Luxury Holidays -Wildlife
Tours India
Wildlife & Classical India Adventure
Duration: 14 Nights / 15 Days
Places Covered: Delhi - Jaipur - Ranthambhore - Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh
- Umaria - Delhi - Rishikesh - Delhi
Day 1 Delhi :
Arrival at Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international
airport in Delhi. Transfer to your hotel. Relax.
DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropolis
with a fascinating blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect
introduction to the composite culture of an ancient land. A window to
the kaleidoscope - that is India.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 2 Delhi:
Start a full-day tour of Old and New Delhi after breakfast.
OLD DELHI - A sightseeing tour of Old Delhi would entail visiting the
Raj Ghat - the memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated; Jama Masjid
- the largest mosque in India and the Red Fort - once the most opulent
fort and palace of the Moghul Empire.
Enjoy a Cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to Chandni Chowk.
NEW DELHI - An extensive sightseeing tour of New Delhi would include
a visit to the Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar, a drive along the ceremonial
avenue - Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament House, the
President's Residence and the Lotus Temple and would end with a drive
through the Diplomatic Enclave.
Spend night at Delhi.
Day 3 Delhi - Jaipur:
By Road
260 Kms/6 hr
Proceed to Jaipur after breakfast. Reach by noon.
JAIPUR - The origins of the beautiful city of Jaipur can be traced back
to the eighteenth century, during the reign of Jai Singh II who ascended
the Amber throne in 1699. Jaipur today, epitomizes the spirit of Rajputana.
In-spite of growing into a bustling metropolis, it still retains its character
and history - Beautiful fusion of the yesteryears and modernity. It is
popularly known as the Pink City because of the extensive use of the locally
abundant pink plastered stone, painted so in honor of the visit of the
royal consort of Queen Victoria. Jaipur thrills the soul with its massive
forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and lush gardens.
Visit the markets of Jaipur and proceed to Choki Dani Village for dinner.
Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day 4 Jaipur:
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed for morning excursion to Amber Fort.
Elephant ride ascent to the fort.
AMBER FORT PALACE - Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthani fort palace.
Man Singh I in 1592 started the construction. It was completed by his
descendent - Jai Singh I. Its forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise
where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its ultimate
expression.
Continue city sightseeing.
CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditionalRajasthani
architecture, the City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the area in
the walled city. It houses the Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and
the City Palace Museum.
JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the best preserved of the five
observatories built by Jai Singh II in different parts of the country.
This observatory consisting of outsized astronomical instruments is still
in use.
HAWA MAHAL - The ornamental facade of this "Palace of Winds"
is a prominent landmark in Jaipur. It is a five-storey structure of sandstone
plastered pink encrusted with fine trelliswork and elaborate balconies.
The palace has 953 niches and windows. Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh,
the Mahal was a royal grandstand for the palace women.
Relax in the evening. Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day 5 Jaipur - Ranthambhore:
By road
175 km in 4 hr
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed to Ranthambhore.
Reach and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the resort and you
can relax or watch some slides on the tiger.
Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas,
is a unique example of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously
in the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers
from Sawai Madhopur. Get in tune with nature for a luxury holiday in the
heart of the jungle.
It spreads over a highly undulating topography varying from gentle to
steep slopes; from flat topped hills of the Vindhyas to the conical hillocks
and sharp ridges of the Aravalis, from wide and flat valleys to narrow
rocky gorges.An important geological feature the 'Great Boundary Fault'
where the Vindhya plateaus meet the Aravali hill Ranges, meanders through
the Reserve. The National Park is bound by the rivers Chambal in the south
and Banas in the north. Tiger, at the apex of the food chain, lord over
the kingdom in a subtle way. Solitary by nature, it operates in stealth.
Therefore tiger sightings, frequent as they are, are always a matter of
chance. However, even evidences of tiger's activities are very exciting.
Proceed for evening tiger safari into the park. Dinner will be served
at the resort and relax for the night at resort.
Day 6 Ranthambore:
Wake up early morning and leave for your safari into the National Park.
Track the tigers and other wildlife through the morning. Return to the
resort / lodge by 1000 in the morning and have breakfast.
Freshen up and either spend time at the pool or visit the town. You could
also go for a nice visit to the temple on top of the fort.
In the afternoon have lunch and then leave again for you afternoon safari.
The safari will be till evening 1700 - 1800 hr and then return to the
resort / lodge.
Dinner will be at the resort and retire early for the night. Overnight
will be at Ranthambhore.
Day 7 Ranthambhore - Agra:
By road
225 km in 6 hr
Drive to Fatehpur Sikri after breakfast.
The deserted, red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital
and palace in the late 16th century is an exhilarating experience. It
a veritable fairytale city and its "ruins" are in pristine condition
... it's not hard to imagine what the court life must have been like in
the days of its grandeur. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza, the largest gateway
in the world.
Continue drive after sightseeing to Agra. Reach and check in at hotel.
AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed the
little village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire
- giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}.
Today a visitor to Agra is caught up in a world of contrasting edifices,
of red sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys and quaint buggies,
and that irresistible charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still
retains. It is not surprising, that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal
heritage most conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of
the city will introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.
