CLASSICAL INDIA TOUR
Destinations Covered:- Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi
Tour Duration: 10 Days / 09 Nights
India, a country with its splendid past, fascinating present and a hopeful future, has always been a prime center to explore rich art forms, intriguing cultures and astounding traditions. The most conspicuous fact that deserves a special mention here is that everyone can easily relate to the great Indian heritage. From cultural heritage sites of Jaipur to exotic carvings of Khajuraho temples and from classy lifestyle of Delhi to the religious devotion in Varanasi everything seems so different yet closely related. Classical India tour bestows you with an opportunity to feel the magic of incredible India!
Day: 01 Arrival in Delhi
On arrival at Delhi’s international airport, you will be received by our representative. Thereafter, you will proceed towards your pre booked hotel for check in. From its great historical monuments to the contemporary infrastructure, Delhi – the Capital city oozes out great adroitness. Witness for many important events in history of the country, this city has seen extreme phases of love and war. Acquaint yourself with this lovely place. Overnight stay will be at the hotel.
Day: 02 Full Day Excursion in Delhi
Savor on a delicious morning breakfast at the hotel which will be followed by an exciting sightseeing tour of the city. Considered to be the largest metropolis of the country by area, Delhi is nurtured by the great Yamuna River and is inhabited by people belonging to diverse religions. Just by touring Delhi one gets to discover interesting facts about India, both historically and culturally. Beginning from the rusted lanes of Old Delhi, you will visit Raj Ghat, a cenotaph to Mahatma Gandhi – Father of the Nation. It imparts ultimate peace to its visitors. Driving past the majestic Red Fort, you will continue towards Jama masjid, one of the Asia’s largest and beautiful mosques. Surrounded by a colorful bazaar, this place is always dominated by cheerfulness and enthusiasm of its equally vibrant people. Enjoy shopping at the glittering bazaars of Chandni Chowk. Enjoy the delicious street food of old Delhi. The excitement and vibrancy of the previous half continues in the later half as well as you get to witness altogether a different world in the high streets of New Delhi. This part of Delhi mirrors the rich legacy that British left behind. The grand Delhi tour includes a visit to the heritage site of Qutub Minar, the tallest stone monument in India. It is considered to be the tallest bricked minaret in the world representing an ideal example of Indo-Islamic architecture. Later visit Humayun’s tomb. It is a marvelous monument which was commissioned by the wife of Mughal emperor Humayun and was designed by a Persian architect - Mirak Mirza Ghiyath. The architect depicts the Indo-Persian fashion. Drive past India Gate – situated in the heart of Delhi, India gate is a National monument and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. The Parliament building and the Rashtrapati Bhawan - the President’s residence will also be covered as a part of the tour. Come back to the hotel for overnight stay.
Day: 03 Drive to Jaipur - A Traditional City
After breakfast at the hotel, you will drive towards your next destination Jaipur – a time-honored Indian city located in the western state Rajasthan. Resting in the scenic location of a far reaching desert, Jaipur was the first planned city of the country which is much evident from the city’s infrastructure and network system. With its historical past, Jaipur revives legends of the ancient Rajputs. Jaipur is manifested with rugged hills crowned by magnificent forts and palaces and is blessed with beautiful mansions and gardens. There is a timeless quality to Jaipur's bazaars and its people. The traditional attire of women and the turbans of men add spectacular hues to this fascinating city. Check in at your pre booked hotel. Relax for a while and get freshen up for the afternoon sightseeing tour of the city. Visit the ancient capital of Amber to see the fabulous Amber Fort. Maharaja Man Singh, Mughal Emperor Akbar’s most successful General, started the construction of Amber Fort in the 17th century. Before the City Palace was constructed in Jaipur, Amber was the seat of power. The fort is surrounded by fortified battlements and overlooks the Maotha Lake. Ruins and remains are spread over the Aravalli hills and sprawling crenulated walls lattice the surrounding area. En-route to Amber you will stop and see the `Palace of Winds’, otherwise known as Hawa Mahal. It is really an elaborate facade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in the street below. It is extremely intricate in its pink sandstone carving. The cool wind blows through its facade of windows and latticed screens through which the queens of the court once viewed the streets of the city. Overnight will be at the hotel.
