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Day 1: Mumbai - Aurangabad - Ellora - Aurangabad
In the morning drive to the airport for the flight to
Aurangabad. Upon arrival, you will be met by an Indo Vacations representative and transferred to the hotel. After a short break in the hotel we start an excursion to
Ellora Caves. [7th - 10th century A.D.] The magnificent group of rock temples of Ellora is a part of world heritage monuments. Ellora group of temples represents the art and sculptures of
Buddhism,
Hinduism and
Jainism, the three dominant religions of India.
Day 2: Aurangabad - Ajanta - Aurangabad
After having breakfast we leave for Ajanta caves
(around 100 km) Of the thirty monuments at Ajanta, four caves No 9,10,26 and 29 are the Chaitya containing a Stupa at the centre of their apses. The rest are monastic residences or Viharas. An Indian poet Kalidasa describes these caves as the gem set of jewellery, rich furniture, imposing architecture, natural scenery and fleeting expressions on the faces.
Day 3: Aurangabad - Udaipur - Chittorgarh (about 120 kms)
In the morning drive to the airport for the flight to
Udaipur. Upon arrival, you will be met by an Indo Vacations representative and drive to
Chittorgarh.
Day 4: Chittorgarh
Today we visit the
Chittorgarh Fort, the world famous fort of
Rajasthan. On the crest of the enormous grey hill, girdled by massive walls and seven majestic gateways, one stumbles upon shattered palaces, a "Temple of Mirabai" - the mystic poetess and the intricately carved nine storeyed Tower of Fame, built in the 12th century in honour of Lord Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankara.
Day 5: Chittorgarh - Kota (about 180 kms)
Today we drive to
Kota. The town of Kota was once the part of the erstwhile Rajput kingdom of Bundi. In Kota we will visit the city fort and palace. This type of fort-palace complex is one of the largest to be found in the state of Rajasthan.
Day 6: Kota - Bundi (about 38 kms)
Today we have an excursion to the fort city of
Bundi. Bundi is most famous for its baoris (step wells) as there are many impressive ones. On the top of the hill is majestic
Taragarh Fort of Bundi, the interesting fort is worth exploring for hours. The fort has many reservoirs, which are annually emptied flooding the streets leading down to the city.
Day 7: Bundi - Pushkar (about 178 kms)
Today we leave Bundi and drive to
Pushkar. Pushkar being one of the most religious places for Hindus has the atmosphere of an ancient religious town. The only
temple of God Brahma is in Pushkar thus making Pushkar an important pilgrimage city for Hindus. Pushkar has become famous in the world due to its Pushkar Festival which takes place in the month of November when the whole of Pushkar is transformed into a spectacular fair ground where thousands of pilgrims come to bath in the holy water of
Pushkar lake and the biggest cattle and camel markets take place here where farmers, breeders and camel traders buy and sell.
Day 8: Pushkar - Jaipur (about 145 kms)
In the morning after having breakfast we drive to
Jaipur via Ajmer. In
Ajmer we will visit
Dargah Shareef, the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Then we will visit the Anna Sagar Lake. Later we drive to the Pink City, Jaipur. This city owes its name, foundations and careful planning to the great warrior and astronomer, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and famous for its
handicrafts and precious and semiprecious stones.
Day 9: Jaipur
After breakfast we drive to the ancient capital of
Amber, laying 11 km. away from Jaipur. Amber was the ancient capital of Kachhawaha dynasty for 6 centuries before it was moved to newly created Jaipur. We will ascend to the Palace Fortress on the back of an Elephant. Enroute to Amber we visit the
Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), built in 1799 AD, it contains 953 small casements with each having its own balcony. The windows enabled cool air to circulate and the ladies to watch processions below without being seen. In the afternoon we visit the
City Palace that is still the formal residence of the royal family, built in a blend of the Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. In the museum of the City Palace we visit the private collection of the Jaipur Maharajas. We continue to
Jantar Mantar, a stone observatory, and the largest of Jai Singh's five remarkable observatories. Its complex instruments reveal us the secrets of medieval Indian astronomy. Later we have a walk through the Colourful Bazaars of Jaipur in the evening we drive through the new city of Jaipur and visit "Laxmi Narayan Mandir", a Hindu temple made out of white marble. Today we also have a dinner with the presentation of Indian music and dance in a village resort.
Day 10: Jaipur - Delhi (about 260 kms)
Today we drive from Jaipur to Delhi via
Alwar. Alwar is referred as the gateway to the historic and colorful state of Rajasthan. Alwar has had a chequered history and has been a witness to many rules and rulers. It offers the traveler various sites of historical importance. The main tourist attraction of Alwar is City Palace or Vinay Vilas Mahal. In the afternoon we visit the Vinay Vilas Mahal or City Palace. This palace has a fine museum with more than 7000 manuscripts,
miniature paintings in both Mughal and Rajasthani style, armour, textiles and musical instruments. Later we drive to
Delhi. Overnight stay at the hotel in Delhi.
