Grand India 35 days

Choose a North India or South India experience, or combine them for the Grand India tour.

Delhi  •  Jodhpur  •  Kumbhalgarh  •  Udaipur  •  Pushkar  •  Jaipur  •  Agra  • Khajuraho  •  Varanasi  Mumbai  •  Cochin  •  Kumrakom  •  Palakad  •  Wayanad  •  Nagahole  •  Mysore  •  Chennai  •  Pondicherry  •  Mahabalipuram

• Group Tour Itinerary

  Day 1 – Arrive Delhi    
  Arrive Delhi airport where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
  Stay two nights at The Metropolitan.
  Day 2 – Delhi
  Your first taste of India will be a guided tour of Old & New Delhi. Visit Humayun’s Tomb and Raj Ghat, the memorial to Gandhi. See the Red Fort and take a rickshaw or walk through Chadni Chowk Bazaar, and tour Jama Masjid Mosque, the largest in India. Drive to New Delhi past the imposing India Gate, the Parliament building and the Presidential Rastrapathi Bhawan, and visit Qutub Minar. (B,D)
  Day 3 – Delhi – Jodhpur
  Fly to Jodhpur. Climb aboard a 4WD for a cultural safari to nearby traditional villages. See local stone masons, potters and weavers at work and meet the Bishnois, a community of protectors of nature and bio-diversity, dating back 500 years.
  Stay two nights at the Taj Hari Mahal. (B,D)
  Day 4 – Jodhpur
  Today’s tour of the ‘blue city’ of Jodhpur features a visit to the imposing Mehrangarh Fort and nearby Jaswant Thanda, a pillared marble memorial to the popular ruler Jaswant Singh II. Take a tonga (horse carriage) ride through the busy bazaar. (B,D)
  Day 5 – Jodhpur – Kumbhalgarh
  Take a morning drive to Kumbhalgarh to visit the remarkable fort with fortifications stretching 36 kilometres making it the second longest wall in the world after the Great Wall of China. Tour some of the many gardens, palaces and temples inside the fort.
  Stay one night at Club Mahindra. (B,D)
  Day 6 – Kumbhalgarh – Udaipur
  Travel through the rugged hills of Rajasthan and visit the grand Jain temples of Ranakpur on the way to Udaipur. Explore the old city lanes on a walking tour.
  Stay two nights at Shiv Niwas. (B,D)
  Day 7 – Udaipur
  Your sightseeing today includes a tour of the City Palace with its many chambers and precious walls of mosaics and miniatures. Early afternoon is at leisure before a cruise on scenic Lake Pichola. (B,D)
  Day 8 – Udaipur – Pushkar
  The destination today is Pushkar. Visit the Lord Brahma temple, built of marble decorated with silver coins, and see the many bathing ghats around Pushkar Lake.
  Stay two nights at Ananta Spa & Resort. (B,D)
  Day 9 – Pushkar
  A day at leisure exploring this small ancient city beside a holy lake. (B,D)
  Day 10 – Pushkar – Jaipur
  Drive on to the Pink City of Jaipur. In the afternoon visit the astronomical observatory, the nearby City Palace and Tripolia Bazaar.
  Stay two nights at the Royal Orchid. (B,D)
  Day 11 – Jaipur
  Take an elephant ride up to the Amber Fort, then time to stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls. See Hawa Mahal, also known as the Palace of the Winds, whose elaborately carved façade captured cooling breezes and concealed from view the ladies of the court watching the activity in the streets below. Afternoon at leisure. (B,D)
  Day 12 – Jaipur – Agra
  On the way to Agra visit the ruins at 8th century Abhaneri and 15th century Fatehpur Sikri.
  Stay two nights at the Radisson Blu. (B,D)
  Day 13 – Agra
  Visit the Taj Mahal beginning with a photo stop at Mehtab Bagh for views across the gardens to the famous memorial to Mumtaz Mahal. You will have ample time to stroll around this outstanding piece of architecture. Perfection can be seen from almost any angle. Close up, the marble inlay work is astounding. Agra Fort is visited in the afternoon. (B,D)
  Day 14 – Agra – Khajuraho
  Travel by train to Jhansi then drive to Khajuraho. Visit Orcha Palace along the way.
  Stay two nights at the Taj Chandela. (B,D)
  Day 15 – Khajuraho
  Take a guided tour of the 1000 year old temple complex with hundreds of beautiful carvings depicting all aspects of life. (B,D)
  Day 16 – Khajuraho – Varanasi
  Fly to Varanasi at midday. Visit the banks of the Ganges this evening and take a boat ride to view the lamplight Aarti ceremony.
  Stay two nights at the Taj Ganges. (B,D)
  Day 17 – Varanasi
  Rise early for a sunrise boat ride on the River Ganges to see the bathing ghats and daily rituals along this most sacred river. Take a walking tour through the narrow lanes including temple visits. Visit the popular weaver colony situated in Badi Bazar and Pili Kothi (yellow mansion) lane. (B,D)
  Day 18 – Varanasi – Mumbai
  Transfer to the airport for a flight to Mumbai. You will be met on arrival and transferred to the Trident Hotel for two night stay. Dinner is at the hotel. (B,D)
  Day 19 – Mumbai
  Your South India experience commences with a short boat ride from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island to see the sculptured rock temples. Tour Mumbai, including visits to the Hanging Gardens on Malabar Hill, the Dhobi Ghats a huge open-air laundry, the Gandhi Memorial and Victoria Terminus. (B,D)
  Day 20 – Mumbai – Backwater cruise
