Day 01:
Arrival Delhi
You will be met on arrival at the
International airport. Transfer to
your hotel. Relax.
Delhi, the capital of kingdoms and
empires is now a sprawling metropolis
with a fascinating blend of the past
and the present. Delhi is a perfect
introduction to the composite culture
of an ancient land and a window to the
kaleidoscope - that is India.Overnight
will be at Delhi.
Day 02:
Delhi
Book this Tour
Start a day tour of Old & New Delhi
after breakfast.
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.
Enjoy a Cycle rickshaw ride from Jama
Masjid to Chandini 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 and the
President's Residence that would end
with a drive through the Diplomatic
Enclave.Enjoy shopping in the late
afternoon and whole evening. Overnight
will be in Delhi.
Day 03: Delhi
- Jodhpur - Jaisalmer:
Breakfast will be at the hotel.
Proceed to the airport for flight to
Jodhpur.
Reach and drive to Jaisalmer.
Rising from the heart of the Thar
Desert like a golden mirage is the
city of Jaisalmer. A commanding fort
etched in yellow sandstone stands,
with its awesome splendor, dominating
the amber-hued city.
The city has an interesting legend
associated with it, according to
which, Lord Krishna-the head of the
Yadav Clan, foretold Arjuna that a
remote descendent of the Yadav Clan
would build his kingdom atop the
Trikuta Hill. His prophecy was
fulfilled in 1156 AD when Rawal Jaisal,
a descendent of the Yadav Clan and a
Bhatti Rajput, abandoned his fort at
Lodurva and founded a new capital
-Jaisalmer, perched on the Trikuta
Hill.Enjoy the sunset from the Sunset
Point. Overnight will be at Jaisalmer.
Day 04:
Jaisalmer
After a relaxed breakfast proceed for
full day sightseeing tour of The
Golden City - Jaisalmer. It is in the
heart of the Great Indian Desert. Its
temple, fort and palaces are all built
of yellow stone. The city is a mass of
intricately carved buildings, facades
and elaborate balconies.
Visit the Jaisalmer Fort - The oldest
living Fort in the world. (This is the
highlight of the tour)
See the Patwon-Ki-Havelis,
Salim-Singh-Ki-Haveli and Gandhi Sagar
Tank. Also visit Barabagh Hill.
Proceed to the sand dunes in the
evening for a camel ride at
sunset.Overnight will be at Jaisalmer.
Day 05:
Jaisalmer - Jodhpur
Proceed in the morning after a
leisurely breakfast and reach Jodhpur.
Set at the edge of the Thar Desert,
the imperial city of Jodhpur echoes
with tales of antiquity in the
emptiness of the desert. Once the
capital of the Marwar state, it was
founded in 1459 AD by Rao Jodha-chief
of the Rathore clan of Rajputs who
claimed to be descendants of Rama -
the epic hero of the Ramayana. The
massive 15th century AD Mehrangarh
Fort looms on the top of a rocky hill,
soaring 125m above the plains. The
city is encompassed by a high wall -10
km long with 8 gates and innumerable
bastions.Afternoon sightseeing tour of
Jodhpur - gateway to the desert
beyond, home of the Rathors of Marwar,
visit the Mehrangarh Fort, rising up a
hilly scarp, built on the advice of a
hermit, overlooking the city in the
image of a long sentinel. Inside the
Fort are a number of palaces added by
successive rulers. In this palace you
would see different miniature
paintings & cradle room. After this
you would visit Jaswant Thada
Memorial.Overnight will be at Jodhpur.
Day 06:
Jodhpur - Udaipur
Breakfast will be at hotel. Visit the
museum of Umaid Bhawan Palace.
Proceed to Udaipur. En-route, visit
the Ranakpur Temples, dating back to
the 15th century. 200 pillars, none of
which are alike, support its 29 halls.
The Temple abounds with intricate
friezes and sculptures. Includes
visits to two more Jain temples and
the Temple of the Sun God with its
erotic sculptures.Reach and check in
at hotel.
The city of Dawn, Udaipur is a lovely
land around the azure lake, hemmed in
by the lush hills of the Aravallis. A
vision in white drenched in romance
and beauty, Udaipur is a fascinating
blend of sights, sound and experiences
and inspiration for the imagination of
poets, painters and writers.
