This special holiday gives you a chance to complete most of the major destinations in India. This colourful country offers you its unique beauty in terms of landscapes, people, cultures, history, food and etc.
Day 01: Australia / Delhi
Depart on your morning flight bound for Delhi. Upon your arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Day 02: Delhi (B.D)
You will first visit Old Delhi. The tour will begin with a visit to Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi; drive past the Red Fort continuing to the Jama Masjid one of Asia’s largest mosques and which is viewed from the outside. People stream in and out of the mosque continuously and the presence of a nearby bazaar means that the area is rarely quiet.
After visiting Old Delhi, you will be driven to New Delhi, which reflects the legacy the British left behind. The division between New and Old Delhi is the division between the capitals of the British and the Mughals respectively. The division in the walled city and New Delhi also marks the division in the life-styles. The walled city is all tradition where one will be able to glean a past life-style in all its facets, colours and spells.
The tour to Imperial Delhi will include a visit to the Qutub Minar, the tallest stone tower in India. Qutub-ud-din Aibak started it in 1199. Pulling down 27 Hindu and Jain temples and using their columns erected the attached Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque also built by him. Then visit Humayun’s tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun, it is an outstanding monument in the Indo-Persian style, a precursor of the Taj Mahal. The tour also includes a drive past the imposing India Gate, the Parliament building and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President’s residence.
In the evening light and sound show at Red Fort followed by dinner at Chor Bizzare Restaurant
Day 03: Delhi/Varanasi (B.D)
Take your morning flight to Varanasi, meet and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy an afternoon excursion to Sarnath.
Day 04: Varanasi/Agra (B.D)
Enjoy an early morning boat ride at Ganges, the Holly River. Following by half day city tour includes visiting Vishwanath temples and Bharat Mata Mandir. Check out from the hotel by noon, you will have free time for shopping and leisure in the afternoon. In the evening you will board the overnight train to Agra
Day 05: Agra (B.D)
Arrive in Agra in the morning. After rest, afternoon proceed for tour of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is everything that has been said about it and more. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and was transported to the site by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, in mid 17th century, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the world. Though the Taj appears to be amazingly perfect from almost any angle, it is the close-up marble inlay work, which is really astounding.
You will then visit the Agra Fort, an outstanding example of Mughal architecture. Agra Fort - the seat and the stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. This was the seat of Mughal rule and administration and the present structure owes its origins to Akbar who erected the walls and gates and the first buildings on the eastern banks of Yamuna River. Shah Jehan added the impressive quarters and the mosque while Aurangzeb added the outer ramparts. Visit its Hall of Public Audience and its Royal Pavilions.
Day 06: Agra (B)
A morning Yoga session (30 – 45 minutes) will be arranged. Enjoy the rest day for free.
Day 07: Agra/Jaipur (B.D)
Morning drives to Jaipur (235kms), on the way visit Fatehpur Sikri the deserted red sandstone city, built by the Great Mughal Emperor Akbar as his capital and palace in the late 16th century. It was abandoned soon after it was built when the local wells went dry and it remains today in much the same condition that it was over 300 years ago. It is complete with palaces and mosques and used to be a town larger than London when it was originally constructed. Now it is an extraordinary place to wander around with its buildings in near perfect. On arrival check in to your hotel.
In the evening a special Rajasthani cuisine will be held at Choki Dhani ethnic village resort.
Day 08: Jaipur (B.D)
In the morning, tour will start at the ancient capital of Amber to see the fabulous Amber Fort. Maharaja Mansingh, Mughal Emperor Akbar’s most successful General, started the construction of Amber Fort in the 17th century. An elephant (alternatively by jeeps) will spare you the trouble of reaching up to the fortress. Once on top, stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls. Many of the rooms have delightful wall paintings, with precious stones and mirrors inlaid in the walls. Most fascinating, perhaps, is the Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors) where a single lamplight is reflected in the many mirrors, lighting up the room.
En-route to Amber you will stop and see the `Palace of Winds’, otherwise known as Hawa Mahal. It is really an elaborate facade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in the street below. It is extremely intricate in its pink sandstone carving. The cool wind blows through its facade of windows and latticed screens through which the queens of the court once viewed the streets of the city.
