Today arrive at Jaipur
and transfer to your hotel. The capital of Rajasthan Jaipur - popularly known
as the “Pink City” as the Pink sandstone was used to construct the buildings in
the old walled city. Jaipur owes its name, it” s foundation and it’s planning
to the Great-warrior-Astronomer Maharaja Jai Singh II (1699–1744 AD). Jaipur
(City of Victory) was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727. It is the
only city in the world symbolising the nine divisions of the Universe through nine
rectangular sectors sub-dividing it. The architect who formalised the city’s
plans on the Shilpa Shastra, the epic Hindu treatise on architecture, mixed it
with the sublimity of the Mughal and Jain influences of those times. The city
was painted pink in 1853 in honour of the visit by Prince Albert. Except for
the busy traffic of bicycles, cars, and buses, little seems to have changed.
Overnight at Hotel
After breakfast proceed
for full day city tour of Jaipur – visiting Amer Fort located at 11 kilometers
from Jaipur and was the old fort of the Kachhwaha clan of Amber. It used to be
the capital, till it was moved to Jaipur. The fort is built with white marble
and red sandstone and looks even more attractive because of the Maota Lake in the
foreground. The fort is a beautiful sight to behold but as one looks on the
fort with its clear reflection on the lake in the front; one cannot help but
wonder if it is a dream or a beautiful illusion. An elephant [Subject to
availability/alternatively by jeep] (On direct payment) will spare
you the trouble of climbing up to the fortress. Once on top, stroll through the
sprawling complex of courtyards and halls with a well informed and well-spoken
guide who would regale you with tales of yore.
Later visit the City of
Jaipur. Among the highlights to be seen while touring Jaipur include the City
Palace, which is an overwhelming complex of exquisite palaces, gardens and
courtyards, decorative art and carved doorways. The palace museum houses
collections of rare manuscripts, armours, costumes, carpets and miniature
paintings. Walk to the adjacent Jantar Mantar or Astronomical Observatory made
by the Maharaja of Jaipur, built in 1726 and is one of the five such
astronomical wonders built by Sawai Jai Singh and makes accurate predictions
even to this day. Jaipur is a shopper’s paradise. Most of the bazaars are in an
old city with a wide range of things to buy, from jewellery (precious and
semi-precious stones and handcrafted silver) to textiles to handicrafts and
antiques. No doubt, for an avid shopper “Jaipur” is the choicest of the city to
shop and collect memorabilia.
Overnight at Hotel
After breakfast drive to
Ranthambore; Arrive Ranthambore and transfer to your hotel. The park is one of
the finest tiger reserves in the country where more visitors spending a couple
of nights are likely to spot one of these majestic animals, THE ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS. Once, private tiger reserve of the Maharaja
of Jaipur, in 1972 the sanctuary came under the Project Tiger scheme.
It covers 410 sq. km and
runs from the easternmost spur of the Aravalli to the Vindhya Range. It has both the old fort and the wildlife
sanctuary, also known as Sawai Madhopur, after the town, which has some Jain
temples with gilded paintings. Apart from tiger you can see herds of Chital and
Sambar deer and sounders of wild boar, Nilgai antelope and Chinkara gazelles. There is also sloth bear, a few leopards and
crocodiles. Extensive bird life includes
spur fowl, jungle fowl, partridges, quails, crested serpent eagle, woodpeckers,
flycatchers etc. There are also water
birds like storks, ducks and geese at the lakes and waterholes.Afternoon Game
Drive [Not included in the quote] to Ranthambore National Park.
Overnight at Hotel
Early morning Game Drive [Not included in the quote] After Game Drive, return to the hotel for breakfast.
Later drive to Agra enroute visiting Fatehpur Sikri.
Fatehpur Sikri - the
deserted red sandstone city was built by the Great Mughal Emperor, Akbar, as
his capital and palace in the late 16th century. It was abandoned soon
after it was built when the local wells went dry and it remains today in much
the same condition that it was over 300 years ago. It is complete with
palaces and mosques and used to be a town larger than London when it was
originally constructed. Now it is an extraordinary place to wander around with
its buildings in near perfect condition.
