This is where every day, 365 days a year,
thousands of Hindu pilgrims congregate on the bank of the River Ganges
to bathe in this holy river. The cultural roots from Varanasi and
Khajuraho of ancient India to the medieval Mughal cities of Jaipur, Agra
and Delhi to the pre and post independent India, all come into light and
are received as a story of India - one of the most diverse and
fascinating countries in our world. Journey to the Ganges offers the
flexibility of extending your journey to either Nepal or Eastern India.
Day 01: Sunday Arrive New Delhi.
Namaste! We are warmly greeted the traditional Indian way with hands
together.
Overnight: Hotel Oberoi Maidens/ Jaypee Siddharth (3 nights),
Day 02: Monday New Delhi.
The capital of India is a true reflection of the old and new of India.
We visit the famous India Gate followed by the Houses of Parliament,
Connaught Place and the Qutb Minar - a perfect minaret towering 102 m
into the sky. New Delhi is an exotic blend of Mughal, Hindu, British and
modern independent India.
Day 03:Tuesday Old Delhi.
Our tour of Old Delhi takes us back to the reign of the Mughuls with the
famous Red Fort. Built by Shah Jehan, this was once the most opulent
fort of the Mughal Empire. Next we visit the majestic Jama Masjid,
India's largest mosque, followed by the Raj Ghat, the cremation site of
Mahatma Gandhi. We end our tour with a bazaar experience at Chandni
Chawlk, the street of silver and goldsmiths. Evening is free to enjoy an
optional Sound and Light Show at the Delhi Red Fort.
Day 04:Wednesday Delhi / Mandawa (Drive 242 km/6 hours).
This morning we head off for the colourful province of Rajasthan. This
journey provides us with our first exposure to the countryside and rural
life of India. Afternoon we take a tour of this rural and feudal center
of the country. Mandawa is located in the Shekawati region of Northwest
Rajasthan and consists of heritage buildings of the feudal lords called
havelis. The town has an air of serenity and royal prestige. We meet the
local folks, who maintain an air of dignity in their style and culture.
Evening we visit the colourful Mandawa bazaar followed by dinner the
Rajput style at the Castle. Overnight: Castle Mandawa (1 night),
Day 05: Thursday Mandawa / Jaipur (Drive 167 kms/4 hours).
Driving through the Rajasthani country we head south for the famous city
of Jaipur. En route we stop to take pictures and meet the local people
in the various villages along our way. Jaipur is famous as the pink city
and it is the capital of Rajasthan. Overnight: Hotel Trident Hilton,
Jaipur (2 nights),
Day 06: Friday Jaipur.
We are treated like the royalty of yesteryear with an elephant ride to
the intriguing Amber Palace, a distinguished example of 17th Century
Rajput architecture. Next we visit the old astronomical observatory, the
Palace, home to a rare collection of Indian art and Hawa Mahal, the most
prominent of the buildings in the pink city. We end the day at the
colourful bazaar.
Day 07: Saturday Jaipur / Fatehpur Sikri / Agra (Drive 235kms/5 hours).
A short drive gets us to Fatehpur Sikri, the beautiful capital built in
1640 by the Mughal King, Akbar the Great. A superb example of Mughal
architecture, it stands perfectly preserved in the desert having been
abandoned by its inhabitants due to a lack of water. We also visit the
artistically designed mausoleum of Salim Chisty who is reputed to have
prayed for a son for Akbar leading to the birth of Salim Jehangir, the
builder of the Taj. We arrive in Agra in time for a delicious dinner.
Overnight: Jaypee Palace, Agra (2 nights),
Day 08: Sunday Agra.
Our tour of Agra begins with the spectacular Taj Mahal, probably the
best known World Heritage Site. Built by Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for
his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj is built of white marble,
beautifully carved and inlaid with semi-precious stones. Next we visit
Agra Fort followed by Agra town and bazaar. Later we have free time for
shopping for replicas of the Taj, handicrafts and various other curios
that the descendants of the builders of the Taj are famous for crafting.
Day 09: Monday Agra / Khajuraho (Train) / Orrcha / Khajuraho
(Drive 172Kms/3 hours).
