Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

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8 Days From

$1165

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

8 Days Starting and ending in Delhi

Visiting: Delhi, Old Delhi, Agra, Karauli, Jaipur

Tour operator:

On The Go Tours

Tour code:

883/DIWA

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 24

Age range:

16 + if accompanied by an adult.

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians, Please contact On The Go Tours with specific dietary requests

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Small Group

Interests:

Cultural

From: $1165

NB: Prices correct on 07-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Combine a tour of the famous Golden Triangle with the vibrant Festival of Light, Diwali. Celebrate the victory of light over darkness as India illuminates with colourful lights, lanterns and liveliness aplenty.

Highlights

  • The Taj Mahal – Explore India’s most famous site with a guided tour of the legendary Taj Mahal, an enduring symbol of love

  • Diwali – Celebrate the colourful Festival of Lights with the locals in Jaipur and enjoy a delicious Indian dinner

  • Delhi – Ride on a rickshaw around the Chandni Chowk Bazaar and tour highlights of the city including Jama Masjid and the Rajpath

  • Jaipur – Visit the beautiful City Palace and the UNESCO-listed Jantar Mantar Space Observatory as we tour the Pink City

  • Amber Fort – Enjoy a visit to this impressive 16th century fortress and explore each of its four levels

  • Karauli or Dholpur – Spend the night at the Maharaja’s Palace Bhanwar Vilas in Karauli or the Raj Niwas Palace in Dholpur

  • Agra – Discover striking Agra Fort and explore behind its fortified sandstone walls

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Delhi

Location: Delhi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Jaypee Siddharth Hotel, Delhi

Saturday 26th October 2024. On arrival in Delhi you are met at the airport and transferred to our hotel. The rest of today is free to explore India’s capital at leisure before meeting the group and guide at the hotel at 18:00 for a Welcome meeting.





For those able to arrive very early today or the day prior, why not get off the beaten track and explore Old Delhi with us on our optional 'Backstreets of Delhi' add-on tour. You will get to relish the taste of various street foods, from savoury to sweet. Along the way, visit Khari Baoli, the largest spice market in India and the colourful Bazar Matia Mahal, located opposite the majestic Jama Masjid Mosque. The tour will combine a mixture of metro, electric rickshaw and walking to get around.

Day 2: Old Delhi

Location: Old Delhi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Vivanta by Taj Dwarka, Delhi

Meals Included: Breakfast

Delhi - Agra. This morning we enjoy a packed day of sightseeing in Old and New Delhi. Check out the UNESCO-listed Humayun’s Tomb and Jama Masjid - India’s oldest and largest mosque. Visit the iconic Sikh temple Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and its community kitchen feeding 25,000-30,000 people daily. We also enjoy a thrilling rickshaw ride around the Chandni Chowk bazaar and explore New Delhi. Walk down the Rajpath, formerly known as the ‘King’s Way’ and see the famous India Gate monument.





This afternoon, we will drive to Agra. After checking into the hotel, enjoy a group Namaste dinner for departures in 2024. Please note there is no dinner included for departures in 2025.

Day 3: Agra

Location: Agra

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Mandawa Haveli, Jaipur

Meals Included: Breakfast

Agra. Today we will tour of the legendary Taj Mahal, India’s most famous site. This iconic white monument was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century in memory of his beloved wife. It is perhaps the most extravagant symbol of love the world has ever seen and has no rival. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the sunrise or sunset over the magnificent mausoleum so make sure to take plenty of photos!





We will also visit the impressive Agra Fort, which boasts some of India's finest Mughal buildings behind its fortified walls.

Day 4: Karauli

Location: Karauli

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Overnight: Karauli or Dholpur

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Agra - Karauli/Dholpur. This morning, we drive to either Karauli or Dholpur. In Karauli, we will stay in the beautiful Palace Bhanwar Vilas. An eclectic melding of both Oriental and Art Deco architecture, the heritage-listed hotel was built in 1938 as a family home of the Maharaja of Jaipur. In Dholpur, we will stay at the magnificent Raj Niwas Palace, which is known for its red sandstone, traditional Rajisthani architecture, and European-style ceramics. It's said that this heritage-listed hotel was built by the Maharaja to welcome HRH Albert Edward, who visited in 1876.





