The Indian Panorama - HolidayKeys.co.uk

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Day 01 ARRIVE DELHI 

Arrive Delhi airport by international flight. Meeting and assistance on arrival and 

transfer to hotel. Overnight at Hotel. 

Day 02 DELHI 

Morning: After breakfast sightseeing of New & 

Old Delhi. Visit the 12th century Qutab Minar, 

gracefully hand-carved for its entire height of 

234ft, and the iron pillar, which has withstood 

the ravages of time and not rusted even after 

1500 years. Visit the mausoleum of emperor 

Humayun – a forerunner of the Mughal style of 

architecture and the imposing modern 

Lakshminarayan temple. 

Drive past the India Gate (war memorial dedicated to the lives of laid down by the Indian 

soldiers)


The president’s residence – formerly the Viceroy’s Palace, parliament House and the 

Secretariat buildings, – an interesting blend of the Victorian and 20th century 

architecture. Old Delhi takes you to the Raj Ghat (memorial to Mahatma Gandhi), Jama 

Masjid, – The largest mosque in India. Drive past Chandi Chowk, once an imperial 

avenue of Mughal Royalty which today is the busiest commercial area of the city. 

Overnight at Hotel. 

Day 03 DELHI – VARANASI 

Morning: After breakfast leave Delhi for Varanasi. Meeting and assistance on arrival and 

transfer to hotel. Upon arrival at Jaipur check in at Hotel. Evening visit the Ganges to 

witness the aarti ceremony on the Ghats. 

Overnight at Hotel.


Day 04 VARANASI 

Early Morning: Boat ride at Ganges. 

Afternoon: Excursion to Sarnath. 

Sarnath – 10 kms. from Varanasi – (3 hours) The Buddha preached his first sermon to 

five disciples at the Deer Park here, enshrining the principals of his teaching into laws. 

The Dhamek Stupa marks the location of a once resplendent monastery. A large complex 

of ruined monasteries cover the area north of the stupas. Some of the buildings belong to 

the Kushan and Gupta period. The first monk communities probably settled here in the 

3rd century BC. Near the Dhamek Stupa is a new monastery built by the Buddhist 

Mahabodhi Society. The major events of Buddha’s life are depicted here in wall 

paintings by a Japanese artist. Sarnath has an interesting archaeological museum which 

has preserved the famous Sarnath pillar whose capital forms India’s national emblem. 


Day 05 VARANASI – KHAJURAHO 

Departure transfer from hotel to airport to board flight for Khajuraho. 

Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel.


Afternoon: Visit Eastern & Western Temples. 

Khajuraho was the capital of the Chandela kings and 

its temples were built in the short span of hundred 

years, from 950-1050 AD. Most of them were 

destroyed by Muslim invaders. Adorned with 

exquisite sculpture, only 22 temples remain of the 

original 85. They are the strange works of a long 

dead people. Khajuraho’s temples are covered with 

hundreds of sculptured figures – a galaxy of gods 

and goddesses, beasts and serpents, and a multitude 

of erotic couples which represent a paean to life, to 

love and to joy. 

The most famous are the Kandariya Mahadev, the Chaturbhuj, the Paraswanath and the 

Ghantai – the summit of Hindu sculpture: voluptuous forms; human and divine, throbbing 

with life and sublime in expression. Overnight at Hotel.


Transfer from Khajuraho to Jhansi station to board Shatabdi Exp. for Agra. (4 hrs drive 

approx.) Jhansi – Agra by Shatabdi Exp. (1715 / 2005 hrs). Meeting and assistance on 

arrival and transfer to hotel. 


Day 07 AGRA 

Morning: Visit the world famous Taj Mahal built by 

Shah Jahan in 1560 in memory of his queen Mumtaz 

Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. This architectural 

marvel is a perfectly proportioned masterpiece fashioned 

from white marble that stands testimony to the skill of 

20,000 craftsmen brought together from Persia, Turkey, 

France and Italy and who took 17 year to complete this ‘ 

Love Poem in Marble’. (Friday closed). Later visit the 

Agra fort containing the halls private and public 

audiences and other palaces. 

Afternoon: Free. Overnight at Hotel.


Day 08 AGRA – JAIPUR 

After breakfast leave Agra for Jaipur Fatehpursikri enroute.(5 – 6 hrs drive) 

Located 40 Km from Agra, the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri was built by Emperor 

Akbar in 1569, in honour of the great Saint Sheikh Salim Chisti who blessed Akbar and 

prophesized the birth of three sons to the heirless Emperor. Akbar used Fatehpur Sikri as 

his capital and the city was fully occupied for 14 years but slowly became deserted and 

ruined after Akbar left the city. Scarcity of water was the prime factor for the 

abandonment of this beautiful city. Visit the remarkably well-preserved, graceful 

buildings within the ‘Ghost City’ including the Jama Masjid, tomb of Salim Chisti, 

Panch Mahal Palace and other palaces that speak of the grandeur and splendour of the 

Mughal empire at the height of its power. Upon arrival at Agra check in at Hotel. 


