Golden Triangle with Khajuraho & Varanasi | 10 Nights

Arrive at Delhi airport by flight. Meet and assist at the airport by our representative and transfer to the hotel for check in.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Enjoy a full-day sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi, exploring the city's rich heritage, architectural marvels, and vibrant streetscapes.

Old Delhi is the 300-year-old walled city built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1648 as his capital. Drive past the Red Fort from where the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on India’s Independence Day. Visit Jama Masjid, the most elegant mosque in India that stands high on a hillock. On our way back, we visit Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s shrine.

New Delhi is the early 20th century British capital designed by Sir Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Drive past the President’s House, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the two flanking Secretariat buildings – the nerve centre of government activity. Driving down this hillock is the India Gate, the great memorial arch built to commemorate the slain heroes of World War-I and Indo-Afghan War.. Visit the precursor to the Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb built in 1565 AD by the widow of the second Mughal emperor Haji Begum. In the vicinity of Humayun’s Tomb is the grave of Delhi’s most revered Sufi Saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin. Humayun’s Tomb is a garden tomb that stands as a high point of early Mughal architecture and technology. The gardens of the Humayun’s Tomb have recently been restored and revitalized to their former glory by the Aga Khan Foundation for Culture.

Later drive to Delhi’s most recognized symbol, the 12th century Qutab Minar, standing 72 meters high and Delhi’s first mosque Quwat-ul-Islam (Light of Islam) Mosque.

Also standing in this complex are buildings that were built by successive Islamic rulers and British. We end the day by visiting the Hindu heritage of the city, Lakshmi Narayan temple built by one of India’s premier industrial families, the Birlas.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Post breakfast drive to Jaipur and check in at the hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight stay at hotel.

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. Miniatures painted on the walls depict hunting and war scenes, apart from festivals. 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 from Belgium. Enroute to Amber Fort, you will have a brief photography stop at Hawa Mahal – (also known as the Palace of Winds).

Afternoon Sightseeing of 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 Armory 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 the hotel.

Today morning leave Jaipur for Agra, visiting Fatehpur Sikri en-route.

The deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri was built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, in honor 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 Buland Darwaza, 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.

Later continue drive to Agra and check in at hotel.

Overnight at the hotel.

Sunrise visit to 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 perfect 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’s Closed)

After your visit to the Taj Mahal, return to the hotel for breakfast.

Afternoon visit to Agra fort containing the halls private and public audiences and other palaces. Behind its forbidding red sandstone battlements lie palaces that tell the story of Mughal Empire.

Overnight stay at hotel.

In time transfer to Agra railway station to board train to Jhansi.

Agra/ Jhansi | (12002) Bhopal Shatabdi Express | 0802/ 1045 hrs.

Meeting and assistance at railway station and drive to Khajuraho for check in at hotel. In evening visit the Western Temple at Khajuraho: The Khajuraho temples contain some sexual or erotic art outside the temple or near the deities. Also, some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. It has been suggested that these suggest tantric sexual practices. Meanwhile, the external curvature and carvings of the temples depict humans, human bodies, and the changes that occur in bodies, as well as facts of life. The rest depict the everyday life of the common Indian when the carvings were made and activities of other beings. For example, those depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians, potters, farmers, and other folk. The mundane scenes are all at some distance from the temple deities. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities.

Overnight at the hotel.

In morning, visit Eastern Temples at Khajuraho.

Later in time transfer to Khajuraho airport to board flight to Varanasi.

Meeting and assistance at Varanasi airport and transfer to hotel for check in.

Evening witness the mesmerizing Aarti - Aarti is said to have descended from the Vedic concept of fire rituals, or homa. In the traditional Aarti ceremony, the flower represents the earth (solidity), the water and accompanying handkerchief correspond with the water element (liquidity), the lamp or candle represents the fire component (heat), the peacock fan conveys the precious quality of air (movement), and the yak-tail fan represents the subtle form of ether (space). The incense represents a purified state of mind, and one’s "intelligence" is offered through the adherence to rules of timing and order of offerings.

Overnight at the hotel.

Early morning boat ride on river Ganges. The ride gives you an unforgettable experience seeing the bathing and cremation sites. The boat ride takes you till Manikarnika Ghat - the cremation ghat and back. Return to hotel for breakfast.

Later excursion to Sarnath 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 covers the area north of the stupas some of the buildings belongs 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.

Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Varanasi airport to board your flight to Delhi.

Meet & assist at Delhi airport and transfer to the hotel for Check In Rest of the day at leisure

Overnight stay at hotel & transfer to Delhi airport to board your flight back home.