Optional Tours
Should your business schedule permit, CTS can offer you optional city sightseeing tours and excursions in and around Delhi and Mumbai. And if you would like to discover more of "Incredible India", we have a selection of exciting tours of longer duration that can be combined with our "Affordable India" packages.
Following are general descriptions of some the optional tours that are available. We will be happy to provide detailed itineraries and prices upon request.
Full Day Excursion to Agra
Early morning pick-up at your hotel, then proceed via private car to Agra (approx. 4 ½ hours). Upon arrival, you will visit Agra Fort, the original red sandstone fort built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565. The Fort's maze of courtyards, marble mosque, and lavish private chambers reflect the grandeur of the Mughal Empire.
After lunch on your own, you visit the ledgendary, Taj Mahal, an extravagant monument of love, built by the Shah Jahan in 1653 as a memorial to his queen Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent mausoleum built of pure white marble took 22 years and 22,000 craftsmen to construct.
Afterwards, you return to Delhi, where you will be dropped off at your hotel.
Full Day City Tour of Old & New Delhi
Your sightseeing tour of New Delhi begins with a drive past Safdarjang's Tomb (1753 AD) to the Qutab Minar (1193 A.D.). This striking medieval victory tower, built by slaves, is 73 meters high. Within the Qutab complex, amidst the ruins of Quwat-ul-Islam mosque, stands the Iron pillar that has withstood the vagaries of time and weather for over 1,500 years. Your tour continues with a visit to Humayun's Tomb, and a drive through the Embassy area, a diplomatic enclave. Then it's on to the India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan (the presidential estate, formerly the Viceroy's House), and Connaught Place (New Delhi's main shopping area), with brief stops for photo-taking at each location.
Following a lunch break, there's a sightseeing tour of Old Delhi, beginning with a visit to the Jama Mosque, India's largest mosque, built in 1650 AD. Then it's on to the "Red Fort", built by Emperor Shah Jahan, creator of The Taj Mahal. Afterwards, you continue to Raj Ghat - the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Your tour concludes with a drop-off back at your hotel.
Half Day, Sightseeing Tour of Mumbai
The tour begins with a visit to the Prince of Wales Museum, built to commemorate King George V's first visit to India in 1905. Designed in the Indo-Saracenic style, the museum has sections of art, paintings, archeology and natural history dating back from 18th to 19th centuries. Continue to "The Gateway of India" Mumbai's foremost landmark overlooking the harbor. Officially opened in 1924, "The Gateway" was conceived following King George V's visit to the city in 1911. A drive up the Malabar Hill to the hanging gardens offers a panoramic view of the city and the Marine Drive, known as the "Queens Necklace." The tour continues with a drive through the Flora Fountain and Fort area, with its Gothic and Victorian style buildings. Then you visit the Victoria Terminus (now known as Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus), India's finest Gothic building and, today, a bustling Railway Station. The tour concludes with a drive around the Horniman Circle and a visit to the Town Hall alongside the docks.
Half-day Excursion to Elephanta Island
You will be picked up at your hotel, and proceed to Mumbai's major tourist attraction, the island of Apollo Bundur, just 10 kilometers northeast of the city. Famous for its four cave temples cut out of solid rock between 450 and 750 A.D., the island was originally known as Gharapuri, the Fortress city. It was renamed "Elephanta" by the Portuguese. The most renowned of the cave sculptures is a Trimurthi, a three-headed figure of Lord Shiva that stands 20 ft. tall. At the conclusion of your visit, you will be driven back to your hotel.
"Golden Triangle" Tour (6-Days, Featuring Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur)
The tour begins in Delhi, the capital of modern India. Many dynasties and rulers have flourished on its regal soil over the last 3,000 years. That legacy still survives in many of the city's monuments, from the 13th century mausoleum of the Lodi Kings to the buildings of British India's imperial past like the Parliament House and the Presidential Estate.
From Delhi, you proceed to Agra. The capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, Agra offers a panorama of majestic architectural creations, and has a rich tradition of art and culture. It is also home of one of "seven wonders of the world", the marble symphony of Emperor Shah Jahan - "The Taj Mahal". Your tour of the city, includes a visit the "Taj" and other architectural marvels created by the amazing Mughal craftsmen.
On to Jaipur, the picturesque capital of Rajasthan. The city is a symphony in pink, a color that signifies hospitality in the Rajput culture. Built by Raja Jai Singh in the 18th century, Jaipur is surrounded by hills topped with rugged fortresses and dotted with fairytale palaces. Ambling camels and brightly dressed locals reflect Jaipur's desert heritage, while the teeming markets display a profusion of hand-loomed and other local crafts. After your visit to Jaipur, you return to Delhi.
