

.........................................................
TASTE
OF INDIA & NEPAL (13 Days)
DELHI-JAIPUR-AGRA-GWALIOR-ORCHHA-KHAJURAHO-VARANASI-KATHMANDU
Day 01: Abroad-Delhi
Arrive
Delhi
Meeting and assistance upon arrival and transfer from airport
to hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 02: Delhi
Morning, sightseeing tour of Old Delhi visiting the Raj
Ghat, the site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated Jama
Masjid - the largest mosque in India and the Red
Fort - once the most opulent fort and palace of the Moghul
Empire.
Afternoon sightseeing tour of New Delhi visiting the
Humayun's Tomb, the
Qutub Minar. Drive along
the ceremonial avenue - Rajpath, past the imposing India
Gate, Parliament House and the President's
Residence and end the tour with a drive through Diplomatic
Enclave.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 03: Delhi-Jaipur
After breakfast drive to Jaipur. (258
kms, 6 hrs).
On arrival check-in at hotel.
Walk through the
city.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 04: Jaipur
Morning excursion to Amber
Fort. Make your ascent to the palace fortress on the gaily
caparisoned elephant back. Tour the chambers and hallways of the palace
which are famous for the excellence of their design and decoration.
Afternoon tour of Jaipur, known as "The Pink City of Rajasthan".
Visit the unique Jantar Mantar Observatory,
which was built in the 1700's, still looks futuristic or almost
surrealistic. Also visit the City Palace
and its Museum, the Hawa Mahal
or the Palace of Winds.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day
05: Jaipur-Agra
Early morning drive to Agra enroute visiting
Fatehpur Sikri (221 kms/6 hrs.).
Fatehpur Sikri the deserted, red
sandstone city that was built by Emperor Akbar as his capital and palace
in the 16th century. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza the largest gateway in
the world.
Continue your drive to Agra and upon arrival check-in at
hotel.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 06: Agra
Taj Mahal - Full days
sightseeing tours of Agra. The mausoleum of Empress Mumtaz Mahal, the
beloved spouse of Shah Jahan, who died in 1630. The Taj complex comprises
a forecourt, a lofty entrance, and a charming formal Mughal garden with
canals and a central tank with a series of fountains, the tomb proper, and
an attached mosque on the west and its symmetrical counterpart on the
east. The Taj is remarkable for its perfect proportions and rich pietra
dura, with minute details executed with great skill. The building, often
styled "a dream in marble" is said to have taken at least 22
years (1631-1653) to build. (Closed on Fridays)
Agra Fort - lies on the
bend of the River Yamuna, almost in the heart of the town. It was built by
Akbar as his citadel over the years 1565-73 in the finest architectural
style. It has imposing gates and walls of red sandstone and a moat.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 07: Agra-Gwalior-Orcha
After breakfast transfer from hotel to the railway station.
Leave Agra at 0815 hrs by
Shatabdi Exp.
Ar: Gwalior at 0935 hrs
Meeting and assistance upon arrival and start the sightseeing of
Gwalior straight from the railway station.
Morning, city sightseeing
tour of Gwalior includes visit to the Great
Fort, one of the oldest in India, situated on an isolated
hill of sandstone, 300 ft above the plain Man
Mandir, a six towered palace which forms the Eastern wall
of the Fort and is one of the classic sights of India Gujari
Mahal, a turreted palace of stone and now the home of an
archaeological museum. A few kilometers away is the tomb of Mohammed
Ghaus, a Muslim saint worshipped by the Mughals, as well as the tomb of
the famous musician Tansen.

Thereafter drive to Orcha
(125 kms / 2 and ½ hours)
On arrival check in at hotel.
Late afternoon tour of Orchha, overlooked by the modern era, this
beautiful medieval town, was once the capital of Bundela Kings. Built
along the banks of the river Betwa, flowing through a rugged country
century side, it still retains the captivating air of a bygone era.
Amongst the various imposing edifices, of particular interest are the
Jehangiri Mahal, built by
Raja Bir Singh Deo to commemorate the visit of Moghul Emperor Jehangir,
the Raj Mahal and the
Laxminarayan Temple, both
noted for their fine Frescoes and Mural paintings.
Overnight at the
hotel.
Day 08: Orcha-Khajuraho
After breakfast
drive to Khajuraho (170 kms/ 4 hrs).
On arrival check in at hotel.
Afternoon sightseeing tour of temples at Khajuraho.
Overnight at the
hotel.
Day 09: Khajuraho-Varanasi
Morning,
sightseeing tour of the famous Chandela Dynasty Temples which are set in a
lovely grassy park. The Temples are quite amazing - rising in many peaks
and spirals, intricately carved and designed with statues and friezes,
some of which are the renowned erotic carvings.
Transfer from hotel
to the airport for Khajuraho/Varanasi flight (1245/1325 hrs.).
Meeting and assistance upon arrival and transfer from airport to hotel.
Afternoon, visit the buried Buddhist city of Sarnath,
just outside Varanasi - it's as holy to the Buddhists as Varanasi is to
the Hindus. Here you will witness the ruins of a once flourishing Buddhist
monastery and then visit a fine museum which houses an excellent
collection of Buddhist art and sculpture (Sarnath Museum Closed on
Fridays).
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10: Varanasi-Kathmandu
Early morning, drive to Daswamedh
Ghat and take a boat ride on the sacred
river Ganges. Continue by boat to see burning and bathing
Ghats. Followed by sightseeing tour of the holy city of Varanasi. Visit
some of the many Hindu Temples that line the river Ganges. Stroll along
the narrow lanes and bazaars full of shops selling, among other things,
the world-famous Benaras Silks.
Transfer from hotel to the
airport for Varanasi/Kathmandu flight (1255/1405 hrs.).
Meeting
and assistance upon arrival and transfer from airport to hotel.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11: Kathmandu
Full day excursion to Patan,
Bhatgaon, Pashupatinath.
A drive through the Nepalese country side
and a visit to Patan,
known as the "City of Grace and Fine Arts", where you will
witness interesting and beautiful pieces of art and architecture. Enroute,
a stopover a particularly interesting sales room of the Tibetan Refugee
Craft Center. Bhatgaon
(Bhaktapur- the City of Devotees) is a centre of medieval art and
architecture. The legendary city was founded by King Ananda Deva in 889 AD
and is shaped like a conch-shell. Pottery and weaving are its traditional
industries. Visit Durbar Square
and Nyatapala Temple - a 5
storied pagoda style temple.
Day 11: Kathmandu
Pashupatinath -
dedicated to Lord Shiva this Pagoda style temple is situated on the bank
of the sacred Bagmati river. It has a gilt roof and richly carved silver
doors and is one of the holiest temples in the entire Hindu world.
Pashupatinath is the centre of an annual pilgrimage on the day of
Shivratri. Only Hindus are allowed to go inside the courtyard of the
temple. Tourists can view the temple from the eastern side of the Bagmati
river.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 12: Kathmandu
Morning take a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu, the unique and
fascinating capital of the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. First visit the
imposing 2000 year old stupa at Swayambhunath, majestically set high on a
hill overlooking the valley. Then drive to the central Durbar Square to
see fine examples of Nepalese architecture in Kathmandu's palaces and
pagodas. Also visit Ason Tole, a typical Nepalese market place.
Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 13:
Kathmandu-Abroad
Transfer from hotel to the airport.
Lv: Kathmandu.