Golden North India Tour

Duration : 18 Nights / 19 Days
Destinations Covered : Delhi -Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Sardarghar - Jaipur - Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi - Delhi

Day 01: Arrival & Welcome at Delhi Airport
Arrival in Delhi: Our services will start with a warm welcome at Delhi airport. After an introduction to your driver, drive to the pre-booked hotel and relax. Depending on the available time, you can explore a few places in Delhi as our car and driver will be available. Night stay in Delhi.

Day 02: Flight to Jaisalmer, sightseeing tour
This day starts with an early breakfast before our driver pick-up you from hotel around 07:30 am for a drive to Delhi domestic airport for your flight to Jaisalmer. On arrival in Jaisalmer, another company driver will receive you and drive to the pre-booked hotel. After some refreshment and lunch, start exploring Jaisalmer and visit some marvelous sandstone havelis like Patwon Ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli. PATWON KI HAVELI is one of the best carved and large haveli in Jaisalmer. The haveli is a five story building, although some part of the haveli has lost the old charm, still some paintings and mirror work can be seen on the walls.
SALIM SINGH KI HAVELI was built in the 18th century and high arched roof of the haveli is supported by carved brackets designed like a peacock. Some part of the haveli still occupied by the generations of the original family. NATHMAL JI KI HAVELI was built in the 19th century. It is said that haveli was build by two brothers and they start building it from 2 sides. Barring that, this is one of the best haveli in Jaisalmer. End your day with some great pictures at Bada Bagh (cenotaphs of Royal family of Jaisalmer) at the time of sunset and driver back to the hotel. Night stay in Jaisalmer.

Day 03: Jaisalmer tour and visit Desert Village Khuri/Sam
Start your day with relaxing breakfast and start exploring the desert city with Jaisalmer Fort. This is a 12th century fort and there is around 3000 inhabitant who lives inside this 850 years old Fort makes a special place to visit. Jaisalmer Fort also goes by the name of Sonar Fort (The Golden Fort because it's made of yellow sandstones). This fort is a World Heritage Site and a great example of craftsmanship with rich past and heritage. THE JAIN TEMPLES inside the Jaisalmer Fort are from the 12th and 15th centuries. The temples are dedicated to Jain hermits known as Tirthankars. Like other structures in the city, these temples are also made of yellow sandstones. GADISAR LAKE is also an important part of the Jaisalmer city tour which offers a great view of the fort from one side of the lake. There are some small temples and shrines around the lake and because of that, it is a pilgrimage place and tourist attraction also. Few more places deserve a mention are Amar Sagar Lake, ruined village Kuldhara, War Memorial etc.
At late afternoon hours, drive to visit the famous dunes of the Thar Desert at Khuri or Sam Village. There are a few different options to experience the safari at the desert here, the best possible way would be to do it by the ship of the desert, the camel. You can hire a 4x4 jeep also which will take you to the dunes as well as to the nearby small villages also. One primary attraction here is the cultural dinner which will include typical Rajasthani food, dance by local artists and folk music also. For a better experience, it is recommended to spend a night here in tented accommodation. Every tourist must experience desert safari during their visit to Jaisalmer.

Day 04: Drive to Jodhpur (4-5 hours drive). Sightseeing tour
Take breakfast and start driving to Jodhpur. Pokhran Fort is a good option for a quick visit on the way which is a great example of the Mughal and Rajputana architecture. There are a good museum and library also in the fort. On arrival in Jodhpur, check-in to the pre-booked hotel and take lunch. Later start exploring Jodhpur and visit majestic Mehrangarh Fort. Build in the 15th century, Mehrangarh Fort is the pride of Rajasthan and one of the largest fort in the state. Constructed by Rao Jodha, this magnificent and sturdy fortress overlooks the Blue City and guarded by a 9.5 km long wall bolstered with 101 bastions. The great writer, Rudyard Kipling, once described Mehrangarh fort as: “one of the grandest sights in India, the work of angels, fairies and giants”. Later visit Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum which is only some part of this grandeur building and this is the largest residence in the world. The museum displays pictures of the palace, artefacts of the Royal family, antique clock collection as well as vintage car collection also. Visit Mandore Garden and Mahamandir Temple also which is supported by 84 pillars displaying different postures of Yoga. Spend the evening hours at Clock Tower Bazaar and explore the old streets of Blue City (another name for Jodhpur because the colour of most houses in the old part of the city is blue) exploring the different markets in narrow streets like Indian sweets, spices, textiles, handicrafts, silver and vegetables. Later drive back to the hotel, night stay in Jodhpur.

