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Come join us on this amazing
adventure and visit some of most interesting and sacred temples
and palaces in the world as well as the most impressive national
park for a big game safari! This
amazing itinerary will have us moving
about quite a bit but it will be well worth it when, at the end of
the trip, you have experienced something truly unique and come
away with these incredible memories. This is not the
cheapest trip with internal air, deluxe hotels and the
all-inclusive safari, but it is an extremely interesting and
diverse itinerary that minimizes our drive time. I know you will
love this trip and we're proud to offer it to you.
Nov 17 Arrive Delhi (B)
Arrive at
Delhi’s International Airport early this morning. Welcome to
India! You are met by our representative in the arrival area of
the airport. Depart for your hotel by deluxe air-conditioned
vehicle. Breakfast at the hotel and after breakfast check in to
your rooms (Early check is not guaranteed). Our representative
will reconfirm the meeting time for your afternoon tour today.
New Delhi
has expanded and now encompasses residential and commercial
development to the west and south, plus the satellite towns off
Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad.
Delhi has
overtaken Mumbai & Kolkata in recent years to become the most
vibrant creative art center in India. The city has more than
twenty five galleries. Conducted tours, seminars, film shows and
study classes on art appreciation, history and conservation are
frequently organized. Most of the performing art centers are
around Mandi House, Bhagwan Das Road.
Afternoon
proceed for half day tour of New Delhi
New Delhi
was designed and built by the British in the 1920's - it's a city
of wide boulevards impressive Government buildings, green parks
and gardens. In 1911 King George V announced the transfer of the
capital from Calcutta to Delhi. The King's architects, Lutyens and
Baker, set in motion the design and construction of Delhi's eight
city - New Delhi. Lutyens designed an "Imperial City" having
palatial-sized buildings set amid broad tree-lined avenues
punctuated by Mughal style gardens, complete with fountains and
shallow pools. It took 20 years to complete this immense
undertaking only to have the British pack up and relinquish the
subcontinent in 1947. You will visit two monuments from Delhi's
past - Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar. Your drive takes you along
the ceremonial avenue, Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate and
Parliament House. Also visit a local temple.
Overnight
Stay at the
Crowne Plaza
Ohkla (Deluxe Room)
Nov 18 Delhi (B)
Delhi stands
as the capital of Modern India. Here you can see the mingling of
the Old and New India, the ancient and the modern. Delhi is made
up of seven ancient cities, spanning the period from the 11th to
20th centuries. Delhi has seen the rise and fall of many emperors,
which has left behind a plethora of monuments that commemorate the
grandeur and glory of bygone ages. Very few cities in the world
can express such a profusion of architectural styles.
Old Delhi
was an ancient walled city. Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan in 1650
switched the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi. Shah Jehan
possessing an exquisite talent, especially in architecture,
created the seventh city and in the process brought about Delhi's
glorious renaissance. Start the day with a cycle rickshaw ride
through Old Delhi. Here you will see Red Fort the most opulent
Fort and Palace of the Mughal Empire. The fort is Shah Jehan's
symbol of power and elegance, built behind red sandstone walls.
Its main gate (Lahore Gate) faces Chandni Chowk, the perpetually
congested avenue heading west from the Red Fort is filled with
 twisting lanes,
small streets and crowded bazaars. If you peer through a portico
you may see a man getting shaved, silver being weighed, or any
other conceivable form of intense commerce. Also visit Raj Ghat,
the memorial site of the Mahatma Gandhi; Jama Masjid, the largest
mosque in India; and Chandni Chowk, the bustling and colorful
market of the old city. Chandni Chowk was the commercial center of
Delhi in the old time and you will see it come alive in the
morning as the trading day starts.
Afternoon
is at leisure to explore on your own.
Overnight
Stay at the
Crowne Plaza
Ohkla (Deluxe Room)
Nov 19 Delhi/Agra (B)
Breakfast at
your hotel and Drive approximately 4 hours to Agra. Upon arrival
check in to your room. This afternoon visit the Taj Mahal & the
red fort.
 Return
to your hotel for your overnight stay. Visit
that magnificent monument to love
– Taj Mahal, built by an emperor in memory of his beloved queen.
Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1631, and is believed to
have taken 22 years to complete, with over 20,000 craftsmen
working around the clock. The design and construction is said to
be that of the legendary architect, Ustad Ahamad Lahori.. What
makes the Taj Mahal unique is its perfect proportions, distinct
femininity, medium of construction and ornamentation. Its marble
exterior reflects rose and golden tints at sunrise and sunset,
while it is dazzling white during the day. It is impossible to
visualize the Taj Mahal in any surrounding others than its
paradoxical garden. Paradise, in Islam, is visualized as lush
garden where running streams flow. When the Mughals brought this
concept to India they elevated it to the heights of incomparable
history.
Taj Mahal has its own charm at different phases of the time – dawn
to dusk. However, the most preferred timings are during Sunset and
Sunrise. So, we wish to include both to make your sojourn so
special!
Visit Agra Fort visit to the impressive Agra Fort, where
you are taken through the chambers of this royal residence. As you
drive through the city, witness the local life and bazaars
(markets) and the hustle bustle of everyday India.
Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, India.
The fort is also known as Lal Qila, Fort Rouge and Red Fort of
Agra. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its much more famous sister
monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described
as a walled palatial city.
It is the most important fort in India. The great Mughals Babur,
Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb lived here, and
the country was governed from here. It contained the largest state
treasury and mint. It was visited by foreign ambassadors,
travelers and the highest dignitaries who participated in the
making of history in India.
Overnight at The
Gateway hotel Fatehabad Road (Standard Room)
Nov 20 Agra/Jaipur (B)
Breakfast at the hotel and drive for about five hours to Jaipur.
Enroute visit Fatehpur Sikri
F atehpur
Sikri. - The imperial city of the Mughal dynasty between 1571 and
1584, Fatehpur Sikri was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar. The
architectural grandeur of this deserted city cannot be described
in words and one can only experience the aura of its magnificent
edifices by seeing them. Fatehpur Sikri is the most popular day
excursion from Agra, the city of Taj and capital of invincible
Mughals for a long time.
Today, as one enters Sikri from the Agra Gate, one of the nine
gateways on the way to the palace complex, Diwan-I-Aam, or the
hall of public audience appears first. It is a huge rectangular
walled-in courtyard where petitions were heard, proclamations
made, ambassadors received and entertainment programmes held.
Ponder the mysterious desertion of this capital city that was
dramatically abandoned a few years after it was built. It was a
veritable fairy tale city and its 'ruins' are still in a pristine
condition. It is not hard to imagine what the court life must have
been like in the days of its grandeur. Continue your drive to
Jaipur .
Upon arrival in Jaipur check in at your hotel. Rest of the day at
leisure. Overnight at hotel.
Overnight at the Fortune Select Metropolitan (Deluxe room)
Nov
21 Jaipur (B)
 Jaipur
Known as the “Pink City”, Jaipur is the capital of the colorful
state of Rajasthan. It has the distinction of being a well-planned
and laid out city. As you drive through the old part of town, you
will witness a life most unlike others. Witness how the city
blooms during the day in a kaleidoscope of color and sound.
After breakfast depart the hotel for excursion to the Amber
Fort. ~7 miles. from Jaipur, Amber Fort is a marvelous example
of Rajput architecture with its terraces and ramparts reflected in
the Maota Lake below. Go up the fort on the back of a
gaily-caparisoned elephant true to the style of the Maharajas of
the past. The interiors of the fort have various royal halls
decorated with intricate ivory, mirror and glass work complemented
by exquisite wall paintings. As you move between the rooms of this
magnificent structure feel the history and visualize the pomp and
grandeur of a kingdom never conquered.
This afternoon you will enjoy the tour of Jaipur city.
Later in the afternoon visit the City Palace Museum where
you can see an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthan and Mughal
Art. The museum is resplendent with its collection of robes of
royal princes, carpets, an armoury of old weapons, miniature
paintings portraying court scenes, battle scenes and processions,
Also visit the awe inspiring Jantar Mantar (an accurate
observatory built in 1726 AD). Also included is a photo visit at
the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) - a five storied wonder
with a spectacular pyramidal facade and overhanging windows with
latticed screens, domes and spires.
