21-Day India, Sri Lanka & Maldives Grand Arc

Arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, where Priya and your private driver meet you. A short transfer to your hotel in central Delhi and time to settle in before a relaxed welcome dinner introducing the journey ahead.

A relaxed tour of the capital with plenty of seated stops — Humayun's Tomb, the towering Qutub Minar and a drive past the grand colonial avenues of New Delhi. A cycle-rickshaw glides you through the lanes of Chandni Chowk so you see Old Delhi without the walking.

A morning drive south on the Yamuna Expressway with a comfortable rest stop en route. After lunch and a chance to freshen up, your first sight of the Taj Mahal — visited in the softer light of late afternoon, when the marble warms to gold.

An early but gentle start to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise, with the monument at its most serene. Back to the hotel for a proper breakfast and a rest, then the red-sandstone Agra Fort in the cooler afternoon, with views across the river to the Taj.

A scenic drive to Jaipur, pausing at the abandoned Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri — a perfectly preserved red-sandstone city. Lunch en route, with a rest stop, before arriving in the Pink City in the late afternoon.

The hilltop Amber Fort, reached comfortably by jeep up to the gate, then the City Palace, the astronomical instruments of Jantar Mantar and a photo stop at the honeycomb façade of the Hawa Mahal. A relaxed evening at leisure.

A free morning to rest, swim or browse Jaipur's celebrated bazaars for textiles, gems and blue pottery. An optional gentle visit to a block-printing workshop. This is a deliberate breather before the flight to Sri Lanka tomorrow.

A morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Colombo (via Delhi or Mumbai). On arrival, your Sri Lankan driver meets you for the short transfer to a comfortable beachside hotel at Negombo, near the airport, for a restful first night on the island.

A scenic drive inland to the Cultural Triangle, with a rest stop and a spice-garden visit en route. This afternoon, the golden Dambulla Cave Temples — five rock shrines filled with Buddha statues and centuries-old painted ceilings.

An early, cool-of-the-morning visit to the extraordinary Sigiriya Rock Fortress, the fifth-century palace atop a sheer rock. The climb is optional and unhurried. Later, a gentle bullock-cart and catamaran experience through a traditional lakeside village, with a home-cooked Sri Lankan lunch.

A morning exploring the ruined royal city of Polonnaruwa, much of it seen comfortably by vehicle with short level walks to the finest carvings. This afternoon, a responsible elephant experience — an ethical sanctuary or a wildlife drive in Minneriya where wild herds gather.

A drive south into the hills to Kandy, the island's cultural capital, pausing at a cave temple and a rest stop. This evening, the revered Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic beside Kandy Lake, followed by a colourful Kandyan cultural dance performance.

A relaxed morning at the magnificent Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, with its avenues of giant trees and orchid house — much of it explorable on flat paths or by buggy. A gentle stroll by Kandy Lake and a free afternoon.

A highlight of the journey — a stretch of the celebrated hill-country railway, in reserved first-class seats, winding past emerald tea plantations, waterfalls and misty peaks. Your car meets the train and continues to the colonial hill station of Nuwara Eliya.

A morning at a working tea estate and factory — the full story from leaf to cup, with a tasting — followed by the cool, green calm of "Little England". The Heritance Tea Factory hotel is itself a beautifully restored 1930s tea factory. A restful afternoon at altitude.

A scenic descent from the hills to Colombo, with comfortable rest stops, arriving in time for a relaxed city orientation — the colonial Fort district, Galle Face Green and the seafront. A farewell dinner with Priya marks the end of the Sri Lanka leg.

A short morning flight from Colombo to Malé, where the resort's team greets you. A scenic speedboat transfer across the turquoise lagoon brings you to your overwater villa. The afternoon is yours — step straight from your deck into the warm Indian Ocean.

A full day of doing as little or as much as you wish. Snorkel the house reef straight from your villa steps, take a guided reef excursion, or simply rest on your deck. All meals and the overwater spa's calm are at hand.

Another unhurried day in paradise. An optional sunset dolphin cruise, a treatment in the overwater spa, or simply the rhythm of sea and sky. The pace is entirely your own.

A last full day to enjoy the villa and lagoon at leisure before the journey home tomorrow. A final swim, a long lunch, and time to let twenty-one days of India, Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean settle.

A speedboat transfer back across the lagoon to Malé in good time for your flight home, connecting via a Gulf or Asian hub. Twenty-one days that carried you from the Taj Mahal to the open Indian Ocean come gently to a close.