Indian Rail Adventure - From Taj to Tigers

Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1/2 (26/27th March): Depart UK and Welcome to Mumbai, India. 

Departing the UK and your overnight flight you qwill arrive in Mumbai where you will be met by your travel hosts, WingsItaly,

Head to the Ambassador Hotel to check in. 

Visit the Harbour's waterfront, where the iconic Gateway of India stone arch stands, built by the British Raj in 1924. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Victoria Terminus, the Flora Fountain at Hutatma Chowk, and the huge open-air laundry – Dhobi Ghat. Continue to Mani Bhawan (Gandhi Memorial), the house where the Father of the Nation stayed on his early visits to the city, Marine Drive, Colaba Market, and Prince of Wales Museum. 

Return to the hotel after this long day of sightseeing and have a comfortable overnight stay.

Day 3 (28th March): Elephanta Caves the Deccan Odyssey New Addition 

After breakfast, proceed to the Gateway of India to board a ferry to Elephanta Island. Returning to Mumbai at early afternoon, have lunch at your own expense. Then head of to the train station to begin your 7-night adventure on board the Deccan Odyssey at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus beginning your enchanting journey to Vadodara. Welcome reception with canapés and first night on board.

Day 4 (29th March): Royal city of the Gaekwads, Vadodara.

After breakfast, proceed to visit Champaner and visit Pavagadh Archaeological Park. Leave for Vadodara. After lunch on board, Visit the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum. Enjoy Snacks & tea at the resplendent Laxmi Vilas Palace with its Italian Marble Sculptures and exquisite statues crafted from Italian marble, adding a touch of Renaissance elegance to its interiors. Michelangelo-Style Marble Inlay.

Day 5 (30th March): Arrive at the princely city of Udaipur 

Visit the famous City Palace followed by a boat cruise at Lake Pichola. After lunch at City Hotel, proceed on a walking tour through the Old City of Udaipur and explore the Old City’s lively, busy and old-fashioned colourful bazar which still retains local charm and feel.

Day 6 (31st March): Jodhpur

Deboard the train and proceed for sightseeing tour of Jodhpur, Mehmandar Fort. Return onboard for lunch. Enjoy Tuk Tuk ride to Clock Tower & Experience glimpses of the lifestyle of the residents as you explore the city. Walk through the bustle of the Old Clock Tower market, past old havelis and house.

Day 7 (1st April): Historic capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur, often called the Pink City. 

Disembark from Station and visit the Amber Fort, lunch at City Hotel. Visit City Palace and drive past Hawa Mahal.

Day 8 (2nd April): Mughal citadel of Agra

Deboard Deccan Odyssey and drive to Agra from Tundla Railway Station. Visit the Taj Mahal and have lunch at City Hotel. Proceed to Agra Fort, another outstanding example of Mughal architecture, Visit Kalakriti to witness the art of Inlay Work which can be found in Mughal structures. The technique is known as Pietra Dura which have beautified Taj Mahal.

Day 9 (3rd April): Sawai Madhopur

After Breakfast Proceed for Ranthambore Village visit. Lunch on board, Disembark to head for the afternoon safari.

Day 10 (4th April): Disembark in Delhi & private city tour

You will be privately picked up at the station and proceed to begin your escorted city sightseeing tour of Delhi.

Arrival Delhi - early morning by Deccan Odyssey. You will be met on arrival at the Railway station. Breakfast is on the Train. Proceed directly to Old Delhi tour. The tour will commence with visit of Raj Ghat, see the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi & Gandhi Museum, located opposite Raj Ghat, provides a more in-depth exploration of Gandhi's life and philosophy. Drive past the Red Fort, a magnificent structure of red sandstone built at the pinnacle of the Mogul empire. From here proceed in bicycle rickshaws through the bustling streets to Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in Asia built by Shahjahan. 

Proceed to Claridge's Hotel for Check in. (Hotel Check in 1400 hrs). Dinner at your own expense.

Late afternoon – visit Humayun’s Tomb, built in 1570 - the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal. Further proceed with a drive past New Delhi, which is also known as Lutyens Delhi. See the Government Secretariat; President’s Palace; Parliament House - both grandiose masterpieces of the British Raj, the India Gate, built to commemorate 70,000 soldiers who died in World War I, drive along wide avenues. 

