10 Nights / 11 Days Fully Guided Tours Private Car
Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Delhi - Udaipur - Goa
Couples who begin married life on a royal train tend to remember small things: a butler who learns how you both take your coffee, a window seat at dinner as the lights of a small town slide past, the hush inside the Taj Mahal gardens at first glimpse of the dome. The Luxury Train Honeymoon India package is built around those moments. It opens with three nights on the Maharajas Express Treasures of India journey from Delhi to Agra, Ranthambore and Jaipur, then gives you three lakeside nights in Udaipur and three nights beside the Arabian Sea in Goa.
The order is deliberate. The train delivers the grand set pieces of northern India in a short, beautifully organized burst: the Taj Mahal in the soft afternoon light, a game drive through tiger country, Amber Fort and a candlelit dinner at Rambagh Palace. Udaipur follows with a slower, more romantic mood, its white palaces mirrored in Lake Pichola and its rooftop restaurants made for sunset. Goa completes the trip with warm water, long beaches and seafood dinners on the sand, so you fly home rested rather than exhausted.
IRCTC runs the Maharajas' Express, a repeat winner of the World Travel Awards prize for the best luxury train on earth, and its Junior Suites and Suites offer extra space that many honeymooners appreciate. We at Top Indian Holidays, a Jaipur company with more than twenty-five years in private travel and Ministry of Tourism approval and acting independently of the railway, look after your cabin reservation, the flights between Delhi, Udaipur and Goa, private transfers and a selection of lake and beach hotels known for romantic touches such as private dinners and couples' spa rituals. The best months for this trip are October to March, when Rajasthan is sunny and mild and Goa's sea is calm and clear.
Your honeymoon begins the moment you clear immigration at Indira Gandhi International Airport. A member of our team waits at the arrivals exit with a welcome sign bearing both your names, and a chauffeured, air-conditioned car brings you to your central Delhi hotel, normally a ride of 30 to 45 minutes. We let the hotel know in advance that you are celebrating your marriage, so do not be surprised to find flowers, a cake or a small gift waiting in the room. Early check-in is arranged for overnight arrivals so you can rest straight away.
The day is intentionally free of sightseeing. After a long flight and the excitement of a wedding, most couples simply sleep, swim and enjoy an afternoon in the spa. If you feel like stretching your legs, the Lodhi Garden is a peaceful place for a late afternoon walk, with old domed tombs set among lawns and flowering trees. Delhi's weather in October, February and March is warm and sunny, whereas the midwinter months turn cooler and hazier, with afternoons near 20 degrees Celsius and much colder at night.
In the evening our team calls to confirm the early pickup for the train. Pack one medium bag each for the three nights on board, with comfortable shoes, a warm layer for the safari, something smart for the palace dinner and modest clothing for the monuments. The rest of your luggage, including your beach clothes, can travel separately to Udaipur so your cabin stays uncluttered. Enjoy a quiet dinner together in one of the hotel restaurants and turn in early, since the alarm will ring before 06:00.
The car collects you at about 06:15 and reaches Delhi Safdarjung station before the 07:00 check-in opens. There is a red carpet, a band and garlands of marigolds, and the train staff take your bags while you sip a welcome drink. The Maharajas Express Treasures of India departs at about 08:15. Your butler shows you around the cabin, and if you have booked a Junior Suite or Suite you will have extra room to spread out, with a larger bathroom and a seating area by the window.
Breakfast and then lunch are served while fields and villages of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh slide past on the way south. The restaurant cars are decorated like palace dining rooms, with richly patterned fabrics, brass lamps and polished silver, and tables for two are easy to arrange if you prefer privacy. In the lounge the train manager briefs guests on the short journey ahead and its timings. Couples often spend this first morning in the bar car, watching mustard fields and brick villages pass the window with a glass of something cold.
In the afternoon the train arrives in Agra, and your guide leads you through the great sandstone gateway for your first view of the Taj Mahal. At this hour the marble takes on a warm, honeyed glow, and the long water channel reflects the dome when the air is still. Your guide recounts how a grieving Shah Jahan built the tomb for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, then helps you find the quieter corners for a photograph together. Remember that the monument is closed on Fridays. You return to the train for dinner and the night in Agra.
