Encounters Travel

Taj to Varanasi Tour - 12 Days

New Delhi 1 week 5 days

This India tour starts in the capital city, Delhi, with tours of both the old and new sides of this bustling city, now home to over 18 million people. We then head south into the arid state of Rajasthan, home to impressive forts and palaces, colourful saris and jewellery, and fascinating Indian history. We'll visit the Amber Fort, City Palace and the Jantar Mantar Observatory in the 'Pink City' of Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan, as well as exploring its famous craft and produce markets. Our next stop is the small and remote village of Tordi where we stay in a converted palace and explore the village and surroundings, getting a real feel for rural Indian life. We turn east next and drive via the huge Chand Baori stepwell at Abanheri to Keoladeo National Park where we'll take a guided cycle rickshaw ride to see the huge variety of birdlife and other wildlife there. A tour of the eerily well preserved and deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri is next en-route to Agra, home to the incomparable Taj Mahal. We continue more off the beaten track by taking a Mughal Heritage Walk with a local villager through farmland and homesteads on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River to the Taj Mahal. We'll see the Taj Mahal close up at sunrise. A further tour of Agra Fort and some less visited parts of the city follows before we take to India's famous railway network for an overnight sleeper train journey to Varanasi. While in Varanasi, we'll take an early morning boat trip on the river, take part in an evening Aarti ceremony giving candlelit offerings to the river, enjoy a home-cooked meal with a muslim family, explore a weavers village famous for making some of the best saris in the whole of India, and visit Sarnath, where the Lord Buddha preached his first sermon. Another sleeper train journey then takes us back to Delhi to finish the India tour. Accommodation is in a mix of comfortable mid-range modern-style hotels and heritage hotels converted from Havelis and Palaces.

Highlights

Old and New Delhi Pink City of Jaipur Tordi Garh Abhaneri step well Keoladeo National Park Fatehpur Sikri Taj Mahal at sunrise Agra Fort River Ganges at Varanasi Buddhist site at Sarnath

