Day 01: Arrival at 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
Start
a Full 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
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
Houseand the President's Residence and would end with a drive through the
Diplomatic Enclave.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 03:
Delhi - Jaipur
By Road : 260 km/6 hr.
Breakfast will be at
hotel. Drive to Jaipur.
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 its character and history - A beautiful fusion of the
yesteryears and modernity. It is 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.
Reach Jaipur and check in at hotel. Shopping and relax in
the evening. Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day 04: Jaipur
Proceed
for morning excursion will be taken to the Amber Fort. Ride to the Fort 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.
Afternoon sightseeing tour
of Jaipur visiting...
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.
Free in the evening or roam the city.
Overnight
will be at Jaipur.
Day 05: Jaipur - Agra
By Road
: 221 km/6 hr.
Drive to Agra visiting Fatehpur Sikri en-route after
breakfast.
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. Overnight will be at Agra.
Day
06: Agra
Proceed for sightseeing of Agra after breakfast.
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.
Overnight will be at Agra.
Day
07: Agra - Jhansi - Khajuraho
By Train : Train Name : Bhopal
Shatabdi Express
Train No. : 2002
Departure : 0800 hr
Arrival :
1024 hr
Breakfast will be at hotel. You will be transferred to station
for train to Jhansi.
Reach Jhansi and proceed to Orchha, 12 km away.
Orchha
- A medieval city founded by bundela rulers with palaces and temples of the
16th and 17th century - which have remarkably withstood the onslaught of
time. The city is picturesquely flanked by the river betwa.
Proceed for
sightseeing of ORCHHA sites within the Fort Complex. Enjoy your lunch at
Orchha.
Continue drive to Khajuraho.
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, honoured by the world
as india's unique contribution to human civilisation. The chandela dynasty
built eighty-five temples here. 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 temples of khajuraho is a
world heritage site and belong not just to india but to the world. Khajuraho
is one of the few millennium destinations of the world.
Reach Khajuraho.
Transferred to hotel and relax. Evening will be free or you can go out for a
stroll. Overnight will be at Khajuraho.
Day 08: Khajuraho
- Varanasi
By Air Flight : 9W 334
Airline : Jet Airways
Departure
: 1330 hr
Arrival : 1410 hr
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Proceed
for a tour of the FAMOUS TEMPLES of Khajuraho.
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 riverfront, as seen from a boat, can be spiritually
uplifting sight. Crowded with temples, and its 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 the city is at the confluence of the rivers
varuna and asi.
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.
Overnight
will be at Varanasi.
Day 09: Varanasi
Drive to
Daswamedh Ghat early in the morning 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.
Proceed for a half day-guided tour of Varanasi
including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Gyanvapi Mosque, Benaras Hindu
University and other important monuments.
Spend night at Varanasi.
Day
10: Varanasi - Delhi
By Air Flight : 9W 334 Airline : Jet
Airways Departure : 1440 hr Arrival : 1600 hr Breakfast will be served at
the hotel. Relax in the morning and finish last minute shopping. Explore the
city or visit the GHATS once more.
Proceed to the airport for flight to
Delhi.
Reach Delhi and take connecting flight home.