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Day 01: Arrival in
Delhi
Around midnight arrival
in
Delhi. The cosmopolitan city and capital Delhi is the main gateway
for travelers. You are met by an Indo Vacations representative and
transferred to the Hotel.
Day 02: Delhi
This morning is at leisure. Afternoon sightseeing in Old Delhi. We take a
Rickshaw Ride parallel to the
Red Fort through the old city and famous
Silk Road and Silver Bazaar. Sightseeing of Old Delhi includes
"Rajghat", the site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated and
Jama Masjid,
the
great mosque of old Delhi. Today we also visit the famous "Humayun Tomb" which is the first
substantial example of
Mughal architecture in India. Before
we proceed to the Hotel we have a drive through New Delhi where we
see the
India Gate, Government Buildings and Embassies.
Day 03: Delhi - Shekhawati (about 270 kms)
In the
morning we visit "Qutub Minar" which is 71 meter high and consists of five
stories. In 1199 work began on this tower which was intended to be the most
glorious tower of victory in the world. This tower was damaged twice and
repaired in 1326 and 1368. After the sightseeing of Delhi we drive to
Shekhawati region. Shekhawati is situated in the North east region of
Rajasthan and is the
homeland of marwaris. The marwaris form one of the most important merchant and business groups in India, they developed their business acumen on the trade
routes between Delhi and the coast between
India and Central Asia. The marwaris enjoyed
protection by Maharajas and many of them built grand havellis. Arrival in Shekhawati in the late evening.
Day 04: Shekhawati - Bikaner (about 190 kms)
In the morning we visit the grand havellis of the Shekhawati area. The havellis are mansions,
elaborately and attractively decorated with a strong main entrance. The walls
are often covered with murals, local legends and religious scenes from
Hindu
Mythology. After
the visit of Shekhawati area we proceed to
Bikaner. After a short break in
Bikaner we visit the
Junagarh Fort (1571-1611 AD) constructed of red sandstone
and marble with kiosks and balconies embellishing the structure at intervals.
This imposing Fort and its palaces are an unforgettable experience for us.
Day 05: Bikaner - Jaisalmer (about 330 kms)
Today we drive through the desert and proceed for
Jaisalmer.
In medieval times, its
prosperity was due to its location on the main trade route linking
India to Egypt, Arabia, Africa and the West. Jaisalmer is a marvel of
beautiful culture and this city remains one of the most exotic city
not only in Rajasthan but in the whole of India. Some of the visitors
called this city "a living museum". We arrive in Jaisalmer in the late evening.
Day 06: Jaisalmer
Today we have sightseeing of the medieval
city of Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer's crenellated golden sandstone walls and its
narrow streets lined with exquisitely carved buildings makes this city unique.
Jaisalmer is famous for its carved havellis (grand mansions). We have a walk through the
old city and visit the
Fort and the Jain temple. In
the afternoon we drive around 40 km away from Jaisalmer to
Sam dunes where we
enjoy the sunset before we drive back to Jaisalmer.
Day 07: Jaisalmer - Osian - Jodhpur (about 290 kms)
Early morning drive to
Jodhpur
via Osian. Osian is a great
centre of Hindu and Jain religions. The oldest Temple here was constructed in
1178 AD. Very often one can see along the road to Jaisalmer some of the
antelopes of this region. Blackbuck and fast running Chinkara are the most
common among them. After having a break in
Osian we drive to Jodhpur. The city was once the capital of the
princely state of Marwar (Land of death). Jodhpur is the second largest
city in Rajasthan. Jodhpur is also known as the blue city as most of
the houses of the old city are painted blue. The old city is surrounded
by a huge 10 km long wall which has 101 bastions and seven gates. Jodhpur
lies on the once strategic Delhi-Gujarat trading route and the marwaris
got benefit from the passing traffic of opium, copper, silk which was
traded to China. We will visit the
Mehrangarh Fort (majestic fort). Mehrangarh
Fort was built on a steep hill and is among the best in India with exquisitely
latticed windows in residential apartments within. We also visit the
Jaswant Thada, a royal cenotaph built in white marble. After the sightseeing
we have a walk through the Bazaars of Jodhpur.
