India Tour with Rajasthan and Varanasi

Arrival in Delhi and meeting with your guide before the transfer to the hotel.
During the afternoon visiting of the city: starting from Old Delhi, the historical part, surrounded by walls. Passing through the Red Fort, you can admire the most majestic among the monuments of the Mughal Empire, the Jama Masjid (closed on Friday), which is the largest mosque in India. Built between 1644 and 1658 during the reign of Shah Jahan, it is an impressive piece of architecture of red brick and white marble that extends for 40 meters in height and boasts four towers at the corners and 3 gates.

On the banks of the river Yamuna there is the Rajghat: the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated, after his assassination in 1948.

Return to the hotel and overnight.

After breakfast we will continue the discovery in New Delhi: the new part was conceived, designed and built in a majestic style by the British in the 20s of XX century, it is a city with wide tree-lined streets, parks, gardens, great houses that are home to Parliament, ministries, embassies, the Connaught Place area, which is the financial, shopping and business center.

The India Gate, which is the triumphal arch, brings with it the names of several thousand Indians who lost their lives during the First World War. Opposite is the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, the perfect combination of Western and Mughal architectural style. Surrounded by huge parks, its construction was completed in 1929. Later you will visit the Qutub Minar, 73mt. high, a tower with a diameter of 15m. that narrows down to a minimum of 2m and a half.

It spreads over five floors, each of which has a projecting balcony. Then visit the mausoleum of Humayun, built between 1564 and 1572 by Haji Begum, the widow of the second Mughal emperor. After nine years after the death of Humayun, it took eight years to complete its construction. Designed by the Persian Misak Ghiyaz Mirza, with a raised octagonal shape with two domes, eight arches, surrounded by a great wall, the mausoleum is an impressive structure. Return to the hotel and overnight.
 

After breakfast depart by car for Jaipur. Upon arrival you will visit the Hawa Mahal, the famous "Palace of Winds" , built in 1799 , which is a wonderful five-story building with a spectacular pyramidal facade with a succession of windows embedded in a network of panels, domes and spiers. The Hawa Mahal is part of the City Palace, commissioned by Sawai Pratap Singh and designed for women of the royal families who could easily observe, in private, the street and its daily vicissitudes.

Hotel accommodation and overnight.
 

After breakfast, we will proceed to the Amber Fort. The ascent to the fort will be on elephant back.

Just 11 km from Jaipur, the Amber Fort is one of the wonderful examples of Rajput architecture that characterized the old capital during the Kachhawah empire. The original palace was built by Raja Man Singh and later completed by Sawai Jai Singh. Inside the palace there are the Diwan-e-Aam, the ''public auditorium "; the Diwan-e-Khas, or the '' private audtorium "and the Sukh Niws, where, in summer, a cool breeze blowing through the channels of water cools the air pleasantly. You can then observe the private rooms of the queens from the typical grates windows through which reigned in their intimacy, could observe the various vicissitudes of the royal court. Besides, you can visit the Jai Mandir, known as the "Temple of Victory", with its famous Sheesh Mahal, the brighting "Hall of Mirrors".

In the afternoon visiting of Jaipur: Hawa Mahal, the famous "Palace of Winds" was built in 1799. The Hawa Mahal is part of the City Palace, commissioned by Sawai Pratap Singh and designed for the women of the royal families, from which they could easily observe, in private, the road and its daily vicissitudes. Our visit will carry on with the Palace Museum: located in the heart of the old town and representing the old royal residence built with a mix of Rajasthan and Mughal styles. A part of the palace, nowadays has become a museum, but the rest of the building is used as a daily accommodation of the royal family of Jaipur. The building boasts an art gallery with an excellent collection of paintings, rugs, accessories and rare pieces of real astronomical works. Jantar Mantar, however, is the stone observatory erected by the great astronomer Jai Singh II, and it is located close to City Palace. It is the largest and best preserved observatory of the area, and thanks to the available tools, astronomers were able to measure the position of the stars and calculate eclipses.
 
Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast you'll leave for Agra. Along the way visit Fatehpur Sikri, a fascinating ghost town, lying just  past the small town in red sandstone of Agra. Built thanks to Emperor Akbar as his capital, Fatehpur Sikri was a true fairy-tale city and its ruins are still in excellent condition.

It is not hard to imagine how the court life could be during that time. Set like a jewel in a courtyard of pink sandstone is the marble tomb of Saint Salim Chisti, surrounded by finely carved marble. You will visit the Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, the Jami Mosque, the Birbals Palace, the Sunhera Makan, the Jodha Bai 's palace, the Kahan -i - Khas, the Diwan -i - m. After the visit departure to Agra . Arrival, accommodation and overnight.
 

After breakfast, city tour. Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most photographed monument in the world. No matter how many pictures you have seen or no matter what kind of expectations a person has, the Taj Mahal never betrays. The glory and unparalleled beauty of this building goes beyond all human expectation.

At sunrise you will visit this spectacular monument built for love. With perfect symmetry in every respect, the construction stands out for the high quality of the semi-precious stones marble inlay work in hard stone style (closed on Friday). Visit to the Agra Fort, the imposing Mughal fort in red sandstone, built on the banks of the river Yumana by Emperor Akbar in 1565 and subsequently enriched. The colossal double walls of the fort rise for over 20 meters in height and 2.5 km in length.

