Duration: 20 Nights / 21 Days
Places to Visit: Delhi - Udaipur - Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Orchha - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Kolkata - Bhubaneshwar - Puri - Konarak - Bhubaneshwar - Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram - Chennai - Cochin - Allepey - Cochin - Goa - Mumbai - Next Destination

Day 01 Arrive Delhi
Meet and assist by our representative upon your arrival at the airport. Then drive to your hotel with your driver and car.

Day 02 Delhi - Udaipur
1950 / 0830 Mewar Express
In the morning take a city tour covering Laxmi Narayan Temple, India Gate - The memorial of martyrs, Parliament House - The Government headquarters. In the afternoon take a city tour of Old Delhi covering Jama Masjid - The largest mosque in Asia, Red Fort - The red stone magic, Gandhi memorial - The memoir of father of the nation. In time transfer to the railway station for your overnight train to Udaipur. Overnight on board the express train in air conditioned class.

Day 03 Udaipur
In the morning reach the Udaipur railway station where you will be met by our representative and the car driver for your tour of Rajasthan. Check into the hotel. In the afternoon visit the City Palace the richest palace museum in the entire Rajasthan. See the peacock square and the miniature painting school inside the palace premises. Udaipur has the prestige of housing the best miniature schools in the country under the royal patronage of the king of Udaipur. Later see the temples of Nagda and Eklingji.

The temple at Eklingji is a temple that belongs to the Maharana of Mewar (royal family) and he is often there to pray. The temple complexe of Nagda is a group of temples of which only two remain intact and those are that of Saas and Bahu - two temples of Shiva and of Vishnu both from the 7th century.

Day 04 Udaipur - Jaipur
Today cross the entire stretch of desert region to reach the Pink City Jaipur. After lunch set off to see the Pink city visiting the observatory Jantar Mantar built in 1727 by Sawai Maharaja Jai Singh II who was a mathematician , an astronomer an astrologer and a great musician of his era. He built five observatories throughout India - Jaipur, Ujjain , Varanasi, Mathura and Delhi but only the one at Jaipur is functional.

Day 05 Jaipur
Visit the Amber fort in the morning; included is an elephant ride at the Amber fort. See the marvelous Shish mahal built in the 17th century in a fusion style of Hindu and Islamic art. Also see the hall of public audiences and Maharaja Man Singh's Palace who had twelve queens. Then visit the City Palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur with a fabulous collection of robes and saris in cotton and silk with gold-latticed work. The City Palace houses a collection of paintings also in the painting gallery and of course a collection of arms and ammunitions in the ammunition gallery.

Afternoon shopping for textiles and jewellery.

Day 06 Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra
Leave the Pink City after breakfast and reach Fatehpur Sikri by early afternoon. Visit this abandoned city built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the second half of the 16th century. Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar after his Hindu wife bore him the long awaited son who was born after the renowned sufi saint Salim Chisti blessed Jodhabai Akbar's Hindu wife with a son. Also visit Jodhabai's palace the biggest palace in Fatehpur Sikri even bigger than the emperor's palace himself as this was the queen who bore him his heir to the throne.

Continue towards Agra and reach Agra by early evening. Relax at your hotel or go to the local bazaar to see the lifestyle of the people.

Day 07 Agra
Taj Mahal is awaiting your arrival today morning. A must see with the rising sun as the Taj Mahal is bathed in the golden rays of the morning sun. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial that houses the tomb of his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. A part from its stunning design, balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen anywhere in the world.

Then see the Agra Fort built by Akbar where Shahjahan was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb.

Post lunch visit Itmad ud Daulah - it is the first mughal building built out completely of marble. In many contexts it is referred to being the predecessor of the Taj Mahal. Then visit Sikandara the tomb of the great emperor Akbar.

Day 08 Agra - Orchha - Khajuraho
0815 / 1020 Shatabdi Express
Today we go to Jhansi by Shatabdi Express and meet your chauffeur and car to start your visit. Orchha is a village where you will feel that the time has stopped. And you feel the timelessness of this spot. Orchha is a medieval city founded by Bundela rulers with palaces and temples of the 16th and 17th century - which have remarkably withstood the onslaught of time. The river Betwa picturesquely flanks the city. See the beautiful Palace Complex - Jahangiri Mahal and the Raja Mahal. Closely study the intricacies of the mural paintings in the Raja Mahal and visit the Laxminarayana Temple.

Post lunch continue towards Khajuraho about 182 km away by road.

Day 09 Khajuraho - Varanasi (by flight)
Morning sight seeing shows us the temples built during the 9th to the 11th centuries by the powerful dynasty of Chandela rajputs. The temples with their erotic sculptures are a feast to the eyes. The Chandelas built 85 temples in all but today only 20 temples stand intact. Visit the eastern and western group of temples before being transferred to the airport to catch your flight to Varanasi.

Upon your arrival in Varanasi transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is free.

Day 10 Varanasi - Kolkata
Early in the morning (0500hrs) we take you to banks of the river Ganges where we board a boat to see the morning ablutions of the Hindus from the security of our boat. The boat ride starts from Dasashwamedh Ghat and ends at Manikarnika Ghat along the sacred Ganges . See the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanvyapi kund and the mosque attached to it. Also visit the Benares Hindu University the largest residential university in India with more than 3000 residential students

Return to your hotel for breakfast. Later visit Sarnath the sacred city for the Buddhist all over the world. It was here that Lord Buddha preached his first sermon to his first five disciples. Also worth visiting is the museum with artifacts dating back to 3 rd century BC. Visit the nearby ruins of the ancient seat of learning in Sarnath.

In time transfer to Mughal Sarai railway station to continue towards Kolkata by train.

Overnight in air-conditioned sleeper class train.

