Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel
Overnight at the hotel
Day 2
In Delhi
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning at leisure
Later 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. Also visit of Lotus Temple
Day 3
Delhi/Agra (220km/3-3½hrs)
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
Later proceed for Agra enroute visit of Itmad-Ud-daulah- the tomb
of father of queen Nur Jehan- a two-storied tomb bearing mosaics in
inlaid semi-precious stones. Also called as a precursor to Taj Mahal.
Later check in at the hotel
Day 4
In Agra
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning proceed for the visit of Fatehpur Sikri-37 kms west of
Agra lies the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri- an epic poem in red
sandstone, built by Emperor Akbar the Great in 1569 and deserted 14
years later because its water supply failed. Its glorious courtyards
and palaces conjure up dreams of the mysterious past. The Panch
Mahal, a strange building which resembles a Buddhist Temple, a
cloistered courtyard which was the Hall of Public Audience, and the
Pachchisi paved with black and white where the Emperor played chess
using slave girls as figurines.
Later proceed for the visit of Sikandra-8 kms north of Agra lies
Sikandra, the site of the tomb of Akbar. The emperor’s mausoleum lies
inside a huge garden. The slim minarets of the imposing gateway
sprout from a wealth of Moghul inlay work in stone. Each floor of the
four-storied mausoleum is a series of arcades, tapering to a marble
cloister which seems to float on the top. Legend says that the
pedestal in the tomb chamber once supported the Kohinoor diamond.
After visit return to hotel
Day 5
Agra –Jaipur (237 Kms/4 hours)
Morning visit of Taj Mahal at sunrise-(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. (Visit of Taj in
early morning is better and recommended because of less crowd and
cool weather)
On return breakfast at the hotel
Later in the morning visit of 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.
After the visit proceed for Jaipur and on arrival check in at the
hotel
Day 6
In Jaipur
Breakfast at the hotel
Morning visit of Amber Fort-just 7 miles north of Jaipur is Amber
with it’s a honey-coloured fortress-palace in the Aravalli Hills
which can be mounted by elephant. It has been described as “the
sleeping beauty of Rajasthan”. The sombre exterior belies the
richness of the royal apartments which open on to striking views of
the gorge. It also possesses a Chamber of Mirrors. The Hall of
Victory presents a galaxy of decorative art - panels of alabaster
with fine inlay work of the tenderest hues
Afternoon city tour-Jaipur is the city which has the “tone of the
autumn sunset” Visit Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds-photo shoot only) an
elaborate building encrusted with delicate honeycomb screens and
carved balconies from which the royal ladies, confined to their
quarters, could view the world outside. Jai Singh’s Observatory built
in the 17th century by the founder of Jaipur who, besides being a
prince was also soldier, astronomer and builder. City Palace now a
museum contains fine Rajput and Moghul paintings, rare manuscripts
and an armory
Day 7
Jaipur/ Delhi (254 kms/ 4½-5)
Breakfast at the hotel
Rooms foreseen till 12 Noon on this day
Later proceed by surface for Delhi and on arrival check in at the hotel-near the airport
Day 8
Leave Delhi
Breakfast at the hotel
Later in time transfer to the airport to connect flight for onward journey
Flight check in starts three hours before the schedule departure time
