The Great Indian Rail Journey for Solo Travellers

After taking your included VIP door-to-door travel service to the airport, fly overnight to Delhi.

Transfer to the 5-star The Suryaa New Delhi (4Q) where you will stay for the next two nights.

Located in the New Friends Colony, the hotel has an outdoor pool, restaurant, spa and wellness centre, and free Wi-Fi. All rooms have air conditioning, television, telephone, safe, iron, hairdryer and tea and coffee-making facilities. This evening enjoy dinner and a welcome briefing with refreshments. D

Discover Delhi on a day tour of this colourful and vibrant city. In historic Old Delhi, you'll visit Old Delhi Market – Chandni Chowk with its stalls, shops and street food – Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, and drive past the famous Red Fort.

In New Delhi look forward to driving past the presidential palace of Rashtrapati Bhavan and the impressive India Gate memorial. You will also visit Raj Ghat – the resting place of Mahtma Gandhi, the Mausoleum of Humanyu and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Qutb Minar, a 13th-century minaret which, together with its surrounding area, is regarded as a masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art. B, L, D

Set off early morning with a packed breakfast for your first train ride as you travel to Jaipur aboard the Ajmer Shatabdi Express (four hours). This superfast air-conditioned express train journey will arrive in Jaipur mid-morning after which you will transfer to the 5-star Hilton Jaipur (4Q).

Located in the heart of the city, facilities at the hotel include four restaurants, a swimming pool, spa, fitness centre, rooftop bar, and gift shop. All 179 air-conditioned rooms have a safe, telephone, minibar, television, bottled water, iron, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Spend this afternoon at leisure.

Perhaps join an optional evening excursion enjoying Patangbaazi. B, L

Today's full-day tour begins with a visit to the deserted city of Amber, once the ancient capital of the Rajput Empire.

Inside Amber Fort you can visit the earlier palaces built by Raja Man Singh, stark in comparison to those built by Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Jai Singh II. In the short time span of just a few decades, the Mughal influence permeated the Rajput court and is evident in the splendid and ornate halls of audiences, residential palaces and gardens. Of special interest is Shish Mahal, a delightful palace where the walls and ceiling are encrusted with glittering mirrors. You'll travel to the palace in an open jeep as the climb is steep. Afterwards, visit the Maharaja's City Palace, a sprawling royal residence where the main attraction is the museum and armoury, with its extensive arsenal of pistols, blunderbusses, flintlocks, swords, rifles and daggers.

You’ll also visit the Jantar Mantar Observatory with its collection of 14 astronomical instruments used to scan the celestial bodies with extraordinary accuracy, including a 27-metre tall sundial whose shadow moves at a rate of around 1millimetre per second. You’ll also drive past Hawa Mahal – the Palace of the Winds. This five-storey building has 953 sandstone windows from which the royal ladies could watch life going on outside without being seen.

Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure. B, L

Depart Jaipur late morning as you travel by train to Sawai Modhopur on an air-conditioned intercity express (two hours). Transfer to the 4-star Hotel Jungle Vilas(4Q) in Ranthambore, where you’ll stay for the next two nights.

Located on the edge of Ranthambore National Park, the hotel has an outdoor pool, restaurant, spa, and a bar. All rooms have a telephone, television, air conditioning, safe, hairdryer, free Wi-Fi and tea and coffee-making facilities. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure or perhaps join an optional excursion. B, L, D

Today look forward to a morning and afternoon safari by Canter – an open-topped safari bus – in Ranthambore National Park. The park was Rajasthan's first tiger reserve and is home to stately sambar, the largest species of Asiatic deer, crocodiles and a wealth of birds. During your safaris watch for glimpses of tigers, although sightings of tigers cannot be guaranteed. Remember to dress warmly as it can be chilly on the early morning safaris.

Relax at your hotel tonight. B, L, D

Early this morning with a packed breakfast travel to Sawai Madhopur railway station to board the Shatabdi train for the long journey to Bharatpur (three hours). On arrival continue to Agra and the 5-star Tajview, Agra - IHCL SeleQtions (4Q), where you will stay overnight.

Located near the Taj Mahal, the hotel has a restaurant, swimming pool, spa, fitness centre and free Wi-Fi. Some rooms offer views of the Taj Mahal, and all 95 rooms have air conditioning, a television, safe and minibar.

