Arrive Delhi, meeting and assistance on arrival in Delhi and
transfer to hotel
Overnight at the hotel
Day 2
DELHI/ SRINAGAR BY FLIGHT (UK 643: 0915 / 1035 HRS)
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning in time transfer to airport to connect flight for Srinagar
Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel
In the afternoon visit Dal Lake in Srinagar and Shikara Boat Ride
Overnight at hotel in Srinagar.
Day 3
IN SRINAGAR
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning excursion to Gulmarg-Gulmarg is very famous for its ski
scenes in India. This city is located in the Pir Panjal Mountain
Range, which is part of the Western Himalayas.
Free day for personal activities, you can explore the Gulmarg Valley
and enjoy a Gondola ride or other activities and Walk around the golf
course and see places like the Maharani Temple and St. Mary's Church.
Return to Srinagar and rest.
Overnight at hotel in Srinagar.
Day 4
SRINAGAR/ AMRITSAR BY FLIGHT 6E 478: 1500/ 1555 HOURS
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning in time transfer to airport to connect flight for Amritsar
Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel
Evening visit of Golden Temple for the night closing ceremony.
Overnight at Hotel in Amritsar
Day 5
IN AMRITSAR
Breakfast at the hotel
On return breakfast at the hotel
Morning city tour- Morning sightseeing tour of Amritsar visiting the
Golden Temple, the glory of Amritsar, Its bronze plates, heavily
covered with pure gold leaf, burn and flash in the sun and reflect in
the still waters of the pool surrounding the temple. Guru Ram Das Ji,
the fourth Sikh Guru began the construction of this gurudwara in 1585
AD. The construction was completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev
Ji in 1604. Fondly known as Swarn Mandir, this two storied structure
is covered with around 400 kg of gold. The temple is surrounded by a
large lake, which is known as sarovar. This sarovar is considered to
be filled of Amrit, which means 'holy water' or 'immortal nectar'.
Visitors are required to remove their shoes and cover their head
before entering the temple. This Museum has some rare priceless
collections of paintings, weapons and Armours, manuscripts and coins
of the 18th and 19th century.
Later Visit the infamous Jallianwala Bagh-Jallianwala Bagh is a
garden site of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that is located close to the
Golden Temple Complex. This public garden houses a memorial, which
was established in 1951, to pay homage to the thousands of people,
who were killed in the incident. Around 10,000 people gathered at the
Jallianwala Bagh to peacefully protest against the Rowlatt Act, on
13th April 1919. Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer with his army of 150
troops ordered open fire at the crowd. 400 people were killed on the
spot and 1500 wounded people were left to die in the well within the
garden.
Late in afternoon visit Wagah Border for change in guard ceremony at
India–Attari Wagah Border is the only road border crossing between
India and Pakistan. Often known as Berlin wall of Asia, this border
lies on the Grand Trunk Road between Amritsar and Lahore. On this
border, a retreat ceremony called 'lowering of the flags’ is held
every evening, since 1959. During the ceremony, Border Security Force
(B.S.F) of India and the Pakistan Rangers soldiers perform energetic
parade. This 40 to 45 minutes ceremony takes place every evening
before sunset at the Wagah Border. As the sun sets, the iron gate at
the border is opened and the flags of India and Pakistan are lowered
and folded by their respective soldiers.
Overnight at Hotel in Amritsar
Day 6
AMRITSAR/ SHIMLA (297 KMS: 7-8 HOURS)
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning proceed by surface for Shimla-the city is famous for the
pleasant experiences of walking on the slopes surrounded by pine and
oak forests. This capital city of Himachal Pradesh is famous for The
Mall, ridge and toy train. With colonial-style buildings, the town
has relics of an ancient past that give it a distinctive look. Once
the summer capital of British India,
Upon arrival in Shimla Check-in at Hotel
Overnight at hotel in Shimla
Day 7
IN SHIMLA
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning guided Heritage Walk- Shimla is a walker's paradise and if
you want to see Shimla's countryside, there is no better way than on
foot. We walk through the heritage area of the old town and have an
experience of a bygone era includes a visit to some British-era
buildings such as the Viceregal Lodge-The Rashtrapati Niwas, formerly
known as the Viceregal Lodge, is located in the Shimla Observatory
Hills, formerly the residence of the British Viceroy of India, it
houses some of the oldest items and photographs dating back to the
time of British rule in India. The Railway Board building, the Gaiety
Theater and the Christ Church.
Overnight at hotel in Shimla
Day 8
SHIMLA/ CHANDIGARH (110 KMS: 3-4 HOURS)
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning proceed for Chandigarh-the capital of the northern Indian
states of Punjab and Haryana. It was designed by the Swiss-French
modernist architect Le Corbusier. The buildings include the Capitol
Complex with its High Court, Secretariat and Legislative Assembly, as
well as the gigantic Open Hand Monument. The nearby Rock Garden is a
park that features sculptures made from stones, recycled pottery, and
industrial relics. Upon arrival in Chandigarh Check-in at Hotel.
