Unforgettable India

Day 1 : Arrival At Delhi
Arrive Delhi Namaste! We are welcomed the traditional Indian way with hands clapped together. Arrival at Delhi Airport, and you are in India. After immigration and custom formalities, we are assisted and driven through the city to our hotel. Overnight: Hotel Taj Mahal, Delhi (2 nights)

Day 2 : Delhi
Delhi The capital of India is a true reflection of the old and new of India. We start our morning tour with New Delhi and visit first the famous India Gate followed by the Houses of Parliament, Connaught Place and the Qutb Minar - a perfect minaret towering 102 meters/112 yards into the sky. New Delhi is a blend of Moghul India, Hindu India, British India and, certainly, modern independent India. Our afternoon concentrates on Old Delhi, starting with the famous Red Fort. Built by Shah Jehan, this was once the most opulent fort of the Moghul Empire. Next we visit another Moghul majesty, the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, followed by the Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. We end our tour with a bazaar experience at Chandni Chawlk, the street of silver and goldsmiths.

Day 3 : Tour to Varanasi
Delhi/Varanasi (Flight) A short flight conveys us to Varanasi, a city holy to the three major religions in India, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Upon arrival in this serene city, we tour Sarnath, the site of Lord Buddha’s first sermon after attaining enlightenment. At Sarnath we meet many Buddhist monks and followers before visiting local homes to see in-home silk weaving and soak up some local customs, culture and hospitality. Varanasi is famous for its Banarsi silk sarees. Evening is free for us to wander the city and the bazaars. Overnight: Taj Varanasi, Varanasi (1 night)

Day 4 : Visit to Agra
Varanasi/Agra (Flight) Early morning a serene experience begins as we take a sunrise cruise on the River Ganges. One of the cardinal principles of Hinduism is the belief of the holiness of the Ganges and every morning scores of pilgrim and priests fill the riverbanks performing the holy dip and other rituals. This is a site that has to be seen and experienced so different from anything else you may have seen anywhere in the world. From here we visit the nearby temples before taking a short flight to another Indian highlight, Agra – the city that houses the most famous monument, the Taj Mahal. Overnight: Taj View, Agra (2 nights)

Day 5 : Agra
Agra Morning we start our tour with the Taj Mahal, a world Heritage Site. Built by Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj is built of white marble, beautifully carved and inlaid with semi-precious stones. Next we visit Agra Fort, also a World Heritage Site, where Shah Jehan was imprisoned by his son in the later years of his life to prevent him from spending the family fortunes on a black echo of the Taj Mahal. Afternoon is free to shop for the Taj replicas; wood works and leather goods that the descendants of the builders of the Taj are still famous for.

Day 6 : Jaipur
Agra/Jaipur (Drive 235kms / 145miles) A short drive gets us to the World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri, the beautiful capital built in 1640 by the Moghul king, Akbar the Great and was later abandoned for lack of water. A superb example of Moghul architecture, it stands perfectly preserved in the desert. We also visit the artistically designed mausoleum of Salim Chisty who is reputed to have prayed for a son for Akbar leading to the birth of Salim Jehangir. From here we continue on a scenic countryside drive to Jaipur, the rose pink capital of Rajasthan. Overnight: Jai Mahal Palace , Jaipur (2 nights)

Day 7 : Jaipur
Jaipur A royal experience awaits us as we take an elephant ride uphill to the intriguing Amber Palace, a distinguished example of 17th Century Rajput architecture. After enjoying the panoramic view, we return to Jaipur to visit the old astronomical observatory built by Jai Singh who founded the city. We also visit the majestic Palace, which houses a rare collection of Indian art, and the colourful bazaar. Jaipur is noted for its craftsmen, skilled in brass inlay, lacquer work and stone setting. Most of the buildings in the old city are made of pink sandstone. One of the most beautiful is Hawa Mahal, Palace of Winds, where the ladies of the royal harem used to watch the city from behind the intricately carved facade. Evening is free to enjoy both shopping and a cultural experience in the bazaars of Jaipur.


Day 8 : Udaipur
Jaipur/Udaipur (Flight) Today we take a short flight to Udaipur. If Jaipur is a study in pink, Udaipur is a vision in white. The City of Dawn, surrounded by the ancient Aravali Mountains and set on the edge of three lakes, is a brilliant kaleidoscope of narrow lanes flanked by bright stalls, gardens, lakes, palaces and temples. Eight marble porticos mark the spot where the Mewar sovereigns were weighed in gold, the equivalent value of which was then distributed to the poor. Within the City Palace are several architectural and artistic highlights such as the Mor Chowk, known for its stunning peacock mosaics and the Bhim Vilas Palace with its series of lovely wall paintings. The most memorable parts of Udaipur are its lake palaces, shimmering like jewels on Lake Pichola. Jag Mandir, the other island palace with a marble dome, is a marvel in red sandstone. It was a refuge for the Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan when he was in exile following a quarrel with his father, Emperor Jahangir. We enjoy a nice cruise with sightseeing on the Bby Lake before we are transferred to the railways station to board our home for the next four days. On board the Royal Orient we are pampered like royalty, as we make our way to Gujarat, the birth province of Mahatma Gandhi. Overnight: Royal Orient Train (4 nights)

Day 9 : Ahmedabad
Udaipur/Ahmedabad (Royal Orient Train) Our train takes us to Mahesana, where we visit the early 11th Century Sun Temple at Modhera. The exterior of the sanctum has many carved images of the Sun God and exemplifies a distinct Persian influence. Here we also visit the Rani Ka Vav and Patola Weaving Centre at Patan for a chance to see the local economy at work. Continuing to Ahmedabad, we tour Gandhi’s Ashram, the Adalaj Stepwell, Textile Museum, and Sidi Sayyed’s Mosque

Day 10 : In Ahmedabad
Sasan Gir/ Veraval (Royal Orient Train) Today we depart for Sasan Gir where, if we are lucky, we may get to see the Asiatic Lions at the Sanctuary before continuing on to Delwada, Ahmedpur-Mandvi Beach and Veraval. We visit the artistically designed Portuguese Fort and St. Paul’s Church before we embark on our rail journey to Palitana.

Day 11 : Palitana/Sarkhej/Udaipur
Palitana/Sarkhej/Udaipur (Royal Orient Train) We arrive in Palitana and after breakfast visit the 863 Jain Temples at the summit of Shartunjaya Hills (3572 steps to be climbed or use sedan chairs, which can be rented locally). We also visit the traditional Vishala village before we return for our last Overnight: train journey to Udaipur

Day 12: Udaipur/Bombay (Mumbai)
Udaipur/Bombay (Mumbai) (Flight) We have some time for shopping in Udaipur before we are transferred to the airport for short flight to Bombay where we are welcomed and transferred to our hotel. Overnight: Hotel Taj Mahal, Bombay (1 night)

Day 13 : Bombay
Bombay Bombay, now Mumbai, is one of the most populated cities in the world. Our tour of Bombay starts with the most picturesque Gateway of India - the landmark archway followed by an intriguing site of the world’s largest open-air laundry, the artistically designed Jain Temple, the beautiful Marine Drive, Hanging Gardens and the Prince of Wales Museum. Evening is free to enjoy the many cultural performances that this large metropolitan city offers. Overnight: Transit

Day 14 : Depart Bombay
Depart Bombay After our Northern Raj Tour, we are transferred to the airport for our flight back home or for the continuation of your tour of the Southern Raj, follow its itinerary where Day 1 represents Day 14 of the combined tour.



Tour Ends