INDIA FROM $1655 PER PERSON WEEKLY DEPARTURES

Arrival Delhi, assistance and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Delhi, the capital and third largest city of India, offers visitors an image rich in culture, architecture and great human diversity. Its history, monuments, museums, art galleries, gardens and exotic shows make Delhi a privileged destination.

Breakfast at the Hotel. In the morning, visit Old Delhi including the Red Fort (outside) – one of the most opulent forts from the Moghul Empire era, the Jama Masjid – the longest mosque in India, Raj Ghat – memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Enjoy a fascinating Rickshaw ride “Man-Pulled Cart” in Chandni Chowk to see its typical markets and bazaars. Lunch included at local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit of New Delhi, The Qutub Minar, tour of the Government Buildings area, India Gate, Presidential Palace and Parliament. We will also visit the Sikh temple (Guruduwara Bangla Sahib). Dinner included and accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast. In the morning we travel to JAIPUR. En route we stop at Samode Palace where we will have lunch included. It is a palace almost five hundred years old and is a celebration of the senses, modern luxury, magical hospitality. After lunch we continue to Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, it is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and was founded in 1728 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, ruler of Amber and a great fan of astronomy. Jaipur is a model of a pre-modern city in terms of the regulation of its side streets cut at right angles which makes this city a marvel. There were very few similar cities in Europe in the 18th century. Check-in at the hotel. In the afternoon, we will visit the Birla Temple to see a religious cult ritual (Aarti ceremony). Dinner included and accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast at the Hotel. In the morning, excursion to Amber Fort, a romantic and classical palace in Rajasthan of the Kachwaha dynasty who ruled this region from the 8th to the 12th century. The climb to the fort will be on elephant back (subject to availability) or by jeep if there are no elephants available. Lunch included at local restaurant. In the afternoon visit the city highlighting: City Palace, known for its mix of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. A photo stop will be made at Hawa Mahal also known as the Palace of the Winds. It was built so that royal women could observe the processions without being seen. The Astronomical Observatory will also be visited. Dinner included and accommodation at the hotel.

Note: There are a limited number of licensed elephants at Amber Fort and due to new regulations in force, despite efforts, there are sometimes not enough elephants for the increasing number of travelers. In this situation, we will be forced to use jeeps as an alternative to climb the Fort. Elephants will not be available during the Navartri Festival which takes place several times a year in the month of March, April, September and October for a period of 9 days. The exact dates will be informed once they are set by the authorities.

In the morning we leave for AGRA. En route we visited a Baori Temple, open well, in ABHANERI, one of the best creations of antiquity for collecting rainwater. Lunch included. After lunch we will visit FAHTEHPUR SIKRI, the abandoned city that was once the fabulous capital of the Mughal Empire. Continuation towards Agra. Dinner included. Accommodation.

In the morning visit the Taj Mahal, the most famous architectural monument in the world. It was built by Emperor Shahjahan in the memory of his wife as a monument for love, a manifestation of the most powerful emotion in life. He commissioned the best craftsmen in the world and nearly twenty thousand people worked on this monument. It took about twenty years to build this beautiful structure. Next we will visit the Red Fort built by Emperor Akbar. Lunch included. Free afternoon. Dinner included and accommodation.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the station to take the train to JHANSI. Arrival and transfer by car from Jhansi station to Khajuraho, visiting the ORCHHA town en route with a local Spanish-speaking guide. Former capital of a princely state that has beautiful palaces and temples built by its Bundela governors between the 16th and 18th centuries. Highlights include the Raj Mahal Palace and the Lakshminarayan Temple, whose interiors are decorated with very well preserved paintings. Lunch included. Afterwards, we continued towards KHAJURAHO. Arrival, registration at the Hotel and Dinner included. Accommodation. Note: This route is done without an accompanying guide.

In the morning we will visit Khajuraho with a local guide, known for its magnificent temples from the Chandela Dynasty and which are among the most creative examples of Indian architecture. All the temples were built between 950 and 1050 AD, only 22 of the 85 temples survive. Lunch included. We continue by road towards ALLAHABAD, one of the most sacred cities in India. Its location is of great importance within Hinduism and Hindu mythology, since it is located at the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna, Hindu beliefs say that the invisible river Sarasvati converges here as well. City founded in the 16th century, it preserves important historical monuments such as the Fort of Mughal origin. Arrival and transfer to the hotel If time permits, today we will visit the so-called “Triveni Sangam”, the confluence of the three rivers (this visit can happen the next morning depending on the time of arrival in Allahabad). Dinner included and accommodation.Note: This journey from Khajuraho to Varanasi is done WITH an accompanying guide.

After breakfast, visit the city of Allahabad including the Hanuma temple, the temple of All Saints and a panoramic view of the Anand Bhawan (the family home of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has given so many Prime Ministers of India). Afterwards, departure to Varanasi. Visit of SARNATH, where Buddha preached his first sermon and we will also visit its excellent museum. Lunch included. Arrival in VARANASI, according to historical records, it is the oldest inhabited city in the world and the most important pilgrimage site for Hindus for centuries. Tonight we will take a richshaw ride and see the Ganges River Prayer Ceremony at the “ghats” (steps to the Ganges River). Dinner included at the hotel and accommodation.

Early in the morning, at dawn, we will take a boat ride on the sacred Ganges River. Thousands of Hindus are seen descending into the sacred waters of the Ganges River for prayers and rituals, which can be one of the most extraordinary experiences of your visit to India. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Visit of the city. Early lunch included at the hotel. Transfer from the hotel to the airport to take the flight (included) to Delhi. Estimated arrival time in Delhi, 7:30 PM. Accommodation.

Note: During the rainy or monsoon season, the Ganges River walk in Varanasi may be cancelled.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport. End of our services.