S E E U S O N T H E W E B AT wildlifeworldwide.com Delhi Delhi is actually two fascinating cities – old and new. Old Delhi pulses with energy and colour, providing a fascinating insight into the sights, sounds and aromas of the Indian sub-continent; and here you will see the enormous Red Fort (please note that this is closed on Mondays), the Jama Masjid Mosque with its tapering minarets and wonderful marble domes and the bustling bazaar of Chandni Chowk. New Delhi is a complete contrast; it is a landscaped city of wide boulevards, colonial monuments, stately palaces and formal parks. Here you find the Parliament Building - once the aweinspiring residence of the British Viceroys and now the Presidential Palace, the Raj Ghat - cremation site of Mahatama Gandhi, India Gate - a majestic memorial to the Indian Soldiers killed in World War I, the ancient and fascinating Qutab Minar tower, Humanyun's Tomb – graceful Mughal fore-runner of the Taj Mahal and finally the Birla Mandir (a large Hindu Temple built in 1938). To see the major sites of Delhi you should allow at least a day (longer if you want to see things at a more relaxed pace). The Claridges is a first class historic hotel in the heart of New Delhi. All the beautifully appointed rooms are airconditioned and en-suite with a full range of facilities. There is also a swimming pool, four restaurants, and a health club. The Claridges has been a landmark in Lutyen’s Delhi since the colonial period. The Imperial is a five-star hotel in the centre of Delhi with 137 beautifully appointed rooms and suites. The hotel has a swimming pool, shopping arcade, health club, tennis and golf facilities, three restaurants and bar. Built in 1933, the hotel is a spacious mix of Victorian, old colonial and art deco styles, set in four hectares of beautifully landscaped grounds. Uppal’s Orchid has 84 luxurious rooms. This wellappointed and excellent hotel is located close to the airport and is the ideal place for a day-use room or short airport stopover. Agra The northern Indian city of Agra is home to one of the world’s most iconic monuments - the Taj Mahal, a monument built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal. For 22 years, 20,000 men laboured day and night to build this masterpiece in white marble which has held the world awe-struck ever since. A visit to northern India would be incomplete without a visit to this amazing building and the nearby Agra Fort, where Shah Jehan was imprisoned by his son. A short drive from the city you will find the wonderful palaces of the ‘ghost city’ of Fatehpur Sikri. Agra has good rail and road connections from Delhi some 253 kilometres to the north. (Please note that the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.) The Trident Hilton Hotel in Agra is a first-class hotel set in beautiful landscaped gardens just four kilometres from the Taj Mahal. The hotel combines traditional Mughal architecture with all the amenities of a modern hotel. The 138 rooms surround a central courtyard with a swimming pool and elegant fountains. The Oberoi Amarvilas is the most luxurious hotel in Agra, and the only one where you can enjoy the luxury of your own private terrace overlooking the Taj Mahal, just 600 metres away. All the 102 rooms and suites offer full en-suite facilities. Every room in the hotel offers breathtaking views of the monument, and three suites even have bathrooms with Taj views! This hotel is truly in a league of its own and stay at the Amarvilas will never be forgotten. Khajuraho Today Khajuraho is a small village in a remote part of central India, but 1000 years ago it was the magnificent seat of the Chandela Kings who built 85 temples, of which 22 remain in eloquent testimony to the glory of their reign. The world-famous Chandela Dynasty Temples built between 950 and 1050 AD are famous for their sensuous and erotic sculptures which so shocked their Victorian ‘discoverers’. However, the temples also offer a fascinating insight into a more liberal pre-Islamic and pre-Christian life in India, portraying every minutia of daily human life and emotions. We recommend an overnight stay here as the temples are best viewed at dawn or dusk. For the wildlife enthusiast visiting Bandhavgarh or Panna, Khajuraho’s excellent hotels make a convenient, refreshing and interesting stop, and the village is easily worked into a circuit of the central Indian parks. It is just 26 kilometres from Panna National Park and roughly six hours drive from Bandhavgarh National Park. Regular express trains to and from Delhi and Agra depart from Jhansi Station. The Jas Radisson is a five-star deluxe hotel in the village of Khajaraho. Accommodation is in 90 airconditioned rooms and suites, set amidst verdant, landscaped lawns. 97 Asia / India The cities