At lunchtime look forward to a special Thali lunch where a selection of different dishes encapsulating six different flavours are served arranged on a plate with bread or rice – a true taste of the area.

This afternoon you’ll head for the Agra Fort – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 16th-century Mughal fortress with its palaces and halls enclosed the Mughal imperial city. Close by lies the Baby Taj – the tomb of I'timad-ud-Daulah and reminiscent of the famous Taj Mahal in miniature.

This evening, perhaps join an optional excursion. B, L

The Taj Mahal in Agra is celebrated for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty. Built by Shah Jahan in 1560 in memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal it's constructed in white marble and took 22 years and over 20,000 workers and craftsmen to complete. Join an included excursion this morning to see this fabulous building in the early morning sun.

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Delhi (132 miles, four hours) where you will stay overnight at the 5-star The Suryaa New Delhi (4Q). Located in the New Friends Colony, the hotel has an outdoor pool, restaurant, spa and wellness centre, and free Wi-Fi. All rooms have air conditioning, television, telephone, safe, iron, hairdryer and tea and coffee-making facilities. B, L, D.

This morning with a packed breakfast, take the early morning train to Amritsar (nine hours). Check into the 5-star Taj Swarna (4Q) where you’ll stay for two nights.

The modern, centrally located hotel has two restaurants, a bar, spa offering treatments (extra charge), fitness centre, swimming pool and free Wi-Fi. All rooms have a television, air conditioning, safe, iron, telephone, fridge, kettle and hairdryer. Relax at your hotel or alternatively perhaps join an optional excursion. B, D

This morning, a sightseeing tour visits Jallianwalah Bagh and the Durgiana Hindu temple, which is sometimes referred to as the 'Silver Temple', as well as a local bazaar. You'll also visit the famous Golden Temple – the most famous place for Sikhism – and the community kitchen nearby which provides free meals for thousands of pilgrims and visitors every day.

This afternoon, travel to the border town of Wagah to see a changing of the guard ceremony – a military ceremony involving troops from both India and Pakistan which has taken place every evening at sunset since 1959. B, D

Depart for Chandigarh this morning (140 miles, four hours). Enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city – the hub of northern India. Designed by renowned Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier during the 1950s, it is a carefully-planned, modern city featuring French Colonial-influenced architecture. During your tour visit the Sukhana Lake and Rose Garden.

This evening stay overnight at the 5-star Taj Chandigarh (5Q). The hotel is located in Chandigarh’s business and shopping district, and has a rooftop pool and spa, three restaurants, a bar, fitness centre and free Wi-Fi. All rooms have air conditioning, a television, safe and minibar. B

Leave Chandigarh and drive to Kalka, home of the famous ‘Toy Train’. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Mountain Railways of India, this famous railway covers some 96 kilometres and was built in the 19th century. You’ll travel from Kalka railway station to the hill station of Shimla (six hours) aboard the 30-inch wide ‘Himalayan Queen’ train that will make its way through scenery of forest-clad mountains and beautiful valleys, passing through some 100 tunnels and 800 bridges!

Transfer to the 4-star Welcomhotel Shimla (4Q) where you will stay for the next two nights. Nestled in the forest of the lower Himalayas, the Welcomhotel Shimla boasts mountain views, a spa, restaurant, cocktail bar and fitness centre. All rooms have a television, iron, bottled water, telephone, hairdryer and free Wi-Fi. B, D

During a morning sightseeing tour of Shimla you will see the Sankat Mochan Temple and the Jancient Jakhu Temple, as well as the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies on Observatory Hill which was the summer home of the British Viceroy in India and the base from which the British Raj was ruled. The Partition Agreement, where India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain was negotiated here, and visitors have included Gandhi and Nehru.

Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to perhaps stroll the Mall – Shimla's bustling commercial area. B, L

Drive from Shimla to Chandigarh (70 miles, tthree hours) and board the Shatabdi Express Train for the final train journey back to Delhi (four hours).

Stay overnight at the 4-star Novotel Hotel Aerocity (4Q) in Delhi. The hotel is located near the airport and is equipped with a buffet restaurant and bar. All 400 rooms have a television, telephone, Wi-Fi, minibar, ironing facilities and tea and coffee-making facilities. B, D

Transfer from your hotel to Delhi airport for your return flight to the UK and included door-to-door travel service home. B