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Overview
Varanasi, formerly known as Benares is the oldest living city in India and home to one of the most time-honoured, mysterious cultures in the world. In India, a land besotted with spiritual matters, there is no holier a place than Varanasi. Along the river Ganges, believed by most Hindus to be the most sacred of waterways, you will witness the rituals of the people as they offer their obeisance to the sun or ‘puja’ at the first light of day and the cremation rituals at night. Death is not seen as morbid here, rather, a journey from the physical to the non-physical. Varanasi is also associated with Buddha in that this is where the great teacher delivered his first message to his followers.
Tour Highlights
- Visit the oldest living city of India and home to one of the worlds’ most time-honored and mysterious cultures.
- Witness the most important daily rituals at sunset and sunrise on the banks of the holy Ganges River.
- Visit the world heritage site Sarnath, where Buddha preached his first sermon.
- Visit the 3rd century BC monuments built by Emperor at Sarnath.
- Witness some of the world’s greatest Indian Buddhist art the Archaeological Museum.
Itinerary
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Day 1:
Delhi – Varanasi
You will take a short flight to the holy city of Varanasi, the religious capital of Hinduism and one of the oldest living cities in the world. Arrive and transfer to our hotel.
In the early evening we will take a close look at the banks of the Ganges to witness the devotional ceremony of Aarti performed by thousands of devout Hindus. The incredible chanting of prayers fills the air as does the rhythmic drumming and sounds of bells from temples across the Holy Ganges.
In the early evening we will go to the banks of the Ganges to witness the devotional ceremony of Aarti performed by devout Hindus. Afterwards, we will return to the hotel where we will enjoy dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Taj Ganges, VaranasiTaj Ganges, Varanasi
Nadesar Palace Ground, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221002, Indiahttps://gateway.tajhotels.com/en-in/ganges-varanasi/+91 542 666 0001The ancient temple city of Varanasi has yet another landmark in The Gateway Hotel Varanasi. Featured among the top 5 star hotels in the city, The Gateway Hotel Varanasi is nestled amidst 40 acres of lush gardens at a convenient distance (about 45 minutes drive) from the airport.
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Day 2:
Varanasi
A memorable day ahead as we leave early in the morning to board our boat for a ride along the Ganges to see the bathing Ghats (river bank) & cremation site. We will watch the sunrise on the riverfront from a boat which can be a moving spiritual experience as you witness the worship and sites along the river. Life on the Ghats is bound by an endless string of rituals and the ever-changing aspects of the river and the wide landscapes throughout the area have fascinated visitors from all over the world. You will become entranced by the sights and sounds of those worshipping in this amazingly beautiful, mysterious, and ancient place. We will also visit Mother Teresa’s missionary before returning to the hotel for breakfast.
In the afternoon, we enjoy a guided excursion to Sarnath, a centre of Buddhist learning and the buried Buddhist city where Buddha preached his first sermon. After attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, the Buddha went to Sarnath and it was here that he preached his first discourse in the deer park and set in motion the ‘Wheel of the Dharma’. It is one of the most holy sites because it is believed that in this place the stream of the Buddha’s teaching first flowed. Sarnath was a renowned school of learning from the 16th century BC to the 12th century AD. Visit the ruins, the stupa, the Buddhist temple & the museum. See the Ashok Pillar at the museum with its four guardian lions, now the national emblem to acknowledge India’s independence.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Taj Ganges, VaranasiTaj Ganges, Varanasi
Nadesar Palace Ground, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221002, Indiahttps://gateway.tajhotels.com/en-in/ganges-varanasi/+91 542 666 0001The ancient temple city of Varanasi has yet another landmark in The Gateway Hotel Varanasi. Featured among the top 5 star hotels in the city, The Gateway Hotel Varanasi is nestled amidst 40 acres of lush gardens at a convenient distance (about 45 minutes drive) from the airport.
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Day 3:
Varanasi – Delhi
Breakfast at your hotel. In time for your flight, you will be transferred to Varanasi airport for your flight to Delhi. Arrive and transfer to your day hotel until your flight departs for home.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity, New DelhiPride Plaza Hotel Aerocity, New Delhi
Asset 5A, Hospitality District, Aerocity, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, Delhi 110037, Indiahttp://www.pridehotel.com/delhi/new-delhi-aerocity/+91 11 6600 7700Located in close proximity to Delhi and Gurgaon, Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity, New Delhi is the first luxury hotel in the capital by the Pride Group of Hotels.
What’s included
- Roundtrip airfare Delhi – Varanasi – Delhi
- Accommodation in one double occupancy room
- Escorted transfers (airport to the hotel, hotel to airport)
- Meals as specified as per the program
- Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
- Sunrise and sunset boat cruises at the river Holy Ganges
- Services of an accompanying Explore India tour manager
- Air-Conditioned Motorcoach transportation throughout your trip
- Bottled Water During Sightseeing Tours
- Entrance fees to all the monuments
What’s excluded
- Personal expenses
- Services other than in our inclusion
- Gratuities to guides, drivers, porters etc. is at your discretion.
