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DAY
01 : ARRIVE DELHI
Arrive Delhi
in the evening. Upon arrival, you shall met & assisted with
your baggages at the airport by our executive and transferred to prebooked
hotel.
Delhi : India’s
capital & a major gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi is a
bustling metropolis which successfully combines in its fold the ancient
& the modern. Its strategic location was one of the prime reasons
why successive dynasties chose it as their seat of power. New Delhi also
reflects the legacy the British left behind . The division between New
& Old Delhi is the distinction between the capitals of the British
& the Moghuls respectively. So, wherever the visitor goes, he will
invariably confront the citys’ past.
DAY 02 : DELHI
After breakfast, half day city
tour of Old Delhi. Visit
Jama Masjid,
the largest mosque in India. Built by Shah Jahan, the construction was
started in 1844 and was not completed until 1658; Red
Fort, which was also built by Shah Jehan. This massive fort
was built from 1638 to 1648; Chandni
Chowk and Rajghat -
the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi.
Afternoon, city tour of New
Delhi. Visit Humayuns
Tomb : built in mid 16th century this is an early example of
Mughal architecture; Qutab
Minar, drive past India Gate, President House, Connaught Place.
The tour ends with a visit to Laxmi Narayan Temple.
DAY 03 : DELHI - AGRA (203 KMS, 04-05 HRS)
After
breakfast, drive to Agra.
Enroute visit Sikandra - the Mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Arrive Agra & check-in at prebooked hotel.
Afternoon, city tour of Agra : Visit Red
fort, which was built by Emperor Akbar in 1565, and additions
were made up until the time of his grandson, Shah Jahan. It contains the
hall of public and private audiences amongst many other beautiful structues;
Itmad-ud-daulah,
which was contructed by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628 and is very similar
to the tomb she constructed for her husband, Jehangir, near Lahore in
Pakistan; the highlight of the day - The
Taj Mahal, which was constructed by Shah Jahan in memory of
his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Contruction of the Taj began in 1631 and was not
completed until 1653.

DAY
04 : AGRA - FATEHPUR SIKRI - JAIPUR (240 KMS, 06-07 HRS DRIVE)
After
breakfast, leave for Jaipur.
Enroute visit the abandoned Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri -
built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, was the old capital of the Moghuls,
which was abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. See the graceful
buildings including the Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal
& other Palaces which are still preserved in its original glory. Continue
drive to Jaipur.
Arrive Jaipur and check-in
at prebooked hotel. Rest of the day at leisure
DAY
05 : JAIPUR
After breakfast, excursion to Amber Fort. Elephant ride from the
foothills of the Aravallis to the fort entrance. Amber Fort : At a distance
of 11 kms from Jaipur, Amber was the ancient capital of Jaipur
state. Construction of the fort began in 1592 by Raja Man Singh, the Rajput
commander of Akbar's army and is a superb example of Rajput architecture.
Afternoon, city tour of Jaipur.
Visit the City
Palace which has museum having an extensive collection of art,
carpets, enamel ware and weapons; Jantar
Mantar - the observatory built my Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728 and
the façade of Hawa Mahal.
DAY 06 : JAIPUR -
PUSHKAR (135 KMS, 02-03 HRS DRIVE)
After breakfast, leave for Pushkar.
the holy lake of Pushkar is believed to have been created by Lord
Brahma himself. It is as important as Banaras or Puri. Devout Hindus believe
that it is essential to visit Pushkar at least once in their lifetime.
No pilgrimage is considered complete without a dip in the holy Pushkar
lake. Pushkar has
as many as 400 temples and 52 ghats and the only temple in the country
that is dedicated to Brahma is to be found here. While Pushkar is a heaven
for the religiously inclined, it is also the venue of one of the country's
most colorful cattle fairs - the Pushkar Fair.
Arrive Pushkar and check-in at prebooked hotel.
Afternoon, explore Pushkar
on your own.