Day 05: Drive to Udaipur (4-5 hours drive). Visit Ranakpur Temples on the way
Take your breakfast and start drive to Udaipur. You will be starting from Jodhpur around 09:30 am because stop on the way is Ranakpur Jain temples which shall open for the tourist at 12 pm. One optional visit one the way can be Kumbhalgarh Fort. KUMBHALGARH FORT is the only fort in India which was never won by any intruder and it has a perimeter wall of around 36 km (second longest after Wall on China). RANAKPUR JAIN TEMPLES are a unique architecture and vision of the artists. There are 1444 pillars in the temple and every pillar is individually carved so no 2 pillars look the same. The temples here are made of white marble and famous for a beautifully carved idol of Parshvanatha made out of a single marble slab. The idol has 1008 snakeheads and numerous tails. On arrival in Udaipur, check-in to pre-booked hotel (we recommend to book a hotel in old city part with a view of the Lake Pichola) and according to your preference, relax at the hotel or take a walk at colourful streets of the old city part. Night stay in Udaipur.

Day 06: Udaipur sightseeing tour
After breakfast visit Udaipur The "Lake City", which is a cool oasis in the dry heart of Rajasthan. It is probably the most romantic city in a state where every place has some romantic or exotic tale to tell. The huge City Palace towering over the Lake Pichola is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Though it is a conglomeration of buildings built by successive rulers, it manages to retain a surprising uniformity of design and affords a very fine view of the lake and the city from the upper terraces. If you need a place during your tour where you want to relax with laying down with a view to the lake and some beautiful scenery, this is a perfect choice. That why this city called 'VENICE OF INDIA'
Later visit Saheliyon ki Bari (Its a name given in Hindi, means Garden for queens), Jagdish Temple. At sunset time there are 2 options to do, you can enjoy boat ride at Lake Pichola to enjoy the beautiful and photogenic view of the Old City otherwise visit Monsoon Palace to have a panoramic view of the city from the top of the hill. Night stay in Udaipur.

Day 07: Udaipur tour and drive to Sardargarh (2 hours drive)
Udaipur is one of the best city in Rajasthan that’s why we recommend you to be at your own for some time here. So half of this day belongs to you. There been lots of driving during the tour so let’s keep some time free for you as you can walk in old city yourself, spend some time at the lake, do one more boat ride in lake Pichola, Have lunch at Ambrai Restaurant with amazing lake view. Around afternoon hours drive to Sardargarh. On arrival check-in to the Sardargarh Fort Hotel and relax at the hotel. This place is a luxury to stay with all suite rooms decorated in typical Rajasthani culture. So enjoy your stay overnight.

Day 08: Explore Sardargarh
Take a relaxing breakfast and explore the nearby areas of Sardargarh. One of the unique experience can be walking in the village. Experience the routine activities of the villagers and interact with the people (driver can join you to be a translator as people are not so good in English in the rural part of the Rajasthan). Sardargarh Fort itself is an extravagant creation by men of a bygone era. Like a great ship anchored at the sea, you can see the ramparts of the mystery filled Sardargarh. Manohar Sagar is also worthful to visit, the lake is filled with the natural water during monsoons. You will be mesmerized by the breath-taking view of the lake in the evening. Ride at a single gage local train is also a unique experience you can try here, this would be an adventure ride as the train will be crossing the old tunnels, visiting temples and feeding monkeys also. Night stay would be at the Sardargarh Hotel.

