Day Tours

Depart for tour of Old & New Delhi

Drive past Red Fort (Monday closed) (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE) Red Fort was built by the Mughal emperor famous for its architectural wonders one of which is Taj Mahal – Shah Jahan. Red Fort is famous for its delicately carved inlaid and Royal chambers.

Stop at Jama Masjid – the Great Mughal Mosque (It is the largest mosque in India. Located in Old Delhi, the mosque has the capacity to accommodate 25000 devotees. Jama Masjid was completed in 1656 AD and again the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan is behind this architectural masterpiece. Close to some 5000 craftsmen were occupied in the construction of the mosque)
Then visit Raj Ghat (The memorial of the father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi)

After the visit of Old Delhi you will move ahead to visit

Humayun’s Tomb (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE) – Humayun’s tomb is believed to have been designed in 1565 AD by the widow of Mughal emperor Humayun. Its plan is based on the description of Islamic paradise garden and is known to have inspired the Taj Mahal and many later Mughal tombs. This type of garden is known as a charbagh and is based on a grid)

Continue your tour with Qutab Minar (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE) – Qutab Minar is 73 meters high minaret which tapers from a 15 m diameter base to just 2.5 m at the top. The walls consist of intricately carved quotations from Koran. The tower is one of the most perfect towers of the Persian world).

The tour would also include a drive through the Lutyens Delhi and a photo stop at India Gate (The war memorial) as well drive past President’s Palace & Parliament House.

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Depart for tour of Agra visiting Taj Mahal – (closed on Fridays) – UNESCO World Heritage Site. Described as a most extravagant monument ever built for love, this sublime Mughal mausoleum is India’s most appreciated icon. The Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child in 1631. Construction of the Taj began in the same year and was not completed until 1653. Not long after it was finished, Shah Jahan was overthrown by his son Aurangzeb and imprisoned in Agra Fort where, for the rest of his days, he could only gaze out at his creation through a window. Following his death in 1666, Shah Jahan was buried here alongside Mumtaz.

And then you will be taken to visit AGRA FORT (sometimes called the Red Fort), was commissioned by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565, and is another of Agra’s World Heritage Sites. A stone tablet at the gate of the Fort states that it had been built before 1000 but was later renovated by Akbar. The red sandstone fort was converted into a palace during Shah Jahan’s time, and reworked extensively with marble & Pietra dura inlay. Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque, the Diwan-e’Ām and Dīwān-e-Khās (halls of public and private audience), Jahangir Palace, Khās Mahal and Sheesh Mahal (mirrored palace), Also visit local market and a marble factory where you can actually see the inlay work on marble as it was done for the construction of Taj.

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Depart for full day tour of Western and Eastern group of Temples of Khajuraho

Western Group of Temples

Lakhmana Temple – The oldest and finest of the western group of temples, named after the ruler that built the temple. The A horizontal beam over the entrance of this beautiful Vaishnavite temple shows the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Kandariya Mahadeo Temple – This temple is decorated with a profusion of sculptures that are among the greatest masterpieces of Indian art.

Devi Jagdamba Temple – Dedicated to the Goddess (devi), this is smaller and much more delicately proportioned temple and is home to some of the finest sculptures of Khajuraho. The garbha griha has a huge image of the Devi of the Universe (Jagdambi), though it appears to have started as a Vishnu temple. It has the usual three bands of sculptures, but the third and most uppermost of these houses some of the most erotic sculptures.

Eastern Group of Temples

Parsvanath Temple – Largest among the group, with exquisite carvings in detail. The sculptures on the northern outer wall are the highlights of this temple. The image was installed in 1860.

Ghantai Temple – This Jain temple has a frieze which depicts the 16 dreams of Mahavira’s mother, and a jain goddess on a winged Garuda.

Other temples in the group are Adinath Temple, Hanuman Temple & Brahma Temple.

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Depart for tour of Mysore visiting
Mysore Palace

The Palace of Mysore is a palace situated in the city of Mysore, Southern India. It is the official residence of Wodeyar’s -the erstwhile royal family of Mysore, and also houses two durbar halls (ceremonial meeting hall of the royal court). Mysore has a number of historic places, and is commonly described as the City of Palaces. However, the term “Mysore Palace” specifically refers to one of within the old fort. The palace was commissioned in 1897, and its construction was completed in 1912. It is now the most famous tourist attractions in Mysore.

Also visit Mysore Art & crafts center & the Nandi Bull.

