North India Tour

The capital of India, Delhi blends an historic past and a vibrant present. The Imperial city planned for the British by Lutyens is set in parks and shaded avenues. Legend has it that Delhi, then called Indraprastha, was originally founded around 1200 B.C. by the Pandavas, the august heroes of the epic Mahabharata. Present day Delhi is built around the ruins of seven ancient cities. Amongst which Shahjahanabad or the Mughal Delhi still remains the charm of the famous Mughal era.

After breakfast this morning we go on a tour of Old Delhi visiting its imposing Jama Mosque. This vast mosque of Old Delhi is India’s largest, with a courtyard capable of holding an incredible 25,000 devotees. It was begun in 1644 and proved to be the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan. The highly decorative mosque has three great gates, four towers and two 40 m-high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble. Visitors can hire robes at the north gate. This may be the only time you get to dress like a local without feeling like an outsider so make the most of it. Next, a rickshaw ride into Chandni Chowk – one of the oldest, continuously populated market places in the world, dating back to the Mughal times and having existed even in the time of Turkish, Chinese, and even the Holland traders and merchants. You may buy some curios and souvenirs from here. Dariba Kalan is famous for its pearl, gold and silver jewellery and attar (natural perfumes). Gulab Singh Johri Mal, established in 1819, are reputed manufacturers and exporters of attar. A visit to Khari Baoli is a must for the spice-lover — don’t forget spices are what connected India to the West. Kinari Bazaar is the best place to look for zari and zardozi trimmings and tinsel. The Katra Neel cloth bazaar has all kinds of fabrics like silks, satins, creep, cottons, and muslims amongst others.

This evening we visit one of the greatest entertainment and leisure destinations, namely, Kingdom of Dreams. The carnival that India is all distilled into a single iconic destination. This fantastic Kingdom brings together a blend of India’s art, culture, heritage, craft, cuisine, and performing art together with the wizardry of technologies of today.

Stay at a hotel overnight.

After an early morning breakfast we start our drive to Agra, the city carrying one of the seven wonders of the world – Taj Mahal. We check-in to our hotel on arrival and proceed for a visit to the magnificent Red Fort of Agra along with the markets in the daylight. The Red Fort, Agra is an imposing edifice built by Emperor Akbar and his future generations in the 16th and the 17th century. However, it is most famous for the room where Shahjehan was put under house-arrest and where he died looking at the monument he made for his beloved. Its intricate palaces viz. Jahangiri Mahal, Hall of public audience Diwan-e-aam and the Diwan-e-khas are all beautiful. We conclude the day with setting sun at the most famous monument of love-the ‘Taj Mahal’, which today is believed to be an acme of architectural excellence in the world. Built by Emperor Shahjehan in 1631 for his wife Mumtaj, it’s an experience people don’t forget in their lifetime. It is the place where Shahjehan and his beloved rest in peace, and thousands of people every day witness their immortal love story.

This evening you have an option to view a Dance drama set in the 16th century. The dance-drama depicts the lavish lifestyle of the Mughal era. The climax of the show is a replica of the Taj Mahal in Makrana marble weighing 8,500 kg with inlay work which presents various moods and shades, very similar to the original Taj Mahal. Ornate costumes and the lavish stage settings make for an interesting portrayal of the 16th century and allows one to see Mughal grandeur coming alive.

Overnight at the Hotel.

This morning, the Taj Mahal will be viewed from a different perspective across the Yamuna River. Later, take the Kachhpura Village Walk, where you walk through the agriculture field to reach the village and have a close experience of village life by walking through narrow lanes. Here you can gain information from a local NGO about work done for sanitation, women empowerment, public awareness and education on health & hygiene. You also visit a village school.

Overnight at the Hotel.

Today we drive from Agra to Tordi Garh Village before making our first stop at Bharatpur Bird sanctuary. This sanctuary is an ornithologists’ paradise. It is arguably India’s most spectacular bird sanctuary, with over 350 varieties of birdlife. The diversity of habitats here runs from grasslands and woods to swamps and wetlands, all sheltering a huge variety of birdlife. The enormous array of species embraces numerous migratory birds, including eagles, cranes, geese, wagtails, and warblers. Bharatpur has also become a wintering spot for the rare Siberian crane.You explore the sanctuary on a rickshaw in a relaxed fashion, after that we carry on our journey to Tordi Garh.

Overnight at the Hotel.

