Wildlife & Classical
India Adventure
Duration:
14 Nights / 15 Days
Places Covered: Delhi - Jaipur - Ranthambhore -
Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh - Umaria - Delhi - Rishikesh - Delhi
Day 1 Delhi : Arrival at Delhi
Company
representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport in Delhi.
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
2 Delhi: Start a full-day tour of Old and New Delhi after breakfast.
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.
Enjoy a 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 the Lotus Temple and would end with a drive
through the Diplomatic Enclave.
Spend night at Delhi.
Day
3 Delhi - Jaipur:By Road
260 Kms/6 hr
Proceed to Jaipur after
breakfast. Reach by noon.
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 - 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.
Visit the markets of Jaipur
and proceed to Choki Dani Village for dinner. Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day
4 Jaipur: Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed for morning excursion
to Amber Fort. Elephant ride ascent to the fort.
AMBER FORT PALACE
- Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthani fort palace. Man Singh I in 1592
started the construction. It was 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.
Continue city sightseeing.
CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditionalRajasthani
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. It is a 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.
Relax in the evening. Overnight will
be at Jaipur.
Day 5 Jaipur - Ranthambhore: By road
175
km in 4 hr
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed to Ranthambhore.
Reach
and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the resort and you can relax or watch
some slides on the tiger.
Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, at the junction
of the Aravalis 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. Get in tune with nature for
a luxury holiday in the heart of the jungle.
It spreads over a highly
undulating topography varying from gentle to steep slopes; from flat topped hills
of the Vindhyas to the conical hillocks and sharp ridges of the Aravalis, from
wide and flat valleys to narrow rocky gorges.An important geological feature the
'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhya plateaus meet the Aravali hill Ranges,
meanders through the Reserve. The National Park is bound by the rivers Chambal
in the south and Banas in the north. Tiger, at the apex of the food chain, lord
over the kingdom in a subtle way. Solitary by nature, it operates in stealth.
Therefore tiger sightings, frequent as they are, are always a matter of chance.
However, even evidences of tiger's activities are very exciting.
Proceed
for evening tiger safari into the park. Dinner will be served at the resort and
relax for the night at resort.
Day 6 Ranthambore: Wake
up early morning and leave for your safari into the National Park. Track the tigers
and other wildlife through the morning. Return to the resort / lodge by 1000 in
the morning and have breakfast.
Freshen up and either spend time at the
pool or visit the town. You could also go for a nice visit to the temple on top
of the fort.
In the afternoon have lunch and then leave again for you
afternoon safari. The safari will be till evening 1700 - 1800 hr and then return
to the resort / lodge.
Dinner will be at the resort and retire early for
the night. Overnight will be at Ranthambhore.
Day 7 Ranthambhore
- Agra: By road
225 km in 6 hr
Drive to Fatehpur Sikri after
breakfast.
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 Bulund Darwaza, the largest gateway in the world.
Continue drive after sightseeing to Agra. Reach and 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 will be at Agra.
Day 8 Agra - Umaria
- Bandhavgarh:By overnight train at 1515 hr
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 its 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 sightseeing 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 onboard the train.
Day 9 Bandhavgarh:Arrive
early in the morning
Reach Bandavgarh and check in at hotel.
Bandavgarh
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 Bandavgarh 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 alarge natural fort at its center. The fort's
cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet (300 meters) above the surrounding
countryside. 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. Bandavgarh
is justifiably famous for its Tigers, but it has a wide range of other game.
Check
in at the resort and spend whole day in tiger and wildlife tracking. All meals
will be in the resort. Overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day 10
Bandhavgarh: Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two
safaris)
Trip to the Bandavgarh Fort:The oldest fort in India - considered
to be more than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The
charm of this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled
and unexplored. Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to
take a guide. Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples
of around the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used
as a place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived
and preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of
the surrounding countryside. The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and
permissionis required to visit it. However permission is available locally and
no trip to Bandavgarh is complete without making an effort to climb up the fort.
The staff of the resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating the
trek to the fort.
All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be at
the resort.
Day 11 Bandhavgarh: Enjoy a full day game viewing
inside the jungle. (Two safaris) All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will
be in Bandavgarh.
Day 12 Bandhavgarh - Umaria - Delhi:By overnight
train at 1600 hr
Spend the morning at the National Park and breakfast
will be at the resort.
Proceed to the station after lunch for train to
Delhi.
Overnight will be in the train.
Day 13 Delhi - Rishikesh:
By Road
250 km in 6 hr
Reach Delhi in the morning and after
freshening up leave for Rishikesh by surface.
Rishikesh is just 45 minutes
from Haridwar and a well known place for RIVER RAFTING, ASHRAMS, YOGA & MEDITATION.
Rishikesh represents the Gateway to the Himalayas in the Tehri-Garhwal
region of Uttar Pradesh. It abounds in natural splendor. The spectacle of the
Ganga rushing through the Himalayan foothills is an awesome sight. Several temples
dot the banks of the Ganga at Rishikesh. Rishikesh is located at a height of about
1360 feet above the sea level. It is believed that several yogis and sages lived
and practiced penance here. Rishikesh represents the site where Vishnu vanquished
the demon Madhu.
Tapovan on the other bank of the Ganges houses a temple
to Lakshmana. It is believed that Lakshmana carried out penances here. It is also
believed that his brother Bharata meditated here, and there is a temple to Bharata
here. Also seen here are the Swargashram and the Geeta Bhavan temples.
The
Lakshman Jhula, a 450 feet long suspension bridge was built in 1939. A newer bridge
the Ram Jhula has been added recently. The Ganga abounds in fish. Offerings of
puffed rice are made to these creatures. The freshness of the air, and the sound
of flowing water, the scenic beauty of the region and the distant sound of bell
chimes create an unforgettable experience for those that visit this ancient pilgrimage
town. 12 km away from Rishikesh is located the Nilkanth Mahadeo temple at a height
of about 5000 feet, commanding spectacular views of the region.
Stay in
Rishikesh and visit the ASHRAMS and enjoy the River Ganges.
Overnight
will be at riverbank camp in Rishikesh.
Day 14 Rishikesh: Spend
the whole day rafting in the white waters of Ganges. All meals will be in the
camp.
Overnight will be in the camp.
Day 15 Rishikesh - Delhi:
By Road
250 km in 6 hr
Proceed to Haridwar after breakfast.
Haridwar located in the foothills of the Himalayas, represents the point
where the Ganga reaches the plains. Haridwar is an ancient pilgrimage site, held
in reverence for centuries. The Chinese pilgrim Hyuen Tsang who visited India
in the first millennium CE, describes Haridwar as Mayura, on the eastern banks
of the Ganges. Several temples and ashrams dot this town and a visit to Haridwar
is like stepping in a totally different world. Legend has it that Bhagiratha brought
the Ganges into the earth and into this point where his ancestors were burnt to
ashes by the curse of the sage Kapila. Kapilastaan, a spot in Haridwar is pointed
to as Kapila's hermitage. Haridwar was once known as Gangadwara.
Continue
drive to Delhi and reach by evening.
Enjoy the farewell dinner and share
your experiences. Proceed to airport for connecting flight home.
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