Day 1-: DELHI – Heart of India
Welcome to Incredible India, Meeting and assistance on arrival, Indian magic begins here with Traditional Garland & Welcome Drink on arrival (A chilled glass of Indian Kingfisher Beer/Wine/Soft Drinks), transfer to Hotel & Relax, Overnight at Delhi.
Day 2: Delhi
Morning you will be taken to visit Old Delhi ‑ Former centre of Moghul Power, Old Delhi offers ancient monuments, narrow streets and bustling bazaars. Drive past the Red Fort, built in 1648 and board the ‘rickshaw ride’ for a unique experience from the Red Fort, through “ChandniChowk” or Silver Street, experiencing the sights and sounds of this very busy avenue heading west from the Fort. Later visit the Jama Masjid, the greatest mosque in India and completed in 1658 by Shah Jahan who also built the TajMahal, and the Raj Ghat, the simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Afternoon you will be taken to 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 Humayuns tomb of the Mughal era & predecessor of the world famous TajMahal. End the tour at the towering minaret of QutabMinar. Overnight at hotel.
Day 3: Delhi - Sariska
Morning drive to Sariska (185 kms). Upon arrival, check-in at hotel. Sariska Palace – was built by Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar, as his royal hunting lodge or Palace de Nature. Silhouetted against the nurturing arms of the Aravali range, this legacy of Maharaja, now a heritage hotel, is located right inside the Tiger Reserve. Afternoon, jeep drive to the Sariska sanctuary to view wildlife. Set among valleys, hills and deep forests that change colour with the seasons. It is the home to an exotic variety of wild animals and beautiful birds. Here, herds of golden deer dart and pirouette gracefully, playing hide and seek with their shadow, and the big wild cat, the tiger, roams free. Overnight at hotel
Day 4: Sariska – Ranthambore
Morning drive to Ranthambore (240 kms). Upon arrival, check-in at hotel. Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary - Rajasthan's most renowned wildlife sanctuary, it is 400 sqkms of dry deciduous forest, perfect natural habitat for tigers, and is set in the Aravalli and Vindhya hills, dotted with pavillions and dominated by a hilltop fort. Ranthambore was one of the hunting preserves of the former rulers of Jaipur and because of this the Maharajas ensured the environment was preserved and the forest and their inhabitants well protected. It has a good population of tiger and their prey species, and has been declared a "Project Tiger" reserve. Wildlife includes blue bull, black buck, spotted deer or cheetal, wild boar, a large variety of bird species and, if very lucky, the rarely seen leopard. Afternoon game viewing in the sanctuary by jeep. Overnight at hotel.
Day 5: Ranthambore
Early morning and late afternoon, game viewing in the sanctuary by jeep. Overnight at hotel.
Day 6: Ranthambore – Jaipur
Morning drive to Jaipur (156 kms). Upon arrival, check-in at hotel. Afternoon city tour of Jaipur - the "Pink City" is spectacularly set within surrounding rugged hills, dotted with ancient ruined fortresses. Your tour will include the imposing City Palace, still home to the Maharaja although several of the rooms are now open to the public. Many antiques and artefacts belonging to the ruling family are housed here, including a collection of weaponry. You will also visit the HawaMahal "Palace of the Winds", and the open-air JantarMantar Observatory to see the vast astronomical instruments. Overnight at hotel.
Day 7: Jaipur – Bharatpur
After breakfast, tour of the impressive Amber Fort, situated on a ridge just outside Jaipur City. At the foot of the hill, you will mount your caparisoned elephant for the slow but steady climb up to the main gate, making your entrance in the time honoured fashion. The Fort, completed in the early 18th century, took over 100 years to build and now, although deserted, offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the Moghul ruling families. Thereafter drive to Bharatpur (176 kms). Upon arrival, check-in at hotel. Afternoon, proceed by cycle rickshaws to the famous Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary which is a wonder of the natural world and no less worth seeing than the marble mausoleum of the Taj. Here over 350 species of birds find refuge in the 29 sqkms of shallow lakes & woodlands of the park. A third of them are migrants many of whom winter in Bharatpur before returning to their breeding grounds as far away as Siberia and Central Asia. Overnight at hotel.
Day 8: Bharatpur – FatehpurSikri – Agra
Morning drive to Agra (56 kms) enroute visit FatehpurSikri - drive to the impressive sandstone fortress of FatehpurSikri. The fort was built in the 16th century and only occupied for a few years before being abandoned, leaving the buildings in virtually perfect conditions. Continue drive to Agra and upon arrival, check-in at hotel. Afternoon, visit the TajMahal - This most famous Moghul monument was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife MumtazMahal "the lady of the Taj". It has been described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love, for the emperor was heartbroken when Mumtaz died after 17 years of marriage, during the birth of her 14th child. The central structure has four small domes surrounding the huge, central dome. (TajMahal is closed for tourist on Friday). Overnight at hotel.
Day 9: Agra – Bandhavgarh
Morning visit the Red Fort built by three generations of Mughal Emperors starting from Akbar the Great in 1565 AD, which is a masterpiece of design and construction. It housed both the residential Palaces of the Royal family, and the military quarters Evening transfer to railway station to board train for Bandhavgarh. Leave: Agra at: 1920 hrs by: Mahakaushal Exp. Overnight on train
Day 10: Arrive Bandhavgarh
Arrive: Bandhavgarh at: 0710 hrsUpon arrival, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the hotel. Bandhavgarh National Park is situated in the Vindhya range of hills which offers a good variety of cover from Bamboo forest to open grassland and a wide range of animals including sambar, barking deer, chinkara, chowsingha, gaur (the largest of the world's wild oxen), wild boar and leopard. Bandhavgarh also holds a good population of tiger and is particularly noted for daylight sightings. Overnight at hotel.
Day 11: Bandhavgarh
Early morning and afternoon game viewing in the sanctuary by jeeps.Overnight at hotel.
Day 12: Bandhavgarh – Delhi
Morning transfer to railway station to board train for Delhi. Leave: Bhandavgarh at: 1710 hrs by: Gondwana Exp. Overnight on train
Day 13: Arrive Delhi
Arrive Delhi, Meeting and assistance upon arrival and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Late evening transfer to International airport to board flight.
This is a suggested itinerary for travelling privately. Dates, duration, hotels and routing may be changed to personalize the journey to the traveler’s preferences and requirements. Please contact Cal India Tours team for further ideas on designing your own private journey of India.
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