Glimpses of India

12 DAYS & 11 NIGHTS

DELHI I AGRA I FATEHPUR SIKRI I JAIPUR I JODHPUR I UDAIPUR I AURANGABAD I AJANTA & ELLORA CAVES I MUMBAI

Just 12 days is nothing to see India but what if you have only limited time available. The tour below gives an opportunity to see India at its best – the main attraction being the lovely Taj Mahal.

Itinerary Details Cost & Inclusions Book This Tour

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01 Arrive/Delhi by International flight

Arrive Delhi, International Airport

Assistance on arrival.

Transfer to your Hotel.

Briefing of the tour by the executive

Delhi – discover that India’s capital is sprinkled with glittering gems: captivating ancient monuments, magnificent museums, a vivacious performing-arts scene and some of the subcontinent’s yummiest places to eat.

Overnight at hotel

Day 02Delhi

Breakfast in the Hotel.

Full day guided tour of Old & New Delhi

Delhi, the capital of India comprises of conspicuously contrasting Old and New Delhi. Old Delhi was the capital of Muslim India between the 12th and 19th centuries and one can find mosques, monuments and forts related to Muslim history. New Delhi is the imperial city created as India's capital by the British intricately planned and comprises of imposing buildings displaying various modern style of architecture.

Red Fort

You will be taken to visit the Red Fort (Closed on Monday) (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE - Red Fort was built by the mughal emperor famous for its architectural wonders one of which is Taj Mahal - Shah Jahan. Red Fort is famous for its delicately carved inlaid and Royal chambers)

Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid – the Great Mughal Mosque (It is the largest mosque in India. Located in Old Delhi, the mosque has the capacity to accommodate 25000 devotees. Jama Masjid was completed in 1656 AD and it again the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan is behind this architectural masterpiece. Close to some 5000 craftsmen were involved in the construction of the mosque)
Then visit Raj Ghat (The cremation ground of the father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi)

Humayun's Tomb

After the visit of Old Delhi you will move ahead to visit Humayun's Tomb (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE - Humayun's tomb is believed to have been designed in 1565 AD by the widow of Mughal emperor Humayun. Its plan is based on the description of Islamic paradise garden and is known to have inspired the Taj Mahal and many later Mughal tombs. This type of garden is known as a charbagh and is based on a grid)

Qutab Minar

Continue your tour with Qutab Minar (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE - Qutab Minar is 73 meters high which tapers from a 15 m diameter base to just 2.5 m at the top. The walls consist intricately carved quotations from Koran and is one of the most perfect towers of the Persian world),at last enter the Lutyens Delhi and drive through India Gate (The war memorial) and President's Palace.

Overnight at hotel

Day 03Delhi/Agra by Road (215Kms/4hrs)

Depart for Agra and check in at Hotel.

Agra is famous as being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the world - The Taj Mahal. The architectural splendor of the Moslems, the fort and the palaces is a vivid reminder of the opulence of the legendary Mughal empire, of which Agra was the capital in the 16th and early 17th centuries. While it's significance as a political center ended with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jaha, it's architectural wealth has secured it's place on the international map.

Taj Mahal (Closed on Friday)

Afternoon you will be taken to visit to Taj Mahal (Closed on Friday) (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE)
Describe as a most extravagant monument ever build for love, this sublime Mughal mausoleum is India’s most ogled icon. The Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child in 1631. The death of Mumtaz left the emperor so heartbroken that his hair is said to have turned grey virtually overnight. Construction of the Taj began in the same year and was not completed until 1653. Not long after it was finished, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb and imprisoned in Agra Fort where, for the rest of his days, he could only gaze out at his creation through a window. Following his death in 1666, Shah Jahan was buried here alongside Mumtaz.

AGRA FORT

AGRA FORT (sometimes called the Red Fort), was commissioned by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565, and is another of Agra's World Heritage Sites. A stone tablet at the gate of the Fort states that it had been built before 1000 but was later renovated by Akbar. The red sandstone fort was converted into a palace during Shah Jahan’s time, and reworked extensively with marble & Pietra dura inlay. Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque, the Diwan-e'Ām and Dīwān-e-Khās (halls of public and private audience), Jahagir Palace, Khās Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (mirrored palace),

Also visit local market and a marble factory where you can actually see the inlay work being done on marble like it was done for Taj in the past.

Overnight at hotel

Day 04Agra/Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri by road (260kms/6-7hrs)

Buffet breakfast at the Hotel.