Day 08: Jodhpur - Ranakpur - Udaipur (about 260 kms)
Today we drive to
Udaipur. Enroute we will visit
Ranakpur. Ranakpur is
known for its superbly carved marble
Jain Temples. An enormous basement
of this temple covers 48,000 sq. feet. There are four subsidiary shrines,
twenty four pillared halls. The total number of columns is 1,444, all
of which are intricately carved, no two being alike. The Ranakpur Jain
Temples were built during the 15th century. We have a break in Ranakpur
before proceeding further for Udaipur. Udaipur is called the romantic
city of Rajasthan. A city built around shimmering, clear, blue water
lakes which reflect the green hills of the Aravali ranges.
Day 09: Udaipur
Today we visit Udaipur, also known as the city of sunrise. We start our
sightseeing with the visit of Sahelion-Ki-Bari. This Garden of the Maids
of Honour is well laid out with extensive lawns and shady walks. After
the visit of Garden of Maids we visit a Museum of folk art. This museum
has a rich collection of Folk dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls,
folk musical instruments and paintings on display. After a break we
proceed to
City
palace, the biggest Palace in India, where 4 generations
of Maharajas added their contribution, is so carefully planned and integrated
with the original buildings that it is difficult to believe that it
was not conceived as a whole. The museum of the palace includes the beautiful
peacock mosaic and miniature wall paintings of Indian mythology. Today
we have an opportunity to visit a traditional painting school and see
the famous miniature paintings done. In the evening we have a Boat
ride
on the lake Pichola. The famous
Lake Palace of Udaipur was the summer
residence of the former rulers. The James bond Film Octopussy was shot
here and made this palace more known in the west.
Day 10: Udaipur - Dungarpur
Today we take leave from the City of Lake (Udaipur) and drive to
Dungarpur. Dungarpur means a “Hill town” In Dungarpur we enjoy the
overnight stay in a Fort which has been converted into a Hotel. We
have the rest of the day at leisure and therefore enough time to relax
and have a walk in the Bazaar.
Day 11: Dungarpur - Chittorgarh
After the breakfast we
drive to
Chittorgarh. In the noon we visit
the
Chittorgarh Fort,
the world famous fort of Chittorgarh
which is crowning 180 meters hill and covers about 170 acres. On
the crest of the enormous grey hill, girdled by massive walls and seven
majestic gateways, one stumbles upon shattered palaces, a "Temple of Mirabai" –
the mystic poetess and the intricately carved nine storeyed Tower of Fame,
built in the 12th Century in honour of Lord Adinath, the first jain Tirthankara.
Day 12: Chittorgarh - Pushkar
Today we leave
Chittorgarh and drive to
Pushkar.
Pushkar being one of the most religious places for Hindus has the atmosphere of an ancient religious town. The
only
temple of God Brahma is in Pushkar thus making Pushkar an important
pilgrimage city for Hindus. Pushkar
has become famous in the world due to its Pushkar Festival which takes place in
the month of November when the whole of Pushkar is transformed into a
spectacular fair ground where thousands of pilgrims come to bath in the holy
water of
Pushkar lake and the biggest cattle and camel
markets take place here where Farmers, breeders and camel traders buy and sell.
Day 13: Pushkar - Jaipur
Today we leave the holy city of Pushkar and drive to the
Pink City
Jaipur. This city owes its name,
foundations and careful planning to the great warrior and astronomer, Maharaja
Sawai Jai Singh II. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and famous for its
handicrafts and precious and semiprecious stones.