Afternoon city tour visiting Rock Garden-the Rock Garden is a
sculpture garden for rock enthusiasts in Chandigarh. It is also known
as the Nek Chand Saini Nathupur Rock Garden after its founder Nek
Chand Saini, a government official who secretly started building the
garden in his spare time in 1957. Also visit Sukhna Lake- the lake,
which was the site of the Asian Rowing Championships, has the longest
channel for rowing and sailing events in Asia. It also has facilities
for other water sports such as water surfing, skiing and sculling.
The lake is bordered by a golf course to the south and the famous
Rock Garden to the west. Later return to the Hotel
Overnight at hotel in Chandigarh.
Day 9
CHANDIGARH/ DELHI BY TRAIN (SHATABDI: 0743 / 1145 HRS)
Early Morning in time transfer to the Railway Station to connect
train for Delhi
Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel
Afternoon visit of New Delhi-the new capital designed by Sir Edward
Lutyens Drive past the Presidential Palace, the Rashtrapati Bhavan
and the secretariat buildings- the centre of all government activity
and down the main avenue, the impressive Rajpath to the World War I
memorial arch, the India Gate, the High Court Building and the Old
Fort. Visit Humayun’s Tomb built in 1565 AD by his grieving widow
Haji Begum and later visit of Qutub Minar, 72 metres high and the
ruins of Quwat-ul-Eslam (Light of Islam) Mosque See Delhi’s most
curious antique, the uncorroded Iron Pillar, which dates back to the
4th century AD.
Overnight at hotel in Delhi
Day 10
DELHI / AGRA BY SURFACE (204 KMS: 04 HRS)
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning visit of Old Delhi-the 300-year-old walled city built by
Emperor Shah Jehan in 1648 as his capital and named after him. Drive
past the Red Fort built of red sandstone. Opposite the fort are the
black and white onion dome and minarets of the Jama Masjid, the most
elegant mosque in India. Cycle rickshaw ride through the Kinaree
Bazaar and Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948
Afternoon visits of Akshardham Temple(closed on Monday)- -
Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the
abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas
and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever
pervades. Here one can witness the heritage of India in all its
facets, insights and beauty at the Swaminarayan Akshardham through
its mandir, exhibitions, verdant gardens and other attractions.
After visit proceed for Agra and on arrival check-in at the hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Agra
Day 11
IN AGRA
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning visit of Taj Mahal (Taj Mahal closed on Friday) which is
among the wonders of world and was built by Shahjahan as a memorial
to his wife Mumtaz Mahal by the banks of river Yamuna After her
untimely death, Shahajahan had her mortal remains buried in this
mausoleum. And after his own demise he was placed to rest next to his
beloved queen in the same mausoleum The Taj has been called the most
extravagant monument ever built for the sake of love. The great
monument took almost 22 years to build and was completed in 1653.
Around 20,000 workers from all over the country and central Asia were
recruited to translate this dream into a reality.
Afternoon visit Agra Fort- the foundation of the fort was laid by
Emperor Akbar in 1565 and continued till the time of Shahjahan. The
high red stone monument stretches for around 2.5 Kms, dominating a
bend in the river Yamuna northwest of the Taj Mahal. The palace is a
notable for its smooth blending of Hindu and central Asian
architectural styles. The Diwan-i-Am (the hall of public audiences),
the Diwan-i-Khas (the Hall of Private Audience), the Khas Palace (the
private palace was used by emperor as a sleeping chamber), the Sheesh
Mahal (palace of Mirrors), the Shah Jahani Mahal (Shahjahan’s
Palace), Jahangiri Mahal (Jahangir’s Palace) and the Akbari Mahal
(Akbar’s palace) are the fascinating palaces inside the fort. From
the rear of Diwan-i-Khas a door leads to Mussaman Burj, a two storey
pavilion, where Shahjahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in his
old age.
Overnight at hotel in Agra
Day 12
AGRA / DELHI BY SURFACE + DELHI / VARANASI BY FLIGHT (UK 673: 1320 /
1440 HRS)
Breakfast at the hotel
0700 AM proceed by surface for Delhi and on arrival direct transfer
to the airport to connect flight for Varanasi.
Evening tour on Ganges-in the evening visit Mother India Temple-a
unique temple dedicated to Mother India carved with a single piece of
marble. The perfect map of undivided India signifies unity in
diversity. From here proceed to the Ghats to witness the Aarti
Ceremony (Hindu ritual/ prayer of river Ganges at sunset) on bicycle
rickshaws. Passing through the crowded bazaars and galis (old part)
of this ancient city, small shops illuminated with beautiful lights
followed by a short boat ride on Ganges observe the Aarti ceremony
amidst jingling of bells, floating of diyas (traditional lamps) and
chanting of mantras give an unforgettable experience indescribable in
words.
Overnight at hotel in Varanasi
Day 13
VARANASI/ KOLKATA BY FLIGHT (6E 507: 1930 / 2045 HRS)
Early Morning boat ride on river Ganges
The western banks of Ganges have a string of 84 Ghats (the chain of
stone steps) and interestingly each of them has a story to relate.