Overnight at the Fortune Select Metropolitan (Deluxe room)
Nov
22 Jaipur/Bangalore/Mysore (B)
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to board
the flight for Bangalore.
Q
Depart: Jaipur at 10:10 AM by SG-343 Arrive:
Bangalore
at 2:30 PM
Upon arrival in Bangalore you will be met and transfer for about
3.5 hours to Mysore. Check in at your hotel upon arrival in Mysore.
Overnight at the Regaalis (Superior room)
Nov 23 Mysore (B)
 Mysore
Palace: Intricately carved rosewood doors and ceilings some with
inlaid ivory work, marble figurines, collections of caskets,
paintings of the members of the royal family and other objects of
personal use exhibit such opulence, though age as worn them out a
bit with slight discoloration. On Saturdays, Sundays and National
Holidays between 7PM-8PM the palace is illuminated by close to
100,000 bulbs - a sight so magnificent that it leaves you gasping
for breath. Entry is through the south side. Shoes and Cameras
must be left at the gate.
Also visit to Chamundi Hills, temple of Goddess Chamundeshwari
(or Chamundi). The huge Nandi statue on the mountain is also well
known. The Hills are 3300 Feet above sea level and are known for
their wild life like leopards, but trekking is safe, and
facilities to climb to the top are available. Atop the hill,
Goddess Chamundi's idol is placed in a beautiful temple with
marvelous architecture.
It is a picturesque place on the banks of River Kaveri on the
Mysore-Bangalore highway at a very short distance from Mysore. The
island of Srirangapatnam in the River Kaveri, 9 miles north of
Mysore, measures 3.1 x 0.5 miles, long a site of Hindu pilgrimage,
it is named for its tenth-century Sriranganathaswamy Vishnu
temple. In the year 1133 it served as a refuge for the philosopher
Ramanuja. The Vijayanagars built a fort here in 1454, and in 1616
it became it became the capital of the Mysore, Wadiyar Rajas.
However, Srirangapatnam is more famously associated with Hyder
Ali, who deposed the Wadiyars in 1761, and even more so with his
son Tipu Sultan. During his seventeen-year reign (which ended with
his death in 1799, at the bloody battle of "Seringapatnam") Tipu
posed the greatest threat, than any other Indian ruler, to British
plans to dominate India.
Overnight at the Regaalis (Superior room)
Nov
24 Mysore/Kabini (B, L, D)
Breakfast at the hotel and drive approximately 4 hours to
Nagarhole National Park. We will be spending the next 2 nights at
a luxury resort located right on a lake. It is all-inclusive which
also covers a game drive and a boat tour. See the links
below for more on this resort. The legend and romance of Kabini plays
out in a theatre called Nagarhole, and revolves around a pristine
river called Kabini (originally Kapila) that snakes its way
through the Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka, and forms an
aqueous boundary with the Bandipur National Park.
Together, this area constitutes the largest contiguous forest
cover in this part of the world and is part of the Nilgiri
biosphere, the largest in Asia, and home to the largest
concentration of herbivores in Asia. And herbivores don't get
larger than the Asiatic elephant, whose favorite playground this
is. At Nagarhole, one can witness the largest congregation of
Asiatic Elephants in the world, and these majestic mammals rule
the roost here.
After lunch some time to relax, late afternoon you can visit in
Nagarhole national Park
Nagarhole national park (NNP), the enchanting 247 square-mile park
in Karnataka has an astonishing abundance of wildlife including
large mammals such as tiger, leopard, wild elephant, dhole (Indian
wild dog), and gaur (Indian bison). The landscape is one of gentle
slopes and shallow valleys. Dry deciduous forest trees are
leafless in the summer rather than in the winter. There are grassy
swamps where the soil is clayey, perennially moist, and which
support a luxuriant growth of green grass all year. The change in
terrain throughout the park in refreshing and the river system
provides a unique wildlife viewing experience.
