India and Nepal Adventure Holiday

• 1

  Join tour Delhi

  This afternoon we will take a city sightseeing tour of New Delhi with a local guide (approximately 3 hours). We will view the Raj Path, India Gate, Parliament, and visit the peaceful gardens of Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  None

• 2

  Old Delhi sightseeing tour

  This morning we plan a tour of Old Delhi by cycle rickshaw, metro and on foot - to include the Jama Masjid mosque and view of the Red Fort, ending in the bustling Chandni Chowk Bazaar, a jamboree of deafening barter and the true hub of the Old part of the city. Following this, there will be some free time after which you may make your own way back to the hotel (metro ticket provided), or you can return with your tour leader.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 3

  Train to Jaipur

  Today we transfer to New Delhi station for the train journey to Jaipur, arriving in the evening. Sometimes called the ‘Pink City’, Jaipur was first painted terracotta pink by Maharajah Sawai Ram Singh to celebrate the visit of Prince Albert in 1853.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 4

  In Jaipur

  Today we take a sightseeing tour of Jaipur with our Tour Leader by rickshaw and on foot. We'll visit the lavish and well preserved City Palace with its fine collection of textiles, costumes and armoury and view the ornate exterior of the Palace of the Winds with its famous 5-storied facade which has been the subject of countless Indian posters. Jai Singh, the great Maharajah astronomer built his extraordinary (and very accurate) star-gazing Observatory (Jantra) here and we will visit and test out the accuracy of the giant sun dial. This afternoon is left free for further personal exploration of this fascinating city - you may wish to take an excursion (optional) to the nearby hill fortress of Amber (known locally as Amer), which contains an amazing chamber of mirrors and affords spectacular views across the surrounding plains.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 5

  Ranthambore National Park

  Leaving Jaipur we take the train to Sawai Modhopur, the gateway to Ranthambore National Park. One of the best of India's 'Project Tiger' conservation projects, Ranthambore was once the private reserve of the Maharajahs of Jaipur and encompasses nearly 400 square kilometres of lush jungle, turquoise lakes and ancient temples that provide a rich haven for crocodiles, leopards, tigers and some 300 species of birds. This is probably one of the best parks in the country for spotting tigers and during the dry season from September to May, when water is scarce, the animals stay close to the lakes and rivers, affording some ideal opportunities to search out these most elusive and magnificent of animals. We take a game drive in to the park this afternoon.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• 6

  Visit Fatehpur Sikri; Drive to Agra

  After an early morning game drive in the hope of spotting a tiger we head east,taking the train to Bharatpur and then driving onwards reaching the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri late morning. Founded in 1569 and abandoned scarcely 16 years later, it is a perfectly intact example of Akbar's imperial court. Among the many noteworthy buildings is the 5-storied Panch Mahal, probably a pleasure pavilion for the ladies of the harem. In the centre of the courtyard is the Pachisi Board where the emperor played a game like chess with dancing slave girls as pieces. Perhaps the finest structure of all is the lotus shaped carved central pillar of the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), its extraordinary capital supporting a vaulted roof. Later we drive on to Agra arriving in the afternoon.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 7

  Visit the Taj Mahal; Overnight train to Allahabad

  We visit the Taj Mahal, the world's most perfect and poetic building, at sunrise. Over 300 years have elapsed since its construction, yet it stands today, largely unscarred by age, its beauty and symmetry seemingly beyond man, time and space. Created by Shah Jahan as a funerary monument to his favourite wife Mumtaz, it took 22 years to build (1630-52). The Great Moghul lies beside his beloved under the white marble dome. We'll visit the Agra Fort this afternoon; built by Akbar the Great, the fort stands in an imposing position on a bend in the Yamuna River with wonderful views of the Taj Mahal further along its banks. The fort contains some stunning and very intricate designs. There may be time before sunset to revisit the Taj, or to the exquisite Itimad-ud-Daulah (baby Taj) after which we drive to Agra train station to catch our overnight train to Allahabad.

  Overnight: Basic Overnight Train

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 8

  Arrive Allahabad; sail to beaches downstream

  After a quick freshen up we board our boats for the two-day boat journey through the sacred and fertile Gangetic plain to Varanasi. Life on shore varies as we drift peacefully along; the ornate temples and crowded bathing ghats, the fields of wheat and rice paddies, everyday life and stunning sunsets. We camp in 2-man tents on a beach on the banks of the river. The actual location we use will vary according to local conditions.

