19 nights discovering India

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- Return flights into Delhi & out of Chennai
- Internal flight from Jaipur to Mumbai & Mumbai to Bangalore
- Train ticket from Bangalore to Chennai
- Pre-payable airport/security taxes
- Return airport/hotel transfers
- 3 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Delhi
- 2 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Haridwar
- 1 night 4* hotel accommodation in Agra
- 2 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Jaipur
- 3 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Mumbai
- 2 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Bangalore
- 1 night 4* hotel accommodation in Mysore
- 3 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Chennai
- 2 nights 4* hotel accommodation in Cochin
- Breakfast daily
- Assistance of a guide
- Touring by air-conditioned vehicle
- Visits to monuments as per itinerary - excludes entrance fees to be paid direct
- Visit Delhi, Hardwar, Agra, Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai & Cochin

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Arrive Delhi

Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

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Delhi

Morning half day combined sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi. Visit Qutab Minar, India Gate (War Memorial) Lakshmi Narayan Temple-Modern Hindu Temple, drive past President’s House, Parliament House and Secretariat buildings. Also visit Raj Ghat– the cremations sites of Mahatma Gandhi and drive past Jama Masjid, Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. Overnight at hotel.

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Delhi – Hardwar (By surface, approx 6 Hrs)

Morning depart for Hardwar surface and on arrival check-in at hotel.
Afternoon sightseeing tour of Haridwar which is essentially a Hindu pilgrim town with temples and Dharamshalas along the banks of the river Ganga. Also visit Har ki Pauri the most popular bathing ghat which has a footprint of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God of preservation on stone. In the evening attend the Aarti on the Ghats. Overnight at hotel.

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Hardwar - Rishikesh – Hardwar ( By surface, approx 45 min – one way)

Morning excursion to Rishikesh. Rishikesh, which stands for the "Plaits of the Sage" is a place of Ashrams where solace seekers come to spend their time in the serenity of God. Visit the Shivananda Ashram where discourses in English on Hindu religious texts can be heard. Also visit the Lakshman Jhoola, a suspension bridge spanning the Ganga. Overnight at hotel.
Overnight at Hotel.

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Hardwar – Delhi (By surface, approx 6 Hrs)

Morning depart for Delhi by surface and on arrival check-in at hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at hotel.

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Delhi – Agra (By surface, approx 4-5 Hrs)

Morning depart for Agra by surface and on arrival check-in at Hotel. Overnight at hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour of the Taj Mahal & Fort. Visit the world famous Taj Mahal built by Shah Jahan in 1560 in memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. This architectural marvel is a perfectly proportioned masterpiece fashioned from white marble that stands testimony to the skill of 20,000 craftsmen brought together from Persia, Turkey, France and Italy and who took 17 years to complete this 'Love Poem in Marble'. (Friday closed). Later visit the Agra fort containing the halls of private & public audiences & other palaces. Shah Jahan spent here years of confinement at the hands of his son Aurangzeb, looking wistfully at the Taj Mahal from the Fort. Overnight at Hotel.

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Agra - Jaipur (237 Kms – 6-7 Hours)

Depart Agra for Jaipur by car. Enroute visit Fatehpur Sikri, built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. The Fatehpur Sikri complex houses tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal and other palaces, which surprisingly have withstood the ravages of time and are still in good condition. On arrival check-in at Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at Hotel.

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Jaipur

Morning excursion to Amber Fort. Standing tall over a small hillock overlooking the Pink city, Amber is a classic, romantic Rajasthani Fort-Palace. Miniatures painted on the walls depict hunting and war scenes, apart from festivals. Precious stones and mirrors are embedded into the plaster. A major attraction at Amber is the Elephant Ride, all the way up to the Fort entrance.
Afternoon half day sightseeing tour. The tour begins with a visit to the Maharaja's City Palace,- the former Royal residence,- part of it converted into a museum. One of the major attractions in the museum is the portion known as Armoury Museum, housing an impressive array of weaponry-pistols, blunderbusses, flintlocks, swords, rifles and daggers. Also see the miniature items and old carpets at the Textile Museum. Later visit the Jantar Mantar, which is the largest stone-and-marble-crafted Observatory in the world. Situated near the gate of the city palace, the Observatory has 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition.
Overnight at Hotel.