DAY 07 : PUSHKAR -
JODHPUR (220 KMS, 04-05 HRS DRIVE)
After breakfast, leave for
Jodhpur. On arrival
in Jodhpur, check-in at prebooked hotel.
In the afternoon, city tour of Jodhpur
: visit the Mehrangarh
Fort which literally means “Majestic Fort”, located
at the very centre of the city. There are ,in all , three gates , each
built to commemorate a particular victory, as well as to reinforce the
fort. It has a collection of musical instruments, palanquins, furniture
& cannons on the forts’ ramparts are well preserved. Jaswant
Thada : Close to the fort complex lies this white marble cenotaph,
built in 1899, in commemoration of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Rare portraits
of Jodhpur's rulers are, also, to be seen at Jaswant Thada.
DAY 08 : JODHPUR - RANAKPUR - UDAIPUR (275
KMS, 06-07 HRS DRIVE)
After breakfast, leave for Udaipur.
Enroute visiting the Jain temples at Ranakpur
: The cluster of temples, made of intricately sculpted white marble,
come across as a marvellousfeat of architecture. It would take anyone
by surprise to learn that they were built in 1460, so well preserved &
sparkling is the marble. The main temple is supported on 1,444 pillars
– none of which is similarly carved. After the visit, continue drive
to Udaipur.
Arrive Udaipur and
check-in at prebooked hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
DAY
09 : UDAIPUR
After breakfast, visit the romantic city of Udaipur.
Visit the City Palace which
is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan;
Jagdish temple, a fine
Indo Aryan temple built in 1651; Sahelion
ki Bari or Garden of the Maids of Honour, which is a small garden
with its fountains, kiosks, marble elephants & lotus pool.
Afternoon, free. In the evening, boat ride on Lake Pichola.
DAY
10 : UDAIPUR - MUMBAI (FLIGHT, 9W 3401, 0840-1020 HRS)
Early
morning, transfer to the airport to board flight for Mumbai.
Arrive Mumbai and transfer to prebooked hotel.
Afternoon, city tour of Mumbai
- Located on the west coast of India, the group of islands which
has grown into the city of Mumbai.
The city was called Bombay for much of the last four hundred years. The
origin of the name is obscure, but is often said to come from the Portuguese
phrase bom bahia meaning "good bay". The name Mumbai
has been used in the main local languages for as long, and is ascribed
to the local goddess, Mumba (ai
means mother in Marathi). The name of the city was changed to Mumbai
by an act of the parliament in 1997.
DAY
11 : MUMBAI - AURANGABAD (FLIGHT, 9W 3109, 1825-1925 HRS)
After
breakfast, excursion to Elephanta caves. Afternoon, transfer to the airport
to board flight for Aurangabad.
Arrive Aurangabad and transfer to prebooked hotel.
Located near the city of Aurangabad
in Maharashtra, the famous Ajanta and
Ellora are cave shrines cut out of rock, by hand, and rank amongst some
of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage.
The 34 caves at Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta, were remained shrouded
in obscurity for over a millennium, till John Smith, a British Army Officer,
accidentally stumbled upon them while on a hunting expedition in 1819.
Ajanta has been designated as a World Heritage Site, to be preserved as
an artistic legacy that will come to inspire and enrich the lives of generations
to come.

DAY
12 : AURANGABAD
After breakfast, excursion to Ajanta caves
: It was only in the 19th century, that the Ajanta group of caves,
lying deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the curved mountain side,
above the Waghora river, were discovered. They depict the story of Buddhism,
spanning a period from 200 BC to 650 AD. The 29 caves were built as secluded
retreats of the Buddhist monks, who taught and performed rituals in the
Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient seats of learning, and nerve - centers
of the Buddhist cultural movement. Using simple tools like hammer and
chisel, the monks carved out the impressive figures adorning the walls
of these structures. Many of the caves house panels depicting stories
from the Jatakas, a rich mine of tales of the several incarnations of
the Buddha. Images of nymphs and princesses amongst others, are also elaborately
portrayed.
Return to Aurangabad for
overnight stay.
DAY 13 : AURANGABAD-MUMBAI
(FLIGHT, IC 888, 1720-1805 HRS)
After breakfast, excursion to Ellora caves
- 34 in number, are carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, 30
kms from Aurangabad. The finest
specimens of cave - temple architecture, they house elaborate facades
and exquisitely adorned interiors. These structures representing the three
faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD
to 700 AD period. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the
centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain.
The sculpture in the Buddhist caves accurately convey the nobility, grace
and serenity inherent in the Buddha. Caves 6 and 10 house images from
the Buddhist and Hindu faith, under the same roof, the latter dedicated
to Vishwakarma, the patron saint of Indian craftsmen. The Vishvakarma
cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara, with a seated Buddha placed in the
stupa. Its two - storied structure sports a colourful pageant of dwarfs,
dancing and making music.
Afternoon, transfer to the airport to board flight
for Mumbai. Arrive Mumbai
and transfer to prebooked hotel.
DAY
14 : DEPART MUMBAI
Transfer to the airport to board flight back home.
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