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Recent Reviews
Hello Nazir, Thank you for the welcome home note and for all the help you provided before we started our journey. It was truly a very memorable experience. Of the spots, we visited the ones that stick out are naturally the Taj Mahal which is more impressive live than in photos, the ghats in Varanasi to view the use of the Ganges for washing, bathing, praying, cremation, etc and the tea plantations in Kerela. The food was delicious; so many different types of curry to try. The Explore India people in India did a wonder job. The representatives were there to welcome us and facilitate our transfers to the hotels and our check in at the airports. Of special note are the tour guide, the bus driver and the assistant who accompanied us on our trip. The tour guides added so much to our understanding of Indian history, culture, politics, etc. Their explanation at each of sites we visited enhanced our appreciation of the site and its history. The bus drivers are outstanding in navigating the chaotic Indian roads and getting us safely from place to place on time. The assistants too kept the bus clean and supplied us with water and snacks. On the magic India and Varanasi segments our tour guide was Yajur, the driver was Dave and assistant was Shankar; on the Kerela tour the tour guide was Jishoy Kumar, the driver was Sibu and the assistant was Arun. We’ve thanked them but if you have a chance please give them our sincere thanks for making the trip memorable. Would definitely like to take another trip to India. Would definitely use your company to guide us around India. Thank you very much.
Elmer Morishita
Vancouver, Canada
Dear Nazir, Nazir, Explore India (Nov 17 departure) delivered on all expectations and promises, and then some. The professional competence of your staff, without exception in both Vancouver and India, ensured that the ambitious itinerary was not only delivered but exceeded. Much of this credit must be given to our very deserving guide Harry. Harry, so knowledgeable, led us each through the kaleidoscope of challenges and chaos that is India... left me wanting more. It was a privilege to be on his bus. Also deserving for a job well done is our driver and his helper, Yogi, office support staff in Delhi and your representative in Varanasi. Judy and I had an airline glitch and he worked hard to solve it and kept us informed, much appreciated. I am sorry I don't know each of their names. I have shared my story and pictures with a neighbor, you'll be hearing from them soon. I had a great time, be proud of your staff and your product. Kindest regards,
Alison Webster
Salmon Arm, Canada
FEB, 28 2018: I wanted to let you know that I was very pleased with the tour. The arrangements were excellent. Ashish was an excellent guide. I thought it was very well planned, with appropriate down time but busy schedules. The hotels were all very comfortable and well located. (I was annoyed that Hilton didn't offer free wifi in the rooms but I joined their Hilton Honors program and got free wifi from that.) The buffet style meals were perfect for our needs. It is surprising how quickly wifi has become a must have for most travellers. Keeping the group size small made it easy for us to move as a group. I had never seen the technique of having hawkers bring their wares to the bus, where we could buy or not, without haggling. This was a clever way of minimizing people wandering off for their own purchases and bargaining. The arranged shopping opportunities were also very good. High quality merchandise was offered. It also seemed to be value for money. I look forward to having the opportunity to travel with Explore India again. Joan
Joan Prior
Toronto, ON, Canada
I am finally catching up a bit after my wonderful holiday. I wanted to comment on the excellent care that we experienced through your company. Everything went very smoothly. Each step of the way we were greeted and thoughtfully escorted through our itinerary. All of the guides were good but the guides in Jaipur, Agra and Varanasi were outstanding as they shared not only the history of the places that we were seeing but also helped us to understand some of their own worldview and cultures. The itinerary was very good and did show us a variety of the facets of India. Our guide in Delhi arranged for us to go to the Lodhi Park and that was a real bonus. We both missed being able to walk freely when not on a tour due both to the traffic and to the insistence of men wanting to take us shopping in their rickshaws and cabs-- so that park was a delight. Varanasi was the highlight for both of us! We enjoyed the home meal that we had in Jaipur as it gave us a glimpse of the women's lives. So much to learn about a very different culture! I would definitely recommend Explore India to other travelers.
