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October 27-November 12, 2009
January 18-February 3, 2010
In-depth tour of India's most Impressive Art & Architecture
Accommodations are Palace Hotels and Heritage Properties
where available and Deluxe Hotels elsewhere
Early Booking Special! Book any 2010 India tour by July 15, 2009 and lock in 2009 Price.
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Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Delhi
Evening arrival in Delhi. Transfer to Hotel.
Day 2 Delhi (B, D)
Delhi, the capital of the country, is one of the "seven cities" created between the 13th and the 17th centuries.Relaxed morning to recover from the flight. Late morning greetings and orientation. After lunch, visit architectural highlights.
Morning visit the Crafts Museum containing over 20,000 examples of Indian art and architecture. Some of the exhibits are the only examples of particular art forms in existence.Afternoon, visit the National Museum which has a good collection of Indian bronzes, terracotta and wood sculptures, miniature and mural paintings, and costumes of the various tribal peoples.
Day 4 Fly Delhi - Khajuraho (B)
After lunch, visit Classical Temples, Chandella Style of the 9th- 11th century, illustrated with remarkable sculptures of the classical erotic literature, the KAMA SUTRA.
day 5 Khajuraho- Day Excursion to Chandela Forts (B, L)
Day excursion to visit a little known Chandela Fort: Kalingar (130km). Built before the 10th century Chandela dynasty rose to power, this fort rivals the best of the Chandala royal temples with the added attraction of a wild strategic setting. Enroute, we will stop for tea at Ken River Lodge and also visit a local village and house in Kalinjar.
Day 6 Khajuraho - Orchha - Gwailor Hotel Usha Kiran Palace. (B, D)
Morning drive to Orchha (170 Kms.), which was the capital of the kingdom of the Bundella Rajputs from 1531 to 1783. Visit Jahangir Mahal Palace, Indo-Persian style of the Mughul period and the Ram Raja Temple of the17th century. Continue drive to Gwailor. Rich in history, this 120-year-old palace played host to the King of England and is now a heritage hotel. Set amidst 9 acres of beautifully landscaped lawns, this regal palace is outfitted with artistic stone carvings and delicate filigree work.
Introduction to the Indo-Persian architecture of the Timurid Dynasty and the famous marble inlay work of Agra, pietra dura. Agra is globally renown as the city of the Taj Mahal, but this royal Mughal City has, in addition to the legendary Taj, many monuments that epitomize the high point of Mughal architecture. In the Mughal period, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Agra was the capital of India. It was here that the founder of the dynasty, Babar, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of the Yamuna River. Here, Akbar his grandson raised the towering ramparts of the great Red Fort. Within its walls, Jehangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens and Shahajahan embellished it with marble mosques, palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble.After check-in, visit Itimad-ud-Daulah, the first white marble inlaid grave in pure Indo-Persian style built between 1622 to 1628. Afterwards visit Agra Fort. Sunset visit to Taj Mahal.
Sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Return to hotel for breakfast.Afterwards drive to Fatehpur Sikri, capital from 1570 to 1586 of the Great Mughul Empire, a unique architectural concept. Visit the Derviche Saint Mosque , Pir Shaikh Salim Chisti, Wazir Birbal's house, Astrologer's seat and Panch Manzil Mahal and introduction to Islam and Sufism. Afternoon drive to Jaipur. Evening a traditional Rajasthani buffet dinner.
Jaipur, popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of the state of Rajasthan. Built in1720s by Sawai Jai Singh II, it is an astonishing well-planned city based on the ancient Hindu treatise on architecture, the Shilpa Shastra and known for its arts and crafts, jewelry, enamel work, hand-printed fabrics and stone sculptures.Morning visit Amber, the ancient kingdom of Jaipur, situated 7 miles away. Originally built in the 11th Century, it was extended by Raja Mannish 1 in the late 16th Century. The ascent to the Fort will be on elephant backs. Afternoon, visit City Palace complex, the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), Jal Mahal (Water Palace). There will be opportunities to visit block printing factory, gem cutting, carpet factory, silk shops. Wandering through the bazaars of old Jaipur is an experience in itself. They are colorful, noisy and happily chaotic and you can buy anything here.
