| Classical Journey with Royal Rajasthan |
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| Duration : |
17 Days |
| Validity : |
01 October 2007 - 30 April 2008 |
| Destinations : |
Delhi - Varanasi - Khajuraho - Agra - Jaipur - Bikaner - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Chittorgarh - Delhi |
| Holiday Theme : |
Heritage Tours |
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| Itinerary |
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DAY 01:
Arrive Delhi at the International airport. You will be received on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Overnight stay at hotel in Delhi.
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DAY 02:
After breakfast proceed for full day sight seeing tour of Old and New Delhi. Our itinerary takes off from a sightseeing tour of the Old Delhi - a multi - layered city. Our first stop is the Red Fort built by the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan when he shifted his capital from Agra. A short drive brings us to the Great Mosque - The Jama Masjid. Drive on to see the memorial built for Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
Afternoon Sightseeing tour of New Delhi includes a visit to the Qutub Minar - the tallest stone tower in India built in 1191 AD. Chhatarpur Temple - the most popular Hindu temple with blissful tranquility and serene ambience. Continue to Humayun's Tomb believed to have been designed by his widow. Its plan is based on the description of Islamic paradise gardens and is known to have inspired the Taj Mahal and many later Mughal tombs. Also visit the Bahai Temple - a lotus shaped structure. It is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. It is open to all faiths and is an ideal place for meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility. Overnight stay at hotel in Delhi. (B)
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DAY 03:
Morning transfer to airport to connect flight for Varanasi, assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Afternoon excursion to Sarnath. One of the three holiest sites for Buddhists, it has the Deer Park, where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon more than 2500 years ago. The site is marked by the massive Dhamek stupa, which is believed to date back to 500 AD. Ashoka, the great Buddhist emperor erected many magnificent stupas here. The remains of the great Ashoka Pillar still stand before the main shrine. The capital can be seen at the nearby Sarnath Museum. This has now been adopted as the state emblem of modern India. Overnight stay at hotel in Varanasi.
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DAY 04:
Early morning Boat Ride to see the sun rise on the river Ganges. Rarely does any place influence the life of a religious community in such totality as Varanasi, the ultimate pilgrimage. Varanasi has predominated Hindu life in its every facet. Visit Vishwanath Temple, erected by Rani Ahalayabai Holker of Indore in 1776. The gold plating on the shikharas was a gift of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1835. It is therefore popularly known as Golden Temple. Bharat Mata Temple is a novel temple dedicated to Mother India, which instead of the customary gods and the goddesses houses one of the most perfect relief maps of India carved out of marble. And drive through the Bazaar is an experience by itself. Overnight stay at hotel in Varanasi
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DAY 05:
Transfer to airport to connect flight for Khajuraho. On arrival in Khajuraho transferred to the hotel. Afternoon proceed for a half day sight seeing tour of Khajuraho temples which were built in the span of a hundred years, from 950 - 1050 AD, in a truly inspired burst of creativity. Of the 85 original temples, 22 have survived till today to constitute one of the worlds great artistic wonders. Visit the Eastern and Southern group of temples. The eastern group consists of three Jain temples in an enclosure and four others scattered around the old village of Khajuraho. The southern group has two temples the Duladeo, which is fairly close to the Jain (eastern) group, and the Chaturbhuj temple, adorned with a huge, intricately carved image of Lord Vishnu. Overnight stay at hotel in Khajuraho.
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DAY 06:
After breakfast sightseeing- visit the Kandariya Mahadeo Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Other temples in the group are Chausath Yogini, Chitragupta, Vishwanath, Lakshmana, Matangeshwara, Devi Jagadamba, Parvati, Lakshmi and Varaha temples, each with its own history, presiding deity and points of interest. Later drive for Jhansi to connect train for Agra. On arrival in Agra you are transferred to your hotel.Overnight stay at hotel in Agra.
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DAY 07:
After breakfast, proceed for sightseeing tour of Agra and visit Taj Mahal - built by a grief-stricken emperor, Shah Jahan, as a memorial of eternal love for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, Agra Fort which perhaps offers the most moving view of the Taj Mahal from its octagonal tower situated across the River Jamuna. Afternoon drive for Jaipur enroute visit the ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri. On arrival in Jaipur check in to the hotel. Overnight stay at hotel in Jaipur.
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Day 08:
After breakfast proceed for full day sight seeing of Jaipur. Start your sight seeing with a morning excursion to the Amber Fort,that is perched on a hill. An Elephant transports you inside the fort, which houses a Marble Palace, Temple of Victory and a Hall of Mirrors. On returning to the city we admire the Outdoor Observatory the Jantar Mantar- built in 1726 by Jai Singh, a notable astronomer King. It houses instruments of astonishing accuracy, which give accurate predictions to this day. The City Palace is a visitors delight. Within the walls are several Palaces and museums resplendent with collections of the princely era. Drive to the Palace of Winds (Hawa Mahal), a five story high Palace having a facade of windows and latticed screens which allowed the Ladies of the Court, in bygone days, to sit and view the streets of the city. Overnight stay at hotel in Jaipur.
