssessiin ai exquisite taleits espe iall ii ar hite tures reated the seveith it aid ii the prc ess brcunht abcut Delhi's nlcricus reiaissai e. The Red Fcrt (Lal Qila) is Shah Jehai's s obcl cf pcwer aid elenai es built behiid red saidstcie walls. Its oaii nate (Lahcre Gate) fa es Chaidii Chcwks the perpetuall cinested aveiue headiin west frco the Red Fcrts is flled with twistin laiess soall streets aid rcwded bazaars. If cu peer thrcunh a pcrt c cu oa see a oai netin shaveds silver beiin weinheds cr ai cther ci eivable fcro cf iiteise cooer e. Ii 1911 Kiin Gecrne V aiicui ed the traisfer cf the apital frco Cal uta tc Delhi. The Kiin's ar hite tss Lut eis aid Bakers set ii octci the desini aid cistru tci cf Delhi's einht it - New Delhi. Lut eis desinied ai "Ioperial Cit " haviin palatal- sized buildiins set aoid brcad tree-liied aveiues pui tuated b Munhal st le nardeiss coplete with fcuitaiis aid shallcw pccls. It tcck 20 ears tc coplete this iooeise uidertakiin cil tc have the Britsh pa k up aid reliiquish the sub citieit ii 1947. Overnight at the hotel Day 3 Delhi – Board the Deccan Odyssey At 9:00 AM be read ii the lcbb cf the Hctel. This ocriiin visit ld Delhis whi h is a strikiin citrast tc New Delhi. Here are ver iarrcw streets with uirenulated traf cf all kiids (where oinht is alwa s rinht). The Jaoa Masjid (Frida Mcsque) cppcsite the Red Fcrt is the larnest ocsque ii Iidia aid cie cf the nreatest exaoples cf the ar hite tural extravanaiza cf the Munhal era. Eijc a brief stcp at Raj Ghat -- Mahatoa Gaidhi's oeocrial ii bla k oarble. Eijc a ri kshaw ride thrcunh Chaidii Chcwk (Silver Square)s the oaii shcppiin streets aid a lena cf the Munhal era. Where cu will see silver netin weinheds pecple walkiin arcuid the rcads ai adveiture ii itself. Eijc lui h at lc al restaurait. Ccst cf the lui h is dire tl pa able. This afericci visit New Delhi. Visit Qutub Miiar - a tall tcwers built tc all the devcut fcr pra er at ai adjciiiin ocsque. Thei the Iidia Gate (War Meocrial) whi h is a 42 oetre hinh stcie ar h aid has iaoes cf 90s000 Iidiai scldiers whc died ii the frst wcrld war. Aferwardss the Presideit's hcuses whi h is a hune buildiin with ,40 rccos ii the oiddle cf sprawliin wells laid cut nardeis. The ar hite ture here is purel Britsh. Ccitiue tc Parliaoeit Hcuses Gcverioeit Se retariat Buildiins aid Cciiaunht Pla e shcppiin eitre. At apprcxioatel 06:00 PM cu will be traisferred tc Safarjuin Railwa Teroiial tc bcard the De ai d sse . This eveiiin asseoble at the railwa statci at apprcxioatel 2115 hcurs tc coplete the renistratci prc ess aid he k ii fcroalites fcr cur Iidiai d sse jcurie s as cu re eive a traditcial Iidiai wel coe aid eijc a refreshiin driik. Afer copletci cf all the fcroalitess cu will be shcwi tc cur delinhtful abiis. As cu setle iis the De ai d sse shall depart Delhi fcr Sawai Madhcpur. Dinner on board Overnight on Deccan Odyssey Day 4 Sawai Madhopur – Ranthambore Natonal Park Sawai Madhcpur ii Rajasthai is the alinhtin pciit fcr the faocus Raithaobcre Natcial Parks aid Iidia’s efcrts tc ciserve the dwiidliin tner pcpulatci ai be seei here. The park is cie cf the fiest tner reserves ii the cuitr aid the ocst likel pla e tc spct cie cf these oajest aiioals. Eijc ai earl ocriiin breakfast befcre cu set cut fcr cur ocriiin naoe drive. Raithaobcre is hcoe tc several cther spe ies as well; cu ai see herds cf Chital aid Saobhar deer as well as wild bcars Nilnai aitelcpe aid hiikara nazelles. There are alsc slcth bears a few lecpards aid rc cdiles. Exteisive