Taj Mahal with Wildlife of India
Duration:
11 Nights / 12 Days
Destinations:
Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi
Day
01: Delhi Company representatives will receive you on arrival at
the international airport in Delhi late in the night or midnight. Transfer
to your hotel. Relax.
DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires
is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating blend of the past and the
present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite culture of an ancient
land. A window to the kaleidoscope - that is India.
Overnight
will be at Delhi.
Day 02: Delhi - Jaipur Breakfast
will be at the hotel. Proceed to Jaipur.
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. In-spite of growing into a bustling metropolis, it still
retains its character and history - A beautiful fusion of the yesteryears
and modernity. It is popularly known as the Pink City because of the
extensive use of the locally abundant pink plastered stone, painted so in
honor of the visit of the royal consort of Queen Victoria. Jaipur thrills
the soul with its massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and
lush gardens.
Proceed for sight-seeing 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. Their
five-storey structures 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.
Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day
03: Jaipur - Agra Breakfast will be served at the 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. Its forbidding
exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and
Hindu styles finds its ultimate expression.
Drive to Agra.
Reach Fatehpur Sikri after a light lunch break. The deserted, red
Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital and palace in the
late 16th century is an exhilarating experience. It a veritable fairytale
city and its "ruins" are in pristine condition ... it's not hard
to imagine what the court life must have been like in the days of its
grandeur. Also visit the Buland Darwaza, the largest gateway in the world.
Continue towards Agra and reach by evening. Check in at hotel.
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}. Today a visitor
to Agra is caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone
and white marble, narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that irresistible
charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still retains. It is not
surprising, that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritage most
conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of the city will
introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.
Overnight stay will be at Agra.
Day
04: Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh After breakfast proceed to visit
Taj. 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. This
monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by
Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from it's stunning design balance and
perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes,
intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen.
Proceed for sight-seeing to the AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal
emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is predominantly of red sandstone.
Ensconced within is the picture perfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major
tourist attraction.
Visit Itmadullah's Tomb built by Empress
NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father (The interiors of which are considered
better than the Taj).
Take train to UMARIA. Overnight would be
on board the train.
Day
05: Bandhavgarh Reach Bandhavgarh and check in at hotel.
Bandhavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history. Set among the
Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it
contains a wide variety of habitats and a high density of game, including a
large number of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country. These have
been found in the old state of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh
captured the last known in 1951. This white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and
on display in the Palace of Maharaja of Rewa. Prior to becoming a National
Park, the forests around Bandhavgarh had long been maintained as a
Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. The Maharaja and his
guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was well protected. It
was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His
Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914.
There are 32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort
at its center. The fort's cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet
(300 meters) above the surrounding countryside. Over half the area is
covered by Sal forest although on the upper slope it is replaced by mixed
forest of sal, saj, dhobin, and saja. Winter temperatures (Nov-mid-February)
vary from almost freezing at night to around 68 degree Fahrenheit in the
daytime. Summer nights are also cooler than the daytime temperatures, which
rise to 104 degree Fahrenheit. This park is closed during the breeding
season, which coincides with the monsoon (July-October). Rainfall in the
park averages 50 inches (120 cm) per year.
Bandhavgarh has been
a center of human activity and settlement for over 2000 years, and there are
references to it in the ancient books, the Narad-Panch Ratra and the Shiva
Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama, hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana,
stopped at Bandhavgarh on his way back to his homeland after defeating the
demon King Ravana of Lanka. Two monkey architects, who had engineered a
bridge between the isle of Lanka and the mainland, are said to have built
Bandhavgarh's Fort. Later Rama handed it over to his brother Lakshmana who
became known as Bandavdhish "The Lord of the Fort". Lakshmana is
the particular God of the fort and is regularly worshipped in a temple
there.
Bandhavgarh is justifiably famous for its Tigers, but it
has a wide range of other game. The undergrowth is not as dense as in some
northern terai forests, but the best time to see the park inhabitants is
still the summer months when water becomes more scarce and the undergrowth
dies back.
Check in at the resort and overnight will be at
Bandhavgarh.
Day
06: Bandhavgarh A full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two
safaris)
Overnight at the resort.
Day 07:
Bandhavgarh A full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two
safaris)
Overnight at the resort.
Day 08:
Bandhavgarh - Khajuraho After breakfast proceed to Khajuraho.
Reach and transfer to hotel.
Situated in the heart of
India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a fascinating village
with a quaint, rural ambience and a rich cultural heritage, honored by the
world as India's unique contribution to human civilization. The Chandela
dynasty built eighty-five temples here. Only twenty remain as embodiments of
Indian architectural and sculptural art at its most evolved state. Even ten
centuries after they were constructed, the temples of Khajuraho reflect an
eternal philosophy relevant to mankind. The temple of Khajuraho is a world
heritage site and belongs not just to India but to the world. The nearby
Panna national park is a project tiger park making the area a unique
combination of outstanding cultural and natural heritage - one of the few
millennium destinations of the world.
Explore the village in the
evening. Visit SHILPAGRAM. Overnight will be at Khajuraho.
Day
09: Khajuraho - Varanasi Proceed for a guided tour of the famous
temples of Khajuraho after breakfast.
Transfer in time to airport
for flight to Varanasi. Upon arrival at Varanasi, you will be met and
transferred to hotel.
Varanasi is the World's most ancient
living city. Sunrise on the riverfront, as seen from a boat, can be
spiritually uplifting sight. Crowded with temples, and its labyrinth of
streets, the city attracts the maximum number of tourists. The religious
capital of Hinduism, Varanasi is the carpet-manufacturing place of India. It
was previously known as Kashi - the city that illuminates. The present name
is derived from the fact that the city is at the confluence of the rivers
Varuna and Asi.
Spend night at Varanasi.
Day 10:
Varanasi Drive early morning to Daswamedh Ghat and take a boat ride
on the sacred river Ganges to see the cremation Ghats and witness the living
traditions of one of the world's oldest and most important religions. (To
start at 0500 hrs. for the best lifetime experience) For you to appreciate
this remarkable city, we'll transfer you to the banks of the River Ganges
before the sun rises. Board a boat with your guide and proceed to the middle
of the river, where at sunrise the sight unfolds before you. Thousands of
faithful come daily to the banks to bathe and pray while in the background,
temples and palaces rise in tiers from the water's edge.Then return for a
walk through the cobblestone streets along the banks of "Ganga".
As shops are opening, the place now becomes a beehive of activity as the
faithful are coming and going. Also visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple while
returning to the hotel.
Return for breakfast to the hotel.
Proceed for day guided tour of Varanasi including the Gyanvapi Mosque and
Benaras Hindu University. Overnight will be at Varanasi.
Day
11: Varanasi - Delhi Breakfast will be at the hotel at hotel.
Proceed for sight-seeing of SARNATH.
Sarnath - 5 miles out of
Varanasi for a day excursion: One of the holiest Buddhist sites in the
world, where Buddha preached his first Sermon in 590 BC. Witness the ruins
of a once flourishing Buddhist monastery and then visit a fine Museum which
houses an excellent collection of Buddhist art and sculptures found at the
site.
Transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Reach Delhi and
you will be transferred to hotel.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 12: Delhi: Departure Proceed for a full-day
tour of Old & New Delhi after breakfast.
OLD DELHI - A
sight-seeing 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 Mughal Empire.
Enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid
to Chandni Chowk.
NEW DELHI - An extensive sight-seeing 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.
Transfer to airport for flight
home.
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