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Agra Sightseeing |
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Dinner at Local Agra & Jaipur Restaurants with Cultural Shows |
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| Discover all of the fun and excitement of Indian culture when you purchase this all inclusive dinner package. On Day 4 in Agra and Day 6 in Jaipur, enjoy the local flavors of a neighborhood restaurant. During or after your dinner, you will be entertained by performers, in their traditional attire, as they re-enact stories of a time past with dance and music. Transfers to and from the venue are included. |
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Dinner at Local Agra Restaurant with Magic Show |
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| Tonight, see things you wont believe with your own eyes before being treated to the local flavors of Agra cuisine |
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Full Day Agra Tour |
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| Depart for Sikandra where you will explore the well-preserved buildings of this UNESCO World Heritage city. Visit the 17th-century tomb of Akbar the Great, located within a large walled garden. Afterward, visit the impressive Agra Fort, first begun by Emperor Akbar the Great in the 16th century and completed during the reigns of three succeeding Mughal Emperors. View the palaces, mosques, and Halls of the Public and Private Audiences. Next, visit the tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah, often referred to as the "Baby Taj," for its layout, inlay designs, and latticework that presage many elements of the Taj Mahal. Conclude the tour with a visit to the Dayalbagh Gardens, headquarters of the Radhasoami religious sect and an important pilgrimage site.
Departs at 9:00 a.m. Pick-up and -off at 5:00 p.m |
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Half Day Agra Tour |
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| Today, enjoy an afternoon visit to Agra Fort, the original red sandstone fort built by Moghul Emperor Akbar in 1565. The Forts maze of courtyards, marble mosque, and lavish private chambers reflect the grandeur of the Mughal Empire. Also visit the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah "a jewel box in marble". This mausoleum was built by the Empress Nur Jahan as a gesture of love for her father. The tomb is built of the finest Indian marble embellished with mosaics and beautiful inlay work of semi precious stones. The central chamber contains the yellow marble tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah and his wife. The tomb is painted with floral decorations, and fine marble screens of geometric latticework suffuse the interior in a soft light. Based on its layout, inlay designs, and detailed latticework, the mausoleum is often considered an imminent precursor to the Taj Mahal. |
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Cochin Sightseeing |
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Half Day Cochin City Tour |
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| The tour begins from "The Dutch Palace" also known as Mattancherry Palace, built by Portuguese in 1555, which is famous for its murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the puranic legends. Adjacent to the palace is the Jewish Synagogue built in 1568. Also visit the St. Francis Church, established by the Portuguese Franciscan friars in 1503. Vasco Da Gama was buried in the courtyard of this European church built in India. Other attractions include the traditional fishing hamlets and the fisher folk in their colorful costumes. The tour also includes a visit to the seaside where one can still see the nearly a century old Chinese fishing nets, which are still in use. |
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Kathakali Dance Show |
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| This evening, witness a Kathakali dance performance at a local theatre, performed by various artists. Kathakali is a traditional dance form, depicting Indian epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata). The dancers are dressed in very colorful and elaborate costumes. Their faces are painted to depict various characters of these epics. This dance has a lot of facial expressions and brisk, yet articulate body movements. |
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Delhi Sightseeing |
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Full Day Delhi City Tour |
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| This morning, tour Old Delhi, an ancient historical city with more than 60,000 identifiable monuments. Visit the Memorial of Mahatma Gandhi and the Jama Masjid (Indias largest mosque), continuing to view the Red Fort, an impressive palace which derives its name from the massive red sandstone wall defining its eight sides. This afternoon, tour New Delhi. Pass by the UNESCO World Heritage Qutab Minar, the worlds tallest brick minaret (spire). Continue for a visit to the Mausoleum of Humayun and the 20th-century Birla Temple. Drive past India Gate, the former Viceroys Palace, and the Indian Parliament House.
Departs at 9:00 a.m. Pick-up and -off details to be advised locally |
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Jaipur Sightseeing |
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Dinner at Local Jaipur Restaurant with Cultural Show |
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| Enjoy the local flavors of a neighborhood restaurant. During or after your dinner, you will be entertained by performers, in their traditional attire, as they re-enact stories of a time past with dance and music. Transfers to and from the venue are included |
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Full Day Jaipur Tour with Elephant Ride at Amber Fort |
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| Today, discover the wonders of Indias notorious Pink City. Begin the day with a visit to the 16th-century Amber Fort, one of the citys most frequented attractions. Ascend the hill to the fort on the back of an elephant and admire views of Jaipurs original city walls and Maotha Lake below. In the afternoon, tour Jaipur, including visits to the observatory of Maharaja Jaisingh and the museum at the Maharaja City Palace. Drive past the 18th-century Hawa Mahal ("Palace of Winds"), whose streetside facade comprises a complex of 953 small windows designed to circulate wind throughout the palace, thus giving the palace its name.
