Day 01 Arrive Delhi
Early morning arrive Delhi International Airport. Where you be met and transferred to your Hotel. Afternoon: Half-day city tour of Old Delhi. The tour of Old Delhi starts with the visit of Red Fort. This palace citadel was built Shah Jehan in 1648 and was a veritable city within a city. When Shah Jehan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi he built the Red Fort as his residential palace as well as his military fortress. The fort is a complex of marble buildings with balconies, filigreed windows, massive red sandstone walls, ramparts and gateways. The most elegant building is the DIWAN I KHAS or the Hall of Private Audience. From the Red Fort you will take a cycle rickshaw to Chandni Chowk or the Moonlit Square. It is a medieval area in which you will recognize not just Cairo or Istanbul, but also Chester and Heidelberg. This is perhaps one of the Delhi's most populated areas and the largest marketplace - jewelers, spice merchants, food vendors, money lenders, shopping arcades, workshops as well as residences, are crammed here. Within this area is the British built Town Hall, the St. James Church built by colonel Skinner in the early 19th century, the old St. Stephen's college and the office of the state department of Archeology with a colonnaded facade going back to the 19th century when it was the British Residency.
Overnight at the Hotel
Day 02 Delhi / Agra
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Later drive to Agra. Afternoon: Half-day tour of Agra, the city of the Moguls made famous by Emperor Akbar. Visit Agra Fort - Emperor Akbar started its construction in 1565 when he was just 23 years of age. Within the fort are several fascinating buildings - the Pearl Mosque built of marble, the Hall of Public Audience where the famous "peacock throne" was kept, the Octagonal Tower, the Jehangir Palace built by Akbar for his son Jehangir and the Khas Mahal, a beautiful white marble structure used as a private palace.
Proceed to the Taj Mahal - often described as the most extravagant monuments ever built for love. It took 22 years for the Taj Mahal to be built and in total 20000 people worked on the Taj. Several experts contributed to the designing of the Taj Mahal such as Frenchman Austin of Bordeaux and the Italian Veroneo of Venice. The Taj Mahal is amazingly graceful from almost any angle. The semi-precious stones inlaid the marble in beautiful designs are through a process called "pietra dura ".
Overnight at the Hotel
Day 03 Agra / Gwalior
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Later drive to Gwalior.India Operator Tour, Arrive Gwalior and check into your hotel. Later do a tour of Gwalior City. The history of Gwalior dates back to 8th century AD, when its chieftain Suraj Sen was cured of leprosy by a hermit-saint named Gwalipa. Out of sheer gratitude, Suraj Sen named the city after his saviour. Gwalior's strategic position between north and south India made it an important possession and was captured by several ruling houses. The first historical holders of the city were the Huns. Between 11th to 14th century AD, Gwalior came under the influence of Kachhwaha Rajputs, the Pratiharas, the Sultans Qutub-ud-din Aibak and Iltutmish and remained under Muslim possession until 1398. Under the Tomars, whose most important king was Man Singh (1486-1517), Gwalior rose to prominence. Gwalior was finally surrendered to Ibrahim Lodi in 1518. Held in succession by the Mughals, Jats, Marathas and the British, Gwalior was finally handed over to Jiyaji Rao Scindia at a formal durbar in 1885. The Scindias were the last ruling family of Gwalior and are still influential in the political arena of India.
India Operator Tour , Visit of the Gwalior fort and the city. Gwalior fort is one of the oldest & loveliest forts in Madhya Pardesh. It was founded around 3rd century AD. It is one of the oldest examples of Hindu palace architecture to survive unspoiled. It is built with two floors above and two below ground, the latter contain the serdab, the cool and shaded apartments were used during the summers. The palaces of Scindias are magnificent and contain exotic trifles mixed priceless antiques. Visit Man Singh ad Jai Vilas palaces and the archeological museum.
Gwalior Fort - the city's most famous landmark has within its wall several interesting temples and ruined palaces. Rising 100m above the town, the walls of the fort encircle almost the entire hilltop. On the way uphill to the fort are located the massive icons of Bahubali, a Jain master which are cut out of huge rocks.
Day 04 Gwalior / Bhopal
Morning: India Package Tour, Breakfast at the hotel. Later transfer to railway station to bard the Shtabadi Express to Bhopal. Arrive Bhopal and transfer to your hotel.
Places of Tourist Interest, Capital of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal is a fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, historic city and modern urban planning. It is situated on the site of an 11th century city, Bhojapal, founded by the legendary Raja Bhoja who is credited with having constructed the lakes around which the city is built. The present city was laid out by the Afghan soldier Dost Mohammed who was in charge of Bhopal during Aurangzeb's reign. He took advantage of the confusion that followed Aurangzeb's death in 1707 to carve out his own small kingdom. Today Bhopal presents a multi-faceted profile; the old city with its teeming marketplaces and fine old mosques and palaces still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former rulers, among them the succession of powerful Begums who ruled Bhopal from 1819 to 1926.
In the centre of the city are the two lakes. A charming legend relates how the queen would recline in a lotus barge that on moonlit nights would drift across the lake. The two lakes of Bhopal still dominate the city, and are indeed its nucleus. Bordered along their shores stand silent sentinels that testify to the growth of a city.
