Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport in Delhi. Transfer to your hotel. Relax.

DELHI, the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite culture of an ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope - that is India.

Overnight will be at Delhi.

Day 2 Delhi:

Start a full-day tour of Old and New Delhi after breakfast.

OLD DELHI - A sightseeing tour of Old Delhi would entail visiting the Raj Ghat - the memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated; Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India and the Red Fort - once the most opulent fort and palace of the Moghul Empire.

Enjoy a Cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to Chandni Chowk.

NEW DELHI - An extensive sightseeing tour of New Delhi would include a visit to the Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar, a drive along the ceremonial avenue - Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament House, the President's Residence and the Lotus Temple and would end with a drive through the Diplomatic Enclave.

Spend night at Delhi.

Day 3 Delhi - Jaipur:
By Road
260 Kms/6 hr

Proceed to Jaipur after breakfast. Reach by noon.

JAIPUR - The origins of the beautiful city of Jaipur can be traced back to the eighteenth century, during the reign of Jai Singh II who ascended the Amber throne in 1699. Jaipur today, epitomizes the spirit of Rajputana. In-spite of growing into a bustling metropolis, it still retains its character and history - Beautiful fusion of the yesteryears and modernity. It is popularly known as the Pink City because of the extensive use of the locally abundant pink plastered stone, painted so in honor of the visit of the royal consort of Queen Victoria. Jaipur thrills the soul with its massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and lush gardens.

Visit the markets of Jaipur and proceed to Choki Dani Village for dinner. Overnight will be at Jaipur.

Day 4 Jaipur:

Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed for morning excursion to Amber Fort. Elephant ride ascent to the fort.

AMBER FORT PALACE - Amber is the classic romantic Rajasthani fort palace. Man Singh I in 1592 started the construction. It was completed by his descendent - Jai Singh I. Its forbidding exterior belies an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its ultimate expression.

Continue city sightseeing.

CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditionalRajasthani architecture, the City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the area in the walled city. It houses the Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and the City Palace Museum.

JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the best preserved of the five observatories built by Jai Singh II in different parts of the country. This observatory consisting of outsized astronomical instruments is still in use.

HAWA MAHAL - The ornamental facade of this "Palace of Winds" is a prominent landmark in Jaipur. It is a five-storey structure of sandstone plastered pink encrusted with fine trelliswork and elaborate balconies. The palace has 953 niches and windows. Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh, the Mahal was a royal grandstand for the palace women.

Relax in the evening. Overnight will be at Jaipur.

Day 5 Jaipur - Ranthambhore:
By road
175 km in 4 hr

Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed to Ranthambhore.

Reach and transfer to the resort. Evening free at the resort and you can relax or watch some slides on the tiger.

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas, is a unique example of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously in the vast, arid and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers from Sawai Madhopur. Get in tune with nature for a luxury holiday in the heart of the jungle.

It spreads over a highly undulating topography varying from gentle to steep slopes; from flat topped hills of the Vindhyas to the conical hillocks and sharp ridges of the Aravalis, from wide and flat valleys to narrow rocky gorges. An important geological feature the 'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhya plateaus meet the Aravali hill Ranges, meanders through the Reserve. The National Park is bound by the rivers Chambal in the south and Banas in the north. Tiger, at the apex of the food chain, lord over the kingdom in a subtle way. Solitary by nature, it operates in stealth. Therefore tiger sightings, frequent as they are, are always a matter of chance. However, even evidences of tiger's activities are very exciting.

Proceed for evening tiger safari into the park. Dinner will be served at the resort and relax for the night at resort.

Day 6 Ranthambore:

Wake up early morning and leave for your safari into the National Park. Track the tigers and other wildlife through the morning. Return to the resort / lodge by 1000 in the morning and have breakfast.

Freshen up and either spend time at the pool or visit the town. You could also go for a nice visit to the temple on top of the fort.

In the afternoon have lunch and then leave again for you afternoon safari. The safari will be till evening 1700 - 1800 hr and then return to the resort / lodge.

Dinner will be at the resort and retire early for the night. Overnight will be at Ranthambhore.

Day 7 Ranthambhore - Agra:
By road
225 km in 6 hr

Drive to Fatehpur Sikri after breakfast.

The deserted, red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital and palace in the late 16th century is an exhilarating experience. It a veritable fairytale city and its "ruins" are in pristine condition ... it's not hard to imagine what the court life must have been like in the days of its grandeur. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza, the largest gateway in the world.

Continue drive after sightseeing to Agra. Reach and check in at hotel.

