Palace on Wheels: 8 Days Through India by Luxury Train

Following breakfast at your hotel, you’ll check out in the afternoon and transfer to Delhi’s Safdarjung Railway Station to board the Palace on Wheels luxury train.

You’ll receive a traditional welcome as you board at approximately 16:30, and the train will depart Delhi for its eight-day odyssey through India at 18:30, cutting through the scenic landscapes of Northern India as it travels towards Jaipur, the capital of the state of Rajasthan.

A sumptuous dinner will be served on board as you settle into the train’s opulent interior.


Accommodation: Palace on Wheels.

Early in the morning, you’ll disembark the train for a thrilling safari game drive through the rich wilderness of Ranthambore National Park, during which you might glimpse the iconic Royal Bengal tiger in its natural habitat along with a host of other exciting wildlife including leopards, sloth bears, Sambar deer and more than 270 species of birdlife.

Following your enthralling safari experience, you’ll reboard the train and enjoy a restorative breakfast, with the Palace on Wheels resuming its journey at around 10:20 as it trundles towards Chittogarh.

As the train edges through the picturesque scenery of Rajasthan, you’ll have some time to spend at leisure – an excellent opportunity to make the most of the onboard bar. The train will arrive into Chittogarh at approximately 15:00, and you’ll disembark to explore the ancient forts and castles which lie steeped in the grandeur of the Rajput clan. Revelling in the various heritage sites throughout the city, you’ll enjoy high tea within a fortress followed by a thrilling light-and-sound programme, reboarding the Palace on Wheels in the evening for dinner.


Accommodation: Palace on Wheels.

Tucked deep in the heart of the Thar Desert, Jaisalmer is the final princely bastion of Rajasthan. The Palace on Wheels will stop at this historic trading settlement at around 09:00 and you’ll disembark to enjoy a sightseeing tour of Gadsasir Sagar Lake plus the impressive forts and numerous havelis. Jaisalmer Fort was built in the year 1156, making it one of Rajasthan’s oldest fortresses. It is also one of the planet’s few ‘living forts’ since some 25% of Jaisalmer’s old city’s population still reside within its protective walls.

You’ll return to the train to enjoy lunch on board before disembarking for a camel ride and tea on the sand dunes, before the Palace on Wheels continues its journey and heads towards the city of Jodhpur.


Accommodation: Palace on Wheels.

The train will stop in the early hours of the morning and you’ll enjoy a visit to Keoladeo National Park, once a duck hunting reserve of the Maharajas that is renowned for its extraordinary diversity of native, resident and migratory birdlife, with some 400 species having been spotted here.

After visiting this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll return to the train to enjoy breakfast on board as it departs for Agra, a city steeped in the grandeur of the once-formidable Mughal Empire. Arriving into Agra at approximately 09:00, you’ll disembark to visit Agra Fort, once a place of residence for India’s powerful Mughal rulers. Then at 15:00, you’ll visit what is arguably India’s most iconic cultural site: the Taj Mahal. Gleaming beneath the sun with its dazzling white-marble façade, seeing this architectural masterpiece with its stunning inlay work and impressive dome is an experience that is nothing short of breathtaking.

You’ll then sit down for an exquisite lunch at the Trident Hotel before exploring some of the local markets. In the evening, you’ll return to the train as it resumes its journey towards Delhi at around 20:45.


Accommodation: Palace on Wheels.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before meeting your driver at a prearranged time and transferring to the airport, arriving in perfect time for your onward journey.