Duration : 12
Nights / 13 Days
Destinations Covered : Delhi -
Mandawa - Jaipur- Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi
Day
01: Arrive Delhi
Meet assist at the airport & transfer to
hotel. Night stay in Delhi.
Day
02: Delhi
After breakfast gear up for your visit of Old & New
Delhi : 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. 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 House, the President's Residence and would
end with a drive through the Diplomatic Enclave. The evening is free to be
spent at your leisure.Night stay in Delhi.
Day 03:
Delhi-Mandawa
After early breakfast drive to Mandawa, often called the
open air art gallery of Rajasthan', the region is famous for the high
quality frescoes. Arrive Mandawa & transfer to hotel. Night stay in
Mandawa.
Day 04: Mandawa-Jaipur
After breakfast
take a walking tour of the painted 'havelis' of some of the leading business
families of the country. Though they no longer live here, the local
caretakers are happy to show the visitors around. Chowkhani Haveli, Gulab
Rai Ladia Haveli, Lakshminarayan Ladia Haveli, Mohahanlal Saraf Haveli and
Bhagchandika Haveli are of special interest. Spend the major part of the day
looking into frescoes. Later drive to Jaipur - the fabled "pink city"
of the desert named after Jai Singh, the former Maharajaof Jaipur.This is
the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions of the universe
through the nine rectangular sectors subdividing it.The palaces and forts of
the yesteryears, which were witnesses to the royal processions and
splendours are now living monuments . Arrive Jaipur & transfer to hotel.
Night stay in Jaipur.
Day 05: Jaipur
After
breakfast proceed for excursion to Amber Fort in the outskirts of Jaipur.
Elephant ride ascent to the fort. 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. It's forbidding
exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and
Hindu styles finds it's ultimate expression. Later city sightseeing tour of
Jaipur covering : 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. Its 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. Visit a rug
factory and see the ladies at the intricate work or a gem factory and see
the gem cutting and polishing process. Night stay in Jaipur.
Day 06: Jaipur-Agra
After breakfast drive to the City of
Tajmahal-Agra enroute visiting Fatehpur Sikri-a perfectly preserved red
sandstone "ghost town" which was the estranged capital of mughal
emperorAkbar,built in 1569 and deserted when its water supply failed. Arrive
Agra 7 transfer to hotel. Night stay in Agra.
Day 07:
Agra
After breakfast visit the magnificient Taj Mahal -one of the
seven wonders of the world surely the most extravagant expression of love
ever created. 20,000 men laboured for over 17 years to build this memorial
to Shah Jahan's beloved wife.Also visit the Red fort - the rusty and
majestic red-sandstone fort of Agra stands on the banks of the river Yamuna
and the construction was started by Emperor Akbar in 1566. At the Diwan-I-Am
(hall of public audience), a colonnaded hall of red-sandstone with a throne
alcove of inlaid marble at the back, the Emperor heard public petitions. At
the Diwan-I-Khas (hall of private audience) where marble pavilions with
floral inlays lend an ethereal ambience, the Emperor sat on his gem-studded
Peacock Throne and met foreign ambassadors and rulers of friendly kingdoms.
Evening free to explore the rich handicrafts of Agra. Night stay in Agra.
Day 08: Agra-Khajuraho
After breakfast transfer to
airport to board the flight for Khajuraho- the legendary temples of
khajuraho are an incomparable experience. Acknowledged as one of the world's
artistic wonders, these temples dedicated to the Hindu pantheon of Gods are
covered in carvings that are a paean to life and love. Built within a short
span of a hundred years by the Chandela Rajputs, the 10th century temples
lay forgotten until they were discovered in the present century. Khajuraho
has achieved fame for the sensual appeal of its erotic sculptures. Arrive
Khajuraho and transfer to hotel. Evening free at leisure. Night stay in
Khajuraho.
Day 09: Khajuraho
After breakfast
explore the Western and Eastern temples of khajuraho while your guide
explains the intricate meaning and legends behind each describable
sculpture. Night stay in Khajuraho.
Day
10: Khajuraho-Varanasi
After breakfast transfer to airport to
board the flight for Varanasi-said to be the India's most sacred city
situated on the western bank of the holy river Ganga. It is also the oldest
living city in the world. As a place for devotion and worship, with hundreds
of temples dotting the city , sunrise on the river front as seen from a boat
can be a spiritually uplifting sight. It has a fascination uniquely its own,
a quality of sublime beauty, a timeless eternal appeal. Varanasi is the city
which cannot be described, only experienced. Arrive Varanasi and transfer to
hotel. Evening view "Aarti" ceremony on the Ghats. Night stay in
Varanasi.
Day 11: Varanasi
Morning boat cruise at
the river Ganges to observe the way of life of pilgrims by the Ghats. Later
excursion to Sarnath, 10kms. East of Varanasi, is one of the Buddhism's
major centers of India. After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha came to
Sarnath where he gave his first sermon. Visit the deer park and the museum
and later back to Varanasi . Night stay in Varanasi.
Day 12:
Varanasi- Delhi
Morning at leisure, Afternoon transfer to airport to
connect the flight for Delhi , Arrive Delhi & transfer to hotel. Rest of
the day at leisure or last minute shopping etc. Night stay in Delhi.
Day 13: Departure
Transfer to airport in time to board
the onward flight.