Ancient Villages & Forts

Welcome to Delhi, a city that bridges two different worlds. Old Delhi, once the capital of Islamic India, is a labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with crumbling havelis and formidable mosques. In contrast, the imperial city of New Delhi created by the British Raj is composed of spacious, tree-lined avenues and imposing government buildings. On arrival at Delhi airport, you will be met upon by an Explore India representative and transferred to your hotel.

Morning at your leisure. The afternoon will start our tour with a visit to a Sikh Temple locally called Gurduwara Bangla Sahib. This is the most prominent Sikh Temple, of worship, known for its association with the eighth Sikh Guru, and the pond inside its complex, known as the “Sarovar”, whose water is considered holy by Sikhs and is known as “Amrit”. It was first built as a small temple by Sikh General, Sardar Bhagel Singh in 1783, who supervised the construction of nine Sikh shrines in Delhi in the same year, during the reign of Mughal Emperor. Gurdwara Bangla Sahib was originally a bungalow belonging to Raja Jai Singh, an Indian ruler in the seventeenth century, and was known as Jaisinghpura Palace.

Later visit Humayun’s tomb. Emperor Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor of India. The tomb was built by his widow in 1569-70, 14 years after his death, at a cost of 1.5 million rupees. It was later used for the burial of various members of the ruling family and contains some 150 graves. It has aptly been described as the necropolis of the Mughal dynasty.

After Breakfast – We will start our morning tour with a visit to 17th century Old Delhi. Visit the Jama Mosque, the royal mosque built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan in 1656. We will take a bicycle rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk, the spine of Old Delhi that houses the spice market and jeweler’s lane.

Later visit the Red Fort, a magnificent structure of red sandstone built at the pinnacle of the Mogul empire. In 1638 Shahjahan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi and laid the foundations of Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of Delhi. It is enclosed by a rubble stone wall, with bastions, gates, and wickets at intervals. Of its fourteen gates, the important ones are the Mori, Lahori, Ajmeri, Turkman, Kashmiri and Delhi gates, some of which have already been demolished. His famous citadel, the Lal-Qila, or the Red Fort, lying at the town’s northern end on the right bank or the Yamuna and south of Salimgarh, was begun in 1639 and completed after nine years. The Red Fort is different from the Agra Fort and is better planned, because at its back lies the experience gained by Shahjahan at Agra, and because it was the work of one hand. It is an irregular octagon, with two long sides on the east and west, and with two main gates, one on the west and the other on the south called Lahori and Delhi gates respectively. While the walls, gates and a few other structures in the fort are constructed of red sandstone, marble has been largely used in the palaces.
Afternoon at your leisure.

After breakfast drive to Agra.
Arrive and check in at your hotel.

Early morning – We will start our day at sunrise with a visit to one of the most incredible monuments ever built in the world. The Taj Mahal is a monument of love built between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife. The Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the most highly revered masterpieces in the world. After breakfast, visit Agra Fort, a UNESCO world heritage site with imposing walls of red sandstone. The fort is almost two miles long and contains palaces, audience halls, and mosques.

Afternoon free for your personal activities.

Live show performance: In the early evening, you will enjoy a live fascinating play that depicts the saga of love and a memorable journey into history. The drama portrays the Mughal era in the 16th century. It is a series of plays depicting the true and immortal love of Shahjahan for Mumtaz Mahal, his beautiful wife; the lavish lifestyle of Mughal era; and the hardship of the artisans who worked for 22 years to create a most breathtaking work of craftsmanship. Overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Ramathra, en route, visit the abandoned Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri. Built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, this was the old capital of the Moghuls, which was abandoned after 15 years due to a scarcity of water.
After lunch, continue driving to Ramathra, the quaint township of Ramathra is a virgin travel destination in the state of Rajasthan, It lies at the base of the hill, hosting the celebrated Ramathra fort that sees a trickle of tourists all year. People, who tend to visit, spend the time exploring the grandiose Ramathra lake that is excellent for bird-watching. You will also get a delightful experience and unique understanding of a simple country life in the desert township.