Day 11: Delhi
In the morning we have sightseeing in Old Delhi. We take a Rickshaw Ride parallel to the
Red Fort through the old city and famous Silk Road and Silver Bazaar. Sightseeing of Old Delhi includes "Rajghat", the site where
Mahatma Gandhi was cremated and
Jama Masjid, the great mosque of old Delhi. Today we also visit the famous "Humayun Tomb" which is the first substantial example of Mughal architecture in India and "Qutub Minar". "Qutub Minar" is 71 meter high and consists of five stories. In 1199 work began on this tower which was intended to be the most glorious tower of victory in the world. This tower was damaged twice and repaired in 1326 and 1368. Before we proceed to the Hotel we drive through the embassy area in New Delhi where we visit the
India Gate and see some impressive Government Buildings.
Day 12: Delhi
The whole day at leisure in Delhi.
Day 13: Delhi - Bangalore (by air)
In the morning we drive to the airport for the flight to
Bangalore. Upon arrival, you will be met by an Indo Vacations representative and transferred to the hotel. Evening free for leisure in Bangalore. Bangalore is the capital city of the Indian state Karnataka. This former "Garden city" Bangalore is known today as "computer city" of
India.
Day 14: Bangalore
In the morning we drive through the garden city with its numerous avenues of Jacaranda, Gulmohar and Cassia. We will visit the Bull temple and the famous Gowda Fort. The Bull teample was built in the Dravidian style of architecture and has a huge Nandi Bull carved out of a single grey granite. The Gowda Fort was built by Tipu Sultan. We will also visit the
Vidhana Saudha. This Vidhana Saudha, which is built after independence, stands out by its imposing architecture in the neo Dravidian style.
Day 15: Bangalore - Mysore
In the morning we drive to
Mysore. Enroute we visit Srirangapatnam, about 16 kms from Mysore. Srirangapatnam is built on an island in the Cauvery River and the ruins of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan's capital are located. In Srirangapatnam we will visit the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, a popular Hindu temple and the Tipu's summer palace, which is now a museum, set in a well maintained garden. After visiting Srirangapatnam we drive to Mysore. Mysore is a magnificent royal city and is world famous for silk and sandalwood. Mysore is also a famous production centre of saris. Mysore is known for the famous temple of goddess Chamundeswari built on the sacred Chamundi hill and the palaces built by Tipu Sultan.
Day 16: Mysore - Hassan
Today we drive to Hassan. Enroute we visit
Belur and
Halebid temple complex belonging to the 12th and 14th century. The temples at Belur and Halebid were built by the Hoysala kings. The wealth of sculptural details found on the exterior and interior of these temples at Halebid and Belur makes them the most outstanding example of Hoysala art sculpture. In Halebid we visit the Hoysalesvara Temple of 12th century where we view the half-life size statues of Hindu deities, with minute details of each, all around the temple. After the visit of Halebid we proceed to Belur. In Belur we visit the group of Chennakesava Temples. These temples are famous for their
architecture and sculptures.
Day 17: Hassan - Hospet - Hampi
Today we drive from Hassan to Hospet. In Hospet we will visit the Chitradurga fort. The Chitradurga fort is situated at the foothills of the group of granite hills. The fort was built in the 17th century by the Nayak Poligars, the wealthy semi-independent landlords who fled south after the collapse of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565. Haider Ali defeated the Nayaks and captured the fort
and replaced the mud fort with one built out of stone and later his son Tipu Sultan built a palace, mosque, oil pits and granaries in it. After visiting Hospet we drive to
Hampi. Hampi was once the seat of the great Vijayanagara empire and the centre of Hindu rule for 200 years from its foundation in 1336.
Day 18: Hampi
Today we visit the temples, palaces, markets and some of the ruins of the Vijaynagar city in Hampi. The Vijayanagar city ruins near the village of Hampi is one of the most fascinating historical sites in south India. The superb ruins are set in a beautiful landscape, a hill country with enormous boulders. Extremely wealthy, greater than Rome, they held a monopoly of trade in spices and cotton. This site was chosen for strategic reasons, but the craftsmen excelled in adopting an
indigenous style to blend in architectural masterpieces with the barren and rocky landscapes. Most of the sites belong to the 16th century and were built during the 20 year reign of Krishna deva Raya.
Day 19: Hampi - Badami
Today we drive to Badami. Badami is set in beautiful countryside among the red sandstone hills, lakes and peaceful farmlands. Badami was once a capital city of the Chalukyan Empire which ruled much of the central Deccan between 4th and 7th centuries A D. Badami is picturesquely situated at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills. Badami is known for its famous four cave temples. Overlooking the cave temples is a reservoir dotted with temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. The Bhutanatha temples are also worth visiting temples. It is a temple that lend their name to the lake beneath the cave temples.