Day 14: Jaipur
After breakfast we drive to
the ancient capital of
Amber, laying 11 km. away from Jaipur. Amber was the
ancient capital of Kachhawaha dynasty for 6 centuries before it was moved to
newly created Jaipur. We will ascend to the Palace Fortress on the back of an
Elephant. Enroute to Amber we will visit the
Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds),
built in 1799 AD, it contains 953 small casements with each having its own
balcony. The windows enabled cool air to circulate and the ladies to watch
processions below without being seen. In the afternoon we visit the
City palace which is still the
formal residence of the royal family, built in a blend of the Rajasthani and
Mughal architecture. In the museum of the city palace we visit the private
collection of the Jaipur Maharajas. We continue to
Jantar Mantar, a stone
observatory, the largest of Jai Singh's five remarkable observatories. It’s
complex instruments reveals us the secrets of medieval Indian astronomy.
Afterwards we have a
walk through the colourful Bazaar of Jaipur. In
the evening we drive through the new city of Jaipur and visit “Laxmi Narayan
Mandir”, a Hindu temple made out of white marble. We might have an opportunity
here to observe a prayer ceremony. Today we have dinner with a presentation of
Indian music and dance.
Day 15: Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra
Today we leave Rajasthan,
the biggest state in India and drive through a series of fields, small towns
and villages in direction of Agra. Enroute we make a stop and visit
Fatehpur
Sikri, which was once an imperial capital frozen in time, constructed by Akbar
the Great in the 16th century. This wonderful city constructed by
red sand stones was abandoned as abruptly as it had been built. It has been
generally stated that it was due to failing in the water supply. Late
evening arrival in
Agra.
Rest of the day at
leisure.
Day 16: Agra
We start today our
sightseeing by a visit to the
Agra Fort, built by three of the greatest Mughal
emperors. The construction of this massive structure began in 1565 under
Akbar's reign and continued till the time of his grandson's reign, Shah Jahan
who built the impressive imperial quarters and mosque. After
the visit of Agra Fort we proceed to visit the most beautiful monument of
India, the
Taj Mahal, an enduring monument to love, with a continually
fulfilling beauty. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
between 1631-52, as a tomb and memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal (Jewel
of the Palace), who died at the age of 39 giving birth to her 14th
child. We spend enough time at Taj Mahal to take this impressive memory home.
After the visit of Taj Mahal we have a look at the famous fine marble inlay
work which is still being done in Agra by the descendants of the families of
builders and artists of the Taj Mahal.
Day 17: Agra - Delhi
In the morning after
having breakfast we drive to Delhi. Arrival in Delhi in the afternoon.
The rest of the day at leisure.
Day 18: Delhi - Srinagar
(by air)
In the morning drive to the airport for the flight to
Srinagar. In
the afternoon arrive at the Srinagar airport. Upon arrival you will be
met by our representative and transferred to the House Boat on the Dal
Lake. Srinagar has been described by some visitors as the Venice of the
East. This beautiful city was established by Emperor Ashoka some 2300
years ago. A unique charm of Srinagar is its 1300 or more houseboats,
the floating little hotels on the edge of the Dal Lake. Rest of the day free for leisure to explore the
beautiful surroundings in Srinagar.
Day 19: Srinagar
Today we visit the famous Mughal gardens in Srinagar. The Mughal
emperors often visited Kashmir. They planted gardens with sloped
terraces and flowing watercourses. Chashma Shahi, Nishat Bagh and
Shalimar Bagh are the three famous Mughal gardens in Kashmir. Chashma
Shahi means the Royal Spring and is dedicated to the Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan. The spring waters are believed to have curative
properties.
After visiting the Chashma Shahi we visit the Nishat Bagh and Shalimar
Bagh. Nishat Bagh is the larger of the two gardens and has an
impressive plantation of Chenar trees on its highest terrace. This
garden was built by Noor Jahan’s brother, Asaf Khan and lies alongside
the Dal lake. Shalimar Bagh was built by the Mughal emperor Jahangir,
whose love for Kashmir was legendary. The Shalimar Bagh is a series of
stone pavilions and flowing water with paint box bright flowerbeds.
