South Asian Holidays is the best and cost effective tour opeartor in asia covering, Nepal, India, Tibet, Bhutan, china. we operate trekking, tours and expedition.

Top line travel package introduces you all the luxury that India and Nepal has to offer. With this luxury cultural hotel trip you'll visit the highlights of India and Nepal. You will learn to know more about the tradition and history and discover the architectural treasures.  With the fairy-tale like Ancient royal medieval cities of Kathmandu, the exotic landscape during our jungle safari, the overwhelming Mountain View in the romantic city of Pokhara. After Nepal, our journey continues through India,  the mystic Ghats in the enternal city of vanarasi, the mind-boggling erotic temples in Khajuraho, "a poem in marble" the Taj Mahal in Agra, the maharaja palace in Jaipur- a pink city, and finally we end our fascinating journey in the Indian capital New Delhi.

Short Itinerary

Day 01 Fly to Nepal ( Onboard Flight)  Day 02: Arrive Kathmandu. Day 03: Kathmandu sightseeing. Day 04: Kathmandu fulldaysightseeing. Day 05: Kathmandu-Chitwan  Day 06: Chitwan – Full Day Jungle Safaris. Day 07: Drive to Pokhara Day 08: Pokhara sightseeing. Day 09: Pokhara – Kathmandu (Flight). Day 10: Kathmandu-Vanarasi  Day 11:  Fullday sightseeing Vanarasi. Day 12: Varanasi-Khajuraho. Day 13: Khajuraho - Agra. Day 15: Agra - Jaipur. Day 16: Jaipur sightseeing. Day 17: Jaipur - New Delhi. Day 19: New Delhi sightseeing. Day 20: Departure.

Trip Cost  >	$6580/P
International Flights >	$1650/Person
Regional Flights       >	$475/Person
Travel Innsurance  >	From $250/P

Cost Includes:	Cost Excludes:
- All airport transfers. - Hotel accommodation on twin sharing basis. - Daily Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. - Private vehicles. - Local English Speaking Tour Escort/guide. - All sightseeing  with entry fees. - All applicable govt. taxes.	- All flights. - All applicable airport taxes. - Special entry fees for camera / video camera. - Laundry, telephone calls, drinks, etc. - Tips. - Travel and Personal Insurance. - All other services different from above mentioned.

Sector	Hotel/Camping	Nights
Kathmandu	Dwarika's	04
Chitwan	Tiger Tops	02
Pokhara	Fishtail Lodge	02
Vanarasi	Taj Nadesar	02
Khajuraho	The Lalit Temple View	01
Agra	Amar Vilas	01
Jaipur	Raj Vilas	02
New Delhi	Imperial	02

SAH recomends this trip to those who like to capture the glimese of Nepal with combination of Northern India. This trip contains the most popular places like Jungle safari of Chitawan National Park, Everest Mt. flights, Vanarasi "The Enternal City of India", Agra " The Taj Mahal" and the Maharaj Places of Jaipur.

DAY BY DAY PROGRAM: HIGHLIGHTS OF NEPAL-INDIA 20 DAYS
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Day 02: Arrive Kathmandu.
Arrive Kathmandu, then transfer hotel for overnight and take rest.

