Complete Tour of India - Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi

Arrive in Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi a staff representative will welcome you and accompany you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for rest and/or personal activities. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

The sightseeing starts in Old Delhi (Shahajahanabad), with the Red Fort, Friday Mosque "Jama masjid" with an emotion-packed rickshaw ride through the narrow crowded streets of Old Delhi.

Then visit New Delhi and its main monuments: the government palaces from the colonial period in front of India Gate, the Mausoleum of Humayun emperor and Qutub Minar complex.

Transfer to the railway station to take the train to Amritsar.

In the afternoon visit the city and in the early evening pay a first visit to the Golden Temple, at sunset and in the evening lit by the artificial lights which make its golden structure sparkle even more in the dark.

Completion of the city tour: Amritsar, founded around 400 years ago, is famous for the Golden Temple, a holy religious site for the Sikh. The marble building rises in the middle of an artificial lake and combines the Muslim style with Hindu elements. The dome, representing a lotus flower turned upside down, was covered in over 100 kg of pure gold in 1802.

Then travel to Bagha Border, the frontier between India and Pakistan, to attend the frontier closing ceremony. A huge crowd attends the event on the two sides of the border, supporting their respective nation with cheers that are incited by a voice at the microphone, while the guards, taking pride in such animation, march up and down in military steps, so exaggerated in amplitude as to be ridiculous and seem like a farce. The guards from both sides come to shake their hands before closing the gate for the night and hauling down the flags.

Transfer to Dharamsala. Upon arrival at Dharamsala accommodation in hotel. In the afternoon visit Mcleodganj, the Tibetan center with the Tibetan museum, the Tibetan institute for medicine and the market.

Today will be dedicated to the discovery of this marvellous city. Morning excursion to Norbulingka institute. Nearby is Karmapa monastery. Then continue on with the visit to the Tibetan Childern Village. Visit St. John Church.

Departure to Chandigarh. Upon arrival check in to the hotel.

Morning dedicated to the visit to the museum and art gallery, then continuing with the visit to Lake Sukhna and Rock Garden. In the afternoon transfer in due time to the railway station to take the train back to Delhi (dinner on the train). Arrival in the late evening and check in to the hotel. Overnight in the hotel.

Departure to Samode. Arrive and visit the picturesque village and splendid Samode palace. Lunch at the city palace. In the afternoon continue on to Jaipur. Arrive and check in to the hotel.

Visit Amber Fort, 11 km from Jaipur, an imposing fortress of the Rajput civilization. To cover the last part of the climb you will ride placid elephants, almost as to evoke the ancient deeds of the Maharaja.

Inside the walls you will visit palaces and pavillions of refined beauty and the small but precious temple of Kali goddess.

In the afternoon visit the city, the capital of Rajasthan, the "pink city", among the most beautiful and picturesque of India.

Visit world- famous Hawa Mahal (often represented in postcards), the "wind palace", and the Maharaja Temple (City Palace), largely converted into a museum and the Astronomic Observatory (Jantar Mantar).

Today is dedicated to an excursion to the factory where saris are colored and hung to dry. Have fun taking photos!

Return to the hotel.

Depart to Agra.

En route stop to visit Abhaneri, where an ancient well and palace is located.

Lunch at Bharatpur palace.

Continue on for the visit to Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned capital built by Akbar emperor from Moghul dynasty.

Arrive in Agra and check in to the hotel.

Full day visit to Agra and its world-famous monuments, especially Akbar Tomb in Sikandra, Agra Fort, the ancient imperial residence of Moghul Shah Jahan emperor and Etimad-ud-Daula Mausoleum.

The afternoon is dedicated to the visit to Taj Mahal, regarded as the first world wonder, to be reached on a gig called "tonga".

Transfer to the railway station and departure to Jhansi.

Upon arrival depart to Orchha.

Visit the ancient and tranquil town. Sightseeing in Orchha offers exhuberant frescoes of battles and legendary stories, gardens, palaces with domed pavilions and gates flanked by stone elephants, fortified ramparts and temples with Persian influence.

Depart to Khajuraho, famous for the erotic depictions of its temples. But Khajuraho sculptures are much more than this: a great fresco of the daily life of Chandela's court around a thousand years ago.

Khajuraho is absolutely an unmissable destination for the beauty of its ancient sculptures preserved in an admirable way against the passing of time and assaults by invaders. Besides the magnificent and intricate sculptures, the temples are interesting due to the momentum of the vertical spiers, a metaphor of the climb to the sky and the Himalayan peaks, homeland of the gods.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Varanasi.

Departure at 1.45 PM from Khajuraho airport and arrival at 2.35 PM at Varanasi airport.

Transfer to the hotel on arrival.

In the afternoon visit Sarnath where 600 years before Christ, Buddha held his first sermon to his first five disciples.

In the evening you will get immediately in touch with Hindu spirituality thanks to the ceremony of the prayers on the Gange.

Wake up before dawn for a boat cruise on Gange river, witnessing the purification rituals and the pilgrims' offers at sunrise.

Walking tour of the ancient city with a stop ta the Golden Temple and Aurangzeb Mosque.

Return for breakfast.

In the afternoon visit Sarnath archaeological site, the place of the first Buddha's preaching.

Free day at leisure for personal visits. (No guide for today).

Breakfast at the hotel and free morning.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Delhi.

Departure at 3.50 PM from Varanasi airport and arrival at 5.20 PM at New Delhi airport.

Transfer to the hotel upon arrival.