Delve into the spiritual fabric of this intoxicating country on our 17 day itinerary which showcases the complex heart of North India, from intriguing Hindu rituals upon the Ganges, to the Sikh's golden symbol of brotherhood in Amritsar and the colonial inspired Christ Church which crowns Shimla's snow-capped Himalayan peaks. Along the way, sample wild culinary delights, marvel at a chaotic tapestry of lost empires and discover one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, The Taj Mahal.
Extend your stay with some free time in Sri Lanka. Indulge in a calming massage, make use of the hotels facilities and relax by the pool before returning to the UK.
Depart on your scheduled, overnight flight to Delhi.
Lunch & Dinner
On arrival into India's capital, you will be transferred to your hotel. In the evening, experience flavoursome local dishes at your welcome meal.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Following breakfast, a full day city tour will commence. Travel through narrow streets, along scented markets on a rickshaw and pass by the Red Fort before stumbling upon the UNESCO recognised Humayun's Tomb, a captivating mausoleum that seemingly floats above landscaped gardens. After lunch at local restaurant admire the transition en route from Old Delhi's historic charms to the intricate colonial town planning of New Delhi; view the minimalistic Mahatma Gandhi Memorial adorned in floral tributes before wandering through the UNESCO listed Qutb Minar complex, a city awash with ancient ruins sculpted by the country's finest craftsmen.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning, take a train from Delhi to the sacred 'City of Life' - Varanasi. Check in to your hotel for the next two nights, before an afternoon at leisure exploring one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities, regarded as one of Hinduism's seven holy cities. Your evening tour takes you to a ghat - steps that lead to the Ganges - to witness the humbling Ganga Aarti Ceremony, a spellbinding display of candles afloat along the river.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Begin today with a sunrise boat trip along the Ganges for a unique perspective of this spiritual watercourse and its vivid embankment of pastel edifices pierced by temple stupas. Continue your exploration of Varanasi at the Vishwanath Temple (seen from the boat), a monument dedicated to Lord Shiva and famed for an illustrious gold-coated dome. Spend the rest of your morning on a walking tour through this ancient city to observe other ghats, each with distinct floral decoration and uses including the intriguing 'burning ghats' used for funeral precessions. After lunch enjoy a half-day tour of Sarnath, a sacred site on which the Buddha gave his first sermon after finding enlightenment in 530BC. Your tour includes visits to ancient relics that document the area's spiritual significance including the Monastery Ruins, a tranquil park interrupted by a towering stupa engraved with delicate geometric carvings. Return for your final evening in Varanasi.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning, embark on your journey to Delhi, and from there, transfer to the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur. Known as the 'Pink City' due to its distinctive terracotta pink buildings, which were painted in 1876 to welcome Prince Albert. Spend your evening at leisure, preparing for tomorrow’s full day of exploring the wonders of this unique city.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, begin your first day in Jaipur with a visit to the spectacular Amber Fort, the ancient capital of the Royal Family until 1728, located just 11km from Jaipur. Spanning over four huge courtyards, you will travel to the centre of the fort by Jeep, passing snake charmers, harems of the Maharajah, and the Palace of Mirrors along the way which all make for a truly unforgettable morning. After lunch at a local restaurant, you can visit some of the local bazaars and stalls for shopping. Try the Jal Mahal Road and Bapu Bazaar for jewellery, handicrafts, textile, and more, or wander the streets and sample the delicious and unique Rajasthani street food that Jaipur has to offer.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast you will head out on a city tour of Jaipur that takes in the major sights including the UNESCO recognised world heritage site Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory. Later take a scenic coach ride to Agra, where a network of rickshaws, jalebis vendors filling the air with sweet aromas and ancient Mandir temples alluding to the Mughal Empire's past grandeur await. On the way lunch at local midway restaurant.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Begin today at a tour highlight and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal. This iconic ivory-white mausoleum was completed in 1640 for Emperor Shah Jajan's beloved third wife. Wander along ornamental gardens to witness the breath-taking spectacle of its minarets and distinctive bronze dome reflecting the illumination of daybreak. After lunch visit the UNESCO recognised Agra Fort, an enormous sandstone city of pavilions, palaces and splendid courtyards behind 20-metre-high walls.