Golden Triangle with Kashmir - From Mughal Monuments to the Valley 05 Nights 06 Days

On arrival at Delhi airport our representative meets you with a placard bearing your name and assists with the drive to Jaipur, the Pink City of Rajasthan, along the Delhi Jaipur expressway. On arrival, check in to the hotel and enjoy a welcome drink. The evening is free to explore Jaipur at your own pace, whether the bazaars of Johari and Bapu Bazaar for block prints, jootis and jewellery, a photo stop at the illuminated Hawa Mahal, or an evening visit to the Birla Mandir. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out and drive to Agra, the Mughal city on the banks of the Yamuna. Those who wish to see Amber Fort should request an early start, as the fort opens at 08:00 AM and the drive to Agra takes around five hours. On arrival at Agra, check in and freshen up before visiting the Taj Mahal, the marble mausoleum built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of Mumtaz Mahal and among the most recognised buildings in the world, closed every Friday. Continue to Agra Fort, the walled red sandstone city that served as the principal residence of the Mughal emperors and where Shah Jahan spent his final years looking out towards the Taj. Evening free at leisure.

An optional sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal can be arranged before breakfast, when the marble takes on changing colours in the early light. After breakfast, check out and drive to Delhi airport along the Yamuna Expressway for your afternoon flight to Srinagar; please allow an early departure from Agra so the check in window is comfortable. You are received at Srinagar airport and transferred to your houseboat on the Dal Lake. In the evening, enjoy a shikara ride across the lake, gliding past the floating vegetable gardens, lotus beds and ornate wooden houseboats with the Zabarwan hills behind.

After breakfast, drive to Pahalgam, the valley of shepherds, set at 2,130 m where the Lidder river meets the Sheshnag stream. The route runs through the saffron fields at Pampore, the old Mughal town of Awantipora with its ruined ninth century temples, and mile after mile of apple and walnut orchards. At Pahalgam you may take a union taxi to the Aru valley, the Betab valley and Chandanwari, the starting point of the Amarnath yatra, or spend the day walking beside the river, riding, or simply sitting in the meadows. Return to Srinagar in the evening.

After breakfast, drive to Gulmarg, the meadow of flowers, set at 2,730 m and ringed by the snow capped Pir Panjal range. The road climbs through rice fields, willow groves and small Kashmiri villages. At Gulmarg you may take the Gondola cable car, among the highest in the world, up towards Apharwat peak for sweeping views across the range, try the pony rides and meadow walks, or in winter the snow slopes. Gulmarg also has one of the world's highest golf courses. Return to Srinagar in the evening.

The morning is free for the Mughal gardens of Srinagar, Nishat Bagh laid out by Asaf Khan in 1633 and Shalimar Bagh built by Emperor Jahangir for his queen Nur Jahan, or for last minute shopping for pashmina, papier mache and Kashmiri carpets. Later, transfer to Srinagar airport for the afternoon flight to Delhi. On arrival at Delhi you are met and taken on a city tour covering the Qutub Minar, the twelfth century victory tower, and Humayun's Tomb, the garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal, along with a drive past India Gate, the Parliament House and the President's House. Later, transfer to the airport or railway station for your onward journey.