Day 10 Drive Jaipur-Jodhpur. (315 km/5-6 hrs) Ajit Bhawan or Ranbaka Hotel (B)
Afternoon excursion to Ossian, a peaceful village north of Jodhpur in the Thar Desert. The ancient town of Ossian contains the largest group of 8th to 10th century Hindu and Jain Temples in Rajasthan. The typical temple of this area is set on a terrace whose walls are finely decorated with moldings and miniatures. The doorways are decorated with river goddesses, serpents and scrollwork. The 23 temples are grouped in several sites north, west and south of the town. The best preserved are the western group on a hillock above the town, while the 12th century Sachiya Mata temple is a living temple of the Golden Durga. Camel ride in the sand dunes just before sunset.
Morning half day city tour of Jodhpur. The best way to trace the history of Jodhpur is to visit the 15th century Mehrangarh Fort perched majestically on a high hill dominating the skyline. The fort has a series of spectacular palaces, each decorated with exquisite engravings, lattice and mirror work. Of particular note is the museum that exhibits a magnificent collection of royal memorabilia; we stop to admire the graceful cenotaph at Jaswant Thada. Some time to browse in the bazaars of the old city, for Jodhpur is well known for its glass bangles, puppets and other folk art. The area around the bazaars is a wonderful example of 19th century town planning, blending Rajasthani concepts with more contemporary styles. You can also visit antique shops along the road between our hotel and the palace if interested.
Enroute visit the magnificent Ranakpur Jain Temples built in 1439, dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar. The three temples in the complex each are distinct in design, carved ceilings, and arches decorated with friezes depicting scenes from the lives of the Jain saints. The largest, Adinatha, is noted for its grandiose scale and elaborate ornamentation and for its 1444 sculptured pillars, all with different scenes from Jain mythology and cosmology. The temples are situated in the Haldigathi Jungle where monkeys, wild boars and panthers are dwelling as well as exotic trees such as cinnamon apple and babur maple.Lunch at Maharani Bagh (Mango Orchard of the Maharaja of Jodhpur) near the Temples.Continue to Udaipur. Sunset boat ride on Lake Picola. Special dinner at Baghor Ki Haveli, includes an authentic cultural program.
The Venice of India , the city of Lakes, Palaces and the Gardens. There is no place in India which appeals more to the imagination of poets and painters, travelers and writers, than Udaipur, the lovely lake side capital of Mewar. Surrounded by hills and mountains, and set on the edge of three lakes, which give on to a fertile plain,Udaipur is bewitching in all its details - narrow streets lined by vivid colored stalls, gardens, temples and palaces - every feature mirrored in the placid blue waters of Lake Pichhola.Morning visit the City Palace, the largest Palace complex Museum of Rajasthan. The City Palace is a blend of stern Rajput military architecture on the outside and lavish Mughal-inspired decorative art on the inside. Set on a hill overlooking Lake Pichhola, it is a sprawling edifice made up of at least four separate inter-connecting palaces, built over a period of nearly 3 centuries.
Afternoon, introduction to the world of miniature paintings; visit artists' studios. Some independent time to stroll the quaint city, take a walk through the colorful Bapu Bazaar. It is easy to walk about independently just outside the city palace gates for a real experience of the local culture beyond the tourist shops.
Fly to Bombay 9W 3406 1925/2110. Transfer to hotel
Pulsating, Alive, On the Move, Vibrant, Fun -- this is Mumbai or as it is still frequently referred to -- Bombay. The most modern city in India, it captures the spirit of the changing pace set by liberalization and modernisation. Once a cluster of seven islands, Mumbai was presented to King Charles II in 1661 as part of the dowry when he married Princess Catherine de Braganza of Portugal. Over the years, as colonialism gave way to independence, Mumbai has transformed itself into an entity with thriving markets, businesses and many different communities reflecting a cosmopolitan and trendy atmosphere. Mumbai represents the ever-changing face of today's India -- the old, steeped in Indian customs and values, coupled with the dynamic new. It is the capital of Maharashtra state, and its official language is Marathi although English and Hindi are widely spoken and understood. This busy city is also the hub of a thriving cultural life, with a constant stream of performances in music, dance and drama. The seat of the Hindi film industry, known locally as Bollywood, it produces the largest number of films in the world. Mumbai caters to the adventurous and the romantic through its sporting activities, nightclubs, pubs, theatres, beaches and restaurants. Old and new, rich and poor, classical and modern -- its all here for you to savour and enjoy!Day 14 Bombay
Morning visit the Jain Temple, Prince of Wales Museum, the largest Fine Art Museum in India, and Gandhi House. Afternoon, join Bombay Heritage Walking Club (art & architecture students /professionals). They organise a 2 hr. walk through the old part of Bombay. This walk is subject to a minimum of 10 participants. In case there are less than 10, our local guide will take you for this walk.
