![The Amber Fort, Jaipur.](/web/20170401221430im_/http://www.traveller.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/8/0/g/m/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gv808y.png/1490920140406.jpg)
NAME
Jan Williams, Sydney
THE TRIP
![Jan Williams.](/web/20170401221430im_/http://www.traveller.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/8/0/d/3/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gv808y.png/1490920140406.jpg)
North India
THE ITINERARY
A two-week family holiday including Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Haridwar on the Ganges and Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas with a private tour operator. We chose budget accommodation to keep costs down. There were many tremendous sights including the magnificent Amber Fort, Humayun's Tomb, the outstanding Gandhi Museum and Qutub Minar, a 73-metre-high tower built in 1193. We gazed at spectacular fireworks, hundreds of kites flying above us and floating lamps lighting the night sky. We fed elephants in a rescue centre and witnessed the Hindu religious ritual of lights at sunset on the banks of the Ganges.
BEST BITS
There were many best bits but the highlight was the Taj Mahal. We arrived early to view the sun rising over the Taj, then returned at sunset to view the other side, the "back yard", of the Taj Mahal and observed goats and their herders passing through. Also notable were the Bear Rescue Facility and the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre, two rescue centres for these gorgeous animals, just outside Agra and driving the winding roads of the Himalayas and seeing temples clinging to the sides of the mountains.
WORST BIT
Two worst bits. The traffic in Delhi is a nightmare. It seemed interminable trying to get into or out of the city. The other worst bit was the cold hotel rooms at night. I pestered the staff for a heater and a small, one-bar heater would arrive which barely warmed our double room. I requested a jug to make a cup of tea in the room and was directed to the gas appliance which heated the shower.
BEST TIP
Use a private tour company. This gave us the flexibility to change our itinerary and it was cheaper than a large group tour. Our driver was knowledgeable and polite and our guide was experienced and well-informed of Indian culture and traditions.
WHERE TO NEXT
After the dust, the crowds and constant travel, we're off to Port Douglas to chill out and see the reef before it disappears.
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