Jan Croft
Lantzville, Canada
My wife and I recently returned from a 24 day trip to India, organized by Nazir Karnai. Nazir spent considerable time consulting with us prior to our trip in order to fine tune travel plans that would suit our preferences. Fortunately we relied heavily on his advice and, as a global statement, our trip was fantastic. We had a car, driver and guide throughout our trip and several internal flights in India. Attention to detail was the hallmark of Nazir’s organization and we quickly came to rely on the reliability, competence and friendliness of all Explore India personnel. From the outset we were pleasantly surprised by the luxury of the hotels organized by Nazir. The hotels were all spectacular, with the Taj Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur truly world class. We consider ourselves fortunate to have chosen Nazir and Explore India to organize our travel to India and we would give him our highest recommendation. Sincerely
Dr. Raymond & Margaret Pederson
Vancouver, Canada
Dear Nazir and Rajeev: It is now nearly a month since my return from my memorable trip to India with my friends, Jodi and Susan, organized by your firm. I wanted to be sure to convey my thanks for the good advice, excellent service and superior organization that you and your team provided. I particularly appreciated your attention to detail and responsiveness to our requests and needs as situations arose or conditions changed. I also wanted to more formally recognize some of the people in your team who made a significant difference in our enjoyment of the trip. I must say that generally we have only the highest regard for all of the individual drivers who so graciously and expertly managed the challenges of Indian traffic and our particular needs with some mobility challenges, motion sickness and other occasional maladies picked up along the way. I would say that your choice of Hira Singh to provide our major travel segment from Delhi to Udaipur was brilliant -- befitting the observation that Hira means Diamond in English. Not only is Hira an excellent driver under all conditions but he is also a very special gentleman. He was thoughtful and caring in every regard: always attentive and responsive to our needs with the anticipation of what would be most safe and comfortable for us in terms of rest stops and places to park near the attractions to deal with mobility challenges and waiting, departures, etc.. He went above and beyond all expectations as he took care of us when we were not feeling well by buying us beverages and snacks (and not accepting any reimbursement) and checking in to make sure we were fine. He even worried that we might be hungry and gave us snacks on the longer drives that were necessary to make our ambitious itinerary. Hira is a tremendous asset to your firm and a wonderful ambassador for the beauty of the spirit of India. One of our guides made the joke that we were the "Three Canadian Maharanis" (we loved this observation and felt it summed up how much we were loving our trip and treatment). Hira ensured that we were made to feel like Maharanis throughout our time together. We wish every success for him in the future. I would also like to commend the calibre of local guides who your firm engages with special recognition of a couple of them. Our first days in Delhi had an excellent start with Harry who provided interesting information and insights as well as shepherding us well through the tangles of Delhi's Chandni Chowk streets as well as other sights. I would say that Shelley, our guide during our day in Varanasi, was exceptional in being able to convey information regarding the spiritual significance of the sights we were experiencing both with respect to Hinduism but also Buddhism at Sarnath. His very clear explanations and great depth of knowledge really helped to put meaningful perspective on not only our experiences in Varanasi but also our previous experiences in Bodhgaya. I would be remiss to not mention Pablo in Agra and Giriraj in Jaipur as very good, considerate and adaptable guides. We also really enjoyed the two most atmospheric hotel choices of the Shahpura House in Jaipur and the Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel in Udaipur -- absolutely magical. For the segments on my own, I want to really thank you, Rajeev, for being able to accommodate my spur-of-the-moment request for assistance and assigning Kuldeep Sandhu as my driver for the first weekend -- he was a great problem-solver and thoughtful guide, especially at the Old Fort! In Mumbai, I appreciated both of the women guides who accompanied me on the City tours: Tami and Lena. They were the first women guides for this trip and it was interesting to chat with them about their lives as a woman from Canada, especially since one was from the Parsee community and one was from the Jain community so I could ask questions about the visit to Ranakpur and the broader Parsee community that we know about internationally through the arts. I also want to acknowledge, Nazir, that your advice to include the non-profit led tour to Dharvali with Siddhi as my guide was absolutely correct. It was critically important to gaining an inkling of an understanding of the tremendous dignity of Indian people working so hard to improve their lives and that of their families and communities. I keep talking about this experience as a lasting impression when friends ask me about my trip. I recognize that this is a lengthy email; however, I wanted to highlight the excellent service that you and your team provided to us -- truly making this trip an exceptional and memorable life experience to treasure. I also want to thank each of you for the tremendous effort that you each put into ensuring that everything was well-planned and executed. Rajeev, your willingness to problem-solve and provide assurances and extra services make a huge difference. Thanks again to you and all of your team. I will be pleased to recommend your firm to anyone who is contemplating a trip to India. Sincerely,
Deb Day
Victoria, Canada
Dear Nazir, I wanted to let you know what a wonderful experience I had on our Explore India, Journey of the Senses tour, which began on Oct. 17. From the time we arrived in New Delhi until we left from Mumbai 2 weeks later I felt safe and even, pampered. All the hotels, transportation and food were of 5 star quality. I will remember the Taj Mahal chain of hotels, in particular, for their luxurious surroundings and amazing meals! Of course, the elephant and camel rides in the dessert, followed by specially prepared meals just for us were highlights, as well as our visits to a random village, a primary school, the Taj Mahal, the Ganges, a slum in Mumbai. The list goes on and on. I want to devote the next part of my email to writing about Shyaam Singh, our guide. He was a remarkable guide! He had extensive knowledge about every location we visited and he always shared his knowledge with respect and passion. He was able to answer all our questions, no matter how complex or trivial the questions were. Not only did he have a vast knowledge of history, but he also had a vast knowledge of present day India, from the local people and their customs and religions to geography to politics. He was always willing to answer any personal questions we asked him about his family and his life in general. We were all thankful that Shyaam discreetly made all arrangements for us so that everything ran smoothly. Shyaam was always able to organize our group and keep us on time for all our outings. We know he did a lot of work behind the scenes, remaining calm and controlled at all times. We all enjoyed Shyaam’s warmth and sense of humour. He was not only a remarkable guide, but a remarkable human being. He made our trip memorable and successful. I know that all the venues were selected by you, all the hotels, meals and travel arrangements were planned by you, but, your choice of Shyaam to be our guide made our tour truly wonderful. We all came to realize that a really good guide is integral to the success of a trip such as ours. Thanks again, Nazir, for a wonderful experience I will never forget.