Depart for Jaipur en route visiting Fatehpur Sikri

The Mughal Emperor Akbar built Fatehpūr Sikrī about 35 km from Agra, and moved his capital there. Later abandoned, the site displays a number of buildings of significant historical importance. A World Heritage Site, it is visited by most tourists. The name of the place came about after the Mughal Emperor Barbar defeated Rana Sanga in a battle at a place called Sikrī . Then the Mughal Emperor Akbar wanted to make Fatehpūr Sikrī his head quarters, so he built a majestic fort; due to shortage of water, however, he had to ultimately move his headquarters to Agra Fort.
Continue your drive to Jaipur & check in at Hotel

Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II and is the first well planned city of India, located in the desert lands of India, Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. In the present date, Jaipur is the major business centre for the natives of Rajasthan with all requisites of a metropolitan city.

Overnight at hotel

Day 05Jaipur

Morning depart for Amber fort (Situated atop the Aravali hills, it is the ancient capital of Jaipur and a magnificent example of Rajput architecture).

We ascend to the fort on Elephant's back and come down in Jeep.

Pronounced ‘Amber’ and meaning ‘High’, this wraithlike fort – palace beautifully illustrates Rajput artistry in the faded shades of the reddish pink. Situated on the rugged hills 1 Km north of town, Amber was once the ancient capital of the Jaipur state.

Hawa Mahal

Later sightseeing of Jaipur city visiting Hawa Mahal- Palace of Winds (This five storied building which looks out over the main street of the old city is one of Jaipur's major landmarks. This is a stunning example of the Rajput artistry with it's pink, semi-octagonal and delicately honey combed and stone windows. Originally Hawa Mahal was built to enable the ladies of the royal families to watch the daily life and processions of the city),

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar (The Observatory, built by Raja Jai Singh in1728. It is an excellent example of the marvelous precision where in each construction has a specific purpose to measure the position of stars, altitudes and azimuths or calculating eclipses. The most striking instruments the Sun Dial which is 90 feet high)

City Palace Museum

City Palace Museum (City Palace is delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture. A part of the palace is still the house of the former Maharaja of Jaipur). Visit the various galleries displaying the armory, clothes and paintings of the Rajput clan.

The tour of Jaipur is not complete without shopping as Jaipur is known as a shopper’s paradise famous for jewellery, handicraft, carpet, blue pottery and textiles

Overnight at hotel

Day 06Jaipur/Jodhpur via Pushkar by road (330kms/7hrs)

Breakfast in the hotel

Depart for Jodhpur en route visiting Pushkar

Continue your drive to Jodhpur and check in at hotel

Jodhpur was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a chief of the Rajput clan known as the Rathores, and the city grew out of the profits of opium, sandalwood, dates and copper. Rathore kingdom was once cheerily known as Marwar (the Land of Death), but today its moustached men are m ore about smiling for the camera.

Overnight at hotel

Day 07Jodhpur/Udaipur via Ranakpur by road (275kms/7hrs)

Breakfast in the hotel

Depart for half day sightseeing tour of Jodhpur.

Today you will go for the sightseeing of Jodhpur city visiting Mehrangarh Fort lies at the outskirts of Jodhpur city and is located atop a 125 m high hill. The magnificent Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur ka kila) is the most majestic and one of the largest forts in India. It was originally started (c.1459) by Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur. However, most of the extant fort dates from the period of Jaswant Singh (1638-78). The walls of the fort are up to 36 m high and 21 m wide; they enclose some exquisite structures. The fort museum houses an exquisite collection of palanquins howdahs, royal cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. The ramparts of Mehrangarh Fort provide not only excellently preserved cannons but also a breath-taking view of the city,

Jasawant Thada

The Jaswant Thada is architectural landmark found in Jodhpur. It is a white marble memorial built in 1899 in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. The monument, in its entirety, is built out of intricately carved sheets of marble. These stones are extremely thin and polished so that they emit a warm glow when the sun's rays dance across their surface. Within this cenotaph, there are also two more tombs.

After finishing the tour drive to Udaipur en route visiting Ranakapur – Famous for Its Jain’s temple.

Meet/Assist on arrival and transfer to Hotel.

Udaipur was the capital of the Rajpur kingdom of Mear, ruled by the Sisodia clan. The founder of Udaipur was Rana Udai Singh. The ancient capital of Mewar was Nagda, located on the Banas River northeast of Udaipur. Legend has it that Maharana Udai Singh came upon a hermit while hunting in the foothills of the Aravalli Range. The hermit blessed the king and asked him to build a palace on the spot and it would be well protected. Udai Singh established a residence there. In 1568 the Mughal emperor Akbar captured Chittor, and Udai Singh moved the capital to the site of his residence, which became the city of Udaipur. As the Mughal empire weakened, the Sisodia ranas, and later maharanas, reasserted their independence and recaptured most of Mewar except the fort of Chittor. Udaipur remained the capital of the state, which became a princely state of British India in 1818. After India's Independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Udaipur acceded to the Government of India, and Mewar was integrated into India's Rajasthan state. The city's pride , the 'Lake Palace' was once a prison.

