India is one land with many cultures and in order to experience a sampling of the rich diversities of this land we have tailored this unique 28-days journey visiting the most important tourist destinations from North to South starting with the Rich and cultural heritage of Delhi and ending the tour in Chennai. We enjoy the rich and varied history and cultures of over a billion people as we traverse this massive sub-continent.
Join us in this grand packaged Indian tour to witness the Incredible India!
| Day 1: | Arrive Delhi | |
| Day 2: | Delhi |
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| Day 3: | Delhi/Varanasi |
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| Day 4: | Varanasi/Khajuraho |
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| Day 5: | Khajuraho/Jhansi/Agra |
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| Day 6: | Agra |
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| Day 7: | Agra / Ranthambore (Drive: 290 Km / 6 Hours) |
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| Day 8: | Ranthambore / Jaipur (Drive: 180 Km/ 4 Hours) |
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| Day 9: | Jaipur |
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| Day 10: | Jaipur / Pushkar (Drive: 140 Km/ 3 ½ Hours) |
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| Day 11: | Pushkar / Udaipur (Drive: 280 Km/ 6 Hours) |
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| Day 12: | Udaipur |
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| Day 13: | Udaipur / Mumbai (Flight) |
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| Day 14: | Mumbai |
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| Day 15: | Mumbai/ Cochin (Flight) |
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| Day 16: | Cochin |
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| Day 17: | Cochin/ Thekkady (Drive: 190 Km/ 6 Hours) |
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| Day 18: | Thekkady |
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| Day 19: | Thekkady/ Alleppey (Drive: 170 Km/ 4 ½ Hours) |
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| Day 20: | Alleppey/ Kovalam (Drive: 175 Km/ 4 Hours) |
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| Day 21: | Kovalam |
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| Day 22: | Kovalam/ Kanyakumari/ Madurai (Drive: 330 Km/ 7- 8 Hours) |
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| Day 23: | Madurai |
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| Day 24: | Madurai/ Tanjore (Drive: 195 Km/ 4 Hours) |
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| Day 25: | Tanjore/ Pondicherry (Drive: 200 Km/ 4 Hours) |
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| Day 26: | Pondicherry / Mahabalipuram/ Chennai (Drive: 195 Km/ 4 Hours) |
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| Day 27: | Chennai |
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| Day 28: | Chennai / Onward destination |
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Namaste – Welcome to India! Upon arrival we are greeted the traditional Indian way with hands clapped together. We are then transferred to our hotel and have the balance of the day free.
An introduction of India with a tour of New Delhi. We visit Birla House, the last residence of Mahatma Gandhi which is now a museum depicting his illustrious life. We then visit the famous India Gate followed by the Houses of Parliament, Connaught Place and Humayun's Tomb*. This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal. We continue to Qutb Minar and its Monuments* Built in the early 13th century the red sandstone tower of Qutb Minar is 72.5 m high. The surrounding archaeological area contains funerary buildings, notably the magnificent Alai-Darwaza Gate, a masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art and two mosques.
Our afternoon concentrates on Old Delhi, starting with the Red Fort Complex*. Named for its massive enclosing walls of red sandstone, it is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546, with which it forms the Red Fort Complex. The Red Fort is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity which, under the Shah Jahan, was brought to a new level of refinement and each pavilion reveals architectural elements typical of Mughal building, reflecting a fusion of Persian, Timurid and Hindu traditions. After visiting the Red fort, we embark on a captivating journey on a Rickshaw passing through the narrow lanes of the famous Chandni Chowk Bazaar, it was originally built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan for his daughter Jahan Ara in 17th Century since then many changes have taken place however it still remains Old Delhi's one of the Oldest and busiest markets in Delhi. Finally end our rickshaw ride at Jama Masjid, Mughal majesty and India's largest mosque. After visiting the mosque, we proceed to Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. In the evening we enjoy a welcome dinner at a well-known local restaurant.
A short flight gets us to Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world. On arrival we are transferred to our hotel. In the afternoon we explore Sarnath, the site where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. Varanasi is also famous for its silk sarees and we visit some of the houses where the beautiful silk sarees are actually woven. In the evening we get to the banks of the Ganges to witness the Aarti ceremony, a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a part of puja, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee or camphor is offered to one or more deities after sunset.