Day 03: Kathmandu sightseeing.
After breakfast, we begin our first day sightseeing tours  to the following locations.
SwayambhunathStupa,  a very sacred religious Buddhist shrine, also known as the “Monkey Temple”,3 km to the northwest of downtown Kathmandu, is a 2500 years old stupa situated on a hillock about 77 m above the ground level overlooking Kathmandu valley. SwayambhunathStupa is a golden spire crowning a conical wooded hill. It is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Kathmandu Valley. It has a lofty white dome and a glittering golden spire that are visible from all sides of the valley. Historical records found on a stone inscription give evidence that the stupa was already an important Buddhist pilgrimage destination by the 5th century A.D.
Patan Durbar Square complex, situated in the center of Patan city, also known as Lalitpur, houses the residence of the former Patan royal family. It is one of the ten UNESCO World Heritage Site of the country. Patan Square and its surroundings are good specimen of ancient Newari architecture. There are three main courtyards in the palace: MulChowk, SundariChowk and Keshav Narayan Chowk. MulChowk, the oldest one, is at the centre of Patansquare.Several multi-sized and multi-styled temples occupy the western part of the complex. Main among these are ‘Krishna Temple’, ‘Bhimsen Temple’ and the Golden Temple of ‘Hiranya Varna’. Krishna Temple, which is the temple of red stone, is dedicated to Hindu ‘Lord Krishna’.  It was erected in the 17th century, considered to be the first one to be constructed in Shikara architecture, holds a commanding position in the durbar square. The temple is compared with sacred ‘Mount Meru’, which is abode of the god Shiva according to Hindu scriptures. There is ‘Mahaboudha’, a Buddhist temple made of clay bricks, lies to the east of the Durbar Square. With Hundreds of Buddha images engraved in the bricks, Mahaboudha is known for its fine terra cota work.
Kathmandu Durbar Square lies in the heart of the capital, popularly known as the ‘Hanuman Dhoka Palace’ - the Gateway of Hanuman(God of monkey) - an ancient seat of Nepalese Royalty. The Palace, constructed from the 15th – 18th centuries, consists of the huge Royal square imposing a tremendous variety of the temples dedicated to different Hindu Gods and Goddesses including Taleju Temple, Sweta&Black Bhairab, Kumari (The living goddess), along with Basantapur tower. Listed as one of the ten UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that date back to the 12th and 18th centuries. It is widely known as a social, religious and urban focal point of the Capital City with elaborately carved wooden windows and panels. It used to be a royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and is the site of important ceremonies and festivals of the nation. It also houses famous royal museum like TheKing Tribhuwan Memorial Museum and The Mahendra Museum.

Day 04: Kathmandu fulldaysightseeing.
In the early morning we go to the airport for the Mountain Flight after which we visit to the locations listed below for sightseeing tours.Everest Mountain Flightare offered by different Domestic Airlines in Kathmandu Valley. This one hour thrilling flight takes you to the Eastern Himalayan Ranges of Nepal, some of the highest peaks in the world. This breathtaking flight gives the best opportunity to get the closest and magnificent view of Mount Everest (8,850m) and other tallest mountains - ShisaPangma (8,013m), GauriShanker (7134m), Melungtse (7023m), Cho Oyu (8201m), Pumori (8171m), Nuptse (7855m), Lhotse (8516m) &Amadablam (6856m). The flights are operated every morning from Kathmandu airport, flies in the altitude of 5000 – 7000 meters, and gets closer approximately five nautical miles from the highest peak of the world.
BaudhanathStupa, 6 km east of downtown Kathmandu, is 36m high, built around the 5th century A.D., is one of the biggest and the oldest Buddhist shrine in the world. It is unique with its three level, mandala style, platforms. What Mecca is to the Muslims, this BoudhanathStupa is for Tibetan Buddhists. Every year thousands of pilgrims flock here from all over the Himalayan region to pay their tribute with great reverance to all Buddhist deities. The Stupa is recognized with the prestigious status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. In BuddhanathStupa, there are many monasteries or Gompa attractions all impressively adorned and colorfully painted. 
Pashupatinath, 5 km east of downtown Kathmandu along the side of Bagmatiriver, is the famous and biggest holiest temple of Hindus dedicated solely to Lord Shiva. Pashupatinath Temple, which is regarded as the most sacred temple of Hindu Lord Shiva in the world, stands as a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. Its astonishing architectural existence dates back to 400 A.D. It is one of the largest Hindu temple complexes in South-Asia with hundreds of Shiva Lingam shrines and icons of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Hindu pilgrims perform sacred rituals with the thrilling scene of burning funeral pyres. During the Shivaratri festival (February – March), over 200 thousand devotees and pilgrims, mostly from India, visit this temple and make ceremonial fires. The Temple is recognized with the prestigious status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square is an assortment of pagoda and shikhara-style-temples grouped around a fifty-five-window-palace of brick and wood. The square is part of a charming valley as it highlights the idols of ancient kings perched on top of stone monoliths and the guardian deities looking out from their sanctuaries. It has also been accorded with a prestigious status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Square also accommodates beautifully crafted Lion Gate, the massive gate that dates back to 1696 AD, which is guarded by two huge statues of lions at the either side of the gate with the dreadful stone image of Lord Shiva.  Another masterpiece The Golden Gate is said to be the most beautiful and richly molded specimen of its kind in the entire world.  As you go through inside the Golden Gate, one can see the brick walls with their gracious setting and sculptural design until reaching a balcony with fifty-five windows carved beautifully in a wood.  South of Palace, there stands a beautiful Nyatapola, the most famous pagoda of Nepal, consists of five tiers symbolizing each  basic elements of the universe - water, earth, fire, wind and sky.

