India Heritage Tours with Taj Mahal
¤ India Heritage Tours with Taj Mahal
Duration : 17 Nights / 18 Days
Destinations Covered : Delhi - Mandawa - Shekhawati -
Bikaner - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Ranakpur - Udaipur - Kota - Chittaurgarh -
Pushkar - Bundi - Jaipur - Agra - Delhi
Day - 1 -- » Arrival
Departure from home country.
Day - 2 -- » Delhi

Arrive
Delhi. Transfer to hotel. Morning tour of Delhi. Visit Raj Ghat and Shanti
Vana - the cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Jama
Masjid and drive past Red Fort and Chandni Chowk.
Afternoon visit Qutub Minar built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibek in 1199, Humayun's
Tomb, India Gate (War Memorial Arch ), Lakshminarayan Temple - a modern
Hindu Temple. Also drive past President's House, Parliament House,
Government Secretariat Buildings & Connaught Place shopping centre.
Overnight Delhi.
Day - 3 -- » Mandawa
Drive to Mandawa. Rest of the day visit the Shekhavati villages of Dundlod,
Mandawa, etc. Mandawa was founded in 1755 by Thakur Nawal Singh and is still
the home of his descendants. Mandawa houses a collection of armories,
costumes of ancestors, canons from 1820, ancient coins, numismatic
collection and many other interesting items preserved in a museum. The whole
area of Shekhavati has beautiful frescoes, havelis & mansions and is
called the open air gallery. Overnight Mandawa.
Day - 4 -- » Shekhawati
Continue with the visits of Shekhawati. Overnight Mandawa.
Day - 5 -- » Bikaner
Drive to Bikaner. Afternoon tour of this desert city. Bikaner is bolstered
by imposing walls and has a 16th century fort housing old palaces, temples
and a mosque. Founded by Raja Rai Singh, the fort is distinguished by its
long range of 37 pavilions, a line of balconies and aerial windows of
varying designs. An enormous arched doorway leads to the Joramal Temple. The
royal chapel is Har Mandir where royal weddings and births were once
celebrated. Overnight Bikaner.
Day - 6 -- » Jaisalmer
Drive to Jaisalmer. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight Jaisalmer.
Day - 7 -- » Jaisalmer
Morning visit Jaisalmer. Visit the Fort, bazzars and the old mansions known
as "havelis". People still live in these ancient buildings dating
from 12th to 15th century. Every house has exquisite carvings and filigreed
work. Overnight Jaisalmer.
Day
- 8 -- » Jodhpur
Morning drive to Jodhpur. Afternoon visit the Meharangarh Fort, situated on
a low sandstone Hill, including Moti-Mahal and Phool Mahal. Also visit
Jaswant Thada, an imposing Marble Memorium built in 1899 and the museum
located in the Umaid Public Gardens. Overnight Jodhpur.
Day - 9 -- » Ranakpur
Morning drive to Ranakpur Temples. Ranakpur - 98 kms from Udaipur, the Jain
Temples built in the 15th century are situated in the lovely valley of the
Aravali. Its surrounding is quiet & picturesque. Ranakpur has grand
structures & beautiful sculpture. There are 1444 pillars in the temple
and none of them are similar. The magic of light & shade is really awe
inspiring. Surya Temple and other Jain Temples are side attractions.
Overnight Ranakpur.
Day - 10 -- » Udaipur
Drive to Udaipur. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight Udaipur.
Day - 11 -- » Udaipur
Morning tour of Udaipur. Visit the city palace, Jagdish Temple, drive
around Fatehsagar Lake, Sahelion ki bari (Queen's resort for her friends)
and Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandir (Folk art museum). Afternoon free. Overnight
Udaipur.
Day - 12 -- » Kota - Chittaurgarh
Morning drive to Kota visiting Chittaurgarh enroute. 113 kms. from Udaipur,
the Fort of Chittor was originally built by mighty Bhim, one of the Pandava
heroes of Mahabharata. Also visit the Vijay Stambh with nine storeys and 37
mts high built by Maharana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over the muslim
rulers of Malwa and Gujarat in 1440. Kirti Stambh, the Tower of fame 22
meters high is covered with figures from Jain Pantheon. Overnight Kota.
Day - 13 -- » Pushkar - Bundi
Morning drive to Pushkar visiting Bundi enroute. Bundi rises from a narrow
gorge in rows of terraced gardens & arched Rajput houses like a two
dimensional miniature painting imposed on the landscape. Visit the palace
with its intricate spy-holes, secret trap doors and under ground passages.
Also see the spectacularly ingenious water supply system. Afternoon visit
the Tomb of the Sufi Saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, the Dargah Sharif. The
city was founded by the Chauhan ruler, Aiaipal, during the 11th century &
is dominated by the Taragarh Fort built by Prithviraj Chauhan. In Pushkar,
visit the holy Lake and also the famous Brahma Temple. Pushkar is one of the
holiest places for Hindus. Overnight Pushkar.
Day
- 14 -- » Jaipur
Morning drive to Jaipur. Afternoon tour of Jaipur. Jaipur Rajasthan was
given a colour coat of pink a century ago in honour of a visiting Prince.
Built by Maharaja Jai Singh, the notable astronomer, this city is 260 years
old. Visit Maharaja's City Palace, the Observatory & Ram Niwas Gardens.
Drive past Hawa Mahal & through the pink rose residential & business
areas. Overnight Jaipur.
Day - 15 -- » Jaipur
Morning visit the Amber Fort - the ancient capital of the State. Visit the
Sheesh Mahal or the Hall of Victory glittering with mirrors. Ascend the Fort
on Elephant back. Afternoon free. Overnight Jaipur.
Day - 16 -- » Jaipur
Drive to Agra visiting Fatehpur Sikri enroute. Fatehpur Sikri is 40 kms
from Agra and built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and abandoned after 15 years
due to scarcity of water. See the graceful buildings including the Jama
Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal and other Palaces.
Afternoon visit the world famous Taj Mahal built by the Moghul Emperor
Shahjehan in 1630 for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains.
Later visit the Agra Fort containing the Pearl Mosque, the Halls of Public
and Private Audience. Also visit the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daullah built by
Empress Noorjehan in memory of her father. Overnight Agra.
Day - 17 -- » Delhi
Drive to Delhi. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight Delhi.
Day - 17 -- » Delhi Abroad
Morning transfer to airport.