  Overnight: Basic Camping
  Your own tent available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• 9

  Arrive Varanasi (Benares)

  This afternoon we cross the river to the holy city of Varanasi where we disembark at Asi Ghat and transfer to our hotel. Varanasi (Benares) has been the centre of Hinduism since the dawn of history, its age is contemporary with Babylon and Thebes. Often known as ‘Kashi’ (City of Light) by Hindus it attracts over a million pilgrims each year – many of whom come to spend their last years here in the holy city. This evening you can return to the ghats to witness the evening aarti ceremony when the Ganga is venerated with a display of light and sound.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch

• 10

  In Varanasi; excursion to Sarnath

  This morning we take an early morning boat trip along the Ganges to see the Hindu devout bathing in its sacred waters, before we visit nearby Sarnath. Having gained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his first sermon. The city was at its peak in the 5th century, when it was a respected centre of religious activity, learning and art. Muslim invaders destroyed much of the city and today remains of several monasteries and stupas can be seen along with a small museum which has a well displayed collection. The afternoon is left free in Varanasi to enable you to explore the labyrinth of streets, bazaars and temples that line the banks of the river or perhaps this evening, it may be possible to attend an optional classical musical performance.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 11

  Train and drive to Lumbini (cross Nepalese border at Sonauli)

  We have a long yet interesting journey today (approximately 8 hours), as we head north across the Gangetic Plains, through remote towns and villages to the Nepalese border at Sonauli. We first take a train from Varanasi to the town of Gorphpur. This is the furthest we can travel by train so we switch to a bus and drive the remaining distance to Sonauli. We walk through customs and immigration into Nepal and meet our Nepalese bus which will transfer us to Lumbini where we spend the night.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 12

  Site seeing in Lumbini then drive to Chitwan National Park

  We start our day with sightseeing tour of Lumbini accompanied a local guide by rickshaw. We will have the opportunity to visit the birth place of the Buddha Peace lamp and the monestry of peace paqoda. From here we drive (approximately 5 hours) which takes us through the Terai, the narrow forested lowland strip that stretches the full width of the southern border of Nepal. We will stop in Butwal en route so we can pick up some lunch and then aim to arrive at Chitwan in the late afternoon, then take a short afternoon village walk close to the park to orientate ourselves. Chitwan is the oldest and best known of the national parks in Nepal. It consists of swamp, tall elephant grass and dense forest, and is a natural habitat for tiger, the rare one-horned Indian rhino, leopard and sloth bear to name but a few.

  Overnight: Standard Lodge
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Dinner

• 13

  In Chitwan National Park

  Once a private hunting ground, Chitwan is now a National Park, with thick tree cover and tall elephant grass sheltering a wealth of animals, most famously the One Horned Rhino. Today you will be kept busy during (except for a couple of hours around lunch time) with many activities available, including elephant back safaris searching out the One-Horned Rhino, bird watching, jungle walks and drives and dugout canoe trips along the Rapti River. The elephant safari is the best (and safest) way of searching for rhinos (if you see one you will be lucky!) and other game in the park. Although the elephant may make quite a noise pushing its way through the dense jungle the other animals know that it poses them no danger and seem to completely ignore it. Canoeing will be dependent on the water level, floating silently down the Rapti River in a traditional dugout canoe gives us the opportunity to spot many varieties of water birds. On a nature walk in the company of trained native naturalists you can walk along trails in the less densely forested parts of the park. An early morning bird watching walk near the river will reveal many of the 450 bird species that can be found in the park, especially kingfisher. A trained naturalist will help you get the best enjoyment and interest from these excursions.

  Overnight: Standard Lodge
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• 14

  Drive to Kathmandu

  This morning we drive to Kathmandu (approximately 8 hours). We pass through the bustling town of Naryanghat, then head north beside the River Trisuli to arrive at the 'wild west' town of Mugling at the confluence of the Marsyandi and Trisuli rivers. Once we reach Naubise the road starts to climb and reaches a pass on the Kathmandu valley rim via a series of breathtaking zig-zags before descending to the city. We may have the chance today to take an optional trip to the Manakamana temple near Kurintar, time permitting. A picnic lunch will be provided today for us to eat en route.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch

• 15

  In Kathmandu

  This morning, we have arranged a walking tour of this fascinating historic city, visiting the bazaar and temples of old Kathmandu, accompanied by a local Nepali guide. Much of the day to day life of Kathmandu takes place in the local bazaar: a fascinating mixture of people selling spices; potters spinning their wheels; rickshaw wallahs honking their horns and the ever present sacred cow wandering amongst it all. We end up in Durbar Square at the heart of the city. There should be free time this afternoon to visit nearby Patan.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 16

  Exploring Kathmandu

  This morning we plan to visit the temple of Pashupatinath on the banks of the Bagmati River, the holiest Hindu shrine in Nepal, and also to visit Bodnath, the largest stupa in the country and a destination for Buddhist pilgrims from all over Nepal. The afternoon is free for last minute sightseeing or shopping. There is the opportunity of an optional visit to Bhaktapur, a beautifully preserved city within the Kathmandu Valley, which has retained much of its medieval character and contain some notable 17th century art.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 17

  Tour ends Kathmandu

  The tour ends this morning after breakfast.

  Included Meals:  Breakfast