Spend the afternoon at your leisure exploring the grounds, perhaps check out the vintage cars or take a dip in the swimming pools. This evening, you can also opt to attend the evening Aarti (prayer).





Please note: Lunch will be included in 2024. Please note there is no lunch included for departures in 2025, instead you will have time to enjoy lunch at your own expense.

Day 5: Jaipur

Location: Jaipur

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Udai Vilas Palace, Bharatpur

Meals Included: Breakfast

Karauli/Dholpur - Jaipur. This morning we hit the road towards the vibrant UNESCO listed Pink City of Jaipur. On arrival, we will spend the afternoon on a tour of the illustrious City Palace and the UNESCO-listed Jantar Mantar Space Observatory, which features 19 separate astrological instruments.





Day 6: Jaipur

Location: Jaipur

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Seven Hills Tower, Agra

Meals Included: Breakfast

Jaipur. What better way to kick off the day with an optional hot air balloon ride over the bustling city of Jaipur?





Afterwards, enjoy a breezy jeep ride to Amber Fort, a 16th century fortress laid out over four levels, and overlooking the glistening Maota Lake. Known for its artistic architecture, the palace is built with pearly-white marble, and pale yellow and pink sandstone. The remainder of the day is at your own leisure, why not opt to explore the Johari Bazaar in the Old Pink City.

Day 7: Delhi

Location: Delhi

Accommodation: Hotel

Accommodation Name: Hotel Jivitesh, Delhi

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Jaipur - Delhi. Today we drive back to Delhi. This is what you've been waiting for - the Festival of Lights, Diwali. Diwali is a Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of light over darkness, so you can be sure to see every market and building adorned with colourful lights and lanterns. There's plenty to do - from perusing the markets, to visiting the nearby temple, where locals will be offering prayers to their deities.





After visiting a local temple, we enjoy a traditional Indian dinner at a local restaurant or at the hotel and soak up the Diwali experience.

Day 8: Delhi

Location: Delhi

Meals Included: Breakfast

Saturday 2nd November 2024. Our Indian adventure comes to an end today. A departure transfer is included today for departures in 2024. If you are travelling in 2025 this can be booked for an additional supplement if required.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    3 - 4 star & heritage hotels

  • 7 nights 3-4 star and heritage hotels

  • Breakfast daily and 2 dinners

  • Diwali - Visit to local markets and temple, fireworks and a traditional dinner

  • Guided sightseeing - Delhi, Jaipur and Agra

  • All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned vehicles

  • Travel by jeep to beautiful Amber Fort in Jaipur

  • Escorted by an English-speaking Indian tour guide (for groups of 4 or more)

  • Airport arrival transfer on day 1 (For departures in 2024 a departure airport transfer is provided on day 8)

  • Services of English-speaking Indian specialist guides at some sites

What's Not Included

  • International flights and visa

  • Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$4-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture

  • Entrance Fees: USD$70-80pp, paid in local currency

Age Policy

15 + if accompanied by an adult.

Check out our Q&As

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Airport arrival and departure transfer on days 1 and 8

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    3 - 4 star & heritage hotels

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • What is the maximum group size?

    24

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Since 1998

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Claire Bence  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

05-Nov-2014

Incredible tour. We really enjoyed it and will defiantly use On the Go again. Yusuf, our tour guide, was amazing and really helped to make it such an enjoyable week. We learnt and saw so much, will recommend to family and friends.

Tiffany Chan  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

03-Nov-2014

The tour was great! It was exactly what I had expected in terms of accomodation, transportation, and itinerary. We did so much in 8 days, but never felt rushed and had enough free time to explore on our own. Our tour guide, Yusef, went above and beyond expecations. He was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful as a guide. He helped create a wonderful experience for all of us, especially for our first time in India.

