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Day 01 : Arrive Delhi
Meet and assist by our representative upon
your arrival at the airport. Then drive to
your hotel with your driver and car. Night in
hotel.
Day 02 : Delhi
In the morning after breakfast a city tour of
this imperial British capital of the 20th
century introduces us to the Qutub Minar - the
tallest free standing minaret in stone in the
world; then onto Humayun's tomb - the first
Mughal construction in India from 1565 AD.
Also see the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the India
Gate built in the earlier half of the 20th
century. Drive through the old city past the
Red Fort and visit the Jama Masjid - the
biggest of its kind in India. Here take a
rickshaw through the winding streets of the
old city to see the life of the people in this
part of the world. A perfect introduction of
your tour. The rickshaw puller pulls you
through the imperial avenue the Chandni Chowk
where you will find each and every small
business under the sky. Finally, reach Rajghat,
the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, where your
chauffeur is waiting for you to take you to
your next stop the Birla Mandir, a Hindu
temple in activity.
Day 03 : Delhi - Mandawa
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After breakfast leave Delhi for Mandawa
enroute visiting Mahensar. Upon arrival in
Mandawa check into your hotel.
Day 04 : Mandawa - Bikaner ( 180km )
In the morning see this beautiful village
of Shekhawati that used to be an important
caravanserai of the yesteryears. See the many
havelis of this quaint little town built by
the rich and the famous merchants of the 18th
and 19th centuries. These havelis have been
painted with activities of daily life and of
deities to break the monotony of the desert
life.
Then proceed towards Bikaner. Visit the
Junagarh fort museum today withy its rich and
splendid collection from the royal family.
Day 05 : Bikaner - Pokaran - Jaisalmer (
330km )
After breakfast we set towards our journey
across the Thar Desert to reach Pokaran for
lunch. Visit the 15th century fortress where
the 3rd Mughal emperor, Akbar the Great, was
born in 1543. The bazaar in the middle of this
village is very colourful and full of local
flavours. After lunch continue towards
Jaisalmer and arrive by evening to witness the
sunset over the desert with the most imposing
edifice of the town behind you.
Day 06 : Jaisalmer
Morning an exclusive visit of the Jain temples
inside the Sonar Kila.. The Jains are a
community that respects life and are pure
vegetarians by religion. Visit the citadel's
palace that houses a museum with a huge
collection of robes and artifacts from the
royal family of Jaisalmer. Visit the Patwaon
ki haveli with intricately designed latticed
windows used by the ladies to view the
external world. Also see the Gadisar
Lake.Later, we go to Sam or Khuri village.
Here we have loads of excitement in store for
you. Upon arrival in the village you will be
taken to the nearby sunset point on the dunes
to see the sunset by camel carts. After sunset
listen to the haunted tunes of the local music
and return to your hotel. A lifetime
experience.
Day 07 : Jaisalmer - Luni ( 320km )
Today we reach Jodhpur the blue city by early
afternoon and drive up to the majestic
Mehrangarh fort, the stronghold of the Rathore
princes from 1453AD. We see the superb
collection of paintings and arms and
ammunitions. The view of the city from the
rampart walls is breath taking.
Post lunch session introduces you to the
fabulous spice market of Jodhpur the 2nd
largest city in Rajasthan. Walk along the
market to feel the odours of the spices
filling the air around you.
Then go to Mandore gardens the then capital of
Marwar to view some of the fabulous cenotaphs
and the hall of local heroes of the wars.
Drive back to Jodhpur and see the Umaid Bhawan
Palace, the present residence of the king of
Jodhpur. Later an hours drive brings us to the
world of animals - Luni, the palace amidst the
more rustic life of Rajasthan. Retire to your
hotel and relax.
Day 08 : Luni - Ranakpur - Udaipur ( 290km
)
After breakfast we take you on a safari to
discover the hidden beauty of the jungle life.
Here you would be visiting the Bishnoi
villages. Bishnois are a tribe that respects
life in every form - animals trees and even
dead branches. They are vegetarians and even
in the villages they protect the animal life
and don't let anybody practice hunting in the
vicinity of their villages. They live in a
joint family system where the oldest member is
generally the head of the family.
Then we would like you to witness the opium
ceremony with the Patels - a rich tribe. It is
a ceremony prevelant in this part of Rajasthan
where the youth offers opium to drink mixed
with water to the elders of the family when
they come back from work in the fields.
