Varanasi Tourism

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Duration: 20 Nights / 21 Days
Places Covered: Delhi - Jaipur - Pushkar - Udaipur - Mount Abu - Jodhpur - Jaisalmer - Bikaner - Bharatpur - Agra - Delhi - Madras - Tanjore - Madurai - Periyar - Allepey - Cochin - Coimbatore - Ooty - Mysore - Belur - Halebid - Bangalore - Mumbai

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Day 01: Arrival at Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport in Delhi late in the evening. Transfer to your hotel. Relax.

Overnight will be at Delhi.

Day 02: Delhi - Agra (By Road 250 Kms/6 hr)
Proceed for Agra after breakfast.

Reach Agra in the afternoon.

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}.

Check in at hotel and proceed for sightseeing.

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.

Visit Itmadullah's Tomb built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father (The interiors of which are considered better than the Taj).

Overnight will be at Agra.

Day 03: Agra - Jaipur (By Road 221 Kms/6 hr)
After breakfast drive to beautiful Pink City - Jaipur.

Stop at Fatehpur Sikri. The deserted, red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital and palace in the late 16th century is an exhilarating experience.

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.

Overnight will be at Jaipur.

Day 04: Jaipur
Breakfast at 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. It's forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds it's ultimate expression.

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. Its five-storey structure 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.

Visit a rug factory and see the ladies at the intricate work or a gem factory and see the gem cutting and polishing process.

Overnight will be at Jaipur.

Day 05: Jaipur - Pushkar (By Road 140 km/3 hr)
Proceed for Pushkar after breakfast. Reach Pushkar by noon and relax. Check in at PUSHKAR PALACE.

PUSHKAR- Amongst the grandeur of Rajasthan, discover a unique gem - Pushkar. Lord Brahma - The creator of the world in a search for his abode on earth, performed the supremely spiritual VEDIC YAGNA at Pushkar. It is thus the site of the only Brahma Temple in the world. Blessed with cultural blends, it is the venue for the famous Pushkar Fair, with people coming from all over Asia to buy and sell cattle of breeds from across the world.

Visit the mausoleum, Anasagar and Akbar's Palace.

Overnight will be at hotel.

Day 06: Pushkar - Ranthambhore (By Road 240 km/6 hr)
Visit the BRAHMA TEMPLE - The only one in the world.

Start early after breakfast for Ranthambhore.

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravallis and the Vindhyas, is a unique example of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously in the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers from Sawai Madhopur.

Proceed for the afternoon SAFARI to spot tigers.

Overnight will be at Ranthambhore.

Day 07: Ranthambhore
Full day (two private safaris) at Ranthambhore.

Overnight will be at Ranthambhore.

Day 08: Ranthambhore - Kota (By Road 140 km/3 hr)
Proceed for the morning SAFARI. Breakfast at hotel.

Start for KOTA.

Rajasthan's largest industrial town situated on the banks of the river Chambal is well known for its Kota sarees and also for a miniature school of art which specialized in hunting scenes.

JAGMANDIR- in the island in Kishore Sagar Lake was built by one of the queens of Kota. You will take a paddleboat and roam around the same for a spiritual experience.

Also visit the Govt. Museum and the famous gardens of Chambal and Chatter Bilas.

Overnight will be at Kota.

Day 09: Kota - Bundi - Chittaurgarh (By Road 180 km/5 hr)
Breakfast at hotel. Start for Bundi.

Visit the TARAGARH or STAR FORT. Perched on a thickly wooded hill is a marvelous white fort with a huge reservoir that once supplied water to the palace.

CHATRASAGAR is a fascinating pavilion of a gallery of miniature murals. Elaborate colorful paintings on the walls depict scenes from the 'Ragamala' 'Raaslila' -- the Radha-Krishna story.

SUKH MAHAL is a magnificent summer palace on the Sukh Sagar Lake amid the lush surroundings of a beautiful garden. An underground tunnel is believed to run from the Sukh Mahal to the old palace.

Proceed to CHITTAURGARH.

After visiting the FORT proceed to stay at the BIJAIPUR CASTLE SUITE.

Overnight will be at the CASTLE.

Day 10: Bijaipur - Udaipur (By Road 180 km/5 hr)
Start for Udaipur after breakfast.

Reach and check in at hotel.

The city of Dawn, Udaipur is a lovely land around the azure lake, hemmed in by the lush hills of the ARAVALLIS. A vision in white drenched in romance and beauty, Udaipur is a fascinating blend of sights, sound and experiences and inspiration for the imagination of poets, painters and writers.

