North India Tour Overview
India! It’s a lot. That’s part of why you want to go—and maybe part of why you haven’t yet. This tour makes travelling the famous Delhi–Jaipur–Agra route manageable without flattening it. You’ll navigate the narrow lanes of Old Delhi with guides who know when to push forward and when to stop for chai and jalebi. You’ll stand before the Taj Mahal at sunrise, when the crowds are thinner and the light does that thing you’ve seen in photographs. You’ll spend two nights at a quiet haveli in Rajasthan, where the pace slows down and there’s time to think.
And throughout, you’ll read and discuss Midnight’s Children—Salman Rushdie’s sprawling, funny, chaotic novel about newly independent India—with a small group of people who actually want to talk about the book. This is a book that travels with you, argues with you, and helps you figure out what India means to you, to its citizens, to the world.
Connect your on-the-ground experience to a landmark work of literature
Rushdie “re[drew] the literary map of India” with Midnight’s Children. His narrator Saleem Sinai, born at the same moment as the Indian republic, takes you on a riotous and sometimes magical journey through history, politics, life. Conversations move easily between text and terrain: How do we create and remember history? How do individuals carry the weight of nations within their own lives?
Travel with guides who value context as much as you do
We’ve been taking travellers like you to India since 1970 and know how much it’s changed. Your guides are scholars and researchers who love to share India’s history—and its present. They help you develop not just a fuller understanding of India, but a way of traveling that embraces complexity rather than smoothing it away.
Enjoy the energy of India without being overwhelmed by it
One way we keep things manageable is by moving at a human pace. Give New Delhi the time it deserves with four full days there. Spend two relaxing nights at a traditional village haveli with a pool. And never wake up with the sinking feeling that it will be another long day on the bus.
Get the benefits of our small groups, always
You may have seen tours of 35 or 40 people advertised as “small group.” Or even been on one of these big-bus experiences. Our tours are truly small, with a cap of 16. This means lots of face time with your guides, stays at family-run hotels that are off-limits to big groups, and the freedom to enjoy the company of new friends or take time for yourself.
North India Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1: Arrival in New Delhi / optional evening excursion to Lajpat Nagar market
Day 2: Old Delhi tour, including the Red Fort and Jama Masjid
Day 3: Book discussion / visit to the Mughal masterpiece Humayan’s tomb and the Lodhi Arts District
Day 4: Book discussion / tour of Rajpath and Janpath, focusing on modern Indian democracy / evening program at the India International Centre
Day 5: Highlights of the National Museum / free time
Day 6: Drive to Shahpura / village walk and time to enjoy your haveli
Days 7: Morning visit to Sariska Tiger Reserve / free time / book discussion
Day 8: Drive to Jaipur / visit to the Hawa Mahal and the Jantar Mantar observatory
Day 9: Visit to the Amber Fort and crafts markets / Rajasthani cooking class
Day 10: A day at the Jaipur Literature Festival
Day 11: Drive to Agra, stopping at Fatepur Sikri
Day 12: Sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal / visit to Agra Fort / wrap-up discussion over cocktails
Day 13: Drive to New Delhi for departure
Accommodation
In New Delhi: Claridge’s or Trident Gurgaon
In Shapura: Shahpur Haveli
In Jaipur: Jaipur Hilton/ ITC Rajputana or similar
In Agra: Taj Agra
Readings
All Classical Pursuits tours include readings that we send directly to you, and that help you connect more deeply with the places you’ll see and the people you’ll meet on the tour.
On this tour we will read:
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
“Taj Mahal” by Sahir Ludhianvi
Selected contemporary short readings
Practical Details and Next Steps
Requesting an itinerary is a great way to help decide if this tour is for you. We’re also available to talk by email at info@classicalpursuits.com or on the phone toll-free at (844) 869-1001.
Once you’re ready to book, our colleague Abbie at our partner Worldwide Quest is happy to get you started with information about putting down a deposit and the tour payment schedule. You can reach her at abbie@worldwidequest.com or 1-800-387-1483. Classical Pursuits offers a number of pre-tour online experiences for each tour, all of which are free or deeply discounted for tour participants.
An option to book online will be available shortly.
All Classical Pursuits tours are sold by and operate through our longtime partner Worldwide Quest, a licensed Ontario tour operator and an IATA Accredited Agent that was created in 1970 (as Quest Nature Tours and Worldwide Adventures). All participants on Classical Pursuits trips are covered by the terms of the Ontario Travel Industry Act (Worldwide Quest Inc., Ontario License #2667946).
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