DAY 01: Delhi
A company representative from TNS will receive you and give you a warm traditional welcome as you arrive at the Delhi Airport. A room in The
Imperial or The
Oberoi is pre-booked for you and you will be transferred there soon enough. The hotels offer free drinks to all its guests to help you relax. After checking in at the hotel, you will discuss the details of your luxury tour with the company representative who will tell you about different options and detours you can choose during the tour.
You can decide on the final itinerary, decide on which heritage hotels or luxury hotels you want to try, and make special requests or suggestions at this point to make your trip more enjoyable. Rest of the day is off to help you overcome jetlag and get proper rest before the next day begins.
DAY 02: Delhi
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, the company guide
will take you to a luxurious sightseeing tour of Old and New
Delhi. The mighty
Red
Fort, the largest mosque of India
Jama
Masjid, the famous Birla Temple and cremation ground of
Mahatama Gandhi Raj Ghat are some of the highlights of Old
Delhi. Chandni Chowk, oldest and biggest markets of Asia,
fascinates foreigners with its old world charm. A rickshaw
ride in the market is quite fun while the famous delicacies
and shopping options abound in this maze of narrow lanes.
New Delhi is much better planned and has wide roads and European
architectural traits that speak of the British legacy. The
Rashtrapati Bhawan or the President’s House with a Rajpath
that leads to India Gate houses the first citizen of India.
The unique
Lotus
Temple of the Baha’i faith and the
Qutub
Minar that once used to be tallest tower in the world
are some of the highlights of New Delhi.
Before retiring for the night, you can enjoy ‘Dances of India’ show that starts at 18:45 hrs, where professional dancers display folk dances and classical dance of different regions of India and may choose to have dinner at other famous restaurants outside the hotel.
DAY 03: Delhi - Varanasi (By Air, Usual Time Taken: 1 hour 20 minutes)
After a sumptuous breakfast, you will catch the flight for Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world and an important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage center on the banks of the Holy River Ganga.
Once you reach Varanasi, you will commence the day excursion to Sarnath, where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. The monuments and relics at Sarnath date back to the days of Ashoka The Great.
In the evening, you will check in at the luxury hotel in Varanasi, known as The
Gateway Hotel Ganges, for overnight stay.
DAY 04: Varanasi
Early morning ride on River Ganges is the best way to get acquainted with the unique rituals and traditions of the city of Varanasi. As people bathe in the river and offer their prayers to the Sun God and Goddess Ganga, you can see the cultural thread that binds the Hindu faith all over the world. You will also see the Daswamedh Ghat during the boat ride, which is one of the oldest cremation sites considered so holy that it is believed that whoever has his or her rites performed here, goes straight to heaven.
Life and death are considered two sides of the same coin in Hinduism and the rising sun, people stirring to start their new day and cremations at various ghats of Varanasi remind us that life and death are inseparable from each other and are the only two eternal truths of the universe. An appetizing breakfast at the hotel re-energizes you for the sightseeing tour ahead. You will be at luxury to explore important landmarks of Varanasi as much as you like including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Gyanvapi Mosque complex, the Benaras Hindu University, and the famous Ghats of Varanasi with distinctive historical, mythological and religious significance.
Day
05: Varanasi - Khajuraho
(By Air, Usual Time Taken: 40 minutes)
You will be served an early breakfast on this day, as you will be transferred to the domestic airport in time for your flight to Khajuraho, second most-sought tourist destination after Taj Mahal. Khajuraho is one of the rare places where you will find depiction of sex in a temple considered sacred for newlyweds. A primitive form of sex education, these temples belong to ancient times and were re-discovered during medieval times.
You will check in at the luxury
Hotel Chandela for overnight stay at Khajuraho. After some rest, you will go on a guided tour to the Western set of Temples and then will be treated by a mesmerizing Light and Sound Show organized to promote tourism here.
DAY 06: Khajuraho
One of the highpoints of your luxury tour, you will embark on the trip to see the world-famous Western and Eastern temples of Khajuraho after a finger-licking breakfast. These temples are a testimony to the scientific study of sex as a part of Indian culture that has gradually became synonymous as sex inhibitor and narrow-mindedness these days. Erotic sculptures at Khajuraho have been one of the favorite clicked topics by photography enthusiasts from all over the world.
DAY 07: Khajuraho - Orchha - Jhansi - Agra
(Jhansi to Agra by Train, Usual Time Taken: 4 hrs)
A luxury breakfast will be served at the hotel in Khajuraho before you check out and leave for Orchha, the stronghold of Bundela Rajputs in the 17th century. The architectural splendor of the fort complex is amazing enhanced by the tales of valor that it has witnessed. The most well known hero of this fort is Rani Laxmi Bai, the queen who fought with the mighty British Army for her adopted son’s rights till her last breath. Orchha is on the outskirts of the city of Jhansi, from where you will catch the train to Agra, the city of Taj.
At Agra, you will check in at the Oberoi Amar Vilas to spend the night and relax after a long journey.
