13 Days |
Tour Overview
Ce forfait religieux de 13 jours en Inde est d�di� uniquement aux religieux. La visite fait le tour des sites culturels et religieux de l'Inde. Il commence par un Triangle d'or city trip � Delhi-Jaipur-Agra pour couvrir la touche culturelle du voyage, puis continue vers Varanasi pour la premi�re essence de la touche religieuse. Les touristes sont emmen�s � la soir�e enchanteresse Aarti sur les rives du Gange et une promenade en bateau � travers deux ghat renomm�s - Manikarnika et Harishchandra.
Les autres villes religieuses couvertes par ce voyage sont de Bhubaneshwar � Konark � Puri. Les deux premiers endroits sont c�l�bres pour leurs nombreux temples qui pr�sentent des sentiments religieux, des calculs math�matiques et scientifiques et des efficacit�s architecturales �poustouflantes. Puri est l'un des lieux les plus saints pour les hindous et poss�de l'une des plages maritimes les plus fr�quent�es de l'Inde. Le temple de Jagannath est cependant ferm� aux non-hindous. Le voyage religieux revient � la culture une fois de plus car le prochain arr�t est Kolkata, qui est le point culturel et commercial de l'Inde orientale. Des endroits comme Howrah Bridge, Victoria Memorial, National Museum, St Paul's Cathedral et Writer's Building ont une mention sp�ciale pour leur riche histoire culturelle.
Le forfait religieux se termine lorsque les touristes partent de l'a�roport de Kolkata.
Tour highlights
Itinerary
On the first day of your tour, you will be visiting the ancient city of Old Delhi, built in 1639AD. This city contains some lovely tourist spots which are a must visit, the first spot you will be headed to is the historic site where the Great Mahatma Gandhi was put to rest. From that spot you will be taken to see the Mahatma Gandhi museum which was built to remember one of the greatest men ever to originate from India.
After your visit to the museum, you will proceed through the magnificent Red Fort market which is arguably one of the most popular markets in Old Delhi up until you get to your next stop, the Jahan Shan Masjid – which is a historical and one of the most famous mosques in the whole of India.
One final stop on our morning tour would involve us taking a rickshaw ride in through the bubbling city of Chandni Chowk. This is a fun experience which you wouldn’t want to miss as the city is filled with classy restaurants that serve some of the most delicious dishes in Old Delhi, you also get to see a lot of souvenirs to buy and take back home.
Our afternoon tour will begin with a visit to Qutub Minar which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1192 by Qutub-Ud Din Aibak, some say this is the largest Minaret in India. Still on the journey down memory lane, you will visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site, this time the tomb of Huamyun from which you will make a stop at the India Gate, which was erected for Unknown Soldiers. After which you will be driven through the House of the President, Parliament, and other major government buildings proceeding to your final destination for the day, the great Lakshminarayan Religious temple, the holy site which was dedicated to Lord Lakshmi and Narayana. This marks the end of your tour for the day, you will be taken back to your hotel room so you can get the much needed rest for tomorrow’s tour.
Day two of your vacation begins with a 274 kilometer road trip to Jaipur, which is sometimes referred to as the pink city due to the time events that occurred in the 18th century during the then Prince of Wales visit to the city when the indigenes painted the city pink. Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan; a region filled with breathtaking architectural designs and wonderful masterpieces that is bound to leave you captivated with human creativity.
While on the trip, you will have the opportunity to admire the beautiful city and different colors that adorn the streets, on getting to your final destination you will be provided with a comfortable hotel accommodation to relax for the night. Once you have been able to refresh yourself and get some much needed rest from the journey, you can decide to take an evening stroll through the streets of Jaipur or make a visit to the Bazaars.
