School Expedition to Northern India

Visit the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur on your school expedition to India and enjoy a wealth of unforgettable experiences which will broaden your students’ horizons and make them better global citizens.

You’ll visit a small rural village just outside of Jaipur, where your students will volunteer at a local primary school, either teaching or helping to improve the facilities, leaving a lasting mark on the village children.

You’ll also visit a Bear Rescue Centre near Agra, where you’ll learn more about the sad practice of bear dancing, before discovering the cultural and economic issues behind it. You’ll see how the project is not only aiming to improve the lives of the bears, but also those of their former owners, so they don’t have to resort to the exploitation of wild animals in order to feed their families.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Final preparations for your trip to India.

Evening

Board your overnight flight to Delhi.

Day 2

Afternoon

Arrive in Delhi and meet your guide.

Evening

Transfer to your hotel in South Delhi.

Day 3

Morning

Experience a rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk and view the Red Fort and Jama Masjid.

Afternoon

Visit the Deepalaya NGO school for a cultural exchange.

Evening

Panoramic tour of New Delhi, including India Gate and the Sikh temple, Bangla Sahib.

Day 4

Morning

Take a scenic drive toward Agra.

Afternoon

Stop at the Wildlife SOS Bear Rescue Center (the world's largest sloth bear facility).

Evening

Check into your hotel in Agra.

Day 5

Morning

Visit the Taj Mahal and explore the courtyards of the Agra Fort.

Afternoon

Drive to Dausa, stopping at the 8th-century Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri.

Evening

Enjoy a traditional henna (mehndi) art session with local village women.

Day 6

Morning

Participate in an early morning yoga session, followed by a village school clean-up campaign.

Afternoon

Take part in a plantation drive to support local sustainability efforts.

Evening

Relax at the Umaid Palace Heritage Hotel.

Day 7

Morning

Scenic transfer to the 'Pink City' of Jaipur.

Afternoon

Explore the Maharaja's City Palace and the Jantar Mantar stone observatory.

Evening

Guided cycle rickshaw ride through the bustling old bazaars.

Day 8

Morning

Photo stop at Hawa Mahal followed by an excursion to the hilltop Amber Fort.

Afternoon

Free time to explore the fort's intricate paintings and the Hall of Mirrors.

Evening

Open-jeep night safari to see illuminated landmarks and the city panorama from Nahargarh Fort.

Day 9

Morning

Visit Bal Ashram in Viratnagar to learn about child rights and education.

Afternoon

Continue the drive to Gurugram.

Evening

Final group dinner and check into the hotel near the airport.

Day 10

Morning

Transfer to Delhi Airport for your return flight home.

24-hour assistance from Halsbury Travel in the UK
8 nights' half-board accommodation plus 3 lunches
Return flights from the UK
Air-conditioned coach
Airport tax and passenger duty at current rates
All visits and activities as per itinerary
English-speaking guide
Free staff place ratio 1:10
Itinerary planning service
Detailed final information pack
Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
VAT at current rates to tour operators

Accommodation

Umaid Palace

The Umaid Lake Palace Hotel is a spectacular resort close to Jaipur, surrounded by 20 acres of gardens. The hotel is fully air-conditioned and boasts a refreshing swimming pool, as well as a lovely restaurant that serves locally sourced, organic food. All guestrooms are tastefully decorated in Rajasthani style, with views across the beautiful countryside. They all also offer a balcony, satellite TV and en-suite bathroom facilities.

Mandawa Haveli

Located close to Jaipur's main transport hubs, the lovely Mandawa Haveli is a great base for your trip to Jaipur. The resort is based around a traditional haveli and, although the hotel boasts many modern facilities, you'll feel like you've taken a step back in time to Rajput. The 52 guestrooms all boast private bathroom facilities, and there's free WiFi throughout. There's also a swimming pool, meeting rooms that can be hired for evening activities, and two restaurants serving local and international cuisine.

Ramada Encore by Wyndham Gurugram Dwarka Expressway

Next to the Elan Miracle mall and close to Damdama Lake, this hotel is also just 26km from Delhi Airport. The hotel boasts a swimming pool and gym, as well as a buffet-style breakfast each morning. All guestrooms offer private bathroom, flatscreen TV and balcony.

Hotel Crystal Inn, Agra

Close to the Taj Mahal, the Hotel Crystal Inn is the perfect base from which to explore this iconic monument and the historic city of Agra. There's free WiFi throughout, as well as 24-hour security. All guestrooms benefit from private bathrooms and climate control.

Nuo Hotel, Delhi

This modern boutique hotel in South Delhi feels luxurious while prioritising sustainability. The 27 guestrooms are all spacious and well-equipped, with a private bathroom, flatscreen TV and really comfy beds. There's free WiFi throughout, and the hotel's restaurant serves both Indian and international cuisine.

Tour highlights

Volunteer at a Local Primary School

Spend three days in Jhinjha volunteering at the local primary school, where your students will gain valuable skills and find out what life is really like in a small, rural Indian village. Your group can teach maths, English and science, or even run a drama workshop. You can prepare meals for the students, or help with repairs and improvements of the school facilities. And because our local partners contribute to the school’s upkeep and improvement, your visit will help to ensure that this vital support is able to continue.

Did you know?

The village is home to the Berwa people, whose main occupation has historically been agriculture and animal husbandry.

Bear Rescue Centre

In 1972 the Indian government banned bear dancing, but the practice is still relatively common in India because it is often the case that the owners of the bears have no other source of income. And for many years there was nowhere for the bears to go even if they were confiscated. When the bear sanctuary was set up in Agra it meant that there was somewhere safe for the bears to go. Most are taken from the wild as cubs. Their teeth and claws are also often removed, and their experiences leave most traumatised. This makes it impossible to release them back into the wild. Your group will have the opportunity to learn more about the bears and how they ended up at the centre. They’ll also have the chance to see the effects of the practice on the bears themselves. And they’ll find out how the former owners are supported, to ensure they don’t return to bear dancing to feed their families.

Did you know?

In the wild, sloth bears can live up to 20 years – in captivity, dancing bears rarely live past the age of 7 or 8 years.

Deepalaya

Deepalaya is a non-governmental organisation in Delhi that works on issues affecting the urban and rural poor in India, with a particular focus on children. The organisation believes that ‘every child deserves a chance’ no matter what their gender, economic status or physical abilities. It runs projects in education, female empowerment, healthcare, institutional care and vocational training. You’ll be able to visit the Deepalaya Children’s Home, which cares for around 150 underprivileged children, many of whom come from the city’s slums.

Did you know?

Deepalaya is the largest operational NGO in Delhi and has helped around 50,000 children.

Educational Activities

Agra Fort

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is just 2.

Amer Fort

The structure, which is today known as Amer Fort or Amber Fort, was initially a palace complex within the original

Qutab Minar

In 1199, Qutbuddin raised the Qutab Minar either as a victory tower or as a minaret to the adjacent mosque.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built under the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of

Cultural Activities

Bangla Sahib Gurdwara

The Bangla Sahib Gurdwara is one of the most important in Delhi. This is a tranquil haven away from the

City Palace

City Palace forms one of the most famous tourist attractions and a major landmark in Jaipur. The beautiful palace was

Cycle Tour of Old Delhi

The best way to see all the sights of Old Delhi is on a bike. You’ll cycle through bazaars and

Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal is a major landmark and famous tourist attraction in Jaipur. The splendid Rajputana architecture still speaks of the

Jantar Mantar Observatory, Jaipur

On first appearances, you might assume that Jantar Mantar is a sculpture park. But you would be wrong. It is,

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.