• 12 breakfasts, 2 dinners
• 11 nights - 3-4 star and heritage hotels
• 1 night overnight train (2nd class airconditioned, semi - enclosed cabin)
• Rickshaw ride in Delhi
• Travel by jeep to the Amber Fort in Jaipur
•  Bicycle rickshaw ride in Keoladeo Ghana National Park
• Sunrise boat cruise on the holy Ganges -Varanasi
• Economy class flight - Khajuraho to Varanasi
• All relevant transfers and transportation
• Airport arrival and departure transfers on day 1 and day 13
• Touring of Delhi, Jaipur, Chand Baori Step Well, Agra, Orchha, Khajuraho and Varanasi
• Escorted by an English-speaking Indian tour guide (for groups of 6 or more)
• Services of English-speaking Indian specialist guides at some sites

Saturday. Upon arrival into Delhi, you'll be met at  the  airport  and  transferred  to  the  hotel. The  remainder  of  the  day  is  free  to  relax or  independently  explore  this  bustling  capital. Overnight - Delhi

 

 

After  breakfast  a  welcome  meeting  will  takeplace,  where  you'll  meet  the  rest  of  the  group and your tour guide. Entrance fees for your tour and a tip kitty will also be collected at this time. The  tip  kitty  will  cover  any  tipping  required throughout  the  tour,  apart  from  a  tip  for  your tour guide.

Following the welcome meeting we set off for a sightseeing tour of Old Delhi. This 17th century walled city of Shahjahanabad was the erstwhile capital of Museum India, with city gates, narrow alleyways, bazaars, mosques and other historic monuments.  Today  Old  Delhi  is  still  a  hive  of activity,  and  the  Chandhi  Chowk  bazaar  is  a colourful place to people watch. Sightseeing highlights of Old Delhi include:

• Humayan's Tomb
• The Red Fort - Commissioned by Shah Jahan, the  red  stone  walls  of  this  imposing  fort stretch  two  kilometres  and  vary  in  height from 8 metres on the riverside to 33 metres on the city side. (till June 2017)
• Jama  Masjid-  The  largest  mosque  in  India and  the  final  architectural  extravagance  of Shah Jahan.
• Raj Ghat - on the banks of the Yamuna River lies  a  marble  memorial  marking  the  spot where  the  great  leader  -  Mahatma  Gandhi was cremated after his assassination. New  Delhi,  in  contrast  to  Old  Delhi  is  a  city of wide tree-lined streets, parks, fountains and roundabouts  –  designed  by  Edward  Lutyens and built as the imperial capital of India by the British.  This  part  of  the  city  also  houses  many government  buildings  including  Rashtrapati Bhavan – the official residence of the President of India which stands at the opposite end of the Rajpath from the India Gate. Sightseeing highlights of New Delhi include:
• Rajpath  –  an  immensely  broad  boulevard flanked on either side by ornamental ponds. The Republic Day parade is held here every 26 January, drawing millions of people to this spectacle. It is at the eastern end of Rajpath we’ll see the India Gate.
• India Gate - The 42 metre high stone “Arch of  Triumph”,  erected  in  memory  of  Indian soldiers who died in the First World War. Tonight,  we  enjoy  a  Namaste  Dinner  at  our hotel. Overnight - Delhi (B, D)

 

 

Delhi  -  Jaipur.  Today  we  travel  by  road  to  the Pink  City  of  Jaipur,  capital  of  Rajasthan.  The journey takes approximately 5 - 6 hours. Upon arrival, we’ll embark on some sightseeing taking in the Old City and City Palace. In 1876, Maharaja Ram  Singh  had  the  entire  old  city  swathed  in pink paint! Not as mad as it seems, as pink is a colour in India-associated with hospitality. The new paint job was completed in time for a regal visit by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), a tradition that has been maintained, hence Jaipur’s name - the Pink City. En  route  to  the  City  Palace,  we’ll  pass  HawaMahal – the Palace of the Winds. Although little more than an impressive façade it is one of the city’s  landmarks.  This  5-storey  building  which overlooks the main street of the bustling old city is a stunning example of Rajput architecture. We  explore  the  beautiful  City  Palace,  a  blend of  Rajasthani  and  Mughal  architecture.  If  the flag  is  flying,  the  Maharaja  is  in  residence. A  part  of  palace  has  been  converted  into  a museum, which has an impressive collection of arts, carpets, enamel ware and weaponry. Just over the road from the City Palace is Jantar Mantar,  an  observatory  of  astronomy  built  by Jai  Singh  in  1728.  Of  the  five  observatories  he built,  this  is  the  largest  and  best   reserved.  At first glance, Jantar Mantar resembles a sculpture park,  though  in  fact,  each  construction  has a  specific  scientific  purpose.  Some  measure the  positions  of  stars,  whilst  others  calculate eclipses, the lunar calendar and simply the time of  day.  Even  today,  most  of  the  constructions remain accurate!

