Witness culture, colour and chaos collide on this classic Indian adventure with your fellow solo travellers.
This epic journey of discovery combines the famous Golden Triangle with the magical cities of Jodhpur and Udaipur. See the Taj Mahal at sunset, admire the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur and step inside some of India’s most beautiful palaces, forts and castles.
A standout moment on our escorted Indian tour is experiencing Jaipur ablaze with the Hindu Holi Festival of colour. Engaging in the festivities, we witness the Pink City transformed into a vibrant canvas, joyfully partaking in the dye-throwing and water-spraying revelries.
Peppered with epic moments and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, this tour is an absolute bucket list belter.
Welcome to incredible India! Upon arrival at Delhi International Airport, we’ll proceed through immigration, collect our luggage and transfer to our hotel in Delhi. The rest of the day is free for us to relax after a long flight. In the evening, we will have a welcome drink and dinner at our hotel.
After breakfast, we’ll begin our tour of Old and New Delhi. We start with the old part of Delhi with a drive past the magnificent Red Fort before enjoying a cycle rickshaw ride through the lanes of Chandni Chowk. We will drive past Kotla Firoze Shah – ruins of an old 14th Century fort, and visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948.
Later we will enjoy a fixed menu Indian lunch at the Chor Bizarre restaurant in Old Delhi. In the afternoon, we’ll explore New Delhi, driving past the Presidential Palace, Rashtrapati, the impressive Rajpath Memorial Arch and the India Gate.
After breakfast, we check-out of our hotel and leave for the city of Agra – home to the famous Taj Mahal (approx. 4.5 hour drive).
When we arrive in the afternoon, we visit the historical Agra Fort, which was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi.
At sunset, we visit the iconic Taj Mahal – also known as the greatest love story ever told!
After breakfast, we depart to Jaipur, stopping en route to visit Fatehpur Sikri. Also known as a host city, Fatehpur Sikri was built by Emperor Akbar, with the intention of being the most beautiful city ever built. For a while it was, but style must have won over substance! While beautiful, there is no easy access to the water. A few years after it was completed, the town was abandoned and the capital moved to Lahore in present-day Pakistan.
We will then continue on our drive to Jaipur (approx. 4 hour drive), arriving in the afternoon.
Today, India comes alive with the Hindu Holi festival of colour. Holi has been celebrated for centuries and it marks the start of new beginnings and the start of spring time after a long winter, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. Entire streets and towns turn red, green and yellow as people throw coloured powder into the air and splash them onto each other. Each colour is symbolic – red is for love and fertility, green is for new beginnings, yellow is the colour of turmeric, a powder that’s native to India and important in both South Asian cuisine and culture and blue is for the Hindu god Krishna.
We join in the celebrations in Jaipur, where the Pink City gets covered in a canvas of bright colours. We participate in the throwing of the dye and spraying of the water, and also witness folk dances and music. We will also enjoy some local Indian cuisine for lunch.
After breakfast, we go on a half day excursion to Amber Fort, stopping en route at the distinctive landmark of Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) for a great photo opportunity. It was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh to enable ladies of the royal household to watch the life and processions of the city.
Next on our itinerary is Amber Fort, a honey-coloured fortress-palace in the Aravalli Hills that’s been described as the sleeping beauty of Rajasthan. Made out of sandstone and marble, the fort consists of a series of four courtyards, palaces, halls and gardens.
This afternoon, we begin our city tour of Jaipur with a visit to Jai Singh’s Observatory. It was built in the 17th Century by the founder of Jaipur who, besides being a prince, was also a soldier, astronomer and builder. Then we visit the impressive Jaipur City Palace, one part of which is now a museum that contains fine Rajput and Moghul paintings, rare manuscripts and an armoury, old carpets, and even amazingly embroidered clothes of the Maharajas and the Maharanis. We will finish today’s tour by walking through a local market.
After breakfast, we drive to Jodhpur (approx. 7 hour drive). When we arrive in the afternoon, we visit the Mehrangarh Fort – one of the most magnificent forts in India. The battlements are 6m to 36m high, and as the building materials were chiselled from the rock on which the fort stands, the structure merges with its base. Still run by the Jodhpur royal family, Mehrangarh is packed with history and legends.
