This magical trip starts with your visit to the capital city of India, Delhi, a cosmopolitan region with a multi-cultural history and an urban presence. Followed by your arrival is your visit to the desert state of India, Rajasthan. It’s exotic, rich, and proud culture cities like Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaipur still hold their charm of strict devotion to the tradition and their palaces/fort/monuments and handicrafts. Our next stop is at Agra, the land of the Taj Mahal. Built by the grieving Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his late wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal’s unrivaled beauty explains why it’s regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A visit to India wouldn’t be complete without it
Holi is one of the most important festivals in India which has a story behind and a particular way of celebrating. It also marks the beginning of spring season in India. Holi is celebrated in March and one of the best places to experience this festival is Jaipur.
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DAY 01: ARRIVAL IN DELHI
A VUE INDIA TOURS representative will receive you on arrival at the airport and welcome you. You will be transferred to your hotel. Relax there.
DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires, is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating blend of the past and the present. Delhi is a perfect introduction to the composite culture of an ancient land and a window to the kaleidoscope that is India.
Overnight in Delhi.
Day 02: DELHI
Post Breakfast, proceed for a guided tour of New Delhi. Also known as Lutyen's Delhi, this part of the city is known for its imperial architecture, erected during the British era.
Our first stop will be at Qutub Minar. Built in 1193 AD by Qutubuddin Aibak, a slave general, it is India's tallest stone tower and marks the site of the country's first Muslim kingdom. The iron tower in a square opposite is unique in that it never rusts, although it has been exposed to the elements for centuries.
A short drive away, the stately Humayun's Tomb is perhaps the first example of the Mughal style of architecture, inspired by Persian styles, more examples of which may be seen in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. The structure was erected in memory of Emperor Humayun, father of the illustrious Emperor Akbar, by his widow Hamida Banu Begum. An avid scholar who died an untimely death after falling down the steps of his library, Humayun himself was an architecture enthusiast and well-versed in the Persian style of building. It is said that he himself drew up the blueprint of his tomb in his lifetime, but there is no documented evidence to that effect.
Up next is India Gate, the red sandstone arch erected in memory of Indian and British soldiers who laid down their lives in World War I. Close by are the majestic Parliament House-the seat of the world's largest democracy, and the Rastrapathi Bhawan-the Indian President's official residence. Inside are the famed Mughal Gardens with its ornate fountains and manicured lawns. Mughal Gardens are open to the public during spring.
The lotus-shaped Bahai Temple south of Delhi is also of interest. An ideal place for meditation, this Bahai House of worship is open to people of all faiths.
Overnight in Delhi.
DAY 03: DELHI
Breakfast will be served at the hotel. Later, proceed for a day's sightseeing of the city, starting with the Akshardham Temple. A few millennia of Indian history comes alive through a mind-boggling kaleidoscope of dioramas, animatronics, giant IMAX screens and installations. The immense temple structure itself is a modern architectural marvel with high shikaras, plinths, domes, pillars and over 20,000 statues in the traditional Indian style held up without the benefit of even a single ounce of steel.
After lunch, proceed for a guided tour of the walled city of Old Delhi, the Mughal side of the capital.
Visit the Raj Ghat, the famous memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. The shrine bears testimony to the simplicity of a man who changed the world with nothing but the power of ideas- A simple black stone structure with an eternal flame burning at one end.
Visit the majestic Red Fort, commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639. Today, the Prime Minister of the India delivers his Independence Day speech to the nation from the ramparts of this red sandstone structure.
Jama Masjid is one of Asia's largest mosques. We shall view this magnificent structure from outside, its lofty and highly ornate domes and minarets reminiscent of a scene from the Arabian Nights.
A short distance away lie the bustling markets of Chandni Chowk - "Moonlit Square" - the celebrated 17th century market complex, where sweet shops from the 1790s still do roaring business.
Enjoy a rickshaw ride through the bustling, winding alleyways of Chandni Chowk.
Overnight in Delhi.
DAY 04: DELHI-JAIPUR BY ROAD 06 HRS
Post breakfast, drive to Jaipur. Upon arrival, check-in at hotel.
Jaipur, also known as the 'Pink City' is dotted with havelis (traditional mansions), bazaars, opulent palaces and rugged majestic forts that showcase the glorious past of its rulers, the Rajputs. The Rajput princes were fierce warriors, some of whom declared loyalty to the invading Mughals and proved to be formidable allies of the empire. Among them was King Jai Singh II, whom the Mughals gave the title Sawai Maharaja, or "King and a quarter". Jaipur gets its name from this valiant king.
In the evening, witness the ceremonial Holika Dahan bonfire where an effigy of the demon Holika is burnt with much fanfare and beating of drums, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.
