The Raj Tour Includes:

Package includes

Not included

For further details contact Ishvara 084 624 00 00

Itinerary

The follwing itinarary is provisional due to the nature of India we will attempt to stick to it, as much as possible. Anyone who has been to India will understand, so please be patient if everything doesn t happen on exactly the specified day. India is challenging

Please also note this is not a Five Star Spa experience for a princess.
If you are looking for tranquility rather go to Alaska......
If you are looking for clean and orderly go to Sweden......
If you are looking for pampering rather go to Thailand...

If you are looking for History, Mystery, Adventure, Colour, Spirituality, Culture, Incredible food, Shopping and Humanity in all its forms then India is for you and you are on the right trip.
If filthy streets, crowds, noise, using the bush as a toilet, riding on the back of a rickety horsecart, carrying your own luggage and busy markets don't bother you ......you are on the right trip.

DAY ONE Grounding

..... Arrive in New Delhi at 09h15 after our connecting flight from Dubai
Check into the Jyoti Mahal Hotel in the Hippy district of Paharganj. www.jyotimahal.net.
Relax and Recuperate.... (Shopping for the not so tired ones.)
Afternoon visit to the Bahai Lotus Temple for an evening meditation..

DAY TWO Religious Extremes

...We make our way to the busy Chandi Chowk area........ famous for cloth & silver shops.
Our first stop is the Jama Masjid....one of the worlds largest Mosques (holds 25 000 people)where we climb the minaret to view all of Delhi.
We then go to the Digambara Jain Temple....where the monks are naked and all life is revered.....next door is a Jain Hospital for injured birds
Further along Chandi Chowk is Sis Ganj ...a Sikh Gurudwara where we relax as the Guru Granth Sahib is being read aloud all day and share a meal with pilgrims.

DAY THREE Moving into the country

Transfer to the village of Vrndavan 160kms south of Delhi. (3 hours) http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=mvt+india
Check in and have lunch ....Unpack & Relax. We will be staying at MVT - a tranquil Ashram built by Americans (clean & quiet with lovely gardens)
The Ashram has an excellent restaurant that serves Lunch & Dinner (breakfast - fresh fruit & muesli will be provided)
Evening visit to the Krishna Balaram Temple Complex.

DAY FOUR Orientation

...We get bicycle rickshaws down to the Yamuna river and float by boat for several hours to the town of Mathura...
Passing ancient temples , cows , pilgrims bathing and multitudes of green parrots taking in the tranquility of this ancient place.
On arrival in Mathura we visit Janmabhumi the jail in which Krishna was born in 5000 years ago.
We make our way back to Loi Bazaar in Vrndavan to shop for cotton, silk, natural incense and perfumes.

DAY FIVE The Seventh World Wonder

.....Wake up early to catch the Shatabdi Express at 07h30 (45mins) to Agra the home of the Taj.
We will spend the morning at the Red Fort build by Shah Jahan ....visit various Marble Craft Shops..
Have lunch at Zorba the Buddha - an Osho Restaurant....
The afternoon will be spent taking in the overwhelming beauty of the worlds greatest monument to a mans love for his wife...The Taj Mahal. The Taj is described as a Tear on the Cheek of Time... ...the closest manmade object to the perfection of God.
That evening we return by taxi to the small village of Vrndavan.

DAY SIX Land of Sri Krishna

We explore the town of Vrndavan and visit various temples such as Bankibihari and Rangaji Temple a bizarre mix of various architectural styles.Vrndavan has been likened to the Old Quarter of Jerusalem....lots of passageways
Spend the afternoon relaxing in the garden or doing last minute shopping before we move on to Rajasthan...Land of the Maharajas
At 21h05 we leave from Mathura Junction on the Mewar Express overnight train to Udaipur (610km) First Class Sleeper.

