Day 1 Oct 15: After breakfast briefing about tour. Tour will start with sightseeing of the capital city of India, New Delhi covering Red Fort, Chanakya Puri (Embassy Area), Connaught Place, Qutab Minar (10 th Century's 237 Ft. tall stone tower) and Lotus Temple. Briefings about next day tour at the evening tea party.
Day 2 Oct 16: Next day Tour will start early in the morning. Tour will cover several Historic Sikh Gurdwaras, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, Gurdwara Sees Ganj Sahib, Gurdwara Nanak Piao, Gurdwara Majnu Ka Teela, Gurdwara Moti Bagh Sahib and wrap up after lunch around 2 o'clock.
Day 3 Oct 17: Drive from New Delhi to Chandigarh, Punjab by luxury coach. Bus will stop at a nice lakeside in the city of Karnal in Haryana State for snacks. Half day city tour of Chandigarh covering Rock Garden and Beautiful & Scenic Sukhna Lake and tour will wrap up after a shopping spree in 17 th Sector of downtown.
Day 4 Oct 18: An excursion tour to Anandpur Sahib, a historical fort of Sikhs known as Takhat Sri Kesgarh Sahib. Another Gurdwara Kiratpur Sahib will be covered on the way there. After the Gurdwara, tour will continue to cover Nangal Bhakhra Dam, the world's highest straight gravity dam, and Gobind Sagar Lake.
Day 5 Oct 19: Drive from Chandigarh to Amritsar via Jalandhar. Jalandhar is a city which has a nice blend of modernization and heritage. Where at one side it stands tall with the high rise buildings on the other side it walks through the old narrow markets. A special lunch is arranged at a place called Havelli (Manor), which offers a traditional theme of Punjab and Punjabi culture.
Day 6 Oct 20: Tour of several historic Gurdwaras and forts of Sikhs around Amritsar. Experience the high spirit of Khalsa Culture (a purer form of Sikhism) starting from Khalsa College, the oldest Sikh college in Punjab and covering more Sikh Gurdwaras like Gurdwara Chhertaa Sahib, Baba Budhaa Ji Beerh, which has the core relation with the Sikh History. Furthermore Gurdwara Taran Taaran Sahib which has the largest pond ever built at any other Gurdwara worldwide. Day will conclude at Gurdwara Goindwal Sahib, where the significant Sikh tradition of sharing meal also known as Langar started.
Day 7 Oct 21: Happy Diwali. The whole city will be cheering with the Diwali Celebrations and this will be the perfect day to explore the sparkling streets of Amritsar. A rickshaw ride is also arranged to add more fun. At evening enjoy the spectacular firework and Diwali celebrations at Golden Temple.
Day 8 Oct 22: This day is kept free from the activities for shopping & sightseeing. At evening tour will be taken to Waghaa Border, the border of India & Pakistan for Beating Retreat & flag folding ceremony.
Day 9 Oct 23: Drive from Amritsar to New Delhi. Tour will be stopping at a floating restaurant for snacks and Havelli restaurant, this time in the city of Karnal in Haryana state, for lunch. A formal farewell dinner is arranged for sharing memories and experiences of tour.
Day 10 Oct 24: This day is kept free in Delhi for final shopping and packing etc. Transfer to Airport |
Day 1 Oct 31: Tour will begin with sightseeing of New Delhi: the capital of the country has long been a phoenix rising again and again out of its ruins. See the famous Qutab Minar-12th century 238 Ft. tall stone tower, indeed a masterpiece of construction, Humayun's tomb-built by widow of the second Mughal King Humayun in 1265. New Delhi was the creation of the British Raj of the 30's and includes the President's House, Parliament, India Gate, The Rajpath and Downtown Connaught Place.
In the evening tour will continue with sightseeing of Old Delhi: for something close to Rudyard Kipling, visit the 17th century Old Delhi; Jama Masjid - the biggest Mosque in India and Rajghat memorial, where father of the nation Gandhi was cremated.
Day 2 Nov 01: After breakfast drive from New Delhi to Mandawa (280 Km/7 hrs). On arrival check-in at hotel.
In the evening tour will continue with sightseeing of Nawalgarh. - founded in the early 18th century, Nawalgarh has two old forts and a palace hotel with gardens and fountains. The Bala Kilaa (fort) has a kiosk where some of the finest frescoes in Shekhawati are painted. Here are the prominent Havellies of the Poddars, Chhawachharias, Bhagats, Dangaichs and others. A host of temples with interesting architectures and frescoes are also recommended for a long and fruitful visit.
Day 3 Nov 02: Drive from Mandawa to Pushkar (240 Km/6 hrs). On arrival check-in at hotel.
Enjoy the Pushkar fair in the evening.