Take a relaxing breakfast and explore the nearby areas of Sardargarh. One of the unique experience can be walking in the village. Experience the routine activities of the villagers and interact with the people (driver can join you to be a translator as people are not so good in English in the rural part of the Rajasthan). Sardargarh Fort itself is an extravagant creation by men of a bygone era. Like a great ship anchored at the sea, you can see the ramparts of the mystery filled Sardargarh. Manohar Sagar is also worthful to visit, the lake is filled with the natural water during monsoons. You will be mesmerized by the breath-taking view of the lake in the evening. Ride at a single gage local train is also a unique experience you can try here, this would be an adventure ride as the train will be crossing the old tunnels, visiting temples and feeding monkeys also. Night stay would be at the Sardargarh Hotel.

Day 09: Drive to Jaipur (5-6 hours drive)
Take your breakfast and start driving to Jaipur. One of the good option to visit on the way can be Pushkar where you can visit the Brahma Temple (According to Hindu culture Lord Brahma is the creator of the human being and this is the only ancient temple for him in the world). Pushkar is also known as the “ King of the sacred places of the Hindus”. Spend some time at the temple and visit Holy Lake also. Keep driving to Jaipur and according to available time visit few places like tame some pictures at Albert Hall Museum, take a drive through government buildings of Jaipur like Vidhan Sabha, War Memorial, central secretariat etc. Later check-in to the hotel and relax overnight at the hotel. Night stay in Jaipur.

Day 10: Jaipur sightseeing tour
After early breakfast drive to visit Amber Fort (Elephant ride can be arranged here if you wish to do it, this will be around 20-25 minutes ride on the elephant back from the ground to Amber Fort. There are separate elephant villages also available if you want to spend some more time with elephants). Set in a picturesque location, Amber Fort is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture. The palace complex has some very interesting apartments. Jai Mandir, Sheesh Mahal, Sukh Niwas, Ganesh Pol and Temple of Kali are some of the prominent areas of interest. Enjoy a tour of Jaipur city which was built by Maharaja Jai Singh, the notable astronomer 260 years ago. Later visit Water Palace (not possible to go inside, need to take pictures from outside), City Palace (Museum) & Jantar-Mantar (the observatory), Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). At evening visit, one of the most famous and admired market in the world Johari bazaar, Choti chopper (famous for handicrafts, jewellery, stones etc.). Night stay in Jaipur.

Day 11: Drive to Agra (4-5 hours drive). Visit Abhaneri and Fatehpur Sikri on the way
Take breakfast and start drive to Agra. On the outer parts of Jaipur visit Monkey Temple (actual name of the place is Galta G Temple but it called Monkey Temple because of hundreds of monkeys here and they will be jumping around you like a friend, so don’t miss it, would be great fun). Visit Chand Bawri also at Abhaneri village also which is a great experience. Chand Baori consists of 3,500 narrow steps over 13 stories. It extends approximately 30 m (100 ft) into the ground making it one of the deepest and largest step-well in India). Before getting into Agra visit Fatehpur Sikri. Fatehpur Sikri was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1571. Important buildings here are Buland Darwaza, Shaikh Salim Chisti Tomb, Karkhanas (royal workshop), Palace of Jodha Bai, Khazana (treasury), Birbal’s house, Hall of public (Diwan-e-aam) etc. On arrival in Agra, check-in to the pre-booked hotel and relax overnight.