Day 05: Kathmandu-Chitwan |148 km | 5 hrs |150 m.
After hearty breakfast, we drive to the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of southern central part of the country known as Chitwan, which houses a famous 932 square km Chitwan National Park. The park is also a World Heritage Site that shelters over 43 species of mammals, over 450 species of birds, and more than 45 species of amphibians and reptiles. Upon arrival, guests are taken to beautiful resorts followed by a refreshment and a briefing about the lodge facilities and travel program. Then after lunch, there will be slideshow presentation by a professional on the mammals, reptiles, birds, local people, village environment, flora & fauna, and natural history of the park. After the presentation, guests are taken off to a drive through the jungle inside the Chitwan National Park for closer and vivid sightseeing of birds, animals, endangered species (gaur, wild elephant, four-horned antelope, striped hyena, pangolin, gangetic dolphin, monitor lizard, python, etc), and picturesque villages. The drive will end with a chance for all guests to interact with hospitable and cheerful villagers and explore their unique culture and traditions.  

Day 06: Chitwan – Full Day Jungle Safaris.
In the morning, we go off on our elephant back safari into the Park to view the rhinos at close quarters. These rare one-horned Nepali rhinos are totally unaffected by the presence of the elephants, which allows us to get much closer look on these rare creatures. The expedition inside the park is a highlight of the trip to Chitwan, because it allows guests to see many beautiful peacocks, exotic Gharials (the freshwater Nepali crocodile), along with the mammoth rhinos up close and intimate. In the late afternoon, guests could take a traditional canoe for a thrilling adventure down the wide Raptiriver. At the end of the trip, guests can walk back with the ranger, who will introduce guests to the local wildlife, flora, and elephant breeding center. The trip is well-staffed to give you the most of your time while at the park, and make each guest’s elepahant-back-Safari a very thrilling experience for them.

Day 07: Drive to Pokhara| 130 km | 4 hrs | 850m.
After a 4 hour drive through an excellent view of fabulous foothills and spectacular mountain vistas, there comes a popular tourist destination called  Pokhara. On arriving Pokhara, guests are immediately accommodated into gorgeous lakeside hotel from where each guests can acknowledge how naturally gifted the place is all around the place. Pokhara offers an incredible close up view of the snow-capped-peaks of the majestic Annapurna, also known as holy mountain of Machhapuchhare (“Fishtail”) just south of the famous lake called Phew Taal. Pokhara lakeside is a truly a relaxation paradise with a view of mammoth mountains right in front of you coupled with wide view of  gorgeous lakes of Pokhara. To amplify the heavenly experience, the town of pokhara is well suited with excellent restaurants and diners for a pleasurable overnight stay in the hotel.

Day 08: Pokharafullday sightseeing in Pokhara.Sarangkot.
In the early morning, we undertake a short excursion tour to Sarangkot hill (1592 m) on the long mountain ridge skirting the north side of Lake Phewa. The hill has the best known for its great view of sunrise and sunset. From the top of the hill, guests could enjoy panoramic view of the snow-capped-Himalayan ranges coupled with beautiful hills, lush terraced green fields and picturesque villages.  Sarangkot is paraglider’s paradise as it falls under the eight most adventurous places for paragliders in the world. In the evening, guests are back to hotel for one last overnight stay at the beautiful city of Pokhara. Next morning, guests are on their way to Kathmandu.
Davids Fall: Witness a breathtaking and unique waterfall that lies just 2 Km from central Pokhara City. The water fall directly goes into a deep and narrow canal with no ends. It is believed that this waterfall took the life of a tourist named David, who fell down into the canal and was never found, and hence the name ‘David Waterfall’ was named in his memory by the people of Pokhara.
Boating:Enjoy the 1 hour long boat ride on this romantic Phewa Lake, shadowed by the gigantic range of Mt. Annapurna. With a magnificent Barahi temple’s in the middle of the lake, Phewa laketranforms into a religious center while enjoying the boating and touring the lake with a Mt. Annapurna in your front view.  

