Grand Tour of India
India tour information
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| Taj Mahal | Houseboat | Buddhist Site | Camels | Beautiful Scenery | Desert | Temples & Palaces | UNESCO World Heritage | Cultural Show | Shopping |
So Many Magical Experiences
29 days from £4690
This tour combines the best that India has to offer – from the deserts of Rajasthan in the north, to the relaxing and picturesque backwaters of Kerala in the south. Visiting Mumbai, the historic caves at Ajanta and Ellora and the beautiful frescoes and havelis in the Shekhawati region, this tour will leave the visitor with a strong sense of the depth and breadth of the history, culture and geography of this diverse country.
Days 1-2 : UK – Delhi
Fly overnight to Delhi and transfer to the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. (N.B dinner is not included today).
Day 3 : Delhi
Enjoy a tour of Old Delhi starting with a drive past the Red Fort before enjoying a walk through Chandni Chowk to India’s largest mosque, Jama Masjid. We also stop for photos at India Gate, President’s House and Parliament Building.
Day 4 : Delhi – Varanasi
Visit the famous residence of Gandhi Smiriti’s and the Qutub Minar Complex. Later, fly to Varanasi.
Day 5 : Varanasi
Varanasi is the oldest living city in India and the religious capital of Hinduism. Visit the Buddhist site at Sarnath where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon and then take a rickshaw ride to the River Ganges to witness the ‘Pooja’ ceremony of Ganga Aarti.
Days 6-7 : Varanasi – Khajuraho
Take an early morning boat ride on the River Ganges to view the ghats of Varanasi at sunrise. Enjoy a tour of Varanasi before returning to the hotel for breakfast. Later, fly to Khajuraho and enjoy a cultural dancing show. The next day, tour the western group of Khajuraho Temples, which consist of the Mahadeo Temple, Vamana Temple and Javari Temple.
Days 8-9 : Khajuraho – Agra
Travel to Agra stopping en-route in Orccha for lunch before continuing through the countryside to Jhansi where we board the Shatabdi Express train to Agra. The next day, rise early and arrive by horse drawn carriage ‘tongas’ to view the impressive Taj Mahal in all its glory at sunrise. We then return to the hotel for breakfast. Later, a visit to see traditional stone inlay work at the marble factory is followed by a visit to Agra Fort.
Days 10-11 : Agra – Ranthambore – Jaipur
Jan to May: Travel to Ranthambore National Park, which specialises in tiger conservation. The forests around the Fort were once the private hunting grounds for the Maharajas of Jaipur. Enjoy game viewing by jeep this afternoon. The next day, enjoy game viewing in the morning. Continue by road to Jaipur, also known as the ‘Pink City’ and visit the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar Observatory.
Days 10-11 : Agra – Bharatpur – Jaipur
Sept to Dec: Travel to Keoladeo National Park, stopping at Fatehpur Sikri, a magnificent fortified ghost city built in 1569 by Emperor Akbar en-route. Later, visit the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. The next day, drive to Jaipur, also known as the ‘Pink City’ and visit the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar Observatory.
Day 12 : Jaipur
Enjoy a photo stop at Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) and explore the palace and fortress of Amer. This afternoon, we stop off at the Choti Choper for some shopping before enjoying traditional dancing and dinner at a local restaurant.
Days 13-14 : Jaipur – Alsisar – Bikaner
Travel to the small heritage town of Alsisar for a backward glimpse of village life in rural Rajasthan. The area of Shekhavati has beautiful frescoes, havelis and mansions and is often referred to as an open air gallery. Stay overnight is in a restored heritage haveli. The next day, drive to Bikaner to explore the town which is dominated by the superb Junagarh Fort.
Days 15-16 : Bikaner – Jaisalmer
Travel to Jaisalmer, dubbed the ‘Golden City’ due to its yellow sandstone walls. In the evening we visit Sunset Point. The next day, we visit the beautifully carved Jain temples and the Badal Vilas Palace, which are located in the hilltop fort built by Rawal Jaisal. Later, we visit the Sam Dunes and enjoy a sunset camel ride in the Thar Desert.
Days 17-18 : Jaisalmer – Jodhpur
Travel to Jodpur, the second largest city in Rajasthan, located on the edge of the Thar Desert. Visit the massive Meherangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada memorial and Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum. We also stroll through the local vegetable and spice market. The next day, enjoy a jeep safari to visit the local Bishnoi villages. The Bishnois follow 29 principles of a non-violent Vaishanavas sect, founded in the 15th century by Jambeswarji. Return to Jodhpur.
