North India tour with Kathmandu & Nepal (I-30)

Early in the morning, you will be driven to Jaipur. Jaipur, also known as the pink city is the capital of Rajasthan. Many captivating palaces are present here having breathtaking design and architecture. In the 18th century Prince of Wales had visited Jaipur and the entire city was painted in pink color and due to these pink buildings the city is known as the pink city. Origin of Jaipur lie 260 year back. It was built by Maharaja Jai Singh and Jaipur got its name from this king. The rest of the day could be spent visiting the Jaipur bazaars or walking down the crowded colorful streets. The transport is at your disposal for any additional visits of monuments or restaurants or places of interest which are with-in the city limits. Overnight in Jaipur.

The morning journey starts from Amer fort also known as Amer Palace, the earlier capital of Jaipur. This magnificent fort was constructed in red sand-stone and marble by Raja Man Singh and is divided into four sections each with a courtyard. The main entrance gate is Surajpol having a fascinating architecture. Near the Ganesh Gate, there is a temple dedicated to the Goddess Sila Devi. The Diwan-e-Aam - Hall of public audience, Diwan-e-Khas - hall of private audience, Sheesh Mahal - palace of mirrors and Sukh Niwas are quite beautiful. At the Sukh Niwas, a pleasant climate is created by winds that blow over a water cascade. You could ascend the fort by walking up the steps or on an elephant's back or in jeep. In Jaipur you will be taken to Maharaja City Palace, a royal palace with seven storey as well as Jantar Mantar, the observatory. This wonderful observatory attracts mathematicians as well as astronomers from the whole world. City palace is perfect blend of all three excellent styles (Mughal, Rajput and European). Another palace, Hawa Mahal is popular all over world for its magnificent architecture. You will be taken through pink rose garden as well business centers of Jaipur. A tour of Jaipur is not complete without shopping. Jaipur is famous for clothes, carpets, precious and semi-precious stones and jewelry and various handicrafts made of wood, metals, etc. and also for silk paintings and miniatures. The transport is at your disposal with-in the city limits. Overnight in Jaipur.

This morning, you will be transferred from Jaipur to Agra enroute visiting Fatehpur Sikri, built in the 16th century by Emperor Akbar. Fatehpur Sikri holds exceptional testimony to Mughal civilization and is one of well-known UNESCO World heritage site of India and has various historical monuments. You will visit the Jama Masjid, followed by the Tomb of Salim Chishti, the five storied Panch Mahal and Buland Darwaza a graceful monument and stupendous piece of beautiful architectures. It is central portico with a total of three arched entrances and is locally known as Horseshoe gate. You will visit the other graceful buildings of this place such as Ibadat Khana, Mariam-uz-Zamani’s palace, Naubat Khana and Birbal’s house. Later you will be driven to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. Agra the former capital of Hindustan is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna. Agra is a major tourist destination of India and a part of the Tourist Circuit of Golden Triangle along with Delhi and Jaipur. Agra also known as Akbarabad went through its peak during the time of Mughals and was the capital of under the Mughal rulers Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjehan. In the afternoon visit of Agra, you will be taken to Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world. This beautiful building is elegantly built with white marble by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between the years 1631 to 1648 and it was built in the memory of his favorite beloved Queen Mumtaz Mahal. Standing majestically on banks of Yamuna River, this breathtaking, immensely beautiful monument is a synonymous to romance and love. Your next stop Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and known for its architectural structure and was built in the 16th century during the Mughal Empire. This place comprises of several fairy-tale palaces like Khas Mahal and Jahangir Palace. Over here you will also get a chance to see Diwan-e-Aam and Diwan-e-Khas, which are also known as private audience hall and public audience hall. Afternoon can be spent visiting more places of interest or shopping. Agra is famous for inlaid marble work and handicrafts made of marble, wood and metal. The transport is at your disposal with-in the city limits. TAJ MAHAL IS CLOSED ON FRIDAYS. Overnight is in Agra.

This morning you will be transferred to the rail station in time to board a train for Jhansi. On your arrival in Jhansi, you will be transferred to your hotel in Khajuraho. Khajuraho is known for its erotic and beautiful temples. These temples were constructed by the Chandelas during 950 AD to 1050 AD. After the period of Chandelas, these temples were forgotten and covered with dense palm-date trees. The name Khajuraho comes from the date trees known as Khajur trees in Hindi. In the year 1838, Capt. T.S. Burt and an engineer from British army re-discovered this place. Overnight is in Khajuraho.

Your morning visit of Khajuraho will take you to different temples. The Khajuraho sight-seeing will take you to temples like Chaunset Yogini Kali Temple, Bharatji or Chitragupta temple that is composed of magnificent 11 headed pictures of Lord Vishnu, Lakshmana Temple, Mahadev Temple, Nandi & Vishvanath Temples and Shiva’s Visha Temple. The Parasvanath Temple of Khajuraho is the only Jain temple that still exists. The Javeri Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Lord Vishnu. The other temples you can visit are dedicated to Lord Brahma, Lord Adinath and Yamuna. Afternoon is at leisure. Overnight is in Khajuraho.