98 F O R R E S E R V A T I O N S C A L L U S O N 0845 130 6982 Jaipur Jaipur is known as the ‘Pink City’ due to the ‘pinkwashed’ buildings in the traditional Rajasthani colour of welcome. There is much to see here from the old and new royal palaces, to the intricate buildings and the vibrant colourful bazaars. The highlight is the 16th century fortified palace of Amber Fort. Jaipur has good road connections and is half a day’s drive from Delhi or Ranthambhore or a whole day’s drive from Agra. There are also a limited number of domestic air connections. The Oberoi Rajvilas is a luxury resort which revives the gracious lifestyles of India’s legendary Rajput princes in a romantic Rajasthani Fort setting. 54 deluxe rooms, fourteen luxury tents and two luxury villas with private pools are clustered around their own private courtyards, and surrounded by orchards, gardens, temples, decorative pools and fountains. The Samode Haveli Hotel is a small and intimate hotel in the heart of Jaipur. This former royal manor house offers first class accommodation in 29 air-conditioned and atmospheric rooms and suites. The dining room is a work of art with ceiling to floor fresco paintings. The Samode Palace Hotel is a small, award-winning heritage hotel located in Samode village just over an hour north-west of Jaipur. This former Rajput palace offers top quality accommodation in 41 atmospheric rooms and suites. All the rooms are uniquely furnished with the local Rajasthani hand printed textiles and traditional artefacts and marble-work. The three Royal Suites have a private courtyard, Jacuzzi and fireplace. The hotel facilities include an outdoor pool with views of the ancient Aravali Mountains. The Rambagh Palace Hotel is a deluxe 5-star hotel with superb facilities. In the finest tradition of Rajput hospitality, the Rambagh Palace offers its guests a taste of royal living in its 85 rooms and suites – a luxury and extravagance that was once the sole preserve of kings. Mumbai Mumbai is India’s great West coast city, a vast sprawling mega-city of 18 million people. Still occasionally referred to by its colonial name Bombay, the city is an interesting mixture of modern and British neo-gothic architecture. For the wildlife enthusiast there is not much of interest, but the city does offer some interesting sightseeing for those who have the inclination or some time to spare. Mumbai is a fascinating and vibrant city where mud huts in the slums co-exist next to glamorous penthouse suites owned by Bollywood stars, movie moguls and billionaires! The Leela Kempinski is a five star hotel within easy reach of the domestic and international airports, and just 16 kilometres from Mumbai city centre. The hotel sits in six hectares of tranquil landscaped gardens, filled with palms, serene lotus ponds and little waterfalls, and it is an excellent place to relax while visiting Mumbai. Built in 1903 the Taj Mahal Hotel is a large and interesting hotel which brings together Moorish, Oriental and Florentine styles. With panoramic views of the Arabian Sea, the hotel is a gracious landmark of the city of Mumbai, showcasing contemporary Indian influences along with beautiful vaulted alabaster ceilings, onyx columns, graceful archways and hand-woven silk carpets. Mysore Mysore is considered one of the most beautiful cities in India, and the highlight of any visit here is a trip to the fabulous Maharaja’s Palace. In this city of palaces this stands out as a vast confection of a building with an eclectic range of tastes and styles inside and out. Inside, the palace is filled with magnificent antiques, golden elephant howdahs and thrones, Victorian tiling, stained glass, chandeliers and frescoes. The Lalitha Mahal Palace is an historic hotel in a spectacular location on a hill overlooking Mysore. This 54 roomed hotel retains the quirky charm of a heritage property and is filled with antiques and historical oddities. Kochi Kochi (or Cochin) is an ancient trading port and royal state, once known as ‘The Queen of the Arabian Sea’, located in Kerala, Southern India. The highlight of any visit here is a visit to the old town area of Fort Cochin. View the wonderful carvings and frescoes of the 16th century Dutch Palace, the Jew Street bazaar and the Parsi Synagogue with its Delft-tiled interior dating back to 1568. You will also be able to see the Chinese fishing nets along the harbour mouth, where fish is still caught and cooked fresh in the restaurants that line the beach. On a harbour cruise you can fully appreciate the size of this fabulous natural harbour which is home to the Indian Navy, and observe the water-birds that thrive here. In the centre is the man-made Willingdon Island where some of the city’s best hotels are located. The Taj Malabar Hotel sits in a fabulous location on the northernmost tip of Willingdon Island. It commands magnificent views of the harbour from three sides and catches the cooling sea breezes. Accommodation consists of 96 rooms and suites divided between the main modern tower and a heritage wing with graceful Victorian interiors reflecting the hotel’s colonial past. Brunton Boat Yard is a beautiful hotel with 22 rooms located at the site of the original boatyard built by the 19th century boat-builder, Brunton. It is built to the Dutch and Portuguese architectural principles of early 16th and 17th century and all the rooms overlook sea. The large high ceiling rooms are well furnished and have large picture-window bathrooms. Varanasi Varanasi is India’s Holy City. It is located in the centre of the great north Indian plain and attracts millions of pilgrims each year, coming to wash their sins away in the waters of the great River Ganges. Those who die and are cremated here are liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth, and for this reason the banks of the river are lined with fabulous palaces belonging to ancient royal dynasties, magnificent temples and cremation ‘ghats’. This ancient city is believed to be one of the oldest in the world, dating back more than 3000 years. Many visitors describe a dawn boat ride on the River Ganges as the most amazing and memorable experience of their trip to India, encapsulating the entire Indian experience in a nutshell. Varanasi is well served by trains and flights to other major destinations in India and Nepal. The Taj Ganges Hotel is a tranquil and well-appointed hotel with 130 rooms set in 20 hectares of lush green gardens. Elephant in Jaipur