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Ajanta & Ellora Cave (Aurangabad) Depart for full day tour of Ajanta & Ellora Cave

Ajanta Caves (Closed on Monday)

AJANTA is world’s greatest historical monument (UNESCO) near Jalgaon city of Maharashtra, India. There are 30 caves in Ajanta of which 9, 10, 19, 26 and 29 are Chaitya-grihas and the rest are monasteries. These caves were discovered in AD 1819 and were built up in the earlier 2nd century BC-AD. Most of the paintings in Ajanta are from 2nd century BC-AD and some of them about the fifth century AD and continued for the next two centuries. All paintings show heavy religious influence and are about the life of Buddha. The paintings are executed on a ground of mud-plaster in the tempera technique.

Ellora Caves (Closed on Tuesday)

ELLORA is another world’s great historical monument of UNESCO. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture The 34 “caves” – actually are structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills. Being Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock cut temples and monasteries, were built between the 5th century and 10th century. The 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12), 17 Hindu (caves 13–29) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves, built in proximity, demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history

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Depart for full day tour of Jaipur

Morning depart for Amber fort (Situated atop the Aravali hills, it is the ancient capital of Jaipur and a magnificent example of Rajput architecture). We ascend to the fort on Elephant’s back and come down in Jeep.

Pronounced ‘Amber’ and meaning ‘High’, this wraithlike fort – palace beautifully illustrates Rajput artistry in the faded shades of the reddish pink. Situated on the rugged hills 1 Km north of town, Amber was once the ancient capital of the Jaipur state.

Later sightseeing of Jaipur city visiting Hawa Mahal- Palace of Winds – This five storied building which looks out over the main street of the old city is one of Jaipur’s major landmarks. This is a stunning example of the Rajput artistry with its pink, semi-octagonal and delicately honey-combed and stone windows. Originally Hawa Mahal was built to enable the ladies of the royal families to watch the daily life and processions of the city

Jantar Mantar – The Observatory, built by Raja Jai Singh in 1728. It is an excellent example of the marvelous precision wherein each construction has a specific purpose to measure the position of stars, altitudes and azimuths or calculating eclipses. The most striking instruments is the Sun Dial which is 90 feet high.

City Palace Museum – City Palace is delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture. A part of the palace is still the house of the former Maharaja of Jaipur. Visit the various galleries displaying the armory, clothes and paintings of the Rajput clan.

The tour of Jaipur is not complete without shopping. Jaipur is known as a shopper’s paradise famous for jewellery, handicraft, carpet, blue pottery and textiles

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Depart for tour of Udaipur

After breakfast, you will be taken on a half day sightseeing tour of Udaipur – also known as City of Lakes visiting City Palace – standing on the east bank of Lake Pichola is a massive series of palaces built at different times from 1559. The balconies of the Palace provide panoramic views of “Jag Niwas” (the Lake Palace Hotel), Jag Mandir on one side and on the other side of the city of Udaipur. Its main entrance is through the triple-arched gate – the Tripolia, built in 1725. The way now leads to a series of courtyards, overlapping parations, terraces, corridors and gardens. There is a Suraj Gokhda, where the Maharanas of Mewar presented themselves in the times of trouble to the people to restore confidence. The Mor-chowk (Peacock courtyard), gets its name from the mosaics in glass decorating its walls. The Chinese Painting Exhibition is noteworthy while a series of wall paintings of Krishna are on display in Bhim Vilas. There are numerous other Palaces such as Dilkhush Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Moti Mahal and Krishna Vilas – built in the memory of a princess of striking beauty who poisoned herself to avert a bloody battle for her hand by rival princes. Now the Palace contains many antique articles, paintings, decorative furniture and utensils and attracts thousands of visitors every day

Sahelion ki Bari was laid for a group of forty-eight young women attendants who accompanied a princess to Udaipur as part of her dowry. The garden set below the embankment of the Fateh Sagar Lake has lotus pools, marble pavilions and elephant-shaped fountains. These fountains are fed by the water of the lake gushing through ducts specially carved for the purpose.

Late afternoon, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Pichola and visit the Jag Mandir Palace. The palace, built of granite and marble, covers four acres and is almost in the middle of the lake. Visit the Borra Mahal, Khas Mahal and the courts, gardens and fountains.

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Varanasi Walks tour

The Varanasi Walking tour are typically 2.5 – 3hrs in length and require footwear removal at various times, appropriate clothing, covered shoulders & knees in some temples, stamina, ability and confidence to navigate narrow lanes, crowded conditions and inclines/stairs.

A walk through the mystical landscape of poets, temples & ponds near Assi Ghat, the embankment of Durga’s Sword, the southernmost point of the sacred city. Walk in the footsteps of 16th century Banaras poet and mystic Pandit Goswami Tulsidas, translator of the sacred Ramanyana text. You will hear about the history and special culture of Varanasi while visiting the temple established by Tulsidas himself! The walk ends with a special darshan, meaning ‘taking sight’, of a hidden sun temple near his historic home.

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