A MATTER OF TASTE
Day 1: Delhi: Arrive in Delhi. Upon arrival, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
Day 2: Delhi: The morning’s sightseeing will begin with a visit to Humayun’s Tomb which is the earliest example of Mughal architecture in India.
You will then drive to Old Delhi where you will take an exclusive cycle-rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of the 300-year-old Chandni Chowk market. Your cycle rickshaw will pull up at the Jama Masjid, believed to be the largest mosque in India as well as Shah Jahan’s last architectural venture.
Lunch will be served at Chor Bizarre, India’s first theme restaurant that captures the spirit of the chor bazaar’ or thieves market’ within its kaleidoscopic interiors and serves authentic regional Indian cuisine.
You will then return to your hotel driving through Rajpath or “King’s Way” and the wide tree-lined avenues of New Delhi, which served as the capital city for the former British Empire.
In the evening, we will take you on a culinary sojourn where you will learn how the food culture in Delhi changed as the city underwent many identities, as you sample the iconic delicacies that defined each era. Laden with history and stories and so much taste – this is a food tour you won’t want to miss!
Day 3: Delhi – Lucknow: After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport by our Peirce & Leslie colleague in time to check-in for your flight to Lucknow. On arrival, you will be met by our colleague and escorted to your hotel, where he will help you to check-in.
After lunch, you will have ‘High Tea’ with the Nawab (subject to his availability).
Next up, we will take you on a ‘Heritage Walk’ of Lucknow with a specialist. Lucknow is not just any other city, but a chapter that unfolds itself each time one visits this epicenter of culture. On this walking tour, you will explore the unexplored and be explained the inexplicable!
Afterwards, we will take you on a ‘Culinary Walk’ that allows you to hop in and out of traditional roadside eateries.
You will then return to your hotel.
Day 4: Lucknow: After breakfast, you will visit La Martiniere College. Established in 1845, this school was founded in accordance with the ‘will’ of Major General Claude Martin.
Afterwards, you will spend the first half of the day visiting the various historical monuments of Lucknow - Bada and Chota Immambara, Dilkusha Palace and the Residency.
Today’s lunch will be served at The Royal Café. Here, you will have the opportunity to try the fusion cuisine once served to the American and British soldiers during the World Wars.
You will then return to your hotel.
Tonight, we will take you to the royal family’s palace which reflects a very strong British influence along with elements of native Awadhi architecture. You will meet the current members of the royal family for a free-wheeling interaction and later join them for an authentic home cooked Awadhi meal.
Day 5: Lucknow – Agra: After breakfast, you will drive to Agra (approximately 4 hours, excluding stops). Upon arrival in Agra, you will check-in to your hotel.
After lunch, you will be driven to one of the significant monuments of the city, the Agra Fort.
This will be followed by a visit to the stunning Taj Mahal, a mausoleum and a symbol of the enduring love of Emperor Shah Jahan for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth in 1631.
You will then return to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at Peshawri, a restaurant serving North West Frontier cuisine with a lavish spread of delicious kebabs that are cooked in myriad ways, a range of Indian breads and the inimitable Dal Bukhara (slow cooked lentils).
Day 6: Agra – Jaipur: Today, you will have the option of visiting the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Alternatively, you could choose to lie in.
After breakfast, you will drive to Jaipur (approximately 5 hours, excluding stops). On the way, you will visit Fatehpur Sikri which was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to honor the Saint Salim Chisti who foretold the birth of Akbar’s son and heir.
From here, you will drive to Bharatpur (approximately 25 minutes, excluding stops) where you will have lunch at a heritage hotel, Laxmi Vilas Palace.
On arrival in Jaipur, you will check-in to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at Suvarna Mahal in Rambagh Palace. Culinary masters have carefully studied the cuisines of the royal houses of India to bring diners at the restaurant an exotic array of dishes.