Day 09: Pokhara – Kathmandu| 200 km |5 hrs |1350m.
After breakfast, we drive back to Kathmandu stopping in mid-way for guests to have lunch, leg stretches, and restrooms. Late afternoon, upon arriving Kathmandu, guests could check in hotel and just relax with no real programs ahead for them for rest of the day. However, guests can always go off on their own to venture into the city on a taxi to check out shopping places for souvenirs and Nepali products on sale. 
Cultural Dance Program with Dinner: In the evening you are invited to a typical but fascinating Nepali cultural folk dance program with an authentic Nepali dinner served with unique Newari cuisines. The culture of Nepal is embedded in the high peaks of Nepal, where tradition flows with its rivers and art traverses through its valleys with religion deeply embedded in the heart of its people. It is a country where art, culture and religion play a huge role in its multi-ethnical and multi-linguistic people’s lifestyle.  The Cultural Dance presented reflects the unique culture and traditions of the people of Himalayan Kingdom. Authentic Dinner with the unique culture show provides memorable moment and an unforgettable experience for anyone out to gain a new perspective on the culture and traditions of Nepali people.

Day 10: Kathmandu-Vanarasi (Flight by IC748 16:05hrs /1710hrs.
Transfer to the airport for departure to Vanarasi, India.
INDIA: India is exceptionally endowed with infinite cultural variety, incredible bio-diversity, amazing contrasts all existing in harmony to make India a spectacular travel destination for visitors, a heaven for pilgrims, a paradise for adventurers, and a growing and huge market for foreign investors and business world.  India has one of the oldest civilizations in the world. And, it boasts being the largest democracy in the world with almost a billion of population rich in culture and tradition. At present, it has total 28 World Heritage Sites including Majestic TajMahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Lord Buddha, the ‘Light of Asia’, achieved his enlightenment in north India, where he first started spreading his messages and wisdom.The nation offers world's most picturesque beaches with coolest retreats, tallest snow-capped stunning peaks, sparkling deserts with cluster of captivating ancient palaces and formidable forts, sacred temples and shrines with fabulous flora and fauna all across the nation. India is one of the emerging developing countries that achieved rapid improvement in the global competitiveness and continuously offers a promising market for world’s industrial nations.ArriveVanarasi in the evening. Guests will have time to wind down from an hour long flight and be ready for early morning trip to visit the holiest river of Ganges.
VANARASI :'Eternal city’’ Vanarasi, one of the oldest cities of the world, is situated on the north bank of Ganga river midway between Delhi and Calcutta. The city with its historical significance dating back to 3500 years ago is widely known as the ‘religious and cultural capital’ of India. People of Vanarasi are also adept at manufacturing and creating various silk fabrics and unique products like shawls, saris, gold-embroidered-cloth, hand-hammered-brassware, heavy gold, and silver jewelry. The Ganges or the Ganga River is one of the greatest attractions of Varanasi. Devout Hindus make pilgrimages from all over the world to bath in the Ganges River, whose water is believed to be sacred to them. Every year, over a million pilgrims from all over the world visit the city for many religious purposes.  The city also has a strong educational hold due to the location of several prestigious universities and colleges – one of them being Banaras Hindu University.  Sarnath, the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment, is just a few kilometers away from the main city.  Ashok Stupa, a Buddhist Monument, erected by King Ashok in the third century BC is still a major attraction for Buddhist Pilgrims from all over the world.