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Jaipur – Mumbai (By Flight)

In time transfer to airport to board flight for Mumbai. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

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Mumbai

Morning breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast have half day visit to Gateway of India, Mumbai's principle landmark. This arch of yellow basalt was erected on the waterfront in 1924 to commemorate King George V's visit to Mumbai in 1911. Drive pass the Secretariat of Maharashtra Government and along the Marine Drive which is fondly known as the 'Queen's Necklace'. Visit Mani Bhavan, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed during his visits to Mumbai. Drive past the Victoria Terminus, the principal railways station of Mumbai, a beautiful building that symbolise the ethos of the Edwardian architecture, well worth a photo stop. At the Church gate station see the Dabbawala’s- a unique tiffin delivery service run by over 5000 semiskilled workers of delivering lunch to corporate executives from their homes. Visit the 'Dhobi Ghat', an open laundry where Mumbai's 'dirties' are scrubbed, bashed, dyed and hung out to dry - a nice photography stop well worth a visit. Visit the ISKON Temple devoted to Lord Krishna in time for the noon aarti and then continue to the colourful Crawford market and Flora fountain a large bustling square, in the heart of the city. Overnight at hotel.

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Mumbai

Day at leisure. Overnight at hotel.

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Mumbai-Bangalore (By Flight)

In time transfer to airport to board flight for Bangalore . on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

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Bangalore

Morning half day sightseeing tour of the "Garden City" visiting the Lal Bagh laid out by Tipu Sultan and his father in the 18th century which has a variety of old trees, fountains, lotus pools, terraces and an assortment of tropical and sub-tropical herbs. Also visit the Bull Temple and drive past the Government Secretariat, Vidhan Soudha (Legislature building) and Cubbon Park.
Overnight at hotel.

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Mumbai - Bangalore (By Flight)

In time transfer to airport to board flight for Bangalore . on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

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Bangalore

Morning half day sightseeing tour of the "Garden City" visiting the Lal Bagh laid out by Tipu Sultan and his father in the 18th century which has a variety of old trees, fountains, lotus pools, terraces and an assortment of tropical and sub-tropical herbs. Also visit the Bull Temple and drive past the Government Secretariat, Vidhan Soudha (Legislature building) and Cubbon Park.
Overnight at hotel.

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Bangalore – Mysore (By Surface, approx 4 Hrs)

Morning depart for Mysore by surface and on arrival check-in at hotel.
Afternoon half day city tour visiting the palace of the Maharaja built in 1911-12. The palace is a harmonious synthesis of the Hindu and Saracenic styles of architecture with archways, domes, turrets, colonnades and sculptures which are magnificent. Visit the Art Gallery, drive upto Chamundi hill to see Chamundeshwari Temple and have a panoramic view of Mysore from the top of the hill. On way back, see the Nandi Bull.
Overnight at hotel.

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Mysore–Chennai (By Train)

In time transfer to station to board train for Chennai. on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

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Chennai

Morning half day sightseeing tour of Chennai visiting museum to see the Art and Bronze Gallery. (Closed on Fridays and Public holidays). Drive through the Flower and Fruit market, High court, Fort museum, Marina Beach, San thome Cathedral. Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at hotel.

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Chennai – Kanchipuram-Mahabalipuram-Chennai (By Surface)

Full day to Kanchipuram and Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram). Drive to Kanchipuram, one of Hinduism's seven most sacred cities and this "Golden City of a Thousand Temples" dates back to the early Cholas in the second century. Only around 70 temples of the original temple complex are still intact and the most famous is the Kailasanatha Temple built of sandstone in the early seventh century. Kanchipuram is famous for silk weaving. Later drive to Mamallapuram, which occupies a stunning position on a rocky outcrop between the beach and a lagoon. Built by the Pallava rulers in the seventh century the complex comprises of 14 cave temples, nine monolithic " Rathas", three stone temples and two relief sculptured rock panels and a Bass Relief and largest in the world. The Shore temple built on the water's edge with an east-facing alter designed to catch the rising sun, has now been declared a World Heritage Site. Overnight at hotel.

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Chennai – Cochin (By Flight)

In time transfer to airport to board flight for Cochin. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

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Cochin

Morning half day sightseeing of Cochin, a city till today influenced by medieval Portugal, Holland and England. You visit St. Francis Church, built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars where Vasco da Gama was buried for 14 years before his remains were transferred to Lisbon. His tombstone still stands. Nearby is the Mattancherry Palace or “Dutch Palace”. The central hall on the Ist floor was the coronation hall of the rajas of Cochin. Other rooms depict scenes from the Ramayana and Puranic legends connected with Hindu gods. Amazing are the Chinese fishing nets. These cantilevered fishing nets line the entrance to the harbour mouth. They were introduced by traders from the courts of Kublai Khan. You also see the Jew City with the Jewish Synagogue, constructed in 1568, with hand-painted, willow-pattern floor tiles brought from Canton in the mid-18th century by a Rabbi, who had trading interest in that city.
Overnight at hotel.

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Leave Cochin

In time transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.

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