Today we board the famous Shatabdi Express Train to Jhansi then continue
by coach to visit Orchha, an amazing medieval fortress-city located on
the shores of the Betwa River. After our visit of Orchha we proceed to
Khajuraho, home of splendid temples. Evening we may enjoy an optional
Sound and Light Show. Overnight: Hotel Jass Radisson, Khajuraho (1
night)
Day 10: Tuesday Khajuraho / Varanasi (Flight).
Our Khajuraho visit begins with the series of temples that have been
designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The temples were built
during the apogee of the Chandella dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD.
Today only about 20 temples remain and they fall into three distinct
groups and belong to two different religions - Hinduism and Jainism. The
Kandariya is decorated with a profusion of sculptures that are among the
greatest masterpieces of Indian art. These beautiful temples strike a
perfect balance between architecture and sculpture. After our
sightseeing of Khajuraho we take a short flight to the holy city of
Varanasi – amongst the oldest living cities on the Sub Continent. We
start our Varanasi experience with a visit to the old part of the city
and Bharat Mata Temple which houses a huge relief map of India made of
marble. Varanasi is famous for its many temples and today we cover the
Durga temple, the Tulsi Manas Mandir beside the Banaras Hindu University
and the Mosque of Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb. Varanasi is also famous for
its Banarasi silk sarees and we visit some of the houses where they are
woven. Evening is free to enjoy this 5000-year-old city and experience
sunset on the Ganges. Overnight: Hotel Taj Ganges Varanasi (1 night),
Day 11: Wednesday Varanasi / Lucknow (Drive 320Km/7 hours).
Early morning a serene experience begins as we take a sunrise
cruise on the River Ganges. One of the cardinal principles of Hinduism
is the belief in the holiness of the Ganges and every morning scores of
pilgrim and priests fill the riverbanks performing the holy dip and
various other rituals. This is a site that has to be seen and
experienced as it is so different from anything else in the world. Later
we tour Sarnath, the site of Lord Buddha's first sermon after attaining
enlightenment. At Sarnath we meet many Buddhist monks and followers
before visiting local homes to see in-home silk weaving and soak up some
local customs, culture and hospitality.
After visiting Sarnath we return to the Hotel for checkout and later we
head for Lucknow. Lucknow, the capital city of State of Uttar Pradesh,
is one of the most famous historic cities of India, famous for its
architectural grandeur, silks, perfumes, jewelry, mouth-watering
cuisines, and Nawabi etiquettes. Overnight: Hotel Clarks Avadh Lucknow
(2 nights),
Day 12: Thursday Lucknow.
After breakfast, enjoy a day long city tour of Lucknow visiting the
Chota and Bada Imam Bara, Bhulbhulaiya (one of the largest vaunted halls
of the world) and the La Martiniere School. We also visit Lucknow
Residency. Though the air is silent but traveling down the lanes of
memories, one can still hear the resounding war cries from all
directions, the canon balls shelling the walls and the snipers firing
with perfect aim at the high flying Union Jack. The piece-de-resistance
this is The Lucknow Residency - ready for the siege.
The sun had set for the British Empire, there was an all out siege of
the Residency, that continued for nearly five months, taking the life of
2197 defenders including British and Indian. What was left of this
majestic building built by Nawab Asif-ud-Daula in the year 1775, were
the broken walls with marks of bullets and cannon balls. The museum at
the Residency houses an impressive collection of firearms, lithographs
and paintings. One can well spend hours in the complex strolling among
the roofless walls and reading the epitaphs on the graves in the
cemetery. In the evening, enjoy a unique and exciting Tonga ride (horse
drawn carriage) through the famous Meena bazaar and a delicious Dinner
with the present Nawab of Lucknow, who is the descendent of Nawab Asif
Ud Daula (subject to availability of the Nawab). Here we also get an
opportunity to know more about the cuisines of Lucknow.
Day 13: Friday Lucknow / Delhi (Express Deluxe Train)/7 hours.
Morning free for shopping – Lucknow is famous for it’s bazaars and the
tradition of bargaining with poetry often being thrown in as part of the
negotiating tool. Early afternoon we are transferred to the Railway
Station to board the express and luxury Shatabdi Train to Delhi. Evening
Tea & Dinner is served on board the train. Upon arrival at Delhi we are
met and transferred to our hotel. Overnight: Hotel Oberoi Maidens/
Jaypee Siddharth (1 night),
Day 14: Saturday Delhi / Home (Flight).
Today we bid farewell to India after what will have been an excellent
experience of a culture that is as old as history.
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