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Day
1 : Delhi (Arrival)
Arrive in Delhi.
Transfer to hotel.
The name Delhi,
Dehali or Dilli is derived form Dhillika,
the name of the first medieval township
of Delhi, located on the southwestern
border of the present Union Territory
of Delhi, in Mehrauli. This was the
first in the series of seven medieval
cities, also known as Yoginipura,
the fortress of the yoginis (female
divinities).Overnight in Delhi.
Day 2 : Delhi –
Ambala
Today we have a
half-day tour of Delhi. We start with
a drive north into Old Delhi, passing
along the Rajpath (King's Way) stopping
for photos at the India Gate, visiting
Jamma Mosque. The imposing architectural
monument, with it's three gateways
and two minarets, took fourteen years
to complete (1644-58).A cycle rickshaw
tour of Chandni Chowk (Silver Street)
gives a glimpse into an old world
lifestyle slowly fading from Delhi.
Our rickshaw ride takes us past the
Red Fort (photo stop), and we disembark
at the Raj Ghat, -where the father
of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was
cremated.
After a stop for
lunch we will continue driving towards
Ambala 190 kms from Delhi,to experience
true India by staying at Farm accommodation.
The Farm Retreat is based on the concept
of finding your roots with nature
in the midst of a 50 acre farm blessed
with a river bed running though it
and having the crowning glory of the
Shivaliks, just 20 kms from it. The
farm is surrounded with lush green
acres of organic agriculture, the
beauty of social forestry and well
manicured lawns, hedges and flowers.
Day 3 : Farm
A stay at a farm
in mud and straw huts can give you
the headiest taste of rustic life
ever. The handmade sun-dried bricks,
thatched roofs and jharokas provide
natural air-conditioning. Rest assured,
the huts have attached restrooms with
modern comforts.
Taste tradition
Indulge
Day 4 : Ambala
– Anandpur Sahib
North-west of Delhi,
beyond the western edge of the Yamuna
basin, lies the Land of the Five Rivers,
universally known as the Punjab. Endowed
with rich agricultural soil, plentiful
irrigation and equable climatic conditions,
the state is sometimes called the
granary of India. Its villages, large
and small, are key to the robust Punjabi
attitude to life that has evolved
through cross-cultural influences
down the ages. The region is also
home to the origin of the Sikh faith
whose founder Guru Nanak preached
here till his death 460 years ago
in 1539.We drive today to this beautiful
land of gaiety and color. Overnight
Day 5 : Anandpur
Sahib – Pragpur
The ambience of
the Heritage Zone of Garli -Pragpur
is zealously protected by the local
residents. In their endeavour that
Garli -Pragpur retains its unique
character, panchayats pre- serve their
heritage buildings and advise on new
construction. Several heritage structures
are now being restored using original
techniques but with modern facilities
to facilitate tourism. Dating before
1868, the Taal or pond forms the core
of Pragpur village and serves as a
recreational space for young and aged
alike. It was constructed by the village
brotherhood known as the Nehar Committee,
which has records of its meetings
since 1864. This body continues to
be responsible for the maintenance
of this ancient water system.
In this unique environment
of cobbled streets , heritage building
and local governmental bodies we enter
the Heritage village of Pragpur. Overnight
Day 6 : Pragpur
Around Pragpur,
River Beas with its unspoilt beaches
(6 kms). offers a possibility of boating,
swimming and angling during season.
SERI and Naleti (4 kms) are epitome
of pastoral tranquility. Natural underground
seepage feeds both Garli and Pragpur.
Lovely country walks radiate from
Garli and Pragpur. These include meandering
countrypaths through rolling hills
and valleys with gurgling brooks and
a meadow where mint grows wild. The
beautiful landscape of Pragpur region
offers ample opportunities for cycling,
trekking, nature walks, bird watching,
fishing or simple relaxation. Visits
to weavers, silver- smiths, tailors,
shoemakers and the Village market
can be enchanting.
Day 7 : Pragpur
– Amritsar
Amritsar, as the
name suggests, is rightfully a pool
of nectar. Located in the state of
Punjab, Amritsar is one of the most
important pilgrimage centers especially
for the Sikhs in the country. The
city is characterized by some of the
must visit religious, historical as
well as contemporary sites of importance.
The Golden Temple, where Sikhs from
all over the world come to pay their
reverence to Guru Granth Sahib and
take a dip in the Amrit Saras Kund
(Pool of Immortality) for spiritual
purification is the major landmark
of the place. Amritsar is also characterized
by the hard working and warm-hearted
people.
One of the many nearby
places to visit from Amritsar is the
Wagah Border. Located on the Indo-Pakistan
border, Wagah is 28 kilometres from
the Amritsar main town.
A good number of visitors come to
this place to see the change of guards
ceremony and the flag hoisting and
lowering activities which are done
with great skill and precision by
the border security forces of both
the countries
Day 8 : Amritsar
Today we take a
excursion to Rajasansi.
Rajasansi has everything that is quintessentially
Punjabi. Full of colour and gaiety
the village derives its name from
the Raja of the Sansi tribe, who founded
it in.1570 AD. This village is famous
for hand-woven carpets by weavers
who trace their ancestery to Persian
craftsmen accompanying Babur's Moghul
army!
Day 9 : Amritsar
– Delhi
This day we transfer
to railway station for train to Delhi.Arrive
Delhi and transfer to Neemrana for
overnight.