Rest of the day is free to relax.

Overnight at hotel

Day 08Udaipur

Breakfast in the hotel.

Depart for Half day guided tour of Udaipur – also known as City of lakes visiting

City Place

standing on the east bank of Lake Pichola is a massive series of palaces built at different times from 1559. The balconies of the palace provide panoramic views of "Jag Niwas" (the Lake Palace Hotel), Jag Mandir on one side and on the other the city of Udaipur. Its main entrance is through the triple-arched gate - the Tripolia, built in 1725. The way now leads to a series of courtyards, overlapping parations, terraces, corridors and gardens. There is a Suraj Gokhda, where the maharanas of Mewar presented themselves in the times of trouble to the people to restore confidence. The Mor-chowk (Peacock courtyard), gets its name from the mosaics in glass decorating its walls. The chini chitrashala is noteworthy while a series of wall paintings of Krishna are on display in Bhim Vilas. There are numerous other Palaces such as Dilkhush mahal, Sheesh mahal, Moti mahal and Krishna vilas - in memory of a princess of striking beauty who poisoned herself to avert a bloody battle for her hand by rival princes. Now the palace contains many antique articles, paintings, decorative furniture and utensils and attracts thousands of visitors every day

Sahelion ki Bari

Sahelion ki Bari was laid for a group of forty-eight young women attendants who accompanied a princess to Udaipur as part of her dowry. The gardens set below the embankment of the Fateh Sagar Lake have lotus pools, marble pavilions and elephant-shaped fountains. These fountains are fed by the water of the lake gushing through ducts made for the purpose.

Late afternoon, approximately an hour before sunset, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Pichola and visit the Jag Niwas Palace by motor launch. The palace, built of granite and marble, covers four acres and is built almost in the middle of the lake. Visit the Borra Mahal, Khas Mahal and the courts, gardens and fountains. Also visit Jag Mandir Palace

Overnight at hotel

Day 09Udaipur/Aurangabad by Flight

Breakfast in the Hotel.

Transfer to Udaipur airport in time to connect flight to Aurangabad via Mumbai (change of plane in Mumbai).

Meet/Assist on arrival and transfer to Hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 10Aurangabad

Breakfast in the Hotel

Depart for Full day excursion to Ajanta & Ellora Caves.

Ajanta Caves (Closed on Tuesday)

AJANTA is world's greatest historical monument recognised by UNESCO near Jalgaon city of Maharashtra, India. There are 30 caves in Ajanta of which 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are Chaitya-grihas and the rest are monasteries. These caves were discovered in AD 1819 and were built up in the earlier 2nd century BC-AD. Most of the paintings in Ajanta are right from 2nd century BC-AD and some of them about the fifth century AD and continued for the next two centuries. All paintings show heavy religious influence and centre around Buddha, Bodhisattvas, incidents from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas. The paintings are executed on a ground of mud-plaster in the tempera technique.

Ellora Caves (Closed on Mondays)

ELLORA is another world's great historical monument recognised by UNESCO. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture The 34 "caves" – actually structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills – being Buddhist Hindu and Jain rock cut temples and monasteries were built between the 5th century and 10th century. The 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12), 17 Hindu (caves 13–29) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves, built in proximity, demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history

Overnight at hotel

Day 11Aurangabad/Mumbai by AI – 422 at 1625/1810hrs

Breakfast in the Hotel.

Transfer to Aurangabad airport in time to connect flight to Mumbai.

Bombay, is the capital of the Indian State of Maharashtra. The city is the second most-populous in the world; with approximately 14 million inhabitants along with the neighbouring cities of Navi Mumbai and Thane it forms the world’s 4th largest urban agglomeration, with around 19 million people. Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour.

Meet/Assist on arrival and transfer to Hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 12Mumbai

Breakfast in the Hotel.

Depart for sightseeing tour of Mumbai.

Excursion by motor launch to Elephanta Caves - 9 kms in the sea. These 7th century rock cut cave temples dedicated to Lord Shiva are situated on top of a hill on the island.

The Elephanta Caves are caves located on Elephanta Island in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai, contain Shaivistic high reliefs in stone of Hindu Deities important to worshipers of Shiva. The sculptures were created beginning in the late Gupta Empire, or sometime after, and at later dates. Elephanta Island was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 to preserve the artwork. The original name of this epitome of temple art is Agraharpuri, Agrahar. Agrahar is the necklace or most important neck ornament. The Agraharpuri slowly became Gharapuri; still retaining the original meaning as the focal point of Gharapuri Island, which was renamed Elephanta Island by the Portuguese and is located in Mumbai Harbour off the coast of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay).

