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Rajasthan & South India
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Rajasthan & South India
Mumbai - Cochin - Madurai - Trichy - Tanjore
- Mahabalipuram - Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Delhi (Duration: 15
days) |
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| Day 1- ARRIVE Mumbai |
| Welcome with flower garlands – Namaste ! Transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel . |
| Day 2- MUMBAI / COCHIN (IC 595 – 1330 / 1630) |
| After breakfast proceed for the sightseeing of Mumbai – now called Mumbai is the Gateway to India & Capital of Maharashtra . It is country’s foremost sea port, commercial centre and centre of worlds largest film industry commonly called the Bollywood.: visiting Gateway of India – The imposing stone archway in Indo-Saracenic architecture built in 1911 , Hanging Gardens, the Aquarium and Marine Drive (also known) as "Queens Necklace". The street lights shinning like jewels at night Then visit the museum of Wales, then walk towards the Victoria station and the market of Colaba. In the afternoon, transfer to airport to connect flight for Cochin. Arrive Cochin – meet & transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
| Day 3- COCHIN / HOUSE BOAT |
| Breakfast in the hotel. Tour of Cochin - with a fine natural harbour, it has been Kerala’s center of trade for innumerable centuries. With its beautiful setting on a cluster of islands, narrow peninsulas and a long history, Cochin boasts of one of the oldest churches in India, 500 year old Portuguese houses, cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, the historical Palace built by the Portuguese, Jewtown, complete with an immaculately preserved synagogues. In the afternoon, transfer to Jetty and check in to House Boat for overnight journey towards Alleppey. Lunch on board Depart for Alleppey, which will take us through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters of Alleppey to Palm fringed narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields and the neat tiny hamlets, typical villages and regattas (boats snakes) for which Kerala is very famous. Dinner and overnight at House Boat |
| Day 4- HOUSE BOAT / PERIYAR |
| Breakfast on board Arrive Allepey and transfer to Periyar. Check in to hotel. In the afternoon we set out to discover the Periyar National park. Animals found here include elephant, gaur and wild Animals found here include elephant, sambar, gaur and wild boars and birds like ibis and grey heron. The visit is done in a boat to view animals with a bit of extra luck we may be able to see the rare tiger as well. Overnight at hotel. |
| Day 5- PERIYAR / MADURAI |
| After breakfast depart for Madurai. Arrive and check into hotel. In the evening, visit the local market & shopping. Appreciate the sleeping ceremony of Shiva at Meenakshi Temple in the late evening. Return to hotel and overnight. |
| Day 6- MADURAI |
| In the morning, visit Madurai city, which is the cultural capital of the South India. It has been a centre of learning and pilgrimage, for centuries. Visit the thousand-pillared Meenakshi, which temple is an excellent example of Dravidian architecture, with Gopurams or multi pillared halls, covered from top to bottom, in a profusion of multi coloured images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures. It is the most alive temple of India. In the afternoon, visit of the city, Tirumalai Nayak Palace, which was built in 1636. In the evening, we will attend the night ceremony with melodious music when lord Sundarasvehvara goes to rest beside Meenakshi. Return to hotel and overnight. |
| Day 7- MADURAI / TRICHY / TANJORE |
| After breakfast leave for Tnjore. Enroute visit Trichy - built up by the Nayaks of Madurai. Tiruchi has always been a seat of power in South India and it bears the scars of wars fought to control it, particularly by the French and English. Tiruchi is its famous Rock Fort, rising 105 meters (300 feet) over the city on the banks of the Cauvery River. A staircase with 434 steps out into the rock, some of the tunnel, leads up to the summit and a temple dedicated to Lord Vinayaka. Thereafter continue towards Tanjore Arrive and check in to hotel. |
| Day 8- TANJORE / MAHABALIPURAM |
| Morning, proceed for the city tour of Trichy - It was the capital of the Chola Empire from the tenth to the fourteenth centuries. A Chola king, Raja Chola, who held the throne from 985 to 1016, built the greatest of the empire's 74 temples, the Brahadeeswarar, with its soaring tower over the inner sanctum. This tower rises more than 62 meters (200 feet). On its dome rests a single block of granite weighing 80 tons. Thereafter leave for Mahabalipuram Arrive and check in to hotel. |