Morning: Guided heritage walking tour of Girgaon, an interesting part of Mumbai social fabric, part of the old urbanised Bombay. Girgaon is divided into Wadis. These sub-divisional hamlets are signs of local urban Indian town planning. Wadi’s, or hamlets are distinguished by low rise and high density housing with unique architectural and cultural nuances. Most wadis are organized on the basis of religion or caste. Bhangwadi, Popatwadi, Dabholkarwadi and Khotachiwadi are some of the wadis scattered over Mumbai. They still retain much of their traditional architecture that informs daily life patterns. Visit Khotachiwadi--walk in the narrow lanes transporting you to another world from the clutter of multi-storied buildings and the distant shadows of skyscrapers, to a goan village, with the architecture and buildings to suit. Khotachiwadis are organized along religion and caste. Each has marked Khotachiwadi with their distinct architectural style, festivals, colours and dress. The synthesis of their cultural and architectural traditions is evident in the corner temple, 19th century bungalows painted yellow and blue and in the curling staircases and sloping roofs with Mangalore tiles.Fly Bombay-Aurangabad IC 887 (1540 /1625) Hotel Taj Residency or Jass. (B) Aurangabad is a convenient base for organising visits to the famous rock-cut temples of Ajanta & Ellora. The most notable feature of these cave temples is that entire hillsides were cut away with the artisan's chisel to produce some of the world's most exquisite sculpture.
Day 16 Ajanta - Hotel Taj Residency or Jass (B)
A full day excursion to the caves at Ajanta which date from 200 BC to 650 AD. The 29 caves or vihararas (monasteries) are remarkable for the quality of their murals which relate the life story of Buddha and reveals the life and culture of the people, royal court settings, family life, street scenes and superb studies of birds and animals. In some of the caves the murals relate to the Buddha's previous births, showing the progress of the soul.
The Buddhist, Jain and Hindu caves at Ellora, noted for their sculptures, are considered to be the finest in India and date between 600 and 1100 AD. The landmark of this collection of rock cut sculptures is the magnificent Kailasanatha Temple, the only building that was begun from the top and is a tribute to the imagination and craftsmanship of those who conceived and built this masterpiece. It is the most extraordinary free standing monolithic temple (there are only two of these in India), with unique carvings of the Ramayana and Vishnupurana. You will spend the morning visiting the most outstanding of the 34 cave temples in the area. VAlso visit sites in Aurangabad, time permitting.Fly to Bombay Jet Air 9W 3110 dep 1955 /arr 2055 and transfer to international airport for flight home or continue with us on our South India Journey.
Group Size:
Minimum of 4; Maximum of 16 people
Prices:October 2009 Tour: $4945 based on min 7 people; single room: $1830
Plus Airfares (Subject to Change) Delhi - Khajuraho $201, Udaipur - Bombay $173, Bombay - Aurangabad - Bombay $272+ $30 serv fee
Includes:
- Accompanying escort ( min 4 people)
- Accommodations (dble occupancy)
- All entrance fees to monuments
- Land transportation by ac bus
- Train ticket in A/C chair car from Jhansi to Agra by Shatbadi Express
- Daily breakfast & oher meals as mentioned in itinerary
- Special lunch at Maharani Bagh (Mango Orchard of the Maharaja of Jodhpur)
- Special dinners/programs
- Special presentations
Does Not Include
- International flight
- Airport departure taxes
- Trip cancellation/travel insurance
- Tips
- Any expenses of a personal nature such as phone, laundry, drinks
International Flight
We offer discounted consolidator tickets.
Extensions
We offer extensions to South India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia & Tibet. Please inquire!
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all text & photos © 1997-present, Barbara Sansone