Thursday, September 4, 2008

The Royal Orient



Destinations Covered: Delhi - Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur - Jodhpur - Ranakpur - Udaipur Duration: 11 Nights / 12 Days
Day 1: Arrive Delhi Arrive Delhi. Meeting and assistance on arrival at International airport & transfer to hotel. On arrival, check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: Delhi Morning tour of Old and New Delhi visiting Qutub Minar, India Gate, Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana the cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, drive past Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Parliament Street and President House. Overnight at the hotel. Afternoon visit the National Crafts Museum, which has an unrivalled collection of traditional work from all parts of the Indian sub-continent. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3: Delhi - Agra Morning drive to Agra-The Mughal city en-route visit Sikandra. On arrival check in hotel. Afternoon visit to Taj Mahal - The Monument of love, which was built in 1630 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal. (TAJ MAHAL IS CLOSED ON FRIDAYS). Other Agra attraction on the tour includes Agra Fort built by Akbar The Great. Evening is free for shopping opportunity. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: Agra Morning workshop with the traditional artisans of stone cutting and stone inlay work to understand and learn about this famous art. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight at the hotel. Day 5: Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur Morning drive to Jaipur en-route visiting Fatehpur Sikri (The ghost city) for a tour of the magnificent and world heritage buildings still in a state of perfect preservation. On arrival, check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6: Jaipur The capital of Rajasthan is the most colorful city in India. Today morning we visit the Amber Fort in the Aravali Hills, which is a super example of Rajput (Medieval Hindu) style architecture. A slow elephant ride takes us to the top of the Fort, which houses several graceful buildings. Afternoon - tour of City Palace and Observatory. The City Palace in the heart of the old city is a blend of Rajasthan and Mughal architecture. The Palace of winds - a five storied structure of pink sandstone has semi-octagonal and delicately honeycombed windows overlooking the main street of the old city. It was originally built to enable the ladies of the royal household to watch everyday life. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7: Jaipur - Jodhpur Morning visit to the factories to see the expert craftsmen working on carpet weaving, woodcarving and the ancient practice of block printing on cloth. Late afternoon transfer to the railway station to board train for Jodhpur. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Jodhpur the gateway to the Thar Desert, the city is known for its striking forts, stately palaces and gracious building. Arrive Jodhpur, the second largest city in Rajasthan, standing on the edge of the Thar Desert. The old city was founded by Rao Jodha, its walls with seven gates and countless bastions and towers were built by Rao Maldeo in the 16th Century when Jodhpur was a booming trading town. Jodhpur is called the "Blue City" for the characteristic plea indigo color of its traditional homes. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 8: Jodhpur Morning city tour of Jodhpur. There are many great fortresses throughout Rajasthan, but non compare with the majestic Mehrangarh Fort, built atop a 400 ft. promontory. Within this invisible citadel are magnificent palaces with marvelously carved panels, latticed windows and evocative names. These palaces house a fabulous collection of possessions of Indian royalty, including a superb collection of palanquins, elephant howdahs, and miniature paintings of various schools, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. Below the fort, visit the Jaswant Thada, a graceful marble cenotaph built 1899 for Maharajah Jaswant Singh II, and monuments to other Maharajahs of Jodhpur. Afternoon visit the traditional workers making copperware, basket weaving and wooden furniture. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 9: Jodhpur - Ranakpur - Udaipur Morning drive to Udaipur en-route visiting Ranakpur Jaim temples. The beautifully sculptured Jain temples lie in a tranquil valley of the Aravallis. The main ‘Chaumukha Temple’ is dedicated to the tirthankara Adinath and has 29 halls supported by 1444 pillars, all distinctly carved. On arrival, check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 10: Udaipur Morning city tour of Udaipur. Built along three lakes and ringed by green hills, Udaipur (pop, 366.000) is known as the 'Venice of the East' The City's palaces, gardens, ghats, temples and painted houses match the beauty of the setting. This morning we'll visit the towering City Palace, the largest in Rajasthan, and the Saheliyon ki Bari (Garden of the Maidens.) Once for bidden to all but the queen and her ladies. From here we visit the e superb Jagdish Temple noted for its elephant - motif carvings. Afternoon meet with traditional craftsmen specializing in miniature paintings. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 11: Udaipur - Delhi Morning free for independent activities. Later transfer from hotel airport to connect flight to Delhi. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 12: Departure Delhi In time transfer to the international airport to connect flight for onward destination.