AGRA: Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed the little village of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire - giving it the name Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor to Agra is caught up in a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys and quaint buggies, and that irresistible charm that this favorite city of the Mughals still retains. It is not surprising, that modern Agra still reflects its Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of the city will introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.

Overnight will be at Agra.

Day 8 Agra - Umaria - Bandhavgarh:
By overnight train at 1515 hr

After breakfast proceed to visit Taj. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj.

TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which is always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen.

Proceed for sightseeing to the AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the picture perfect Pearl Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction.

Visit Itmadullah's Tomb built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father (The interiors of which are considered better than the Taj).

Take train to UMARIA. Overnight would be onboard the train.

Day 9 Bandhavgarh:
Arrive early in the morning

Reach Bandavgarh and check in at hotel.

Bandavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history.Set among the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a wide variety of habitats and a high density of game, including a large number of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951. This white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja of Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh had long been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. The Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914.

There are 32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort at its center. The fort's cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet (300 meters) above the surrounding countryside. Winter temperatures (Nov-mid-February) vary from almost freezing at night to around 68 degree Fahrenheit in the daytime. Summer nights are also cooler than the daytime temperatures, which rise to 104 degree Fahrenheit. Bandavgarh is justifiably famous for its Tigers, but it has a wide range of other game.

Check in at the resort and spend whole day in tiger and wildlife tracking. All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be at Bandavgarh.

Day 10 Bandhavgarh:

Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris)

Trip to the Bandavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored. Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide. Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside. The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permissionis required to visit it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandavgarh is complete without making an effort to climb up the fort. The staff of the resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating the trek to the fort.

All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be at the resort.

Day 11 Bandhavgarh:

Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris) All meals will be in the resort. Overnight will be in Bandavgarh.

Day 12 Bandhavgarh - Umaria - Delhi:
By overnight train at 1600 hr

Spend the morning at the National Park and breakfast will be at the resort.

Proceed to the station after lunch for train to Delhi.

Overnight will be in the train.

Day 13 Delhi - Rishikesh:
By Road
250 km in 6 hr

Reach Delhi in the morning and after freshening up leave for Rishikesh by surface.

Rishikesh is just 45 minutes from Haridwar and a well known place for RIVER RAFTING, ASHRAMS, YOGA & MEDITATION.

Rishikesh represents the Gateway to the Himalayas in the Tehri-Garhwal region of Uttar Pradesh. It abounds in natural splendor. The spectacle of the Ganga rushing through the Himalayan foothills is an awesome sight. Several temples dot the banks of the Ganga at Rishikesh. Rishikesh is located at a height of about 1360 feet above the sea level. It is believed that several yogis and sages lived and practiced penance here. Rishikesh represents the site where Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu.

Tapovan on the other bank of the Ganges houses a temple to Lakshmana. It is believed that Lakshmana carried out penances here. It is also believed that his brother Bharata meditated here, and there is a temple to Bharata here. Also seen here are the Swargashram and the Geeta Bhavan temples.

The Lakshman Jhula, a 450 feet long suspension bridge was built in 1939. A newer bridge the Ram Jhula has been added recently. The Ganga abounds in fish. Offerings of puffed rice are made to these creatures. The freshness of the air, and the sound of flowing water, the scenic beauty of the region and the distant sound of bell chimes create an unforgettable experience for those that visit this ancient pilgrimage town. 12 km away from Rishikesh is located the Nilkanth Mahadeo temple at a height of about 5000 feet, commanding spectacular views of the region.

Stay in Rishikesh and visit the ASHRAMS and enjoy the River Ganges.

Overnight will be at riverbank camp in Rishikesh.

Day 14 Rishikesh:

Spend the whole day rafting in the white waters of Ganges. All meals will be in the camp.

Overnight will be in the camp.

Day 15 Rishikesh - Delhi:
By Road
250 km in 6 hr

Proceed to Haridwar after breakfast.

Haridwar located in the foothills of the Himalayas, represents the point where the Ganga reaches the plains. Haridwar is an ancient pilgrimage site, held in reverence for centuries. The Chinese pilgrim Hyuen Tsang who visited India in the first millennium CE, describes Haridwar as Mayura, on the eastern banks of the Ganges. Several temples and ashrams dot this town and a visit to Haridwar is like stepping in a totally different world. Legend has it that Bhagiratha brought the Ganges into the earth and into this point where his ancestors were burnt to ashes by the curse of the sage Kapila. Kapilastaan, a spot in Haridwar is pointed to as Kapila's hermitage. Haridwar was once known as Gangadwara.

Continue drive to Delhi and reach by evening.

Enjoy the farewell dinner and share your experiences. Proceed to airport for connecting flight home.