| Day 9- MAHABALIPURAM |
| Breakfast in the hotel. Depart for the tour of Mahabalipuram – it is a small, quiet seaside resort with a unique 7th-century Shore Temple, a lovely beach and some of the most beautiful rock-cut temples in the world. Situated on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram was already a famous seaport in the Ist century AD. This, town was a workshop for temple building. The seven rathas or temple chariots, and the seven pagoda-style shore temples built here at Mahabalipuram are the earliest known examples of Dravidian architrecture, and were constructed in a single century-long burst of creative enthusiasm, starting in the reign of Narasimhavarman 1 (AD 630-68). In the afternoon, visit Kanchipuram, which is one of the oldest towns in India, famous for both its temples, many of them remarkably well preserved and for its hand-woven silks. Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of India and it is the only one associated with both Shiva and Vishnu. Return to hotel and overnight. |
| Day 10- MAHABALIPURAM / MADRAS / DELHI (IC 539 – 1700 / 1930) |
| Morning at leisure near the beach. In the afternoon, transfer to Madras airport to connect flight for Delhi. Arrive Delhi – meet & transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
| Day 11- DELHI / JAIPUR (245 Kms) |
| After breakfast visit Old Delhi – visit the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk (Silver Street) and Raj Ghat - the site of Mahatma Gandhi's cremation. In the afternoon, depart for Jaipur – the Capital city of Rajasthan. Arrive and check in to hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
| Day 12- JAIPUR |
| Morning, depart to visit Amber Fort – built in the time of Mughals. The area used to be always ready for the war. Amber was residence of the Maharajas. By seeing the majestic ramparts of the Fort, which surround the palace, you will be able to imagine the power of the character. Rise towards the ramparts on the elephant’s back. Visit the Palace with its crimped rooms of mirrors and the old harem, true labyrinth. The magnificent public and private rooms show evidence of the splendour of the rulers of 16th & 17th century. Possibility of attending Puja at the Kali temple. Puja is the time of the prayers according to Hindu rites'. One can enter in the temple only naked feet and without leather articles on oneself. Return to Jaipur. In the afternoon, proceed for the tour of Pink City - visiting the imposing City Palace now a museum - the principal residence of the former ruling family, Jantar Mantar - the ancient Observatory, Hawa Mahal - the exotic Palace of the Winds & the picturesque bazaars of the walled city. Overnight at hotel. |
| Day 13- JAIPUR / FATEHPUR SIKRI / AGRA |
| After breakfast depart for Agra, enroute visiting Fatehpur Sikri - the extraordinary city built by Akbar the Great, deserted 14 years later, but which, during its brief span, the city had more significant than London in both grandeur and population. Thereafter continue drive to Agra. Arrive and check in to hotel. Late in the afternoon, discover the strong & magnificent Red Fort - built by the three generations of Mughal Emperors between 1565 and 1573, whose military power cannot be questioned. It was the residence of the Mughal Emperors. Each one left there its print, Red sandstone of Akbar and Jahangir, White marble of Shah Jahan. This fort rises on the edges of Yamuna River, it is surrounded by a wall from 20 to 33 meters top and 2500 m perimeter. Return to hotel in the evening and overnight. |
| Day 14- Agra/Delhi |
| After breakfast, proceed to visit the World famous Taj Mahal, whose eternal beauty will astonish and mesmerize the visitors. It is also known as the "Crown of Palaces” built by the Emperor Shah Jehan to immortalize the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. In the afternoon, depart for Delhi Arrive and check in to hotel. Later in the afternoon, visit New Delhi - drive past the stately government buildings of the British Era designed by Lutyens, including the India Gate & the Presidential Palace. Continue onto the beautiful Humayun's tomb of the Mughal era & predecessor of the world famous Taj Mahal. End the tour at the towering minaret of Qutab Minar. Return to hotel and overnight. |
| Day 15- DEPART DELHI |
| Transfer to International airport to connect flight for onward destination. |
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