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Delhi, hotel transfer included Your tour starts in the capital city of Delhi. One of our local staff members will be waiting to greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. You'll have some time to settle in, before we run you through the tour itinerary, introduce you to the local area and discuss a time to collect you tomorrow. Day 2: Exploring India's capital & its street food cuisine Today we'll make our way to the city of New Delhi, nestled on the banks of the Yamuna River. New Delhi was announced as India's new capital in 2012, taking the title from Calcutta. Our tour of New Delhi begins at a 42-metre high archway known as India Gate, often compared to Paris's Arc de Triomphe. Since New Delhi is the home of India's government, we'll explore its buildings, such as the Parliament of India and the President's Palace. We'll also pass the Humayun's Tomb and the Bangla Sahab Gurudwara Sikh Temple, a Sikh house of worship, known for its pool inside its complex called the 'Sarovar'. You'll then go to Connaught Place Station to board a metro train to Old Delhi, where we'll explore the busy market of Chandni Chowk and the Chawri Bazar, renowned for its paper, copper and brass creations. Once afternoon comes around, your guide will take you on a street food journey where you'll eat like a local, trying all the unique snacks and delicacies - a great introduction to Indian cuisine. Once you're full, you'll hop into to a rickshaw to explore Old Delhi a little more, before stopping to view the Jama Masjid Mosque, one of the largest mosques in India. Day 3: Jaipur and a visit to Amber Fort Your next stop on your Incredible India tour is the 'Pink City' of Jaipur - the largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. You'll visit Amber Fort, an ancient sandstone fortress built in the 16th century atop a hill to commemorate the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber. Take in its beautiful architecture and rich history, as you explore its massive fortress walls and its marble palace. You'll then go for a Lassi tasting, a rich-tasting yogurt drink often flavored with ground and roasted cumin. It's the perfect pairing with spicy foods and is made in two ways - either sweet or salty. After an action-packed day, you'll check into your hotel for the night. You have an option to head out this evening to watch a Bollywood movie at the Raj Mandir cinema. Day 4: Exploring the city of Jaipur Today, you have an early morning option of flying above Jaipur in a hot air balloon, giving you a bird's eye view of the Pink City's beautiful architecture. If you decided to sleep in, your day starts with a tour of Jaipur, exploring its top attractions such as the unique Jantar Mantar monument - the biggest astronomical observatory in India, built in 1724 by Raja Jai Singh II. We'll also visit the courtyards and manicured gardens of the City Palace - which was once the royal seat of the King of Jaipur and the leader of the Kachwaha Rajput clan. You'll have lunch, before exploring we head out into the city to witness Jaipur's popular craft markets. Here, we'll watch craftsmen such as jewellers, silversmiths and bangle-makers do what they do best, creating all sorts of unique items that the locals love. We'll also make our way to its busy fruit, vegetable and spice markets. Day 5: A village experience at Tordi, optional activities available Today, you'll explore the rural Rajasthan village of Tordi, which was built in the 16th century by Th. Akhey Singh, a descendant of the Khangar Singh, who overthrew the regional chief and built a hilltop fortress here. Its ruins can still be seen today. The family still lives in the palace and in a fort built on the plains below. We'll stay in a wing of the palace that has been customised for guests. We'll then explore the village, engaging with the locals as we visit a temple, a school, and a potter's house. You can also choose to do some optional activities, such as camel cart riding, a jeep safari to a 300-year-old step well, a visit to a shepherds village, watch the sun go down at the Tordi Sagar Dam or if you're looking to do something more strenuous, a hike to the 400-year old Tordi Fort for snacks and drinks. Horse riding and henna hand art activities are also available. Day 6: A guided cycle rickshaw ride and the world's largest step well Say goodbye to Tordi as we make our way to Bharatpur to visit the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, one of the best birdwatching locations in India. On our way, we'll stop at the Abhaneri step well, which has 3,500 steps and is 13 stories deep, making it the largest and deepest step well on the planet. Once you arrive, you'll check into your accommodation before going on a guided cycle rickshaw ride through Keoladeo, which was once a duck hunting reserve but has since become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with over 360 species of birds calling this sanctuary home. Keoladeo is also a stopover for the birds who partake in the Central Asian migration, especially for wintering water birds and the endangered Siberian Crane and its huge heronry which in good years can host more than 20,000 nesting birds of various species. The national park is also home to other wildlife such as wild boar, black buck, sambar, chital, mongoose, porcupine, several different wild cats, and some huge pythons. Day 7: The first view of the Taj Mahal Today we'll make our way to the ancient city of Agra - the home of the most famous mausoleum on the planet - the Taj Mahal. Agra was once the capital of the Mughal between 1572 and 1585 and is the only Indian city to have three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Once you've checked into your hotel and settled it, your afternoon will be spent exploring the Mughal Heritage Walk through the ancient