PLACES: DELHI | AMRITSAR | JAIPUR | AGRA | JHANSI | KHAJURAHO | VARANASI Discover the profound ‘Spiritual and Cultural Wonders of North India’ on a 15-day journey. From the vibrant streets of Delhi to the serene beauty of Amritsar, the majestic allure of Jaipur, the iconic wonders of Agra, the historical legacy of Jhansi, the architectural marvels of Khajuraho, and the spiritual sanctity of Varanasi, each destination unveils a unique chapter of wonders. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of spirituality and culture throughout this captivating tour. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel or resort. After breakfast go for a combined sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi. Visit Qutab Minar, India Gate (War Memorial) Lakshmi Narayan Temple-Modern Hindu Temple, drive past President’s House, Parliament House and Secretariat buildings. Also visit Raj Ghat– the cremations sites of Mahatma Gandhi and drive past Jama Masjid, Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. Overnight at hotel or resort. Transfer to Delhi airport on time for flight for Amritsar. Meeting and assistance on arrival at Amritsar and transfer to hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at hotel or resort. Breakfast at hotel, and proceed for sightseeing. Half day sightseeing takes you to the Golden Temple – the sacred Sikh sanctuary spread out in a vast complex around a huge water tank in the midst of which stands a marble sanctum where the holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth is reverently placed. The roof of the sanctum is gold-leafed. The community kitchen provides free meals to up to 10,000 pilgrims or visitors in a day. And walk by the busy bazaars of the city, visit the historic Jallianwalah Bagh where General Dyers bullets killed hundreds of innocent Indians. Later visit the Durgiana Hindu temple which looks like a replica of the golden temple. (3-4 Hours) Evening Half day excursion to Wagah border, 32 Kms from Amritsar to witness the ‘Change of Guard’ on both sides of the Indo-Pak border. It is a spectacle comparable to ‘Change of Guards’ in London. Overnight at hotel or resort. Transfer to Amritsar airport on time for flight for Delhi. Meeting and assistance on arrival at Amritsar and transfer to hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at hotel or resort. Later drive to Jaipur, and check into your hotel upon arrival. Jaipur, also known as the ‘Pink City’ for its rose-colored buildings, is a vibrant and colorful city. It is renowned for its beautiful carpets, enameled ornaments, precious and semi-precious stones, brass ornaments, and other handicrafts. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city independently. Wander through the narrow alleyways and bustling bazaars, haggle for souvenirs, and soak up the unique atmosphere of Jaipur. Morning excursion to Amber Fort. Standing tall over a small hillock overlooking the Pink city, Amber is a classic, romantic Rajasthani Fort-Palace. Miniatures painted on the walls depict hunting and war scenes, apart from festivals. Precious stones and mirrors are embedded into the plaster. A major attraction at Amber is the Elephant Ride, all the way up to the Fort entrance. Afternoon half day sightseeing tour. The tour begins with a visit to the Maharaja’s City Palace,- the former Royal residence,- part of it converted into a museum. One of the major attractions in the museum is the portion known as Armoury Museum, housing an impressive array of weaponry – pistols, blunderbusses, flintlocks, swords, rifles and daggers. Also see the miniature items and old carpets at the Textile Museum. Later visit the Jantar Mantar, which is the largest stone-and-marble-crafted Observatory in the world. Situated near the gate of the city palace, the Observatory has 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition. Overnight at hotel or resort. Morning drive to Agra, Enroute visit Fatehpur Sikri, built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. The Fatehpur Sikri complex houses tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal and other palaces, which surprisingly have withstood the ravages of time and are still in good condition. On arrival check-in at Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at hotel or resort. Morning sightseeing tour of the Taj Mahal & Fort. Visit the world-famous Taj Mahal built by Shah Jahan in 1560 in memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. This architectural marvel is a perfectly proportioned masterpiece fashioned from white marble that stands testimony to the skill of 20,000 craftsmen brought together from Persia, Turkey, France, and Italy and who took 17 years to complete this ‘Love Poem in Marble’. (Friday closed). Later visit the Agra fort containing the halls of private & public audiences & other palaces. Shah Jahan spent years of confinement here at the hands of his son Aurangzeb, looking wistfully at the Taj Mahal from the Fort. Overnight at hotel or resort. Transfer to Agra railway station to board train to Jhansi. Upon arrival at Jhansi, meet and drive to Orchha. Orchha’s grandeur has been captured in stone, frozen in time, a rich legacy of the ages. For this medieval city, the hand of time has rested and the palaces and the temples built by its Bundela rulers in the 16th and 17th century retain much of their pristine perfection. Jehangir Mahal, a tiered palace crowned by graceful Chhatries, commands a spectacular view of soaring temple-spires and cenotaphs. Post-visit Orchha continue your drive to Khajuraho. Check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel or resort. Breakfast at the hotel. Full day excursion to Khajuraho. The 9th to 12th century temples of Khajuraho are the evidences of the architectural geniuses during the times of the Chandela dynasty. Situated in Madhya Pradesh, India, Khajuraho oozes with passion, eroticism, dance, and music and other finesses of creative arts depicted in sculpture and images of the temples. The 85 temples were built in North Indian ‘Nagara’ style of architecture, though only 20 of them have survived the rough weather conditions over long years of time. Visit the Western Group of temples, the most important temple being the Kandariya Mahadeo Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the largest and most typical of the Khajuraho temples. Visit the Chaunsat Yogini Jain Temple-dedicated to the 64 “Yoginis” or attendants of Goddess Kali. This temple stands apart from the rest. Also, see the Chitragupta or Bharatji Temple with a lovely sculpture of Lord Vishnu in his 11-headed form. The sculptures that adorn the temples depict gods, goddesses, and amorous couples. The Eastern Group of temples includes the Ghantai Temple, Vamana Temple dedicated to the “Vamana” or dwarf incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the Javari Temple. There are also three Jain Temples with beautiful carvings and non-erotic sculptures. Overnight at the hotel or resort. Breakfast at the hotel. In time transfer to the airport to connect flight for Varanasi. The land of Varanasi (Kashi) has been the ultimate pilgrimage spot for Hindus for ages. Often referred to as Benares, Varanasi is the oldest living city in the world. These few lines by Mark Twain say it all: “Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together”. Hindus believe that one who is graced to die on the land of Varanasi would attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and re-birth. Abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati, the origins of Varanasi are yet unknown. Ganges in Varanasi is believed to have the power to wash away the sins of mortals. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel – Evening enjoy aarti ceremony on the ghats. Overnight at the hotel. Early morning boat ride on sacred river Ganges to see the burning and bathing ghats – later excursion to Sarnath. Sarnath, about 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi, is the place where Buddha chose to deliver his first sermon. The celebrated Mantra, ‘Buddham Sharanam Gachhami’, owes its origin to Sarnath. On the day before his death Buddha included Sarnath along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places he thought to be sacred to his followers. It makes Sarnath one of the most venerated Buddhist places. Afternoon at leisure – Overnight at the hotel. On time transfer to Varanasi Airport, to board flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, meet and transfer to Delhi. Rest of the day at leisure, (optional) go for shopping tour. Overnight at hotel or resort. Breakfast at hotel. Proceed to Delhi airport to board flight for onward destination.
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