Day: 04 Explore the Colors of Jaipur
After breakfast at the hotel you will proceed for sightseeing tour of the city. Among the highlights to be seen today include visit to the City Palace, a famous landmark that is expanded over a large area as it occupies one seventh of the city. Built during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the plan of this fort is the exact replica of the city’s plan. A part of the palace is still home to the erstwhile royal families while the rest of it has been converted into museum. The other attractions of this palace are: Chandra Mahal, Maharani's Palace, Mukut Mahal, Mubarak Mahal and Shri Govind Dev Temple. The exquisite architecture of this place is complimented by the elegant paintings, mirror embellishment on walls and floral ornamentation. The other attractions include The Textile and Costume Museum, Attraction of The Silver Urns, Diwan-i-Aam--The Hall of Public Audience and The Peacock Gate. The array of gardens, courtyards and buildings leaves the visitors satisfied with their excursion. Then visit Lake Palace which was built in 1743-1746 as summer resort on Jag Niwas Island in Lake Pichola. Walk to the adjacent Jantar Mantar or Astronomical Observatory made by the Maharaja of Jaipur, built in 1726 and is one of the five such astronomical wonders built by Sawai Jai Singh and makes accurate predictions even to this day. It has also been included in the world heritage lists. You will also have the opportunity to wander in the local markets where you can shop for souvenirs, traditional Rajasthani attires, skilful art craft of the region etc. Come back to the hotel for overnight stay.
Day: 05 Drive to Agra en route visiting Fatehpur Sikri
After breakfast at the hotel you will get on for a drive to Agra which is 265 km away from the pink city. On your way you will visit the UNESCO world heritage site – Fatehpur Sikri. This deserted red sandstone city was built by the Great Mughal Emperor Akbar as his capital and palace in the late 16th century. He built this city in honor of Shaikh Salim Chisti, a Sufi saint who resided in a cave on crest at Sikri, and predicted the birth of his son. Besides being the first planned Mughal city, it puts forth a unique example of Mughal architecture which was an amalgamation of Indian, Islamic and Persian architecture. It is bestowed with palaces and mosques and used to be a town larger than London when it was originally constructed. Popular highlights of this region are Buland Darwaza, Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chishti, Diwan-i-Am, Panch Mahal etc. Later proceed to Agra – the city of love. Agra in terms of ambiance is still associated with its Mughal period. The Mughals besides being great rulers were also great builders and they preserved their best architectural wonders for Agra and its neighborhood. It has many wonderful monuments and the Taj Mahal, the greatest of them all, is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture. On arrival check in at your pre booked hotel. Overnight will be at hotel.
Day: 06 Sightseeing in Agra
After early morning breakfast, you will be taken to witness the exquisiteness of Taj Mahal at the time of sunrise. You will be overwhelmed to see the beauty that the rising sun will add to the white beauty of this one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Taj Mahal was built by grandson of Akbar -The Great, Shah Jahan (1628-1658) in the loving memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal. When Prince Khurram (Shah Jahan) met Arjumand Banu Begum (Mumtaz Mahal), he fell in love with her at the very first sight. Five years down the lane in 1612 he married this Muslim Persian princess and was deeply in love with her. They both shared every moment of their life together and were regarded as inseparable companions until the time when she died giving birth to their 14th child in the year 1631. Grief stricken by this loss, Shan Jahan decided to build world's most beautiful monument to pay tribute to his wife. In 1632 the construction of Taj Mahal began and till 1648 only the principal mausoleum was done as it took other five years to complete the surrounding gardens and buildings. However, the date of its completion has always been a topic for debate. 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants were involved in the making up of this architectural wonder that is built completely of white marble. Spend some time exploring the magnificent architecture of this pious monument. Sightseeing also includes visit to Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-Daulah Tomb. Enjoy shopping in the local bazaars of the city. Later come back to the hotel for overnight stay.