North India Highlights (8-Days, Featuring Jaipur, Agra, Khajuraho, and Varanasi)
The tour begins in Delhi, the capital of modern India. Many dynasties and rulers have flourished on its regal soil over the last 3,000 years. That legacy still survives in many monuments, from the 13th century mausoleum of the Lodi Kings to the buildings of British India's imperial past like the Parliament House and the Presidential Estate.
On to picturesque Jaipur. The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is a symphony in pink, a color that signifies hospitality in Rajput culture. Built by Raja Jai Singh in the 18th century, the city is surrounded by hills topped with rugged fortresses and dotted with fairytale palaces. Ambling camels and brightly dressed locals, reflect Jaipur's desert heritage, while the teeming markets display a profusion of hand-loomed and other local crafts.
From Jaipur, you proceed to Agra, the capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. Agra offers a panorama of majestic architectural creations, and has a rich tradition of art and culture. It is also home of one of "seven wonders of the world", the marble symphony of Emperor Shah Jahan - "The Taj Mahal". During your visit to the city, you'll visit the "Taj," and discover other architectural marvels created by the amazing Mughal craftsmen.
On to Khajuraho, the center of the Chandela Dynasty, rulers of central India from the 10th to the 11th Century. The city's over 20 surviving temples are today a World Heritage Site. This once sleepy town rose to prominence when it's architectural heritage was revealed to the world. The temples are world famous for their erotic carvings, and have given rise to much speculation since their discovery by a British officer in 1838.
Depart Khajuraho for Varanasi. One the world's oldest "living" cities. Varanasi is also the holiest of Hindu pilgrimage sites. Thousands of devotees come to the city daily to take a ritual dip in the Ganges River to cleanse their souls and worship at its many temples. The city is not only important for Hindus, it has links to Buddhism and Jainism, as well. It was at nearby Sarnath that Buddha preached his first sermon, and in Kasi, where Lord Mahavir revealed his Jain Philosophy. From Varanasi, you return to Delhi.
South Asia Cultural Tour (7-Days Featuring Chennai, Maduri, and Kochi)
The tour begins in Chennai, India's fourth largest city, and capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai was the site of the East India Company's first settlement founded in 1639 on land given them by the Raja of Chandragiri, the last representative of the Vijaynagar rulers. An English trading establishment, the East India Company was the forerunner to India becoming part of the British Empire. Chennai is basically a complex of overgrown villages, and because it is a major port, it is also considered the gateway to South India.
Next on the itinerary is Madurai, a vibrant city packed with pilgrims, vendors, business people, bullock carts and legions of rickshaw pullers. It is one of the Southern India's oldest cities, and has been a center of learning and pilgrimage for centuries. During your stay, you will enjoy a relaxing and romantic cruise on the backwaters of this fascinating area aboard a locally handcrafted vessel. Along an intricate network of canals, you will witness a way of life that is little-changed through the ages: women washing clothes on the river banks while children play in the shallows; kingfishers darting among the palm trees and fishermen standing in water up to their necks seeking out fish with their feet.
The last stop on the tour is Kochi (formerly Cochin), one of India's largest ports, where misty silhouettes of huge merchant ships can be seen anchored off the point of Fort Cochin waiting for a berth in the docks of Ernakulam or Willingdon island. The city has a rich cultural heritage and a wealth of historic treasures dating back to its domination by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Highlights include the oldest church in India, 500- year-old home and a palace built by the Portuguese, and its unique, cantilevered Chinese fishing nets.
"Royal Rajasthan on Wheels" (9-Days, featuring an unforgettable journey on the Royal Train)
Rajasthan is a region encompassing numerous ancient kingdoms, majestic forts and palaces, diverse cultures, varied landscapes and vibrant colors. And you will experience this magical part of India amidst the regal splendor of the "Royal Rajasthan on Wheels". The concept of touring in the comfort and luxury of the Royal Train was adapted from the lifestyle of the emperors and princes who once ruled the land, and who designed luxurious rail-coaches as their personal "palaces on wheels," thus laying the foundation for travel and exploration by luxury train.
Every moment aboard the "Royal Rajasthan on Wheels" is a regal delight, that when joined together create an experience to be savored and remembered forever. The makers of the Royal Train have recaptured the glorious sense of luxury with the utmost attention to comfort. The train is newly built and designed in a luxurious contemporary style. It boasts magnificently appointed interiors, sumptuous cuisine and fine wines, and personalized service by the Khidmatgars, the likes of which you will rarely ever experience.
The journey aboard the Royal Train begins in Delhi, and takes you on a 7-day exploration of the Rajasthan region, through the colorful and culturally rich states of Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Bharatpur. At the end of the rail trip, you will visit Agra, the home of one of India's most acclaimed attractions, the incomparable Taj Mahal. This unforgettable journey comes to an end as you return to its starting point, Delhi.