Day 01 Arrive Delhi
On your arrival at the airport you will be received with a warm and
traditional welcome by a representative of the tour agent. You are then
driven to your hotel for overnight stay.
Day 02 Delhi - Mandawa
After breakfast you are out for a city tour of Delhi. You visit the famous
monuments of the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, and Qutub Minar. The greenery
around Rajghat and the India Gate will surely soothe your weary eyes. The
splendour of the Mughal Gardens, in the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex, will
take your breath away. You are also taken to the splendid Lotus Temple as
well as the Birla Mandir. After lunch you proceed towards Mandawa and upon
arrival check in at your hotel.
Day 03 Mandawa - Bikaner
In the morning, the guide takes you to the beautiful village of
Shekhawati, an important caravanserai of the years gone by. Here, you will
be delighted at the sight of the numerous havelis built by the rich and
the famous merchants of the 18th and 19th centuries. The havelis are
embellished with paintings reflecting the daily life of the desert of
deities whom the people worship.
Thereafter, you fare towards Bikaner. Its lunch time and you must be
quite hungry. But dont worry- you are in Bikaner now. Here you see the
Junagarh Fort, a royal museum that encompasses history of Bikaner from its
days of construction dating back to the 16th century. Later, you have a
unique experience at the camel breeding farm. In the evening you are free
to wander in the busy market area of the city centre. Stay in a hotel
overnight.
Day 04 Bikaner - Pokharan - Jaisalmer
After breakfast you will invariably drive across the Thar Desert to reach
Pokharan. You visit the 15th century fortress where the 3rd Mughal
emperor, Akbar the Great, was born in 1543. The colourful market in the
middle of this village is full of local flavours. After lunch at Pokharan,
you continue towards Jaisalmer. By evening, you arrive at Jaisalmer to see
the sun go down over the sands of the desert. Overnight at hotel.
Day 05 Jaisalmer
The morning hours will be spent in a fabulous visit to the Jain temples
inside the Sonar Quila. The palace inside this bastion houses a museum
displaying a rich collection of robes and artifacts from the royal family
of Jaisalmer. Afterwards, you are guided to the Patwaon ki haveli, which
is characterised by intricately designed latticed windows. The Gadisar
Lake will offer you some memorable views.
In the later half of the day, you will be visiting the exciting Sam or
Khuri village. Upon arrival in the village you embark upon a camel cart
ride to reach the nearby sunset point on the dunes to see the sunset.
After sunset you are back in the village where your stay is arranged in
mud huts. In the evening the performance of the local artists and
musicians will surely enthrall you.
Day 06 Jaisalmer - Jodhpur
By early afternoon you are in Jodhpur. After lunch, as you take a walk
along the flourishing spice market here, you are left spellbound by the
aroma of the rich variety of spices. You are then taken to Mandore
gardens, the erstwhile capital of Marwar. The view of the fabulous
cenotaphs and the hall of local heroes of the wars is quite impressive.
You drive back to Jodhpur to savour the grandeur of the Umaid Bhawan
Palace, the present residence of the king of Jodhpur. Back to your hotel
to retire for the night.
Day 07 Jodhpur - Mount Abu
This morning we set out to explore the contrast of the desert- Mount Abu-
the lone hill station in Rajasthan. Situated at an altitude of 1200metres,
it is home to a number of Jain temples and is an important Jain
pilgrimage. We pay a visit to the Delwara Jain temple complex, which
houses temples dating back to the 11th century. Later see picturesque
Nakki lake and then enjoy the sunset from the sunset point. Overnight at
hotel.
Day 08 Mount Abu - Ranakpur - Udaipur
Early in the morning we bid goodbye to Abu and reach Ranakpur after a 4hr
drive. This is another great Jain pilgrimage centre. You cant help
admiring the temples, built out of marble. The main shrine of Adinath,
with its 1444 columns, will certainly leave you wonderstruck. Also see the
sun temple and the other temples in the campus. Then we drive towards
Udaipur and make a stopover at the fields to see the local way of farming
and irrigation. By late evening you reach Udaipur and check in at your
hotel.
Day 09 Udaipur
After breakfast at the hotel, you are guided to the exquisite City
Palace, the richest palace museum in the entire Rajasthan. Inside the
palace premises, you see the peacock square and visit the miniature
painting school. Later, we pay a visit to the temples of Nagada and
Eklingji.
Day 10 Udaipur - Chittorgarh
This morning we head towards Chittorgarh, the erstwhile capital of the
Maharanas of Mewar. Here, you will be charmed by the Kumbha Palace and the
Meera temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna. You also make a worthwhile visit
to the tower of Victory, erected by Rana Kumbha in the 15th century after
winning a series of battles. Later visit Maharani Padmini's palace. Stay
for the night at a hotel.
Day 11 Chittorgarh - Pushkar - Ajmer - Jaipur
Early in the morning we start our journey towards the holiest cities of
Rajasthan- Pushkar and Ajmer. Pushkar holds its sanctity on account of the
legend that Lord Brahma (the Creator) and his wife Saraswati (the godess
of learning and music) performed a ritual in the lake here. We pay a visit
to the lone Brahma temple of the world and thereafter intermingle with the
local colours in the local bazaar. The cattle fair of Pushkar, held every
year in the month of October/November, has received world wide renown.