After the tour, return to Claridge’s Hotel to relax and enjoy an overnight stay.

Day 11/12 (5th April): Say 'Alavida" to India and start the journey home.

Spend a full day at leisure to further explore Delhi then private transfer to the airport late at night for your return flight to the UK.

Your home for the 7-night adventure is the Deccan Odyssey Train

Echoing the penchant of the Maharajas, all the 12 guest accommodation coaches of Deccan Odyssey are fitted with cozy furniture and personalized guest amenities. Complemented by the very best of personal services, travelling on the private cabins of this deluxe rail is a unique rail tour experience in India. When you travel in these elegant class cabins of the train, you can feel that the inside décor reflects several moods to suit the outside views of the landscape.

All the cabins are spacious enough where guests can roam freely. The decoration of each coach reflects a particular era of the Deccan milieu and is creatively outfitted with facilities like personal safe, telephone, attached bathroom, air-conditioning and a personal attendant on the round the clock service of the guests.

DECCAN ODYSSEY FACILITIES

The perfect touch of delicacy and royalty can be seen in every detail of the Deccan Odyssey. The state-of-the-art amenities available onboard this royal Indian train makes every day a unique experience for travellers. Facilities onboard Deccan Odyssey covers an array of services that include regal class cabins, multi-cuisines restaurants, a sitting lounge, high-tech conference car and a rejuvenating health spa.

Since its initiation, this luxury Indian train has refurbished its facilities and services from time to time so that a better experience can be shared with travellers. The introduction of more high-tech amenities in the later period made the journey more alluring. With the introduction of the Deccan Odyssey, a tour to Maharashtra on the rolling iron wheel gets more exciting and mesmerizing.

The Deccan Odyssey has two multi-cuisine restaurants- Waavar & Utsav. The brilliantly decorated interiors of these restaurants add on more flavours to each gourmet dish served by the restaurant stewards in traditional Maharashtrian attire. The large selection of Indian, oriental and continental delicacies offers the travellers the freedom to choose their favourite one from the list. The fresh aroma of varied dishes welcomes the guests to the restaurant cart of Deccan Odyssey. The relaxed ambience of the restaurants, the fragile hospitality of the stewards and the ever-changing views of the outside world make the guests savour each bite of their food to its fullest extent. Each day you are treated to new delights. The menu keeps changing according to the landscape and the region.

The bar of Deccan Odyssey, Mumbai Hi, is the ultimate place to taste some of the best varieties of wines and spirits collected from all around the world. Along with that the bar also serves non-alcoholic beverages in a relaxing ambience.

The train also has a sitting lounge where guests can relax and chat with their fellow travellers while on the go. You can also pick up a book available in this lounge.

Every voyager expects their traveling days to be relaxing and in Deccan Odyssey we understand this need quite well. The health spa centre onboard gives the voyagers a chance to discover the refreshing side of your personality and appearance with pampering spa and massage therapies.

Deccan Odyssey Train Tour includes:

• Traditional Indian Welcome at Time of Check in;
• Overnight travel & stay in luxuriously furnished cabins with attached bathrooms;
• Daily three meals with bed tea/coffee service;
• Bottled drinking water;
• Group sightseeing tours & excursions in Air-conditioned buses with English speaking guide;
• Monument entrance fees, complimentary use of dongle connected Wi-Fi;
• Complimentary use of onboard Mini-Gym Facility. 
• Two glasses of complimentary local wine per day 

Pre-Train Hotel - 4* Ambassador Hotel, Mumbai

Post-Train Hotel - 5* Claridge's Hotel, New Delhi

Provisional flight information

26/03/26 London Heathrow T5 to Mumbai T2 Dep: 2025 Arr: 1125(+1)

06/04/26 Delhi T3 to London Heathrow T5 Dep: 0135 Arr: 0640

Checked in luggage allowance 23kg

Passport validity

For UK passport holders your passport must be:

• Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
• valid for at least 6 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date

• 2 clear blank pages for your visa

Travel Insurance

Please ensure that you have adequate personal travel insurance to suit your requirements in place before you travel. Spice Escapes have arranged a scheme with Staysure who are fully authorised and regulated by the FCA (firm reference number 663617) full details of which can be found on the FCA website www.fca.org.uk. For an instant online quotation please click here.

The latest FCO travel guidance for India

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india

Indian Evisa - https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html