Tour Duration : 16 Nights/ 17 Days
Places to Visit : Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Udaipur
- Goa - Mumbai - Cochin - Marari - Kumarakom
- Periyar - Madurai - Chennai
Day 1 : Abroad - Delhi
Arrival late night at New Delhi International Airport
On arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, the guest will be met by
our representative and transferred to the hotel.
Overnight at hotel
Day 2 : Delhi
This morning you will be taken to visit
Old Delhi - Former centre of
Moghul Power, Old Delhi offers ancient monuments, narrow streets and bustling
bazaars. Drive past the Red Fort, built in 1648 and board the
'rickshaw ride'
for a unique experience from the Red Fort, through "Chandni Chowk"
or Silver Street, experiencing the sights and sounds of this very busy avenue
heading west from the Fort. Later visit the
Jama Masjid, the greatest
mosque in India and completed in 1658 by Shah Jahan who also built the Taj Mahal,
and the
Raj Ghat, the simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
This afternoon you will be taken to visit
New Delhi - drive past the
stately government buildings of the British Era designed by Lutyens, including
the
India Gate & the
Presidential Palace. Continue onto the
beautiful Humayuns tomb of the Mughal era & predecessor of the world famous
Taj Mahal. End the tour at the towering minaret of
Qutab Minar.
Overnight at hotel
Day 3: Delhi - Agra
Morning drive to
Agra (203 kms).
Upon arrival in Agra - check in to hotel.
Afternoon
visit Red fort & Taj Mahal
Red Fort - lies on the bend of the river Yamuna, almost in the heart
of the town. It was built by Akbar as his citadel over the years 1563-73 in
the finest architectural style. It has imposing gates and walls of red sandstone
and a moat.
Taj Mahal -This most famous Moghul monument was constructed by Emperor
Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal "the lady of the Taj".
It has been described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love,
for the emperor was heartbroken when Mumtaz died after 17 years of marriage,
during the birth of her 14th child.The central structure has four small domes
surrounding the huge, central dome. Above the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah
Jahan are false tombs, a common practice in Indian mausoleums.
Visit the pristine
Taj Mahal at sunset, to see this true Wonder of the
world in gentle late afternoon light.
Overnight at hotel
Day 4 : Agra - Jaipur
Morning drive to
Jaipur (221 kms), enroute visit Fatehpur Sikri.
Fatehpur Sikri - drive to the impressive sandstone fortress of Fatehpur
Sikri. The fort was built in the 16th century and only occupied for a few years
before being abandoned, leaving the buildings in virtually perfect conditions.
Thereafter continue drive to Jaipur.
Upon arrival in Jaipur - check in to hotel.
Late
morning tour of the impressive
Amber Fort, situated on a ridge just outside
Jaipur City. At the foot of the hill you will mount your caparisoned elephant
for the slow but steady climb up to the main gate, making your entrance in the
time honoured fashion. The Fort, completed in the early 18th century, took over
100 years to build and now, although deserted, offers a fascinating insight
into the lifestyle of the Moghul ruling families.
Afternoon tour of the
City - "The Pink City" is spectacularly
set within surrounding rugged hills, dotted with ancient ruined fortresses.
Your tour will include the imposing
City Palace, still home to the Maharaja
although several of the rooms are now open to the public. Many antiques and
artefacts belonging to the ruling family are housed here, including a collection
of weaponry. You will also visit the
Hawa Mahal "Palace of the Winds",
and the open-air
Jantar Mantar Observatory to see the vast astronomical
instruments. Enjoy a stroll through the colourful bazaar before returning to
your hotel.
Overnight at hotel
Day 5 : Jaipur - Udaipur
Early morning transfer to airport for flight to
Udaipur .
| Leave: Jaipur |
at 0735 hrs |
by 9W-3401 |
| Arrive: Udaipur |
at 0840 hrs |
|
Upon arrival in Udaipur, the guest will be met by our representative and transferred
to the hotel.