Day 7: Jaipur: After breakfast, you will visit the sprawling City Palace, which is a superb blend of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. You will then enter the extraordinary Jantar Mantar the astronomical observatory built by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II. You may stop to click pictures at the iconic Hawa Mahal with its ornate pink façade.
Lunch will be served at Cinnamon in Jai Mahal Palace. The erstwhile dining room of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Jaipur, this fine dining restaurant adds a modern twist to the cuisine from the four princely states – Rajputana, Awadh, Hyderabad and Kashmir.
In the afternoon, you will be taken on a specially designed walk through the bazaars of the Old City where you will get the opportunity to interact with the artisans and tradesmen who have been plying their trade for generations and have become an integral part of the city’s economic growth. You will then return to your hotel.
In the evening, you will be joined by one of Jaipur’s local ‘foodies’ and together, you will explore the city’s famous and unpretentious street food.
Day 8: Jaipur: After breakfast, you will visit the Fort-Palace at Amber (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
You will next drive about 30 minutes to a private farmhouse abutting the forest. Here, you will get to interact with the farm’s resident elephants - feeding them, washing and scrubbing them– all in the privacy of one of our exclusive wilderness venues. Lunch will be served at a private venue.
Note: Peirce & Leslie is very particular that the elephants are well cared for and are not mistreated in any way so you needn’t worry on that score.
You will then return to your hotel.
Today’s dinner will be served at Café Palladio. This bright, airy Mediterranean café whips up a variety of Italian, Lebanese and Turkish fare.
Day 9: Jaipur – Pushkar – Deogarh: After breakfast, you will drive to Deogarh (approximately 5 hours, excluding stops). On the way, you will stop at Pushkar to visit the Brahma temple and the sacred lake.
This will be followed by lunch at Nimaj Kothi, a luxury farm stay that offers a panoramic view of the Pushkar valley.
After lunch, you will continue your drive to Deogarh. On arrival, you will check-in to your hotel.
Day 10: Deogarh: Early in the morning, you may like to go “Bird Watching”. Alternatively, you can participate in a yoga session at the resort.
After breakfast, you will visit a local school wherein you will meet the school teachers and children. If you like, you can support them by providing sweaters, school uniforms, exercise books, dictionaries and more which you can buy from the village itself.
You will then return to your hotel in time for lunch.
In the afternoon, around sunset, you will take a jeep safari through the surrounding villages. This hour is known as “Gaudhuli” or the cow dust hour, named for the dust raised by cattle returning home.
You will then drive to the nearby lake in a jeep to watch the birds and sip a cup of tea as the sun goes down.
Tonight’s dinner will feature traditional Mewari food using homegrown produce from the in-house kitchen garden and ingredients sourced from local farmers.
Day 11: Deogarh – Udaipur: After breakfast, you will drive to Udaipur (approximately 3 hours, excluding stops). On the way, you will stop at the Delwara region of Rajasthan which houses the beautiful temples of Nagda and Eklingji.
Upon arrival in Udaipur, you will check-in to your hotel.
In the evening, you will take a sunset cruise on Lake Pichola sailing past its picturesque ghats and palaces.
Dinner will be served at Taj Fateh Prakash`s sunset terrace restaurant that serves a selection of Indian and global cuisines. They also serve traditional Rajasthani food featuring recipes from the royal kitchens.
Day 12: Udaipur: This morning, you will visit the City Palace which was built over three centuries and is a series of four interconnecting palaces, illustrative of various architectural styles. Afterwards, you will walk through the Crystal Gallery which has a rather eclectic collection of Crystal Object d'art and furniture. The morning tour will end at Jagdish Temple, an example of the Indo-Aryan style of architecture.
Afterwards, you will take a walking tour of the old city. You will also stop at a small temple in the old city where you will see the very rare and ephemeral art of “Jal Sanjhi”, a religious art that involves drawing with coloured powder on water.
Lunch will be served at The Bungalow, a multi-cuisine restaurant.You will then return to your hotel and the remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure.
Tonight, you will participate in a unique culinary experience conducted by a family that was once amongst the premier nobility of Mewar. This will be followed by dinner with the host family.