Day 19 : Jodhpur – Udaipur (via Ranakpur)
Drive to Udaipur and visit India’s largest Jain temple complex in Ranakpur which dates back to the 15th century en-route. The afternoon is at leisure before our sunset boat cruise on Lake Pichola, which is fringed with hills, palaces, havelis, ghats and temples. It is also the site of the Lake Palace Hotel and Jagmandir Island Palace.
Day 20 : Udaipur
Visit Sahelion Ki Bari (the Garden for the Maids of Honour), the Folk Museum, Mewar Art Gallery and the City Palace followed by a walk through the streets and local shops. Our evening meal includes an enchanting dinner overlooking Lake Pichola.
Day 21 : Udaipur – Auranagabad (via Mumbai)
Fly to Auranagabad via Mumbai and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 22 : Ajanta day tour
Visit the World Heritage Listed Buddhist caves of Ajanta dating from 200BC. The sculptures and frescoes portray religious and secular life through eight centuries. Return to Auranagabad.
Day 23 : Auranagabad – Mumbai
Explore the Buddhist Caves of Ellora dating from the 4th to 9th century. Enjoy an Indian Tandoori BBQ lunch before some shopping at the local markets. Later, fly to Mumbai and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 24 : Mumbai – Kochi
Enjoy a city of Mumbai starting with a drive past the Gateway of India, Mumbai's principle landmark, the Afghan Church and along Marine Drive, fondly known as the 'Queen's Necklace'. We also visit the Hanging Gardens, Chowpatty, Kamala Nehru Park and Mani Bhavan where Mahatma Gandhi stayed. Stop at the 'Dhobi Ghat' where Mumbai's 'dirties' are scrubbed, bashed, dyed and hung out to dry as well as visit the colourful Crawford Market and Flora Fountain. Later, fly to Kochi.
Day 25 : Kochi
Enjoy a full day tour around Kotchi visiting the Jewish Quarter of Fort Cochin, the Dutch Palace, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Cathedral and see the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets. Later in the evening, enjoy a Kathakali dance show.
Day 26 : Kochi – Nedumudy (houseboat)
We visit the Jewish Synagogue in Kochi before driving to Nedumudy (near Kumarakom). Here, we board our houseboat, a converted rice barge known as a ‘kettuvallam’ and explore the village life around the backwaters of Kerala. Lunch and dinner will be served onboard. We stay overnight on the houseboat.
Day 27 : Nedumudy (houseboat) – Kovalam
After breakfast, we disembark from our houseboat in Alleppey and drive to Kovalam. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to relax on the beach.
Day 28 : Kovalam
Enjoy a tour of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala's capital, known until recently as Trivandrum. Visit Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Napier Museum with its bronze collection, Sri Chitra Art Gallery, Zoological Gardens, Reptile House, Observatory, Kanakakunnu Palace and Sree Moolamthirunal Shastri Purthi Memorial.
Day 29 : Kovalam – UK
Transfer to Trivandrum Airport and fly to the UK via Dubai, arriving home later the same day.
Dates and Prices
| Depart UK | Arrive UK | Price pp from | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ** 20 Oct 2010 | 17 Nov 2010 | £4,890 |
Tour departs Wednesday and returns Wednesday
* Ranthambore itinerary
** Bharatpur itinerary
- Prices are fully inclusive from the UK and based on London Heathrow departures
- Regional departures available at no additional charge (subject to availability)
- Other flight upgrades available on request
- Land only from £4,290pp (Delhi - Kovalam)
- Single supplement from £1,190 (no supplement if you are willing to share)
- Tipping 2010 payable locally US$150pp
- Tipping 2010 payable locally US$225pp
- Days 1-2: dinner is not included
This document is designed to be read in conjunction with the other pre-departure information provided by Wendy Wu Tours including the tour itinerary as described in our brochure and/or website. It aims to provide a straightforward description of the physical activities involved in sightseeing or travelling during the tour.
If there are any particular challenges, from the length of time spent on your feet, the length of drives and flights, to the standard of remote accommodation for our more adventurous tours; they will be explained here.
All passengers must read this document to ensure the itinerary is suitable for their interests and physical capabilities. This is not your final itinerary and therefore does not mention all the sites visited. The order of sightseeing is subject to change.
| Grand Tour of India via Ranthambore (Jan - May) Tour Dossier | |
| Grand Tour of India via Bharatpur (Sept - Dec) Tour Dossier |
