12-Day Epic Journey Through West & Central India
Summary
This mesmerizing 12-day trip will take you to some of the world’s finest historical sites. Stay in iconic forts, castles, and palaces owned and operated by scions of former royal families.
Enjoy Ayurvedic massages to rejuvenate you, take slow walks in the countryside, listen to dulcet desert music, and photograph farmers and herdsmen going about their daily chores.
You will remember this special trip long after you have taken it.
Description.
Arrive New Delhi a day before your tour begins. Our representative will escort you to
our hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, explore the city in our car that will be at
your disposal. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
What Make These Retreats Special
All the hotels you will stay in are 4-star properties or heritage forts, castles, and palaces with great character. They are owned and operated by scions of former royal families who have traditionally been gracious hosts.
There will be one special gala dinner hosted in your honour, with unlimited drinks and bar-be-cue on the roof-top of their boutique heritage hotel.
Details
ITINERARY
After an early breakfast drive 250-km to Jaipur, India. Arrive Mahal Khandela to a
warm welcome. Take lunch, enjoy a swim in its lovely pool, take a rejuvenating Ayurvedic
massage. Dinner and overnight at the Mahal.
In the sublime atmosphere of your hotel do a morning meditation and yoga session.
After an early breakfast, take an excursion to Amer Fort, a majestic fort on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List and climb up the fort on an elephant. Visit also the Jaigarh and Nahargarh Forts. Then, return to the city to see the City Palace Museum that has a rich collection of armoury, carpets, paintings, and manuscripts.
After lunch, see the Albert Hall Museum and the all-white marble Birla Temple. Return to your hotel and in the evening on the roof-top of your hotel, your host and his wife will hold a sumptuous welcome dinner for you. Enjoy bar-be-cue and unlimited drinks and watch a puppet show and a folk dance by a famous group. Retire to your rooms for overnight
At dawn perform your meditation and yoga. After breakfast, drive 45-km to the Samode Bagh and Palace to see its exquisite fresco paintings and mirror engravings. Visit the temples and cenotaphs around. Enjoy brunch at the palace before returning to Jaipur.
After lunch and rest, take a 60-minute rejuvenating massage under the supervision of a famous Ayurveda doctor.
Around 6:45 pm leave for Castle Kalwar, a lovely 230-year old castle situated 20-km from Jaipur. This castle is owned and operated by a scion of the royal family of Kalwar. He is a highly decorated general of the Indian army and a great host. Enjoy barbecue and dinner in the beautiful environs of the castle before driving back to Jaipur for overnight stay.
After breakfast, check out from your hotel and leave for Agra, where the incomparable Taj Mahal is located. After driving 80-km, reach Abhaneri village where the amazing 13th-century step-well is located. This well served for centuries as a resting place for nomads and traders traveling from the Gulf to China. Opposite the step-well is the temple of Harsh Mata, the Goddess of Happiness. Be blessed by her!
From here, proceed to Bharatpur where the world-famous bird sanctuary is located. See the sanctuary on a cycle rickshaw. Arrive Agra, 250km from Jaipur, and check into your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Early morning, visit the Taj Mahal, one of the world's finest monuments. A symbol of undying love you will find the site mesmerizing. See Itmad-Ud-Daulah Tomb. This mausoleum is famous for its beautiful architecture. Another great place you will visit is the 16-century sandstone Red Fort that has inside it the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Palace.
Later in the afternoon after lunch, drive to Fatehpuri Sikri that Emperor Akber constructed as a capital of his empire. Return to your hotel for an ayurvedic massage, dinner and overnight stay.
After breakfast, drive 245-km to the beautiful town of Orchha situated on River Betwa. This ancient town has the intricately carved cenotaphs of the former rulers as also must-see Ram Raja Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple, the Jahangir Temple, and Orchha Fort. Take a walking tour along River Betwa before returning to your resort for dinner and overnight stay.
After breakfast leave at 8:30 am for Khajuraho, world-famous for its temples that have lovely carvings on them celebrating sexual love. Reach your hotel for check in and lunch. In the afternoon, visit the temple complex and in the evening see a mesmerizing light and sound show. Enjoy dinner in the lovely environs of your resort before retiring to your rooms.
After breakfast, take a thrilling jeep safari to see tigers and deer, cheetah, and a large number of rare animals and birds. Spread over 600sq. km this park is home to the largest tigers and you should be able to see a number of them. Visit also the Raneh Waterfalls. On return to your resort enjoy an Ayurvedic massage. Dinner and overnight here.
After breakfast, leave for Chitrakoot, an ancient town associated with the life of Lord Ram worshipped by Hindus wherever they are settled in the world. Lord Ram is said to have lived here 20000 years ago. It is at Chitrakoot that he lived for 14 years. There are several sites in and around the town associated with his life.
During your stay here, see aarti being performed to him at Ram Ghat on River Mandakini. Visit 19-km from the town Gupt Godavari, a cave, and temples around. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Perform meditation and yoga early morning. After breakfast, drive for 4 hours to reach Varanasi also called Benares. Banares has a recorded history of 5000 years and is most sacred to the Hindus.
Check into your hotel and after lunch, take a tour of the city, visiting its colorful and pulsating bazaars. Late evening, see a memorable aarti being performed on the banks of River Ganges. Dinner and overnight at your hotel. Hotel: Ramada Plaza or equally good.
At dawn, take a cruise on River Ganges to see traditional Hindu rituals being performed on the ghats of the Ganges. After breakfast at the hotel, take a full-day tour of the city visiting Kashivishwanath Temple, Dashwawamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, and Sarnath and Banares Hindu University, a great seat of Sanskrit learning.
After lunch, take an excursion to Sarnath, 9-km from the city. It was here that Lord Buddha, following his enlightenment at Bodhgaya, gave his first sermon in the 3rd century BC. At Sarnath see Chaukhandi Stupa, Sarnath Museum, and Dhamek Stupa. Return to your hotel at Banares for dinner and overnight stay.
Take a pre-dawn cruise on River Ganges. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then leave for the airport or railway station to board your flight or train. If taking a flight, arrive New Delhi
domestic airport. Switch over to IGI International Airport to board your flight back home.
If there is no flight that night you may like to stay in a hotel in New Delhi for the night.
We will drive you to that hotel for the night.
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