#Hightlights Of Gujarat
#Splendid Orissa
#Scenic North India
Highlights of Gujarat
Duration
10days/ 9night
Itinerary:
Day 01: Arrive Ahmedabad
Arrive from Delhi/ Mumbai and transfer to hotel.
Afternoon city tour of Ahmedabad - Visit Jama Masjid with its pillared porticos, 15 cupolas resting on 250 columns and wide pointed arches. See the Mosque and Tomb of Rani Sipri, a beautiful memorial built early in the 16th century by one of the wives of Madmud Begara. This small mosque with slender minarets is a gem of feminine delicacy and grace.
A high point of Gujarati art is the stone carving in the Mosque of Sidi Sayyid, a slave of Ahmed Shah. The lace-like ethereal carvings that form the windows are the best in India. Also visit the Adalaj (Step wells).
Overnight : Holiday Inn
Day 02: Ahmedabad - Bhavnagar
After breakfast, drive to Bhavnagar en route visit Palitana.
Palitana is the approach to Shatrunjaya Temples, the hill on the river of the same name. The path winds 3½ km. up through 3950 steps. Rising above the plains, wrapped in its own mystique and covered with 863 Jain shrines, this Temple City on a hill “the place of victory” (over hatred and worldly things) is the most sacred of the five hills decorated by the Jains.
Evening arrive and proceed to hotel.
Overnight : Delhi
Day 03: Bhavnagar-Diu
After breakfast at hotel.
Drive to Diu. Arrive and proceed to hotel.
Overnight : Radhika Beach Resort
Day 04: Diu
After breakfast we take you for a city tour of Diu.
Visit Fort of Diu, which is skirted by the sea on three sides and by a canal on the fourth. It houses a lighthouse and a jail. Several cannons still stare menacingly from above. Jallandhar Shrine is located on a hillock close to the beach and so also is a temple of Goddess Chandika.
The St. Thomas Church, which is now a museum, houses wooden carvings, antique statues, idols, and other artefacts, St Paul’s Church, is dedicated to our Lady of Immaculate Conception.
Evening is at leisure.
Overnight : Radhika Beach Resort
Day 05:Diu-Sasan Gir
After breakfast at hotel, drive to Sasan Gir en route visit Somnath.
Al Biruni, the Arab historian who visited Saurashtra and described so eloquently the beauties and luxuries of Somnath Temple that Mahmud of Ghazni was moved to destroy it in 1026. Two thousand Brahmins served the temple, daily pouring the waters of River Ganga and scattering flowers on the icons. Somnath rose and fell several times. The drama of Muslim iconoclasts’ zeal for desecration and the Hindus’ passionate desire for its restoration continued till the 18th century when finally they gave up in sheer despair. Only in the 1950s, on the exact spot and from the particular sandstone used before, has construction of the new temple begun, facing the open sea.
Arrive Sassan Gir and proceed to hotel. Jeep Drive in Conservation Area.
Overnight : Taj Gir Lodge
Day 06: Sasan Gir
Breakfast at hotel.
Proceed for a Jeep drive through jungle. The Gir Forest is situated in the old princely state of Junagadh, 10 km from the town of Sasan Gir. The last refuge for the Asiatic lion is the Gir National Park. South West of the Saurashtra peninsula, the forest encompasses over 1,411 sq. km. with about 220 lions. Gir is a mixed deciduous type of forest with teak, ber, flame of the forest, banyan trees. Besides having the only population of Asiatic lion, Gir also boasts of a large number of leopards, some 210 in number, with sambar, chital, nilgai, chinkara, four horned antelope and wild boar. Python and crocodile are also found in the area. There is rich bird life with paradise flycatcher, black headed cuckoo, shrike, borealis eagle being only a few that streak across the sky.
Evening is at leisure.
Overnight : Taj Gir Lodge
Day 07: Sasan Gir- Gondal
After breakfast drive to Gondal en route visit Junagadh.