Overnight in Jaipur.
DAY 05: JAIPUR
Breakfast will be served at the hotel. Soon it will be time to participate in Holi, India's famed festival of colours. Holi has been photographed, filmed and written about thousands of times but it really must be experienced first-hand.
Holi is played with abeer and gulaal - lightly scented, organic powder in vibrant reds, greens, blues and every conceivable shade in between. Colored water is sprayed on participants from multicolored indigenous squirt guns or pichkaris. Lakh balls that disintegrate covering an entire party in colour are a rare but fun addition to one's holi arsenal.
Proceed to visit a castle close to Jaipur for an evening with the royal family.
Rajasthan, the land of Maharajas famous for its castles, forts, and palaces is truly the colourful Jewel of India. Castle Kanota provides a good example of history amalgamating with modern times. Spread over 8 acres of land, Castle Kanota is truly a magnificent experience. Built in 1872, the Castle is located just 15 km. east of Jaipur on the Jaipur-Agra Highway. With a built-in Museum and a Library which displays gold work and unique collection of rare books, the castle takes you back to the grandeur of the past. The Royalty has forever taken lots of interest in cooking. Since they frequently went hunting, their cooks, who travelled with the hunting party, showed great innovation in preparing meals on the pot. These were then modified and refined for use in homes. Rajput royalty, generals and landlords generally had Muslim cooks, so a majority of the recipes being revived have a distinct flavor.
Thakur Zorawar Singh, the founder of the Kanota Thikana, belonged to the Champawat family of Pilwa, an estate of Jodhpur. He came to Jaipur in the year 1869 and joined the Jaipur administrative service. Due to his outstanding abilities as an administrator and sportsman, he became a confidant of Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh of Jaipur. By the end of Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh's reign, he had established himself as a prominent noble in Jaipur state and played a very important role in the succession of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh to the throne of Jaipur. He served the Jaipur royal family for 46 years.
Cannons to protect the castle were purchased from the British Navy. With a Majestic Durbar Hall, Golden Suite, and a big beautiful garden with a fruit orchard, the fortified medieval castle is a magnificent experience. The Castle Library (Pothi Khana) has gold work and unique collection of over 10,000 rare books, manuscripts, miniatures and a very rich (16th century) armory. There are facilities for horse and camel ride at the Castle.
Thakur Amar Singh, famous for writing the world's longest continuous diaries, brought out a series of notes on recipes, interestingly even specifying the type of metal utensils for cooking particular dishes. Revival of ancient royal cuisine or "thikana" recipes is an added attraction at KANOTA. The special royal THALIS served at Castle Kanota are a treat to the soul. Mouthwatering special menu is served.
Recipes served are original recipes collected by Thakur Amar Singh during his lifetime. Most recipes will not be found anywhere else. These are made in complete supervision of the family members - all culminating in once-in-a-lifetime experience for each of our guests. Since 1863, the family of Kanota takes pride in continuing the centuries old tradition of following the original secret recipe in the same traditional way.
Enjoy meeting the family who would host you for a high tea and then after a brief deliberation on family history, culture, etc. proceed to the museum. There is a rich display of old arms, horse, camel & elephant saddles and buggies. Walk around the hotel admiring nature, its history, and architecture ending the walk with a PUJA at the family temple.
Enjoy dinner with the family and then proceed back to the hotel.
Enjoy the experience and spend a night at Jaipur.
Day 06: JAIPUR
Proceed for a morning excursion to Amber Fort after breakfast. Take an Elephant ride to ascent to the fort.
AMBER FORT PALACE - Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthani fort palace. Its construction was started by Man Singh I in 1592, and completed by his descendent Jai Singh I. Its forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its ultimate expression.
CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture, the City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the area in the walled city. It houses the Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and the City Palace Museum.
JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the best preserved of the five observatories built by Jai Singh II in different parts of the country. This observatory consisting of outsized astronomical instruments is still in use.
HAWA MAHAL - The ornamental facade of this "Palace of Winds" is a prominent landmark in Jaipur. It is a five-storey structure of sandstone-plastered pink encrusted with fine trelliswork and elaborates balconies. The palace has 953 niches and windows. Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh, the Mahal was a royal grandstand for the palace women.
This evening, visit the BIRLA TEMPLE to learn more about the fascinating religious life of Jaipur. The marble structure, built as recently as 1985, houses ornate statues including one of Lakshmi (goddess of Wealth and Beauty) and Narayan dressed in gaudy robes, representing a Hindu vision of heavenly luxury. Carvings in the temple and on pillars supporting the covered walkways include images of the Hindu pantheon, as well as Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Francis of Assisi. Your visit will coincide with the AARTI Ceremony, which involves oil lamps being lit and waved, in order to awake and invoke the deity.
