TREASURES OF INDIA ITINERARY:
DAY 1 ~ Arrive in Delhi
Arrive in Delhi, India. You will be met at the airport and
transferred to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is free
to rest and relax. Meals on your own. Claridges Hotel or
similar
Note— It takes two to three days (depending on your
airline schedule) to travel to Delhi. The date and time of
arrival in Delhi varies greatly from carrier to carrier. Most
flights arrive in Delhi either very late in the evening (between
10:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.) or early in the morning (between 2:00
and 3:00 a.m.). We are holding reservations for you at the hotel
in Delhi starting the afternoon of Day 1. We will make
arrangements to meet your flight at the airport and transfer you
to the hotel. We encourage you to arrive a day early to have
time to rest before the adventure begins. Extra hotel nights are
at additional cost.
DAYS 2-3 ~ Jaipur
Morning drive (4 to 5 hours) to Jaipur, a rather young city
by Rajasthan's standards; it was founded in 1727 when Maharaja
Jai Singh II moved his capital there. We'll transfer to the
hotel (which was formerly a royal palace), then enjoy a day and
a half of sightseeing. Jaipur is the ultimate showcase for
Rajasthan's distinctive architecture. Jai Singh II planned this
city with great symmetry and wide spacious streets intersecting
at right angles (unlike the narrow twisting streets of other
cities of that era). In the old walled quarter of town, called
the "Pink City" because of the soft suffusion of light that
gives it a pink glow, there are glorious temples and palaces
built in styles that span centuries.
Jaipur's most famous building is the Hawa Mahal, or "palace of
the winds." Built in 1799, the palace has a five-story-high pink
and white facade decorated with hundreds of windows, each
covered by an ornately carved screen that allowed the women of
Jai Singh II's harem to be able to look out onto the street
scene without being observed (they were in strict purdah). Other
attractions include the City Palace, a magnificent building full
of ornate marble gateways, delicate paintings, halls of public
audience, courtyards, and gardens and still occupied in part by
the royal family. Jai Singh II was a keen astronomer and he
built a very unusual astronomical observatory called the Jantar
Mantar. The instruments in this observatory are still used to
calculate the Hindu astrological calendar, and the 90-foot-high
sundial is accurate to within two minutes. Outside of Jaipur,
we'll also visit the superb complex of forts and palaces at
Amber, an old Rajput stronghold. B each day…Jai Mahal
Hotel or similar
DAY 4 ~ Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur
Morning drive (about five hours) to Bharatpur. We then
quickly transfer to our lodge within the Keoladeo Ghana National
Park, where we have an afternoon bird walk. Keoladeo is a
beautiful reserve, dotted with lakes and waterways built by the
Maharajah of Bharatpur when the park was his private bird
hunting preserve. It was later turned into a national park, and
is such an important place for migratory birds that it has been
declared a World Heritage Site.
You'll have the late afternoon to investigate this world-famous
nature reserve. Named for the Shiva temple located at its
center, Keoladeo is one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the
world, harboring over 360 species. It is also well known as the
wintering ground for countless thousands of migratory Eurasian
waterfowl, and especially for the highly endangered Siberian
crane. Although many of these migrants may be absent when we
visit, a fabulous collection of colorful water birds will
undoubtedly be here. These include painted stork, sarus crane,
white ibis, Asian open-bill stork, spoonbill, and a variety of
moorhens and jacanas, as well as egrets, herons, pelicans, and
cormorants. Woodland species (such as paradise flycatchers,
kingfishers, bee-eaters, rose-ringed parakeets, and doves) are
all abundant residents, and many will be starting their nesting
behaviors.