Day 13: Udaipur – Mumbai: In the morning, your vehicle and guide will be at your disposal if you would like to go shopping. Udaipur is popular for its local paintings and traditional cloth stores.
In the afternoon, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to Udaipur airport and help you to check-in for your flight to Mumbai.
Upon arrival, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
Dinner will be served at Mumbai’s famous seafood restaurant, Trishna. It is best known for its prized seafood cooked in fiery South Indian coastal flavours.
Day 14: Mumbai: Today, you will take a specially designed full-day tour that combines a series of experiences that touch your five senses. You will then return to your hotel.
In the evening at around 18:00 hours, you will visit a local family at their home for a hands-on culinary experience. This exclusive workshop is a great opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the Indian culture and get acquainted with the regional Malwan cuisine. Later, you will join your hosts for dinner.
Day 15: Mumbai: Today, you will start at 05:15 hours with a memorable tour to watch the city come to life. The early morning start is well worth the effort because it is fascinating watching the city wake up. What’s interesting is that if you walk the same lanes a few hours later, you won’t find a shred of evidence of the morning’s flurry!
Breakfast will be served at Mysore Café, one of the oldest south Indian restaurants in the city. You will then return to your hotel and the rest of the morning will be at leisure.
In the afternoon, we will take you for lunch to Jimmy Boy, a cozy little restaurant that serves authentic Parsi (a tiny community that emigrated from Persia) food.
After lunch, you will be taken on a special tour to Dharavi, the second largest slum in Asia where you will get a close-up look at the industry, the people and their way of life. Contrary to popular belief, the people are educated, employed, speak passable English and more importantly, are very happy.
You will then return to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at The Table. The menu at this restaurant largely features shareable plates, takes inspiration from different corners of the world – from Thailand to Japan to France and the Americas.
Day 16: Mumbai – Hyderabad: After a relaxed breakfast, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to Mumbai airport and help you to check-in for your flight to Hyderabad.
Upon arrival, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
Late in the evening, you will be joined by one of Hyderabad’s local ‘foodies’ and together, you will explore the city’s famous and unpretentious street food.”
Day 17: Hyderabad: After breakfast, you will first visit the quaint and bustling by – lanes of the Charminar area and the Mecca Masjid. You will next visit the 18th century Chowmahalla Palace which is said to resemble the Shah of Iran’s palace.
Thereafter, you will have the opportunity to try one of the most important dishes of Hyderabadi cuisine, Biryani along with some other local delicacies with one of the traditional families of Hyderabad.
After lunch, you will visit the extraordinarily beautiful Paigah Tombs, known for their architectural excellence. You will then return to your hotel and the remainder of the day will be at leisure to relax at your lovely palace hotel.
Dinner will be served at Celeste in Taj Falaknuma Palace. This elegant all-day-dining restaurant offers classical Italian and Mediterranean fare. The meal also includes a Heritage Trail of the Palace.
Day 18: Hyderabad: Today, you will visit the fort at Golconda, which served as the capital of the Qutb Shahi Kings who ruled over the area. From here, you will visit the Qutub Shahi Tombs, which lie on a low plateau northwest of the fort.
Lunch will be served at China Bistro. The restaurant serves oriental delicacies from China and other Asian countries.
After lunch, you will visit the buildings, gardens, old churches and residential colonies where the English, including Captain James Kirkpatrick (the British Resident at Hyderabad from 1798 to 1805) lived. You will get the opportunity to trace his poignant story as it unfolded 200 years ago, and which was recently brought to life by historian and writer William Dalrymple in his book “White Mughals”.
You will then return to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at Adaa in Taj Falaknuma Palace. Carefully crafted, the Indian Hyderabadi fare served at Adaa recreates the wonders of the royal kitchens.
Day 19: Hyderabad – Onward Destination: After breakfast, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague and escorted to the airport in time to check-in for your homeward bound flight.