On Day three, a chauffeur would be ready to take you from Jaipur to Amer fort, the previous capital of Jaipur, which is sometimes referred to as the Amer Palace. Built by Raja Man Singh, Amer fort was constructed using red sand-stones and marbles. The Amer fort has four different sections with each section having its own courtyard. The Amer fort can be accessed from the main entrance, Suraipol, and other entrances, the Ganesh Gate dedicated to Goddess Sila Devi. Attractions at the Amer fort include; the magnificent Diwa-e-Aaam hall for public audience and the Diwan-e-Khas hall for private audience. The choice of transportation through the Amer fort is entirely up to you, you could decide to move round on the back of an elephant or walking through on your feet or ride in jeep, whichever means you choose you are bound to have a one in a lifetime experience.
On your trip back to Jaipur, you will make a stop at the seven story Maharaja City Palace. You will also visit the Jantar Mantar, which has played host to a lot of mathematicians and astronomers from all over the world. Your visit to Jaipur won’t be complete without a stop at the iconic Hawa Mahal Palace, and of course the Pink Rose Garden.
After an eventful day visiting and touring round the beautiful city of Jaipur, it is time to head back to the hotel for some sumptuous Indian delicacies and a much needed rest, so you can relax and fully re energize for tomorrow’s activity.
Day four begins with a drive through Agra to pay a visit to another UNESCO World Heritage site, Fatehpur Sikri built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. The Fatehpur Sikri is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India due to the large number of historical monuments that can be found there. When you get to the Fatehpur Sikri be on the look at for the Jama Masjid, the five storied Panch Mahal, the sacred Tomb of Salim Chishti, and the beautiful architectural edifice of Buland Darwaza. The Buland Darwaza also known as the Horseshoe gate has three arched entrances.
Your day isn’t quite over yet as you would also take a tour round other monumental buildings like the Mariam-uz-Zamani’s place, Ibadat Khana, Naubat Khana and Birbal’s house. After marveling at the Indian monuments, you will be taken down to a hotel in Agra where you will be staying for the night.
The next day is entirely devoted to the majestic city of Agra, the third angle of the Golden Triangle after Delhi and Jaipur. Situated on the banks of river Yamuna, Agra is one of the most popular attractions for the tourists.
The day begins with the visit to Taj Mahal – one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Plan you trip in a way that this day doesn’t fall on a Friday as Taj Mahal is shut on Fridays. Treat you eyes with the majestically crafted beauty in white marble which was constructed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1631 and 1648 to commemorate his beloved queen MumtazMahal. The monument symbolizes love and romance.
Explore Agra Fort as the next stop which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was built in the 16th century during the Mughal Empire. The beauty lies in the constructional excellence of Khas Mahal, Jahangir Palace, Diwan-e-Aam (public audience hall) and Diwan-e-Khas (private audience hall). Spend your afternoon by either visiting more nearby places or shopping souvenirs or by simply exploring the inlaid marble work and handicrafts made of marble, wood and metal.
You would be transferred to Tundla railway station for your next train to Varanasi. Night onboard.
On Day 6, your day begins with a visit to Varanasi, on arrival at the city, you’ll be taken straight to the hotel where you will be able to chill, relax and have a good time. Once you are fully refreshed, you can take a walk through the city and take a look at the bazaars. For those who don’t know, Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. The city serves as the headquarters for cultural and spiritual activities in northern India, so much so that the Hindus believe dying in Varanasi is a certain way to attain salvation. Satisfied with walking around the religious temples and learning more about the rich Indian cultural heritage, you can chill off and watch the rustling water of the River Ganges Ghats as the sun sets, and retire back to your hotel room once night falls.
You haven’t visited half of Varanasi if you haven’t tried boat ride in the river Ganges. You will find hundreds of devotees flocking at the ghats of Manikarnika and Harish chandra. These two ghats are famous for cremation and you would find many funeral pyres burning around here. Hindus believe that people who are cremated here get salvation (moksha) and they don’t have to undergo the cycle of rebirth. For the same reason, hundreds of aged people come down to Varanasi to spend their last days here. Manikarnika shrine is a holy place for the Shaktism sect of Hinduism. There is a well at the ghat called Manikarnika Kund and mythologies say that it was built by the Hindu God Lord Vishnu.
