Private Full Day Delhi tour with Change of Palace Guard Ceremony

You will be picked up from your hotel in New Delhi and your guide will escort you in an air conditioned vehicle to Rashtrapati Bhawan, the official residence of the president of India.

The President's Bodyguards (PBG), started in 1773, is the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army. It is a Regiment carrying out ceremonial duties for the President of India. The PBG personnel are excellent horsemen, capable tank men and paratroopers.

The Change of Guard ceremony is a military tradition - guards and sentries at palaces, forts and defense establishments change periodically to enable a fresh body of troops to take charge. At Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Ceremonial Army Guard battalion is responsible for providing ceremonial guards and sentries for the President of India.

The 30 minute ceremony commences with the PBG troops on horses advancing to tunes played by the Army Brass Band. Next, the Parade Commander inspect the new guard before they take position along the old guard and both the guards exchange the national salute. Then, the new guard takes over the duties. The ceremony ends with an equestrian display by the PBG and playing of the National Anthem.

Post ceremony, embark on a full-day tour of New and Old Delhi. Drive along Rajpath - the capital's broadest avenue. Along the way you will see Parliament House and the India Gate. It is inscribed with the names of 85,000 Indian Army soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Below burns the Eternal Flame, in tribute to all martyred soldiers of India. Next, proceed to Humayun's Tomb, commissioned by his widowed queen in the sixteenth century. Architecturally it is the forerunner of the Taj Mahal. You will also have a chance to visit Qutab Minar, a 238-foot-high stone tower, which was built in the twelfth century. At its base is the Quwwat-Ul Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India. A twenty-three-foot-high iron pillar, which was built in the fourth century, stands in the courtyard of the mosque. After, you will move on to Birla Temple, built in 1939, is dedicated to Vishnu and enshrines almost all the deities of the Hindu pantheon. Enjoy the included lunch at a local restaurant. Later, tour Old Delhi, including the Red Fort. Within the red-sandstone walls lie audience halls, arched marble palaces, private apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens. The Red Fort remains an impressive testimony to the Mughal grandeur. Later, take a walk through the lively bazaar, Chandni Chowk. It consists of many narrow lanes that are crowded with shops selling everything from authentic Indian food and clothing to electronics. Next you will visit the Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.

Your tour ends and you will be brought back to your hotel in New Delhi.