Afternoon:Visit the famous Bhimbetka Caves - like the aboriginal rock paintings in the outback of Australia, the cave paintings of the Bushmen in the Kalahari Desert in Africa or the Paleolithic Lascaux caves in France, the Bhimbetka caves belonging to the Neolithic Age are an archaeological treasure. 45 km south of Bhopal amongst forests of teak and sal in the craggy cliffs, some 1000 rock shelters are located. Almost half contain ancient paintings depicting the life and times of the different people who lived here. Because of the natural red and white pigments, which the painters used, the colours have been remarkably well preserved. There is everything from wild buffalo, rhinoceros, bears and tigers to hunting scenes, initiation ceremonies, childbirth, communal dancing and drinking scenes, religious rites and burials. The oldest paintings are believed to be up to 12,000 years old whereas some of the crude, geometric figures date as recently as the medieval period. The vivid panoramic detail of the paintings depicting the life of the pre-historic cave dwellers makes the Bhimbetka group an invaluable chronicle in the history of mankind.
Overnight at the Hotel
Day 05 In Bhopal
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Lying 46km north of Bhopal, Sanchi has the singular distinction of having specimens of almost all kinds of Buddhist architectural forms, stupas, chaityas, temples, monasteries and pillars - the finest examples of Buddhist creative art and sculpture in the country dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD. The Sanchi Hill works up in shelves, with Stupa 2 on a lower shelf, while Stupa 1, Stupa 3, a 5th century Gupta temple No. 17 and a 7th century No. 18 lie at a middle shelf, and the apex of the hill crowned by a later monastery. Sanchi is, undoubtedly, a landmark in Indian history, specifically the part, which deals with the nurture and subsequent flowering of Buddhism. Sanchi is, undoubtedly, a landmark in Indian history, specifically the part that deals with the nurture and subsequent flowering of Buddhism.
The most important Places to See
Great Stupa No. 1 - the oldest stone structure in India 36.5m in diameter and 16.4m high and with a massive hemispherical dome, the stupa stands in eternal majesty. Originally constructed by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, it was later enlarged and the original brick stupa enclosed within a stone one. The toronas or gateways that surround this Stupa are the earliest and finest known specimens of Buddhist art. Here, the Buddha is portrayed in symbols: the lotus representing his birth, the tree his enlightenment, the wheel derived from the title of his first sermon, the footmarks and throne representing his presence. A Chunar sandstone pillar fragment lies near Stupa 1 and carries the famous Ashoka edict warning against any kind of fracture in the Buddhist community.
Overnight at the Hotel
Day 06 Bhopal / Ujjain ( 190 Kms )
Places of Tourist Interest, Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Later drive to Ujjain. Arrive and check-in at the hotel. Ujjain is the modern name of Ujjayini. Ujjain is one of the holiest cities in India. It is situated on the banks of river Shipra. It gets its sanctity from a mythological tale about the churning of the oceans by the Gods and the demons in search of nectar of immortality. When the coveted vessel of nectar was finally found, there followed a mad scramble across the skies with demons pursuing the gods in an attempt to take the nectar from them. In the process four drops were of split and they fell at Haridwar, Nasik, Ujjain and Allahahbad. As a result Ujjain became one of the holiest cities and the sites of the Kumbh Mela, which takes place every 12 years.
Overnight at the Hotel
Day 07 Ujjain / Mandu ( 155 Kms )
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Later visit the temples of Ujjain. The most important temple in Ujjain is Mahakaleshwar Mandir which is dedicated to God Shiva. The temple enshrines one of India 12 "jyothirlingam" naturally occurring lingam believed to derive currents of shakti (power) from within themselves as opposed to lingam ritually invested with mantra shakti by the priests.
Afternoon: Drive to Mandu. This town is perched on a hilltop of the Vindhya Range, Mandu, with its natural defenses, was originally the fort capital of the Parmar rulers of Malwa. Towards the end of the 13th century, it came under the sway of the Sultans of Malwa, the first of whom named it Shadiabad or the 'city of joy'. And indeed the pervading spirit of Mandu was of gaiety; and its rulers built exquisite palaces, ornamental canals, baths and pavilions, as graceful and refined as those times of peace and plenty. Each of Mandu's structures is an architectural gem. The extensive and now mainly deserted hilltop fort is one of the most evocative sights in central India.
Overnight at the Hotel
Day 08 In Mandu
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Later do an excursion to Maheshwar (63 Kms) & Omkareshwar. Maheshwar - located 63 km away from Mandu situated on the banks of river Narmada, this town was an important cultural and political centre at the dawn of Hindu civilization and was mentioned in the Ramayana and Mahabharata under its former name Mahishmati. It languished in obscurity for many centuries until revived by the Holkar queen Rani Ahilya Bai of Indore in the late 18th century. The principal sights here is the mighty fort-complex the three ghats lining the banks of the Narmada and the many tiered temples distinguished by their overhanging balconies and intricately worked doorways. The town is also famous for the Maheshwari saris, the hand woven saris known for their unique weave and beautiful complex patterns. The Rewa Society inside the fort runs a sari-weaving factory where you can see the weavers at work Overnight at the Hotel
Day 09 Mandu / Indore (100 Kms)
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Later drive to Indore.
Indore is located in the Narmada River Valley in the western part of Madhya Pradesh with the rivers Saraswati and Kham flowing through. Indore was planned and founded by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar and derives its name from the 18th century Indreshwar Temple. Indore is a flourishing Industrial City and a major textile-producing centre. Although the city is located on the ancient pilgrimage route to Ujjain, nothing much happened here, historically speaking, until the 18th century. From 1733, it was ruled by the Holkar dynasty that was firm supporters of the British.
Day 10 Indore / Delhi
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. India Operator Tour,
Afternoon transfer to airport to take your flight to Delhi. Arrive Delhi and be transferred to your hotel. Overnight at the Hotel
Day 11 Delhi / Europe
Today you be transferred to airport for your International flight back home.
End Tours / Pearls Service
Contact us for all customized tourism reservations on the following mobile Nos ( 24 Hours) : +91-99428 99555, 98424 30308,99425 87000