After breakfast, we will drive to Udaipur (approx. 5 hour drive) stopping en route to visit Ranakpur temple which is a Jain temple. Jainism is an Indian religion that emphasizes non-violence and ascetism. The temple is very beautiful and showcases unique temple architecture.
We will continue on our drive to Udaipur. Upon arrival, we’ll proceed to our hotel for check-in.
After breakfast, we set off for our half day city tour of Udaipur. The city is also known as Venice of the East and speculated to be the most romantic city in Rajasthan. We visit the City Palace, once the home of Mewar’s rulers, which is a museum today. We also visit Sahelion-ki-bari (Garden of the Maids of Honour) a serene space the princesses would go to relax and enjoy their leisure time. Covered with the most beautiful trees and flowers, there are fountains all around.
Later we will drive around Fateh Sagar Lake – an artificial lake named after Maharana Fateh Singh of Udaipur and Mewar, constructed north-west of Udaipur to the north of Lake Pichola in the 1680s.
Today we transfer to the airport for our flight from Udaipur to Delhi.
After arriving in Delhi we will transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for us to buy souvenirs or relax at the hotel.
After breakfast, we transfer to Delhi airport for our return flight home.
We stay in comfortable hotels throughout as detailed below (or similar)
Frequently Asked Questions
Visas
You’ll need to get a visa before travelling to India. You can find further information about how to apply on the Indian High Commission website.
As of the 5th December 2022 UK passport holders can now apply for an e-visa https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
Places to be visited – DELHI, AGRA, JAIPUR, PUSHKAR, JODHPUR, UDAIPUR
Name of the tour operator – Solos Holidays
Address of the tour operator – Whittington Hall, Whittington Road, Worcester, WR5 2ZX
Hotel – Radisson Blu Hotel Paschim Vihar 5* in Delhi
Reference Name in India – TBI – Trail Blazer Tours India Private Limited
Address – World Trade Centre Complex, 902, Centre 1, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005, INDIA
Phone – + 91 22 61940911
Passport validity
Your passport must be machine readable, with 2 blank pages for your visa and valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of your visa application. However, the guidelines regarding passport validity on arrival in India are unclear. To avoid possible problems at immigration, make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of entry into India.
All travellers should submit a self-declaration form on the online “Air Suvidha” portal before scheduled travel. On 14th February 2022, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced COVID-19 vaccination certificates can be uploaded in place of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report.
The transfer time from Delhi International Airport to your hotel in Delhi is approximately 40 minutes, depending on the traffic.
Indian rupee
We suggest a Group Collection to cover guides, transfer drivers, and hotel staff of £80.00 per person. Your Tour Leader will collect this on your behalf and distribute it accordingly, thus relieving you of the burden of who, when and how much to tip. The tipping of housekeeping will be left to your individual discretion (a small amount left in your room on departure should cover this and would be much appreciated). As is customary, ‘the hat’ will be passed around for the driver and guide on all optional excursions. For any meals that are not included in your itinerary, or taxi fares, your Tour Leader can advise of an appropriate % to add on.
The emphasis is on casual clothing for throughout. Go for light, loose cotton clothing and comfortable shoes or walking boots. Conservative dress is preferred for both men and women. No shorts or vest tops in restaurants. When visiting temples and certain museums dress politely; shorts, singlets, spaghetti straps, skirts, tank-tops and open backed sandals are not acceptable. The dress code would be same for men and women, that is shoulders and legs covered, no hats, and shoes to be taken off.
A sightseeing programme is included in your touring package.
Please note
A reasonable level of fitness/mobility is required as we include plenty of sightseeing/travelling, some with early starts.
The order of the itinerary and events may be subject to change
Average Temperatures
| Month(s) | Highest temperature | Lowest temperature |
|---|---|---|
| October | 33 °C | 25 °C |
| February | 32 °C | 20 °C |
“I’m sure you will enjoy it, I have been on three solos holidays to date and the people I’ve met have been great.”
“I’ve been travelling with Solos for nearly 20 years, on and off. The reason is for exactly what you want – you meet like minded people… and have loads of fun!”
“I’ve been on loads of trips with Solos over the years and can honestly say you will not regret booking your 1st one!”
“The feeling you have once you go away on your own is worth all the nerves before! I was so very anxious the first time but now having done it 4 times, I love it!”