In the afternoon, you will visit the city of Jaipur. Among the highlights to be seen while touring Jaipur include the City Palace, which is an overwhelming complex of exquisite palaces, gardens and courtyards, decorative art and carved doorways. The palace museum houses collections of rare manuscripts, armoury, costumes, carpets and miniature paintings. Walk to the adjacent Jantar Mantar or Astronomical Observatory made by the Maharaja of Jaipur, built in 1726 and is one of the five such astronomical wonders built by Sawai Jai Singh and makes accurate predictions even to this day. You will also have the opportunity to wander about the local markets.
Day 09: Jaipur/Udaipur (B.D)
Take morning flight to Udaipur, upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Late in the morning enjoy city tour including visiting City Palace Towering over the Pichola Lake on a hill lies the imposing City Palace, a majestic marvel of architecture. It is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Although a conglomeration of buildings constructed by various Maharanas over a period of time, the complex still manages to retain a uniformity of design. The palace has many courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms and hanging gardens. One can get a magnificent view of the lake and the city from the upper terraces of the palace. The main part of the palace has now been preserved as a museum. You get to see the beautiful mosaics of peacocks at the Mor Chowk, the glass and mirror work in the Manak Mahal and Moti Mahal, and a beautiful collection of miniatures in Krishna Vilas.
Jagdish Temple: Built in 1651 by Maharana Jagat Singh, the temple is located at about 150 metres north of the entrance to the City Palace. The temple, built in Indo-Aryan style, is the largest temple of Udaipur. Here you can have a look at a black stone image of Lord Vishnu, who has been enshrined here as Jagannath, lord of the universe. A brass image of Garuda lies in front of the temple.
Sahelion Ki Bari : To the north of the city lies Saheliyon-Ki-Bari, a garden of the maids of honour. This small ornamental garden has many fountains, delightful lotus pools, chiselled kiosks and marble elephants.
Enjoy the evening boat ride at Lake Pichola
Day 10: Udaipur (B)
You will have a free day to explore the city and enjoy the leisure time.
Day 11: Udaipur/Mumbai (B.D)
Take morning flight to Mumbai, upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. An afternoon city tour will take you to Gateway on India, Mani Bhawan & Prince of Whales museum. The Gateway of India is the main attraction of Mumbai city. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in 1911. Situated at the Apollo Bunder, the gateway holds greater historical significance as the last of the British troops that left India by sea, marched through its portals. The monument is complete with four turrets and intricate latticework carved into the yellow basalt stone. Mani Bhawan is one of the important places to visit in Mumbai. Presently functioning as a Gandhi memorial, it used to be the Mumbai residence of Mahatma Gandhi. It is from this famous house No. 19, called Mani Bhawan, that Gandhiji was arrested in 1932. This two storied building houses a reference library with over 2000 books, a photo feature on the Mahatma's life, some memorabilia, an old Gandhiji's charkha and a film and recording archive. A minimum entry fee is required to get into the Mani Bhawan. The Prince of Wales museum is another major attraction of Mumbai. Built in the year 1914, it is surrounded by a beautiful landscape forming an ideal getaway for the people of Mumbai. The museum houses art, sculpture, rare coins, and old firearms and a priceless collection of miniature paintings.
Day 12: Mumbai (B)
Free day at leisure. (Or optional Bollywood Tour).
Day 13: Mumbai/Hyderabad (B.D)
Take morning flight to Hyderabad, upon arrival meet and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon a city tour will take you to visit Golconda Fort, Charminar & Qutb Shahi Toms.
Golconda is one of the famous forts of India. The name originates from the Telugu words “Golla Konda” meaning “Shepherd’s Hill”. The origins of the fort can be traced back to the Yadava dynasty of Deogiri and the Kakatiyas of Warangal. Golconda was originally a mud fort, which passed to the Bahmani dynasty and later to the Qutb Shahis, who held it from 1518 to 1687 A.D. The first three Qutb Shahi kings rebuilt Golconda, over a span of 62 years. The fort is famous for its acoustics, palaces, ingenious water supply system and the famous Fateh Rahben gun, one of the cannons used in the last siege of Golconda by Aurangzeb, to whom the fort ultimately fell.