Gateway of India

Afternoon half day sightseeing tour of Mumbai
Mumbai's most famous monument, this is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city. It was built as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary, complete with four turrets and intricate latticework carved into the yellow basalt stone. Ironically, when the Raj ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of epitaph: the last of the British ships that set sail for England left from the Gateway. Today this symbol of colonialism has got Indianised, drawing droves of local tourists and citizens.

Marine Drive

Drive past Marine Drive is a 3-kilometre-long boulevard in South Mumbai in the city of Mumbai. It is a 'C'-shaped six-lane concrete road along the coast, which is a natural bay. This is a windswept promenade, flanked by the sea and a row of art deco buildings. Looped between the concrete jungle of Nariman Point, Mumbai's Manhattan, and the leafy green slopes of Malabar hill, Marine Drive was once called the queen's Necklace

Crawford Market

Crawford Market is one of the prominent markets of Mumbai. It is located in South Mumbai, to the north of Victoria railway station and opposite the Police headquarters. The market is called so, after the City's Municipal Commissioner Arthur Crawford. Though it is now officially known as the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Market, it is still popular by its former name. The construction of the market building was completed in 1869. One of the main features of the building is the Clock Tower, which is adorned with beautiful Victorian carvings.

Dhobi Ghat

The Dhobi is a traditional laundryman, who will collect your dirty linen, wash it, and return it neatly pressed to your doorstep. The "laundries" are called "ghats": row upon row of concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. The clothes are soaked in sudsy water, thrashed on the flogging stones, then tossed into huge vats of boiling starch and hung out to dry. Next they are ironed and piled into neat bundles. The most famous of these Dhobi Ghats is at Saat Rasta near Mahalaxmi Station where almost two hundred dhobis and their families work together in what has always been a hereditary occupation.

Mani Bhavan

Mani Bhavan in Mumbai is a must visit for all those who are curious about knowing Mahatma Gandhi, the torchbearer of Ahimsa or Non-violence. The memorial is dedicated to this legendary freedom fighter of India & the Father of the Nation, who stayed here between 1917 and 1934 during India's freedom struggle.

Hanging Garden

Perched at the top of Malabar Hill, where the elite have built their plush modern palaces is Kamala Nehru Park, the hangout of the bourgeois middle class. It has little to offer by way of entertainment, apart from a "Old Woman's Shoe" relegated to a distant corner, but the view of the city is spectacular and should not be missed. For most Mumbaiites, Kamala Nehru Park is to Mumbai what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris -- a vantage point that casts a proud eye on the entire city.

Overnight at hotel

Day 13Depart/Mumbai by Int’l flight

Transfer to Mumbai International airport in time to connect your onward to next destination.

COST & INCLUSIONS

	Premier	Premier	Luxury	Comfort
Summer	US$3792	US$3757	US$2126	US$1935
Winter	US$5388	US$5419	US$2446	US$2085
Delhi	The Oberoi	Taj Palace Hotel	The Lalit	Surya Hotel
Agra	Oberoi Amarvilas	ITC Mughal	Trident	Crystal Sarovar
Jaipur	Oberoi Rajvilas	Taj Rambagh Palace	Trident	Holiday Inn
Jodhpur	The Raas	Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace	Ajit Bhawan	Park Plaza
Udaipur	Oberi Udaivilas	Taj Lake Palace	Triden	Udaikothi
Aurangabad	Vivanta by Taj	Vivanta by Taj	Welcome Rama	Lemon Tree
Mumbai	The oberoi	Taj Mahal Palace & Tower	Trident	Fariyas Hotel

The above rates are valid from

Summer: 16th April 2020 – 30th Sep 2020

Winter: 1st Oct 2020 – 15th April 2021

Based on Minimum 2 persons traveling together.

Note:The above rates are not valid for:-

Christmas & New Year Period: 20th December, 2020 till 10th January, 2021

Tour Includes

Share twin accommodation with breakfast
Transfers & sightseeing by Air Conditioned vehicle
Services of English speaking local guides
Rickshaw ride in Old Delhi
Elephant ride at Jaipur
Boat ride on Lake Pichola in Udaipur
Present Applicable taxes as on 15th, Jan 2020

Tour Excludes

Entrance tickets to Monuments
International Airfare
Domestic Airfare
Visa fee & Insurance
Items of personal nature i.e. laundry, telephone, camera fee, drinks & tips etc

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