Its kaleidoscope of fairy-tale
palaces, lakes, temples, gardens and
narrow lanes strewn with stalls, carry
the flavor of a heroic past,
epitomizing valor and chivalry. Their
reflection in the placid waters of the
Lake Pichola is an enticing sight.
Udaipur is the jewel of Mewar-a
kingdom ruled by the Sisodia dynasty
for 1200 Years.
Relax in the evening. Overnight will
be at Udaipur.
Day 07:
Udaipur
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Proceed for sightseeing tour of
Udaipur, stopping first at City
Palace. Here you will marvel at rooms
with mirrored walls and ivory doors,
colored glass windows and inlaid
marble balconies and the Peacock
Courtyard.Also visit the lovely
Sahelion-ki-Bari Gardens, the Jagdish
Temple and the Local Folk Museum or
the Vintage Car Collection.Overnight
will be at Udaipur.
Day 08:
Udaipur - Jaipur
Proceed to the airport after an early
breakfast. Take flight to Jaipur.
Jaipur is the capital of the state of
Rajasthan a romantic realm of
resplendent palaces, mighty fortresses
and regal Maharajahs that lies in the
western deserts and is an utterly
unique part of India. Proudly
belonging to the Kshatriya warrior
caste and fiercely independent, the
Rajput princes made fearsome foes.
However, many of them realized that to
maintain their wealth and authority
locally, it was expedient to proclaim
allegiance to the central power. Thus,
many enjoyed a privileged position
under the Mughal emperors and also the
British Raj that followed.
The bustling Rajasthan capital of
Jaipur takes its name from its
venerated founder Jai Singh II, who
was given the title Sawai Maharaja by
the Mughal. Literally translated this
would mean 'one and a quarter',
suggesting that the Mughal thought
this emperor to be more valuable than
just 'one'. Jaipur is known as the
'Pink City' on account of the
distinctive color of its buildings.
This did not, however, form part of
the original plan, but dates back to
1856, when the city was given a wash
of pink in honor of a State Visit from
Prince Albert.Spend the afternoon
sightseeing of Jaipur.
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. It is a
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.
This evening, visit the Birla Temple
to learn more about the fascinating
religious life of Jaipur. The marble
structure, built as recently as 1985,
houses ornate statues including one of
Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth and Beauty)
and Narayan dressed in gaudy robes,
representing a Hindu vision of
heavenly luxury. Carvings in the
temple and on pillars supporting the
covered walkways include images of the
Hindu pantheon, as well as Jesus, the
Blessed Virgin Mary and St Francis of
Assisi. Your visit will coincide with
the Aarti Ceremony, which involves oil
lamps being lit and waved, in order to
awake and invoke the deity. Enjoy the
experience and spend night at
Jaipur.Overnight will be in Jaipur.
Day 09:
Jaipur
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed
for a morning excursion will be taken
to the Amber Fort. Enjoy the fort
ascent on elephant back in a royal
manner.
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. Its
forbidding exterior belies an inner
paradise where a beautiful fusion of
Mughal and Hindu styles finds its
ultimate expression.
Enjoy shopping for the rest of the day
- this is the best place to shop.
Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day 10:
Jaipur - Agra
Drive to Agra after breakfast visiting
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.
Continue your drive to Agra and on
arrival check-in at Hotel.
Agra: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar
and Shah Jahan, transformed the little
village of Agra into a befitting
second capital of the Mughal Empire -
giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat
{seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor
to Agra is caught up in a world of
contrasting edifices, of red sandstone
and white marble, narrow galleys and
quaint buggies, and that irresistible
charm that this favorite city of the
Mughals still retains. It is not
surprising, that modern Agra still
reflects its Mughal heritage most
conspicuously.
A walk down the narrow bustling
streets of the city will introduce the
visitor to the wafting aroma of
Mughlai cuisine.Overnight will be at
Agra.
Day 11: Agra
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed
for sightseeing of Agra.
Taj Mahal: The fifth Mughal emperor,
Shah Jahan, built it in 1631 in the
memory of his second wife, Mumtaz
Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She
died while accompanying her husband in
Behrampur in a campaign to crush a
rebellion, after giving birth to their
14th child. Her death so crushed the
emperor that all his hair and beard
were said to have grown snow white in
a few months. When Mumtaz Mahal was
still alive, she extracted four
promises from the emperor: first, that
he build the Taj; second, that he
should marry again; third, that he be
kind to their children; and fourth,
that he visit the tomb on her death
anniversary. He kept the first and
second promises. Construction began in
1631 and was completed in 22 years.