Day 11:  Fullday sightseeing Vanarasi.
Boating  on Ganges at SunriseRiver Ganga or the Ganges is a major river of the Indian subcontinent, associated in myth and reality with the land and people of India as well as neighboring countries like Bangladesh. In Hindu mythology, it is believed that bathing in the river Ganga washes away sins and help person attain salvation and nirvana. This deep-rooted truth is even more accentuated with a presence of thousands of people from all over the world paying their visit to empty the ashes of their beloved ones, who had just passed away from their lives. The first Prime Minister of India, PanditJawaharLal Nehru, aptly summarized the importance of River Ganga in the hearts of the Indians and Hindus by saying - "The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of her people, around which are intertwined her memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga". Many tourists take an early morning boat ride along the banks of Ganga River to catch the glimpse of sun rising over the horizon. Also vividly seen and photographed are the images of many priests performing religious rituals and traditional prayers, and taking holy dips in the river to wash away their sins.Golden Temple (KashiViswanath) of Varanasi:
The Golden Temple, one of the oldest and holiest temple amongst the 1,000 temples of Holy city of Benares, is covered with gold plates with 15.5 meters high golden spire.  Golden Temple, which is also known as KashiVishwanath Temple,dates all the way back to 18th century and is solely dedicated to Hindu god – Lord Shiva. The temple has its own charm due to presence of Ganges River in the east. In this temple complex there are small temples for Virupaksha, VirupakshGauri, Sanishwara, Vinayaka, Vishnu, Avimukteshwara, Dhandapani and Mahakala. Beside its religious significance, the temple is also an architectural marvel.
Saranath: About 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi, is the place where Lord Buddha chose to deliver his first sermon and started to spread his wisdom. On the day before his death, Lord Buddha included Sarnath along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places with a sacred meaning to his followers. It is the most venerated Buddhist places as it holds many Buddhist monuments and edifices like Dhamekhastupa, the Chaukhandistupa, and various other monasteries with their origin strongly tied with Japan, China, Thailand, Burma and many other Buddhist worshipping nations. The Indian Buddhist society called ‘Mahabodhi Society’ has built a park around the Buddha temple, which is known as the Mahabodhi Temple. Beside a famous tooth relic of Lord Buddha, the park also offers a vast expanse of ancient ruins with archeological significance. Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD, and today it presents the most expansive ruins amongst places of Buddhist trail. The Ashoka pillar of Saranath, which bears one of the edicts of king Ashoka, shows inscription of various division within the Buddhist community.  To house all the findings and excavations at Saranath, the Archaeological Survey of India established a site Museum at Saranath. Finest specimens of Buddhist art and other important remains have been housed at the museum. Many of the Buddhist monasteries of  Sarnath are built and maintained by monks from Tibet, China and Japan located around the main Buddhist temple known as MulagandhakutiVihar, where Lord Buddha was believed to have stayed during his visits to the town of Saranath. 

Day 12: Varanasi-Khajuraho (Flight) (B) IC 0406 12:25/13:20hrs.
Western Group of Temples at KHAJURAHO: These are architecturally marvelous specimen of temple architecture in India. The group of these magnificent temples includeKandariyaMahadeo Temple, Chaunsat Yogini Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Lakshamana Temple, Matangeswara Temple, and Varaha Temple.KandariyaMahadeo Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is the largest temples of Khajuraho. It is almost 31m  tall  and holds exquisite images of gods, goddesses, along with celestial maidens and lovers.Chaunsat Yogini Temple, dedicated to goddess Kali, is the earliest surviving shrine of the western group. It is the only granite temple and depicts many sensuous images of god and goddess mating.Lakshamana Temple is famous for the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, along with goddess Lakshmi. What is truly remarkable here is the three-headed idol of Vishnu's incarnations - Narasimha and Varaha in the finely carved sanctum of the temple.Chitragupta Temple, dedicated to Sun God, is famous for a three- headed image of Brahma, enshrined in this temple.  Matangeswara Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is famous for its eight feet high lingam.Vishwanath Temple is noted for its impressive pathway with lions flaking the north and elephants to the south steps. A three-headed image of Brahma is also enshrined in Vishwanath Temple.Varaha Temple houses a nine-feet high boar-incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Eastern Group of Temples KHAJURAHO: The sculptural embellishment and profundity of architectural designs in temples of Khajuraho is well ostensible in the Eastern Group of Temples. These temples can be subdivided into two groups, one representing some of the finest Jain temples and another scattered through the neighboring village. The Eastern Group of Temples at Khajuraho includes Parsvanath Temple, Adinath Temple, Ghantai Temple, Hanuman temple, and Brhama Temple.Parsvanath Temple, dedicated to Jain TirthankaraParshvanatha, is one of the largest Jain temples. Parsvanath Temple is also famous for its beautiful sculptures depicting celestial beauties in several postures.Adinath Temple is dedicated to the Jain TirthankaraAdinath. This Jain temple consists lavish embellishment of sculpted figures, including that of Yakshis.Ghantai Temple is a Jain Temple, famous for its ornamental depiction of 16 dreams of Mahavira's mother and a Jain goddess on a winged Garuda.The three Hindu temples of the Eastern group are the Brahma temple, the Vamana temple, and the Javari temple.The Brahma Temple is known for its four-faced image of Brahma housed in the sanctum of the temple. The temple is made up of granite stone and its shikhar is that of sandstone.The Vamana Temple is adorned on its outer walls with carvings of apsaras (celestial beauties) in a variety of sensuous moods.The Javari Temple is worth visiting for its richly carved gateway and exterior sculptors.Hanuman Temple is another remarkable specimen of Khajuraho temple architecture. It is famous for the colossal statue of Hanuman, about 8 ft high, placed in the temple.
Light and Sound Show in KHAJURAHO: The Light and Sound Show is an important cultural event, organized every evening at the western groups of temples in Khajuraho. It is a 50 minutes show presented in both Hindi and English. The life and times of the great Chandela kings and the legend and grandeur of the unique temples from the 10th century to the present day are narrated in the voice of Amitabh Bachan – the Bollywood super star. A historic city widely acclaimed for its lovely temples, Khajuraho is located in the woody planes of Bundelkhand region. One of the biggest tourist attractions in North India, the city has been rightly called as the symbol of the medieval heritage. The appealing temples of Khajuraho present a wonderful blend of architectural and sculptural sheerness, representing one of the preeminent examples of Indian art. Architectural grandeur and delicacy of Khajuraho temples has earned a prestigious status in World Heritage sites by UNESCO. The centuries old temples are ornamented with most striking and aesthetic sculptures that reveal the philosophy of the Hindu religion. 

