WHILE ITS COLOUR-CHARGED CITIES throb with the crowds and chaos of emerging India, the treasures of the past hold pride of place in mind and spirit. This tour takes you to the ‘must-do’ cities of North India. New Delhi, the contemporary manifestation of the many cities that have occupied this site is where you begin. Travel to Jaipur and Udaipur, two of the most vibrant cities in Rajasthan, with their beautifully painted havelis and palaces with walls that tell stories long forgotten. Further east, on the banks of the River Ganges lies the ancient, seemingly unchanged city of Varanasi, the holiest of cities for Hindus, its temple spires reaching upward to the sky. Khajuraho too, is known for its temples, built in the 9th and 10th century by the Chandela dynasty, they are part of the World Heritage Sites, as is the the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal in the 17th century. One of the most beautiful buildings in the world, it took about 20,000 workers 12 years to complete. The sights, the temples, the bazaars, the spirituality, the complex history and mixed cultures make the tour an once-in-a-lifetime experience.