India - Scenic Tours

SPIRIT OF NORTH INDIALake Pichola, UdaipurDay 1 Delhi Namaste and welcome to Delhi.On arrival you will be met by your Scenic ToursRepresentative and transferred to your luxury hotel.Scenic Enrich: Receive a traditional fl oral garland andwelcome. Three Night Special Stay : The Imperial.Day 2 Delhi This morning take your Included tourof Old Delhi. Drive past the imposing Red Fort thenvisit Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque which wascommissioned by Shah Jahan, the builder of the TajMahal. Soak up the atmosphere as you delve into themaze of alleyways and laneways on your Includedrickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk Bazaar to KhariBaoli, Asia’s largest wholesale spice market, operatingsince the 17th century. Travel to Connaught Place,the heart of New Delhi, with its wide avenues andboulevards, on your Included journey on Delhi’snew metro. Visit India Gate, drive along Rajpath pastParliament House and then cherish your Included visitto the remarkable World Heritage-listed Humayun’sTomb, built in red sandstone with white marble.Tonight enjoy your Included Welcome Dinner atSpice Route, heralded as one of the top restaurants byCondé Nast Traveller.Meals: FB,L,HDDay 3 Delhi Included Scenic FreeChoice choosefrom: (1) explore the magnifi cent Qutub Minar, LodhiGardens and Dilli Haat; or (2) learn about threereligions with a visit to the Bahai House of Worship, aHindu Temple and a Sikh Gurdwara; or (3) visit someof Delhi’s wonderful museums including the CraftMuseum and one dedicated to Gandhi; or (4) joina walk through the lanes around New Delhi railwaystation, led by a child who once lived and worked onthe streets. This evening enjoy your Included ScenicFreeChoice choose from: (1) a Sound and Light showat the Red Fort; or (2) a unique Bollywood spectacleof colour and music at the Kingdom of Dreams.Meals: FB,DDay 4 Delhi – Varanasi Your Included fl ightto Varanasi brings you to the most sacred city forHindus. Steeped in history and spirituality, Varanasi orBenares as it is also known, is believed to be the oldestcontinuously inhabited city in the world. Scenic Enrich:Listen to the sounds of sitar and tabla music on yoursunset boat journey and witness the evening aarti onthe banks of the Ganges. This is a magical ceremonyfi lled with chanting, incense, fl ower offerings and oillamps. Two Night Stay: Radisson Hotel. Meals: FB,L,DDay 5 Varanasi Float slowly down the RiverGanges on your Included dawn boat cruise to observethe hundreds of devotees who gather to wash inthe holy waters. Explore the many ghats (steps) andwander through the laneways of the Old City onyour Included walking tour and observe the spiritualtraditions of this holy city.Meals: FB,DDay 6 Varanasi – Khajuraho Rejuvenateyour body this morning with a yoga class beforeyour Included visit to Sarnath, where Buddha gavehis fi rst sermon. Explore the ruins and visit India’stallest statue of Lord Buddha and see the AshokaPillar with the four-sided lion’s head, which is India’snational emblem on your Included visit to the SarnathMuseum. Take your Included fl ight to Khajuraho.Once the capital of the Chandela Dynasty, this littlevillage is now famous for its World Heritage-listedtemple architecture. Be inspired on your Includedvisit to these exquisitely sculpted temples with theirkarma sutra carvings, which were built between the9th and 10th century. This evening treasure yourIncluded performance of Indian dance styles from allover the country in a spectacle of colour and energy.Overnight Special Stay : The LaLiT. Meals: FB,LDay 7 Khajuraho – Orchha Discover awonderful glimpse into village life on your short drivethrough Central India. Scenic Enrich: Visit and learnabout a community-run papermaking plant wherelocal tribeswomen craft paper from recycledclothing and wood pulp. Continue to a relativelyundiscovered part of India, Orchha. This sleepy 16thcentury town is set along the banks of the Betwa River,with crumbling cenotaphs, ancient temples and palaceramparts rising above the landscape. This land trulyspeaks of India’s great empires and you will explore thischarming town on your Included walking tour. Visit theRam Raja Temple dedicated to Lord Ram and see thewonderful murals in the Raj Mahal built in 1560 beforestrolling along the river to watch the sun set by thebeautiful cenotaphs of the Orchha rulers. OvernightStay: Orchha ResortMeals: FB,L,DDay 8 Orchha – Agra Spend the morningexploring the town or relaxing by the pool beforeyour journey northwards to Gwalior. Included is yourvisit to this massive fort with its huge ramparts anddecorated tile work, sitting high above the surroundingcountryside on a sandstone hill. Continue on to Agrato your hotel, which is located only 600 metres fromJama Masjid, Old Delhiscenictours.com.au | 15