Day 2: Delhi: The morning’s sightseeing will begin with a visit to Humayun’s Tomb which is the earliest example of Mughal architecture in India.
You will then drive to Old Delhi where you will take an exclusive cycle-rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of the 300-year-old Chandni Chowk market. Your cycle rickshaw will pull up at the Jama Masjid, believed to be the largest mosque in India as well as Shah Jahan’s last architectural venture.
Lunch will be served at Chor Bizarre, India’s first theme restaurant that captures the spirit of the chor bazaar’ or thieves market’ within its kaleidoscopic interiors and serves authentic regional Indian cuisine.
You will then return to your hotel driving through Rajpath or “King’s Way” and the wide tree-lined avenues of New Delhi, which served as the capital city for the former British Empire.
In the evening, we will take you on a culinary sojourn where you will learn how the food culture in Delhi changed as the city underwent many identities, as you sample the iconic delicacies that defined each era. Laden with history and stories and so much taste – this is a food tour you won’t want to miss!
Day 3: Delhi – Lucknow: After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport by our Peirce & Leslie colleague in time to check-in for your flight to Lucknow. On arrival, you will be met by our colleague and escorted to your hotel, where he will help you to check-in.
After lunch, you will have ‘High Tea’ with the Nawab (subject to his availability).
Next up, we will take you on a ‘Heritage Walk’ of Lucknow with a specialist. Lucknow is not just any other city, but a chapter that unfolds itself each time one visits this epicenter of culture. On this walking tour, you will explore the unexplored and be explained the inexplicable!
Afterwards, we will take you on a ‘Culinary Walk’ that allows you to hop in and out of traditional roadside eateries.
You will then return to your hotel.
Day 4: Lucknow: After breakfast, you will visit La Martiniere College. Established in 1845, this school was founded in accordance with the ‘will’ of Major General Claude Martin.
Afterwards, you will spend the first half of the day visiting the various historical monuments of Lucknow - Bada and Chota Immambara, Dilkusha Palace and the Residency.
Today’s lunch will be served at The Royal Café. Here, you will have the opportunity to try the fusion cuisine once served to the American and British soldiers during the World Wars.
You will then return to your hotel.
Tonight, we will take you to the royal family’s palace which reflects a very strong British influence along with elements of native Awadhi architecture. You will meet the current members of the royal family for a free-wheeling interaction and later join them for an authentic home cooked Awadhi meal.
Day 5: Lucknow – Agra: After breakfast, you will drive to Agra (approximately 4 hours, excluding stops). Upon arrival in Agra, you will check-in to your hotel.
After lunch, you will be driven to one of the significant monuments of the city, the Agra Fort.
This will be followed by a visit to the stunning Taj Mahal, a mausoleum and a symbol of the enduring love of Emperor Shah Jahan for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth in 1631.
You will then return to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at Peshawri, a restaurant serving North West Frontier cuisine with a lavish spread of delicious kebabs that are cooked in myriad ways, a range of Indian breads and the inimitable Dal Bukhara (slow cooked lentils).
Day 6: Agra – Jaipur: Today, you will have the option of visiting the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Alternatively, you could choose to lie in.
After breakfast, you will drive to Jaipur (approximately 5 hours, excluding stops). On the way, you will visit Fatehpur Sikri which was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to honor the Saint Salim Chisti who foretold the birth of Akbar’s son and heir.
From here, you will drive to Bharatpur (approximately 25 minutes, excluding stops) where you will have lunch at a heritage hotel, Laxmi Vilas Palace.
On arrival in Jaipur, you will check-in to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at Suvarna Mahal in Rambagh Palace. Culinary masters have carefully studied the cuisines of the royal houses of India to bring diners at the restaurant an exotic array of dishes.
Day 7: Jaipur: After breakfast, you will visit the sprawling City Palace, which is a superb blend of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. You will then enter the extraordinary Jantar Mantar the astronomical observatory built by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II. You may stop to click pictures at the iconic Hawa Mahal with its ornate pink façade.
