Best of Rajasthan with Taj Mahal

After breakfast, proceed for visit of Delhi including following:

Heritage Walk in Old City

Enjoy a walking tour of the backstreets of old Delhi. Walk through the charming quarters of Old Delhi. Old Delhi Bazaars have colourful and interesting street food and is crowned with the oldest shops with many delicacies. The area is also home to several small temples, shrines, old mosque and protected monument sight. Cows wander the streets, small dharamshalas (rest-houses) and pyaus (water-stations) attest to the pious contributions of local merchants. The walk gives an opportunity to visit what life is really like in this narrow crowded part of Old Delhi, where adjacent houses share a common wall and everyone knows everyone else.

Raj Ghat

Raj Ghat is a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. It is a black marble platform that marks the spot of Mahatma Gandhi's cremation, on 31 January 1948, a day after his assassination. It is left open to the sky while an eternal flame burns perpetually at one end. It is located on the banks of the river Yamuna in Delhi on Ring Road officially known as Mahatma Gandhi Road. A stone footpath flanked by lawns leads to the walled enclosure that houses the memorial.

 Drive past the Govt. Buildings

New Delhi houses several government buildings and official residences reminiscent of the British colonial architecture. Today we will drive past few of them, like The Parliament House, designed by Baker is 173m in diameter, the Rashtrapati Bhawan once the Viceroy’s residence is now the official residence of the President of India. Designed by Lutyens, it combines western and eastern styles.

Photo stop at the India Gate

At the centre of New Delhi stands the 42 m high India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triumph" like archway in the middle of a crossroad. Almost similar to its French counterpart, it commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the World War I. Under the arch, the Amar Jawan Jyoti commemorating Indian armed forces’ losses in the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971.

Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar is a soaring, 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak. The tower has five distinct storey’s, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storey’s are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India. A 7 m-high iron pillar stands in the courtyard of the mosque. It is said that if you can encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it your wish will be fulfilled.

Overnight at the hotel in Delhi.

After breakfast, drive to Agra.

AGRA - The city of the inimitable “TAJ MAHAL”.

The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is vivid reminder of the opulence of the legendary Mughal Empire. While its significance as a political center ended with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jahan, its architectural wealth has secured its place on the international map. A pleasant town with a comparatively slow pace, Agra is known for its superb inlay work on marble and soapstone by craftsmen who are descendants of those who worked under the Mughals.

On arrival in Agra, visit the following :

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal or Crown of Palaces is a white marble mausoleum, built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. A world-renowned wonder, Taj Mahal looks the same from all the four sides and is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". The Taj Mahal is phenomenal not in the beauty alone but in the deep planning and design that went into its making. This enchanting mausoleum started in 1631 and it took 22 years to complete with the help of an estimated 20000 workers. (It remains closed on Fridays).

Agra Fort

The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra Fort although additions were made till the time of his grandson Shahjahan. The forbidding exteriors of this fort hide an inner paradise. There are a number of exquisite buildings like Moti Masjid - a white marble mosque akin to a perfect pearl; Diwan-I-Am, Diwan-I-Khaas, Musamman Burj - where Shahjahan died in 1666 A.D. Jahangir's Palace; Khaas Mahal and Shish Mahal. The massive Agra fort is 2.5 km long and is considered as the predecessor of the Delhi Red fort.

Overnight at the hotel in Agra.

After breakfast, drive to Jaipur, enroute visit Abhaneri.

Abhaneri

On the way to Jaipur, visit the village of Abhaneri. Abhaneri is a small village with a population of approximately 2,000 people. The village is known for Chand Baori Stepwell. Stepwells were very important in the past. The purpose was to collect the Rainwater. Stepwell Chand Baori is the largest in India.

Later proceed to Jaipur.

JAIPUR - The fascinating capital of the marvellous state of Rajasthan. Jaipur is popularly known as the Pink City, thanks to the colour of its buildings. It was built in 1727 A.D by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, followed a grid system, which made it the only planned city of its time. A young Bengali architect Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya designed the city in accordance with Shilpa Shastra - an ancient Hindu treatise on architecture. There are innumerable sagas and stories of culture, traditions, practices and valour. This diverse land of rich cultural heritage is a royal treat for tourists all over the world.

On arrival in Jaipur, transfer to Hotel.

Overnight at the Hotel in Jaipur.

After breakfast, city tour in Jaipur including following :

Amber Fort

The Amber Fort set in picturesque and rugged hills is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture. Constructed by Raja Man Singh I in 1592 and completed by Mirja Raja Jai Singh, the fort was made in red sand stone and white marble. Amber is the classic and romantic fort-palace with a magnificent aura. The interior wall of the palace depicts expressive painting scenes with carvings, precious stones and mirror settings. Built mainly for the warring enemies as a safe place, the heavily structured walls could defend the residents within the ramparts of the fort.

Photo stop at the Hawa Mahal Palace

The poet king Sawai Pratap Singh built this palace of winds. This is easily the most well-known landmarks of Jaipur and is also its icon. This five-storey building overlooking the busy bazaar street is a fascinating example of Rajput architecture and artistry with its delicately honeycombed 953 pink sandstone windows known as 'jharokhas'. It was originally built for the ladies of the royal household to watch everyday life and processions in the city from their veiled comfort.

City Palace

Located in the heart of the walled city, the City Palace Complex gives you an idea about the farsightedness of the founder of Jaipur Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. He left behind a legacy of some of the ‘most imposing and magnificent architecture in the city. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II built many buildings but some of the structures were also built by later rulers. The palace is a blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture and the ex-royal family still lives in a part of the palace.

Jantar Mantar

The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai Singh II between 1727 and 1734. It is modeled after the one that he had built for him at Delhi. He had constructed a total of five such facilities at different locations, including the ones at Delhi and Jaipur. The Jaipur observatory is the largest and best preserved of these. It has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as "an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period".

Later in the afternoon, enjoy a Rickshaw ride in the old City and explore the local markets of Jaipur.

Overnight at the Hotel in Jaipur.

After breakfast, drive to Deogarh.

Deogarh is located at an altitude of about 2100 feet above sea level and is cooler than other parts of Rajasthan. Deogarh Mahal which is a main attraction at Deogarh was founded in the year 1670 AD by Rawal Dwarka Das Ji as a family residence.  From the beginning, Deogarh Mahal has been a cultural hub for village activity and has remained an integral ambassador of economy and heritage of the Mewar Region. Mahal highlights the rich history, art and traditions of India throughout the property with expressive colours and intricately detailed furnishings.

Later in the evening, stroll through the local Bazaar in the town.

Overnight stay at Deogarh Mahal in Deogarh.

After breakfast, drive further to Udaipur.

UDAIPUR - The “City of Lakes” was founded in 1559 AD as capital town of the former Mewar state by Maharana Udai Singh on the eastern banks of the Lake Pichola. The rich cultural, social and natural heritage, aesthetic beauty and ecological richness, so far preserved through the surrounding lakes, serene and opulent hilly range of the Aravalis and lush green vegetation and pleasant gardens and harmonious built forms present a unique condition of scenic beauty. The magical beauty of Lake Pichola allures the visitors again and again.

In the evening explore the city by walk.

Overnight at Hotel in Udaipur.