We then drive for another 11 kms to arrive at Ajmer, the holy city of the
Muslims. The first place you visit here is the Dargah or tomb of the great
Sufi saint Khwaja Moin- ud- Din Chisti. This followed by a visit to Mughal
Emperor Akbar's Palace where his son Jehangir received Sir Thomas Roe to
grant permission of trade to East India Company. By late evening we arrive
at Jaipur and check in at the.
Day 12 Jaipur
The morning hours is preoccupied with a visit to the Amber fort and
elephant ride inside the fort. The Shish Mahal, built in the 17th century
in a fusion style of Hindu and Islamic art, will surely mesmerize you.
Also see the hall of public audiences and Maharaja Man Singh's Palace who
had twelve queens.
After lunch, we head for the Pink city to see the 18th century
astronomical observatory, Jantar Mantar and the splendiferous City Palace
of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Inside the palace you are bound to be awestruck
by the collection of exquisite paintings, royal costumes, jewellery and
arms and ammunitions. Stay for the night at your hotel.
Day 13 Jaipur - Ranthambore
After breakfast we set out for Ranthambore National Park and check in at
the hotel in Sawai Madhopur. From there you are taken on safari to spot
the tigers in this park. Apart from tigers you will also see a number of
other wild species like monkeys, langurs and alligators along with motley
of birds.
Day 14 Ranthambore
The entire day- from morning to evening- will be spent in breathtaking
views of natures splendour as reflected in the variety of flora and
fauna.
Day 15 Ranthambhore- Fatehpur Sikri - Agra
In the morning we leave Ranthambore and buzz off towards Fatehpur Sikri.
By early afternoon we are in this abandoned city built by the Mughal
emperor Akbar. The city is a virtual poetry written in red sandstone. The
sights of the Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, Diwani-aam and Jodi Bais
palace will inspire awe in you. After this we continue towards Agra and
reach the city by early evening. Relax at your hotel or go to the local
bazaar to see the lifestyle of the people. Overnight at a hotel.
Day 16 Agra
The morning holds immense charms for you. You will be besmirched at the
sight of the Taj Mahal basking in the rays of the morning sun. The
intricate designs and elegant dome sof this monument of love will
certainly cast a spell on you. Then you will be guided to the Agra Fort,
another architectural marvel of the Mughals. After lunch you are right in
front of the tomb of Itimad ud Daulah - the first mughal building built
out completely of marble, a precursor to the Taj. Finally, you visit
Sikandra, the tomb of the Akbar the Great. You are back in your hotel to
spend the night.
Day 17 Agra - Gwalior
After breakfast we move to the railway station to catch the Shatabdi
Express which departs for Gwalior at 0800hrs. We reach this erstwhile
bastion of the Scindias at 0920hrs and check in at the hotel. Immediately
after lunch you start your tour of the city. Among the sights seen, the
Gwalior Fort, the Scindia Palace, the Gurjari Mahal, and the tombs of
Ghaus Mohammed and Tansen will certainly impress you. Overnight at hotel.
Day 18 Gwalior - Orcha - Khajuraho
In the morning, at 0920hrs, we board the Shatabdi Express to go to the
timeless medieval village of Orchcha. By 1130 hrs we arrive at this
village and see the beautiful Palace Complex - Jahangiri Mahal and the
Raja Mahal. A close study of the intricacies of the mural paintings in the
Raja Mahal reveals its true worth. Then we pay a visit to the
Laxminarayana Temple. After lunch, we fare towards Khajuraho by road.
After a drive of about 180kms we arrive at our destination and check in at
the hotel.
Day 19 Khajuraho - Varanasi
In the morning you are guide to the Khajuraho temples to have that elusive
view of the world famous erotic sculptures. By a mere sight of these
amorous sculptures you will be able to decipher the unparalled aesthetic
value of these works of art. After visiting both the eastern and western
group of temples you will be transferred to the airport to catch your
flight to Varanasi. You arrive at Varanasi just after 40 minutes and from
the airport you are accompanied to your hotel.
Day 20 Varanasi - Delhi (overnight train)
Just after sunrise, you are taken to the banks of the river Ganges where
you will board a boat to see the Hindus taking dip in the holy waters of
the river. The boat ride starts from Dasashwamedh Ghat and ends at
Manikarnika Ghat along the sacred Ganges. You will pay a visit to the
Kashi Vishwanath temple, the Gyanvyapi kund, and the mosque attached to
it. Afterwards, you are taken to the Benares Hindu University, the largest
residential university in India. Return to your hotel for breakfast.
Later in the day, you visit Sarnath- the city of Buddhist pilgrimage- the
place where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon to his first five
disciples. You are then guided to the museum, which displays artifacts
dating back to 3rd century BC. After visiting the nearby ruins of the
ancient seat of learning in Sarnath you are transferred to the railway
station to catch overnight train for Delhi.
Day 21
Morning arrive Delhi railway station receive upon arrival and drive to
hotel. Day free for last day shopping, sightseeing or rest. In the late
evening transfer to Airport to catch flight for home.............Tour end
with happy memory.