Day 20: Srinagar - Sonamarg - Srinagar
In the morning we drive to Sonamarg. Sonamarg is situated on the
Srinagar - Leh Highway, about 85 km from Srinagar. Sonamarg, a small
but uniquely beautiful hill resort, is located on the
Ladakh road.
Sonamarg means the golden meadow. It derives its name from the golden
colour of its massed spring flowers. The main attraction in Sonamarg
are the Bisansar Lake and Krishnasar Lake. These two beautiful lakes
adds to the beauty of Sonamarg. The Krishnasar Lake is famous for the
Trout fishing. After visiting these two beautiful lakes in Sonamarg we
drive back to Srinagar.
Day 21: Srinagar - Pahalgam
In the morning after breakfast drive to
Pahalgam. On the way we
pass through pine forest and also visit the saffron fields. Pahalgam
is the popular hill resort of the Kashmir valley. Pahalgam is situated
at a height of 7,200 feet. The flora and fauna is good and the scenery
in Pahalgam is captivating. It is from Pahalgam that the pilgrims
often take a Amarnath Yatra. Arrive in Pahalgam by the afternoon.
Day 22: Pahalgam
Today in Pahalgam one can have a walk to Baisaren, which is about
2 km from Pahalgam. This walk to a small village, set in pine and fir
forest will be pleasing. This place offers some good views of the
surroundings. If you want then you can also go for further 11 km
trekking to Tulian Lake (3353 m). This lake is covered with ice for
most of the year. Rest of the day at leisure.
Day 23: Pahalgam - Srinagar - Delhi
In the morning after having breakfast drive to Srinagar airport
for the flight to Delhi. Upon arrival you will be transferred to the
hotel in Delhi.
Day 24: Delhi - Kathmandu
- Lhasa (by air)
In the morning transfer to airport to connect flight from
Kathmandu to
Lhasa. Upon arrival at Gongor airport at Lhasa, transfer
to the hotel in Lhasa. From Kathmandu to Lhasa it would be a scenic
flight across the Himalayas. The rest of the day is at leisure to
acclaim yourselves to this high altitude of Lhasa.
Day 25: Lhasa
In the morning after having breakfast proceed for a sightseeing
tour of Lhasa city. In Lhasa we visit Potala Palace.
Potala Palace is
the dominant landmark of Lhasa which is situated at a height of 117
meters above the sea level. The construction of this palace was
started on the red hill in 1645 under the 5th Dalai Lama. An immense
building, 13 Stories high with walls 3 meters thick contains over 1000
rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues. It was both the residence
of the current Dalai Lama and tomb of the former head of state. The
Potala Palace is full of elaborate art work and frescos that tell many
stories. In the afternoon we drive to visit the Jokhang temple.
Jokhang temple was built in the 7th century A D and houses the most
prized Buddhist relic, a 1300 year old Sakyamuni Buddha statue. The
main section of the temple is topped with golden roofs which is found
only in Tibet. After visiting the temple we have a walk in the
Barkhor
Bazaar. It is a lively and colourful market where you can bargain over
such treasures like ornate long bladed knives, prayer wheels and
exquisite jewellery. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 26: Lhasa
In the morning after
having breakfast we visit the
Drepung monastery. This monastery is
situated in the west suburbs of Lhasa city. It was formerly the
largest and richest monastery in the world with about 10000 monks. Of
particular interest is the medieval monk's kitchen with its great
cauldrons of steaming barley 'stamp' sitting on top of huge earthen
stoves and tented by saffron robed monks wielding massive ladles. From
the roof of the monastery one can enjoy the natural beauty of the
Lhasa valley. Then we visit the
Sera monastery. Sera is more like a
small town on the outskirts of Lhasa at the base of Tatipu hill. It is
the main teaching monastery and one of the three great Gelukpa
Universities - once housing more than 5500 monks. Here one can see the
young novices learning scriptures in the Debating Garden. In the
evening we visit the
Norbulingka Summer palace. On the banks of the
Kyichi River, there is a tree and flower filled pard known as the
Norbulingka or the Jewel Park. Covering a total area of 360,000 square
meters, the park was originally laid out in the year 1750. Norbulingka
is also the site of the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas (8th to
14th). The small palace of the 13th Dalai Lama is an odd mix of
traditional Tibetan architecture and modern paraphernalia.