Lunch will be served at Cinnamon in Jai Mahal Palace. The erstwhile dining room of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Jaipur, this fine dining restaurant adds a modern twist to the cuisine from the four princely states – Rajputana, Awadh, Hyderabad and Kashmir.
In the afternoon, you will be taken on a specially designed walk through the bazaars of the Old City where you will get the opportunity to interact with the artisans and tradesmen who have been plying their trade for generations and have become an integral part of the city’s economic growth. You will then return to your hotel.
In the evening, you will be joined by one of Jaipur’s local ‘foodies’ and together, you will explore the city’s famous and unpretentious street food.
Day 8: Jaipur: After breakfast, you will visit the Fort-Palace at Amber (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
You will next drive about 30 minutes to a private farmhouse abutting the forest. Here, you will get to interact with the farm’s resident elephants - feeding them, washing and scrubbing them– all in the privacy of one of our exclusive wilderness venues. Lunch will be served at a private venue.
Note: Peirce & Leslie is very particular that the elephants are well cared for and are not mistreated in any way so you needn’t worry on that score.
You will then return to your hotel.
Today’s dinner will be served at Café Palladio. This bright, airy Mediterranean café whips up a variety of Italian, Lebanese and Turkish fare.
Day 9: Jaipur – Pushkar – Deogarh: After breakfast, you will drive to Deogarh (approximately 5 hours, excluding stops). On the way, you will stop at Pushkar to visit the Brahma temple and the sacred lake.
This will be followed by lunch at Nimaj Kothi, a luxury farm stay that offers a panoramic view of the Pushkar valley.
After lunch, you will continue your drive to Deogarh. On arrival, you will check-in to your hotel.
Day 10: Deogarh: Early in the morning, you may like to go “Bird Watching”. Alternatively, you can participate in a yoga session at the resort.
After breakfast, you will visit a local school wherein you will meet the school teachers and children. If you like, you can support them by providing sweaters, school uniforms, exercise books, dictionaries and more which you can buy from the village itself.
You will then return to your hotel in time for lunch.
In the afternoon, around sunset, you will take a jeep safari through the surrounding villages. This hour is known as “Gaudhuli” or the cow dust hour, named for the dust raised by cattle returning home.
You will then drive to the nearby lake in a jeep to watch the birds and sip a cup of tea as the sun goes down.
Tonight’s dinner will feature traditional Mewari food using homegrown produce from the in-house kitchen garden and ingredients sourced from local farmers.
Day 11: Deogarh – Udaipur: After breakfast, you will drive to Udaipur (approximately 3 hours, excluding stops). On the way, you will stop at the Delwara region of Rajasthan which houses the beautiful temples of Nagda and Eklingji.
Upon arrival in Udaipur, you will check-in to your hotel.
In the evening, you will take a sunset cruise on Lake Pichola sailing past its picturesque ghats and palaces.
Dinner will be served at Taj Fateh Prakash`s sunset terrace restaurant that serves a selection of Indian and global cuisines. They also serve traditional Rajasthani food featuring recipes from the royal kitchens.
Day 12: Udaipur: This morning, you will visit the City Palace which was built over three centuries and is a series of four interconnecting palaces, illustrative of various architectural styles. Afterwards, you will walk through the Crystal Gallery which has a rather eclectic collection of Crystal Object d'art and furniture. The morning tour will end at Jagdish Temple, an example of the Indo-Aryan style of architecture.
Afterwards, you will take a walking tour of the old city. You will also stop at a small temple in the old city where you will see the very rare and ephemeral art of “Jal Sanjhi”, a religious art that involves drawing with coloured powder on water.
Lunch will be served at The Bungalow, a multi-cuisine restaurant.You will then return to your hotel and the remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure.
Tonight, you will participate in a unique culinary experience conducted by a family that was once amongst the premier nobility of Mewar. This will be followed by dinner with the host family.