After breakfast we will explore Ramathra village a small hamlet of farmers and herders, you will have the opportunity to interact with these simple villagers, get a glimpse of their daily life as the farmers tend to their crops and animals. Afternoon at your leisure. The highlight of this evening is a demonstration of Rajasthani Ghumer dance, followed by dinner. Afternoon free for your personal activities.

After breakfast leave for Jaipur. The origin of Jaipur’s nickname becomes immediately apparent as we enter the old city walls and greet the pink-colored buildings that can be seen at every turn. The city of Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Jai Singh II.

Afternoon free for your personal activities.

Optional enjoy a walking tour through the colorful Pink city of Jaipur with your personal tour guide.

In the morning, enjoy an excursion to the hilltop fort at Amber by jeep. Enjoy the architecture, lattice screens, and paintings colored with jewel dust. Later drive pass through the old city including and make a photo stop at the Palace of Winds. Your tour also includes a visit to the City Palace a home of the current Maharaja of Jaipur and its museum. Time to shop for exclusive gems that Jaipur is famous and some fascinating block printing fabrics.
Afternoon free per for your personal activities.

Full day in Jaipur for your leisure activities, make the use of the hotel facilities or simply enjoy the local colorful bazaars of Jaipur.

After breakfast –We drive to Jodhpur, along the way you will experience the country with camel carts, trucks, cows, buffalos. Jodhpur a historic city whose origin dates to the year 1459 AD. Jodhpur is also known as the Blue City, an apt name as most houses in the old city are shades of blue. This is particularly noticeable on the north side of the town, known as Brahmpuri for the many Brahmins that live there. On our arrival at the hotel. Afternoon at your leisure.

After Breakfast – We will start with a sightseeing tour of Jodhpur city visiting Mehrangarh Fort situated at an altitude of about 125 meters and spread over an area of 5 sq. km. The Fort crowns a rocky hill that rises 400 feet above the surrounding plain, and appears both to command and to meld with the landscape. Next visit Umaid Bhawan palace built by Maharaja Umaid Singh (1929 – 1942 ) It is a splendid example of Indo-colonial and art deco architecture of the 30s. Return to hotel. Afternoon at your leisure.

After leisurely breakfast – We will proceed to the local market around Clock Tower area, Jodhpur’s busiest marketplace. Here we will also experience an auto rickshaw ride.

Later in the afternoon will proceed for an exclusive camel safari in the Osian village about an hour drive each way from Jodhpur followed by Kalbelia a local village dance of Rajasthan to celebrate a joyful moment in the desert followed by a dinner and campfire.

After breakfast, we board our Jeeps and drive to Salawas village to get an experience of tribal India. Salawas is a village where we see potters and learn how earthen pots are made. Then we drive to Bishnoi village & Roop Raj (weaver) and learn about living in the villages of India and traditional social life. While we are on the jeeps we may encounter en route black bucks deer moving freely around this village.

Later we will proceed with our lunch a Chandelao Garh built in 1744. After lunch, we continue driving to Pushkar. Upon arrival check in to your resort.

After breakfast drive to Pushkar and spend the next two days experiencing the bustling Pushkar

During your two days explore Pushkar and its vibrant markets and temples, 11 km from Ajmer on the edge of the desert lie the tiny tranquil town of Pushkar along the bank of the picturesque Pushkar Lake – an important pilgrimage spot for the Hindus. No pilgrimage is considered complete without a dip in the holy Pushkar Lake. Pushkar has as many as 400 temples and 52 Ghats and the only temple in the country that is dedicated to Brahama. While Pushkar is a haven for the religiously inclined, it is also the venue of one of the country’s most colorful cattle fairs – the Pushkar Fair.
During your stay, visit the local markets and one of the major thriving temple of Lord Brahma, can be identified by it red spire and by the image of Hans (the swan considered sacred to Lord Brahma). This temple built with the marble is decorated with silver coins.

In the afternoon you are escorted to Ajmer railway station to bard your rain for New Delhi. Meet and assist upon arrival and transfer to your hotel for overnight stay.

In time you are transferred to the international airport to board your flight for home.