DAY SEVEN At the Lakeside Palace

We arrive in Udaipur at 07h00 and make our way to the Jagatniwas Palace Hotel on Lake Pichola www.jagatniwaspalace.com. This magnificent hotel has the best views in all of Udaipur. It is at the lakeside in the old part of town.
We have lunch at the Palace Hotel reclining on bolsters in bay windows taking in the magnificent view.
The rest of the day is spent exploring and browsing through antique shops and art shops.
In the afternoon we will go on a sunset cruise by boat to Jagmandir Island (temple built on the island in 1620)

DAY EIGHT Majesty & Magic

Our morning is spent at the City Palace built by Udai Singh the "Sun King" and the Kings Jagdish Temple.
We will see the museum, the collection of Moghul minatures, his cut crystal collection and the beautiful palace gardens.
In the afternoon we ll go to the Fateh Prakash Palace for High Tea in the Ballroom.
In the evening we will attend an evening of Traditional Rajasthani folk dance in an abondoned palace (reinacting great epics of chivalry).

DAY NINE Rajasthani Culture

We will visit the Shilpgram Craft Village 3km outside of Udaipur to meet traditional artisans making pottery in mud huts
There are also various musicians and dancers.
The Shilpi Restaurant is excellent for lunch and if its hot enough there is also a swimming pool.
In the late afternoon we attend a Rajasthani Cooking Class and make our own dinner.

DAY TEN Hidden Wonders

We leave early to drive 84km North to visit Kumbhalgarh - a remote fort with a giant wall built to keep the invading Moghuls out. Today there are very few people living there just Sloth bears, antelope and the odd leopard.
One of Indias best kept secrets is the Ranakpur Jain Temple complex in a remote wooded valley. The Temple is all white marble. It consists of 29 halls and 1444 intricately carved pillars (no two the same). This temple was built in 1439 by Jain priests that practice extremes of non-violence covering their mouths with cloth in order not to accidently swallow insects. They also sweep as they walk in order not to stand on ants. Any leather articles may not be warn into the temple.

DAY ELEVEN Monsoon Palace

During the day we can laze around the marble swimming pool at the Shiv Niwas Palace while the others do last minute shopping.
Then in the late afternoon we make our way to the Monsoon Palace for breath taking views at sunset.
Perched on top a distant mountain is the fairytale castle of Maharaja Sajjan Singh.
It was originally an astronomical centre and then became the monsoon palace.

Udaipur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar.
Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel is a early 17th century haveli with its charm and aesthetics, situated in the heart of the most romantic city, nestled in the fertile valley on the eastern banks of the famous Lake Pichola.

This unique cluster of houses with its rooms restored back to their old charm and glory are surrounded by the ancient havelis and temples, they are situated around a central courtyard which is approached through a narrow archway from the Jagdish temple and the old city. The haveli is made in a typical Mewar architecture and provides a visitor a very relaxing and regal haveli atmosphere and style. The haveli situated right on the bank of Lake Pichola provides an excellent view of all the Palaces of Udaipur i.e. City Palace, Lake Palace, Monsoon Palace.

This magnificent hotel has the best views in all of Udaipur. It is at the lakeside in the old part of town.
We have lunch at the Palace Hotel reclining on bolsters in bay windows taking in the magnificent view.
The rest of the day is spent exploring and browsing through antique shops and art shops.

DAY TWELVE Mumbai

...We get up early to travel 25km to Udaipur Airport. Our flight on Jet Air leaves at 08h20 and arrives in Mumbai at 09h35 (75 min flight)
We check into the Godwin Hotel in the Collaba District (a former British Raj area on the harbour)
Lunch at Leopolds, a Zoroastrian owned restaurant since 1871...........Best place to eat in Town .
Afternoon visit to the Gateway of India and the Harbour.
Explore the old Victorian district of Modern Mumbai
Our flight leaves in the morning for Dubai at 09h45...Then on to Joburg....

Feedback

"Well I must tell you I enjoyed India, felt a little sleep deprived at times but hey did not have to show up for much in the day so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! do not cope with that well but we had a memorable and wonderful time."
Ren
Hi Ish,
Thank You once again for a really superb trip ….full of highs, lows & tears (for me). I’ll go back to Mother India … maybe even next march with you to the South. I think you’re a fab Tour guide!
I am suffering from “post trip blues” being back in SA.
Joni