Day 27: Lhasa - Gyantse
Today we drive from Lhasa to Gyantse via Kampa La pass (4794 m)
and
Yamdrok Tso (4482 m) also known as Turquoise Lake (600 square
km.), one of the three largest lakes in Tibet. Enroute we cross Karo
La pass (5010 m) and two other smaller passes before reaching Gyantse
Town.
Gyantse was earlier the Tibet's third most important city,
lying in the Nyangchu valley and along the main routes from India and Nepal to Lhasa. In former times it was a fort as well as the centre of
Tibet's wool trade and a gateway to the outside world. We have an
overnight stay at the hotel in Gyantse.
Day 28: Gyantse - Shigatse
In the morning after having breakfast visit the
Phalkor monastery
and
Kumbum Stupa designed by Newari architects from Nepal. The Phalkor
monastery has a special influence over Buddhism owing to its unity of
Gelugpa, Sakyapa and Bhutan sects. After visiting the monastery drive
to Shigatse.
Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet. Upon
arrival transfer to the hotel.
Day 29: Shigatse - New Tingri
In the morning after having breakfast visit
Tashilhunpo Monastery,
the seat of the Panchen Lamas. This monastery houses the Maitreya
Buddha statue which weighs 275 kgs and is made of gold and 26 metres
in height. After visiting the monastery drive to
New Tingri. On the
way cross two passes which are Tsuo La (4500 m) and Lhakpa La (5220
m). We have an overnight stay in the hotel in New Tingri.
Day 30: Tingri - Zhangmu
Today we drive from New Tingri to
Zhangmu. After leaving New
Tingri there are great views of Mount Everest (Chomulangma) and Mount
Shisapangma. Enroute we pass
Nyalam (3500 m), an irnportant old
trading post and also cross Lalung La (5050 m). This is a very scenic
drive as the road cuts through the Himalaya and the dramatic changes
in the vegetation and the landscape in such a short distance are truly
amazing. We have an overnight stay in hotel in Zhangmu.
Day 31: Zhangmu - Kathmandu
In the morning after having breakfast we drive to Kathmandu. After
immigration and custom formalities, drive to Friendship Bridge, the
border of Nepal and China. Then we cross the bridge on foot to Kodari
and drive to Kathmandu. Upon arrival transfer to the airport for the
flight to onwards journey.
Tour Reservation
To get more
information or to book this tour please submit the
Query Form
or send us an
e-mail ! Your
booking will be activated only after we get a reconfirmation from
your side.
Our Services Include:
Accommodation in double rooms on twin sharing basis with bath
and WC in the
chosen category.
Rooms on the departure day.
American/continental Breakfast.
Rickshaw Drive in Delhi.
Elephant Ride in Amber.
Camel Safari in Jaisalmer.
Boat Ride in Udaipur.
One Dinner will be with a presentation of Indian music and dance
in Jaipur.
Services of qualified local guides (English speaking or
languages of your choice)
at every place of
sightseeing.
All Transfers and departures on arrival and departure by Indo
Vacations
representative.
All Transfers and Sightseeing throughout the tour by an
air-conditioned Car with
driver. For
groups an individual air-conditioned bus (Except Standard
Hotels) will be
provided.
Exclusions:
Any Kind of Personal Expenses such as Tips, Laundry, Telephone Bills
and Alcoholic
beverages.
Camera Fees (Still
or Movie).
Any Flight Charges.
Monument Entrances.
Unspecified Meals
etc.
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by you for your individual trip. |
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a group - the
Group Departure
dates are available
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Festival calendar to know about the dates of various festivals of
Rajasthan during your travel ! |
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over 15 people please
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