Udaipur is the jewel of MEWAR -a kingdom ruled by the Sisodia dynasty for 1200 Years.

Relax in the evening. Overnight will be at Udaipur.

Day 11: Udaipur
Breakfast at hotel.

Proceed for sightseeing tour of Udaipur, stopping first at City Palace. Here you will marvel at rooms with mirrored walls and ivory doors, colored glass windows and inlaid marble balconies and the Peacock Courtyard.

Overnight will be at Udaipur.

Day 12: Udaipur - Kumbalgarh (By Road 100 km/2 hr)
After breakfast drive to Kumbalgarh.

En-route, visit the RANAKPUR TEMPLES, dating back to the 15th century. 200 pillars, none of which are alike, support its 29 halls. The Temple abounds with intricate friezes and sculptures. Includes visits to two more Jain temples and the Temple of the Sun God with its erotic sculptures.

Reach Kumbalgarh.

Stay overnight at the AODHI HOTEL of KUMBALGARH.

Day 13: Kumbalgarh - Jodhpur (By Road 150 km/4 hr)
Proceed in the morning after a leisurely breakfast and reach Jodhpur.

Set at the edge of the Thar Desert, the imperial city of Jodhpur echoes with tales of antiquity in the emptiness of the desert. Once the capital of the Marwar state, it was founded in 1459 AD by Rao Jodha-chief of the Rathore clan of Rajputs who claimed to be descendants of Rama - the epic hero of the Ramayana. The massive 15th century AD Mehrangarh Fort looms on the top of a rocky hill, soaring 125 Mts. Above the plains. A high wall -10 km long with 8 gates and innumerable bastions encompasses the city.

Relax in the hotel and visit the museum of UMAID BHAWAN PALACE. Overnight will be at Jodhpur.

Day 14: Jodhpur
Morning go for a village safari in the jeep and have a rare glimpse into the rich culture and true essence of India. Abundant wildlife (game) and memorable moments of the great desert landscape fascinates one while driving along the countryside.

Overnight will be at Jodhpur.

Day 15: Jodhpur - Jaisalmer (By Road 300 km/5 hr)
Proceed for Jaisalmer.

Rising from the heart of the Thar Desert like a golden mirage is the city of Jaisalmer. A commanding fort etched in yellow sandstone stands, with its awesome splendor, dominating the amber-hued city.

Reach and check in at hotel. Overnight will be at Jaisalmer.

Day 16: Jaisalmer
After a relaxed breakfast proceed for full day sightseeing tour of The Golden City - Jaisalmer. It is in the heart of the Great Indian Desert.

Stay overnight at the SWISS TENT CAMP.

Day 17: Jaisalmer to Bikaner (By Road 330 km/5 hr)
Breakfast at the camp. Continue with the safari and reach Bikaner via NAGAUR.

Check in at hotel.

BIKANER - The royal fortified city with a timeless appeal. Lying in the north of the Desert State, the city is dotted with many sand dunes. Bikaner retains the medieval splendor that pervades the city's lifestyle.

More popularly called the camel country, the city is renowned for the best riding camels in the world.

Relax in the evening. Overnight will be at Bikaner.

Day 18: Bikaner - Mandawa (By Road 140 km/3 hr)
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed for sightseeing tour of Bikaner.

The city is also called the "Camel Country". Visit the camel-breeding farm - the only one in Asia. Visit the KARNI MATA TEMPLE.

Proceed for Mandawa.

Reach and check in at hotel. Overnight will be at Mandawa.

Day 19: Mandawa - Delhi (By Road 260 km/5 hr)
Breakfast at hotel.

Take a walking tour of the painted 'havelis' of some of the leading business families of the country. Though they no longer live here, the local caretakers are happy to show the visitors around. Chowkhani Haveli, Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli, Lakshminarayan Ladia Haveli, Mohahanlal Saraf Haveli and Bhagchandika Haveli are of special interest. Spend the major part of the day looking into frescoes.

Also visit Mahensar and Dundlod meeting the local village chief. Leave for Delhi. Reach by evening. Overnight will be at Delhi.

Day 20: Delhi
Breakfast at Delhi. Proceed for a full day tour of Old & New Delhi.

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.

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.

Relax in the evening. Overnight will be at Delhi.

Day 21: Delhi - Home
Breakfast at hotel. Day free to explore the city and finish last minute shopping.

Proceed for the DANCES OF INDIA SHOW in the evening at 1800 hr after checking out of the hotel. After the show you will have FAREWELL DINNER before reaching the airport for flight home with sweet memories of India.