Nagarhole National park derives its name from the combination of
two Kannada words. 'Nagar,' meaning snake, and 'hole,' meaning
streams. True to its name, quite a few serpentine streams fork
through the rich tropical forests of the park. Nagarhole Park was
set up in 1955. In 1975, its area was increased to include a
greater expanse of forest reserve. The original forest was once an
exclusive hunting ground for the erstwhile Maharajas of Mysore.
The park has been recently renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Park
after the late Prime Minister of India.
Nagarhole National Park is counted among India’s best wildlife
parks. It has a large elephant and bison population. It also hosts
a variety of animal species along with approximately 250 species
of birds. On its northern confines is the Kabini River and on its
southern fringes is the Bandipur national park. A dam on the
Kabini River and its picturesque reservoir demarcates the two
national parks.
Overnight at The Orange County of Kabini
Nov 25
Kabini/(B/L/D) 
Enjoy an early morning boat ride on an oracle where you may see
exotic birds and other wild life. Return to the lodge for
breakfast - This afternoon you have an optional safari or simply
relax and enjoy the lodge.
Overnight at The Orange County of Kabini
Nov 26 Kabini /Bangalore Via Mysore (B/L)
After breakfast drive for about four hours to Mysore. There will
be a lunch stop and you will then continue driving to Banglaore.
On your way visit the Fort: Kempe Gowda built the original mud
structure in 1537. In 1761 Hyder Ali rebuilt the fort in stone. It
was the strong hold of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan and witnessed
several fierce battles. Built in an oval shape, a fine example of
18th century Indian military architecture, the fort measures
2395ft (N-S) by 1805ft (E-W).
Visit Lall Bagh: Spread over 240 acres of flowering glory, Lal
Bagh has rare collection of tropical and sub-tropical trees,
plants and herbs to quench the thirst of search for scenic beauty
by both layman and horticulturist. Hyder Ali was the force behind
laying out the park in 17th
century. But Tipu Sultan was responsible for enriching the vast
collection by importing several specimens from Afghanistan, France
and Persia. Lal Bagh is artistically landscaped with expansive
lush lawns, flowerbeds, lotus pools and fountains. In 1840, Lal
Bagh had a magnificent glass house built in line of London's
Crystal Palace. Check in at your hotel upon arrival. The remainder
of the evening will be free at your leisure.
Overnight at the Chancery – Deluxe Room
Nov 27 Bangalore to USA (B)
After a very
early breakfast depart for the airport for your early morning
flight at 7.30am.
HOTEL LINKS:
Crowne Plaza - New Delhi
Reviews
Gateway Hotel - Agra
Reviews
Fortune Select Metropolitan
- Jaipur
Reviews
Regaalis Hotel – Mysore
Reviews
Orange County
Lodge
- Kabini
Check out these great
Reviews!
INCLUDES:
- Total of nine (10)
hotel nights in India
- Daily Breakfast, as
well as Lunch & Dinner in Kabini (as indicated)
- Transportation in a
Deluxe Air-Conditioned Motor Coach
- Sightseeing Tours as
mentioned in program
- Entrance Fees to
mentioned monuments
- Services of an English
Speaking Tour Manager throughout the entire trip.
- All currently
applicable taxes and fees
DOES
NOT INCLUDE:
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International Air
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Airport tax or any kind of insurance cover.
-
Any meal in the
itinerary except Breakfast.
-
Items
of personal nature like drinks, laundry, telephone calls, tips,
lunch or dinner
-
Any hike in the prices because of changes in the itinerary owing
to circumstances beyond our control.
-
Tips and porterages at the
airports and stations.
GROUP AIR:
We have a deposit on group air from LAX on
British Airways. We depart on November 15th at 5:25 p.m. to
Heathrow in London arriving at 11:35 am the next day. We have a
4-hour layover then fly on to Delhi at 3:25 p.m. arriving at
5:00 a.m. on the 17th.
1 BA 15NOV
W LAXLHR 525P 1135A
2 BA 16NOV Q LHRDEL 325P 500A / NOV17
3 BA 27NOV J BLRLHR
750A 115P
4 BA 27NOV J LHRLAX 315P 620P
COST: This airfare is $820 plus
taxes/ fuel surcharge of $634.82 (subject to change).
Please let us know when booking if you are taking our air.
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