Day 13: Khajuraho - Agra Distance: 400 Kilometer | Duration: 8-9 hours.
After breakfast, guest are driven to Orcha, a little city on the bank of river cowberry, and then to Jansi railway station to take a train to Agra. Upon arrival to Agra, guests get to meet new team of South Asian Holidays Agra-Jaipur-Delhi tour team but yoru guide remains the same. 
Day 13: Agra sightseeing.
TajMahal:  is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world, and some Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of India. The Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India. It is built entirely of white marble and its stunning architectural beauty is irresistible at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon. It was built by a Muslim, Emperor Shah Jahan  in the memory of his dear wife and then queen MumtazMahal at Agra, India. It is an "elegy in marble" or some say an expression of a "dream." TajMahal, which means ‘Crown Palace’ in hindi, houses the grave of queen MumtazMahal at the lower chamber. The grave of Shah Jahan was added to it later. TajMahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years and employing twenty thousand workers. The architectural design uses the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and symmetry of architectural elements.
Agra Fort: The fort is built alongside the Yamuna River and stretches almost 2.5 km in length. It consists of a wall built in red sandstone and several buildings inside. The wall has 2 gates, the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate. You can only enter the fort via the Amar Singh Gate. It was built by Shah Janan in 1628 and contains beautiful mosques (Nagina Masjid&Mina Masjid), palaces (MacchiBhavan, KhasMahal, Shish Mahal, ShahJahaniMahal) and the Zenana Mina Bazaar. Several of the buildings are made of pure marble with beautiful carvings. From the balconies in the pavilions, you have a nice view of the Yamuna Riverand TajMahal. History has it that the emperor Shah Jahan, who built the TajMahal, was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in the Agra Fort, which has very good view of TajMahal. 