In the early morning we take a sunrise boat ride on the River Ganges. One of the cardinal principles of Hinduism is the belief in the holiness of the Ganges. Every morning scores of pilgrims and priests fill the riverbanks bathing in the holy waters and perform various rituals. This unique experience literally transports you to another world. After boat ride we explore old Varanasi, visiting the Bharat Mata Temple, which houses a huge marble relief map of India; the Durga Temple, the Tulsi Manas Mandir beside the Banaras Hindu University and the Mosque of Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb. After the tour we come back to hotel for breakfast.Later we take a short flight to Khajuraho. On arrival in Khajuraho, we are transferred to our hotel. In the afternoon we explore the Khajuraho Group of Monuments* The temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050. Today only 20 temples remain and they fall into three distinct groups and belonging to the religions of Hinduism and Jainism. They strike a perfect balance between architecture and sculpture. The Temples are decorated with a profusion of sculptures that are among the greatest masterpieces of Indian art.
A scenic morning drive to Orchha to visit this amazing medieval fortress-city located on the shores of the Betwa River. The fort consists of several connected buildings erected at different times, the most noteworthy of which are the Raja Mahal and the Jahangir Mahal. A unique experience as we embark on the Shatabdi Express train to Agra. Train travel in India is a not to be missed opportunity. This train is fully air-conditioned and we get to enjoy complimentary meals. Great opportunity to meet local folks on board the train and get to know them. As we get closer to Agra we see the Taj Mahal at a distance. Arrival at Agra Railway Station and are welcomed and transferred to our hotel.
To many today is the most awaited day. We begin our day before sunrise with a visit to one of the most beautiful monuments in the world, the Taj Mahal*. An immense mausoleum of white marble built between 1631 and 1648 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, the Taj Mahal is the crown jewel of Muslim art in India and across the world. Set in a vast Mogul garden located on the right bank of the Yamuna River, this funerary monument combines elements and styles of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture. After our sunrise experience at this artistic masterpiece, we return to our hotel for breakfast. Later we visit Agra Fort*. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km-long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, audience halls and two very beautiful mosques
In the afternoon we visit Fatehpur Sikri*. Built in 1640 by the by the Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great, it was the capital of the Mughal Empire for about ten years before it was abandoned. The complex of monuments and temples features a uniform architectural style and includes one of India’s largest mosques and the beautiful Mausoleum of Salim Chisty, a revered Sufi saint. Evening is free to wonder around this small-town housing three UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Note-: On nights with a Full Moon the Taj Mahal's pure white marble shimmers silver in the moonlight and is open to visitors. Bestway Tours & Safaris can arrange an optional tour to enjoy this very special occasion.
A countryside drive takes us to Ranthambore, the former hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur. Ranthambore National Park lies at the edge of a plateau, and is bounded to the north by the Banas River and to the south by the Chambal River. There are several lakes in the park. It is named for the historic Ranthambhore Fort*, which lies within the national park. The rugged terrain and the dense deciduous forests are major features of this national park, which has among the largest and most diverse collection of wildlife species in India. In the afternoon we take a safari through the National Park, where we encounter a variety of mammals, including tigers. About 150 bird species have their habitat here and in winter a variety of migratory birds can be seen
An early morning safari in time when animals are looking out for their prey. We try and spot nilgai, chausingha, chital, chinkara, wild boar, muntjac, jungle cat, ratel, hyena, porcupine, rhesus macaque and black-faced langur. Ranthambhore was declared one of the Project Tiger reserves in 1973 and spotting the big cat in its natural habitat is an unforgettable experience. After our morning safari, we drive to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan called the Pink City, since most of the buildings in the old city are made of pink sandstone. In the evening we enjoy our dinner followed by Rajasthani Cultural dance show.
Today we will be treated like the royalty of yesteryear with an elephant ride to the majestic Amber Fort*. Perched on a hillside on the outskirts of town, the palace was constructed by Maharaja Man Singh. The fort which started construction in 1592 comprises a number of gardens, courtyards and palatial spaces derived from Mughal architecture and are a distinguished example of 17th Century Rajput architecture.
We return to Jaipur city* to see the beautiful the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, where the ladies of the royal court used to watch the city from behind its intricately carved facade. We then visit the majestic City Palace, which houses a rare collection of Indian art and the Jantar Mantar*, an astronomical observatory built in the early 18th century that includes a set of some 20 main fixed instruments designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye. It is an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period. The evening is free to rest or perhaps enjoy both shopping and get a cultural experience of the bazaar. Jaipur is noted for its craftsmen, skilled in brass inlay, lacquer work and stone setting.