Tordi Garh is a small town that is true off the beaten track experience, it has a beautiful countryside.

During our stay here, we explore the village, meet the potters, visit the farm, old temples, and step wells. On one of the days, we visit the local school and have an interaction with the students and teachers and get the feel of how the classes are conducted, look into the books used by the student. You also get a chance to Play a friendly cricket match with the local boys and trek to the old fort and lots of other activities.

Overnight at the Hotel.

During our stay in Tordi we accomplished some community projects which included garbage collection from the village, teaching English in the local school, and cleaning of step wells in the village.

Overnight at the Hotel.

First half of the day we continue with our project work. In the evening we go on a 45 min trek to the old fort which is about 400 years old. You enjoy a beautiful sunset from the fort.

Overnight at the Hotel.

Today we finish our project work and have a small farewell program in the evening with some cultural dance and bonfire.

Overnight at the Hotel.

Today you drive to Jaipur the Heritage Pink City has been the capital of the erstwhile Jaipur State since its inception in 1727 AD, it gets the name from its founder Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who was not only a great ruler but also a renowned mathematician and astrologer, and his various talents are clearly exhibited in the city. Vidhydhar Bhattacharya designed Jaipur according to the Hindu treatise, Shilpa Shastra. Today Jaipur is not only important for its various forts and palaces but is also a trading center for jewelry, gem and precious stones, textiles, carpets, blue pottery etc. After resting for some time in the hotel you go to visit the City Palace Museum and the Jantar Mantar. This Palace was built by the founder of Jaipur, Sawai Jai Singh II, who founded the city in the ancient Indian town planning style of nine grids. In this system, eight blocks would have houses of different communities with broad streets lined with shops dividing these blocks and ending at various gates, while the ninth block was the City Palace surrounded by the other eight blocks. The whole city has a boundary wall and is painted Pink in color, which was done at that time to welcome the Prince of Wales. The museum at the City Palace houses some very amazing and rare artifacts, including the biggest bronze vessels of the world and some old manuscripts of very rare books. There exists in the compound an early 18th-century Observatory, which the king of Jantar Mantar Observatory within the Palace complex got built with a view to survey the happening astronomical movements. Various brick instruments of the Observatory testify his foresightedness and intellectuality of high order.

Evening: Visit the SOS Children’s Villages of India is a voluntary child care organization, providing care to thousands of destitute children who have been deprived of the natural order of the family and help them grow as decent human beings in a natural family and integrate with the society. SOS Kinderdorf International is the umbrella organization, based in Vienna, Austria. The SOS Village at Jaipur, was founded in 1974 and currently has 146 children under its care in 14 family homes.

Overnight at the hotel.

This morning after breakfast you drive to the old Capital of the Kachhawa rulers,to visit Amber or the Fort of Amber. Amber is 11 km away from Jaipur and was the old fort of the Kachhwaha clan of Amber, which used to be the capital, till it was moved to Jaipur. White marble and red sandstone were used to construct the fort, which looks even more attractive because of the foreground of Maota Lake. The famous attractions at the Fort include the Hall of Mirrors and the Hall of Victory. Diwan-e-khas and the Fore Square of the Fort are also pretty marvelous.

In the afternoon we drive to Dera Amber where you get on the elephant back and enjoy the ride on the beautiful animal. On reaching there you can enjoy quality time with the resident elephants, bathing, feeding or painting them.In the evening return back to the hotel

Overnight at the hotel.

This morning we drive from Jaipur to the capital of India, New Delhi. We reach Delhi by late afternoon and take an orientation drive through India gate, President Palace and Parliament house.

Overnight at the hotel.

Today you go on a unique city walk which is led by one of the boys who has lived and worked in these streets. The Salaam Baalak Trust City Walk was born with the endeavor of making the story of the children of the street to be heard and to give us a view of their world through their eyes. The City Walk participants go on a journey through the enchanting streets of the inner city of Paharganj and the area around New Delhi railway station. This walk takes you on a journey through the backstreets of Delhi with a child who has been fully trained as a local guide. It’s a special way to help one get into the lives of these children as well as learn how to work on their speech and communication capabilities. Later during the day we pay a visit to one of the urban schools in Delhi wherein we get a chance to meet and interact with the students, teachers as well as have an overview of school premises.

Overnight at the hotel.

Today, after having breakfast, the journey to India will come to an end as you’ll be transferred to the airport for the further flight as per schedule.