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Duration: 17 Nights/ 18 Days
Destinations Covered: Delhi - Mandawa - Bikaner - Pokaran - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Mandore - Luni - Mount Abu - Ranakpur - Udaipur - Pushkar - Ajmer - Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Gwalior - Orchcha - Khajuraho - Sarnath - Varanasi – Delhi
Day 01: Delhi
The tour starts at Delhi. On your arrival the tourists will be received by our representative who would make all necessary arrangements to transfer them to their hotel. The representative will also brief the visitor about the travel plans and the places to be seen.
Day 02: Delhi –Mandawa
On Day 02, after a quick breakfast, you will be taken to visit places of cultural importance and must see places in and around Delhi. The places that will be covered in the Grand North India Tour are mainly the Laxmi Narayan Temple also known as Birla Mandir, India Gate – it is a structure building to commemorate the sacrifice by the martyrs and you would also see the Parliament. You will also visit the prominent and the legendry historical sites of Old Delhi like the Chandni Chowk, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Qutab Minar and Raj Ghat. Old Delhi was the Capital of the Mughal Emperors. Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in the whole of Asia, whereas Qutab Minar is a tall brick minaret built by Qutubuddin Aibak. The dual constructions by Shah Jahan - The Red Fort and the Jama Masjid are built with red sandstones.
Raj Ghat is memorial of Mahatma Gandhi- the Father of the Nation
The distance between Delhi and Mandawa is approximately 260 kilometers. After a late lunch, we start our journey towards Mandawa. This tourist destination of Rajasthan which is renowned for its forts is located in its Jhunjhunu- district of Rajasthan .
Day 03: Mandawa- Bikaner
In the morning, the tourists are taken to see the famous fort of Mandawa. This fort was founded by Nawal Singh in the 18th century. Today, it is converted into a heritage hotel with all modern amenities. The rooms of this fort have intricate mirror work and paintings that display the European influence. There are many havelis that are built in Rajasthani architecture. The paintings depict the Indian mythology and the legends. On the way to Bikaner there would be a small stop at Fatehpur. Now the tour moves towards the North of Rajasthan to visit Bikaner. This famous tourist destination of Rajasthan is famous for camel rides and is popularly known as the camel country. It was founded in the 15th century and is renowned for its imposing forts and palaces
Day 04 Bikaner-Pokran- Jaisalmer
On day 04, we reach Pokran by travelling across the Thar Desert. The great Mughal king, Akbar was born here in 1543. Before nightfall, we would reach Jaisalmer. The total distance from Bikaner to Jaisalmer is approximately 330 Kms.
Day 05 Jaisalmer
We spend the day visiting the Jain temples in Sonar Kila and other exciting places in Jaisalmer. Another interesting place of visit here is the Patwaon Ki Haveli which has intricately designed windows. It was used by the royal ladies to see the city activities. There is a palace museum that has a huge collection of robes and artifacts that were used by the royal family. Another palace of importance is the Gadisar Lake. Towards evening, we would go to either Sam or Khuri village to watch the setting sun in the sand dunes. The dinner would be arranged in the village accompanied by Rajasthani music played by local artists.
Day 06 Jaisalmer- Jodhpur-Luni
We reach Jodhpur by early afternoon. The “must visit” places include the spice market, Mandore gardens and the fort. Marwar was once the capital of the Rajput kings and it has fabulous cenotaphs and a hall to commemorate the heroes of war. The Mehrangarh fort is known for its breath taking views and superb collection of paintings and arms and ammunition. An hour’s drive from here will take you to Luni. It is famous for its safari trips. Here, you can see a wonderful palace set amidst the jungle.
Day 07 Luni- Mount Abu
Mount Abu is the hill station in Rajasthan. It is a Jain pilgrim center as it houses the temple Dilwara. This temple dates back to the 11th century. The height of this place is 1200mt. Mount Abu is also famous for Nakki Lake and the Sunset point.
Day 08 Mount Abu - Ranakpur – Udaipur
Ranakpur is another Jain pilgrimage center. It is hardly four hours drive from Mt Abu. It is famous for the sculptures and temples that were built during the 16th century. The Adinath temple has 1444 columns and is awe inspiring. From here we proceed towards Udaipur and check into the hotel for the night.