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast depart Agra on your coach to Delhi and on arrival check in at the hotel to rest.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning board your train to Shimla, from here drive along a winding track around rugged mountains and through luscious pine forests to the hill station of Shimla - the former summer capital of British India whose snow-dusted mountain position offers incredible views of the Himalayan mountains.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Depart Shimla this morning for a day in the neighbouring hill station of Kufri. Nestled at the Himalayan foothills, this charming town is surrounded by a picturesque forest reserve under the imposing gaze of Mahsu Peak. Having admired the beautiful views of Kufri, tour the magnificent Rashtrapati Niwas, a former home to the British Viceroy. Visit the staterooms that have been transformed into an advanced study complex and stroll through the well kept gardens surrounding the building.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning, catch the UNESCO recognised Toy Train to Kandaghat Station, built by colonial forces, it offers dramatic views along its winding course through untouched forests and across immense gorges. Arrive in the city of Chandigarh.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Following a packed breakfast, take the train to the largest city in the Punjab state, Amritsar. Your afternoon will be at leisure to explore the Sikhs' holy city at your own pace.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Enjoy a half-day city tour of Amritsar with a visit to the Golden Temple. Revered amongst Sikhs, this spectacular golden tank blends Islamic and Hindu architecture, surrounded by the Pool of Nectar. The ancient monument also contains a mesmerising display of floral motifs carved into marble alongside shimmering gold panels. After lunch enjoy an afternoon to explore at your own pace, alternatively undertake an optional excursion (at a fee) to the Indian-Pakistan border and witness the fascinating flag-lowering ceremony, a daily ritual of each side's soldiers competing to out-march, out-salute and out-shout one another.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning transfer to Amritsar airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival at Delhi you will be transferred to your hotel for your overnight stay.
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Colombo. Upon arrival, transfer to your chosen hotel. Please note that the meals included will depend on the hotel and meal plan you have chosen.
This time is at leisure. Explore the local area, relax on the beach or make use of the hotels' facilities.
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
Use discount code TOUR200 at the checkout to save £200 per person on selected tours departing in January 2026, February 2026, March 2026, April 2026 and May 2026
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The Taj Mahal was an obvious highlight, as was Sarnath, Varanasi, Jaipur, Delhi, Shimla, Amritsar - especially the Golden Temple - and other Agra locations. Several different types of transport were used, giving us a true taste of Indian life. Our guide, Anirudh Singh Rathore, was very knowledgeable and went to great lengths to give us an unforgettable experience.
Timothy Coyle
10 Jun 25A big thankyou to everyone involved in making our trip such a wonderful experience. India is an amazing country and a must-visit. Mercury Holidays are a superb company to deal with.
Stephen Garside
25 Mar 25The tour manager, Amit, made the tour. He was fantastic. My best bits were seeing the Taj Mahal, the Golden Temple, especially lit up at night, and Shimla, as well as having the opportunity to sit on a yak. Overall, I’m extremely happy with the tour I went on. I felt it was excellent value for money, and it’s the first time I’ve not had to write a letter of complaint on my return. It was almost perfect. I will definitely look to book again.
Lesley Long
23 Nov 24Our tour guide Giriraj Singh Shekhawat was excellent. His English was impeccable and he had everything organised wherever we were. All the tour members felt very well looked after and nothing was too much trouble for Giri. His knowledge of all the places we visited was excellent and he could answer any questions any of our group had. I would highly recommend him for any tours by Mercury.
Margaret Ward
26 Oct 24I would like to comment on the professionalism of the guide, Amit Sharma, which was exceptional. He had vast knowledge of the history of India and the sites we visited. His explanations were thorough and he often asked if we had any unanswered questions. The driver who picked us up from Delhi airport and stayed with the group was excellent also. His driving skills, especially in India were to be admired. I always felt safe when he was at the wheel. Shimla, Agra, Jaipur, and Amritsar were my specific highlights.
Bhulla Singh
15 Oct 24Tour Manager, Amit Bhardwaj, was simply outstanding. Professional, efficient, and friendly. Made everything run smoothly could not have asked for better. The tour guides were excellent as well with particular mention of "Elvis". Highlights - Shimla, Taj Mahal, and the Golden Temple.