Day 15: Agra - Jaipur (via FatepurSikri) | Distance 221Km  | Duration: 5 hours.
FatepurSikri:  It is a fascinating ghost city built in the 16th century, 37 km from Agra. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of India. It is the source of inspiration for Indian Architects and have led to the conception of the National Institute of Design - India's prominent design school. This historic site was founded by Akbar the great, who at 26 years did not have a heir. He went to a saint, ShaikhSalimChishti, who lived in a city called Sikri. His blessing gave Akbar 3 sons. As a gesture to the saint, Akbar built a whole new city in Sikri. It was built between 1569 and 1585 and was intended to be the joint capital with Agra, but was soon deserted because the water system could not support any residents. It remained untouched for over 400 years now and the palaces are now a stark reminder of the extravagant lifestyles of  Mughals. A strong belief comes across from generations that a tunnel from here stretches to Delhi and from there to Lahore and on the other end to Agra. Due to non-maintenance, the tunnel had been closed in 1952 at approx 500m. FatehpurSikri is regarded as Emperor Akbar's crowning architectural legacy. Indeed, its numerous palaces, halls, and masjids satisfy his creative and aesthetic impulses, which was typical of Mughals.We drive further to Jaipur, where we have our night stop at the hotel. Upon arrival in Jaipur, we visit: Laxmi Narayan Temple: The Temple is widely known as Birla Temple, forms one of the major attractions of Jaipur,  looks stunning when it is brightly lit in the night. In pure white marble, it dominates the skyline of southern part of Jaipur. The enormous temple was built during the year 1988, by Birla Group of Industries, one of the business tycoons of India. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Protector of the universe), the preserver and his goddess Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth). Due to this reason, Birla Temple is also known as Laxmi Narayan Temple. The attractive stained windows glass windows of the temple depict scenes from Hindu Mythology. Amongst all the idols, the marble idol of Lord Ganesha is a masterpiece which looks almost transparent. The idols of Lord Vishnu and his consort goddess Lakshmi gets the most attention. The temple also portrays great historical achievers, philosophers and religious saints such as Socrates, Zarathustra, Christ, Buddha, and Confucius.  The Birla Temple has a museum too, which showcases the ancestral valuables of the Birla family.

Day 16: Jaipur sightseeing.
Elephant ride to Amber Fort: The Amber Fort is located at a distance of 11 kilometers from Jaipur. The construction of the Amber Fort began in the year 1592 and was started by King Man Singh I, but it was finished by his son Jai Singh I. The interior of the fort depicts both Hindu and Muslim ornamentation. On the walls are paintings of royal hunting pictures, and covered with intricate carving, mosaic and minute mirror work that make the halls look very majestic and imperial. The fort is built with white marble and red sandstone, and becomes even more attractive with the presence of Maota Lake in the foreground. 
Hawa Mahal: Also known as Palace of wind, which adjoins the famous ‘City Palace’ wall, was built in 1799 by then Maharaja SawaiPratap Singh, and is now stands as one of the major landmarks of Jaipur. The palace is shaped like a pyramid with five storys and numerous small windows with arched roofs. HawaMahal is a great example of the Rajputana architecture, which was strongly influenced by Mughal style of architecture. This particular style of building that we observe in HawaMahal, uses the best features of Mughal architecture with other features that is especially made to withstand the inhospitable weather conditions of Rajasthan.City Palace Museum: Jaipur city is known for its many palaces and forts, which are a major attraction for tourists in Rajasthan. One of these major landmarks of the 'pink city' is the City Palace Complex. The City Palace was built by King Maharaja Jai Singh II. Palace is a synthesis of Rajasthani and Mughal styles. The Complex comprises of many structures, courtyards, gardens and buildings. There are many splendid small palaces and halls in the complex, such as the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal and BadalMahal. There is also a famous temple called the ShriGovind Temple and a museum inside, which is called City Palace Museum. Upon entrance of the museum, first comes Mubarak Mahal, which leads to Diwan-I-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), which is an open hall containing two vessels on display that has its place in Guinness book of World Records. JantarMantar: JantarMantar is a stone observatory built by then king Sawai Jai Singh II, who was known as a founder of Jaipur. The observatory is the mirror image of astronomy and cosmic space. The observatory consists of geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars in their orbits and many other celestial phenomena. It is considered one of the biggest stone observatory in the world and is a perfect resemblance to the wisdom of the Jaipur Royals as it has been known to capture the basic science of astronomy and celestial patterns.

Day 17: Jaipur - New Delhi | Distance: 260 Kms Duration: 05 & half hrs.
After breakfast in Jaipur, guests are driven to New Delhi - the capital city of India. 