Early evening enjoy a
boat cruise on Lake Pichola at sunset visiting
the
Jagmandir Island - in the middle of the romantic Lake Pichola. It
commands a magnificent view of the City Palace, Lake Palace and Sajjangarh Fort,
on its own island, and it is where Prince Khurram was given refuge in the 17th
century.
Overnight at hotel
Day
6 : Udaipur
Morning
City tour of Udaipur, one of India's most romantic cities and
famed for its lovely palaces and lakes. Begin by visiting the
City Palace
and wandering through its beautiful rooms and apartments, then continue on to
the Garden of Maidens
"Sahelion-ki-bari' and the
Folk Art Museum,
to view the interesting collection of puppets & paintings. Rest of the day
at leisure.
Overnight at hotel
Day 7 : Udaipur - Mumbai - Goa
Morning transfer to airport for flight to
Goa
| Leave: Udaipur |
at 0920 hrs |
by 9W-3401 |
| Arrive: Mumbai |
at 1105 hrs |
|
| TRANSIST |
|
|
| Leave: Mumbai |
at 1225 hrs |
by 9W-471 |
| Arrive: Goa |
at 1325 hrs |
|
Upon arrival in Goa, the guest will be met by our representative and transferred
to the hotel.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at hotel
Day 8 : Goa
Full day at leisure.
Overnight at hotel
Day 9 : Goa - Mumbai
Afternoon transfer to airport for flight to
Mumbai
| Leave: Goa |
at 1405 hrs |
by 9W-472 |
| Arrive: Mumbai |
at 1505 hrs |
|
Upon arrival in Mumbai, the guest will be met by our representative and transferred
to the hotel.
Thereafter
City tour of Bombay - is a great port city with its Victorian
Gothic buildings from the British Raj Era mingling with the modern. The tour
includes
Gateway of India overlooking the Harbour, the
Tower of Silence,
the
Marine Drive, the
Colaba Causeway - the commercial heart of
Bombay and the
Dhobi Ghat, the unique & colourful outdoor 'laundry'.
Drive upto the Malabar Hill to the lovely
Hanging Gardens and the
Kamla
Nehru Park from where you will get a wonderful view of Mumbai and the Arabian
Sea spread out before you. Also visit
Mani Bhawan, a small museum dedicated
to the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi, and the bustling
Crawford Market.
Overnight at hotel
Day 10 : Mumbai - Cochin
Morning transfer to airport for flight to
Cochin
| Leave: Mumbai |
at 0840 hrs |
by 9W-401 |
| Arrive: Cochin |
at 1025 hrs |
|
Upon arrival in Cochin, the guest will be met by our representative and transferred
to the hotel.
Afternoon tour of
Cochin or "Kochi" the palm green, commercial
captial of Kerala which has one of the finest natural barhours & is known
as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea". From time immemorial, Arabs, Chinese,
Dutch, British & Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Kochi &
left their impression on the town. Modern Kochi is thus a splendid mosaic of
these myriad influences. Visit the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, the Church
of St. Francis, the Bolghatty Palace & the famous Chinese fishing nets.
The backwaters extending to the east & south from the harbour, are dotted
with tiny islands, formed naturally by alluvial deposits from the rivers.
Overnight at hotel
Day 11 : Cochin -Marari
Late morning drive to
Marari (60 kms).
Upon arrival in Marari - check in to hotel.
Mararikulam- is one of the picturesque fishing villages that dot the
lovely coastline of Kerala. This private, shallow beach is fringed with unending
lines of coconut palms.
Overnight at hotel
Day
12 : Marari - Kumarakom
Morning drive to
Alleppey (40 kms), and then take a Motor-launch to Kumarakom.
Kumarakom-is a beautiful backwater village on the shores of the enchanting
Vembanad Lake, criss crossed with meandering waterways and ancient cottages.
COCONUT LAGOON-Rest of the day to relax in this unique backwater resort
surrounded by the Vembanad Lake on two sides, swinging paddy fields on one side
and a bird sanctuary on the other. A traditional Kerala village has been created
at the resort with rooms that are 100 years old wooden houses of Kerala, carefully
transplanted and rebuilt by skilled craftsman.
