India's 'Palace on Wheels' Is One of the Most Luxurious Train Rides in the World

Travelers looking to take in some of India’s famed cities and attractions can now do it while onboard a luxurious train made for royalty by booking a trip on the Palace on Wheels.

The train is designed in a contemporary royal style, with plush furnishings in its corridors and 39 deluxe suites and two presidential suites, and includes amenities to make guests onboard feel like a king or queen themselves.

Guests are treated to butlers dedicated to each train car and features that include an onboard spa, a lounge bar and two different restaurants.

Large panoramic windows line the train and its restaurants, where guests can dine on traditional Indian specialties focused on Rajasthan’s cuisine. Each of the restaurants also includes table settings and draped curtains to evoke the glory days of rail travel.

The seven-night, eight-day journey starts off in New Delhi, where passengers will be treated to a welcome drink before heading off to the first stop in Jaipur.

In Jaipur, known as the Pink City, thanks to the terracotta pink hue that lines its historic center, guests will see locations that include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jantar Mantar (an astronomical observation site) and the area's famed jewelry, carpet, pottery and textile markets.

Guests will tour various palaces, including the Hawa Mahal palace, which is noted for its pink decor and honeycomb windows.

Lunch is provided inside a historic palace before heading to the next stop in Ranthambore National Park to observe tigers, panthers, deer, and a wide variety of birds.

Passengers are treated to views and tours of palaces that arise from lakes in Udaipur, known as the Lake City. Here, guests can take boat rides on the lakes before shopping for embroidered artifacts and paintings and seeing thousands of bird varieties at the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (also known as Keoladeo National Park).

Next, guests are whisked to the Thar Desert, where they can admire sandstone forts and nearby latticed mansions before exploring the desert's sand dunes. The trip ends with a visit to the Taj Mahal and stops to take in the marble work, leather good offerings, and jewelry of Agra.

Prices start at $3,500 for the journey.