The most common large mammals include wild pig, nilgai, chital,
and sambar. And in 2001, a wild tigress took up residence in the
park! Although we are most unlikely to see this shy individual,
we will probably see smaller carnivores. The celebrated Indian
mongoose is abundant, and there is a good possibility of
encountering interesting small carnivores such as the jungle
cat, smooth-coated otter, and the unusual fishing cat. Monitor
lizards and the beautiful reticulated python, one of the longest
snakes in the world, are commonly seen. We explore the wetlands
by foot and bicycle rickshaw on a network of trails and dikes,
as well as by boat (if water levels are sufficiently high). We
can also take a walk at night looking for nocturnal creatures
such as the porcupine, jackal, and toddy cat. Breakfast,
Lunch, Dinner...Bagh Lodge
DAY 5 ~ Agra & the Taj Mahal
Morning two-hour drive to Agra. We'll stop along the way to
visit the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri ("the city of
victory"). Built by the Moghul Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri is
a walled Indian "ghost town" of elaborate royal audience halls,
palaces, and mosques that are perfectly preserved and faithfully
record the ambiance of its time. We continue to Agra, famous the
world over as the city of the Taj Mahal. One of the greatest
architectural masterpieces of the world, the Taj was built by
Emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his beloved consort, Mumtaz
Mahal. The mausoleum and its compound are built of gleaming
marble inlaid with semiprecious stones. It's an incredible sight
at any time, but especially in the golden light of sundown and
sunrise, or in moonlight. We will visit the Taj this afternoon,
or early the next morning.
While in Agra, we'll also tour the famous Agra Fort. Built by
the Emperor Akbar, its maze of courtyards, mosques, and private
chambers tell the story of the Moghul Empire. Such monuments as
the Moti Masjid, the Jasmine Tower, and Itmad-ud-Daulah reflect
the skills of this era's Indian architects and artists.
Breakfast...Clarks Hotel or similar
DAY 6 ~ Panna National Park
Morning train to Jhansi (2 hours). Upon arrival, you'll
drive 45 minutes to visit the palace-fort complex at Orcha. The
former capital of this region is now just a village, but the old
fort on an island in the Betwa River still stands and contains
Bir Singh Deo's fine palace (the Raja Mahal) and another palace
built for, but never used by, the Emperor Jehangir (the Jehangir
Mahal). The palaces are of impressive size and there are
pleasant views of the countryside from their upper levels. We'll
also visit the immense seven-story Chatturbhuj Temple and the
Lakshmi Narayan Temple, which are both architecturally unusual.
Continue driving three to four hours to Panna National Park,
known for its wild cats as well as deer and antelope.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner....Ken River Lodge
DAY 7 ~ Panna National Park
We'll have the full day to explore the wooded hills and
grassy uplands of the park, looking for tiger, sloth bear, and
various antelopes and deer. We'll also drive along the
riverfront, then walk to a viewpoint from which we may be able
to spot gharial and mugger crocodiles.
The town of Panna is also home to many temples that are a blend
of Hindu and Muslim architecture, with some western influences.
They are of various forms and represent many different gods and
goddesses. We'll visit some of the temples in the evening.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner...Ken River Lodge
DAY 8 ~ Khajuraho
Morning drive (1 hour) to Khajuraho, known the world over
for its magnificent temples with intricate, erotic carvings on
the outer walls of the temples. Built between 950 and 1050 AD,
22 temples remain out of the original 85. The sensuous
sculptures depict apsaras (maidens), lovers, as well as
griffins, nymphs, beasts, demons, and gods. We'll spend the day
touring the temples. Breakfast.....Clarks Hotel or similar
DAY 9 ~ Varanasi
Transfer to the airport and fly to Varanasi, the "holy city"
of Shiva, on the banks of the Ganges River. Medieval palaces
tumble down to narrow streets, and the river's edge is crowded
with sacred ghats (ceremonial stairs or creamtion platforms) and
devout pilgrims. Transfer to the hotel for check-in and lunch.
In the afternoon, we'll go for a boat ride along the Ganges and,
later on, witness evening Hindu ceremonies on the ghats along
the holy river. Breakfast...Clarks Hotel or similar
DAY 10 ~ Varanasi – Sarnath
A walk through Varanasi is a trip through the heart of
India. In the morning we'll visit the palace of the Maharaja of
Varanasi, a fascinating if decaying relic of the days of the Raj.
After lunch at the hotel, we visit the Buddhist complex of
temples at Sarnath, where the Buddha preached his first sermon.
We also visit various Hindu shrines around town and the Hindu
University. Return to Varanasi for overnight.
Breakfast...Clarks Hotel or similar
DAY 11 ~ Delhi
The morning is free before flying back to Delhi, where
you'll have rooms at the hotel close to the airport until 8:00
p.m. Transfer to the airport on your own for departure on
homeward-bound flight. Breakfast…Dayroom at Radisson Hotel
(or similar) close to the airport
Stay a Little Longer: You may wish to combine this
trip with one of our regular group departures or other Private
Adventures in Asia, or other individual travel on your own.
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