village of Kachhpura and surrounding farmland on the banks of the Yamuna River, which will provide you with spectacular views of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. The Mughal Heritage walk was designed by a non-governmental organization who provides employment and new infrastructure to the locals. You'll also be given a tour of the village life and the homes of the locals who live here as well as getting a unique insight into the local cottage industry for leather shoe making which helps Agra export shoes all over the world. You'll also visit some of the lesser known, but still important Mughal Era Monuments. As the day comes to an end, we'll visit the Mehtab Bagh Park, which one of 11 parks created by Emperor Babur on the east banks of the Yamuna River, before taking in the spectacular sight of the Taj Mahal at sunset. This evening you have an option to join a Hindu family for a vegetarian Thali cooking lesson and meal tonight before settling in at your hotel for the night. Day 8: A Taj Mahal sunrise and a rickshaw tour, train to Varanasi Today we'll start early to witness one of the wonders of the world at sunrise - the Taj Mahal. Created by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan over the period of 22 years, witnessing the magnificence of the Taj Mahal at sunrise is spectacular. As the light changes gradually, so does the colour of the Taj Mahal. We'll then have breakfast before visiting the Agra Fort - a huge complex which was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty till 1638 before the capital was moved from Agra to Delhi. The Agra Fort is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As the afternoon comes around, we'll continue to explore Agra, this time from the back of an electric rickshaw, enjoying the incredible culture and cuisine that the city has to offer. This tour gives you an authentic view of Agra, taking you to its old bazaars, traditional eateries and its places of worship. We'll start at the gurdwara near the Taj Mahal, before visiting Dara Shikoh's library, Mirza Ghalib's birthplace, the home of the Radhasoami faith, the ancient Manka Meshwar Temple, the Jama Masjid as well as Asia's oldest convent, St. Patrick's Junior College. We'll also pass the busy Johri Bazar, the paan mandi, the petha mandi and the chaat-pakori street of Seth Gali. After an action-packed afternoon, a day-use room is available for you to freshen up before we transfer to the station to board an overnight train to Varanasi, the next stop on our Indian adventure. Day 9: Exploring the villages of Varanasi Once we arrive in Varanasi, we'll have a tasty breakfast, before making our way to visit the Sarai Mohana Weavers Village. Sarai Mohana is famous for its silk weaving and most of the locals here are involved in the craft. The Banarasi sarees made by these waivers are among the finest and most expensive saris in the whole of India. We'll also visit Chiraigaon Village, famous for its pickles, jams and guavas. As night falls, we head to the holy Ganges River for the evening Aarti ceremony, a devotional Hindu ritual which involves numerous small candles being lit inside cups made from leaves and flowers and floated down the river. Varanasi is one of India's holiest cities and we get our first taste here of how important the city and the Ganges River is to the country's Hindu population. Day 10: A boat trip on the Ganges and a Brahaman family lunch Our second day in Varanasi starts with an early morning boat ride along the Ganges River, as we explore the city. The Ganges is a constant hive of activity throughout the day, as hordes of people come to pray and immerse themselves in its spiritually cleansing waters. The city is also considered an extremely auspicious place to die, and many people come to Varanasi to spend their final days. We'll see many funeral pyres on the ghats at the edge of the river as we pass by on the water. We'll then go on a walking tour of the city, exploring its medieval streets, intricate temples and busy markets, abuzz with the general cacophony of Indian life. After exploring the old city, we'll make our way to a local Hindu Brahaman family, which has 14 members living under one roof. Here, we'll be given a cooking master class of Indian cuisine, before having lunch with the family. This afternoon we take the short trip to the ancient Buddhist site at Sarnath where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after becoming enlightened. In the evening we transfer to the train station to catch another overnight sleeper train to Delhi (approx. 12 1/2 hrs). If you prefer, you can spend an extra night in the hotel in Varanasi and fly to Delhi tomorrow morning instead. Day 11: Arrive in Delhi, free time You arrive in Delhi this morning where we meet you and transfer you to your hotel for breakfast. The rest of the day is free to do as you please. A range of half-day tour options are available to pre-book, or you can just do some final shopping or sightseeing independently. Day 12: Bon voyage, airport transfer included You have some free time in Delhi this morning until we transfer you to the airport in plenty of time for your flight home. You could also consider adding to go on safari looking for tigers in Ranthambore National Park, or head to the beach at Goa for some sun, sea and relaxation, Indian style

Includes

11 nights accommodation: Delhi Hotel (3 nights), Jaipur Hotel (2 nights), Tordi Garh Hotel (1 night), Hotel next to Keoladeo National Park (1 night), Agra Hotel (1 night), Overnight sleeper train to Varanasi (1 night), Varanasi Hotel (1 night), Overnight sleeper train to Delhi (1 night) All transport and transfers 24 hour airport arrival & departure transfer service Services of a local tour leader throughout Meals: 11 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

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