Saturday - April 03
Arrival in Delhi
Your arrival is in the evening today. On arrival, you are met and escorted to your hotel.Assisted with check in. Evening is at leisure for shopping.Delhi is called a shopper's paradise A shopping paradise for people, Delhi has a lot to lure the buyers. For instance, the arts and crafts from all the states of India are available in the emporiums.We visit the CIE emporium where, the product range doesn't end anywhere. From fine carpets, free flowing shawls to fine, embroidered apparels, furnishings and bed spreads, silk stoles and papier mache, anything you can imagine about shopping in India is available here with the superior most quality and suitable prices.
Sunday - April 04
This morning, you take a rickshaw (Pedicab) ride through the narrow lanes of Old Delhi to Jami Masjid - Asia's largest mosque. Go through the famed antique streets of Old Delhi without which no trip to Delhi is complete. Chandni Chowk offers a colourful insight into Delhi life and has a large number of lanes each of which is different, with its own atmosphere and smells.
Lunch is at 'Veda'. Veda, besides being the most talked about restaurant in the city, also made it to the famed Conde Nast magazine's list of 82 best tables in the world. The May 2006 issue celebrated, Indian designers Rohit Bal's well-thought of ambience inspired by the deserts of Rajasthan with its unique glasswork (thekri ka kaam) and the Pan-Indian cuisine. The menu offers modern Indian cuisine with a twist.
Continue for a tour of New Delhi; visit the 12th century Qutab Minar, gracefully hand-carved for its entire height of 234ft. Visit the mausoleum of emperor Humayun - a forerunner of the Mughal style of architecture. While driving back to the hotel, drive past the India Gate (World War I memorial), The President's Residence, Parliament House and the Secretariat buildings - an interesting blend of the Victorian and 20th century architecture. Optional: Evening you have the option of taking a massage at the famous signature salon of Shahnaz Husain. She is the exponent of modern herbal cosmetics in India and you have a variety of treatments to choose from.
Monday - April 05 
This morning after an early breakfast, you leave for Agra – the city of Taj.
On arrival you are assisted with checking in and the afternoon is at leisure for shopping.
Agra was once the centre of arts and crafts in the Mughal period and even today one can shop for the most exquisite handicrafts items in Agra. Agra is primarily popular for its handicrafts items that span from beautiful marble tabletops to soft stone lay work. Hand made leather items are also very popular and make a very good shopping item to take back as souvenirs.
The most famous is Pietra Dura, the art of inlaying on marble. You can buy the most beautiful peace d’art from Agra in form of a variety of decorative inlaid marble artifacts to grace homes with collections once produced for a privileged few
Evening you proceed for a visit of the Agra fort. This fort was started by Emperor Akbar in 1565. The high red stone monument stretches for around 2½ Kms. The palace is a notable for its smooth blending of Hindu and central Asian architectural styles.
Continue to the sunset visit of the beautiful - Taj Mahal. Standing tall and gracefully in its glory and splendor, the beauty of Taj Mahal can be discovered and rediscovered time after time for it not only changes color according to the time of the day but also with every change in the season.
The most magnificent tribute to love and beauty and one of man's proudest creations, is easily the most identified image to be associated with India. Built between 1631 and 1648 by Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, this fairytale like marvel took twenty two years and the labor of twenty thousand workmen employed on it daily for its completion. The intensity of the Emperor's love is carved in white marble as the most beautiful and wondrous expression of love ever. Return to the hotel for dinner.
Tuesday - April 06
Early morning, you have the option of attending a session of Yoga that has been arranged specially for you. This session of Gentle Yoga can be practiced once learnt and is most useful for the maintenance of health. The Gentle Yoga sequence is a complete series. The postures involved incorporate all the directions of motions a body can make, providing a normal range of joint motion, and developing tone and stamina in all the major muscles of the body. This series has a profound effect on the human body, and a subtle effect on mind.
After the breakfast, leave for Jaipur – the capital city of the desert state of India. Enroute visit Fatehpur Sikri, situated about 40 Kms from Agra. This was the erstwhile capital of the great Mughal ruler - Emperor Akbar. This magnificent fort palace had to be abandoned after just 15 years of occupation due to lack of potable water.
Stop for lunch at Laxmi Vilas palace Bharatpur, at another 20 Kms from Sikri. Laxmi Vilas Palace was built in 1887 for Raja Raghunath Singh, the younger brother of the then ruler of Bharatpur. The kitchen here is personally supervised for the preparation that can offers you true flavors of continental and local dishes
Continue with your drive to Jaipur. On arrival in Jaipur, you are assisted with checking into the hotel.
Evening is at leisure.
Wednesday - April 07
After an early breakfast, proceed for sightseeing of Jaipur. Visit the Amber Fort which is a classic, romantic Rajasthani Fort Palace, with its rugged, time-ravaged walls and fascinating palaces inside. On your return, visit Hawa Mahal – The Palace of Winds for a brief stop for photographs and as it is in the heart of Jaipur’s shopping district, to buy souvenirs.
