Day 1
ARRIVE DELHI
Meeting and assistance on arrival at Delhi airport and transfer to hotel
Overnight at the hotel in Delhi
Day 2
DELHI TOUR
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning visit of OLD DELHI – the 300-year-old walled city built by Emperor Shah Jehan in 1648 as his capital and named after him. Drive Past The magnificent Red Fort built of red sandstone. Within its walls are marble palaces and a grand audience chamber, the Diwan-i-Khas, where Moghul emperors held court and the Peacock Throne once stood. Opposite the fort are the black and white onion dome and minarets of the Jama Masjid, the most elegant mosque in India. Drive past Kotla Firoze Shah, ruins of an old fort of the 14th century and the Ashokan Pillar of 3rd BC. Then visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948. Drive through the old city subject to traffic restrictions
Enjoy a Tri-cycle Rickshaw ride for a small and interesting drive across narrow lanes of Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk, the spine of Old Delhi that houses the spice market and jeweler’s lane. The myriad lanes and by-lanes conjure up intriguing memories of Delhi’s historic past.
Afternoon NEW DELHI – the new capital designed by Sir Edward Lutyens. Drive past the Presidential Palace, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the secretariat buildings – the centre of all government activity and down the main avenue, the impressive Rajpath to the World War I memorial arch, the India Gate, the High Court Building and the Old Fort. Visit Humayun’s Tomb built in 1565 AD by his grieving widow Haji Begum, the Qutub Minar, 72 metres high and the ruins of Quwat-ul-Eslam (Light of Islam) Mosque. See Delhi’s most curious antique, the uncorroded Iron Pillar, which dates back to the 4th century AD.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Delhi
Day 3
DELHI- JAIPUR
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning proceed by surface to Jaipur, arrive Jaipur and check in the hotel
Evening rickshaw ride on the streets of Jaipur and also visit Birla Temple
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jaipur
Day 4
IN JAIPUR
Breakfast at hotel
Morning guided excursion to Amber with its a honey-coloured fortress-palace in the Aravalli Hills which can be mounted by elephant. It has been described as “the sleeping beauty of Rajasthan”. The sombre exterior belies the richness of the royal apartments which open on to striking views of the gorge. It also possesses a Chamber of Mirrors. The Hall of Victory presents a galaxy of decorative art – panels of alabaster with fine inlay work of the tenderest hues
Later visit Jai Singh’s Observatory built in the 17th century by the founder of Jaipur who, besides being a prince was also soldier, astronomer and builder. City Palace now a museum contains fine Rajput and Moghul paintings, rare manuscripts and an armoury
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jaipur
Day 5
JAIPUR – ABHANERI- FATEHPUR SIKRI- AGRA (238 KMS/05 HRS)
Breakfast at hotel
Morning proceed by surface to Agra en route visit Abhaneri- Chand Baori. The massive stepwell built to conserve rainwater is 20 m deep with 13 levels, is considered deepest and largest stepwell in India. and Fatehpur Sikri – an epic poem in red sandstone, built by Emperor Akbar the Great in 1569 and deserted 14 years later because its water supply failed. Its glorious courtyards and palaces conjure up dreams of the mysterious past. Buland Darwaza, the victory gate looms 134 feet high. Arrive Agra and check in the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Agra
Day 6
IN AGRA
Breakfast at hotel
Morning city tour of Agra visiting Visit the Taj Mahal (Closed on Friday) – the greatest love story ever told. On the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, in wild extravagance, Shahjehan built her this memorial. 20,000 men laboured for over 17 years to build this wealth of white marble and precious stone. Visit Agra Fort – behind its forbidding red sandstone battlements lie palaces that tell the story of the Moghul Empire. The most impressive part of the Fort are the Dewan-e-Am, where the Emperor sat on his throne to dispense to his subjects, and the Dewan-e-Khas where he received foreign dignitaries. Visit the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, father of Queen Nur Jehan – a two-storied tomb bearing mosaics in inlaid semi-precious stones.