Most of these Ghats built with pavilions, palaces and terraces are
mainly used as Dharamsalas (a home for the pilgrims during their
visit to the holy city) The sunrise on the Ganges popularly known as
Subeh Banaras is a soul-lifting experience. At dawn-the Ghats are
abuzz with activity of the devotees performing their ablutions in the
river or offering prayers to the rising sun and performing other
religious rituals At Manikarnika Ghat-cremation is a continuous
process (photography prohibited) A boat ride from the Dasaswamedh
ghat along the Ghats gives you vantage views of these activity. After
the boat cruise on the Ganges through the narrow lanes visiting the
Gyanwapi Mosque and the Vishwanath temple popularly known as the
Golden Temple (entry restricted to Hindus only)
On return breakfast at the hotel
Later visit of Sarnath- 10 kms. from Varanasi - The Buddha preached
his first sermon to five disciples at the Deer Park here, enshrining
the principals of his teaching into laws. The Dhamek Stupa marks the
location of a once resplendent monastery. A large complex of ruined
monasteries cover the area north of the stupas. Some of the buildings
belong to the Kushan and Gupta period. The first monk communities
probably settled here in the 3rd century BC. Near the Dhamek Stupa is
a new monastery built by the Buddhist Mahabodhi Society. The major
events of Buddha’s life are depicted here in wall paintings by a
Japanese artist. Sarnath has an interesting archaeological museum
which has preserved the famous Sarnath pillar whose capital forms
India’s national emblem.
Later in time transfer to the airport to connect flight for Kolkata.
Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Kolkata
Day 14
IN KOLKATA
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning visit of Kalighat Temple, Jain Temple, Kumartolli Kali
Temple. It is a great pilgrimage center of the Hindus and is situated
at Kalighat. The original temple was built some 350 years ago. A
legend goes that when the corpse of sati, wife of lord Shiva was cut
into pieces by the Sudarshan Chakra, one of her fingers fell here.
Jain Temple also known as the "Jewel Box Temple of Calcutta". It is
situated in the northeast of the city. This temple of exquisite
design and construction is dedicated to the 10th of the 24 Jain
Tirthankaras and is an ornate mass of mirrors, colored stones and
glass mosaics. Kumartolli (place where craftsman make idols). Kolkata
is famous for its festivals (PUJAS) round the year and this is the
place where the idols are made. It is very interesting to see the
craftsman making idols without using any machinery.
Late afternoon city tour and visit of the following monuments
Victoria Memorial (closed on Monday)- it is a massive domed building
of white marble from Rajasthan. It was inaugurated in 1921 by the
Prince of Wales (later, briefly, Edward VIII). It houses a collection
of Victoria memorabilia and also history related objects and
documents on Bengal. In the park in which the memorial stands are
statues of Queen Victoria, Lord Curzon and other figures of the Raj.
Here, on weekends, people picnic, families meet for matchmaking, and
transiting pilgrims bring flowers to the statue of “Maharani
Victoria”. Marble Palace (closed on Monday & Thursday), situated in
north Calcutta, it is a private museum owned by the Mullicks
(Zamidars during the British period). Also visit of Mother Teresa
House (closed on Thursday) here lies the mother’s tomb, a photo
gallery on Mother Teresa and her works- visits only if desired.
Morning visit of Dalhousie Square and later College Street Book
Market Dalhousie Square (commercial area) also known as BBD Bagh This
is the site of all the important government institutions of the state
This is the place that houses the now famous Writer’s Building
(clerks were known as writers in the British India). Visit St. John’s
Church Drive past Raj Bhavan (the residence of the Governor of West
Bengal), High Court, Legislative Assembly College Street (one of
asia's largest book market– closed on Sunday & other holidays), have
a cup of coffee at the famous "Coffee Shop" where one can see the
young turks gossiping and feel the pulse of the culture.
Later in time transfer to the airport to connect flight for Kolkata.
Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Mumbai.
Day 16
IN MUMBAI
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning excursion to Elephanta by motor launch (Caves closed on
Mondays)- The island of Elephanta is just an hour away from Mumbai by
motor launch. The cave temples here, excavated between the 5th and
8th centuries AD, are famous for their magnificently sculpted panels.
The best known is one that depicts the Maheshmurti - a three-headed
image of Lord Shiva. This island was so named by the Portuguese after
the large stone elephant near the landing place and which now stands
at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the mainland. The caves are
reached by a stairway up the hillside from the ferry landing.
Lunch at the hotel
Overnight at hotel in Mumbai.
Day 17
IN MUMBAI
Breakfast at the hotel
Day free at leisure for independent activities
On return breakfast at the hotel
Overnight at hotel in Mumbai.
Day 18
LEAVE MUMBAI BY FLIGHT
In time proceed for the international terminal to connect flight for
onward journey. Flight check in starts three hours before the
schedule departure time
