Day 1: Delhi - Kathgodam: The tour will
start at midday at our hotel in Delhi.
After this we will have lunch and then
visit the splendours of the new town
before going for a walk through the old
where we’ll take a stroll from the Red
Fort, down Chandi Chowk – the old town’s
main thoroughfare – through the narrow
alleyways of Shahjehanabad, to emerge
at the beautiful Jama Masjid Mosque.
From here we will return to Connaught
Place. After an early dinner we will
transfer to Old Delhi Station for night
train to Kathgodam.
Overnight train (L, D)

Day 2: Kathgodam – Mukteshwar:
Arrive at Kathgodam around 07:00, where
the foothills of the Himalayas rise
spectacularly out of the Indian plains.
From here we’ll drive towards Almora en
route stopping for tea/coffee en-route
before continuing on to Mukteshwar for
breakfast. We will stay at the charming
hotel-cum-home that is Sitla Estate. Sitla
comprises a cluster of old British
cottages, recently converted into a lovely
guesthouse, located 2,000m above sea
level with breathtaking views of the high
Himalayas, including Nanda Devi. Our
host here is Vikram Maira – a bon viveur
and excellent cook who over the next two
days will take us walking into the hills.
This will prove a great place to unwind
after the long journey.
Cottage (B, L, D)

Day 3: Mukteshwar: Sitla Estate is
situated in an old apple estate at the top
of the village of Mukteshwar. Here you
can drink coffee at dawn watching the
sunrise over the Himalayan peak of Nanda
Devi. Sitla Estate has a wonderful warmth
and simplicity and the walks into the
nearby hills are fabulous. Today we will
be able to relax, shrug off our jet-jag and
enjoy this charming place, with walks and
visits to local communities.
Cottage (B, L, D)

Day 4: Mukteshwar – Corbett Tiger
Reserve: After breakfast we drive back
down out of the hills towards the famous
Corbett Tiger Reserve. We should arrive
at our accommodation just outside the
park in time for lunch. With luck we
should be there in time to have a late
afternoon jeep safari to spot the famous
tiger as well as a number of other rare
and elusive animals.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 5: Corbett Tiger Reserve: Today we
will travel farther into the park from
where we hope to take elephants into the
forest to spot the tigers. Afterwards we
will return to the lodge and hopefully
enjoy a nature walk.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 6: Corbett Tiger Reserve –
Rishikesh: After last early-morning game
drive in jeeps and breakfast we will move
on to Rishikesh. Taking lunch en route we
will arrive mid-afternoon and check into
our hotel, and then explore this
fascinating town and religious centre.
Best seen at one’s own pace we will
simply point you in the right direction and
help you on your way. We then meet up
in time for the colourful arti – or puja –
on the ghats as the local people enjoy
chanting and prayers and placing the
candles in banana leaf boats to drift
along the river. After this we will return
to the hotel for dinner.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 7: Rishikesh – Lucknow: Today will
be very relaxed as we enjoy more
wanderings in Rishikesh, exploring the
ashrams, temples and the local bazaar.
Late afternoon we will transfer to
Haridwar and have an early dinner before
transferring to the train station for the
20.30 departure to Lucknow.
Overnight train (B, L, D)

Day 8: Lucknow: Arriving in the
fascinating city of Lucknow at
approximately 08:00 we will have all day
to see where the bloody struggle of 1857
took place, when the Residency was
under siege by Indian freedom fighters.
Often overlooked on the main tourist
trail, Lucknow is well worth a day’s sight
seeing and always proves one of the
highlights of the trip.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 9: Lucknow – Allahabad: Today we
will continue our journey along the
Ganges to Allahabad – the holy town at
the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganges
Rivers. This meeting point of the rivers,
the Sangam, is believed to have great
soul-cleansing powers and is a major
pilgrimage site. It is even more holy as
the invisible Saraswati River is believed
to join the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers at
this point and every 12 years is the scene
of the extraordinary Kumbh Mela. We will
spend the late afternoon soaking up the
atmosphere and if time permits visit
some of the town’s main attractions.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 10/11: Slowly Down the Ganges:
Today the adventure really begins as we
spend the next three days and two nights
drifting slowly down the Ganges. This will
be a peaceful and exotic trip as we pass
interesting villages, temples and
settlements, many of which we will stop
at to see how life is in this most sacred of
rural settings. Each evening we will find a
suitable place to camp and enjoy the
serenity of the flowing river. Taking our
own cooks the food will be fabulous,
vegetarian to respect the spiritual
customs of the river, and the camps will
be very comfortable.
Camping (B, L, D)

Day 12: Varanasi: Arriving by boat into
Varanasi (formerly known as Benares) in
the afternoon will really amaze you… so
much better than coming by bus or train.
Once here we will check into our hotel on
the banks of the river, have a wash and
change and then take a dusk boat ride
along the ghats where we will witness the
evening arti – when the pujas are given
and the candles lit and floated on the
river – before taking dinner at a local
restaurant.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 13: Varanasi: Early morning we will
take a boat ride on the Ganges to see the
morning prayers. This is a wonderful time
– particularly loved by photographers – as
the mellow dawn light washes over the
worshipers taking their morning dip. After
this we will have free time to enjoy this
amazing Indian city before an early
dinner and departing to catch our
overnight train to Kolkata.
Overnight train (B, L, D)

Day 14: Varanasi – Kolkata: Having
followed India’s great river, from close to
its source almost to its end, we arrive at
Kolkata on the banks of the Ganges and
transfer to our hotel. With nothing
scheduled before lunch you will have
time to unwind before exploring this
wonderfully manic city in the afternoon.
We’ll look to visit the Victoria Memorial,
St Paul’s Cathedral, the Writers Building,
the Flower Market and the Howrah Bridge
before relaxing over dinner.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 15: Kolkata: With an optional early
start we’ll look to catch the locals trading
at the fish market before then wandering
the scenic botanical gardens before
lunch. After lunch we return to the
water to relax on a final boat ride on the
Hooghly (local tributary to the Ganges)
before we end the afternoon’s exploring
by having dinner in one of the city’s fine
restaurants.
Hotel (B, L, D)

Day 16: Kolkata: The tour finishes with
breakfast at the hotel this morning. (B)