Junagadh is a curious melange of the religious and the whimsical. The main gate of this fortified city is a curious mixture of Indo-Saracenic with a strong dose of Venetian. Long before the Nawabs, Buddhists had excavated a monastery here and there are signs of ancient bathing platforms with traces of very hygienic sanitation systems. On a huge boulder, Ashoka the great’s edicts exhort all citizens to be kind to animals and women, give generously to charity and plant healing herbs. Rural folk, however, rely on the water of an ancient, beautiful step-well.
Arrive Gondal and proceed to hotel.
Overnight : Taj Gir Lodge
Day 08: Gondal
Breakfast at hotel.
Visit the Gondal town and palaces.
Evening is at leisure
Overnight : Riverside Palace
Day 09: Gondal-Mumbai
After Breakfast transfer to Rajkot airport to board flight to Mumbai.
Rajkot 0755 hrs by 9W 346
Mumbai Mumbai 0855 hrs 14:05 hrs Arrival in Cochin
Arrive Mumbai and transfer to hotel. Check in at Hotel.
Overnight : Hotel Guestline or similar
Day 10: Depart Mumbai
Check-out & transfer to International / Domestic airport for onward journey.
Splendid Orissa
Duration
12days/ 8night
Suggested Itinerary:
The twin hills of Kumarigiri known as Khandagiri and Udaigiri contain varieties of rock-cut caves, built mainly for the Jain Monks around 1st - 2nd century B.C. Surrounded by paddy fields and the Dhauli hill, Dhauli brings back memories of the historic 'Kalinga War' which was fought around here...It is here that Ashoka, the terrible, was transformed into Ashoka, the compassionate who championed the cause of Buddhism.
Just two km from the famed Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneshwa, lay the ruins of Sisupalgarh. Dating back to the third or fourth century BC, these ruins show that even at that early date there was a well fortified city here, and also establishes the fact that the Orissan civilization has very ancient roots.
Itinerary:
Day 01: Bhubaneshwar
On arrival, you will be escorted to your hotel. The rest of the day, is at leisure.
Overnight: Bhubaneshwar
Day 02: Bhubaneshwar
A wonderful day, visiting the sites around the city awaits you.
Once you’ve finished looking at the temples of the city, then visit Udaigiri, & Dhauli.
Overnight: Bhubaneshwar
Day 03: Bhubaneshwar - Puri
Post breakfast- proceed on a 2 hour drive to Puri.
Later this day - visit the Hindu Pilgrim temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath.
Late afternoon - visit the sun temple at Konarak.
Overnight: Puri
Day 04: Puri – Taptapani
Post an early breakfast proceed to Taptapani – 6 hrs. A fascinating village- known for its handicrafts. A great opportunity for interacting with local people.
Overnight : Taptapani
Day 05: Taptapani - Rayagada
This morning proceed to Rayagada via Gunpur. This 4 odd hour’s drive takes you past small towns, villages and roadside “Dhabas”.
At Taptapani visit Lanjia Saura tribes and their local market.
Overnight : Rayagada
Day 06: Rayagada
This day visit the nearby Kutia Kondh Belghar / Kotgarh tribes & villages.
Overnight : Rayagada
Day 07: Rayagada - Jeypore
After visiting the Chatikona/Donghria kondh tribes, proceed to Jeypore and check in at the hotel.
Overnight: Jeypore
Day 08: Jeypore
A full day tour of Bonda tribes & Gadabba tribes and the weekly market.
Overnight: Jeypore
Day 09: Jeypore
A full day tour of Kunduli area to visit Paraja tribes and market.
Overnight: Jeypore
Day 10: Jeypore-Rayagada
Later this day, proceed to Rayagada and visit the Desia Kondh tribes and their villages.
Overnight : Rayagada
Day 11: Rayagada- Chilka
Today, proceed to Chilka Lake en route visit Berhampur silk city and Orissan villages.
