GOLDEN TRIANGLE WITH UDAIPUR
8N/9D
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Delhi
Meeting, assistance on arrival & transfer to hotel. On arrival check in at hotel.
New Delhi, the capital and the third largest city of India is a fusion of the ancient and the modern. Standing along the West End of Gangetic Plain, the capital city, Delhi, unwinds a picture rich with culture, architecture and human diversity, deep in history, monuments, museums, galleries, gardens and exotic shows. Comprising of two contrasting yet harmonious parts, the Old Delhi and New Delhi, the city is a travel hub of Northern India.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 2 In Delhi
Morning sightseeing of Old Delhi takes you to the magnificent Red Fort. Drive past Red Fort – a marvel in red sandstone, built on the banks of River Yamuna by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Visit Gandhi Museum, Jama Masjid, – The largest mosque in India. A cycle rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, once an imperial avenue of Mughal Royalty which today is the busiest commercial area of the city.
Afternoon sightseeing of New Delhi, visit the 12th century Qutab Minar, gracefully hand-carved for its entire height of 234ft, and the iron pillar, which has withstood the ravages of time and not rusted even after 1500 years, the mausoleum of emperor Humayun. Drive past India Gate (memorial to the Indian army soldiers who died in the World War I) the Rashtrapati Bhavan (formerly the viceroy’s residence) and the Parliament House.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 3 Fly Delhi To Udaipur
In time assisted departure transfer to the airport to connect flight for Udaipur. On arrival, assistance at airport & transfer to hotel.
Lies in the Girwa valley amidst the Aravali hills of south Rajasthan. It is considered a romantic city – with its lakes, gardens, temples and palaces – an Oasis in the Thar Desert. The old city is a traditionally planned fortified walled city, a maze of narrow winding lanes flanked by houses with doorways decorated with Mewar folk art, windows with stained glass or jali screens, massive havelis with large inner courtyards and shops. The legendary Ranas who ruled, traced their ancestry to the Sun Dynasty.
Afternoon city tour visiting the City Palace built on the bank of the Pichola Lake, by Maharana Udai Singh in 1570. The impressive complex of several palaces is a blend of Rajput and Mughal influences. Half of it is still occupied by the Royal family, and part converted into a museum. The Jagdish Temple (1651) was built by Maharana Jagat Singh. A fine example of the Nagara style of temple architecture. A brass Garuda stands outside and stone elephants flank the entrance steps. Inside is a black stone image of Vishnu as Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe. Sahelion-ki- Bari an ornamental pleasure garden specially made for the ladies of the palace in the 18th century. It has beautiful fountains, trees and flowers.
Later boat cruise (seat sharing basis) on Lake Pichola.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 4 In Udaipur
Morning excursion of Eklingji & Nagda.
Eklingji Temple is one of the most famous temples of Rajasthan. Located in the town of Eklingji (Kailashpuri), the place got its popular name from the temple. Eklingji Temple is positioned at a distance of 22 km in the north of Udaipur, on the national highway no. 8. Eklingnath Temple is dedicated to the Lord Shiva of the Hindu religion. Initially, the temple was built in 734 A.D. by Bappa Rawal. Since that time, Eklingji has been the ruling deity of Mewar rulers. In the later years, it was repaired and modified by various Kings, to clean the remnants of obliteration made by the attacks of Mohammedans.
Nagda is a small town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. In the 6th century, Nagda was found by Nagaditya, the fourth Mewar King. Initially it was known as Nagahrida and served as the capital of Mewar. Before long, the place came under the province of Sisodias. Nagda is located besides Bagela Lake at a distance of 23 kms in the north-west of Udaipur on the way to Nathdwara. Nagda comprises many small and big temples, but the main attraction is gained by its ‘Sas-Bahu’ temple.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 5 Fly Udaipur To Jaipur
In time assisted departure transfer to the airport to connect train for Jaipur. On arrival, assistance at railway station & transfer to hotel.
Lies in the Girwa valley amidst the Aravali hills of south Rajasthan. It is considered a romantic city – with its lakes, gardens, temples and palaces – an Oasis in the Thar Desert. The old city is a traditionally planned fortified walled city, a maze of narrow winding lanes flanked by houses with doorways decorated with Mewar folk art, windows with stained glass or jali screens, massive havelis with large inner courtyards and shops. The legendary Ranas who ruled, traced their ancestry to the Sun Dynasty.
Afternoon city tour begins with a visit to the Maharaja’s City Palace, the former Royal residence, part of it converted into a museum. A small portion is still used by the Royal family of Jaipur. Built in the style of a fortified campus, the palace covers almost one-seventh in area of the city. One of the major attractions in the museum is the portion known as Armory Museum housing an impressive array of weaponry-pistols, blunderbusses, flintlocks, swords, rifles and daggers. The royal families of Jaipur once used most of these weapons. Later visit the Jantar Mantar, which is the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world. Situated near the gate of the city palace, the observatory has 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition.
Evening attend an `aarti’ (prayer ritual ceremony) at Birla Mandir (modern Hindu temple).
Overnight at hotel.
Day 6 In Jaipur
Morning Amber Fort with jeep ride: Amber is a classic, romantic Rajasthani fort Palace. The rugged, time-ravaged walls of the Fort may not look beautiful from the outside, but the interior is a virtual paradise. Miniatures painted on the walls depict hunting and war scenes, apart from festivals. Precious stones and mirrors are embedded into the plaster.
Inside the Fort visit the Jag Mandir or the Hall of Victory. Inside the Jag Mandir is the famed Sheesh Mahal – a room with all the four walls and ceiling completely embedded with glittering mirror pieces, which were specially imported from Belgium during that period. En route to Amber Fort, you will have a brief photography stop at Hawa Mahal – the Palace of Winds.
Afternoon free for shopping.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 7 Drive Jaipur To Agra
Morning drive to Agra en-route visit Fatehpursikri. Fatehpursikri was built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 and abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. Visit the remarkably well-preserved, graceful buildings within the ‘Ghost City’ including the Jama Masjid, tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal Palace and other palaces that speak of the grandeur and splendor of the Mughal empire at the height of its power.
Post visit continue drive to Agra, on arrival check in at hotel.
Globally renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal, this royal Mughal city has, in addition to the legendary Taj, many monuments that epitomize the high point of Mughal architecture. In the Mughal period, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Agra was the capital of India. It was here that the founder of the dynasty, Babar, laid out the first formal Persian gardens on the banks of the river Yamuna. Here, Akbar, his grandson raised the towering ramparts of the great Red Fort. Within its walls, Jehangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens, and Shahjahan embellished it with marble mosques, palaces and pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble.
Afternoon visit Taj Mahal. Visit the world-famous Taj Mahal built by Shah Jahan in 1560 in memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. The architecture marvel is perfectly proportioned masterpiece fashioned from white marble that stand testimony to the skill of 20,000 craftsmen brought together from Persia, Turkey, France and Italy and who took 17 years to complete this ‘Love poem in Marble’.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 8 Drive Agra To Delhi
Later visit the Agra Fort, built alongside the Yamuna River stretching almost 2.5 km. The fort’s colossal double walls rise 20 m in height and measure 2.5 km in circumference. The fort is surrounded by a moat. The lofty battlements of the Agra Fort cast its protective shadow over the far stretching mansions of nobles and princes built along the riverfront.
Post visit drive to Delhi. On arrival, assistance at airport & transfer to hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 9 Leave Delhi
In time assisted departure transfer to the international airport to connect flight for onwards journey.
(No accommodation envisaged in Delhi on this day)