Day: 07 Agra - Khajuraho
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the railway station by our representative to board train to Khajuraho. Khajuaraho located 180 km away from Jhansi. Famous for its attractive, exotic and eye-catching temple sculpture, structural design and craftsmanship, Khajuraho is situated in the heart of Central India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Khajuraho temples were constructed during the reign of Chandel Empire between 950 and 1050 A.D. Khajuraho is a mesmerizing village with a picturesque rural ambience and a rich cultural heritage. The captivating temples of Khajuraho, India's unique gift of love to the world represent the expression of a highly developed civilization. On arrival check in at your pre booked hotel. Rest of the day will be at leisure. Spend overnight at hotel
Day: 08 A Day amidst Exotic Khajuraho Temples
After delicious morning breakfast, get ready for a visual treat as you proceed for the sightseeing tour of Khajuraho Temples. Inscribed in the list of world heritage sites by UNESCO, the whole complex is divided into eastern and western group of temples. Eastern group is constituted by Parsavanatha Temple - The largest in the group of three Jain temples, Ghantai Temple - This Jain temple has a fresco depicting the 16 dreams of Mahavira's mother, and a multi-armed Jain goddess perched on a winged Garuda, Adinatha Temple - The last of the Jain temples dedicated to the Jain saint, Adinatha. Later visit the Western group which is undoubtedly the best recognized, because the largest and most typical Khajuraho temple Kandariya Mahadev belongs to this group. Other temples of the western group are Vishwanath Temple - The temple enshrines a three-headed image of Lord Brahma, Lakshamana Temple - The lintel over the entrance of this temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu shows the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva with Goddess Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort, Chaunsath Yogini - The oldest surviving temple in the group, Chitragupta Temple - Dedicated to the sun-god, Surya, Matangeshwara Temple - This temple, which happens to be outside the precincts of the western group, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Later in the afternoon, you will be transferred by our representative to airport for flight to Varanasi - your next destination on this classic India tour. On arrival in Varanasi, you will be received by our representative who will assist you till your pre booked hotel. Check in and spend rest of the day at leisure
Day: 09 Varanasi
Located on the banks of highly revered River Ganga, holy city Varanasi is the most important city for Hindu Devotees. This eternal city has been a prime pilgrimage and learning center for over two hundred decades now. Wake up with the first rays of the sun, and embark on a boat ride by the side of the bathing ghats of the holy river. Witness flocks of Hindu devotees offering prayers early in the morning and taking several dips in the river water to cleanse their soul. Breathe in the pious environment filled with the fragrance of flowers and hymns of Hindu mantras. After sunrise you will visit some of the most exotic temples of the region. Return back to the hotel for breakfast which will be followed by a visit to "Bharat Kala Bhavan". Housed by the world famous Banaras Hindu University, it exhibits outstanding collection of paintings, sculptures and textiles commenced with the personal collection of the enlightened Rai Krishnadasa. Mahamana Malaviya gallery, Chhavi (Painting Gallery), Nicholas Roerich gallery, sculpture gallery, sculpture gallery, Nidhi (Treasures) gallery, archaeological gallery, decorative art gallery and Banaras through ages gallery are the important sections of Bharat Kala Bhavan. Later in the afternoon, excursion will head towards Sarnath - the prime Buddhist center all across the world. Located 13 km north east of Varanasi, Sarnath is a deer park where Gautama Buddha after achieving enlightenment in Bodhgaya, imparted first teachings of dharma. Also, through the enlightenment of Kondanna, Buddhist Sangha came into existence at this park only. Gautama Buddha came here to teach his former five companions Dharma and thus Sarnath is regarded as the place where Buddhism found its roots, the native land of this art of life! Come back to the hotel for overnight.
Day: 10 Varanasi - Delhi - Onward Destination
After early morning breakfast, our representative will transfer you to the airport for flight to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi you will be received by our representative who will transfer you to Delhi’s international airport to who will transfer you to Delhi’s international airport to catch flight for your onward destination.