Day 12: Taj Mahal and other sightseeing of Agra
Start your day with the sunrise tour of Masterpiece, Taj Mahal. Words are not enough to describe the beauty of this 17th century white marble mausoleum. The word Taj Mahal itself means ‘Crown of the Palace’. Made by 20000 artisans in 22 years, the cost for this marvellous architecture be around 32 million rupees at that time which should be approx. $915 million nowadays. Taj Mahal was built by Mughal King Shahjahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal on the bank of river Yamuna. It was included in UNESCO World heritage sites in 1983. Taj Mahal is one of the most admired monument of the world’s heritage.
Later visit Red Fort (also known as Lal Qila) which was the residence of Mughal emperors in Agra. Constructed around mid of 16th century, this is one of the best Mughal Fort in India but overshadowed by Taj Mahal. Most of the part of Fort is built by Redstone under the rule of Akbar but there were additions inside by Shahjahan with his favourite building material, white marble. There was around 300 structure at one time inside the fort but only 20 left nowadays because of the much of them destroyed over the years by different attacks and by British people also who used the fort as Jail. Even today many parts of the Agra Fort is used by the Indian army and only a few parts are open. Some famous parts of the Fort inside are Sheesh Mahal, The Diwan-i-Aam (the court of the public), Mina Masjid, Diwan-i-Khas (A hall of private gatherings), Khas Mahal, The Anguri Bagh etc.
Other worthful places to visit are Sikandra which is the tomb of king Akbar and important Mughal architecture. It was built in 17th century by his son Jahangir and entire compound of the tomb has 119 acres of area. Itmad-ud-Daula (also called Baby Taj Mahal) also a good option. Queen Noor Jahan (Mother of Shahjahan) build this tomb in memory of her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg. The artwork (marble jail etc.) at Itmad-ud-Daula considered being delicate even more than Taj Mahal.
End your day with a visit to Mehtab Bagh Garden which is famous for a breath-taking view of the Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna. There are rumours of the platform of the Black Taj Mahal in this garden but that is just a myth because there is no strong evidence of such available. This would be enough for the day so drive back to the hotel and night stay in Agra.

Start your day with the sunrise tour of the Masterpiece, Taj Mahal. Words are not enough to describe the beauty of this 17th century white marble mausoleum. The word Taj Mahal itself means ‘Crown of the Palace’. Made by 20000 artisans in 22 years, the cost for this marvellous architecture be around 32 million rupees at that time which should be approx. $915 million nowadays. Taj Mahal was built by Mughal King Shahjahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal on the bank of river Yamuna. It was included in UNESCO World heritage sites in 1983. Taj Mahal is one of the most admired monument of the world’s heritage.
Later visit Red Fort (also known as Lal Qila) which was the residence of Mughal emperors in Agra. Constructed around mid of 16th century, this is one of the best Mughal Fort in India but overshadowed by Taj Mahal. Most of the part of Fort is built by Redstone under the rule of Akbar but there were additions inside by Shahjahan with his favourite building material, white marble. There was around 300 structure at one time inside the fort but only 20 left nowadays because of the much of them destroyed over the years by different attacks and by British people also who used the fort as Jail. Even today many parts of the Agra Fort is used by the Indian army and only a few parts are open. Some famous parts of the Fort inside are Sheesh Mahal, The Diwan-i-Aam (the court of the public), Mina Masjid, Diwan-i-Khas (A hall of private gatherings), Khas Mahal, The Anguri Bagh etc.
Other worthful places to visit are Sikandra which is the tomb of king Akbar and important Mughal architecture. It was built in 17th century by his son Jahangir and entire compound of the tomb has 119 acres of area. Itmad-ud-Daula (also called Baby Taj Mahal) also a good option. Queen Noor Jahan (Mother of Shahjahan) build this tomb in memory of her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg. The artwork (marble jail etc.) at Itmad-ud-Daula considered being delicate even more than Taj Mahal.
End your day with a visit to Mehtab Bagh Garden which is famous for a breath-taking view of the Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna. There are rumours of the platform of the Black Taj Mahal in this garden but that is just a myth because there is no strong evidence of such available. This would be enough for the day so drive back to the hotel and night stay in Agra.