Day 18: Arrive New Delhi, Half Day sightseeing.
Red Fort: It is one of the most spectacular pieces of Mughal Architecture, built by the Mughal emperor -Shah Jahanbetween 1638 and 1648. It has walls extending up to 2 kilometers in length with the heightvarying from18 meters on the river side to 33 meters on the city side. The Fort sports all the essentialnature of Mughal governance - halls of public and private audiences, domed and arched marble palaces,plush private apartments, a mosque, and elaborately designed gardens. Even today, the Fort remains animpressive testimony to Mughal grandeur. The Fort also houses the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public audiences), where the Emperor would sit on a marbled paneled alcove, studded with gems and hear complaints of the common people. Even today, the Fort is an eloquent reminder of the glory of the Mughal era, and its magnificence simply leaves one awestruck. It is still a calm haven of peace, which helps one to break away, from noisy and busy life outside the walls of the Fort.
Raj Ghat: Raj Ghat is the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi and is one of the most visited sites in Delhi. It consists of a simple square black-marble platform that stands on the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Nearby, there are cremation sites of Jawaharlal Nehru - the first Prime Minister of India, and other great persona like Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and LalBahadurShastri.   There’s a black marble tomb which has an inscription of the words 'Hey Ram!', which were the last words were spoken by Mahatma Gandhi, as he fell down after being shot by NathuramGodse. This national shrine has an eternal flame and the sandstone walls with an inscription of Gandhi’s several heart-touching messages. 

Day 19: New Delhi sightseeing.
India Gate:India Gate of New Delhi, the war- memorial arch, was built by the British in the honor of the unknown martyrs, who lost their lives in the First World War and Second Afghan War. Vijay Chowk (the Victory Square) is the site of 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony held annually in New Delhi, on 29th January. Originally known as All India War Memorial, it has the names of the soldiers who died in the wars inscribed on its walls. Since 1971, there is the eternal soldier's flame burning under it, known as 'Amar JawanJyoti'.  It is the ceremonial boulevard of the Indian republic that boasts many ornamental parks, pools and gardens alongside. It is where much-awaited event of Republic Day Parade takes place on 26th January of every year. 
Presidential Residence of India: RashtrapatiBhawan, the official residence of the President of India was formerly known as 'Viceroy's House' and was occupied by the Governor General of India, until independence. Also known as President's House, the building holds a prominent position in New Delhi. Designed by the British architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, this classical building uses colors and details peculiar to Indian architecture. It was completed by 1929 and was officially inaugurated in 1931. It was in 1950 that President started living in this ceremonial building and since then 'Viceroy's House' was renamed as 'RashtrapatiBhavan’, which presents a spectacular blend of Mughal and European architectural styles.
QutabMinar:QutabMinar, also known as the victory tower, is undoubtedly one of the finest stone towers in India and one of the most important landmarks of Delhi. The tower tapers from a base of 14.32 m to 2.75 m at its top and took 20 years to be built. Built in red sandstone, this tower sports the inscriptions of verses of Holy Quran and some intricate carvings. We can also see the ruins of the embattlements of the city called 'Siri' here. The city of ‘Siri’ was established in 1303 AD by Ala-ud-Din, who dug a vast reservoir to supply water to his city. Though nothing much of the city remains to be seen, it has been described by the contemporary historians as the 'envy of Baghdad, the rival of Cairo and equal to Constantinople'. Besides these, one can also see the tomb of Adham Khan and ZafarMahal within Qutub complex and the tomb of Jamali-Kamali behind it.
Lotus Temple: The 40 m high Lotus Templeis one of the most beautiful temples in India. It was built in the shape of a half-opened Lotus flower. Situated near Bahapur village, it is the seventh Baha'i House of Worship in the world. Completed in 1986, this pure white marble temple is also known as ‘Taj of Modern India’. Surrounded by carefully manicured lawns, the temple structure has 27 giant white marble petals and nine pools, indicative of the nine unifying spiritual paths of the Baha'i faith, which believes in oneness of all religions and mankind. The faith emphasizes on prayer, described as 'Conversation with God', and meditation described as 'Key for opening the doors of mysteries'. The temple represents the broad views and scientific ideas of Baha`i faith, and signifies the purity and the universality of the Lord. A perfect silence is maintained in the main hall of prayer, to allow the devotees to meditate and pray peacefully. It is said that about four million people visit the temple daily. The temple looks all the more divine in the night, when the colored lights impart a very sparkling look.

Day 20: Departure.
After breakfast in New Delhi, guests are driven to airport for a flight back home to their respective countries.

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