Luxury Taj Mahal Tour ( Winner of AAA 2009 Awards )

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Detailed Itinerary :

Day 1 Delhi: Arrival at Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the internationalairport in Delhi late in the night or midnight. Transfer to your hotel.Relax.
DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropoliswith a fascinating blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introductionto the composite culture of an ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope- that is India.

Overnight will be at Delhi.

Day 2 Delhi:
After breakfast relax in the morning.

In the afternoon proceed for a sightseeing tour of NEW DELHI.

New Delhi reflects the legacy the British left behind. The division betweenNew and Old Delhi is the division between the capitals of the British andthe Mughals respectively. The division in the walled city and New Delhialso marks the division in the life-styles. The walled city is all traditionwhere one will be able to glean a past life-style in all its facets, coloursand spells. New Delhi in contrast, is a city trying to live up to the bestof 21st century standards.

New or Imperial Delhi Tour will include the Qutub Minar, the tallest stonetower in India. The tour also includes a drive past the imposing India Gate,the Parliament building and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President's residence.If time permits then visit the Lotus temple located in south of Delhi. Itis lotus shaped and has rightly been given the name. It is made of marble,cement, dolomite and sand. It is open to all faiths and is an ideal placefor meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility. Its founder, Bahaullah(1817-1892), is regarded by Bahai as the most recent in the line of Messengersof God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham,Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.

Enjoy the DANCES OF INDIA SHOW in the evening.

Overnight will be in Delhi.

Day 3 Delhi:
Start with the sightseeing of Old Delhi. The tour will begin with a visitto Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi; drive past the Red Fortcontinuing to the Jama Masjid by bicycle rickshaws, one of Asia's largestmosques. The magnificent Red Fort, overlooking the river Jamuna was builtduring the years 1638 - 48 when the Moghul Empire was at its peak. The tourcontinues to Jama Masjid, one of Asia's largest mosques and which is viewedfrom the outside.

People stream in and out of the mosque continuously and the presence ofa nearby bazaar means that the area is rarely quiet.

Enjoy the rickshaw ride at Old Delhi.

Proceed for the AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE tour of Delhi.

Akshardham Temple Delhi: Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of thesupreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as definedin the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace foreverpervades. Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi epitomises 10,000 years ofIndian culture in all its breathtaking grandeur, beauty, wisdom and bliss.

Enjoy shopping and overnight will be in Delhi.

Day 4 Delhi - Agra: By road 201 km in 4 hr
Start for Agra in the morning after a leisurely breakfast.

Reach and check in at hotel.

AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformedthe little village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the MughalEmpire - giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Todaya visitor to Agra is caught up in a worldof contrasting edifices, of redsandstone andwhite marble, narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and thatirresistible charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still retains.It is not surprising, that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritagemost conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of the citywill introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.

Relax at the beautiful hotel.

Overnight will be in Agra.

Day 5 Agra:
Proceed for sightseeing after breakfast.

TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonderwhich 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 beautifulwife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed,and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning designbalance and perfectsymmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for itselegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay workever seen.

AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, thefort is predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the pictureperfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction.

Proceed to visit the Itmadullah's Tomb (also known as the BABY TAJ) Returnto hotel and relax in the evening.

Spend the afternoon enjoying the SPA at the hotel.

Overnight will be at Agra.

Day 6 Agra - Jaipur: By road 221 km in 6 hr
Drive to Fatehpur Sikri after breakfast.

The deserted, red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capitaland palace in the late 16th centuryis an exhilarating experience. It averitable fairytale city and its "ruins" are in pristine condition... it's not hard to imagine what the court life must have been like inthe days of its grandeur. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza, the largest gatewayin the world.

Continue your drive to Jaipur.

Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan a romantic realm of resplendentpalaces, mighty fortresses and regal Maharajahs that lies in the westerndeserts and is an utterly unique part of India. Proudly belonging to theKSHATRIYA warrior caste and fiercely independent, the Rajput princes madefearsome foes. However, many of them realized that to maintain their wealthand authority locally, it was expedient to proclaim allegiance to the centralpower. Thus, many enjoyed a privileged position under the Mughal emperorsand also the British Raj that followed.

The bustling Rajasthan capital of Jaipur takes its name from its veneratedfounder Jai Singh II, who was given the title Sawai Maharaja by the Mughal.Literally translated this would mean 'one and a quarter', suggesting thatthe Mughal thought this emperor to be more valuable than just 'one'. Jaipuris known as the 'Pink City' on account of the distinctive colour of itsbuildings. This did not, however, form part of the original plan, but datesback to 1856, when the city was given a wash of pink in honor of a StateVisit from Prince Albert.