Proceed for the visit of City Palace, the former residence of the royal family, a part of which is converted into a museum. Built in the style of a fortified campus, the palace covers almost one-seventh in area of the old city. One of the major attractions in the museum is the Armory Museum housing an impressive array of weaponry. Later visit the Jantar Mantar, which is the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world. The observatory has 17 large instruments, many of them still in working condition. Return to the hotel for lunch.
Post lunch you will proceed for the shopping spree in one of the world famous destinations for jewellery.
Jaipur is a major centre for cutting and polishing of gemstones. Jaipur is home to the famous 'minakari' (gold, enamel work) and ' Kundan ' work. Precious stones are easily available too. Apart from this also, shopping in Jaipur is an electrifying experience as it offers the best of Rajasthan’s indigenous range of arts, crafts and apparels that tempts even the complaisant of hearts.
Thursday - April 08
Breakfast is at the hotel and later you are taken to the airport to board flight to Udaipur.
On arrival, you are met and assisted upon arrival and transferred to your hotel.
Evening is at leisure for shopping.
Udaipur is famous the world over for its miniature paintings. It is a notable art form in Udaipur, which has matured over the ages. It's a very different form of painting featuring long necks, large almond-shaped eyes, long fingers and the use of subdued colours. Silver jewelry and potteries are also noted handicrafts in Udaipur. Intricately designed silverware and exquisite pottery are big hits with those who go for shopping in Udaipur. Also the apparels wore by the locals are so beautiful that you can get one stitched for yourself in Udaipur!
Friday - April 09
Post breakfast proceed for half day city tour of Udaipur. Visit the City Palace, built in 1725, which houses the Dilkhush Mahal, Sheesh Mahal - studded with glittering Belgium Mirrors, Moti Mahal and the Palace of Lord Krishna all of which are ornately decorated. Later visit the Jagdish Temple. This temple built in 1651 is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, “The Preserver” in the Hindu Trinity of Gods.
The afternoon is at your leisure to relax at the hotel or explore the beautiful lanes of Udaipur for one more shopping excursion.
Take a sail over the beautiful Lake Pichola. This is one of the most romantic experiences one can have while being in the desert state of Rajasthan and is not to be missed.
Post lunch you are transferred to ‘Devra’
"DEVRA" - is "Where God Resides" and the 400 years old temple that stands at the site of Devra is the witness to the fact. This colonial style house is one special project envisaged and executed by Ms Jyoti Jasol along with her husband. Both of whom come from the pretigious and educated families of Rajasthan.
Ms Jyoti will be with you while you get into a very interesting activity of Saree Tying. Here you can learn how to tie a sari accompanied by a talk on the different types of saris and how they are worn in different part of the country. The sari is a single piece of fabric measuring about 6 yards (5.5 m), and though the sari is common to all parts of the country, how it is worn, the fabrics used and length differs.
Also the gentlemen will learn to tie a turban. There are different variations of the turban, depending on the religion and region. In fact, in Rajasthan, it is said that the turban style changes with every 10 miles you travel. And Rajput turbans are different from Sikh turbans, which are in turn different from the classical Arab turbans. Then, there are the royal turbans from different parts of India, and the rural turban which is often just a towel wound round the head.
Post the activity the chef of the house will take you with her to prepare mouth watering Indian delicacies. While cooking she also tells you about Indian food, spices, and the way the cuisine is planned around the year. Watch and help her cook and then you are invited to enjoy what you have helped prepare as dinner.
Return to the hotel for night.Saturday - April 10
Today you take the flight to Mumbai, your last destination for this tour in India.
On arrival you are escorted to the hotel.
Evening, you are on a drive around of the city with a visit to the exciting shopping district of Mumbai – Colaba. It can be said that it is a one stop shop, where one can get anything he wants. Colaba is also a great place to treat your taste buds with the presence of numerous restaurants, cafes and road side eateries. The Colaba causeway is the commercial street, which is always crowded with tourists and visitors. This is the place where you can get the real flavor of the city.
Sunday - April 11
The flight leaves early in the morning and you bid farewell to India today.
PRICING
$3749 per person based on double occupancy
$4953 per person based on single occupancy
April 3 – 11, 2010 (Must depart U.S. on April 2, 2010)
Inclusions:
- 2 nights accommodations at The Lalit (Delhi)
- 1 night accommodation at ITC Mughal (Agra)
- 2 nights accommodations at Sheraton Rajputana (Jaipur)
- 2 nights accommodations at The Lalit Laxmi Vilas Palace (Udaipur)
- 1 night accommodation at Kohinoor Continental (Mumbai)
- Airport transfers
- Tours per itinerary
- Breakfast daily
- Other meals per itinerary
Not included:
- Airfare
- Travelers insurance
- Passport and visa fees
- Items of a personal nature
- Gratuities
Call 1-877-238-6843 For More Information
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