A leisurely drive to Pushkar, a bewitching little town on the edge of the desert, with temples, bathing Ghats, onion domes and chalk-coloured buildings clustering around its holy lake, said to have appeared when Brahma dropped a lotus flower. The lake is an important pilgrimage centre and we shall see many pilgrims and Sadhus, Hindu holy men. We visit the famous Lord Brahma Temple, one of the few temples in the world dedicated to this deity. Evening we walk through the town and meet the local folks.
A fascinating countryside as we drive through Rajasthan to Udaipur. Rajasthan literally means “the land of the Rajas” and we notice that still. Udaipur was the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar and no other city in Rajasthan is quite as romantic. Misty ochre-shadowed hills and pale, intricate buildings encircle shimmering Lake Pichhola. On arrival we check in our hotel. Balance of the day is free.
Our yet another interesting day starts with a visit to the enchanting City Palace, which overlooks the Lake Palace located in the blue waters of Lake Pichhola. The palace features several architectural and artistic treasures, such as the stunning peacock mosaics in the Mor Chowk and the murals of the Bhim Vilas Palace. We then visit the Jagdish Temple, to view some remarkable friezes dating back to 1651. Next, we explore Fateh Sagar Lake and Saheliyon Ki Bari, the Garden of Maids. We end our tour of Udaipur with a boat ride on Lake Pichhola, sailing past the picturesque Ghats and palaces and visit Jag Mandir, a 17th century palace built on an island in Lake Pichhola. The royal family used the palace as a summer resort and a pleasure palace for holding
Today we are transferred to airport for our flight to Mumbai. On arrival in Mumbai we are transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is free for personal activities.
We start our day with a visit to the Gateway of India, Mumbai's most famous monument. Here we embark on our excursion to the Elephanta Caves*, located on an island in the Sea of Oman. The caves contain a collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva. Here, Indian art has found one of its most perfect expressions, particularly the huge high reliefs in the main cave. We return to Mumbai by motor launch and visit the Prince of Wales Museum and Shivaji Terminus*, formerly known Chhatrapati as Victoria Terminus Station, an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival Architecture in India, blended with themes deriving from Indian traditional architecture. The building, designed by the British Architect F. W. Stevens, became the symbol of Bombay as the ‘Gothic City’ and the major international mercantile port of India. Its remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed arches and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture. Our next Stop is at Mani Bhawan, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed here during the Freedom Struggle. The house is now converted into a Museum. From here we leave for Hanging Gardens, the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence, the bustling Crawford Market and drive past Haji Ali, the tomb of a wealthy Muslim merchant. We end our tour at the Dhobi Ghat, the world's largest outdoor laundry. The word Dhobi Ghat is used all over India to refer to any place where many washers are present.
Today we are transferred to airport for our flight to Kochi, formerly known as Cochin. On arrival, we are transferred to our Hotel. Rest of the day is free for personal activities.
n the morning we explore Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, Kerala’s commercial capital with one of the finest natural harbours in the world. We visit St. Francis Church, the oldest European Church in India. Vasco De Gama was buried here before his remains were taken back to Portugal. Next we visit the Roman Catholic Santa Cruz Cathedral built by the Portuguese in the 16th century; which is famous for beautiful paintings on its ceiling.
We continue to the Jewish Quarter with its Old Synagogue and the Dutch Palace, built by the Portuguese. Later we take a boat cruise to visit Bolghatty Palace and observe the fascinating Chinese fishing nets in action. In the evening we enjoy Kathakali Dance Performance. This dramatized presentation of a play usually based on the Hindu epics of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas, is a unique combination of literature, music, painting, acting and dance.
After breakfast we drive to Thekkady to check in our hotel. The area is famous for its spice plantations. In the afternoon we will visit a spice plantation, where cardamom, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, all spice, and tea are grown. We will also see Ayurvedic medicinal plants and will have the opportunity to buy some garden-fresh spices. In the evening we return to our hotel for dinner.