The Charminar is as much the signature of Hyderabad as the Taj Mahal is of Agra or the Eiffel Tower is of Paris. Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderabad, built Charminar in 1591 at the centre of the original city layout. It was said to be built as a charm to ward off a deadly epidemic raging at that time. Four graceful minarets soar to a height of 48.7m. above the ground. Charminar has 45 prayer spaces and a mosque in it. Visitors can view the architectural splendour inside the Charminar. The monument is illuminated in the evenings and a pedestrianisation project around the monument is under implementation
The tombs of the legendary Qutb Shahi kings lie about a kilometre away from Banjara Darwaza of the Golconda Fort. Planned and built by the Qutb Shahis themselves, these tombs are said to be the oldest historical monuments in Hyderabad. They form a large group and stand on a raised platform. The tombs are built in Persian, Pathan and Hindu architectural styles using grey granite, with stucco ornamentation, the only one of its kind in the world where an entire dynasty has been buried at one place.
Day 14: Hyderabad (B.D)
Morning visit the Salarjung Museum . This museum houses one of the biggest one-man collections of antiques of the world by Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III. The objects d’art include Persian carpets, Moghal miniatures, Chinese porcelain, Japanese lacquerware, famous statues including the Veiled Rebecca and Marguerite and Mephistopheles, a superb collection of jade, daggers belonging to Queen Noor Jahan and the Emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb’s sword and many other fabulous items. Enjoy your free time in the afternoon.
Day 15: Hyderbad/Bangalore (B.D)
Take morning flight to Bangalore. Afternoon tour will take you to visit the Tipu Palace, Cubbon Park, Vidhan Soudha and Bull Temple.
Day 16: Banglore/Mysore (B.D)
Morning drive to Mysore ( 140KMS ), on the way visit Srirangapatanam, which was the capital of the warrior king Hyder Ali & his son Tipu Sultan, having magnificent monuments. Arrive in Mysore and check in to your hotel. Later city tour including Maharaja’s Palace built as recently as 1897, which is one of the biggest in India; St Philomena’s Church etc; Sri Jauyachamarajendra Art Gallery housed in the Jagmohan Palace, which has a collection of exquisite paintings, and Brindavan Gardens.
Day 17: Mysore/Chennai (B.D) by Train
Enjoy your free time in the morning. In the afternoon transfer to Railway Station to board ‘Shatabadi Express’ train for Chennai. Upon arrival, meet and transfer to your hotel
Day 18: Chennai (B.D)
Morning excursion to Mahabalipuram (60 kms). In the afternoon half day city tour will take you to Fort St George, St Paul Cathedral & Museum.
Day 19: Chennai/Madurai (B.D)
Take morning flight to Madurai. Afternoon tour will take you to visit Meenakshi temple and Tirumalai Nayak Palace.
Day 20: Madurai/Periyar (B.D)
Morning drive to Periyar (140 kms). On arrival check in to your hotel. Enjoy an afternoon boat ride at Periyar Lake
Day 21: Periyar/Kovalam (B)
Morning drive to Kovalam (280 kms). On arrival check in to your hotel. Rest of the day free to relax on the beach
Day 22: Kovalam (B)
Enjoy your free day and relax on the beach
Day 23: Kovalam/Alleppey (B.D)
Morning drive to Alleppey (175 kms). In Alleppey you will be taken aboard your floating houseboat, a different boat with a bedroom and en-suite rest room for your comfort. Enjoy unlimited surfing on backwaters, sip a coconut, get disturbed by only the chirping of birds and occasional ripples in water and savor mouthwatering delicacies prepared in front of you by your Kitchen crew. Spend the night on board the houseboat. Enjoy a cruise on the backwater through a maze of canals and lagoons
Day 24: Alleppey/Cochin (B.D)
Morning disembark from house boat and drive to Cochin (60KMS). On arrival check in to your hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Cochin including The Dutch Palace at Mattancherry is renowned for its wall murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana. The Jewish Synagogue at the heart of what is locally called the Jew Town. The St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in India. The Santa Cruz Basilica, originally built in 1557 by the Portuguese. The Chinese fishing nets are huge cantilevered fishing nets believed to have brought to Kochi by Chinese traders.
Enjoy an evening Kathakali dance performance.
Day 25: Cochin (B.D)
In the morning enjoy an half day village tour (20 kms from Cochin). Activities include boat riding in a country boat, visit a Crab farm, watch coir yarn making, visit agriculture farms and traditional fishing farm. Enjoy your afternoon for free.
Day 26: Cochin/Australia (B)
You will be transferred to International airport for your homewards flight back to Australia.
Day 27: Australia
Arrive home with unforgettable memories.
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