In the month of Kartik each year, a staggering number of camels amble their way across the golden sands of Rajasthan to congregate at Pushkar for the week-long fair devoted to them. Coming in from all directions, their masters astride them, they flick the sand at every step with casuals' ease. The horses that march to this site find the sand-trot an exacting exercise. Numerous cows and sheep all come to the animal fair.
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Completing the scene are thousands of men, women and children, come with their beasts, suddenly inhabiting the barren plain. Providing a backdrop, the camels in the distance camouflaged scarcely discernable. All day long, thousands of devotees can be seen taking a dip in the holy lake. In the evening the entire town reverberates with the ringing of bells, as hundred of oil lamps light the banks of the lake.
Pushkar fair: the biggest of Rajasthan's numerous fairs, Pushkar takes its name from the Pushkar Lake near Ajmer where it is held annually. A dip in the holy waters of the lake is considered auspicious. A huge cattle market is Pushkar's biggest draw. Where farmers and breeders buy and sell cattle, camels, and horses in spirited biddings. A township of colorful tents transforms the arid landscape. Leather sales in whips, bits, shoes, embroidered animal covers and inlaid leather saddles predominate. The Pushkar Mela ends as it begins, in endless streams of bullock-carts, camels and jeeps. Wending, a weary but satisfied way homewards.
In the evening witness the colorful cultural show bonanza in the fair ground, specially arranged by the state govt. With folk dances, musicians, cow and camel shows. The whole ground is lit-up and visitors have excellent experience enjoying and participating in this.
Day 4 Nov 03: Enjoy the all the colors of Pushkar fair the whole day.
Day 5 Nov 04: Collect some more memories of the fair early morning. Afternoon drive from Pushkar to Jaipur (143 Km/3 hrs). On arrival check-in at hotel.
Day 6 Nov 05: An excursion to Amber Fort with elephant ride.
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Amber (Palace) Fort: The original palace of the local rulers was built in the 17th century high up on a hill overlooking a lake, just below the vast and somber walls of the ancient fort of amber. The rowers and domes of the Amber Palace are reminiscent of scenes from some fairy-tale. It's halls of victory is richly decorated with panels of alabaster with fine inlay work of tender colors. You ascend up the palace on board gaily-caparisoned elephants, as did the maharaja's of yore. |
Afternoon: Sightseeing of Jaipur visiting city palace, palace of winds & observatory.
Jaipur city: This 18th century city (capital of Rajasthan) is famed as "the pink city", because of the local rose-pink-sandstone used in its construction. The fortifications give it a medieval atmosphere, but its well-planned layout is "modern", built in 1728. Visit maharaja's city-palace, situated in the heart of the city with charming gardens surrounded by high walls; palace of winds (Hawa Mahal), a uniquely designed five -story structure with tiers of over hanging balconies of pink sandstone; Maharaja Jai Singh after whom the city was named, being a keen astronomer built an astronomical observatory which is still in use. It is made of quaint masonry instruments of remarkable size. Later walk around local bazaar.
Day 7 Nov 06: Drive from Jaipur to Agra (221 Km/5 hrs 30 min) visiting Fatehpur Sikri en-route.
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Fatehpur Sikri: about 40 km from Agra lays the magnificent deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, the capital of the great emperor Akbar. During his brief stay here, a great complex of forts, palaces and mosques sprang up, but Akbar was finally forced to abandon his dream city due to scarcity of water, and subsequently it became a ghost town. This epic poem in sandstone lies straddled across a rocky ridge, surrounded by immense walls with nine gates. |
The largest of the gates is the Buland Darwaza, which leads to the Jama Masjid and to the fantastic tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti, which lies under an elaborate marble canopy and is lavishly inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Thereafter continue drive to Agra. On arrival check-in hotel Day 8 Nov 07: Sightseeing of Agra visiting Taj Mahal & Red Fort.
The Taj Mahal, unquestionably the world's most magnificent monument to over built in 17th century. A colossal, perfectly proportioned mass of white marble, it is literally a jewel, fashioned over 20 years of hundreds of skilled craftsmen and over 20,000 laborers to float like some fantastic mirage upon the Yamuna. (Kindly note Taj Mahal is closed on Friday) |
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The Agra fort was once the flourishing center of the Mughal dynasty, and four successive emperors helped to create its massive walls, within which Hindu and Muslim styles merge into a splendid fusion of military might and lavish beauty.
In the evening tour will continue to D ayal Bagh: the white marble Dayal Bagh temple of the Radha Soami faith has been under construction since 1904 and is not expected to complete until some time next century. If you are lucky, you may get to see Pietra Dura inlaid marble work in process. The building is architecturally remarkable; the level of artisanship has to be admired
Day 9 Nov 08: Leisurely drive from Agra to Delhi (203 Km/4 hrs). Evening is kept free for shopping in Delhi. A farewell dinner is arranged to share the sweet memories of the tour. Transfer to Airport.
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