Day 13: Train to Jhansi. Pick-up in Jhansi, visit Orchha and drive to Khajuraho
Take early breakfast and check-out from the hotel (around 08:30 am) as you will be taking a train to Jhansi (Gatimaan Express starting from Agra at 09:50 am) from Agra station today. This is the Fastest Train in India with comfortable siting of Chair Car, you will reach Jhansi by 12:35 pm. Jhansi is only 17-18 km away from Orchha so this train is a good option to shorten the driving time and do this unique experience of a train journey in India. Company representative and another driver will receive you in Jhansi and drive to Khajuraho (4-5 hours drive).
Orchha is a very good option for a short visit on the way drive to Khajuraho. This small town was built in the year 1501 by King Rudra Pratap Singh. Some of the main attractions in the city are Jahangir Mahal which is a great example of Indo-Islamic architecture style, was constructed by King Veer Singh Deo for the welcome for his friend Mughal King Jahangir’s first visit to Orchha. Another good structure is Raja Ram Temple which is unique because Lord Rama gets worshipped here for an ideal king, not as a god. The Chhatris around the Ghat of Betwa river are memorials for the rulers of Orchha. Orchha Fort complex is the main tourist attraction of Orchha. Raj Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, Rai Praveen Mahal and Sheesh Mahal are the parts of Fort complex. Later keep driving to Khajuraho and overnight relaxed at the hotel.

Day 14: Explore Temples in Khajuraho
The Temples in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Khajuraho, are India’s unique gift to the world. These temples were built by the Chandela Dynasty in the period of 100 years from 950-1050 AD. From 85 temples at the beginning, only 22 have managed to survive till date. These temples depict various forms like meditation, spiritual teachings, kinship, wrestling, royalty and most significantly, erotic art. The temples consist of stunning displays of fine sculptures and exceptional architectural skill. Based on their geographical location, the temples are categorised into three groups: Eastern, Western and Southern. Beautiful, intricate and expressive, the sculptures of the Khajuraho temples will leave you in awe and wonder.
Western Group of Temples: The main temples of Khajuraho are in the western group. Kandariya Mahadev is one of the best and largest temple with around 800 sculptures carved on the interior and outer walls. Erotic sculptures are carved on northern and southern façade along with other themes like acrobats, musicians, warriors and hunters, dancers etc. Other temples in this group are Lakshmana Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Chaunsath Yogini Temple and Vishwanath Temple.
Eastern Group of Temples: Parsvanath Temple is the most impressive and the largest among all Jain temples in Khajuraho. The Parsvanath image was installed here in 1860 and sculptures on the northern outer wall are particularly worth seeing. Other temples in this group are Ghantai Temple, Adinath and Shantinath Temple.
Southern Group of Temples: This is the smallest group of temples in Khajuraho with Dulhadeo and Chaturbhuj Temple. Dulhadeo is yet another abode for Lord Shiva. The striking feature in this temple is the beautifully sculpted forms of apsara and other ornamented figures that line up the tired walls, from base to shikhara. Chaturbhuj Temple of Lord Vishnu holds the most imposing and intricately carved, four armed (Chatur Bhuj) Vishnu idol. It is believed to be brought specially from Tibet, by the king who built the temple.

Day 15: Flight to Varanasi. Experience Aarti ceremony at The river Ganges
Start this day with an easy breakfast and relaxing at the hotel. There will be some time available if you would like to walk around the city. Later drive to the airport to catch a flight to Varanasi. Our local representative and driver will receive you in Varanasi. With some brief introduction drive to the hotel. Check-in and relax at the hotel for a couple of hours. Later walk to the Ghats and experience the different ritual activities at the river. We recommend to have a boat tour to experience the Ghat activities in a better way and you will get the best picture-perfect also from the boat. There are around 90 Ghats in Varanasi but most well known are 2 Ghats, Manikarnika Ghat where Hindus do the last rites of the deceased. view another one is Dashashwamedh Ghat which is the place for the evening aarti. The grand Aarti ceremony performed by several priests on the banks of River Ganges. You will get to hear the majestic blended sound of Sanskrit mantras, drums, bells and cymbals. The aarti will take 45-60 minutes and end with diyas floating in the river. Walk/drive back to the hotel (depend on the location of the hotel) and night stay in Varanasi.