You may spend the rest of the day at the river bank or may visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple which is quite close-by. Or if time permits, you may visit Sarnath – a Buddhist pilgrimage located 10-kms from Varanasi.
You would be transferred to the railway station to catch your train to Bhubaneswar. Overnight onboard.
Day 8 of your tour will take you to Bhubaneswar. Bhubaneswar is the home of the classical Odissi dance. It also has a magnificent state museum, where you’ll see lots of artifacts, local crafts and sculptures and ancient weapons of warfare. Your stay in Bhubaneswar will begin with securing your reservation at a hotel from which you proceed to explore the ancient city, commonly referred to as the Temple city of India.
Other hot spots you will visit while in Bhubaneswar include; the Lingered Temple, Ananta Vasudeva Religious temple and the Ragarani religious temple to mention a few. You will learn a lot about the ancient history of these religious temples some dating as far back as the 2nd century BC. Tourists commonly refer to the tour of Bhubaneswar Konark Purias the Golden Triangle Tour of East India and its one of the main driving force of tourism in this region.
Concluding your stay in Bhubaneswar will be a visit to the Nandankanan Zoological Park from which you will head to tollywood, the Oriya cinema industry, to see first-hand how the Indian magic in movies are created and see the best talents in the Indian movie industry on display. After that it’s back to your hotel to retire for the night and prepare for the trip to Konark.
It’s Day 9 and it’s time for a road tour from Bhubaneswar to Konark. Konark is the famous or the lovely Black Pagoda which was made entirely of Black granite. Other places you will get to see in Konark include the popular Sun Temple which was designed as a twelve wheeled chariot of the Surya, being pulled by seven horses. Although not as magnificent as it used to be, the site is still a joy to behold. Other side attractions sure to make your visit to Konark worthwhile include the Konark Dance Festival which showcases the wide variety of Indian dance. After the day’s event, you will proceed to Puri where you will be spending the night at a hotel in Puri.
Wow! It’s the 10th day of your travel. On this day you will get the opportunity to tour around the holy city of Puri. The city of Puri is one of the four most important Hindu temple towns and it houses one of the most sacred monasteries. The day at Puri ends with a trip back to your hotel room, so you can get a much needed rest.
Spend the day at leisure taking a walk by the beaches of Puri. The city has one of the most crowded beaches of India – Swargadar (Door To Heaven) Beach which has its own religious and mythological values. You may visit the Golden Beach which gets its name from the glistening sand that spills out onto the waterfront of the Bay of Bengal, with changing colour throughout the day, from bright blues and green in daylight to dark navy at night. You must not miss the exotic sunrise and sunset here.
Balighai Beach is yet another attraction which is just 8kms from Puri. It is the abode of Olive Ridley turtles that lay their eggs in the sand between December and January. It is a sight to watch along with a host of migratory birds taking flight in the air above. If you don’t want to visit so far, you may just sit and relax at the Puri Beach and enjoy the sight-seeing of the city. The local city sweets and delicacies are a must to try. Collect mementos from near the beachside.
Check-out from the hotel is at 1200 noon. You will be taken to the railway station to catch your next train to Kolkata. Overnight onboard.
Day 12 takes you to the city of Kolkata, your first stop will be to check into your hotel. Kolkata commonly referred to as the city of joy is dominated with enlightened and culturally enthusiastic people. Your tour round this city will involve visits to the temple of the Lord shrinathji. You will also get to visit the historic Victoria Memorial monument where you will get to explore the museum and the art gallery. From there you will drive past the Secretariat Building, the Howrah Bridge, Old Courthouse street and the Dalhousie Square which has so many Raj-era monuments. By night fall, it will be time to retire back to your hotel for a well-deserved rest in preparation for your departure tomorrow.
After an eventful 12 days tour, on the 13th day, you’ll be driven to the Kolkata airport from where you’ll get a connecting flight back home filled with memories and once in a lifetime experience of India.
We hope you enjoyed your trip with one of the most reliable travel agencies in India, Services International private limited. We wish to see again to explore some other parts of India.