Day 11 Kolkata
Reach Kolkata and check into your hotel. Breeakfast at the hotel. Proceed for a city tour seeing Missionaries of Charity (a charitable organization started by Mother Teresa).

In the morning visit the flower market and then passing through the government buildings reach the Jain temple in South Calcutta and view the Rabindra Setu: a cantilever bridge across the holy Ganges (called Hooghly in Calcutta).

Day 12 Kolkata - Bhubaneshwar
1400 / 2055 Jan Shatabdi Express
In the morning visit the Kali temple at Kalighat and then some time to shop at the New Market.

Afternoon catch the Shatabdi Express to Bhubaneshwar.

Upon arrival in Bhubaneshwar transfer to your hotel.

Day 13 Bhubaneshwar - Puri - Konarak - Bhubaneshwar >
After breakfast at your hotel leave for a full day excursion of Puri and Konark.

At Puri visit the Jagannath temple complex dating back to the 11th century and marvel at the feat of man and his ingenious in making of these mammoth size temples and sanctums.

Day 14 Bhubaneshwar - Chennai
In the morning visit the temple town of Bhubaneshwar including a visit to Rajarani temple and the Lingaraj temple. In time transfer to the airport for your flight to Chennai.

Day 15 Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram - Chennai
After breakfast and a brief stay city tour of this traditional / cultural capital city covering Fort St. George, High Court Complex, George Town, Corporation Complex, Patheon Complex, Valluvar Kottam, Kodambakkam, St. Thomas Mount, Guindy National Park, Kalakshetra, Elliot's Beach, Theosophical Society, the Shrines of Mylapore & Triplicane Government Estate, the Marina and Anna Salai.

The city stretches its 19 km length along the Coromandel coast and extends inland about 9 km at its widest. Its irregular shape covers about 172 sq km. It is a fairly low-lying strip of land, its highest point being only 60 m above sea level.

The present city of Madras is itself, however, only about 350 years old. The quest of an East India Company factor, Francis Day, for cheaper cloth and more peaceful surroundings led to the founding of Madras in 1639. The city of today, one of the great metropolises of the world, and the fourth largest city in India, grew from the fort Day and his superior Andrew Cogan built on a narrow spit of no-man's land that Day's dubash Beri Thimanna negotiated with the local governor of the Vijayanagar Empire. The approximately 5 square kilometre sand strip Day was granted has now grown into a city of about 170 sq. kms. with a population of 3.25 million. Madras was Britain 's first major settlement in India and it was here that many who went on to build the Empire first learnt their trade. As a consequence, the city is replete with much that is of significance in British Indian history. But the much older settlements have stories to tell too, and so the city is an amalgam of ancient and more modern history. Everywhere one goes in Madras , one can find history written in every name. Particularly charming features of Madras are its allegiance to ancient traditions, no matter how modernised it has become, and its willingness to spread out further rather than develop into a multi-storey concrete jungle. The result is a widespread city still open to the skies; a green, airy city with several vestiges of its rural past; a city that adheres to the leisurely tempo of the life of a world of yesterday; a city whose values of another day still survive midst the humdrum bustle of today; a city that still retains the charm, culture and courtesies of the ages.

Day 16 Chennai - Cochin - Allepey (by flight)
Upon your arrival at Kochi (Cochin ) proceed for a half-day sight seeing of Cochin.Visit the Fort Cochin built in British, Dutch and Portuguese styles reflect the architectural planning of the colonizers. The Church of St. Francis is also worth a visit where Vasco da Gama was buried in 1524 .

Later visit the Mattancherry Palace with a collection of fine mural paintings and other masterpieces.

Proceed for Allepey. Allepey or Alappuzha is famous for its boat races, houseboats, coir products, fish and lakes. Alappuzha remains prominent on the tourist trial of Kerala as one of the major centres for backwater boat trips. "Kuttanad" in Alappuzha is one of few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. Kuttanad is a land of lush paddy fields and is called the 'Rice Bowl' of Kerala. Kuttanad stretches for 75 km sandwiched between the sea and the hills.
Overnight at Allepey in a houseboat.

Day 17 Allepey - Cochin - Goa (by flight)
In time transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Goa the top beach resort in India. Visit the city and its churches before checking into the hotel. Time is at leisure to relax on the beach.

Day 18 Goa
Relax on the beach.

Day 19 Goa
In the afternoon city tour of the earstwhile Portuguese colony with its ornate Churches and basilicas. In the evening boat cruise with live music and dance.

Day 20 Goa - Mumbai
In time transfer to the railway station for your onward travel to Mumbai by Jan Shatabdi Express. Upon arrival in Mumbai check into your hotel.

Day 21 Mumbai - Next Destination
In the morning excursion to Elephanta caves by motor launch. In the afternoon see the Gateway of India. Visit the Albert Hall Museum and Jehangir Art Gallery and then see the tower of Silence where the Parsi community leaves their dead to be eaten by the vultures and other prey birds. Also visit the Gandhi Smriti museum and the Kamala Nehru Park with its unique Boot house.

Included on this tour are:
- Daily breakfasts
- All sight seeing and tours mentioned in the itinerary
- French speaking local guides
- Elephant ride at Amber Fort in Jaipur
- Overnight stay in the hotels mentioned
- Air conditioned car with chauffeur
- All applicable taxes
- Desert and village safari in Luni
- Opium ceremony in Luni
- Visit to Bishnoi villages in Luni
- Boat ride on lake Pichhola in Udaipur
- Camel rides on the dunes in the desert in Jaisalmer
- Local music and dance by local village artists on the dunes in Jaisalmer
- Farewell dinner on the last day in Delhi before departure to international airport.
- Sunrise / sunset visit of Taj Mahal in Agra
- Battery bus ride in Agra.

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