Journey to the Ganges
Duration : 13 Nights / 14 daysTour Destination : New Delhi - Mandawa - Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Khajuraho - Orcha - Varanasi - Lucknow - Delhi
Day 01 : Arrive New Delhi
Namaste! We are warmly greeted the traditional Indian way with hands together.
Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 02 : New 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.
Day 03 : Old Delhi
Our tour of Old Delhi takes us back to the reign of the Mughuls 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.
Day 04 : Delhi / Mandawa (Drive 242 km/6 hours)
This morning we head off for the colourful province of Rajasthan. This journey provides us with our first exposure to the countryside and rural life of India. Afternoon we take a tour of this rural and feudal center of the country. Mandawa is located in the Shekawati region of Northwest Rajasthan and consists of heritage buildings of the feudal lords called havelis. The town has an air of serenity and royal prestige. We meet the local folks, who maintain an air of dignity in their style and culture. Evening we visit the colourful Mandawa bazaar followed by dinner the Rajput style at the Castle. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 05 : Mandawa / Jaipur (Drive 167 kms/4 hours)
Driving through the Rajasthani country we head south for the famous city of Jaipur. En route we stop to take pictures and meet the local people in the various villages along our way. Jaipur is famous as the pink city and it is the capital of Rajasthan. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 06 : 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.
Day 07 : Jaipur / Fatehpur Sikri / Agra (Drive 235kms/5 hours).A short drive gets us to Fatehpur Sikri, the beautiful capital built in 1640 by the Mughal King, Akbar the Great. A superb example of Mughal architecture, it stands perfectly preserved in the desert having been abandoned by its inhabitants due to a lack of water. 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. We arrive in Agra in time for a delicious dinner. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 08 : 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.
Day 09 : Agra / Khajuraho (Train) / Orrcha / Khajuraho (Drive 172Kms/3 hours)
Today we board the famous Shatabdi Express Train to Jhansi then continue by coach to visit Orchha, an amazing medieval fortress-city located on the shores of the Betwa River. After our visit of Orchha we proceed to Khajuraho, home of splendid temples. Evening we may enjoy an optional Sound and Light Show. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 10 : Khajuraho / Varanasi (Flight)
Our Khajuraho visit begins with the series of temples that have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The temples were built during the apogee of the Chandella dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. Today only about 20 temples remain and they fall into three distinct groups and belong to two different religions - Hinduism and Jainism. The Kandariya is decorated with a profusion of sculptures that are among the greatest masterpieces of Indian art. These beautiful temples strike a perfect balance between architecture and sculpture. After our sightseeing of Khajuraho we take a short flight to the holy city of Varanasi – amongst the oldest living cities on the Sub Continent. We start our Varanasi experience with a visit to the old part of the city and Bharat Mata Temple which houses a huge relief map of India made of marble. Varanasi is famous for its many temples and today we cover the Durga temple, the Tulsi Manas Mandir beside the Banaras Hindu University and the Mosque of Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb. Varanasi is also famous for its Banarasi silk sarees and we visit some of the houses where they are woven. Evening is free to enjoy this 5000-year-old city and experience sunset on the Ganges. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 11 : Varanasi / Lucknow (Drive 320Km/7 hours)
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 in the holiness of the Ganges and every morning scores of pilgrim and priests fill the riverbanks performing the holy dip and various other rituals. This is a site that has to be seen and experienced as it is so different from anything 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.
After visiting Sarnath we return to the Hotel for checkout and later we head for Lucknow. Lucknow, the capital city of State of Uttar Pradesh, is one of the most famous historic cities of India, famous for its architectural grandeur, silks, perfumes, jewelry, mouth-watering cuisines, and Nawabi etiquettes. Overnight stay at Hotel.Day 12 : Lucknow
After breakfast, enjoy a day long city tour of Lucknow visiting the Chota and Bada Imam Bara, Bhulbhulaiya (one of the largest vaunted halls of the world) and the La Martiniere School. We also visit Lucknow Residency. Though the air is silent but traveling down the lanes of memories, one can still hear the resounding war cries from all directions, the canon balls shelling the walls and the snipers firing with perfect aim at the high flying Union Jack. The piece-de-resistance this is The Lucknow Residency - ready for the siege.
The sun had set for the British Empire, there was an all out siege of the Residency, that continued for nearly five months, taking the life of 2197 defenders including British and Indian. What was left of this majestic building built by Nawab Asif-ud-Daula in the year 1775, were the broken walls with marks of bullets and cannon balls. The museum at the Residency houses an impressive collection of firearms, lithographs and paintings. One can well spend hours in the complex strolling among the roofless walls and reading the epitaphs on the graves in the cemetery. In the evening, enjoy a unique and exciting Tonga ride (horse drawn carriage) through the famous Meena bazaar and a delicious Dinner with the present Nawab of Lucknow, who is the descendent of Nawab Asif Ud Daula (subject to availability of the Nawab). Here we also get an opportunity to know more about the cuisines of Lucknow.
Day 13 : Lucknow / Delhi (Express Deluxe Train)/7 hours
Morning free for shopping – Lucknow is famous for it’s bazaars and the tradition of bargaining with poetry often being thrown in as part of the negotiating tool. Early afternoon we are transferred to the Railway Station to board the express and luxury Shatabdi Train to Delhi. Evening Tea & Dinner is served on board the train. Upon arrival at Delhi we are met and transferred to our hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 14 : Delhi / Home (Flight)
Today we bid farewell to India after what will have been an excellent experience of a culture that is as old as history.