Day 13: Udaipur – Mumbai: In the morning, your vehicle and guide will be at your disposal if you would like to go shopping. Udaipur is popular for its local paintings and traditional cloth stores.
In the afternoon, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to Udaipur airport and help you to check-in for your flight to Mumbai.
Upon arrival, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
Dinner will be served at Mumbai’s famous seafood restaurant, Trishna. It is best known for its prized seafood cooked in fiery South Indian coastal flavours.
Day 14: Mumbai: Today, you will take a specially designed full-day tour that combines a series of experiences that touch your five senses. You will then return to your hotel.
In the evening at around 18:00 hours, you will visit a local family at their home for a hands-on culinary experience. This exclusive workshop is a great opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the Indian culture and get acquainted with the regional Malwan cuisine. Later, you will join your hosts for dinner.
Day 15: Mumbai: Today, you will start at 05:15 hours with a memorable tour to watch the city come to life. The early morning start is well worth the effort because it is fascinating watching the city wake up. What’s interesting is that if you walk the same lanes a few hours later, you won’t find a shred of evidence of the morning’s flurry!
Breakfast will be served at Mysore Café, one of the oldest south Indian restaurants in the city. You will then return to your hotel and the rest of the morning will be at leisure.
In the afternoon, we will take you for lunch to Jimmy Boy, a cozy little restaurant that serves authentic Parsi (a tiny community that emigrated from Persia) food.
After lunch, you will be taken on a special tour to Dharavi, the second largest slum in Asia where you will get a close-up look at the industry, the people and their way of life. Contrary to popular belief, the people are educated, employed, speak passable English and more importantly, are very happy.
You will then return to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at The Table. The menu at this restaurant largely features shareable plates, takes inspiration from different corners of the world – from Thailand to Japan to France and the Americas.
Day 16: Mumbai – Hyderabad: After a relaxed breakfast, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to Mumbai airport and help you to check-in for your flight to Hyderabad.
Upon arrival, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague who will escort you to your hotel and help you to check-in.
Late in the evening, you will be joined by one of Hyderabad’s local ‘foodies’ and together, you will explore the city’s famous and unpretentious street food.”
Day 17: Hyderabad: After breakfast, you will first visit the quaint and bustling by – lanes of the Charminar area and the Mecca Masjid. You will next visit the 18th century Chowmahalla Palace which is said to resemble the Shah of Iran’s palace.
Thereafter, you will have the opportunity to try one of the most important dishes of Hyderabadi cuisine, Biryani along with some other local delicacies with one of the traditional families of Hyderabad.
After lunch, you will visit the extraordinarily beautiful Paigah Tombs, known for their architectural excellence. You will then return to your hotel and the remainder of the day will be at leisure to relax at your lovely palace hotel.
Dinner will be served at Celeste in Taj Falaknuma Palace. This elegant all-day-dining restaurant offers classical Italian and Mediterranean fare. The meal also includes a Heritage Trail of the Palace.
Day 18: Hyderabad: Today, you will visit the fort at Golconda, which served as the capital of the Qutb Shahi Kings who ruled over the area. From here, you will visit the Qutub Shahi Tombs, which lie on a low plateau northwest of the fort.
Lunch will be served at China Bistro. The restaurant serves oriental delicacies from China and other Asian countries.
After lunch, you will visit the buildings, gardens, old churches and residential colonies where the English, including Captain James Kirkpatrick (the British Resident at Hyderabad from 1798 to 1805) lived. You will get the opportunity to trace his poignant story as it unfolded 200 years ago, and which was recently brought to life by historian and writer William Dalrymple in his book “White Mughals”.
You will then return to your hotel.
Dinner will be served at Adaa in Taj Falaknuma Palace. Carefully crafted, the Indian Hyderabadi fare served at Adaa recreates the wonders of the royal kitchens.
Day 19: Hyderabad – Onward Destination: After breakfast, you will be met by our Peirce & Leslie colleague and escorted to the airport in time to check-in for your homeward bound flight.
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