Maharajas Express Treasures of India Tour

Day 1 Delhi Platform Welcome and the Road to the Taj

Safdarjung station in south Delhi is quiet on most days, but on departure morning it becomes the stage for a warm send-off. Our driver collects you from your hotel early, and on arrival you are welcomed with garlands, a welcome drink and traditional music. The guest relations team completes check-in, and your bags are carried straight to your cabin. On the Maharajas Express Treasures of India journey you share the train with a relatively small number of guests, so the atmosphere feels intimate from the start rather than crowded.

Once on board, take a few minutes to look around your cabin. Even the Deluxe Cabins have large windows, a private shower room, plenty of storage and controls for lighting and air conditioning within easy reach. Your butler explains the call button, takes note of your tea and coffee preferences and asks about any food allergies. A late-morning brunch comes out in the dining carriage while the wheels carry you southward across Haryana and on into Uttar Pradesh, and a briefing in the lounge outlines the schedule for the next three days, including the dress code for dinners.

In the afternoon the train reaches Agra, and your first excursion is to the Taj Mahal. The exact order of the Agra visits can vary between departures, but the Taj is always the centerpiece. Your guide leads you through the red sandstone gateway, where the white tomb appears framed perfectly in the arch, and then down the long water channel to the main platform. In the evening you can choose a spa treatment at a luxury hotel or a dance show telling the story of the monument, before dinner on board.

Day 2 Agra Fort, Then West to Tiger Country

The second day opens with breakfast in one of the train's two restaurants, Mayur Mahal and Rang Mahal, each decorated in its own royal style. You then visit Agra Fort, the huge walled citadel of the Mughal emperors on the banks of the Yamuna. Akbar built its red sandstone walls in the sixteenth century, and his grandson Shah Jahan added the white marble halls and pavilions inside. The view from the Musamman Burj tower across the river to the Taj Mahal is one of the most famous in India, and the morning haze often softens it beautifully.

The train leaves Agra in the late morning, and lunch is served as it crosses the countryside of eastern Rajasthan. This stretch passes small towns, mustard and wheat fields, and the rough ravines of the Chambal Valley. It is a good moment to sit in the lounge with a book and watch rural India go by. Before the safari, change into comfortable trousers and closed shoes in muted colors, and pack sunglasses, sunscreen and a warm layer, as the open vehicles can be cool once the sun starts to set.

By early afternoon the train has reached Sawai Madhopur, and an open-sided safari jeep takes you through the gates of Ranthambore National Park. Afternoon safaris run from about 14:00 to 17:30 in winter and 14:30 to 18:00 in October, February and March. With luck you may see a tiger walking along a forest track or resting near one of the lakes. Even without one, the scenery of the old fort, ruined pavilions and wide meadows full of deer is memorable. Back on the train, an Indian evening with music and regional food is followed by dinner as the train heads to Jaipur.

Day 3 Jaipur Forts, Palaces and Stars of Stone

You wake in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, and after breakfast you drive out to Amber Fort, where jeeps carry you up the hill to the main gate. The fort's pale yellow and pink walls rise above Maota Lake, and its rooms are a mixture of Rajput and Mughal styles. Highlights include the Hall of Public Audience, the Ganesh Pol gateway with its painted decoration and the Mirror Palace, where tiny pieces of glass set into the walls and ceiling sparkle in even the faintest light. Morning is the most comfortable time for the climb.

Back in the city, the guided tour continues to the City Palace, still partly home to the former royal family, and the Jantar Mantar next door. The observatory was built in the early eighteenth century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a ruler with a deep interest in astronomy. Its giant stone instruments, including a sundial that tells local time to within a couple of seconds, are still accurate. The guide explains how each instrument works, which makes the site far more interesting than it first appears. Lunch is served on the train afterward.

The afternoon is yours. Options include a spa at a five-star hotel, a private guided shopping trip for gemstones, textiles or rugs, a round of golf at the Rambagh Golf Club or simply an afternoon rest in your cabin. Some guests drive past Jal Mahal, the water palace in Man Sagar Lake, for a photograph. In the evening a folk dance performance by Kalbelia dancers, known for their swirling black skirts and fluid movements, entertains the group before dinner, and the train departs for its final overnight run back to Delhi.

Day 4 Breakfast on Board and Return to Delhi

The last morning on board is slow and comfortable. Breakfast is served in the restaurant car as the train approaches the capital, and there is time to settle any extra charges, pack your belongings and say goodbye to your butler and the crew who looked after you so closely. The Maharajas' Express short loop ends almost before you know it, and many guests remark that three nights feel longer than expected because each day is so full of different scenes and experiences, from Mughal marble to tiger forest to desert forts.

The train arrives back at Delhi Safdarjung in the morning, and our driver meets you on the platform to help with your luggage. The drive to Indira Gandhi International Airport takes about 30 to 50 minutes, depending on traffic, and to most central Delhi hotels a little less. Guests leaving India that day do best with a night flight, and we are happy to book a day-use room where you can shower and nap before heading to the terminal. Keep your passport in your hand luggage for the airport.

If your calendar allows a few more days, our team can add them without fuss. Popular additions include a guided day in Old and New Delhi, a flight to Udaipur for a few nights by the lake, a return to Ranthambore for extra safaris or a trip south to Kerala. As an independent tour operator, we arrange private cars, guides and hotels around your train dates, so the transition from rail to road feels effortless. Just let us know your interests when you book, and we will suggest the options that suit you best.