Day 08: Agra
Start the luxury tour of the erstwhile capital of Moghuls
after a delicious breakfast at the hotel. The architectural
splendor of Agra is at its best at pure white marble
Taj
Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, with its
inlaid stone work, clever use of Hindu and Muslim motifs and
several unique features that were incorporated to immortalize
the love of Emperor Shah Jahan for his queen Mumtaz Mahal.
You can see the place from where Shah Jahan used to see Taj
till his dying day after his son Aurungzeb imprisoned him
at
Agra Fort.
Besides, you can see the glimpse of creativity of the shrewd and beautiful Empress Noor Jehan who built Itmad-ud-Daullah’s tomb as a tribute to her father. The tomb is known as the Baby Taj or the Jewel Box because of its intricate work that makes it unique. There are several identified and unidentified ruins throughout the city that speak of the glory of the city in the Mughal era. You can hunt for marble trinkets and handicrafts as souvenirs in the narrow lanes of Agra’s market in the evening before retiring to your hotel for the night. Taj miniatures, handmade jewellery pieces and marble tabletops are some of the most popular items that foreigners buy at Agra.
Day 09: Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur
(Distance by Road: 235 km, Usual Time Taken: 5 hrs + 2 hours for touring Fatehpur Sikri)
You will be served a warm international or traditional breakfast based on your preference before you check out of the hotel at Agra. You will then continue your luxury tour to the Pink City Jaipur, where you will check in at
Oberoi Raj Villas.
En-route, you will visit the red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri, twin cities developed into a model town by
Emperor Akbar. Buland Darwaza, Sheikh Salim Chisti’s Dargah, and Rani Jaodhabai’s Palace known as
Panch Mahal are only some of the highlights of Fatehpur Sikri that are more popular than other wonders of the place. Many scenes of the historical movie of Jodhaa, Akbar starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, were shot here.
Day
10: Jaipur
After a filling breakfast at the luxury hotel in Jaipur, you will go on a guided tour of the pride of Rajputs, Jaipur. The royal mood sets in as you ride an elephant to the majestic
Amber Fort like the erstwhile royalty to see the delicate and intricate work that speaks volumes about the subdued and mellow opulence of the Rajputs. The typical motifs and architectural style set it apart from other architectural legacies you have seen yet.
A part of the
City Palace at Jaipur still
houses the erstwhile royalty while the Palace of Winds or
Hawa
Mahal was the summer quarters for royal ladies
with an ingenious system to keep it naturally air-conditioned
all the time. The honeycomb façade at Hawa Mahal was
so designed that ladies could see everything happening in
the central market area without being seen from outside.
Jantar Mantar or the Royal Observatory is another highlight of Jaipur that marks the genius of Raja Sawai Jai Singh II who developed its blueprint. Our elite guests love to see skilled artisans at work in the gem factory in the evening, cutting and polishing gems with precision and ladies weaving intricate designs at the rug factory.
Day 11: Jaipur - Samode
(Distance by Road: 47 km, Usual Time Taken: 1 hr)
You will check out of your luxury hotel at Jaipur after the breakfast and go to Samode, where you will check in at the luxury heritage hotel known as Samode Palace. Situated in one of the India's most lovely and remote settings,
Samode Palace transcends the way you look at Indian culture and tradition. The warm hospitable service and royal treatment offered to all the guests here are reminiscent of the days of the kings and queens. It has been preserved well and embellished lavishly for the benefit of tourists who come here to experience the regal past.
Day 12: Samode - Delhi (Distance by Road: 300 km, Usual Time Taken: 6 hrs)
A regal breakfast at
Samode Palace sums up the beautiful memories of the place before you check out from here for the trip back to Delhi. In Delhi, you will have ample time to explore the local markets for the last minute shopping. You will find plenty of cheap and inexpensive choices as well as rare keepsakes at Delhi that you will treasure for life. In the evening, a company representative from TNS treats you to a grand dinner before seeing you off at the airport, in time for your flight to home.
TOUR ENDS
THE TOUR INCLUDES:
- ACCOMMODATION AT SUGGESTED HOTELS,
- DAILY BREAKFAST AT HOTEL
- SIGHTSEEING TOURS AS MENTIONED IN THE ITINERARY,,
- ENGLISH SPEAKING GUIDES
- PRIVATE CAR WITH DRIVER
- CHANDNI CHOWK RICKSHAW RIDE
- ELEPHANT SAFARI IN JAIPUR
- BATTERY VAN RIDE IN AGRA
- LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW IN KHAJURAHO
- BOAT RIDE ON SACRED RIVER GANGES
- ALL APPLICABLE TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES
- ALL ROAD TAXES, GOVERNMENT TAXES AND DRIVER ALLOWANCES,
- ONE FAREWELL DINNER FROM TNS GROUP.
EXCLUDES:
Lunches and dinners are not included (except where mentioned in the inclusion list) along with personal expenses, camera, etc. tips, (if any) at places where applicable. All hotels are subject to availability and all flights are subject to confirmation. Airfare is included in the tour price. It is not separate.