Overnight will be at Agra.
Day 8 Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh:
By overnight train at 1515 hr
After breakfast proceed to visit Taj. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj.
TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which
is always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built
by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife
Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed,
and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart 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.
Proceed for sightseeing to the AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal
emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is predominantly of red sandstone.
Ensconced within is the picture perfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major
tourist attraction.
Visit Itmadullah's Tomb built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her
father (The interiors of which are considered better than the Taj).
Take train to UMARIA. Overnight would be onboard the train.
Day 9 Bandhavgarh:
Arrive early in the morning
Reach Bandavgarh and check in at hotel.
Bandavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history.Set among
the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq
km) it contains a wide variety of habitats and a high density of game,
including a large number of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country.
These have been found in the old state of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja
Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951. This white Tiger, Mohun
is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja of Rewa. Prior
to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh had long been
maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. The
Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was
well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to
shoot 109 tigers. His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers
by 1914.
There are 32 hills in this part of the park, which has alarge natural
fort at its center. The fort's cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high,
1000 feet (300 meters) above the surrounding countryside. Winter temperatures
(Nov-mid-February) vary from almost freezing at night to around 68 degree
Fahrenheit in the daytime. Summer nights are also cooler than the daytime
temperatures, which rise to 104 degree Fahrenheit. Bandavgarh is justifiably
famous for its Tigers, but it has a wide range of other game.
Check in at the resort and spend whole day in tiger and wildlife tracking.
All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day 10 Bandhavgarh:
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris)
Trip to the Bandavgarh Fort:The oldest fort in India - considered to
be more than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort.
The charm of this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle,
unspoiled and unexplored. Some of the statues lie off the main path and
so it is best to take a guide. Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing
are three small temples of around the 12th century. These temples are
deserted but the fort is still used as a place of worship. Kabir Das,
the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and preached here. The natural
ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside.
The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permissionis required
to visit it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandavgarh
is complete without making an effort to climb up the fort. The staff of
the resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating the trek
to the fort.
All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 11 Bandhavgarh:
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris) All meals
will be in the resort. Overnight will be in Bandavgarh.
Day 12 Bandhavgarh - Umaria - Delhi:
By overnight train at 1600 hr
Spend the morning at the National Park and breakfast will be at the resort.
Proceed to the station after lunch for train to Delhi.
Overnight will be in the train.
Day 13 Delhi - Rishikesh:
By Road
250 km in 6 hr
Reach Delhi in the morning and after freshening up leave for Rishikesh
by surface.
Rishikesh is just 45 minutes from Haridwar and a well known place for
RIVER RAFTING, ASHRAMS, YOGA & MEDITATION.
Rishikesh represents the Gateway to the Himalayas in the Tehri-Garhwal
region of Uttar Pradesh. It abounds in natural splendor. The spectacle
of the Ganga rushing through the Himalayan foothills is an awesome sight.
Several temples dot the banks of the Ganga at Rishikesh. Rishikesh is
located at a height of about 1360 feet above the sea level. It is believed
that several yogis and sages lived and practiced penance here. Rishikesh
represents the site where Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu.
Tapovan on the other bank of the Ganges houses a temple to Lakshmana.
It is believed that Lakshmana carried out penances here. It is also believed
that his brother Bharata meditated here, and there is a temple to Bharata
here. Also seen here are the Swargashram and the Geeta Bhavan temples.
The Lakshman Jhula, a 450 feet long suspension bridge was built in 1939.
A newer bridge the Ram Jhula has been added recently. The Ganga abounds
in fish. Offerings of puffed rice are made to these creatures. The freshness
of the air, and the sound of flowing water, the scenic beauty of the region
and the distant sound of bell chimes create an unforgettable experience
for those that visit this ancient pilgrimage town. 12 km away from Rishikesh
is located the Nilkanth Mahadeo temple at a height of about 5000 feet,
commanding spectacular views of the region.
Stay in Rishikesh and visit the ASHRAMS and enjoy the River Ganges.
Overnight will be at riverbank camp in Rishikesh.
Day 14 Rishikesh:
Spend the whole day rafting in the white waters of Ganges. All meals
will be in the camp.
Overnight will be in the camp.
Day 15 Rishikesh - Delhi:
By Road
250 km in 6 hr
Proceed to Haridwar after breakfast.
Haridwar located in the foothills of the Himalayas, represents the point
where the Ganga reaches the plains. Haridwar is an ancient pilgrimage
site, held in reverence for centuries. The Chinese pilgrim Hyuen Tsang
who visited India in the first millennium CE, describes Haridwar as Mayura,
on the eastern banks of the Ganges. Several temples and ashrams dot this
town and a visit to Haridwar is like stepping in a totally different world.
Legend has it that Bhagiratha brought the Ganges into the earth and into
this point where his ancestors were burnt to ashes by the curse of the
sage Kapila. Kapilastaan, a spot in Haridwar is pointed to as Kapila's
hermitage. Haridwar was once known as Gangadwara.
Continue drive to Delhi and reach by evening.
Enjoy the farewell dinner and share your experiences. Proceed to airport
for connecting flight home.
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