Delhi Jaipur Agra With Khajuraho And Varanasi

Day 1 Delhi Arrive

Upon arrival via international aircraft, our representative will greet you at the airport and transport you to your hotel for check-in.

Delhi is a vibrant metropolis that seamlessly blends tradition and modernity. Its strategic location was the primary reason that successive dynasties picked it as their center of authority. More fabled towns are thought to be here, such as Indraprastha from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, which was constructed approximately 5000 BC. Throughout history, monarchs like as Qutub-ud-din Aibek, Alauddin Khilji, Tughlaks, Humayun, and Shah Jahan created several monuments, including the Walled City of Shah Jahanabad.

Later in the first half of the twentieth century, Sir Edwin Lutyens designed much of New Delhi, including a grandiose central administrative center as a testament to British dominance in India. The divide between the walled city and New Delhi also represents a divide in lifestyles.

Stay - The Oberoi, New Delhi

Day 2 Delhi Full Day Tour

Today, we will have a guided tour of Old Delhi, the 17th century walled city of Shah Jahanabad, including a visit to the main mosque, Jama Masjid. It was built in 1656 AD by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and is India's largest and most well-known mosque. We will stroll or take a rickshaw ride through Chandi Chowk, Shah Jahanabad's historic marketplace and now a lovely bazaar, to reach the Red Fort, erected by Shah Jehan in 1648.

In New Delhi, we visit Raj Ghat, a memorial to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. It is a simple black marble platform that marks the site of his cremation on January 31, 1948. We drive past India Gate, a memorial created in 1931 to honor Indian soldiers who died during World War I and the Afghan War. The names of warriors killed in these wars are etched on the walls. The President's House, the official residence of the President of India, was erected in 1931. Until 1950, it was known as Viceroy's House and served as the residence of the Governor-General of British India.

We will visit Humayun's Tomb, a memorial to Mughal Emperor Humayun built in 1562. The complex is a World Heritage Site and the first example of Mughal architecture in India. The Qutub Minar was built in 1206 by Qutub-ud-din Aibek. It is the world's highest brick minaret (72 metres), and an important example of Indo-Islamic architecture.  The Qutub Minar and its structures are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stay - The Oberoi, New Delhi

Day 3 Delhi – Jaipur

Today we drive to Jaipur, popularly known as Pink City, the flamboyant & colourful capital of Rajasthan. With its rich & colourful past, resplendent with tales of valour & bravery, it is now one of the most important heritage cities in India. The city was founded in the year 1728 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber. It remains the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors.

Stay - The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur

Day 4 Jaipur Full Day Tour

Today, we visit Amber Fort, a royal complex built during Raja Man Singh's rule that still survives today. We took an elephant ride to reach the Fort on the hill, which was an astounding experience.

Later, we visited the City Palace, a beautiful blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. The palace's central structure is a seven-story building known as Chandra Palace, which offers stunning views of the gardens and city. We visited Jantar Mantar (Solar Observatory), an astronomical treasure house with solar equipment that provides accurate predictions to date. We also visit the five-story pink sandstone building known as the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). It was built in 1799 to let veiled royal women see down the crowded street market through its 593 stone Jharokas (mini windows).

Stay - The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur

Day 5 Jaipur – Agra via Fatehpur Sikri

Today, we will drive to Agra and visit Fatehpur Sikri (Ghost seat), the political seat of India's Mughal Empire under Akbar's rule from 1571 to 1585. It was abandoned due to a lack of water. We visit Emperor Akbar's residential complex, mosque, and tomb of Salim Chisti.

We continue our travel to Agra, located on the banks of the river Yamuna. From 1526 until 1628, it was the capital of the Mughal Empire. Today, it is a popular tourist destination due to its magnificent Mughal-era structures, including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri, which are all UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Stay - The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

Day 6 Agra

Today we visit the Taj Mahal, a symbol of eternal love located on the banks of the River Yamuna. Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal Emperor, erected it in 1631 in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It was finished in 22 years. We will visit Agra Fort, which was taken over from the Lodhis by Mughal Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. The Fort is more correctly described as a walled palatial city. It was constructed from red sandstone, which was frequently inlaid with white marble and exquisite ornamentation. We will visit Sikandara, Akbar's tomb. His son Jahangir finished building the mausoleum in 1613.

Excursion to Mathura & Vrindavan

Later, we drive back to Delhi, stopping in Mathura and Vrindavan to learn about Lord Krishna's birth and childhood. In Mathura, we visited the Shri Krishna Janmabhumi temple, where a stone slab commemorates Krishna's birthplace. In Vrindavan, we visit the Bankey Bihari Temple, erected in 1864. The temple is famed for its black statue of Krishna, popularly known as Thakur Ji. ISKCON Temple is one of the most gorgeous temples in Vrindavan. The temple is dedicated to Krishna, his brother Balaram, and Krishna's lover Radha.

Stay - The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

Day 7 Agra – Jhansi (Shatabdi Exp)

Jhansi - Khajuraho via Orchha (166km – 05hr)

Today, we catch the Shatabdi Express train to Jhansi. We drive from Jhansi to Khajuraho, stopping in Orchha (16 km away) along the way. It has a medieval town feel about it. The Betwa River flows peacefully past the town. The 16th-century castles and temples built by its Bundela monarchs appear frozen in time. We will tour the Orchha Fort Complex. The Fort complex includes the Jahangir Mahal, erected by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo in the 17th century to honor Emperor Jehangir's visit to Orchha.

The Raj Mahal was constructed in the 17th century by Madhukar Shah, the religious precursor of Bir Singh Ju Deo. We also visit Ram Raja Temple, a palace-turned-temple with soaring spires and grand grandeur. Built by King Madhukar Shah, it is one of India's most peculiar temples, and the only spot where Lord Rama is worshiped as a King rather than a god.

Later, we drive to Khajuraho, erected between 950-1050 AD by the powerful warrior kings of the Chandela dynasty, a genuinely inspired flash of invention. Contains extremely explicit pornographic sculptures. They were rediscovered in the 20th century and are now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day 8 Khajuraho – Varanasi (By Flight)

Today we visit Khajuraho temples, noted for their exquisite sculptures representing exotic postures of the famous Kamasutra, an old Indian treatise on sexuality. Out of the original 85 temples, only 22 survive.  In fact, devotion continues in the Matangeshwara temple today, carrying on a 1,000-year tradition.

Afternoon flight to Varanasi, a lovely city on the banks of the sacred Ganga river. The city is the world's oldest living city, with traces dating back to roughly 10000 BC. Aside from being a very holy place for Hindus, it has a very important relationship with Buddha's life and Buddhism.

Stay - The Oberoi Grand, Varanasi

Day 9 Varanasi

Today begins with a boat journey on the Ganges river. Rise before dawn and cautiously enter the boat as the boatman begins rowing. Witness the everyday miracle unfold as the Sun triumphantly appears above the horizon. The sound of conches and temple bells complements the delicate pink fabric of daybreak. Ancient Sanskrit Shlokas (hymns) are now sung in unison, reaching unprecedented levels of piety and delight.  Later, we go around the city to gain a feel for the world's oldest continuously inhabited metropolis.

Today's excursion includes a visit to Sarnath, the deer forest where Gautama Buddha delivered his first speech on Buddhism's fundamental precepts. It has been a leading Buddhist center, with a vast collection of old Buddhist relics and antiques, including various Buddha and Bodhisattva figures on display at the Archaeological Museum.

Stay - The Oberoi Grand, Varanasi

Day 10 Varanasi – Delhi (By Flight) & Departure

In the morning, we fly to Delhi and transfer to the airport for our next destination.