Twenty thousand people were deployed
to work on it. An Iranian architect
designed it and it is best appreciated
when the architecture and its
adornments are linked to the passion
that inspired it. It is a "symbol of
eternal love".
Having buried her down at Behrampur,
it was time for the emperor to keep
his promise and build a tomb there
itself. But by and by, it was felt
that it was virtually impossible to
transfer all the marble there, as it
would cost an entire fortune and an
entire lifetime. So, when Agra was
chosen as the only alternative,
astonishingly her grave was uprooted
and brought to Agra, only to be
finally transferred to the monument,
completed twenty-two years later.
After Taj we will visit Agra Fort,
which was built by Akbar in 1525 AD.
After Agra Fort we will visit Baby Taj
- The interiors of which are
considered better than the Taj.Spend
night at Agra.
Day 12:
Agra - Jhansi - Khajuraho
Proceed to station for train to Jhansi
after early breakfast.Reach Jhansi and
proceed to Khajuraho.
Situated in the northernmost part of
Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is famous
for its enchanting temples and its
legendary Khajuraho dance festival.
The name Khajuraho is derived from the
Khajur tree (the date palm tree),
which is grown abundantly in the
region. The Khajuraho Temples are
dedicated to a celebration of
womanhood, her myriad moods and
facets. Famous for its erotic
architecture, the carvings include,
women writing a letter, applying eye
makeup, combing her tresses, dancing &
playing with her child. Her innocent,
blushed, charming, seductive, ardent
beauty, all depicted in exquisitely
sculptured details. These temples have
been designed and carved to lead the
eyes from ground level upward till you
seem to be looking at heaven.
Reach Khajuraho. Transferred to hotel
and relax. Enjoy the Light And Sound
Show in the Western Temples.Evening
will be free. Overnight will be at
Khajuraho.
Day 13:
Khajuraho - Varanasi
Book this Tour
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Proceed for a Morning Tour of the
temples. Transfer in time to airport
for flight to Varanasi. Upon arrival
at Varanasi, you will be met and
transferred to hotel.
Picturesquely situated on the crescent
shaped left bank of the holy River
Ganges, Varanasi, one of the ancient
seats of learning in India, is said to
be a compound of the names of two
streams, the Varuna and the Asi, which
still flow in the north and south of
the city respectively. This name seems
to have been corrupted, in medieval
times to Varanasi, which was in use
till May 1956, when it was changed to
Varanasi, by an order of the
Government of India. Varanasi is
probably one of the most ancient
living cities in India. From time
immemorial it has been a great
religious center for Hindus and one of
their most sacred places of
pilgrimage, being visited by millions
of people every year. To every visitor
Varanasi offers a breathtaking
experience. The rays of the dawn
shimmering across the Ganges; the
high-banks; the temples and shrines
along the banks bathed in a golden hue
.soul stirring hymns and mantras along
with the fragrance of incense filling
the air.and the refreshing dip in the
holy waters gently splashing at the
Ghats. Varanasi - The land where
experience and discovery reach the
ultimate bliss. Varanasi is also
renowned for its rich tapestry of
music, arts, crafts and education.
Some of the world - renowned exponents
India has produced in these fields
were schooled in Varanasi's cultural
ethos.
Visit 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.
Spend the evening shopping in the
lanes of Varanasi. Overnight will be
at Varanasi.
Day 14: Varanasi - Delhi
Proceed in the morning 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.
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.
Return to hotel for a sumptuous
breakfast.
Proceed for day guided tour of
Varanasi including the Bharat Mata
Temple, which features a big relief
map of Mother India engraved in
marble. Also visit the 18th century
Durga Temple, commonly known as the
Monkey Temple due to the huge
population of the monkeys. Proceed to
the Tulsi Manas Temple, crafted from
white marble, which features the
entire Ramayana inscribed on its
walls. Also visit the Banaras Hindu
University considered as the biggest
residential university in Asia. The
University Campus houses an Art
Gallery and the Mosque of Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb.
Transfer to airport for flight to
Delhi. |