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DAY
01 : ARRIVE DELHI
Arrive Delhi in the evening. Upon arrival, you shall met & assisted
with your baggages at the airport by our executive and transferred
to prebooked hotel.
Delhi
: India’s capital & a major gateway to the country, contemporary
Delhi is a bustling metropolis which successfully combines in its
fold the ancient & the modern. Its strategic location was one
of the prime reasons why successive dynasties chose it as their
seat of power. New Delhi also reflects the legacy the British left
behind . The division between New & Old Delhi is the distinction
between the capitals of the British & the Moghuls respectively.
So, wherever the visitor goes, he will invariably confront the citys’
past.
DAY 02 :
DELHI
After breakfast, half day city tour of Old Delhi. Visit Jama
Masjid, the largest mosque in India. Built by Shah Jahan, the
construction was started in 1844 and was not completed until 1658;
Red Fort, which was also built by Shah Jehan. This massive fort
was built from 1638 to 1648; Chandni Chowk and Rajghat
- the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi.
Afternoon, city tour of New Delhi. Visit Humayuns Tomb :
built in mid 16th century this is an early example of Mughal architecture;
Qutab Minar, drive past India Gate, President House, Connaught
Place. The city tour ends with a visit to Laxmi Narayan Temple (Birla
Mandir).
DAY 03 :
DELHI - JAIPUR
(260 Kms., 05 Hrs. Drive)
After breakfast, drive to Jaipur - The city owes its names,
foundation and its careful planning to the great warrior - astronomer
Maharaja Jai Singh II. In 1727, with Mughal power on the wane, Jai
Singh decided to move down from his hillside fortress at nearby
Amber to a new site on the plains. He laid out the city, with its
surrounding walls and six rectangular blocks, according to the principles
of town planning set down in Shilpa Shastra, an ancient Hindu treatise
on architecture.
Arrive Jaipur and check-in at prebooked hotel. Rest of the day at
leisure.
DAY 04 : JAIPUR
After breakfast, excursion to Amber Fort. Elephant ride from the
foothills of the Aravallis to the fort entrance. Amber Fort : At
a distance of 11 kms from Jaipur, Amber was the ancient capital
of Jaipur state. Construction of the fort began in 1592 by Raja
Man Singh, the Rajput commander of Akbar's army and is a superb
example of Rajput architecture.
Afternoon, city tour of Jaipur. Visit the City Palace which has
museum having an extensive collection of art, carpets, enamel ware
and weapons ; Jantar Mantar - the observatory built my Maharaja
Jai Singh in 1728 and the façade of Hawa Mahal.
DAY 05 : JAIPUR - FATEHPUR SIKRI - AGRA
(240 Kms., 06-07 Hrs. Drive)
After breakfast, leave for Agra, enroute visit the abandoned Mughal
city of Fatehpur Sikri : built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, was the
old capital of the Moghuls, which was abandoned after 15 years due
to scarcity of water. See the graceful buildings including the Jama
Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal & other Palaces which
are still preserved in its original glory.
Continue drive to Agra. Arrive Agra and check-in at prebooked hotel
for overnight stay.
DAY 06 : AGRA
- GWALIOR
(120 Kms., 02-03 Hrs. Drive)
After breakfast, city tour of Agra. Visit Red fort, which was built
by Emperor Akbar in 1565, and additions were made up until the time
of his grandson, Shah Jahan. It contains the hall of public and
private audiences amongst many other beautiful structues; Itmad-ud-daulah,
which was contructed by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628 and is very
similar to the tomb she constructed for her husband, Jehangir, near
Lahore in Pakistan; the highlight of the day - The Taj Mahal,
which was constructed by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz
Mahal. Contruction of the Taj began in 1631 and was not completed
until 1653.
Afternoon, drive to Gwalior. Arrive Gwalior and check in at prebooked
hotel.
DAY 07 : GWALIOR - ORCHHA
(110 Kms., 02-03 Hrs. Drive)
 After
breakfast, visit the Gwalior Fort - The Mughal emperor
Babar referred to the Gwalior Fort as “the pearl amongst fortresses
in India” and although you may beg to differ, you will probably
agree that this, the dominating feature of Gwalior’s skyline, is
definitely a citadel worth seeing. With a turbulent and pretty eventful
past, the Gwalior Fort spreads out over an area of 3 square km,
bounded by solid walls of sandstone, which enclose three temples,
six palaces and a number of water tanks. Regarded as North and Central
India’s most impregnable fortress, the Gwalior Fort was built by
Raja Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century. In the five hundred years
since then, the fort has changed hands many times- it has been held
by the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas and British, who finally handed
it over to the Scindias.
