Day 01: Delhi Sight-Seeing
You will be picked up from your hotel and
proceed for a full-day tour of Old & New
Delhi. (Start at 0900 hrs).
OLD DELHI - A sightseeing tour of Old Delhi
would entail visiting the Raj Ghat - the
memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was
cremated; Jama Masjid - the largest mosque
in India and the Red Fort - once the most
opulent fort and palace of the Moghul
Empire.
Cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to
Chandni Chowk.
NEW DELHI - An extensive sightseeing tour of
New Delhi would include a visit to the
Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar, a drive
along the ceremonial avenue - Rajpath, past
the imposing India Gate, Parliament House,
the President's Residence and would end with
a drive through the Diplomatic Enclave.
After the sightseeing, check in at THE PARK
in Connaught Place. Relax in the evening or
roam the Connaught Place market.
Proceed for LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW and then
for dinner. Overnight at Delhi.
Day 02: Delhi - Alwar
Book this Tour
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed for ALWAR and
reach by noon.
150 Km from Jaipur and 170 Km from Delhi -
ALWAR nest between a cluster of small hills
of the ARAVALLI range. Perched on the most
prominent of these hills is a massive
ancient fort that whispers tales of the rich
history of the city. Apart from its long
history, the city has a rich natural
heritage with some beautiful lakes and
picturesque valley thickly wooded in parts.
Some of the finest variety of birds and
animals are spotted here. ALWAR has one of
the finest wild life sanctuaries in
Rajasthan - SARISKA, which is an excellent
tiger country.
Visit the PALACE and complete all
sightseeing and stay at SARISKA PALACE for
the night.
Day 03: Alwar - Jaipur
Proceed to Jaipur after breakfast. Reach by
noon.
JAIPUR - The origins of the beautiful city
of Jaipur can be traced back to the
eighteenth century, during the reign of Jai
Singh II who ascended the Amber throne in
1699. Jaipur today, epitomizes the spirit of
Rajputana. In-spite of growing into a
bustling metropolis, it still retains it's
character and history - Beautiful fusion of
the yesteryears and modernity. Popularly
known as the Pink City because of the
extensive use of the locally abundant pink
plastered stone, painted so in honor of the
visit of the royal consort of Queen
Victoria. Jaipur thrills the soul with its
massive forts, magnificent palaces,
exquisite temples and lush gardens.
Shopping in the city. Overnight at Jaipur.
Day 04: Jaipur
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed for morning
excursion to Amber Fort. Elephant ride
ascent to the fort.
AMBER FORT PALACE - Amber is the classic
romantic Rajasthani fort palace. Its
construction was started by Man Singh I in
1592, and completed by his descendent Jai
Singh I. It's forbidding exterior belies an
inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of
Mughal and Hindu styles finds it's ultimate
expression.
Continue city sightseeing.
CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal
and traditional Rajasthani architecture, the
City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the
area in the walled city. It houses the
Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and
the City Palace Museum.
JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the
best preserved of the five observatories
built by Jai Singh II in different parts of
the country. This observatory consisting of
outsized astronomical instruments is still
in use.
HAWA MAHAL - The ornamental facade of this
"Palace of Winds" is a prominent landmark in
Jaipur. Its five-storey structure of
sandstone plastered pink encrusted with fine
trelliswork and elaborate balconies. The
palace has 953 niches and windows. Built in
1799 by Pratap Singh, the Mahal was a royal
grandstand for the palace women.
Relax in the evening. Overnight at Jaipur.
Day 05: Jaipur - Agra
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed to Agra.
Visit Fatehpur Sikri en-route.
The deserted, red Sandstone City, Emperor
Akbar built that as his capital and palace
in the late 16th century is an exhilarating
experience. It a veritable fairytale city
and its "ruins" are in pristine condition
... it's not hard to imagine what the court
life must have been like in the days of its
grandeur. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza, the
largest gateway in the world.
Reach Agra and check in at hotel.
Badal Singh established the city of Taj in
1475. Agra finds mention in the Mahabharat
as Agraban. This city in those days was
considered to be the sister-city of Mathura,
which was more prominent than Agraban. Agra
came into its own when the Lodhi Kings chose
this place beside the RIVER YAMUNA to be
their capital city. Sikander Lodhi made Agra
his capital but Babar defeated the Lodhis to
capture not only Agra but also laid the
foundation of the Mughal empire.