Gillian McCollum  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

07-Nov-2016

Yusuf was one of the best part of the whole trip. He was knowledgable, professional and nothing was ever too much trouble.

Oliver Collard  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

05-Nov-2014

I thought the tour was absolutely fantastic - a perfect balance between activites and chill out time and the number of sights and experiences that we had was phenomenal. I was especially impressed with Yusuf, he was a fantastic tour leader, very knowledgable and approachable with a good sense of humour. He really went the extra mile to ensure that we had a fantastic Diwali experience. I cannot praise him highly enough.

Linda Hallows  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

25-Oct-2017

The holiday was amazing, from beginning to the end. Yusof was so knowledgeable about the history and present time India. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He was still answering questions 10 o clock at night. He made the Diwali festival so enjoyable, he took us to a restaurant with entertainment, with dancers and fireworks. Yusof was brilliant.

Tiffany Chan  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

03-Nov-2014

The tour was great! It was exactly what I had expected in terms of accomodation, transportation, and itinerary. We did so much in 8 days, but never felt rushed and had enough free time to explore on our own. Our tour guide, Yusef, went above and beyond expecations. He was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful as a guide. He helped create a wonderful experience for all of us, especially for our first time in India.

David Keeley  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

29-Oct-2014

Loved the tour saw lots of interesting places the guide was excellent. Had a fantastic time thank you.

Sally Hawkins  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

16-Nov-2015

Our guide, Yusef, was terrific. He was extremely knowledgeable, gracious, and helpful. He was well organized and the arrangements were excellent. Similarly, the driver, Mr Singh was excellent. The bus should have curtains to provide shade from the sun. I would have liked less time in Delhi and more in Jaipur. The hotels improved during the tour, I believe a higher class Delhi hotel for an increase in cost would be well received by future guests, we thought the Delhi hotel acceptable, but could have been improved.

Katherine Jones  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

03-Nov-2014

Yusuf was very knowledgable on the areas we visited, he was also very good with assisting us with what to expect before we stepped off the bus and very good at assisting wtih purchases from local sellers and where to buy food for lunch etc. The only negative feedback: one night we did a tour of a local area not usually visited by tourists. We were a large group with lots of staff helpers and a guy with a video and a very bright light on the vid camera. It felt kinda like going to visit a zoo as we were escorted around enmasse, no opportunities to purchase or to interact wtih the locals. Not a comfortable feeling. Also, photos and video taken on this part of the tour, what were they to be used for? It would have been nice to have been asked/had this explained to us before a camera with a very bright light was put in my face several times, hence why I covered my face with my hand so I didnt show in any video footage. I booked an additional activity on the first night of Bollywood Dancing, video and photos were taken on this night be neither myself nor Holly have received these. I have emailed the dancing academy directly but have not had a response.

Sharman Laycock  

Diwali, Festival of Lights - 8 days

18-Nov-2015

Sammi was the perfect tour guide. I found his attentiveness very comforting and his knowledge of India really heightened my overall experience. He was always there to answer questions anyone had, and he was always very accommodating to the whole group. There were a few things that didn't go to plan but he always came up with alternatives that accommodated the group very well. He was very charming, polite and I enjoyed the stories he had to tell. I had a situation where my phone was lost on the last leg of the trip, and when the phone was found he arranged to have it delivered back to me. I was astonished by his efficiency and hospitality in this instance. On free time he was able to arrange any extra things we wanted to do and was happy to give any advice he thought we may have needed. I always felt safe and well looked after. Overall if I was to have Sammi as a guide again I would not be disappointed. If I was to choose to tour India again I would happily request Sammi as my guide. The tour itself was good for the amount of days we were on. The hotels were all of a good standard and I was happy of the amount I was able to see in such a short amount of time. All tour guides had a good knowledge of what was on the agenda and transport to and from locations was good. I would recommend this trip to others who wanted to see India on a budget and a short time frame.

Read all 10 reviews

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Thursday - Thursday

Oct 16, 2025 - Oct 23, 2025
$1165
Prices last published on 06-Nov-2024

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