Departs at 9:00 a.m. Pick-up and -off details to be advised locally |
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Half Day Jaipur Tour |
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| This afternoon, enjoy a city tour of Jaipur. First, visit the unique Jantar Mantar, which is a magnificent stone observatory built by Raja Jai Singh in 1728 and drive past the Hawa Mahal, an intriguing "Palace of Winds." This was really a facade built in 1799, to allow royal ladies to view the city from the windows. Later, visit the opulent City Palace. This was the former royal residence built in a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal style which has grand museums displaying an excellent collection of miniature paintings, costumes and armory. |
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Kathmandu Sightseeing |
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Half Day Kathmandu & Swayambunath |
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| Enjoy a half day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu and Swayambunath. Visit the residential quarter, Mahadev and Parvati Temple, Machhender Bahl, and the Temple House of Kmari. Afterward, continue for a tour of Swayambunath, Nepals quintessential center of religious harmony. Atop a forested hill on the western edge of the Kathmandu Valley, view statues of the Buddha, monasteries, and the hemispherical stupa, the Valleys most important Buddhist shrine.
Departs at 9:00 a.m. Pick-up and -off details to be advised locally. |
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Half Day Patan City Tour |
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| Today, enjoy a city tour of Patan known also as Lalitpur or "The City of Beauty", one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Nepal. The city is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments exhibiting skillful carvings which make it especially attractive for breathtaking picture-taking. Visit Patan Durbar Square which is a cluster of fine pagoda temples and stone statues as well as being the business hub of the city. At every step one comes across a piece of art or an image of a deity, testifying to the consummate skill of Patans anonymous artists. The ancient palace of the Malla kings and the stone baths associated with various legends and episodes of history are especially interesting to visitors. The stone temple of Lord Krishna and the Royal Bath (Tushahity) with its intricate stone and bronze carvings are two other masterpieces in the same vicinity |
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Mumbai Sightseeing |
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Half Day Cruise on Alleppey Backwater with lunch |
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| Travel the picturesque rivers and canals along the Kerala coastline, enjoying commentary and a traditional lunch. Alleppey, also known as the Venice of the East, is one of the very few places on earth where farming is done below sea level. The houseboat, formerly a rice barge used for transporting goods from isolated interior villages to the towns, now brings travelers to the serene waterways, haven to migratory birds and fringed by palms and patty fields. Learn how the life here revolves around water, of children who learn to swim before they walk and learn to row a boat before riding a bicycle. |
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Half Day Elephanta Excursion |
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| Hewn out of solid rock, the Elephanta Caves date back to 600 AD and house exquisite stone sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses. Resonating with the spiritual energy of India, the cave complex is a collection of shrines, courtyards, inner cells, grand halls and porticoes arranged in the splendid symmetry of Indian rock-cut architecture. It is situated on Gharapuri Island in Mumbais harbor, about an hours boat ride from the Gateway Of India. At the entrance to the caves is the famous Trimurti, the celebrated trinity of Elephanta, comprising Lord Brahma the Creator, Lord Vishnu the Preserver, and Lord Shiva the Destroyer. While many of the sculptures inside were damaged by iconoclastic Portuguese rulers, the Elephanta Caves have nevertheless retained their sense of sublime beauty over the centuries. |
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Half Day Mumbai City Tour |
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| This afternoon enjoy a city tour of Mumbai. The tour begins at the "Prince of Wales Museum" built to commemorate King George V first visit to India in 1905. Designed in the Indo-Saracenic style, has sections of art, paintings, archeology and natural history dating back from 18th to 19th century. "The Gateway of India" Mumbais foremost landmark overlooking the harbor, was conceived following the visit of King George V in 1911 and officially opened in 1924. A drive up to the Malabar Hill, to the hanging gardens, gives a panoramic view of the city and the Queens Necklace, the Marine Drive. The tour concludes with a drive through the Flora Fountain and Fort area to view the Gothic and Victorian style buildings. Visit the Victoria Terminus, now known as Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Indias finest Gothic building and a bustling Railway Station. Continue onward, and drive around the Horniman Circle, then visit the Town Hall, right besides the docks. |
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Mumbai Heritage Ride by Night with Dinner 6:00 PM |
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| Enjoy the historic beauty of Mumbai by night with an enchanting evening ride by Tonga (traditional horse carriage), followed by an authentic Indian dinner. The tour begins at 6:00 PM as you are transferred by bus from your hotel to the Gateway of India, where you will have a photo op before starting the Tonga ride. Visit many heritage buildings, which are illuminated at night, including the Regal Circle, High Court, Flora Fountain, Marine Drive (known as the "Queens Necklace"), Chowpatty Beach and Victoria Terminus Railway Station (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The carriage ride finishes at Alibaba, a clay oven restaurant serving authentic Indian Cuisine with barbeque specialty, where you will enjoy dinner. After dinner, you are transferred by bus back to your hotel |
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Nepal Sightseeing |
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Half Day Nepal |
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| Discover Nepals sacred past on a half day tour of Bhadgaon, Pashupatinath and Bodhnath. Visit the ancient ornamental gateway of Durbar Square, the royal residential quarter of Bhupendra Malla, and the famous five-storeyed temple of Nytapole. Later this afternoon, visit the 2500-year-old Buddhist Stupa in Bodhnath, an ancient holy place for Buddhist sojourners from Tibet. Continue to visit Pashupatinath, one of the regions most sacred Hindu shrines, where Shiva is worshipped in the form of lingam. Please note, however, that only Hindus are allowed inside.
Departs at 9:00 a.m. Pick-up and -off details to be advised locally |
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