Early-risers  can  opt  for  a  morning  hot  air balloon  ride  over  Jaipur,  and  sail  over  hilltop forts,  regal  palaces,  sleepy  villages,  and  stone carved  temples.  Then  we  travel  beyond  Jaipur to  the  stunning  16th  century  Amber  Fort  -  a sprawling  Rajput  construction,  perched  on  a hillside overlooks the dusty plains below. We’ll travel up to the palace by jeep. Arriving at the top  we'll  tour  the  fort’s  well-preserved  interior and grounds. Before  returning  to  Jaipur  we  make  a  short visit  of  about  1  hour  to  a  cotton  trading/ tailor  factory  where  we  can  watch  a  block printing  and  screen  printing  demonstration with  traditional  Rajasthani  designs.  Travelers looking  for  souvenirs  can   xplore  the  small bazaar  offering  regional  souvenirs  and  other handicrafts  in  addition  to  cotton  roducts including saris. Later  this  evening  you  can  also  opt  to  explore Johari  Bazaar  in  the  Old  Pink  City  which  is also  great  for  shopping.  Popular  souvenirs include  jootis  (traditional  Rajasthani  curled shoes),  Jaipur’s  famous  blue  pottery,  textiles and handicrafts around the City Palace or Hawa  Mahal. Our vehicle will be available to drop you off at the market and its easy enough to grab a rickshaw on the way back.  Overnight – Jaipur (B:2)

 

 

Jaipur - Abhaneri - Bharatpur. Departing Jaipur we stop in the village of Abhaneri to see Chand Baori,  which  is  the  largest  and  deepest  step well  in  the  world.  This  incredible  well  has  a staggering   500  steps  and  is  13  stories  deep. Then  we  gain  an  insight  into  local  village life,  visiting  Adarsh  Vidya  Mandir  local  school (if  open)  where  we  operate  our  ‘Change  for Children’  programme.  If  you  have  bought  any educational  items  with  you  to  hand  out  to children  this  would  be  the  time  to  do  so.  You can also make a donation to the school, if you choose  via  our  Change  For   Children  project. Your  guide  will  hand  out  envelopes  to  those interested. After  hotel  check  in  at  Bharatpur  and  time  to freshen up we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site  of  Keoladeo  Ghana  National  Park  where we’ll enjoy a leisurely rickshaw ride through the park. Keoladeo’s 29 sq.km of wamps and lakes constitute one of the most important breeding and  migratory  areas  in  the  world,  where  from October - March the some 200 plus local species are joined by a further 130 species from as far afield as the Russian Steppes and Central Asia. Overnight - Bharatpur (B, D)

 

 

Bharatpur  -  Agra.  En  route  to  Agra  we  visit Fatehpur  Sikri,  which  was  once  a  magnificent fortified  city  and  the  capital  of  the  Mughal Empire  from  1571  until  1585,  until  it  was abandoned due to a lack of water. Fatehpur  Sikri  is  well  preserved  and  divided into  four  main  parts:  the  women’s  quarters; the  emperor’s  quarters;  a  quarter  for  princes and  noblemen;  and  weapons  housing.  We  see various  temples,  pavilions  and  public  areas, gaining a fascinating insight into how life must have been for the inhabitants of this old city. Continuing  on  to  Agra,  we  embark  on  a  short tour  of  the  Agra  Fort.  Behind  its  colossal  walls are some of the finest Mughal buildings in India. Construction of the fort was commenced during the reign of Emperor Akbar and additions were made until the rule of his grandson Shah Jahan. During Akbar’s time, it was primarily a military fort though later the focus shifted and it partially became a palace. From the Agra Fort we make the short journey to  visit  the  legendary  Taj  Mahal.  Described  as the most extravagant monument ever built for love,  this  fine  example  of  Mughal  architecture was  built  by  Emperor  Shah  Jahan  in  memory of his beloved second wife-Mumtaz Mahal, who died  tragically  during  childbirth.  Built  entirely of  white  marble,  construction  began  in  1631, the  year  in  which  Mumtaz  died,  and  was not  completed  until  1653.  A  staggering  total of  20,000  workers  contributed  their  skills,  in the  construction  of  this  unique  mausoleum. Overnight - Agra (B)

 

 