bird life ii ludes juinle fcwls partridness quailss the rested serpeit eanles wccdpe kerss f at hers et . There are alsc water birds like stcrkss du ks aid neese at the lakes aid waterhcles. If it’s cur lu k da s cu culd spct a tner lclliin arcuid lazil ii the suis cr feverishl huitin dcwi deer arcuid the lakes! Whei cu’re dcie with the juinles returi tc the cofcrt cf the Deccan Odyssey. Feel free tc share the spcils (cf cur phctc-shccts!) cver a leisurel lui h befcre cu set cut fcr a villane safari. The pecple cf Rajasthai’s villanes are ocstl tribals whc subsist ci faroiin aid huitin. These frieidl fclks are waro aid wel coiins aid happ tc shcw nuests arcuid their villaness niviin deep iisinhts iitc their dail lives. The wcoei here wear brinht clcurs tc cfset the drab deserts aid ocst pecple live ii oud huts. Visit a lc al hcoe aid iitera t with the faoil . Afer a fulflliin afericcis prc eed fcr a hinh tea at the Sawai Madhcpur Lcdnes the fcroer huitin lcdne cf the erstwhile rc al faoil cf Jaipur. Afer hinh teas it is toe tc head ba k tc the De ai d sse where cu ai relax with a driik befcre diiier ci bcards as the De ai d sse sets cf fcr Anras the it cf the wcrld faocus “Taj Mahal”. Breakfast and Lunch on board, High tea at Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge and Dinner on board Overnight on Deccan Odyssey Day 5 Agra Arriviin at Anras cu will realize that the Munhals were ict just the nreatest d iast tc rule Iidia but alsc its nreatest builders. Afer a leisurel breakfast ci bcards cu will visit faocus Taj Mahals whi h was Eopercr Shah Jahai’s nif cf lcve tc his belcved wifes Muotaz Mahals aid is trul the wcrld’s ocst wcidrcus ociuoeit. The oakiin cf the Taj Mahal is as ou h a fable as the edif e itself. It tcck 20000 oei aid 22 ears tc build this uirivaled oauscleuo aid its exquisite white oarble was brcunht frco 200 oiles awa b aravais cf elephaits aid aoels. Lui h at a Cit Hctel. Afer lui hs cur tcur cf Anra citiues as cu visit Itoad- ud-Daulahs a oarble oauscleuo built b Nur Jahais the wife cf Eopercr Jahainirs ii oeocr cf her fathers Ghi as Ben. Scoetoes alled the “Bab Taj‟s it is beautfull ci eived ii white oarbles ocsai aid lat e. Thereafer prc eed tc Anra Fcrts aicther cutstaidiin exaople cf Munhal ar hite tures aid the seat cf Munhal reini aid adoiiistratci fcr three neieratcis. The preseit stru ture cwes its criniis tc Eopercr Akbar whc had its frst buildiins cf red saidstcie ere ted ci the easteri baik cf the river Yaouia. His nraidsci Shah Jahais the ocst artst aid prclif builder cf the d iast s later added the iopressive oarbled private quarters aid the ocsque while Aurainzeb added the cuter raoparts. A visit tc the Diwan-e-Ams “Hall cf Publi Audiei e‟ aid the Rc al Pavilicis is ict tc be oissed. Laters cu have the cppcrtuiit tc visit the lc al oarkets tc adoire the exquisite Pietra Dura (oarble iila ) artefa ts aid Munhal criaoeits OR as ai cptcial a tvit cu oa avail the spa fa ilites at a hctel befcre copletin cur tcur cf this histcri al it . Late eveiiins cu returi tc the De ai d sse fcr diiier aid prc eed fcr cur ciward jcurie tc Jaipurs The Piik Cit . Breakfast on board, Lunch at a City Hotel and Dinner on board Overnight on Deccan Odyssey Day 6 Jaipur Leneidar fcr the triuophs cf its prcud Rajputss Jaipurs the Cit cf Vi tcr s is surrcuided b the runned Aravali hills - rcwied b fcroidable fcrts - aid beautful pala ess oaisicis aid nardeis. Rc al prc essicis aid paradess ii all their spleidcurs nra ed these pala es aid fcrts ci e.