You will be transferred to Khajuraho airport in time to board your flight for Varanasi. Arrive Varanasi & transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to discover the city or visit Sarnath. The evening Arti at the River Ganges Ghats is worth watching. Or a stroll in the busy bazaars of Varanasi also called Benaras or Banaras or Kashi will be quite interesting. Varanasi is said to be the oldest living city in the world, dating back to 5000 years. It has been the cultural and spiritual capital of North India for years. The belief of Hindus is that death in Varanasi leads to salvation. Varanasi is also known as the holy city of India or the city of temples, or the city of learning and also as the oldest living city on earth. Overnight is in Varanasi.

Your morning boat excursion on the river Ganges will take you the different ghats. Two of most renowned ghats, Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats, which are frequented by hundreds of devotees. These two ghats are quite famous not only for taking a holy dip, but also for cremation purposes. It is strongly believed by Hindus that whoever dies in Varanasi and gets cremated on bank of river Ganga achieves salvation, thereby releasing him form this birth cycle. You may witness numerous funeral pyres burning around in these ghats. Later you will be transferred to Varanasi airport in time for your flight to Kathmandu. On your arrival in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight is in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu is the largest metropolis and capital city of Nepal. This city has indeed a lot to offer to its guests including a number of exotic attractions carrying full of historical importance as well as religious significance. Kathmandu has a rich history, spanning nearly 2000 years and has many religious and cultural festivities taking place here. Most of Nepalese follow Hinduism and Buddhism. Your tour starts with Durbar Square, the heart of Kathmandu, built between 12th to 18th centuries. This site displays brilliant architectural structures and comprises within itself numerous fortresses, temples, religious shrines, figurines, fountains, etc. Various striking structures built inside this square interestingly display a perfect amalgamation of ancient as well as modern style of architecture through its finely carved figurines and other stone engravings. Stone made lions stand on palace entrance, along with ancient inscriptions engraved on stone walls in various languages. You are taken to the renowned Mahadev and Parvati Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Next destination is Hanuman Dhoka, built by ancient monarchs, comprising of numerous palaces, shrines, etc. and spread across about 5 acres of land area with its courtyards built around middle years of 16th century. During the reign of King Pratap Malla in 17th century numerous sacred temples were installed, dedicated to various Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Other developments were made by Narayan Shah and the royal family which stayed here till later years of 19th century. Afternoon is free for visiting the various other monuments or excursion to the near-by places of interest. The Himalayas of Nepal also offer you good opportunities for trekking as well as the mountain rivers are fantastic for rafting. Overnight is in Kathmandu.

The entire day is at leisure in Kathmandu to give you the possibility of visiting the various nearby places of interest. Patan also known as Lalitpur is a large town across the Bagmati River from Kathmandu. Patan is famous for its handicrafts, statues, masks and jewelry. The places of interest in Patan are the Durbar Square, The Museum, Ashok Stupa and the various temples some of the which are - Degutale temple, Krishna temple, Shankar Narayan temple, Vishnu temples, Vishwanath temple, Bhimsen temple, Mahaboudha Temple, Machhendranath temple, Golden Temple in Patan and Kumbheshwar Temple. Nagarkot surrounded by thickly forested hills of pine trees offer you magnificent sights of the Himalayan peaks at sunrise. On a clear day, you may be able to see the tip of Mt. Everest from Nagarkot. Dhulikhel offers you good views and a number of temples like Kali Temple, Bhagwati Temple, Hanuman Temple, etc. Changu Narayan a small town offers you the oldest temple in Nepal of Lord Vishnu and a museum. Panauti is another old town full of ancient temples. The Indreswor Temple is a large pagoda style temple. Kakani offers you a good view of the valleys. Kirtipur meaning “famed town“ is and old small town and is inhabited by Newars. Boudhanath a UNESCO World Heritage Site has one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world from the 5th century AD and is surrounded by many Tibetan Gompas. Namo Buddha with the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery is one of the holiest places for the Buddhists as the legend is that Buddha in a previous life sacrificed his body to a starving tiger and cubs. If you are the adventurous type Nepal offers you the possibility of trekking in the nearby mountains. Or you could always go for a rafting in the Himalayan Rivers. A flight to see the Mt Everest is highly recommended. Overnight is in Kathmandu.

You will be transfer to airport to board flight for Delhi. on your arrive in Delhi you will be connected to your return/onwards flight. As most of the flights depart after mid-night, accommodation is not included in Delhi.Depart for your return/onward journey.
END OF YOUR GOLDEN TRIANGLE INDIA & NEPAL TOUR.