The coming of Babar heralded a new era,
which was to see Agra at its zenith during
the reign of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan.
It was during Akbar's period that Agra
became the center of art, culture and
commerce and learning. This trend reached
its height when Shah Jahan became the ruler.
In the Mid 16th century and earlier 17th
century Agra witnessed a frenzied building
activity and it was during this time when
the symbol of love Taj Mahal was built. The
buildings made during this era were purely
in the contemporary Mughal style and of very
high quality. The same is still reflected in
whatever monuments remain in Agra. The
narrow lanes of Agra filled with aroma of
Mughlai cuisine, the craftsman who are busy
in crating master pieces with their skill
all remind of the Mughal royalty which this
city had once experienced. Today whatever
remains, has become a major tourist
attraction which has taken Agra again to the
heights of glory but this time as a major
tourist destination of India.
Visit the TAJ MAHAL - one of the Seven
Wonders of the World was built by Shah Jahan
in 1631 AD and was completed in 1651AD. Taj
Mahal - The symbol of Love was built in the
memory of Mumtaz Mahal (Shah Jahan' s second
Wife).
Overnight at Agra.
Day 06: Agra - Khajuraho
Proceed for city sightseeing after
breakfast.
AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal
emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is
predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced
within is the picture perfect Pearl Mosque,
which is a major tourist attraction.
Transfer to the airport for flight to
Khajuraho. Reach and transfer to hotel.
Situated in the heart of India, in the state
of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a
fascinating village with a quaint, rural
ambience and a rich cultural heritage,
honored by the world as India's unique
contribution to human civilization. The
Chandela dynasty built eighty-five temples
here. Only twenty remain as embodiments of
Indian architectural and sculptural art at
its most evolved state. Even ten centuries
after they were constructed, the temples of
Khajuraho reflect an eternal philosophy
relevant to all mankind. The temple of
Khajuraho is a world heritage site and
belong not just to India but to the world.
The nearby Panna national park is a project
tiger park making the area a unique
combination of outstanding cultural and
natural heritage - one of the few millennium
destinations of the world.
Afternoon visit the WESTERN TEMPLES.
Overnight at Khajuraho.
Day 07: Khajuraho - Varanasi
Breakfast at hotel.
uided tour of EASTERN TEMPLES.
Transfer in time to airport for flight to
Varanasi. Upon arrival at Varanasi, you will
be met and transferred to hotel.
Varanasi is the World's most ancient living
city. Sunrise on the rivetfront, as seen
from a boat, can be spiritually uplifting
sight. Crowded with temples, and it's
labyrinth of streets, the city attracts the
maximum number of tourists. The religious
capital of Hinduism, Varanasi is the carpet
manufacturing place of India. It was
previously known as Kashi - the city that
illuminates. The present name is derived
from the fact that thecity is at the
confluence of the rivers Varuna and Asi.
Overnight at Varanasi.
Day 08: Varanasi
Book this Tour
Morning drive to Daswamedh Ghat and take a
boat ride on the sacred river Ganges to see
the cremation Ghats and witness the living
traditions of one of the world's oldest and
most important religions. (To start at 0500
hrs. for the best lifetime experience) For
you to appreciate this remarkable city,
we'll transfer you to the banks of the River
Ganges before the sun rises. Board a boat
with your guide and proceed to the middle of
the river, where at sunrise the sight
unfolds before you. Thousands of faithful
come daily to the banks to bathe and pray
while in the background, temples and palaces
rise in tiers from the water's edge. Then
return for a walk through the cobblestone
streets along the banks of "Ganga". As shops
are opening, the place now becomes a beehive
of activity as the faithful are coming and
going. Visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple while
returning to the hotel.
Return for breakfast to the hotel. Proceed
for day guided tour of Varanasi including
the Gyanvapi Mosque and Benaras Hindu
University. Overnight at Varanasi.
Day 09: Varanasi - Delhi
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed for sightseeing
of SARNATH.
Sarnath ? 5 miles out of Varanasi for a day
excursion: One of the holiest Buddhist sites
in the world, where Buddha preached his
first Sermon in 590 BC. Witness the ruins of
a once flourishing Buddhist monastery and
then visit a fine Museum which houses an
excellent collection of Buddhist art and
sculptures found at the site.
Transfer to airport for flight to Delhi.
Reach Delhi and you will be transferred to
your hotel or airport.