Mutter John
12 Oct 24Our guide, Amit Sharma, was a knowledgable, helpful and amusing chap, nothing was too much trouble and his organisation was superb. My wife had to be persuaded to go but has returned with nothing but fantastic memories. Lots of travel involved and many modes of transport (Rickshaws, Tuk-Tuk, planes, trains, and automobiles) but every trip led to another highlight. Thank you very much!!!
David Sillitto
27 Mar 24Excellent value for money, would not hesitate to use you again, have recommended to friends already. The guide - Amit - was excellent, friendly, and hugely informative. Highlights include the Taj Mahal, The Golden Temple, The Border Crossing at Amritsar, Shimla (a beautiful place), and The Ganges. So many it was hard to leave others out.
Ian Watson
24 Mar 24Fantastic tour albeit at a challenging pace (the second half was deliberately at a slower pace) - very well organised throughout with an excellent guide (Vijendra) who was very attentive and knowledgeable -good fun and his English was both very good and with an easy accent to follow - we were always in safe hands.
David Wyatt
17 Feb 24Our local guide in India, Mr. Giriraj Singh Shekhawat was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable and kept us entertained on our journeys with huge amounts of interesting information. He also had a fantastic sense of humour and showed a very caring side when people on the trip were not very well. This is the first time we have travelled with Mercury and were completely surprised with the attention to detail that we received from the company.
Anthony Sinclair
24 Jan 24This was an amazing and unforgettable trip. Every aspect of the trip gets 5 stars from myself. The itinerary and places visited were fantastic, the guide was brilliant, all the hotels were of a high standard and the food was usually excellent. Too many highlights to mention but obviously the Taj Mahal, the Golden Temple, the forts at Jaipur and Agra, the toy train, Varanasi, and the hotel at Shimla. Everything was a highlight there were no disappointing parts of the itinerary.
Glen Pickard
24 Dec 23The whole trip was wonderful. Every day was full of amazing sights and places to visit. Our guide, Giri, was absolutely superb, with a huge knowledge of India's history, geography and culture. His sharing of his knowledge really increased my enjoyment of the trip.
Judie Chambers
04 Nov 23The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
Please note that due to the amount of travel on trains and planes, it is advisable to pack smaller and lighter for this tour. When travelling to Varanasi and Shimla, you'll have the option to leave your larger suitcases at the hotel in Delhi, depending on the available luggage space at the hotel.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
A visa is required for entry into India. British Citizen Passport Holders will need to obtain a tourist visa. You can apply for an E-visa no more than 30 days in advance. Your E-visa must be valid for your whole trip so please ensure the expiry date is for the whole duration of your stay. Alternatively you can visit The Indian Visa Application Centre in London: 142-148 Goswell Road, London, EC1B 7DU. We also work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. Additionally, you will need to complete an e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before your arrival. This can be done on the Indian visa website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in . Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months before you enter India. Visa requirements are subject to change and obtaining a visa is the responsibility of the traveller and not Mercury Holidays. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.
Sri Lanka visa requirements
A visa is required for entry into Sri Lanka. This must be obtained before arriving in Sri Lanka. To apply, please visit the official website: https://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/. The cost is approximately $50. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa for you on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote "Mercury Holidays". Passports must be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of arrival in Sri Lanka. Visa requirements are subject to change and obtaining a visa is the responsibility of the traveller and not Mercury Holidays. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.
Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed e-ticket or boarding pass, along with your passport, is required for entry into Indian airports. Ensure you print your tickets before travelling, as digital copies on mobile devices are not accepted. It's also recommended to carry your invoice with flight details for reference.
Internal flights and trains within India do have restrictions on weight each passenger is entitled to 23KG of hold luggage plus 1 one small item of hand luggage. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in/boarding.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of Grand Tour of North India is rated Intermediate due in large part to the length of the tour. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and you will be getting on and off coaches, trains and boats and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.
The currency in India is the Rupee or Rs. The Rupee is a closed currency and officially you are not allowed to take any cash out of India. US Dollars and GBP are also widely accepted in India should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you. There are restrictions on taking Indian rupees into India. Visitors, including tourists, are not permitted to take any amount of Indian currency into the country. You can take cash or travellers' cheques (in pounds sterling or another foreign currency) and/or a bank card with you and exchange or withdraw rupees once in India. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in your local currency. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country.
