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Classical India Tour with Wildlife
Duration:
11 Nights / 12 Days
Destinations: Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Umaria - Bandavgarh
- Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi
Day 01 : Delhi
Company
representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport in Delhi
late in the night or midnight. Transfer to your hotel. Relax.
 DELHI,
the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating
blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite
culture of an ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope - that is India.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 02 : Delhi - Jaipur
Breakfast will be at the hotel. Proceed to Jaipur.
Reach and check in
at hotel.
JAIPUR - The origins of the beautiful city of Jaipur
can be traced back to the eighteenth century, during the reign of Jai Singh II
who ascended the Amber throne in 1699. Jaipur today, epitomizes the spirit of
Rajputana. In-spite of growing into a bustling metropolis, it still retains its
character and history - A beautiful fusion of the yesteryears and modernity. It
is popularly known as the Pink City because of the extensive use of the locally
abundant pink plastered stone, painted so in honor of the visit of the royal consort
of Queen Victoria. Jaipur thrills the soul with its massive forts, magnificent
palaces, exquisite temples and lush gardens.
Proceed for sightseeing
of the city.
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. Their five-storey structures
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.
Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day 03 : Jaipur - Agra
By Road : 221 km in 6 hr
Breakfast
will be served at the hotel.
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. Its forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of
Mughal and Hindu styles finds its ultimate expression.
Drive to Agra.
Reach Fatehpur Sikri after a light lunch break. The deserted, red Sandstone
City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital and palace in the late 16th century
is an exhilarating experience. It a veritable fairytale city and its "ruins"
are in pristine condition ... it's not hard to imagine what the court life must
have been like in the days of its grandeur. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza, the
largest gateway in the world.
Continue towards Agra and reach by evening.
Check in at hotel.
AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and
Shah Jahan, transformed the little village of Agra into a befitting second capital
of the Mughal Empire - giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}.
Today a visitor to Agra is caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red
sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that irresistible
charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still retains. It is not surprising,
that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk
down the narrow bustling streets of the city will introduce the visitor to the
wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.
Overnight stay will be at Agra.
Day 04 : Agra - Umaria - Bandavgarh
By overnight train at 1515 hr
After breakfast proceed to visit Taj. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj.
 TAJ
MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which is always
the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah Jahan,
the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument
took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian architect
Ustad Isa. Apart from it's stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj
is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and
some of the best inlay work ever seen.
Proceed for sightseeing to the
AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort
is predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the picture perfect Pearl
Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction.
Visit Itmadullah's Tomb
built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father (The interiors of which are
considered better than the Taj).
Take train to UMARIA. Overnight would
be onboard the train.
Day 05 : Bandavgarh
Arrive early in the
morning
Reach Bandavgarh and check in at hotel.
 Bandavgarh
is a new National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya hills of
Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a wide variety
of habitats and a high density of game, including a large number of Tigers. This
is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa
for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951. This white
Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja of Rewa.
Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh had long been
maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. The Maharaja
and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was well protected.
It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His Highness
Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914.
There are 32 hills
in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort at its center. The fort's
cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet (300 meters) above the surrounding
countryside. Winter temperatures (Nov-mid-February) vary from almost freezing
at night to around 68 degree Fahrenheit in the daytime. Summer nights are also
cooler than the daytime temperatures, which rise to 104 degree Fahrenheit. This
park is closed during the breeding season, which coincides with the monsoon (July-October).
Bandavgarh has been a center of human activity and settlement for over
2000 years, and there are references to it in the ancient books, the Narad-Panch
Ratra and the Shiva Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama, hero of the Hindu epic,
the Ramayana, stopped at Bandavgarh on his way back to his homeland after defeating
the demon King Ravana of Lanka. Two monkey architects, who had engineered a bridge
between the isle of Lanka and the mainland, are said to have built Bandavgarh's
Fort. Later Rama handed it over to his brother Lakshmana who became known as Bandavdhish
"The Lord of the Fort". Lakshmana is the particular God of the fort
and is regularly worshipped in a temple there.