Rest of the day to relax in this unique backwater resort.
Overnight at hotel
Day 13 : Kumarakom - Periyar
Morning
visit the superb Bird Sanctuary in adjacent wooded marshland
- which boasts of egrets, tree pies, black headed orioles, bee-eaters &
a whole host of herons.
Thereafter drive to
Periyar (130 kms)
Periyar - sprawling across 777 sq. kms. of the Cardamom Hills of the
Western Ghats, Thekkady is the home to one of the largest wildlife reserves
in India. Alive with exotic flora and vibrant wildlife, it is the perfect getaway
tucked away among hills.
Upon arrival in Periyar- check in to hotel.
Spice
Village Resort is situated just outside the famous Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
This unique and deluxe village resort is set in a spice garden - with 37 cottages
of thatched roofs which blend well with the surrounding greenery.
Afternoon,
boat cruise on the Periyar Lake in the cool surroundings and
the panorama spreads around tropical jungle, wild elephants, Indian gaur, monkeys,
spotted deer, barking deer, wild boar and birds of myriad varieties. With an
area of 777 sq. km the wildlife sanctuary lies at an elevation of 914 meters
to 1828 meters above sea level on the Periyar Lake in the hills of Western Ghats.
Overnight at hotel
Day 14 : Periyar - Madurai
Morning drive to
Madurai (180 kms).
Upon arrival in Madurai - check in to hotel.
Evening visit of the Meenakshi temple - Leave the hotel for the temple
by cycle rickshaws. At 9 PM, attend the night ceremony at the temple. This is
a ceremony that takes place every evening when the temple bronze of Lord Shiva
is carried to the bed chamber of Parvati. The procession is accompanied by religious
prayer and temple music.
Overnight at hotel
Day 15 : Madurai - Chennai
Morning
tour of Madurai - It's one of the most pleasant Indian cities,
and has a charming situation on the
River
Vaigai, fringed by lush paddy fields and coconut groves. Visit to Meenakshi
temple - this is Madurai's greatest landmark, a city within a city that includes
not only temples but a fascinating bazaar that is bustling from dawn to nightfall.
See the famous 'Hall of a thousand Pillars' - a testimony to the exuberance
of Dravidian architecture, the Shiva temple; the musical pillar, and the palace
of Tirumala Nayak which is an example of the architectural mastery of the Nayaks
- a blend of Hindu and Saracen architecture. Its enormous roofed arcade supported
by 48-foot high stoned pillar still stands.
Thereafter transfer to airport for flight to Chennai
| Leave: Madurai |
at 1320 hrs |
by IC-672 |
| Arrive: Chennai |
at 1415 hrs |
|
Upon arrival in Chennai, the guest will be met by our representative and transferred
to the hotel.
Afternoon visit
Fort Museum - which has 10 galleries with many exhibits
telling the story of the East India company's activities in South India. The
top floor has some good French porcelain, clocks and glassm, and, of most interest,
some rare 19th-Century prints of Madras. The ground floor has East India Company
- memorabilia, including officers' medals, tea sets and cutlery.
Overnight at hotel
Day 16 : Chennai
Morning City tour of Madras is the fourth largest city in India. The sprawling
city which is divided in two by the cooum River, has few tall buildings to mar
the impression of an easygoing market town. The gracefulness is present in Madras
in such liberal quantities is propriate. Visit the
Fort St. George -
Still surrounded by cannon-profwalls the fort was rebuilt several times between
1642 when its original bastions were completed and 1749 when the French left,
it remains - moats and all - pretty much today as when first made the seat of
empire. Declared a national monument in 1948, most of its buildings have been
converted into government offices, notably the Legislature and Secretariat.
At various times the fort was home of Robert Clive, Elihu Yale and Sir Arthur
Wellesley. Within the fort, visit the little
St Mary's Church the oldest
Protestant church east of the Suez and the first Anglican one in India.
Later transfer to International airport for flight back home.
Day 17 : Chennai - Abroad
Depart Chennai