  Fly to Cochin then transfer to Allepey to board a kettuvalam, a rice barge houseboat, for an overnight cruise on the tranquil, palm-fringed backwaters of Kerala. Stay in private cabins with en-suite and let your tastebuds be tempted as the onboard chef prepares local cuisine. (B,L,D)
  Stay one night on a deluxe houseboat. (B,L,D)
  Day 21 – Kumarakom
  Disembark this morning in Kumarakom and proceed to your resort for a day at leisure. Spa and pool facilities are available as well as bird watching at a nearby sanctuary.
  Stay one night at Kumarakom Lake Resort. (B,D)
  Day 22 – Kumarakom – Cochin
  Travel to Cochin where your city sightseeing includes the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church and the Chinese fishing nets. In the evening attend a kathakali dance performance.
  Stay one night at Brunton Boatyard. (B,D)
  Day 23 – Cochin – Palakad
  There is much of interest on the journey to Palakad. In Kodangallur see Mar Thoma Church, the first church in India, established when the Apostle St Thomas visited in the first century AD. The first mosque is also here, built in 629 AD. Travel on to visit a temple stable where elephants are kept, then to a classical Indian dance school to witness the training and learn about the history of this highly disciplined art form.
  Stay one night at Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort. (B,D)
  Day 24 – Palakad – Wayanad
  Cross the winding Thamarassery Mountain Pass to Wayanad, part of a Biosphere Reserve aimed at conserving the biological heritage of the region. The land is pristine. Many of the tribes are forest dwellers and have perfected ways of living in harmony with nature. Visit a local temple and the neolithic caves at Edakkal.
  Stay two nights at the Vyithri Village Resort. (B,D)
  Day 25 – Wayanad
  Enjoy the beautiful natural landscape today, visiting lakes and waterfalls and interacting with some of the local tribes. (B,D)
  Day 26 – Wayanad – Nagarhole
  Drive to Nagarhole National Park, noted for its spectacular range of animal and bird life. Take a safari this afternoon by jeep, on the lookout for tigers and other wildlife.
  Stay one night at Kabini River Lodge. (B,L,D)
  Day 27 – Nagarhole – Mysore
  Early morning jeep safari. After breakfast at the lodge, travel to Mysore, known for its sandalwood and silk. Drive up Chamundi Hill for views over the lakes, parks and palaces of Mysore and stroll around the pools and fountains in pretty Brindavan Gardens before witnessing a spectacular fountain and light display.
  Stay two nights at the Lalitha Mahal Palace. (B,D)
  Day 28 – Mysore
  Visit Mysore Palace and an art gallery in Jagan Mohan Palace housing a vast collection of paintings and curios. Take an excursion to Somnathpur, known for its Keshava Temple covered in stone sculptures dating back to the 13th century. (B,D)
  Day 29 – Mysore – Chennai
  Day at leisure before boarding the Shatabdi Express for the evening train to Chennai.
  Stay two nights at the Grand Chola Sheraton. (B,D)
  Day 30 – Chennai
  In Chennai visit Fort St George, once the headquarters of the British East India Company. See the extensive bronze collection at the Madras Museum and drive along the marina lined with 19th century architecture. (B,D)
  Day 31 – Chennai – Kanchipuram – Pondicherry
  Travel to Kanchipuram, a busy pilgrimage centre humming with activity around its temple precincts. Visit some of the Hindu temples that dominate the town which is also known for its production of fine silk saris. Continue on to Pondicherry.
  Stay two nights at the Taj Pasumalai. (B,D)
  Day 32 – Pondicherry
  Visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a centre for the practice of yoga and meditation, and Ecole Françoise d’Extreme Orient, a school for Sanskrit, Tamil and archaeological studies. The French Catholic influence is evident in a number of churches in Pondicherry, some of which you will visit. Also take a drive along the seaside promenade viewing the many landmark buildings and memorials, then visit the Grand Bazaar. (B,D)
  Day 33 – Pondicherry – Mahabalipuram
  Travel to the nearby idyllic coastal town of Mahabalipuram. Visit a shore temple with fine bas reliefs and man-made caves.
  Stay two nights at the Taj Fisherman’s Cove. (B,D)
  Day 34 – Mahabalipuram
  Day for coastal relaxation. (B,D)
  Day 35 – Depart Chennai
  Transfer to the airport at Chennai for the flight home. (B)

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• Tour Prices

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  Prices are per person, in Australian dollars.  Please confirm prices when booking.

• Price Includes:

  Price Includes:

  • 34 nights in 4 and 5 star hotels as indicated, or similar, and best available in remote regions
  • 1 night on a deluxe houseboat
  • 34 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 33 dinners
  • Flights Delhi-Jodhpur, Khajuraho-Varanasi-Mumbai-Cochin, including domestic air taxes and fuel surcharges
  • Train Mysore-Chennai
  • All transfers, sightseeing and entrance fees

   
  Price Excludes:

  • Visa fees
  • Gratuities

   
  Tour prices and inclusions are based on a minimum of 2 passengers.