Bandavgarh is justifiably
famous for its Tigers, but it has a wide range of other game. The undergrowth
is not as dense as in some northern terai forests, but the best time to see the
park inhabitants is still the summer months when water becomes more scarce and
the undergrowth dies back.
Check in at the resort and overnight will
be at Bandavgarh.
Day 06 : Bandavgarh
A full day game viewing
inside the jungle. (Two safaris)
Overnight at the resort.
Day 07 : Bandavgarh
A full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two
safaris)
Overnight at the resort.
 Day
08 : Bandavgarh - Khajuraho
By Road : 250km in 8 hr
After breakfast
proceed to Khajuraho.
Reach and transfer to hotel.
Situated
in the heart of India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a fascinating
village with a quaint, rural ambience and a rich cultural heritage, honored by
the world as India's unique contribution to human civilization. The Chandela dynasty
built eighty-five temples here. Only twenty remain as embodiments of Indian architectural
and sculptural art at its most evolved state. Even ten centuries after they were
constructed, the temples of Khajuraho reflect an eternal philosophy relevant to
mankind. The temple of Khajuraho is a world heritage site and belongs not just
to India but to the world. The nearby Panna national park is a project tiger park
making the area a unique combination of outstanding cultural and natural heritage
- one of the few millennium destinations of the world.
Explore the village
in the evening. Visit SHILPAGRAM. Overnight will be at Khajuraho.
Day
09 : Khajuraho - Varanasi
By Air
Proceed for a guided tour of the
famous temples of Khajuraho after breakfast.
Transfer in time to airport
for flight to Varanasi. Upon arrival at Varanasi, you will be met and transferred
to hotel.
Varanasi is the World's most ancient living city. Sunrise
on the riveRfront, as seen from a boat, can be spiritually uplifting sight. Crowded
with temples, and its labyrinth of streets, the city attracts the maximum number
of tourists. The religious capital of Hinduism, Varanasi is the carpet-manufacturing
place of India. It was previously known as Kashi - the city that illuminates.
The present name is derived from the fact that the city is at the confluence of
the rivers Varuna and Asi.
Spend night at Varanasi.
 Day
10 : Varanasi
Drive early morning to Daswamedh Ghat and take a boat ride
on the sacred river Ganges to see the cremation Ghats and witness the living traditions
of one of the world's oldest and most important religions. (To start at 0500 hrs.
for the best lifetime experience) For you to appreciate this remarkable city,
we'll transfer you to the banks of the River Ganges before the sun rises. Board
a boat with your guide and proceed to the middle of the river, where at sunrise
the sight unfolds before you. Thousands of faithful come daily to the banks to
bathe and pray while in the background, temples and palaces rise in tiers from
the water's edge. Then return for a walk through the cobblestone streets along
the banks of "Ganga". As shops are opening, the place now becomes a
beehive of activity as the faithful are coming and going. Also visit the Kashi
Vishwanath Temple while returning to the hotel.
Return for breakfast
to the hotel. Proceed for day guided tour of Varanasi including the Gyanvapi Mosque
and Benaras Hindu University. Overnight will be at Varanasi.
Day
11 : Varanasi - Delhi
By Air
Breakfast will be at the hotel at hotel.
Proceed for sightseeing of SARNATH.
Sarnath - 5 miles out of Varanasi
for a day excursion: One of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world, where Buddha
preached his first Sermon in 590 BC. Witness the ruins of a once flourishing Buddhist
monastery and then visit a fine Museum which houses an excellent collection of
Buddhist art and sculptures found at the site.
 Transfer
to airport for flight to Delhi. Reach Delhi and you will be transferred to hotel.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 12 : Delhi: Departure
Proceed
for a full-day tour of Old & New Delhi after breakfast.
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.
Enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to Chandni Chowk.
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.
Transfer to airport
for flight home.
TOUR ENDS
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