Day 10 : Delhi
– Mandawa
In the heart of
Rajasthan , the colourful land of
the Rajputs is the region of Shekhawati,
taking its name from the powerful
Shekhawat clan. The legends of this
historic land have been captured in
the murals and frescoes of its Havelis,
Forts, Temples, and cenotaphs. Set
against this exotic backdrop is The
Desert Resort , Mandawa. The mystery
and romance of the desert are captured
in the unusual architecture of the
resort. Recreated in the style of
a typical Rajasthani village, The
Desert Resort is a verdant oasis in
the midst of a stark desert landscape.
Visitors to this haven peopled by
camels, peacocks, birds and khejri
trees, can experience a whole new
world - the aesthetic charm of the
rural without compromising on comfort.The
Desert Resort reflects the traditional
harmony between man and nature in
the region.
Day 11 : Mandawa
Morning after a
leisure breakfast we set out in the
Shekhawati region an important town
of the years gone by, to see number
of remarkable Havelies and Castles
in the nearby towns of Dundlod, Nawalgarh
and Laxmangarh. These havelies are
museums in themselves, you will be
delighted at the sight of the numerous
havelis built by the rich merchants
as their residence in 18th and 19th
century. Notice the village life,
simple colorful people in typical
Rajasthani dress particularly females
adorned with heavy silver jewelry.
Day 12 : Mandawa
- Jaipur
Today we drive
to Jaipur .Jaipur has been dubbed
the "Pink City" because
of the many buildings inside the old
city walls that are painted pink.
Scattered throughout the north-east
section of the town are palaces and
temples designed in a variety of styles;
the city lies snugly on a bed of a
long-dry lake.Overnight in Jaipur.
Day 13 : Jaipur
Today our tour
takes us to Amber, once the ancient
state capital but now deserted. Located
on the crest of a rocky hill behind
Maota Lake, 11 km (7 miles) north
of Jaipur, the Rajput stronghold was
the capital of the Kuchhawa Rajputs
from 1037 until 1728. Rising on the
slopes of a steep hill is the Amber
fortress with its imposing facade.
The interior presents a galaxy of
art including the world's best Chamber
of Mirrors.
In the afternoon take
a tour of Jaipur, one of the best-planned
cities in India, built of rose-pink
sandstone by the great astronomer-king
Jai Singh II in 1727. The City Palace
stands in the centre of the city,
part of which is still the Maharaja's
residence. The complex has been developed
into a museum containing rare manuscripts,
fine specimens of Rajput and Mughal
paintings, royal apparel, and an armoury.
Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) is the
landmark of Jaipur, a curious building,
elaborate and fanciful, built of pink
sandstone with a delicate honeycomb
design. Rising five storeys high,
it is composed of semi-octagonal overhanging
windows, each with its perforated
screen, which allowed the ladies of
the court to look onto the main street
without being seen. We visit the Observatory,
the City Palace which now houses a
museum, and the Palace of the Winds.Overnight
in Jaipur.
Day 14 : Jaipur
– Bharatpur
We continue from
Jaipur to the world famous Bharatpur
Bird Sanctuary, also known as Keoladeo
Ghana, spread over 29 square km of
shallow lakes, scrub and woodland.
It was initially developed in the
late 19th century as a wildfowl hunting
preserve by the royal family of Bharatpur.
Today it is one of the most spectacular
waterfowl sanctuaries in the world.
Day 15 : Bharatpur
– Agra
Today we drive
to Agra and tour the city and visit
its main attraction : The Taj Mahal,
one of the world’s most beautiful
buildings. Called "A dream in
marble," the Taj Mahal was built
by Shah Jehan as a memorial to his
queen Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jehan built
the Taj to enshrine the body of his
favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal (elect
of the palace), who died shortly after
giving birth to their 14th child in
1631. Construction by a work force
of 20,000 men from all over Asia commenced
in 1632 and the tomb was completed
in 1653. Marble was brought from Makrana,
near Jodhpur, and precious stones
of onyx, amethyst, malachite, lapis
lazula, turquoise, jade, crystal and
mother of pearl were carried to Agra
from Persia, Russia, Afganistan, Tibet,
China and the Indian Ocean.
Agra also offers several
other remarkable monuments such as
the Agra Fort, as rugged as the Taj
Mahal is ethereal; the perfectly proportioned
Moti Masjid (Pearl mosque), the Jami
Masjid mosque, the Itimad-ud-daulah
Mausoleum, and the Ram Bagh Garden.
Agra continues to be
medieval in structure: narrow, crowded
streets and lanes, full of colourful
shops sell that all kind of goods,
especially local handicrafts, including
gold and silver embroidery, imitation
Mughal inlay on marble, and fine leather
goods. Agra Fort lies on the bend
of the River Yamuna, almost in the
heart of the town. It was built by
Akbar as his citadel over the years
1565 to 1573 in the finest architectural
style . It has imposing gates and
walls of red sandstone and a moat.
The fort was successively occupied
by three great Mughals--Akbar, Jahangir
and Shah Jehan, each of whom made
significant structural contributions
to this complex.Overnight Agra
Day 16 : Agra
– Delhi (departure)
We drive this afternoon
to the cosmopolitan metro city of
Delhi to return back home with freshness
of air and sweetness of memory of
India at its best.
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