This evening, visit the Birla Temple to learn more about the fascinatingreligious life of Jaipur. The marble structure, built as recently as 1985,houses ornate statues including one of Lakshmi (goddess of Wealth and Beauty)and Narayan dressed in gaudy robes, representing a Hindu vision of heavenlyluxury. Carvings in the temple and on pillars supporting the covered walkwaysinclude images of the Hindu pantheon, as well as Jesus, the Blessed VirginMary and St Francis of Assisi. Your visit will coincide with the AARTI Ceremony,which involves oil lamps being lit and waved, in order to awake and invokethe deity. Enjoy the experience and spend night at Jaipur.

Overnight will be in Jaipur.

Day 7 Jaipur:
Proceed for a morning excursion to Amber Fort after breakfast. Elephantride ascent to the fort.

AMBER FORT PALACE - Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthani fortpalace. Its construction was started by Man Singh I in 1592, and completedby his descendent Jai Singh I. Its forbidding exterior belies an inner paradisewhere a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its ultimate expression.At the foot of the hill you will mount your caparisoned elephant for theslow but steady climb up to the main gate, making your entrance in the timehonoured fashion. The Fort, completed in the early 18th century, took over100 years to build and now, although deserted, offers a fascinating insightinto the lifestyle of the Moghul ruling families.

Continue sightseeing.

CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthaniarchitecture, the City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the area in thewalled city. It houses the Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and theCity Palace Museum.

JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the best preserved of thefive observatories built by Jai Singh II in different parts of the country.This observatory consisting of outsized astronomical instruments is stillin use.

HAWA MAHAL - The ornamental facade of this "Palace of Winds"is a prominent landmark in Jaipur. It is a five-storey structure of sandstoneplastered pink encrusted with fine trelliswork and elaborate balconies.The palace has 953 niches and windows. Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh, theMahal was a royal grandstand for the palace women.

This afternoon is free for you to relax, shop or explore independently.Shopping is superb in Jaipur, particularly for gold and silver jewellery,pottery, tie-dye materials, silk, saris, wooden handicrafts and carpets.

Overnight will be at Jaipur.


Day8 Jaipur:
Breakfast will be at the hotel.

In the morning proceed for a visit to SANGANER - the home of handicrafts.

Sanganer is a little village just 8 miles from Jaipur. Here you will findthe centre of the region's block printing industry. Traditionally, onlycoarse cotton was printed for the ankle-length, flared skirts of Rajasthaniwomen and today, you can see cotton cloth being printed by hand. It is saidthat the water of Sanganer makes the colors fast. Sanganer is the busiestcrafts centre in the region and you should have time to visit artisans intheir workshops and browse for gifts. You can also visit the Blue PotteryFactory, to see pottery created in Jaipur's distinctive style; gracefulfloral designs in white or deep sea-green painted over a traditional inky-blueglaze.

In the evening enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through the bustling bazaars.Jaipur is renowned for textile block printing, blue pottery, carpet weaving,semi-precious stones and local crafts which still thrive from the day ofMaharaja Jai Singh's patronage when he designed special areas in the cityfor the 'bandhanas', the 'cheepas' and the 'meenakari' workers.

Overnight will be at Jaipur.

Day 9 Jaipur - Samode - Delhi: By road 260 km in 5 hr
Proceed for sightseeing of a royal village SAMODE after breakfast.

Samode according to the Rajputana Gazetteer of 1879 was a large and flourishingtown. The Zamidars (landlords) of Samode - the principal thakurs of thestate of Amber were the Nathawat clan from Chomu, a branch of the houseof Amber, tracing their relation to the Jaipur Maharaja the fabled PrithvirajSinghji the 17th prince of the house of Kacchwaha Rajputs. Gopal Singhjione of his 12 sons was awarded Samode, a noble feudatory of the Amber &Jaipur principality. It was among the wealthiest territories in the Amberkingdom. The Zamidari eventually passed within the clan to the hands ofBehari Das, a Rajput warrior in Mughal Service. After 6 generations in thehands of his descendants Samode was relinquished to the Raj.

The 400-year-old SAMODE PALACE has a wealth of frescoes, many of them depictingreligious subjects. The highlight is a vast DURBAR HALL.

Take a walk of the Rajasthani village or take a camel cart ride. Have lunchat SAMODE PALACE.

Drive to Delhi and proceed straight to airport in time for internationalflight with sweet memories of India.

(depending on international flight times)