Day 09 Udaipur
Udaipur is famous for palaces and has the richest palace museum in the whole of Rajasthan. It is famous for the miniature paintings and temples. The two famous temples are the Nagda and Eklingji. These temples were built during the 7th century. It would take an entire day to visit palaces in Udaipur.
Day 10 Udaipur - Ajmer - Pushkar - Jaipur
Ajmer and Pushkar are the holy cities. Pushkar has the Brahma temple and it is believed that it is the only temple of Lord Brahma in the world. Ajmer is the Holy place of for Muslims. The renowned Ajmer Sharif Shrine is located in this city . The palace of Jehangir son of Akbar is also worth a visit. Reach Jaipur by night.
Day 11 Jaipur
This day is entirely dedicated to sightseeing of the Pink city. Some of the marvels of the Rajput architecture from the previous century can be witnessed here. Some of the places of interest are the Amber fort, Shish Mahal which is built in a fusion style of Hindu-Islamic architecture. It was built in the 17th century. Jantar Mantar built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in the 18th century, is an observatory. He was a great mathematician, astronomer and an astrologer.. The pink city is famous for its colorful robes and saris. You would also find shops selling the replicas of the murals and paintings of Rajasthan.
Day 12 Jaipur- Fatehpur Sikri- Agra
Reach Fatehpur Sikri by midday. This city was built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the 16th century. Akbar was married to a Rajput Princess Jodhabai. Her palace is the biggest in Fatehpur Sikri and worth a visit. From Fatehpur Sikri we proceed to Agra. Reach Agra by early evening and visit the local bazaar before retiring to the hotel.
Day 13 Agra
Today we visit the world famous monument which is one of the seven wonders- Taj Mahal. This monument was built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Sight worth seeing is the Taj Mahal bathed in the golden rays of the rising sun. It took 22 years to complete the monument. It is noted for its design, balance and the symmetry. Another notable place is the Agra fort where Shahjahan was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb. The other places to visit are Itmad ud Daulah and the tomb of Akbar- Sikandara. Overnight stay is in Agra.
Day 14 Agra- Gwalior- Orchha
From Agra, we move to Gwalior. It was the ruled by the Scindia Rulers. The visit to Gwalior is incomplete without a visit to the tombs of Ghaus Mohammed and Tansen. He was one of the musicians in the court of Akbar. The other places of visit are the Scindia palaces and fort. The Gurjari Mahal of the queen Mrignayani houses an archaeological museum. Before proceeding to Orchha we also see the Teli ka Mandir and Saas bahu Ka mandir inside the fort. Overnight stay is in Orchha.
Day 15 Orccha- Khajuraho
On the way to Khajuraho, we would be visting the palace of Bundela kings and also the twin cities of the medieval period – Datia and Orchha. This city has the temples and palaces of the 16th and the17th centuries. The palaces that are visited will be Jahagiri Mahal and Raja Mahal. From here, post lunch, we proceed towards Khajuraho.
Day 16 Khajuraho- Varanasi
After the night’s sleep in Khajuraho, we visit the famous Khajuraho temples built during the 9th and the 11th centuries. They were built by the powerful Chandela kings. From Khajuraho, we would travel to Varanasi
Day 17 Varanasi- Delhi
Early morning around 0500 hrs, you would be taken to the banks of the Holy River Ganges. Here we board the boat to watch the morning ablutions of the Hindus. The boat rides starts from Dasashwamedh Ghat and ends in Manikarnika Ghat. It is believed that a dip in Ganges would wash one’s sins. After the boat ride we would visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanyyapi Kund and also the mosque attached to it. After a quick breakfast we would visit the sacred city of the Buddhists known as Sarnath. Sarnath museum houses the artifacts dating back to 3rd century B.C. The visit to the one of the oldest and the largest universities in the world – Benares Hindu University is worthwile. Before travelling to Delhi also visit the ruins of Sarnath learning center. Overnight stay is in Delhi.
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