The day starts early with a short coach ride to Agra Fort, the vast red sandstone citadel of the Mughal emperors on the bank of the Yamuna. At this hour the fort is quiet, and the morning light catches the white marble pavilions built by Shah Jahan. Look out from the eight-sided Musamman Burj and the Taj Mahal floats across the water, the same sight the aging emperor contemplated in his last years. It is a romantic spot, and your guide will give you time to linger for a while.
You return to the train for a relaxed breakfast and the journey west into Rajasthan. Lunch is served on board as the landscape changes to rocky hills, scrub forest and villages of stone houses. In your cabin, take time to rest before the afternoon safari, or book a couples' massage at the onboard spa if there is availability. Before the drive, the train manager runs through a short packing list: a warm jacket, sunglasses, a hat, a scarf to keep the dust off, water and binoculars if you own a pair.
Later in the day an open jeep and a resident naturalist take you through Ranthambore National Park. In midwinter the permitted window is about 14:00 until 17:30, and in the milder months either side it slides to roughly 14:30 until 18:00. Tigers are seen regularly but never guaranteed. The park is beautiful, with lakes, ancient ruins and rocky hills, and you will almost certainly see deer, crocodiles, peacocks and many birds. Night is falling as you rejoin the train, and dinner is served while it heads for Jaipur.
After a leisurely breakfast, you step onto the platform in Jaipur to a traditional welcome. In the late morning the coach drives you about 30 minutes to Amber Fort, the ridge-top seat of the Kachwaha dynasty, passing the water palace of Jal Mahal on the way. A short jeep ride takes you up to the main gate, saving the steep climb. Within its walls your guide shows you the great public audience hall, the private royal quarters and the dazzling Mirror Palace, where a single flame lights up the whole ceiling.
You return to the train for lunch and a free afternoon. This is the perfect moment for a rest or a spa treatment, or our team can arrange a private car and guide so you can shop together in Jaipur. The city is one of the world's great centers for gemstones and jewelry, and many couples choose a special piece here as a keepsake of their honeymoon. Block-printed textiles, blue pottery and fine shawls are other good buys, and the Hawa Mahal facade is a short drive from the jewelry workshops.
In the evening you dress up for dinner at Rambagh Palace, once the home of the ruler of Jaipur and now one of India's most celebrated hotels. Lanterns line the paths, peacocks call from the lawns and dinner is served in grand rooms under crystal chandeliers. Ask the train team in advance and they will do their best to seat you at a quiet table for two. The coaches return guests to the station by about 21:00, and the train leaves for Delhi as you settle into your cabin.
Your final meal on the train arrives while it rolls into the capital's outskirts, and you arrive at Safdarjung station at around 10:00. Say goodbye to your butler and the train staff, who will have looked after you with great care over three days. A driver from our team is waiting on the platform with your bags and heads straight for Indira Gandhi International Airport, which is normally 30 to 45 minutes off, in time for a flight to Udaipur of about an hour and a half. Any bags you sent ahead will be waiting for you in Udaipur.
Our local driver meets you at Udaipur's Maharana Pratap Airport for the drive of about 40 minutes into the city. The road climbs gently through the green Aravalli hills, past farms and small temples, a refreshing change after the dry plains of the north. Udai Singh II, a sixteenth-century ruler of Mewar, chose this valley for his new capital, and the city grew up around a string of lakes, and it is often called the most romantic city in India, with good reason. The weather here in winter is mild, with sunny days and cool evenings.
Your hotel for the next three nights is a lake palace or luxury lakeside hotel with views over Lake Pichola. Some properties can only be reached by boat, which makes the arrival especially memorable. Many offer honeymoon touches such as rose petals, a bottle of sparkling wine or a private balcony table. Spend the evening on your terrace watching the sun set behind the hills and the City Palace light up across the water. Dinner can be served at a rooftop table or on a private jetty by arrangement with the hotel.