Overnight in Jaipur.
Day 07:JAIPUR-F.SIKRI-AGRA BY SURFACE 260KMS/PRROX 06 HRS
This morning, you will drive to Agra en-route visiting Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri is 37 km west of Agra.
Jalal-ud-din-Muhammad Akbar, Humayun’s son, ascended the throne at the tender age of 14. While hunting around Sikri, his curiosity was aroused by the songs of some minstrels about the celebrated Khwaja -Mu'inu'd-din Chisti, the founder of the Chisti order of SUFIS. Akbar, who was without a male heir heard about Saint Salim Chisti and visited him in the year 1568. The saint blessed him with 3 sons and in gratitude Akbar ordered the great mosque of Fatehpur Sikri built under his supervision. As a mark of respect to the saint, Akbar shifted his capital to Fatehpur Sikri and built various secular buildings like the Diwan -I-Am, Diwan-I-Khas, Jodhabai palace, Birbal's house, Marian's house and the Panchmahal.
Reach Agra and transfer to hotel.
AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shahjahan, transformed the little village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire - giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor to Agra is caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys, and quaint buggies, and that irresistible charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still retains. It is not surprising that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of the city will introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.
Later in the evening, enjoy a tantalizing show depicting the Mughal era - Mohabbat e Taj.
'Mohabatt-the-Taj' - a series of plays depicting the saga of love. The true and immortal love of Shahjehan for Mumtaz Mahal- his beautiful wife; the lavish lifestyle of Mughal era; emaculate hardship of the artisans for 22 years that created the most precious specimen of craftsmanship. Mohabatt-the-Taj is an exceptionally inviting monument. The effort to hold up the cultural and historical legacy of India is worth a glance. On this show, witness the Indian heritage come alive.
Overnight in Agra.
DAY 08: AGRA
Proceed for the SUNRISE visit of the monument of love TAJ MAHAL - Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder, which is always the sole raison d'être for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design-balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen.
AGRA FORT - The red sandstone structure is surrounded by chahar-bagh, a foursquare formal garden. Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the picture perfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction. It lies on the bend of the river Yamuna, almost in the heart of the town. Akbar built it 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.
After Agra Fort we will visit BABY TAJ or the ITMAD-UD-ULLAH - The interiors of which are considered better than the Taj. It is one of the most beautiful Mughal tombs and was built by Nur Jahan, the Empress of Jahangir for her father in 1628. The tomb is a resting place of the powerful personality in Mughal Court, Itmad-Ud-Daulah, whose life is very interesting. Formerly a very poor Persian merchant then named Mirza Ghiyas or GhiyasBeg, he became a minister and a trusted treasure in Akbar's court. After Akbar's death in 1605, his son Jahangir rose into power. Jahangir made Ghiyas Beg his chief minister and honored him with the title of Itmad-Ud-Daulah, the Pillar of State. Later, Jahangir met a beautiful daughter of Ghiyas Beg named Mehr-Un-Nissa and married her. Mehr-Un-Nissa soon played a significant role in the Jahangir's court and was called Nur Mahal, the light of the Palace. Owing to her influence, her father and brother were granted with privileges in the court. When Ghiyas beg (Itmad-Un-Daulah) died in 1622, Nur Mahal decided to build a mausoleum for him. Queen Mumtaz Mahal or the lady of the Taj was also from this prevailing family. The mausoleum is entirely made of white marble and graced with intricate decoration of inlay work and marble-screen work belonging to the Islamic style. With its tranquil, small garden on the bank of Yamuna River, the tomb stands impressively elegant from a distance.
Proceed for a HERITAGE WALK to the other side of River YAMUNA with your guide, The other side of the TAJ MAHAL across the river Yamuna where Mughal History has been written in edicts of stone, the river Yamuna lined with the residences of mobility was the artery, the very lifeline, which fostered the development of Mughal Agra. These heritage relics have been weaved together for a historic experience of Mughal Agra. You would walk through the various monuments in midst of rural setting intertwined with the communities along with stunning view of the TAJ MAHAL.
Enjoy the extended hospitality of the local villagers sipping a cup of Masala Chai on the Tea Terrace with standard, comfortable, clean, affordable, and safe facilities. The whole village-walk through India's Mughal History and amiable people is an unforgettable experience.
Overnight in Agra.
DAY 09: AGRA - DELHI BY SURFACE 203 KMS/ APPROX 04 hrs
Breakfast will be served at the hotel.
Drive to Delhi in the afternoon where you will have enough time to enjoy some last minute shopping. Later, the Vue India Representative will drop you to the airport in time for your flight home.