Agra - Orchha. Today we travel to Orchha. Once the  ancient  capital  of  the  Bundelas,  Orchha  is now  just  a  village.  The  attraction  here  is  that the village is set among an impressive complex of  well-preserved  palaces  and  temples  on  the banks of the Betwa River. The Jehangir Mahal, a 17th century palace, is a stunning and rambling complex, offering great views of the countryside from its upper levels. We’ll explore some of the temples in Orchha today.  Overnight – Orchha (B)

 

 

Orchha  -  Khajuraho.  Travelling  south-east  we arrive  in  Khajuraho  which  is  renowned  for  its magnificent  Hindu  and  Jain  temples  which were  built  during  the  Chandela  dynasty  from 950-1050 AD. The intricate stone carved temples are famous for their erotic sculptures, although why  they  were  built  still  remains  a  mystery.  In fact  the  Chandelas  appear  to  have  forgotten about  the  temples  soon  after  they  were completed  and  it  wasn't  until  they  were rediscovered by the British that these exquisite masterpieces were fully appreciated in India. We  will  have  plenty  of  time  to  see  the various erotic acts from the famous Kama Sutra depicted on the monolithic Khajuraho temples for  ourselves  as  we  explore  the  site.  Adding to  the  beauty,  these  amazing  temples  subtly change  hue  as  the  day  progresses,  passing from  a  warm  pink  at  sunrise  to  white  under the  midday  sun  and  back  to  pink  at  sunset. Overnight - Khajuraho (B)

 

 

Khajuraho  -  Varanasi.  This  morning  we  offer our  Wildlife  Safari  bolt-on  with  a  jeep  safari  in Panna  NP.  Forgoing  a  long  drive,  we  fly  east to Varanasi. Note: there are 2 scheduled flights from Khajuraho - Varanasi each day. Restricted by  seat  availability  and  class  of  travel  our  tour group will often be spread across both flights. As  such  you  may  be  required  to  depart  for Khajuraho  airport  at  an  hour  early  or  wait  in Varanasi airport for an hour upon arrival until all tour  members  arrive.  Once  our  tour  party  has regrouped, together we transfer to our hotel. Varanasi  is  perhaps  the  holiest  city  in  India, known as Benares or the city of Shiva, it is also one of the oldest cities on earth. Sitting on the banks  of  the  holy  River  Ganges,  Varanasi  has been  a  centre  of  learning  for  more  than  2000 years  and  it's  an  important  Hindu  pilgrimage site. Overnight - Varanasi (B)  

 

 

Early  this  morning  we  take  a  boat  trip  along the holy Ganges River. Hindu pilgrims come to bathe  in  the  holy  waters  of  the  Ganges  at  the ghats  (river  side  steps),  a  ritual  which  washes away  all  of  their  sins.  There  are  a  long  string of ghats that line the Western bank of the river and  although  most  are  used  for  bathing  and cleansing the soul, there are several dedicated to cremation. Bodies are cremated at ‘burning’ ghats and the ashes are scattered into the water of  the  holy  Ganges.  Hindus  believe  that  dying here ensures release from the cycle of rebirths and  an  instant  admission  to  heaven.  On  our boat  trip  we'll  see  the  ritual  bathing  and  a host  of  other  fascinating  scenes,  from  people performing yoga, offering blessings and selling flowers, to people playing cricket and getting a shave. Later in the day we embark on a tour of India’s spiritual  city.  At  sunset  consider  re-visiting  the ghats  for  the  evening  pilgrimage,  which  is different  from  the  dawn  ritual.  Overnight  -Varanasi (B)

 

 

Varanasi  -  Delhi.  A  free  day  to  independently explore more of Varanasi. During the day be sure to buy dinner and snacks for your train journey tonight. Early evening we transfer and board our 2nd  class  sleeper  train  bound  for  Delhi.  Your cabin  will  comprise  of  2  upper  and  2  lower bunks (which are sat upon until retiring to bed), shared by you and other Indian travellers. Cabins are  not  self  contained  as  such  but  they  are separated from the carriage corridor by curtains that can be drawn at night. Luggage  can  be  stored  underneath  the  lower bunks or on the floor. The carriage is manned by an attendant who will distribute linen (included) and serve snacks at an additional cost. Instead of  the  overnight  train  you  can  opt  to  upgrade and return to Delhi by flight. Please ask at time of booking. Overnight - Overnight Train (B)

 

 

Breakfast upon arrival into Delhi and hotel check in.  Today  is  a  chance  to  further  explore  the capital  at  your  leisure  or  a  chance  to  pick  up those last minute souvenirs.  Overnight – Delhi (B)

 

Thursday. Hotel check out and included onward departure transfer to airport. Happy travels!(B) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exclusions

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