This tour covers the heartland of India, nurtured by the Holy Ganges as it meanders from the Himalayan heights to the depths of the Bay of Bengal. Starting in the culturally rich cauldron of Delhi, we move to Lucknow, site of the famous siege of 1857, and then on to the Ganges in Varanasi, or Benares, one of the oldest living cities in the world; Khajuraho offers 10th century temples with erotic sculpture; the little known Orchha is the hidden gem we explore on the banks of the Betwa before admiring the imposing fort of Gwalior, with its striking blue enamelled inlay work. The beauty of the Taj awaits us in Agra before we complete the picture with the colourful city of Jaipur, aptly called the Pink City after the colour of the buildings in the old city. We stay in places that help us take in the spirit of the land, or we use comfortable hotels with first class facilities and tried and tested service.
Days 1 & 2 - Delhi
Arrive into Delhi, transfer to the colonial Maidens Hotel (or the modern plush Grand Hotel); we visit Lutuen's New Delhi with its tree-lined boulevards and its World Heritage sites - Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar. We take a rickshaw ride in the bazaars of Chandni Chowk, see the largest mosque in India, the Jama Masjid and visit Sheesh Gunj Gurudwara. A welcome dinner in traditional setting has been arranged.
Days 3 & 4 - Lucknow
A short flight brings us to Lucknow, the City of Nawabs; we stay at the elegant Vivanta by Taj. The sights visited include the Residency, the Imambaras, and La Martinere. We can savour Avadh delicacies in Hazratgunj and buy some Zardosi in Aminabad.
Days 5 & 6 - Varanasi
We take a morning train to Varanasi, and stay two nights at Taj Gateway or Madin Hotel; a visit to the evening aarti at the ghats has been arranged; the next morning we take a boatride on the Ganges to see thousands of year old rituals being performed in prayer and visit Sarnath, the site of Budhha's first sermon. We walk the narrow lanes of the city to experience local life at close quarters as we visit the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Day 7 - Khajuraho
A short flight to Khajuraho, transfer to the Radisson; we visit the celebrated Chandela temples and enjoy a son et lumiere show in the evening.
Day 8 - Orchha
We drive to the hamlet of Orchha, dotted with ruins of temples and palaces of the Bundela kings, scattered around the banks of the Betwa River; our overnight stay is at the comfortable Orchha Palace.
Day 9 - Gwalior
We visit the serene sights of Orchha in the morning before the short drive to Gwalior, taking in the famous Fort of Jhansi en route; we stay at the beautifully restored royal residence of Usha Kiran Palace.
Days 10 & 11 - Agra
The imposing Gwalior Fort invites a visit in the morning along with the Scindia Museum; we later drive to Agra and stay two nights with a local family (or at the ITC Mughal); we see the Taj Mahal at sunrise as well as sunset, visit the Agra Fort where Shah Jehan, the builder of Taj Mahal, was imprisoned by his son, and see the tomb of Itamud-ud-daula, father of the powerful queen, Noor Jehan. A visit to the theatre is included, to enjoy a dance-drama narrating the story of the Taj.
Days 12 & 13 - Jaipur
A morning visit to the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri; then a short drive to Bharatpur, where we ride a rickshaw into the world heritage bird sanctuary. Aftre a lunch halt we drive to Jaipur for two nights at Khas Bagh or the Royal Heritage Haveli. The next day is spent visiting Jaipur sights, including Amber Fort, which we could possibly on elephant back.
Day 14 - Delhi
After a relaxed morning we drive back to Delhi for a short stay at an airport hotel, before flying out the next morning.
New Delhi
Varanasi
Khajuraho
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Small Group Tours