After breakfast, your private guide meets you for a morning visit to the City Palace of Udaipur, a sprawling complex of courtyards, balconies and towers built by the Mewar rulers over three centuries. Highlights inside include the Peacock Courtyard, where birds made of colored glass tiles shimmer on the walls, rooms decorated with colored glass and miniature paintings, and the Crystal Gallery with its collection of crystal furniture commissioned from England. The palace gets busy by late morning, so starting early gives you the courtyards almost to yourselves for photographs together.
From the palace you walk to the nearby Jagdish Temple, a seventeenth-century temple with carved walls and a bronze statue of the divine eagle Garuda at the entrance. The lanes of the old city around it are full of small shops selling miniature paintings, silver jewelry, leather journals and textiles. Udaipur's painters are famous for their fine detail, and some offer to paint a small portrait of you as a couple. Return to the hotel for lunch and a lazy afternoon by the pool or on your balcony.
In the late afternoon, a private boat takes you out on Lake Pichola for a sunset ride. You glide past the bathing steps of the old city, the island palace of Jag Mandir and the white walls of the Lake Palace as the sky turns pink and gold. Many couples consider this the most romantic moment of the whole trip. Back at the hotel, dinner can be arranged at a candlelit table by the water. Udaipur's evenings are pleasantly cool in winter, so bring a light shawl or jacket.
This day is designed to be slow. Sleep in, enjoy a long breakfast on the terrace, and spend the morning at the hotel spa, where many properties offer couples' treatments with Ayurvedic oils. If you would like some gentle activity, our team can arrange a private cooking class with a local family, where you learn to make Rajasthani dishes and Indian breads, or a visit to the Vintage Car Collection, home to classic Rolls-Royces and Cadillacs once owned by the royal family, displayed in the old palace garage.
In the afternoon, take a short drive to Saheliyon Ki Bari, the Garden of the Maidens, created for the queen and her companions, with fountains, lotus pools and marble pavilions. It is a peaceful place for a quiet walk together. Alternatively, visit a restored eighteenth-century mansion museum on the lakeshore near the old city, which hosts an evening folk dance performance at around 19:00, featuring women dancing with tall stacks of pots balanced on their heads, puppeteers and musicians from across Rajasthan. Arrive about half an hour early for a good seat, since the courtyard fills quickly in the high season.
As the light begins to soften, your driver climbs to the Monsoon Palace, or Sajjangarh, perched on a summit some 5 kilometers to the west. A nineteenth-century ruler raised it as a lookout for the approaching rain clouds, it offers sweeping views over the lakes, the city and the Aravalli hills. As the sun sets, the whole valley turns golden. Return to the hotel for a farewell dinner in Udaipur, perhaps on a rooftop overlooking the illuminated City Palace. Our team will confirm your pickup time for the next morning's flight.
After breakfast, our driver takes you to Udaipur airport for your flight to Goa. Depending on the day, the route may connect through Mumbai or Delhi, and our team will choose the most convenient option with a short connection. As the plane descends, you see Goa's coastline of palm-fringed beaches, red cliffs and winding rivers. Our driver meets you at arrivals for the transfer to your beachfront resort, a ride of anywhere from half an hour to ninety minutes, depending on where the hotel sits and how busy the roads are.
Goa is India's smallest state and easily its most relaxed, with a Portuguese heritage visible in its whitewashed churches, colorful houses and cuisine. For a honeymoon, the resorts of South Goa are particularly appealing, with long, quiet beaches, lush gardens and plenty of space for privacy. North Goa is livelier, with beach clubs, markets and nightlife, and our team will suggest the right resort for your style and pace. Most luxury resorts offer honeymoon touches such as a decorated bed, flowers and sparkling wine on arrival.
After check-in, change into something light and walk down to the beach for your first sunset over the Arabian Sea. From November to March, the sky is usually clear, and the sun sets in a blaze of orange and red. Enjoy dinner at the resort, perhaps fresh grilled fish or spicy Goan prawns in a coconut sauce with rice. The evening temperature is warm, around 25 degrees Celsius, so you can dine outdoors comfortably. Our team remains available by phone if you need anything during your stay.