Overnight : Chilka
Day 12: Chilka - Mumbai
Early morning, take a boat ride on Lake Chilka.
Thereafter, transfer to Bhubaneshwar airport– 3 Hrs.
Bhubaneshwar 13:40 Leave by IC 669
Mumbai 15:40
Arrive and transfer to hotel.
Overnight : Mumbai
Scenic North India
Duration
9days/ 8night
Itinerary:
Day 01: Arrive Delhi
On arrival at Delhi airport you will meet our local representative who will transfer you to your hotel.
Overnight : Delhi
Day 02: Delhi
This morning visit New Delhi - drive past, the India Gate, the Presidential Palace, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the secretariat buildings. Visit Humayun’s Tomb and the Qutub Minar.Thereafter visit Sikh Temple-Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and the Langar – community kitchen.
This afternoon visit Old Delhi – visit the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat.
Late evening: Return to the Red Fort- where you witness the “Son-et-lumiere” show, and go down the historical path of "Mughal rule in India".
Overnight : Delhi
Day 03: Delhi - Varanasi
After an early breakfast transfer to Delhi airport to board flight to Varanasi.
Depart Delhi 1040 hrs by 9W 723
Arrive Varanasi 1150 hrs
On arrival at Varanasi airport you will meet our local representative who will transfer you to your hotel.
Later this day visit Sarnath. End your day by visiting the Ghats in time for the evening Aarti – a ceremony attended by thousands of local residents.
Overnight : Varanasi
Day 04: Varanasi – Khajuraho
Pre breakfast enjoy boat ride on the River Ganges.
Post breakfast visit Varanasi - the Bharat Mata Temple, Vishwanath Temple, Benaras Hindu University, the Durga Temple.
Transfer to the airport in time for your flight.
Depart Varanasi 1450 hrs by IC 452
Arrive Khajuraho 1530 hrs
On arrival at Khajuraho, transfer to your hotel. Evening at leisure to explore the city of Khajuraho.
Overnight : Khajuraho
Day 05: Khajuraho
Post breakfast visit the Eastern temples - Jain temples of Parsvanath, Adinath, and Shanti Nath & Western group of temples - Laxman Temple, the Laxmi and Varaha temples dedicated to Vishnu’s consort Laxman, the Kandariya Mahadev temple and the Chausath Yogini temple. Also visit the Archaeological museum.
Late this evening enjoy the Sound and Light show at the Khajuraho temples.
Overnight : Khajuraho
Day 06: Khajuraho – Jhansi - Agra
Morning after early breakfast, check out of the hotel and proceed to Jhansi (181 kms / 6 hrs) to board train to Agra.
Depart Jhansi 1525 hrs by Taj Express
Arrive Agra 1850 hrs
Transfer to your hotel.
Overnight : Agra
Day 07: Agra – Jaipur
Start your day, by a visit to the Taj Mahal, followed by the Red Fort, and the tomb of Itmad-ud-dullah.
Later this afternoon proceed to Jaipur, en route visit Fatehpur Sikri.
Overnight : Jaipur
Day 08: Jaipur
Post breakfast, visit Amber Fort – ascend by jeep. Then proceed to Amer Dera, where you first enjoy a
40 minutes Elephant safari and then enjoy a private lunch in the gardens.
Later this afternoon, enjoy the sites of the city - Hawa Mahal, City palace, Jaisingh’s Observatory.
Overnight : Jaipur
Day 09: Jaipur - Delhi (260 kms 5 ½ hours)
After breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to Delhi, en route halt at Nimrana Fort for lunch, which is one of the magnificent Fort of Rajasthan, converted into a heritage hotel.
Later continue to drive to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi proceed to the airport for your onward journey.
Extensions to the above itinerary on Day 09 can be arranged to:
Shekhawati Region (Jaipur – Mandawa – Bikaner)
Pushkar / Ajmer – Jodhpur – Jaisalmer
Jodhpur – Mt. Abu – Udaipur