Day 20: Badami
Early in the morning we visit the famous cave temples as the best time to visit the cave temples is at sunrise. Four of these cave temples were cut into the hillside in the early 6th century. Cave 1 is reached by climbing 40 steps and in this cave the
Lord Siva in his manifestation as Nataraja with 18 arms can be seen in 81 dance poses. In the Cave 2 there are reliefs of Varaha and Vamana and the Cave 3 is dedicated to
Vishnu. According to a Kanada inscription which is unique to Badami, this cave was excavated in 578 AD and has numerous sculptures including a huge reclining image of Vishnu. Cave 4 is the only Jain cave excavated about 100 years later. Some of the temples which we visit includes the Buddhist temple, built near the ancient artificial Bhuthanatha Lake, and the 7th century Mallegitti Sivalaya temple, one of the finest examples of the early southern style. The North fort temples include mainly 7th century work and give an insight into Badami history.
Day 21: Badami - Bijapur
Today we drive to Bijapur. Bijapur is a distinct town as it resembles a north Muslim city with the different mosques and palaces. Bijapur was known as Vijayapura or "the city of victory" during the reign of Chalukyas. In the afternoon we visit the Jama Masjid, one of the finest in Deccan with a large, shallow, onion shaped dome and arcaded court. It was built by Ali Adil Shah I in the 16th century. The Ibrahim Rauza, the 17th century palatial tomb is beautifully decorated with its slender minarets, carved decorative panels of lotus, wheels and cross patterns and bold Arabic calligraphy. This square garden consists of 2 buildings, one houses the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II and his family and the other one is a mosque. The tomb, evidently executed under the orders of Ibrahim Adil Shah (1580-1627) is supposed to have been an inspiration for the
Taj Mahal at
Agra.
Day 22: Bijapur
In the morning we visit the Golgumbaz. Golgumbaz means the round tomb. Golgumbaz is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (1627 -56), the seventh ruler of Adilshahi dynasty. This gigantic mausoleum took about 20 years to complete. The acoustical phenomenon of this dome is such that a sound is echoed eleven times over. Under the dome are the tombs of the Sultan, his two wives, his mistress Ramba, his daughter and grandson. The building complex includes a mosque, a Naqqar Khana, a gateway and a
Dharamshala. The edifice in front of the tomb has been converted into a museum. This tomb has been described by some as startlingly ugly. It is the world's second largest dome unsupported by pillars and has a large whispering gallery.
Day 23: Bijapur - Gulbarga
In the morning we drive to Gulbarga. This town was the first capital of the Bahmanis and is known in South India as the home of Saiyid Muhammad Gesu Daraz Chisti who was instrumental in spreading the Islam faith in the Deccan in the 14th century. The most fascinating remains in the town are the fort, with its citadel and mosque and the tombs in its eastern quarter. In Gulbarga we visit the mosque and tombs. The mosque covers an area of 3500 sq m and is covered by a dome which cover the four corners and 75 minor domes make it unique among the various Indian mosques. The tombs of the Bahmani sultans lie in two groups and the tomb of the Chisti is two stories high with a highly decorated painted dome and a mother of pearl canopy over the grave.
Day 24: Gulbarga - Hyderabad
In the morning we drive to Bidar. Bidar, the walled fort town in North
Karnataka was once the capital of the Hamanis and Barid Shahis. The fort is still intact and the palaces and tombs provide some of the finest examples of Muslim architecture in the Deccan, intermingling the Hindu and Islamic styles. After visiting the fort and old town we drive to
Hyderabad. Arrive in Hyderabad in the evening.
Day 25: Hyderabad
After having breakfast, we drive to visit the impressive fort at
Golconda. This fort is entered through gateways which have relief ornamentation of birds and animals. The Fateh Darwaza or Victory Gate is made of teak with an engraved Hindu deity studded with iron spikes. Within the ramparts lie the mosques, temples, the 3 storeyed armory, the harem, the Hall of Public Audience and the Rani Mahal with the royal baths. After visiting the Golconda fort we visit the Qutb Shahi Tomb. Each tomb is made of black granite or green stone with fine sculpture, inscriptions and remains of glazed decoration. After visiting the tomb we drive to the hotel.
Day 26: Hyderabad - Mumbai
In the morning depart from Hyderabad for
Mumbai by air.
Tour Reservation
To get more
information or to book this tour please submit the
Query Form
or send us an
e-mail ! Your
booking will be activated only after we get a reconfirmation from
your side.
Our Services Include:
 Accommodation in one double rooms on twin sharing basis with bath and WC.
American/continental Breakfast.
Elephant ride in Amber.
One dinner with the presentation of Indian music and dance in a village resort in Jaipur.
Services of qualified local English speaking Guide at every place of sightseeing.
All Transfers and departures on arrival and departure by Indo Vacations representative.
Exclusions:
Any Kind of Personal Expenses such as Tips, Laundry, Telephone Bills
and Alcoholic
beverages.
Camera Fees (Still
or Movie).
Any Flight Charges.
Monument Entrances.
Unspecified Meals etc.
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Rajasthan during your travel ! |
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