After breakfast, a private guide meets you for a half-day tour of Old Goa, the former Portuguese capital, whose churches are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St Francis Xavier lies in a silver casket inside the Basilica of Bom Jesus, and facing it across a broad lawn rises the Se Cathedral, among the biggest churches anywhere in Asia. Shoulders and knees should be covered inside the churches. The tour takes about two hours and finishes before the midday heat, with cold water provided in the car.
A twenty-minute drive then brings you to Panaji, the capital of Goa, for a stroll through Fontainhas, the old Latin quarter, with its narrow streets of yellow, blue and ochre houses, tiled roofs and wooden balconies. It is one of the most photogenic neighborhoods in India, perfect for honeymoon photographs. Stop for coffee at a small bakery and taste the local layered coconut cake, made with coconut milk and eggs. Then return to the resort for lunch and a relaxing afternoon by the pool, with a siesta in the shade.
In the evening, our team arranges a private candlelit dinner for two on the beach, set up by the resort with lanterns, flowers and a personal waiter. The menu usually features fresh seafood, such as lobster or tiger prawns, and you can request a bottle of wine or champagne. Listening to the waves under the stars, it is a fitting celebration of your new life together. If you prefer, the dinner can be served on a private terrace or in a garden pavilion instead, depending on the weather.
The last full day of your honeymoon is entirely free. Most couples choose to spend it at the resort, enjoying the beach, the pool and the spa. Between November and March the water is placid and warm, typically 27 or 28 degrees Celsius at the surface, perfect for swimming. Lifeguards patrol the main beaches during the day. Always check for red flags warning of strong currents, and use plenty of sunscreen, as the coastal sun is strong even in winter. Mornings are the best time to swim.
If you would like some activity, our team can arrange a morning dolphin-watching boat trip, when the sea is calmest, or a kayak trip through the mangroves of a quiet river. A visit to a spice plantation inland, with a traditional lunch served on banana leaves, is another lovely option. For couples who enjoy water sports, many resorts offer paddle boarding, sailing and snorkeling. In the late afternoon, a couples' massage in the resort spa is a perfect way to unwind before your last evening together.
For your final evening in India, enjoy dinner at one of Goa's renowned restaurants, where chefs combine local ingredients with modern techniques, or return to the beach for a last sunset together. Pack before you sleep, setting passports and tickets aside where you can reach them easily. A message from our office will already have confirmed the airport transfer time for the next day. Take a moment to enjoy the sound of the waves and the memories of your journey through India, from the Taj Mahal to the lakes.
Breakfast on your last morning comes with a view of the waves. With an afternoon or evening flight there is still time for a final dip or a barefoot walk on the sand before rooms are due back, usually near 11:00 or 12:00, and the resort may extend that if it is not full. Your car arrives at the hour we agreed, leaving generous slack for the slow coastal roads and river bridges on the way to the airport. We recommend arriving at least three hours before an international flight, since queues at check-in and security can be long in the high season.
Both Goa airports link nonstop with Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru for onward long-haul connections, and a handful of services fly direct to cities in the Gulf. Should your international departure be from Mumbai or Delhi, our team books the domestic leg and, for a lengthy wait between flights, a hotel room for a few hours. Check your baggage allowance, since domestic flights may have lower limits than international flights, particularly if you have bought gifts along the way. Fragile items such as pottery are best carried in hand luggage, wrapped in clothing.
Over eleven days you will have traveled by luxury train, plane and car taking in Agra's Mughal marble, Udaipur's lakes and Goa's beaches, sharing moments that will stay with you for a lifetime. Top Indian Holidays, the Jaipur agency that arranged each step of this honeymoon, stays a phone call away until you board, and we would love to hear your impressions once you are settled at home. We wish you every happiness together, and we would be delighted to welcome you back to India for an anniversary journey.
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