Later continue drive to
Agra. Arrive Agra and transfer to your
hotel. Agra came into limelight during the rule of Afghan King Sikandar
Lodhi - who had made it the capital of his empire. Later in 1526 A.D., the
Mughal Emperor Babar took upon himself the task for rendering Agra, a
unique character and beauty of its own. Agra - in terms of ambiance is
still associated with its Mughal period. The Mughals besides being great rulers
were also great builders and they preserved their best architectural wonders
for Agra & its neighbourhood. It has many wonderful monuments and the Taj
Mahal, the greatest of them all, is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture at its
best.
Overnight at Hotel
After breakfast proceed
for half day city tour of Agra. The Taj Mahal (closed on Friday) - The
Taj Mahal is everything that has been said about it and more. Built by the
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz
Mahal, in mid-17th century, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the
world. Though the Taj appears to be amazingly perfect from almost any angle, it
is the close-up marble inlay work, which is really astounding.
Later visit The Agra
Fort, an outstanding example of Mughal architecture. Agra Fort - the seat
and the stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. This was
the seat of Mughal rule. Shahjahan added the impressive quarters and the mosque
while Aurangzeb added the outer ramparts. Visit its Hall of Public Audience and
its Royal Pavilions. Besides the historical monuments, one can also explore
Agra’s rich heritage of handicrafts in its markets.
Later drive to Delhi;
arrive Delhi and transfer to your hotel. India’s capital and a major
gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi is a bustling metropolis, which
successfully combines in its folds - the ancient with the modern. Amidst the
fast spiraling skyscrapers, the remnants of a bygone time in the form of its many
monuments stand as silent reminders to the region’s ancient legacy. The first
impressions for any visitor traveling in from the airport are of a spacious,
garden city, tree-lined with several beautiful parks.
Overnight at Hotel
After breakfast proceed
for tour of Old and New Delhi. Old Delhi, the Mughal Capital of
Shahjahanabad. Visit the Jama Masjid which is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is the
largest and best-known mosque in India. It lies at the origin of a very busy
central street of Old Delhi theChawri Bazar Road. The mosque of Friday was built from 1644 to 1658 during the
reign of Shahjahan. The mosque is 80 m long and 27 m wide. The courtyard can accommodate 25,000
worshippers and occupies 408 square feet. Later we proceed to visit Raj Ghat where Mahatma Gandhi – The Father of Nation, was
cremated and drive past the Red Fort [ from outside] - the palace for Shahjahan’s new capital, Shahjahanabad, the
seventh Muslim city in the Delhi site. Wander in the busy streets of the mile long Chandni Chowk, popularly called “The Silver Street”. Enjoy the
‘Cycle Rickshaw’ ride in Old Delhi
(On direct payment).
In the afternoon proceed for tour of New Delhi,
which reflects the legacy the British left behind. The division between New and
Old Delhi is the division between the capitals of the British and the Mughals
respectively. The division in the walled city and New Delhi also marks the
division in the lifestyles. The walled city is all tradition where one will be able
to glean a past lifestyle in all its facets, colours and spells. New Delhi in
contrast, is a city trying to live up to the best of 21st century standards.
The tour to Imperial Delhi will start by visit to
the Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India. The Qutab Minar was started in 1199 AD by
Qutab-ud-Din Aibak and completed by the sultan's successor and son-in-law,
Iltutmish. The building is 72.5 m high and has 379 steps from the bottom to the
top. The Minar is tapering with the diameter of the base is 14.3 m while at the
top floor it is 2.7 m. The Qutab Minar
is still the highest stone tower as well as one of the finest Islamic
structures ever raised in India.
Later visit Humayun’s
Tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun, it is
an outstanding monument in the Indo-Persian style, a precursor of the Taj
Mahal.Drive past the imposing India Gate, the Parliament building and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the
President’s residence.
Later in time transfer to Delhi Airport / Railway
Station to board your flight / train for onward journey to your next
destination.