Dinner and overnight at hotel in Agra
Day 7
AGRA – DELHI BY SURFACE (204 KMS/04 HRS) + DELHI- VARANASI BY FLIGHT
Breakfast at hotel
Morning proceed by surface to Delhi, arrive Delhi and transfer to airport to board the flight for Varanasi, meeting and assistance on arrival at Varanasi airport and transfer to hotel.
Evening visit the Ghats (bathing steps) of the Ganges by decorated boats and witness the intriguing ‘Aarti’ Ceremony (collective prayer). Observe the mystical scene of Ghats lit with oil-lamp lights, Brahmans chanting the hymns and numerous floating oil lamps.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Varanasi
Day 8
IN VARANASI
Early morning Boat ride on the holy river Ganges – Over three miles in length, steps lead down from a steep bank to the sacred river
On return breakfast at the hotel
Morning city tour see the Bharat Mata Temple, dedicated to Mother India, which, instead of gods and goddesses, houses a relief map of India carved out of marble.. Emperor Aurangazeb’s Mosque built in the 17th century on the site of a Hindu Temple. The rear of the mosque reveals specimens of the ancient temple art of India. Vishwanath Temple (Golden Temple) erected by Rani Ahalyabai Holkar of Indore in 1776. The shikharas of the temple are gold plated. Visit Varanasi Hindu University, a great seat of oriental learning. It started as a centre of education in Sanskrit, Indian art, culture and music. Visit the Durga (Goddess of Power) Temple popularly known as the Monkey Temple because of hundreds of monkeys in the courtyard
Afternoon visit Sarnath- the Buddha preached his first sermon to five disciples at the Deer Park here, enshrining the principals of his teaching into laws. The Dhamek Stupa marks the location of a once resplendent monastery.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Varanasi
Day 9
VARANASI – HYDERABAD BY FLIGHT + HYDERABAD- GOA BY FLIGHT
Cold breakfast at the hotel
Early morning in time transfer to airport to board the flight for Hyderabad, arrive Hyderabad and remains in transit while connecting flight for Goa, meeting and assistance on arrival at Goa airport and transfer to hotel. Evening at leisure
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Goa
Day 10
IN GOA
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning Visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus which houses the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier kept in a rich casket, and the Se Cathedral, (1510) a towering white structure with a grand baroque interior. It is the most imposing of all churches at Old Goa. Its vaulted interior with the insignia of the King of Portugal, 14 gold embossed altars and Doric arches overwhelms the visitor by sheer grandeur. The Cathedral has five bells of which one is the famous Golden Bell, the biggest in Goa and one of the best in the world. It is dedicated to St. Catherine who was martyred for preferring the convent to a king.
Afternoon Visit Dona Paula, a landmark and picnic spot named after a Portuguese lady who lost her heart to a local lad called Gaspar Dias with tragic consequences. From here one can have a wonderful view of Marmagoa Harbour Pass by Miramar Beach and proceed to Panjim Goa’s capital which is situated on the left bank of the Mandovi River (150 kms. long with its source at Bhimgod in the Sahyadri mountains) It is a small town endowed with the quaint charm which characterises Goa Old villas, a profusion of squares, wide treelined avenues, and narrow cobbled alleys weaving through the older parts of the town with their tiled roofs and balconies reminiscent of the Iberian settlers who built them Perched on a hillock is Panjim’s most prominent landmark, the Church of the Immaculate Conception with a zigzag patterned stairway.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Goa
Day 11
IN GOA
Breakfast at the hotel
Day free for independent activities (No transport/ Guide services foreseen)
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Goa
Day 12
IN GOA
Breakfast at the hotel
Day free for independent activities (No transport/ Guide services foreseen)
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Goa
Day 13
GOA – DELHI BY FLIGHT
Breakfast at the hotel
Day at leisure
Later in time transfer to airport to board the flight for Delhi, meeting and assistance on arrival at Delhi domestic airport and Transfer for dinner in Hotel .Later transfer to international airport to connect flight for onward destination. Flight check in starts three hours before the schedule departure time Assistance for flight check in
Day 14
DEPART MUMBAI BY FLIGHT