Afternoon, breakfast, drive to Orchha : Once the capital of Bundelas,
Orchha is a village, set amongst a complex of well preserved palaces
and temples. Though Orcha was founded in 1531, it's golden age was
during the first half of 17th century. When Jahangir visiting the
city in 1606, a special palace, the Jehangir Mahal was built for
him.
Arrive Orcha and check-in at prebooked hotel.
DAY 08 : ORCHHA - KHAJURAHO
(178 Kms., 04-05 Hrs. Drive)
After breakfast, visit Orcha. Visit the Jehangir Mahal, Raj Mahal
& Ram Raja temple which also dates back to the 17th century.
Later,
drive to Khajuraho : Built by the warrior Chandela dynasty
that rose to power in Central India between 10th & 11th centuries,
the 25 odd surving temples display different facets of life, including
the sensual. These erotic  carvings
on some panels have given rise to much speculation since Khajuraho’s
re-discovery by a British officer in 1838. To preserve it for posterity,
Khajuraho has been declared a World Heritage Site.
Arrive Khajuraho and check-in at prebooked hotel.
DAY 09 : KHAJURAHO - VARANASI
(FLIGHT)
After breakfast, visit the world famous Khajuraho temples built
by the Chandela Kings between 950 AD & 1050 AD. The most important
are the Chaunset Yogini temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, the Mahadev
temple, Chitragupta or Bharatji temple with lovely image of 11 headed
Vishnu, Vishwanath & Nandi temples, Lakshmana temple, Visha
temple dedicated to Shiva, which is the largest & most typical
of temples.
Afternoon, transfer to airport to board flight for Varanasi : formerly
known as Kashi – the city that illuminates. The religious capital
of Hinduism, Varanasi is the oldest living city of India & one
of the worlds’ most ancient. The present name is derived from the
fact that the city is at the confluence of the rivers Varuna &
Asi.
Arrive Varanasi and transfer to prebooked hotel.
DAY 10 : VARANASI
Early morning, leave for boat ride on the Ganges to see the
bathing Ghats (river bank) & cremation site. Sunrise on
the riverfront, as seen from a boat, can be a spiritually uplifting
sight. The life on the Ghats bound in an endless string of rituals,
ever-changing aspects of the river & the wide landscape across
have fascinated visitors from all over the world. Return to hotel
for breakfast.
After breakfast, city tour of Varanasi - Visit the Bharat Mata temple
with a big relief map of India in Marble, Durga temple, Tulsi Manas
Mandir, Benaras Hindu University which has an art gallery &
the mosque of Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb.
Afternoon, excursion to Ramnagar - For a 17th century fort, this
one is seriously well-preserved, probably because the Maharaja of
Benares still resides here. The hall of public audience (Durbar
Hall) and the royal museum housing collections of palanquins, elephant
saddles, arms, furniture, costumes, etc., are a must see at the
Ramnagar fort. Return by boat in the evening, enroute witness the
religious ceremonies along the banks of river Ganges
DAY 11 : VARANASI - DELHI
(FLIGHT)
After breakfast, excursion to Sarnath - the buried Buddhist city
where Buddha preached his first sermon. After attaining enlightenment
at Bodh Gaya the Buddha went to Sarnath; and it was here that he
preached his first discourse in the deer park to set in motion the
'Wheel of the Dharma'. It is one of the most holy sites as in this
place the stream of the Buddha's teaching first flowed. Sarnath
was a renowned school of learning from 16th century BC to 12th century
AD. Visit the ruins, the stupa, the Buddhist temple & the museum
(closed on Fridays). At the museum is the Ashok Pillar with its
four guardian lions, used as independent Indias’ national emblem
Afternoon, transfer to the airport to board flight for Delhi. Arrive
Delhi & transfer to prebooked hotel.
DAY 12 : DEPART DELHI
Early Morning, transfer to the airport to board flight back home/onward
destination.
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