Spend the first day in Delhi exploring some of the most famous landmarks. Start the day early and head towards the Red Fort (UNESCO, closed on Monday). The Mughal emperors used this complex as their main residence. Then, explore the colossal Jama Masjid, the mosque is so vast that it has the capacity to accommodate as many as 25,000 people in its courtyard. Next, visit the first-ever garden tomb, Humayun’s Tomb (UNESCO). This mausoleum belongs to the second Mughal king. Stop for lunch before visiting Qutb Minar (UNESCO). A stunning sight to behold, this is the tallest tower made of bricks in the whole world. To end your day, visit the Lotus Temple (closed on Monday), a symbol of modern Indian architecture and Asia’s only Bahai House of Worship.

Tour highlights in Delhi: Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Humayun's Tomb, Qutb Minar, Lotus Temple

The second day takes you away from Delhi’s city life to a quaint town called Mandawa in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. Mandawa is a remote semi-dessert town famous for the presence of the uniquely painted havelis (rich merchant’s houses). The walls of the havelis exhibit different styles of paintings which is why Mandawa is often referred to as an “open-air art gallery”. A few havelis that are still conserved and open to tourists are the Jhunjhunwala Haveli, Chokhani Double Haveli, Bansidhar Newatia Haveli, Sneh Ram Ladia Haveli, Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli and Mandawa Castle. Get a taste of traditional Rajasthani dishes in restaurants at Mandawa. To burn the calories, take a stroll on the narrow lanes of the town and revisit the town’s opulent past.

Tour highlights: Mandawa Havelis and Castle

After breakfast, leave Mandawa and travel to your first destination of the day, Nadine Le Prince Haveli in Fatehpur. The mansion, formerly known as Nand Lal Devra Haveli, gained its popularity as Nadine Le Prince Haveli. The conservation of the architecture and artwork of the haveli in this small town of Shekhawati is maintained by the French artist Nadine Le Prince Haveli. After lunch, it’s time to move to the next destination, Bikaner. Visit the famous Karni Mata temple which is well-known for being the home to around 25,000 black rats with a handful of white rats. It is believed that spotting this rare white rat is lucky!

Tour highlights: Nadine Le Prince Haveli in Fatehpur, Karni Mata (Temple of Rats)

In the morning, visit Bikaner, the fourth largest city in Rajasthan which houses several forts and temples including the Junagarh Fort. Next, drive west to the desert city of Jaisalmer, also known as the Golden City. Visit the imposing Jaisalmer Fort (UNESCO). Built from yellow sandstone, the fort glimmers like gold when it is soaked in sun’s rays at the time of sunset.

Tour highlights: Bikaner, Jaisalmer Fort

On today’s exploration, your first stop is the Jaisalmer Havelis. These mansions are homes for the royal families till date. They are, however, also open for tourists to visit. The architecture of these mansions reflects the exquisite Rajput-Rajasthani artwork. Next is the Thar Desert. The ocean of yellow sand extending beyond the horizons is the second destination of the day. Finally, visit Gadisar Lake. Rich in architectural edifices encircling it along with marvellous and diverse birds to spot here, the Gadisar Lake was the sole water resource for the Golden City until recently.

Tour highlights in Jaisalmer: Jaisalmer Havelis, Thar Desert, Gadisar Lake

This morning, drive from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur. Start visiting Jodhpur by exploring the Old Blue City. Painted in the shade of blue, the part of the city is home to luxurious palaces, magnificent monuments and astonishing temples. The next site to visit for the day is Umaid Bhawan Palace. Also known as the Chittar Palace, it was built by a famous British architect, Henry Lanchester while Maharaj Umaid Singh assisted in the layout and designs.

Tour highlights in Jodhpur: Old Blue City, Umaid Bhawan Palace

First, visit the half a millennium old Mehrangarh Fort which dominates the city of Jodhpur. The Mehrangarh Fort Museum retains the artefacts that allude to several significant events of the bygone eras. Just nearby, stop at Jaswant Thada, a sacred edifice that has been housing the cenotaphs of the royal families of Jodhpur. It was built by Maharaja Sardar Singh in memory of his father. The elegance of the edifice is enhanced by the well-maintained garden and the lake in front of it. In the afternoon, leave Jodhpur and travel to Pushkar.

Tour highlights in Jodhpur: Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada

Today’s tour includes exploring the holy city of Pushkar by visiting the temples from ancient India. The city houses the Pushkar Lake surrounded by bathing ghats and also Gurudwaras. Next, head towards Jaipur, the Pink City. On reaching Jaipur, the capital of the princely state of Rajasthan, visit the Albert Hall Museum and Nahargarh Fort - two of the most fascinating attractions of the city. With historical artefacts like the coins of ancient Gupta and Kushan dynasties and an Egyptian mummy, the Albert Hall Museum is the oldest museum in Rajasthan. It also functions as a state museum. Nearby the museum is your final visit of the day, Nahargarh Fort. Located on the edge of the Aravalli hills, the fort offers am impressive panorama of the entire city. This picturesque fort has been in many Bollywood movies and it is a great place to watch the sunset over Jaipur.

Tour highlights: Pushkar Holy City, Albert Hall Museum, Nahargarh Fort

The first attraction of the day is the Palace of Winds (Hawa Mahal in Hindi). The tallest building in the world without a foundation, this palace is decorated with gorgeous latticework and numerous windows. The Hawa Mahal extends to Jaipur’s City Palace, the next spot to explore. With a mini museum, pavilions, temples and magnificent gardens and courtyards, it is a great site to explore. Next comes Jantar Mantar (UNESCO). Home to the world’s largest stone sundial, this 300-year-old astronomical observatory also contains 19 giant astronomical devices. Finally, end your day with a visit to Amber Palace (UNESCO). The amber architecture flaunts the craftsmanship of its era. The lofty presence of the palace is enhanced with Maota Lake by its side.

Tour highlights in Jaipur: Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Amber Palace

A quick detour while travelling to Agra takes you to two historical sites. Among the oldest and largest stepwells in India is Chand Baori. It is also one of the deepest baori with 13 levels and 3,500 steps. The symmetrical triangular staircases lead all the way to the bottom of the well. Next, head to the old royal city of Fatehpur Sikri (UNESCO) situated near Agra. This deserted city was the capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. Its architecture is mostly made from red sandstone which exhibits the magnificent amalgamation of Hindu and Islamic elements.

Tour highlights: Chand Baori, Fatehpur Sikri

Set yourself ready for your visit to the Taj Mahal (UNESCO, closed on Friday). This mausoleum built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan leaves an everlasting impression on anyone who visits it. Next is your second historical site, the majestic Agra Fort (UNESCO). Settled on the bank of river Yamuna, this lofty historic fort is built from red sandstone. Its outlook gave it the nickname the Lal Qila. Then, visit the Baby Taj, the Itimad-Ud-Daulah. Influencing the structure of the Taj Mahal, this mausoleum was built to commemorate the parents of Nur Jahan.

Tour highlights in Agra: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Itimad-ud-Daulah (Baby Taj)

Depart Agra and head back to Delhi. On your way, visit Akbar’s Tomb in Sikandra. Settled on the outskirts of the city of Agra, this grand Indo-Islamic mausoleum is nestled at the heart of the natural wildlife sanctuary with deer, peacocks and monkeys. As you move on, you take home with you some soothing memories.

Tour highlights: Akbar's Tomb in Sikandra