Journey to the Ganges

1. Day 1 - Arrive Delhi
   Arrival. Namaste! We are warmly welcome 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
2. Day 2 - Delhi
   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 Qutub Minar and its Monuments* Built in the early 13th century the red sandstone tower of Qutub 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. In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.  Please Note: Birla House is closed on Monday for visitors

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
   • Dinner
3. Day 3 - Delhi
   Today we concentrate 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. Next we visit the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque and Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. We end our tour with a bazaar experience at the famous Chandni Chowk.  Please Note: Red Fort Complex is closed on Monday and shops of Chandni Chowk remains closed on Sunday

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
4. Day 4 - Delhi / Haridwar (By Train 12017 Dehradun Shatabdi/ Dep: 0645 hrs / Arr. 1130 hrs) / Haridwar / Rishikesh (35 km / 01 hr)
   Toddy we board our express train to Haridwar. Shatabdi Express trains are fully air-conditioned and travellers enjoy complimentary meals and seating comparable to business class on airlines. Upon arrival at Haridwar we are driven to Rishikesh, a very important Hindu pilgrimage site featuring a number of ashrams and temples on the shores of the Ganges River. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, the area is filled with thick green forests. Rishikesh is famous for its yoga sessions that are taught here by many yoga experts. We will be visiting Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Geeta Bhawan and other temples & ashrams. In evening we attend Aarti Ceremony at Parmarth Ashram in Rishikesh

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
5. Day 5 - Rishikesh
   Morning Yoga session at the hotel. The remainder of the day is free for independent activities. 

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
6. Day 6 - Rishikesh / Haridwar (35 Km / 01 Hr)/ Haridwar / Delhi (By Train 12018 Dehradun Shatabdi/ Dep: 1810 hrs / Arr. 2250 hrs)
   Morning, we drive to Haridwar and take a tour of Haridwar, an important Hindu pilgrimage site, where the Ganges River enters the plains, and becomes very quiet and calm here. Haridwar has earned fame as being the place, which has been blessed by the trinity of the Lords Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. In evening we will be transferred to Haridwar Railway station in order to connect train for Delhi. On arrival in Delhi we will be transferred to our hotel.

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
7. Day 7 - Delhi / Mathura (Drive) Mathura / Agra (270 Km / 06 Hrs)
   After breakfast drive to Agra. Along the way we visit Mathura, widely known as birth place of lord Krishna. Mathura is called the “Athens of India”, as the great school of sculpture known as the Mathura school of Art flourished here for 1200 Years. We will see many samples in the Government Museum. Please Note: Temples in Mathura remain closed from 1200 Noon till 1600 Hours

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
8. Day 8 - Agra
   Our tour starts 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 of 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.  We then drive to Fatehpur Sikri*. Built during the second half of the 16th century by the Emperor Akbar, the City of Victory was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only some 10 years. The complex of monuments and temples, all in a uniform architectural style, includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid and the artistically designed mausoleum of the revered Sufi saint, Salim Chisty.  Please Note: Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. 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

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
9. Day 9 - Agra / Jhansi (Train) Jhansi / Orchha (Drive) Orchha / Khajuraho (155 Km / 04 Hrs)
   Today we board our express train to Jhansi. Shatabdi Express trains are fully air-conditioned and travellers enjoy complimentary meals. We then continue by coach to visit Orchha, an 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. After our visit we proceed to Khajuraho.

   Meals Included

   • Breakfast
10. Day 10 - Khajuraho / Varanasi (Flight)
    (Between April to September flight operates only on Monday, Wednesday & Saturday) In the morning 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. In the afternoon we are transferred to airport for our flight to Varanasi. On arrival we are transferred to our hotel. 

    Meals Included

    • Breakfast
11. Day 11 - Varanasi
    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. 

    Meals Included

    • Breakfast
12. Day 12 - Varanasi / Allahabad (125 Kms / 04 Hrs)
    After breakfast we drive to Allahabad. On arrival, we check in to hotel. Later we take a city tour of Allahabad, in which we visit the Allahabad Fort, Allahabad Museum, Anand Bhawan and the Swaraj Bhawan. We also visit the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers where devotees come for ritual bathing in the holy waters and priests perform special rites of worship.

    Meals Included

    • Breakfast
13. Day 13 - Allahabad / Lucknow (250 Kms / 05 Hrs)
    After breakfast we drive to Lucknow. Here we turn back the pages of history and look into the colourful days of Nawabs and Begums. We visit the Bara Imambara, built in 1784 by the Nawab Asaf ud Daula and the beautiful clock tower, built in 1887 and one of the finest examples of British Architecture in India. We then marvel at the Jama Masjid, started in 1840 by Mohammad Ali Shah and completed by his wife Begum Malika Jahan after his death. This splendid mosque built in the typical Mughal style.

    Meals Included

    • Breakfast
14. Day 14 - Lucknow / Kolkata (Flight)
    We are free to shop for Lucknow’s famous gold and silver brocades, silverware, clay figurines and pottery, before we are transferred to airport for flight to Kolkata. Arrive Kolkata and check in Hotel.

    Meals Included

    • Breakfast
15. Day 15 - Kolkata
    Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta is a compelling, effervescent city, teeming with life. Under East India Company and later under the British Raj, Kolkata served as the capital of India until 1911. In the morning after breakfast we start the tour of our cultural city with a visit to the famous Malik Ghat flower market beneath the Howarh Bridge. This is the place where the cities floral retailers buy their fresh merchandise. Next we visit Howrah Bridge, iconic symbol of modern Kolkata followed by visit to Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramkrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekanand. The temple is notable for its architecture that features Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as a symbol of unity of all religions. Later we visit Dakshineswar Kali Temple. Our afternoon concentrates on the British Calcutta, visiting St. John's Church, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Victoria Memorial*, with its formal gardens and water courses, conceived by Lord Curzon to commemorate the British Empire at its peak. There after we enjoy a typical Bengali cuisine at a local restaurant. After lunch we return to our hotel. The evening is free to relax or enjoy a leisurely walk at the famous Park Street.  Please Note: Victoria Memorial is closed on Monday and St John’s Church is closed on Sunday for visitors

    Meals Included

    • Breakfast
16. Day 16 - Kolkata/Onward Destination (Flight)
    Today we are transferred to International airport for our Flight to onward destination. 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

    Meals Included

    • Breakfast

* DENOTES UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES INCLUDED