Liz Nixon
Coldstream, BC. Canada
Nazir Susan and I would like to say what a great job our tour manager Yajur did on the Explore India tour we just completed. His knowledge of India’s history and the forts and temples and cities et al that we visited and his ability to communicate that knowledge was terrific. His ability to deal with tour issues outstanding. His assistant Rouf had to leave mid-tour due to his father’s cancer and Yajur carried on with no impact on the group. Yajur minimized the impact to the group of the government’s demonetization of the INR500 and INR1000 notes. Mostly he convinced restaurants and vendors to accept the old bills. Finally in Agra some of us we able to exchange INR2000 old for new. I had a medical emergency where he provided excellent service – taking me to the hospital, dealing with language barriers at the hospital and purchasing for me needed supplies. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate his efforts. The entire tour was an amazing experience. Thanks,
Blake Wimperis
Carp, Canada
Namaste, and thanks for the email Nazir. My husband and I are still under the powerful influence of India – having thoroughly enjoyed the 2 weeks we had there. It’s really difficult to synthesize our experience but I will try to give some feedback. Both of us felt that we learned so much and really broadened our understanding of cultural and political issues in addition to seeing, tasting, smelling, and tasting some of India’s diversity. I really appreciated the diverse environments: urban, heritage sites, forest reserve, streets/river exposure in Varanasi, the roadside rural life viewed as we traveled between major sites. I’m especially glad that we added on the Varanasi trip which broadened our experience considerably. We were ever so fortunate in the timing (just after the monsoon season) and got to see a relatively ‘green’ India. Several local guides commented that we were a ‘lucky’ group in terms of being in the right places at the right times for certain things – such as seeing tigers, getting to the Taj Mahal just prior to its ‘mudding’. The tour itinerary was well planned and varied – given that any group of 22 people will have different preferences. We found our tour guide to be excellent: knowledgeable, flexible, and always anticipating when/where changes might be needed either for our comfort or safety. Many thanks for that. And he was ever so patient in spite of challenging situations. I’m a cautious traveller (in contrast to my husband) but even I felt very safe. Our guide was extremely good at keeping us together while also allowing plenty of photo ops, cooling down periods, and preparing us for the next point of interest. The tour guide was very good with history and cultural information that made the bus travel time both informative and seem shorter. All contacts were very friendly, courteous, and helpful. One hardly mentioned an issue and it was addressed; To summarize, the trip was amazing! We are so very glad we went and still bask in India’s glow. Fond memories, great photos, and a great appreciation for the country and its peoples! Please convey our thanks to all who made the trip possible. Regards,
Cynthia Toman (on behalf of Earl as well)
Toronto, Canada
Namaste Nazir I had been thinking of dropping you a note so thanks for your message. The trip was a great success. The weather was perfect, no mosquitoes and the group were very convivial, really great travel companions. I hope to keep in touch with some of them and perhaps travel with them in the future. The drivers were fantastic; they managed the crazy road up to Darjeeling and in particular, Mr. Singh in Delhi and for most of our long bus journeys, was absolutely amazing. Don’t know how they do it, I had to close my eyes half of the time!!! It was a wonderful soft entry to India to spend time in Darjeeling, relatively less trash and garbage strew about, blue skies and clean air. Mr. Lo Chan was very hospitable. Our guide, Mr. Sandeep Singh was fantastic; professional yet caring and considerate, his commentary was informative and fun as he is passionate about India and all things to do with Indian culture. He did everything he could do to make our trip safe, enjoyable and generally a memorable experience. I felt he went above and beyond his duty to keep us informed and calm when we were unable to access cash machines. The hotels were good as was the food. On the whole, I am very glad I went with Explore India on this trip. It has not only given me an appreciation of the challenges India faces, but also shown me the amazing resilience and friendliness of its people. Sincerely
Margaret Kennedy
North Vancouver, Canada
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