Day 09 JAIPUR 

Morning: After breakfast excursion to Amber fort. Amber is a classic, romantic 

Rajasthani Fort Palace. The rugged, time-ravaged walls of the Fort may not look 

beautiful from the outside, but the interior is a virtual paradise.


Precious stones and mirrors are embedded into the plaster. Inside the Fort visit the Jag 

Mandir or the Hall of Victory. Inside the Jag Mandir is the famed Sheesh Mahal – a 

room with all the four walls and ceiling completely embedded with glittering mirror 

pieces, which were specially imported from Belgium during that period. En route to 

Amber Fort, you will have a brief photography stop at Hawa Mahal – (known as the 

Palace of Winds). 

Afternoon sightseeing tour of city visiting Maharaja’s City Palace, the former Royal 

residence, part of it converted into a museum.


A small portion is still used by the Royal family of Jaipur. Built in the style of a fortified 

campus, the palace covers almost one-seventh in area of the city. One of the major 

attractions in the museum is the portion known as Armoury Museum housing an 

impressive array of weaponry-pistols, blunderbusses, flintlocks, swords, rifles and 

daggers. 

The royal families of Jaipur once used most of these weapons. Later visit the Jantar 

Mantar, which is the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world. Situated 

near the gate of the city palace, the observatory has 17 large instruments, many of them 

still in working condition. Overnight at Hotel. 

Day 10 JAIPUR – COCHIN (Via Mumbai) 

Departure transfer from hotel to airport to board 

flight for Cochin Via Mumbai. Meeting and 

assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. 

Overnight at Hotel.


Day 11 COCHIN 

Morning: After breakfast sightseeing tour of Kochi. Visit the Dutch Palace, the Jewish 

Synagogue – (which remains closed on Saturdays) St. Francis Church and the Santa Cruz 

Basilica. While driving along the coastline, at the Harbour’s mouth, one can also view the 

unique and still-in-use “Chinese Fishing Nets” which were introduced by the Chinese 

traders in the 14th Century. The tour ends in the Fort Kochi area where you can walk 

through the historical Dutch and Portuguese buildings. Some parts of this nearly 500- 

year-old Fort are still amazingly well preserved. Evening witness Kathakali dance 

performance. Enjoy India’s most spectacular Dance Drama based on stories from 

Ramayana and Mahabharata. The dancers are elaborately made up with paint and masks, 

accompanied with drummers and musicians. Overnight at Hotel. 

Day 12 COCHIN – PERIYAR 

Morning after breakfast Leave Cochin for Periyar. (4-5 hrs drive) Upon arrival Checkin at 

Hotel. Periyar has a lot to offer you in sightseeing. The wildlife sanctuary here is the 

natural habitat of a wide variety of animal species. The Periyar Lake is a paradise for the 

nature lovers. It gives you an opportunity to observe the wild animals roaming in the 

jungle.


The lake is also a birdwatcher’s delight. The 

greatest attraction of Periyar Lake, however, is the 

herds of wild elephants that come down to play in 

the lake. This lake serves as the waterhole for the 

animals and they come here to drink or take a dip. 

There are over 260 species of birds here, including 

Nilgiri Wood Pigeons, blue-winged Parakeets, 

White bellied Tree Pies, laughing Thrushes and Fly 

Catchers. Overnight at Hotel. 

Day 13 PERIYAR – KUMARAKOM 

Morning: After breakfast later drive to Kumarkom 

visiting spice plantation enroute.3 – 4 hrs. drive. 

On arrival, check in at your backwater resort. Kumarakom slumbers on the banks of the 

famous Vembanad Lake, which is a part of Kuttanad (‘granary’ of Kerala). The Vembanad 

Lake with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks weave an intricate 

and enchantingly beautiful web.


The gorgeous green of the fringed palms ripple in the blue waters and blend into wavelets 


Day 14 KUMARAKOM 

Morning: Free to relax and enjoy the serene atmosphere or enjoy an Ayurvedic massage at 

the resort. Evening sunset cruise on Vembanad lake. (provided by the hotel)Overnight at 

Hotel. 

Day 15 KUMARAKOM – KOVALAM 

Morning: After breakfast leave Kumarakom for Kovalam. ( 4 – 5 hrs drive)Upon arrival 

check in at your resort. Overnight at Hotel. 

Day 16 & 17 KOVALAM 

Days at leisure in Kovalam to enjoy the beach. Overnight at Hotel. 

Day 18 KOVALAM – TRIVANDRUM – LEAVE TRIVANDRUM 

Departure transfer from hotel to Trivandrum airport to board flight for onward 

destination.


Thanks!

The Indian Panorama - HolidayKeys.co.uk

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