Our 15-day small group journey through India’s Northern Heritage offers authentic cultural experiences, delicious Indian cuisine and insight into some of the country’s top architectural and archaeological gems. Retrace the life of Gandhi in Delhi, awe over the famed Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest spot, in Amritsar, and be swept up in a serene experience of the River Ganges in Varanasi. Then, finish our exploration of India’s Golden Triangle with stops in regal Jaipur and Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. We end our tour with the ancient religious caves of Aurangabad and the bustling cityscapes of Mumbai. This tour of India’s Northern Heritage can also be perfectly combined with our 17-day tour of India’s Southern Heritage.
| Day 1: | Arrive Delhi (Flight) | |
| Day 2: | Delhi |
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| Day 3: | Delhi/Amritsar by Flight |
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| Day 4: | Amritsar / Delhi / Varanasi by Flight |
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| Day 5: | Varanasi |
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| Day 6: | Varanasi/Khajuraho by Flight |
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| Day 7: | Khajuraho/Jhansi/Agra (Drive & Train) |
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| Day 8: | Agra |
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| Day 9: | Agra/Fatehpur Sikri/Jaipur (245 km/5 hrs) |
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| Day 10: | Jaipur |
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| Day 11: | Jaipur/Delhi/Aurangabad by Flight |
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| Day 12: | Aurangabad |
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| Day 13: | Aurangabad/Mumbai by Flight |
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| Day 14: | Mumbai |
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| Day 15: | Mumbai/Onward Destination (Flight) |
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Arrival. Namaste! We are warmly welcomed the traditional Indian way with hands clapped together at the airport and transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax.
We visit 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.
We start our morning tour with New Delhi and visit Birla House, the Former Residence of Mahatma Gandhi before he was assassinated by Nathu Ram Godse on January 30, 1948. Later we visit the famous India Gate followed by the Houses of Parliament, Connaught Place and Humayun's Tomb, the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, built in 1570. 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 well-known Indian restaurant.
Please Note: Red fort and Birla House are closed on Monday and Chandni Chowk is closed on Sunday
We visit to the home of Mrs. Jyoti Agarwal, an award-winning chef. Jyoti will introduce us to India’s world-famous cuisine through a cooking demonstration and explain to us the important role of food in Indian culture. After being welcomed into her home, we will join her family for dinner, providing a fascinating firsthand look at how food connects families in Indian culture.
Today we are transferred to airport for flight to Delhi. In Delhi we are connecting our flight to the holy city of Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world. On arrival we are transferred to our hotel. Rest of the day is free for relax.
The Harmandir Sahib, also known as Darbar Sahib, is a Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the prominent pilgrimage site of Sikhism. It is usually called the Golden Temple in English, because it is plated with gold.
Wagah or Wahga is a village and union council located in the Wahga Zone of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The town is famous for the Wagah border ceremony and also serves as a goods transit terminal and a railway station between Pakistan and India.
In the early morning we take a sunrise cruise on the River Ganges for a most serene experience. 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 performing various other rituals. This unique experience literally transports you to another world. Later we explore Sarnath, the site of Lord Buddha's first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath contains Chaukhandi Stupa, a lofty brick structure crowned with an octagonal tower and the remains of several stupas, monasteries and Ashokan column are built from the 3rd century B.C. to 12th century A.D.in brick and stone. In the afternoon we start our exploration of 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. The city is famous also for its silk sarees and we visit some of the houses where the beautiful silk sarees are woven. In the evening we get to the banks of the Ganges to witness the devotional ceremony of Aarti after sunset performed by devout Hindus.
Please Note: Sarnath Museum remains closed on Friday.
Dhamek Stupa is a massive stupa located at Sarnath, 13 km away from Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Stupas originated as pre-Buddhist tumuli, in which ascetics were buried in a seated position, called chaitya.
In the morning we 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. We continue to the Railway Station in Jhansi to take our express train to Agra. Shatabdi Express trains are fully air-conditioned and travelers enjoy complimentary meals. On arrival in Agra, we are welcomed and transferred to our hotel.
The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, meaning "the Great God of the Cave", is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the medieval temple group found at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in India.
We start our day with a visit to one of the most well-known wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. Situated on the right bank of the Yamuna in a vast Mogul garden, this funerary monument combines elements and styles of Persian, Central Asian and Islamic architecture. We then 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, such as the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan; audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas; and two very beautiful mosques.
Please Note: Taj Mahal is closed on Friday. On nights with a Full Moon the Taj Mahal's pure white marble shimmers silver in the moonlight and is open to visitors. We can arrange for an optional tour to enjoy this very special occasion.
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself.
Today we explore Amber Palace, a distinguished example of 17th Century Rajput architecture. Located in a valley formed by a range of Aravallis known as Kalikho hills. The Palace and Fort are located on top of the hill with the city on slopes, and the valley protected by fort walls with four gates in the four cardinal directions. The construction of the fort began in 1592. It shows the evolution from the purely defensive fort settlements of the early medieval period to the palace fortress type of architecture typified in the 16th century. This palace fortress was never attacked or invaded. The fort comprises of 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 and experience the art of carpet weaving & block printing. Later we visit the majestic City Palace, which houses a rare collection of Indian art and the beautiful Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, where the ladies of the royal harem used to watch the city from behind the intricately carved facade. We also visit the Jantar Mantar*, an astronomical observation site 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 enjoy both shopping and the cultural experience in the bazaars. Jaipur is noted for its craftsmen, skilled in brass inlay, lacquer work and stone setting
Hawa Mahal is a palace in Jaipur, India. Made with the red and pink sandstone, the palace sits on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the Zenana, or women's chambers. The structure was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, who was the founder of Jaipur.
Jal Mahal is a palace in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur city, the capital of the state of Rajasthan, India. The palace and the lake around it were renovated and enlarged in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber
* DENOTES UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES INCLUDED