Day 16: Varanasi sightseeing tour
For Hindus, Varanasi is the greatest Pilgrimage between Heaven and earth. According to Hindu culture, a bath in the water of Ganges is good enough to clean the sins of thousands of past rebirths. Five centuries older than Christ, The city finds mention in the great epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. It was already an old city when Rome was founded. According to Hindu belief, Banaras or Varanasi as it is known is the cosmic centre of the Universe. The renowned American novelist Mark Twain once wrote, "Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." Start Varanasi tour with Banaras Hindu University which is the centre for the education of Sanskrit, culture, music, and Indian art. The largest residential University in Asia covers the area of 2000 acres. Later visit Bharat Mata Temple (Temple of Mother India) which don’t have any ideal of God or Goddesses, though it has a map of Independent India. This temple was inaugurated by Mr Mahatma Gandhi. Visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple which is one of the oldest Temple in India dedicated to Lord Shiva. Later visit Sarnath the sacred city for the Buddhist all over the world. It was here that Lord Buddha preached his first sermon to his first five disciples. Also worth visiting is the museum with artefacts dating back to 3rd century BC. Visit the nearby ruins of the ancient seat of learning in Sarnath. This would be enough for the day so drive back to the hotel, the night stay in Varanasi.

Day 17: Flight to Delhi. Evening free for relax
Early in the morning at the time of sunrise, we take you to banks of the river Ganges where we board a boat to see the morning ablutions of the Hindus from these curity of our boat. The boat ride starts from Dasashwamedh Ghat and ends at Manikarnika Ghat along the sacred Ganges, there are several Ghats at the river bank named after kings/queens/cities like Harishchandra Ghat, Tulsi Ghat, Jain Ghat, Ganga Mahal Ghat, Assi Ghat, Rewa Ghat and many more. Get back to the hotel to take breakfast. Relax for a couple of hours and check-out from the hotel to drive to the airport to take a flight to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, our company representative and driver will receive you and drive to the hotel. Rest of the day will be free to relax at the hotel. Night stay in Delhi.

Day 18: Delhi sightseeing tour
Delhi- The capital of India, is a cosmopolitan city with a historic old Delhi and the modern New Delhi. From historical monuments to modern shopping malls, from an extensive network of the modern-day Metro system to peddled Rickshaws, Delhi has various personalities and is considered to be the city with a heart. Start your tour with Jama Mosque - Mughal emperor Shah Jahan got the Jama Masjid built between 1644 and 1656 on a massive budget. The mosque still has three huge entry gates standing since 1656.
Chandni Chowk Market - One of the oldest markets in Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk is still an important historical site renowned for the availability of every kind of goods as well as food. It was Constructed in the 17th century by Mughal ruler of India Shah Jahan. It is situated opposite the Red Fort. The Red Fort was the official seat of Mughal rule and authority from 1648 onwards, when the 5th Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, decided to move the capital of the empire from Agra to Delhi. Constructed using red sandstone, it remains one of the architectural marvels of the Mughal era. In 2007, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
India Gate - The All India War Memorial, popularly known as the India Gate, is a war memorial located in New Delhi. It is dedicated to the 82,000 soldiers, both Indian and British, who died during the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Humayun’s Tomb - This is the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site declared in 1993. The tomb was custom-built by Humayun's son Akbar during 1569-70.
Lotus Temple - Commonly known as Lotus temple, it is a Baha'i Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open to all, regardless of religion, or any other distinction. Qutab Minar - At a height of 234 feet, this minaret is the tallest individual tower in the world and is a perfect display of Mughal architectural brilliance.

Day 19: Delhi tour and airport drop
According to the timing of your flight, visit few more places in Delhi like Akshardham Temple which is the largest Hindu temple in the world, visit Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (The Sikh temple) to experience that how can a place feed people 24 hours with some religious faith. Visit Gandhi Smiriti (residence for Mr Mahatma Gandhi in his last days and he was assassinated here), driver through British time establish government buildings like President House, Parliament etc. Later our services end with a drop of at Delhi airport for your flight to onward journey.