Leave Luni and reach Ranakpur a big pilgrimage
centre for the Jains. Just four hours drive
from Luni is the eternal Jain pilgrimage
centre of Ranakpur. Admire the workmanship
from the 16th century. The temples are built
out of marble and the main shrine of Adinath
with 1444 columns is awe inspiring and none of
these are similar. Also see the sun temple and
the other temples in the campus. Proceed
towards Udaipur and on the way stop by the
fields to see the local way of farming and
irrigation. Walk into the villages to mingle
with the locals around to know more about
their lifestyle.
Reach Udaipur by late evening and check into
your hotel.
Day 09 : Udaipur
Visit the City Palace the richest palace
museum in the entire Rajasthan. See the
peacock square and the miniature painting
school inside the palace premises. Udaipur has
the prestige of housing the best miniature
schools in the country under the royal
patronage of the king of Udaipur. Later see
the temples of Nagda and Eklingji.
The temple at Eklingji is a temple that
belongs to the Maharana of Mewar (royal
family) and he is often there to pray. The
temple complexe of Nagda is a group of temples
of which only two remain intact and those are
that of Saas and Bahu - two temples of Shiva
and of Vishnu both from the 7th century.
Day 10 : Udaipur - Jaipur ( By flight )
Leave your hotel after breakfast for the
domestic airport to catch the flight to the
Pink City: Jaipur.
After lunch at your hotel visit the local
bazaar and the gems cutting and polishing
factory.
Day 11 : Jaipur
Visit the Amber fort in the morning; included
is an elephant ride at the Amber fort. See the
marvelous Shish mahal built in the 17th
century in a fusion style of Hindu and Islamic
art. Also see the hall of public audiences and
Maharaja Man Singh's Palace who had twelve
queens.
After lunch set off to see the Pink city
visiting the observatory Jantar Mantar built
in 1727 by Sawai Maharaja Jai Singh II who was
a mathematician , an astronomer an astrologer
and a great musician of his era. He built five
observatories throughout India - Jaipur,
Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura and Delhi but only
the one at Jaipur is functional.
Then visit the City Palace of the Maharaja of
Jaipur with a fabulous collection of robes and
saris in cotton and silk with golden latticed
work. The City Palace houses a collection of
paintings also in the painting gallery and of
course a collection of arms and ammunitions in
the ammunition gallery.
Day 12 : Jaipur -Fatehpur Sikri - Agra (
230km )
Leave Jaipur and reach Fatehpur Sikri by early
afternoon. Visit this abandoned city built by
the Mughal emperor Akbar in the second half of
the 16th century. Fatehpur Sikri was built by
Akbar after his Hindu wife bore him the long
awaited son who was born after the renowned
sufi saint Salim Chisti blessed Jodhabai
Akbar's hindu wifewith a son. Also visit
Jodhabai's palace the biggest palace in
Fatehpur Sikri even bigger than the emperor's
palace himself as this was the queen who bore
him his heir to the throne.
Continue towards Agra and reach Agra by early
evening. Relax at your hotel or go to the
local bazaar to see the lifestyle of the
people.
Day 13 : Agra
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Taj Mahal is awaiting your arrival today
morning. A must see with the rising sun as the
Taj Mahal is bathed in the golden rays of the
morning sun. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a
white marble memorial that houses the tomb of
his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument
took 22 years to be completed and was
designed, and planned by Persian architect
Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design,
balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also
noted particularly for its elegant domes,
intricately carved screens and some of the
best inlay work ever seen anywhere in the
world.
Then see the Agra Fort built by Akbar where
Shahjahan was imprisoned by his own son
Aurangzeb.
Post lunch visit Itmad ud Daulah - it is the
first mughal building built out completely of
marble. In many contexts it is referred to
being the predecessor of the Taj Mahal. Then
visit Sikandara the tomb of the great emperor
Akbar before continuing towards Delhi. Upon
arrival in Delhi transfer to a local
restaurant for your farewell dinner and
finally transfer to the international airport
for your flight back home.
Day 14 : Agra - Delhi
Leave Agra after a leisurely breakfast and
reach Delhi by evening. After a brief wash and
change you would be taken to a local
restaurant for a farewell dinner. |