The currency in Sri Lanka is the Rupee (LKR) and it is a closed currency. This means it is not possible to buy Sri Lankan money in the UK before you travel. It is important to budget carefully as you should not take any Rupee (LKR) out of Sri Lanka when you depart. There are foreign exchange offices and cash machines available in most places during your tour. Your tour guide will assist you at the start of your tour with currency exchange. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most hotels and some shops and restaurants; a charge is sometimes added for using them.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any personal purchases, such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £400 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases. Please also bear in mind that there will be several shopping opportunities throughout your tour.
It is customary to tip your guide and driver. This is at your discretion, but we recommend you allow approximately £4-£5 for each guide and £2-£3 for each driver per person per day. It is asked that you tip in pounds and not local currency, please do not give coins as these are difficult to exchange. Your guide will also ask you for £1 or £2 a day to add to a kitty this is for the porters, waiters etc throughout your tour.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10 and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is an escorted tour, meaning you will have the services of an English-speaking guide during each excursion ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times. Also, local monument guides will be provided subject to the monument’s rules. For groups of 5 people or less you will have an English speaking Driver Guide or a Driver and Local/Monument Guides
Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local/Monument Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing.
Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.
Your beach stay is not escorted by a tour guide. All internal transfers are included.
Trains
During your tour you will be getting on and off several trains. You will be booked in Air Conditioned Chair Car carriages. Seats recline and there is overhead space for a bag. Bathrooms are at the end of each carriage but toilet roll and hand sanitiser is advised. Trains in India do vary to the UK in terms of quality.
Luggage information
Please note that due to the amount of travel on trains and planes, it is advisable to pack smaller and lighter for this tour. When travelling to Varanasi and Shimla, you'll have the option to leave your larger suitcases at the hotel in Delhi, depending on the available luggage space at the hotel.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and India. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
A triple room is available but please note that this will be a twin room with a fold away bed for the 3rd passenger.
Breakfast is always a combination of Indian and western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunches and Dinner will be taken in either a local Indian restaurant or hotel restaurant. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, vegetarian and non-spicy meal options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way, so to ensure your comfort and well-being, two bottles of drinking water will be provided on touring days.
Alcoholic Drinks
There are some dry hotels in India, and some hotels where alcohol can be consumed on the premise but must be brought in from outside. Your guide will pre-warn you of this and if anyone in the group would like to purchase drinks before getting to the hotel then we will arrange for you to visit a local shop and get what you need wherever possible.
In Sri Lanka, the sale of alcohol is prohibited by law on specific days throughout the year. These include Poya Days (full moon days), Independence Day in February, World Temperance Day in October, the day before and after Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April, the day following Vesak Poya Day in May, and Christmas Day. This ban applies to all shops and hotels, ensuring that alcohol is not available for purchase on these designated days.
Dry days are when the sale of alcohol is not allowed. Most of the Indian states observe these days on major national festivals/occasions such as Republic Day in January, Independence Day in August and Gandhi Jayanti in October. Dry days are also observed during elections in India.
During visits to Churches/Temples please note long trousers or skirts should be worn to cover knees, Long sleeved tops should be worn to cover shoulders and ladies should bring a scarf to cover your head. In the Golden Temple and any other Gurudara visit it is also mandatory for men also to cover their head with a scarf
On your arrival in Delhi you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Jayasree, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Jayasree representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your guide will be able to answer any queries
Sri Lanka Beach Stay: On your arrival in Colombo you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Aitken Spence, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Aitken Spence representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your guide will be able to answer any queries.
If you need to contact Jayasree Travels and Tours, during your stay the details are: Jayasree Travels and Tours: 341-Ground Floor Lado Sarai New Delhi 110030 Contact number: +0091 9526188860 / +0091 995 898 8719
Emergency contact information
Telephone number 24 hr: Biju Unnikrishnan +0091 952 618 8860, Ms Jayasree Vikraman +0091 974 700 5888, Mrs Samitha Azhar +0091 974 471 3380, Mrs Rekha Anil 0091 9744813380 , Mr Amit Bhardwaj +0091 995 898 8719
E-mail: biju@jayasreetravels.com
Sri Lanka Beach Stay: Please find below the emergency contact details for Aitken Spence Travel: Contact Telephone number - Rizmika 0094 772 916461 Anil 0094 777 270500 Anu 0094 774593182