Inside a maze of superb halls, mosques, rooms and gardens form a small city within a city. You can also admire the Jahangir Place and the Khas Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas and two stunning mosques. Return to the hotel and overnight.
 

After breakfast transfer to the station and departure by train to Jhansi.

Upon arrival meet with the driver and then by car to Khajuraho. On the way, stop in Orchha, a city that was the capital of the powerful dynasty of the Bundela Rajput for the visit of the great seventeenth-century palaces, built on the orders of Raja Bir Singh Deo to commemorate the visit of Moghul. The Raj Mahal is a clear example of Bundela architecture; Rai Parveen Mahal, a low brick building with two floors; the Jahangir Mahal, considered a milestone in the history of Indian architecture as it synthesizes the Hindu and Islamic styles, the Ram Raja Temple, the heart of the village.

After the visit we will continue to Khajuraho. Upon arrival, hotel accommodation and overnight.
 

Breakfast in the hotel. Morning visit to the imposing medieval Hindu temples, built in the tenth century by the Chandela dynasty, a dynasty that ruled for five centuries before succumbing to the onslaught of the Mughals. These are wonderful examples of Indo-Aryan architecture, famous because they are covered with reliefs and statues that animate the inert surface of a teeming life and complex and, in particular, for the many sculptures of erotic figures in the Kamasutra positions that are a of the highest artistic expressions of Tantrism.

The sculptures that adorn the tops of the temples are representations of "mithuna", the coupling of the gods generating life energy. Particularly in the western group the spectacular temple dedicated to Shiva Mahadeva Kandhariya famous for its architecture, the temple of Lakshammana, the oldest. In the eastern group the Jain temples are characterized by the extraordinary richness of the reliefs. Transfer to airport for flight to Varanasi. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel. Free afternoon. Overnight.
 

Early morning, boat trip on the banks of the Ganges to witness the ritual baths in the holy waters and cremations. The wakeup call before dawn will be rewarded by direct contact with the life on the banks of this river. Sunrise or sunset, the Hindu pilgrims arrive at the holy river to bathe, while the lanterns glide along the river. The Bharat Mata temple is dedicated to the most maternal idea of India, and houses a marble statue of Mother India, emblem of the unity country.  

After breakfast visit of the temples of the city of Varanasi: Durga Temple is dated XVIII century, it is also known as the Monkey Temple. The form of Durga represents the female force, a combination of the power of various deities. The Tulsi Manas Temple was built in 1964 and is located approximately 150m south of Durga Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Rama and is located where Tulsidas, great medieval saint, supposedly wrote the epic poem Shri Ramcharitmanas; In fact, the two rows of walls are carved with verses and scenes of the famous poem.

Kashi Vishwanath Mandir: the divinity to whom this temple is dedicated is Lord Shiva and it is said that it was here where the first Jyotirlinga broke the earth crust and imposed his supremacy over the other gods. No wonder that, among gath and the Ganges River, is just the Kashi Vishwanath temple that attracts the most attention of this place dedicated to the faithful.  

The Banaras Hindu University is one of the oldest training centers in India, and was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1979 for the study of Sanskrit, Indian art, culture and music. The university campus covers over 5 km2, contains the Bharat Kala Bhavan and its buildings also house the new Vishwanatha Temple. Sankt Mochan temple in Varanasi is one of the most sacred temples, is located in the southern part of the city, near the University of Banaras Hindu and is dedicated to the Hindu deity Hanuman. The temple name literally means "one who helps to eliminate the pain" and was founded by Tulsidas, the author of the famous Hindu poem Ramacharitamanasa.

In the afternoon excursion to Sarnath: 10 km from the city center, Sarnath symbolizes the birth of the Buddhist religion. It was here that Buddha revealed his doctrine and founded his monotheistic communities. Ashoka Pillar: This site is one of the most famous Buddhist centers of the entire planet. The immense column surrounded by four lions, was founded by Emperor Ashoka Maurya during the third century B.C., and today, it is the national emblem of the Republic of India.

Mulagandha Kuti Vihar: it was built in 1931 by the Mahabodhi Society. A Japanese huge bell decorates the entrance of Vihar while the walls and ceilings were decorated with fantastic carvings, paintings and murals by the Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu. Even a life-size image of Buddha is kept in the temple. Choukhandi Stupa is built on a rectangular pedestal and is crowned with an octagonal tower built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to commemorate the visit of the father in this place.

The ruins of the temple go back to the Gupta period. Dhamarajika Stupa: this is yet another place in town that deserves attention: this is also dating from the Gupta period, it was built by Emperor Ashoka. In fact, the Stupa are in a state of abandonment and you can only see their ruins. The archaeological museum, however, shows a magnificent statue of the Buddha while turning the wheel of the law and other depictions that represent the flourishing Indian plastic art.  

Overnight at the hotel.
 

Breakfast in the hotel.

Free morning. Transfer to the airport and flight to Delhi.

Uponn arrival check in to the hotel and rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in the hotel.

The tour is over, the day is free depending on the airport transfer.