Our day starts with a jungle walk at the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the early morning, after which we return to our hotel for breakfast. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the world’s most fascinating natural wildlife reserves. Spread across 777 square kilometres it was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. In the afternoon we enjoy a boat ride on Lake Periyar to watch animals in their natural habitat by the water's edge. We are likely to see animals like boars, Sambars, wild dogs, Langur monkeys and wild elephants. The sanctuary is also a haven for water birds and we can see plenty of darters, grey herons, egrets and kingfishers. The evening is free to explore the local bazaar in Thekkady and purchase some of the famous spices grown in the area.
Today we drive to Alleppey. On arrival in Alleppey we board our traditional houseboat and begin our journey through the picturesque backwaters and small lakes relaxing in the tranquility of Kerala's beautiful scenery. On our journey we come across many boats, canoes and other crafts, as we observe the traditional way of life and activities of the local people.
We enjoy breakfast on board, sail to Alleppey and disembark at the Puthenagady Jetty. A comfortable drive gets us to beautiful Kovalam Beach on the Malabar Coast near Trivandrum. We then get to relax by the beach with endless white sands by the blue waters of the Arabian Sea in secluded coconut groves.
Enjoy 01 Rejuvenation Massage (01 Hour) and free day to relax on the beach.
After breakfast we leave for Madurai en-route visiting Kanyakumari, the “Lands’ End" of India on the way. Kanyakumari is the southernmost tip of peninsular India where the waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea meet. We visit the Temple of Goddess Kumari, the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in the sea where Swami Vivekananda mediated. After lunch we continue our journey to Madurai. On arrival, we check in our Hotel.
oday we explore Madurai, the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. The city revolves around the Meenakshi Amman Temple, a structure in the Dravidian style of architecture. The complex houses 14 gopurams (gateway towers) ranging from 45-50m in height, the tallest being the southern tower, 51.9 metres (170 ft) high, and two golden sculptured shrines over sanctum of the main deities. The temple is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, and has been mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature, though the present structure was built from 1623 to 1655. There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple and amongst the highlights are the Hall of a Thousand Pillars, the Tirumalai Nayaka Temple and the Temple Art Museum. In the evening we enjoy night closing ceremony of the Temple.
After breakfast we drive to Thanjavur and check in at our hotel. Thanjavur is popularly known as Tanjore. In the afternoon we explore the Brihadisvara Temple, one of the Great Living Chola Temples*. The temple, set in spacious grounds, has several pillared halls and shrines. Inscriptions record the names of dancers, musicians and poets a reminder of the significance of this area to the development of the arts in the 11th century. We end our tour of Tanjore with a visit to the Tanjore Palace & Museum, which has an eclectic collection of regal memorabilia most of it dating from the early 19th century.
After breakfast we drive to Pondicherry. This former French Colonial city in Tamil Nadu didn’t come under Indian rule until 1954. Pondicherry, otherwise known as Puducherry means a “New Hamlet” and is located on the Coromandal Coast. Its main attraction is actually outside of town: the ashram at Auroville, built by followers of Sri Aurobindo, a philosopher-prophet born in 1870, famous for his Integral Yoga and philosophical literary works. In the International Town where people from all over the world reside, we will find the Matrimandir, the famous monument built by the Auroville Society representing a lotus flower. Today we will also visit the 400-year old Manakula Vinayagar Temple, which has several frescos telling the life story of a half human and half animal lord.
After breakfast we drive to Mahabalipuram. On arrival we visit the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram*. This group of sanctuaries, founded by the Pallava kings, was carved out of rock along the Coromandel Coast in the 7th and 8th centuries. It is known especially for its rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), giant open-air reliefs such as the famous 'Descent of the Ganges', and the temple of Rivage, with thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva. After that, we continue our journey to Chennai. On arrival we check in our Hotel. Rest of the day is free to relax.
We tour Chennai, visiting the National Art Gallery & Museum, which contains some of the best collections of bronzes in the country including the famous icon of Natraja. We continue to India's oldest surviving British church, St. Mary's Church, built in 1680. We end our tour with a visit to People’s Park and the beautiful Marina Beach and the clock towers.
Today is free for shopping and other personal activities. Hotel Check out time is 12:00 Noon. In the evening we enjoy our farewell dinner at local well-known restaurant. After an incredible tour of the Best of South India, we are transferred to the international terminal for our flight home. We bid farewell to India after what will have been a memorable journey into history, culture, art, architecture, making new friends and lots of memories.
* DENOTES UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES INCLUDED
