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 some of the most vibrant cities in Rajasthan, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur with their beautifully painted havelis and light, airy palaces. 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. a World Heritage Site, as is the the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal in the 17th century. One of the most beautiful building 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.