Ultimate India by Rail Adventure Tour

On this six-week trip that circles India via train, you'll start in Delhi, travelling to Agra for a tour of the legendary Taj Mahal, then head southwest by rail to make stops in Rajasthan, Mumbai, and Goa. From there it's on to Karnataka, Kochi, and living like a local in the Kerala Backwaters before going south, east, and north to view spectacular temples and ride the famous toy trains of Darjeeling. Top this epic journey off with local meals in family homes, wandering the beautiful streets of Jaipur and Udaipur, and relaxing on beaches along the way. India looks very different through a train's window ' see it all for yourself.

Highlights

Ride a toy train in Darjeeling, Live like a local in the Kerala Backwaters, Enjoy the laidback vibe and tasty food of seaside Goa, Take a cycling tour to Shore Temple, Visit the Peace Pagoda, Watch the sunrise from a boat on the Ganges

What's Included

Your G for Good Moment: Women on Wheels Transfer, Indira Gandhi International Airport Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group. Taj Mahal visit. Agra Fort visit. Jaipur orientation walk. Amber Fort visit. Udaipur orientation walk. Jagdish Temple and City Palace visit. Rajasthani cultural show. Bundi Fort and stepwells visit. Colaba area walking tour. Gateway of India visit. Beach time in Goa. Walking tour and ruins visit in Hampi. Hazararama Temple visit. Mysore Palace and Chamunda Hill visits. Namdroling Monastery visit. Coffee plantation tour. Madikeri Fort and Raja's Seat visit. Fort Kochi and Chinese fishing nets visit. Backwaters canal ride. Vivekananda Rock and Ramkrishna Ashram visit. Meenakshi Temple visit. Cycle tour to Shore Temple and Mamallapuram Beach. Charminar and Golconda Fort visit. Jagannath Temple visit. Raghuraj Pur village visit. Kolkata city tour. Victoria Memorial visit. Visit Mother Teresa's House. Tiger Hill sunrise visit. Tea estate visit. Mahakal Temple visit. Peace Pagoda visit. Toy train ride. Local lunch. Rumtek Monastery day trip. Deolo Hill visit. Evening ghats visit. Sunrise boat trip on the Ganges. Bara Imambara visit. Orientation walks in Darjeeling, Gangtok, and Kalimpong. Internal flights. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Accommodation

Hotels/guesthouses (39 nts), sleeper trains (5 nts), homestay (1 nt).

Meals Included

2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 3 dinners

Transport

Train (seats), train (beds), toy train, private vans, walking, plane.

About our Transportation

TRAINS The best way to see India is at ground level on the railway system. In fact, no visit to India would be complete without the experience of tavelling on a train and negotiating the busy railway stations. The chaos in the Indian Railway stations is a replica of the life in India. Indian trains are not merely a conveyance they are an odyssey so sit back relax, be patient and enjoy the show. G Adventures uses a combination of AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier and sleeper class (for overnight journeys) and AC Chair car or second class seats for day journeys. Indian railways operate with a centralized reservation system. This means that G Adventures cannot control how seats are assigned within a class. Despite our requests to seat the entire group together, often times seats are spread out in the coach or throughout different coaches. This is all part of the adventure that is travelling India by rail. Take advantage of the opportunity to chat with locals and remember you always have the support of your CEO. There are no restaurant or buffet cars on Indian Railways, but on long distance trains an attendant will appear in your coach and ask you if you would like to order food. Regular stops are made at stations where food is also available and on some trains many vendors board the train selling chai, cold drinks and crisps and biscuits. Don't expect pristine western standards anywhere in India, but you'll find AC2, AC3 and AC Chair class fairly clean by Indian standards, with both western
style and squat toilets usually in a reasonably sanitary condition. Sleeper Class and 2nd class toilets may be a different matter! Bring your own toilet paper and hand wash soap or antibacterial lotion. Indian trains are quite safe to travel on, even for families or women travelling alone, and you are unlikely to have any problems. Having said that, theft of luggage, although rare is not unheard of, so just for peace of mind you might like to take along a chain and padlock to secure your bags (readily available at all Indian stations). Generally, Indian Railways are very efficient, but Indian trains do run late particularly in winter time when fog is heavy, and sometimes it's hours rather than minutes. Make sure you have something to occupy your time ' a good book, music, a magazine or photos of your home country and family to show the Indian travellers also waiting for the train. You should also have snacks and water for the journey. Please note that you MUST be comfortable carrying your own luggage, as there will be a lot of up and down stairs on this trip due to the size and layout of train stations in India. Most often, you will not have access to escalators or elevators. You will also be required to carry your luggage short distances between transport start or end points and hotels. ROAD Traveling by road in India is certainly not what people are use to in Western countries. Rules are not always followed, drivers appear to speed, do not stay in their lanes, overtake in seemingly dangerous situations, rarely use their mirrors or driving lights at night time. The horn however is used very frequently and can range from the latest Bollywood tune to Britney Spears! In India, although the government is investing large sums of money improving the road infrastructure, there is a lot more to be done. As a result, in India, some of the roads are poorly maintained, pot holed and uneven. This gets even more pronounced particularly during and after the monsoon. Travel time covering relatively short distances is very long in comparison to Western countries.

Group Leader Description

All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting
we think it's the best of both worlds.

Emergency Fund

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Solo Travellers

We believe solo travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi
share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Spending Money

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

What to Take

What you need to bring depends on the trip you have chosen and the countries or regions you are planning to visit. We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as you are expected to carry your own luggage. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15
20 minutes with your bag which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10
15kg/22
30lb. Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips! Most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!) as they need to fit under the beds when travelling on sleeper trains. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones. If your trip involves overnights in home stays, villages or camping then you usually have the opportunity to rent sleeping bags if need be instead of bringing them with you. Standard luggage allowance for internal flights is 15kg (33lb) for checked luggage, and is 7kg (15lb) for carry
on luggage. Any charges for additional luggage or weight is the responsibility of the passenger.