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Day 09:
After breakfast drive to Bikaner (325 kms / 6 hrs). On arrival
check-in at your hotel. Bikaner is s a royal fortified city with a timeless appeal. Lying in the north of the desert state, the city is dotted with many sand dunes. Visit Junagarh Fort - built in 1593 by raja Rai Singh, a general in the army of emperor Akbar. The fort is a formidable structure encircled by a moat and has some beautiful palaces within. These palaces, made in red sandstone and marble, make a picturesque ensemble of courtyards, balconies, kiosks and windows dotted all over the structure. Lalgarh Palace is the architectural masterpiece in red sand stone. The palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the memory of the former Maharaja Lal Singh. The palace has beautiful lattice and filigree work. Sprawling lawns with blooming bougainvillea and dancing peacocks make it a not-to-be missed visual treat. Overnight stay at hotel in Bikaner.
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Day 10:
After breakfast proceed to Jaisalmer (333 km / 7 hrs).En-route visit Deshnok
- The Karni Mata rat temple. Legend has it that the more rats jump
over you the more you will be blessed.. On arrival at Jaisalmer check-in to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel in Jaisalmer.
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Day 11:
Explore Jaisalmer, rising from the thar desert like a golden mirage. It has The Fort, a sentinel to the bleak desertscape from its 80 metre high perch on the hill, housing the entire township within its ramparts. It has an enchanting cob-web of narrow lanes dotted with some lovely havelis, three beautifully sculpted Jain temples of the 12th - 15th century AD and five interconnected palaces. The fort is approached through four gateways - Akhaiya Pol, Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol and Hava Pol. Gadisar Lake is a scenic rain water lake with numerous beautiful shrines around and a spectacular avian variety.
Some of the most exotic mansions or havelis, all intricately latticed, are strewn all over Jaisalmer - each with a different facade. Patwon-ki-Haveli is the most elaborate and magnificent of all the Jaisalmer havelis. It has exquisitely carved pillars and extensive corridors and chambers. Salim Singh-ki-Haveli is a 300 year old haveli of Jaisalmers prime minister to maharaja Rawal Gaj Singh. The fort has three exquisitely carved Jain temples dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras - Rishabdev, Sambhavnath and Parswanath.
In the evening visit the Sand Dunes. No trip to Jaisalmer is complete without a trip to the most picturesque dunes of Sam. The ripples on the wind-caressed dunes, that create an enchanting mirage, are surely a delight for a trigger-happy photographer. Various cultural programmes are organised against the backdrop of these fascinating sand dunes. Exciting camel Safaris allow you to get the real feel of the desert on the camel back. Overnight stay at hotel in Jaisalmer. |
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Day 12:
After breakfast drive to Jodhpur (290 km / 7 hrs) and check-in at the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel in Jodhpur.
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Day 13:
Sightseeing tour of Jodhpur includes the Mehrangarh fort - the 5 km long majestic fort on a 125 meter high hill which is one of the most impressive and formidable structures. Although invincible from the outside, the fort has four gates approached by a winding road. Jaswant Thada is a cluster of royal cenotaphs built in 1899 AD in the memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Within the main cenotaph are the portraits of various Jodhpur rulers. Also visit the Garden City of Mandore, Old capital of Jodhpur. Overnight stay at hotel in Jodhpur.
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Day 14:
After breakfast drive for Udaipur. Enroute visit Jain Temples at Ranakpur. On arrival in Udaipur check in to the hotel. Rest of the time at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel in Udaipur.
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Day 15:
Afternoon proceed for half day sight seeing of Udaipur city, this includes a visit to City Palace Complex, Sahelion ki Bari and the Doll museum. Evening boat ride in the lake Pichola. Overnight stay at hotel in Udaipur.
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Day 16:
After early breakfast drive for Chittorgarh. Visit Chittorgarh. Afternoon return to Udaipur. Overnight stay at hotel in Udaipur.
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Day 17:
Afternoon transfer to airport to connect flight for Delhi, assistance on arrival and transfer to International airport for your flight to onward destination.
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| Includes |
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Accommodation for 16 nights/17 days in the above mentioned hotels.
All the transfers and sightseeing by AC Car.
Daily breakfast at the hotel.
Boat ride at Varanasi
Elephant ride at Amber Fort, Jaipur.
Camel ride at Jaisalmer.
Boat ride at Udaipur
English speaking guide as per the itinerary.
All applicable taxes.
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| Excludes |
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Expenses of personal nature such as meals other then specified, soft/hard drinks, mineral water, camera/video fee, film rolls.
Any air/train fare (as per actual).
Entrance fees of monuments.
Any tips, travel insurance fee.
Any other item not specifically mentioned above.
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| Validity |
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Rates are valid from 01 October 2007 - 30th April 2008
Rates are not valid from 22 DEC 2007- 05 JAN 2008 |
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Since 1981
