Golden Triangle Tour with Varanasi
Tour Durations : 12 Nights / 13 DaysTour Destination : Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Lucknow
Day 1 : Arrive Delhi
Namaste! We are warmly greeted the traditional Indian way with hands together. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 2 : Delhi
The capital of India is a true reflection of the old and new of India. We visit the famous India Gate followed by the Houses of Parliament, Connaught Place and the Qutb Minar - a perfect minaret towering 102 m into the sky. New Delhi is an exotic blend of Mughal, Hindu, British and modern independent India. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 3 : Delhi
Our tour of Old Delhi takes us back to the reign of the Moghuls with the famous Red Fort. Built by Shah Jehan, this was once the most opulent fort of the Mughal Empire. Next we visit the majestic 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. Evening is free to enjoy an optional Sound and Light Show at the Delhi Red Fort. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 4 : Delhi / Jaipur (drive 260 kms / 156 mi)
An interesting drive conveys us to Jaipur, the rose pink capital of Rajasthan. En-route we visit Sikandra, the burial site of Akbar the Great. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 5 : Jaipur
We are treated like the royalty of yesteryear with an elephant ride to the intriguing Amber Palace, a distinguished example of 17th Century Rajput architecture. Next we visit the old astronomical observatory, the Palace, home to a rare collection of Indian art and Hawa Mahal, the most prominent of the buildings in the pink city. We end the day at the colourful bazaar. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 6 : Jaipur / Agra (drive 235 km / 145 mi)
Today we drive to the World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri, the beautiful capital built in 1640 by the Mughal King Akbar the Great and later abandoned for lack of water. A superb example of Mughal 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, the builder of the Taj. After our visit here we continue to the city home of the world famous Taj Mahal. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 7 : Agra
Our tour of Agra begins with the spectacular Taj Mahal, probably the best known 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 followed by Agra town and bazaar. Later we have free time for shopping for replicas of the Taj, handicrafts and various other curios that the descendants of the builders of the Taj are famous for crafting. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 8 : Agra / Khajuraho (Train and road)Today we board the famous Shatabdi Express Train to Jhansi and continue by coach to visit Orchha, an amazing medieval fortress-city located on the shores of the Betwa River. After our visit to Orchha we proceed to Khajuraho. Here we visit the temples built during the apogee of the Chandella dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. Today only 20 temples remain and these fall into three distinct groups, belonging to two different religions - Hinduism and Jainism. Theses beautiful temples strike a perfect balance between architecture and sculpture. The Kandariya, the most exquisite of the temples, is decorated with a profusion of sculptures recognized as masterpieces of Indian art. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 9 : Khajuraho
Today we visit the world famous erotic sculptures in Khajuraho that were built by the Chandela Kings between 95 and 1050 AD. The most important ones include the Mahadev Temple, Chitragupta, Vishvanath and Nandi Temples. Our afternoon is free to wander in the traditional bazaars of Khajuraho. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 10 : Khajuraho / Varanasi (flight)
After further sightseeing in Khajuraho we take a short flight to the holy city of Varanasi. This afternoon we tour the oldest city of India visiting Bharat Mata Temple, home to a large marble relief map of India, the Durga temple, and the Tulsi Manas Mandir. Banaras Hindu Univeristy, which has an Art Gallery and the Mosque of Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb. This evening is free to explore the city's amazing bazaars. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 11: Varanasi / Lucknow (Train)
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 pilgrims and priests fill the riverbanks performing the holy dip and other rituals. This is a site that has to be seen and experienced as it so different from anything else one may have seen anywhere else in the world. Later 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. Later we embark on a cultural experience as we take our train to Lucknow. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 12 : Lucknow / Delhi (Shatabdi Express train)
Lucknow is a city that reflects the last remains of the Mughal Raj within its lifestyle, dress, customs and architecture. After soaking up the atmosphere of the city, we visit the narrow lanes of the colorful bazaar before embarking on our train journey to Delhi. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 13 : Depart New Delhi / Home
Today is free for shopping and personal pursuits. In the evening we are transferred to the airport for our flight back home or to connect to another Indian adventure in the South or East of the country.
