Tour Day |
Day |
Date |
Location |
Photos and Commentary
Click individual photo below to view photos from
that
day (photos start on 11/24) |
Web
References/Travel Plans |
1 |
Tuesday |
11/21 |
DC to London |
|
Leave DC Dulles at 9:55 PM via British Airways Flight 292
(Boeing 777, Business Class). Arrives London Heathrow at 10 AM
Wednesday, 11/22 (3,672 miles, 7 hours, 5 minutes) |
2 |
Wednesday |
11/22 |
London to Delhi
|
|
Leave London Heathrow at 11:40 AM via British
Airways Flight 143 (Boeing 747-400, Business Class). Arrives Delhi at 1:25
AM, 11/23 (4,169 miles, 8 hours, 15 minutes) 1 night at
Radisson Hotel.
|
3 |
Thursday |
11/23 |
Delhi-Ranthambhore
National Park |
|
Leave 1:10 PM on Jan Shatabdi
Express train to
Ranthambhore National Park. Arrive 6 PM. Stay 2 nights at
Tiger Den Resort.
|
4 |
Friday |
11/24 |
Ranthambhore National Park |
|
Morning and afternoon game
drives in 4-6 passenger open jeeps.
|
5 |
Saturday |
11/25 |
Ranthambhore National Park-Delhi |
|
Morning game drive by either jeep
or small bus. Return to Delhi at 12:50 PM on Golden Temple Mail Train. Arrive
Delhi at 7:05 PM.
Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi (3 nights)
|
6 |
Sunday |
11/26 |
Delhi |
|
After a relaxed morning, visit the sights of New Delhi including the "Raj"
buildings of Lutyens and Baker, the
Qutub Minar, built by the slave king Qutub-uddin Aibak in the 12th
century, and
Humayun's
Tomb, a precursor to the
Taj Mahal. In the evening a welcome dinner in ethnic setting has been
arranged. |
7 |
Monday |
11/27 |
Delhi |
|
Morning visit to the busy bazaars of Old Delhi,
Jama Masjid,
the largest mosque in India and
Rajghat - the "samadhi" of Mahatma Gandhi. The afternoon is at leisure. |
8 |
Tuesday |
11/28 |
Delhi-Varanasi
|
|
Leave Delhi at 10:40 AM via Jet Airways Flight 723 (Boeing 737-400).
Arrive Varanasi at 11:50 AM(1 hour, 10 minutes, 415 miles) for a night at the
Taj Ganges . Afternoon excursion to
Sarnath, the site of Buddha's first sermon. In the evening, a cycle
rickshaw ride is planned to the Ganges to witness ceremonial worship on the
riverbanks.
|
9 |
Wednesday |
11/29 |
Varanasi-Khajuraho |
|
Early morning boat-ride on the Ganges to see devotees at prayer
along the "Ghats"
or riverbanks. Leave Varanasi at 12:20 PM on Jet Airways Flight 723 (Boeing
737-400) to
Khajuraho (40 minutes, 189 miles).
Stay 2 nights at the
Taj Chandela Hotel.
|
10 |
Thursday |
11/30 |
Khajuraho |
|
Visit the famous Chandela temples
in the morning. Built between 950 and 1050 AD these are known for erotic
sculpture. Afternoon free to explore the village. |
11 |
Friday |
12/1 |
Khajuraho-Orchha-Agra
|
|
Morning drive to
Orchha, dotted with temples and palaces of Bundela kings. Lunch has been
arranged at Orchha Resorts,
overlooking the Betwa River. Leave Jhansi
aboard the Shatabdi Express train (Air-conditioned chair car) at 6:05 PM and
arrive at Agra
at 8:35 PM (2 hours, 30 minutes, 137 miles). Transfer to the
Mughal Sheraton for 2 nights.
|
12 |
Saturday |
12/2 |
Agra |
|
The morning city sightseeing includes the poetry in
marble - the
Taj
Mahal and the
Agra Fort.
Afternoon at leisure. |
13 |
Sunday |
12/3 |
Agra-Jaipur
|
|
Morning drive to
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary visiting deserted Mughal city of
Fatehpur Sikri en route. Explore the sanctuary on cycle rickshaw and
have lunch at the
Laxmi Vilas Palace. Proceed to
Jaipur for 2 nights at the charming
Samode Haveli, a royal mansion.
|
14 |
Monday |
12/4 |
Jaipur |
|
A morning excursion to the hilltop
Amber Fort,
climbed on caparisoned elephants, is arranged. Visit a small factory for
hand printed fabrics on the return. The afternoon sightseeing includes the
Palace of
Winds,
Jantar Mantar,
the
City
Palace, the museum and the
colorful bazaars of Jaipur, considered a shopper's paradise. Invited
this evening to a traditional meal with a local family at their residence. |
15 |
Tuesday |
12/5 |
Jaipur-Rohetgarh (Jodhpur)
|
No Photos on 12/5 |
Drive to
Rohetgarh (6-7 hours), on the
outskirts of Jodhpur. Stay two nights
at the
royal residence of Rohetgarh, with
options for
horse riding and camel safaris.
|
16 |
Wednesday |
12/6 |
Rohetgarh |
|
Enjoy a village safari by jeep in the morning. In the afternoon visit
Jodhpur to see the
Meherangarh Fort and
Jaswant Thada. |
17 |
Thursday |
12/7 |
Rohetgarh-Udaipur
|
|
Morning drive to
Udaipur via
Ranakpur, to visit
the beautiful
Jain Temple complex,
built in 1439. After lunch in the pleasant surroundings of
Maharani Bagh orchards,
drive on to the romantic city of
Udaipur for two nights at the
Trident Hilton Hotel.
|
18 |
Friday |
12/8 |
Udaipur |
|
The morning city sightseeing includes the
City
Palace, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan,
Jagdish
Temple and
Sahelion-ki-Bari, a garden built for the Maids of Honor. The afternoon
is at leisure. |
19 |
Saturday |
12/9 |
Udaipur-Mumbai (Bombay)
|
|
Leave
Udaipur via Jet
Airways Flight 709 (Boeing 737) at 8:20 AM to
Mumbai at 9:35 AM (one
hour, 15 minutes, 495 miles). Transfer to the
celebrated
Taj Mahal Palace & Towers for 2 nights in a Deluxe Tower Wing room
with sea view. Afternoon city sightseeing will include
Crawford Market
and
Dhobi Talao.
|
20 |
Sunday |
12/10 |
Mumbai |
|
Morning cruise to the
Elephanta Caves and later visit to the
Prince of Wales Museum. Remainder of the day at leisure. |
21 |
Monday |
12/11 |
Mumbai to London |
Final Thoughts |
Leave
Mumbai at 1:40 PM via
British Airways Flight 198 (Boeing 777, Business Class). Arrives
London Heathrow at 6:00 PM (4,469 miles, 9 hours, 50 minutes). Transfer to
London Putney Bridge Premier Travel Inn.
|
22 |
Tuesday |
12/12 |
London to DC |
|
Leave London Heathrow at 5:00 PM via British Airways Flight 293 (777-200,
Business Class). Arrives Washington Dulles at 8:05 PM (3,672 miles, 8 hours,
5 minutes). |