India | Amritsar, Varanasi, Pushkar fair and safari

Departure from Montreal to Delhi via Doha.

Welcome and assistance on arrival in Delhi and transfer to your hotel.

Hotel: Welcomhotel Dwarka or similar

9:30 am | Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for the visits at the beginning of the afternoon: Jama Masjid: it is the biggest mosque of the country. From the top of the southern minaret, you will dominate all the city and will discover a splendid panorama. Pass in front of the Lal Qila (the Red Fort): it owes its name to its construction material: the red sandstone. Raj Ghat and the Gandhi Museum: this square black marble plaque marks the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated after his assassination in 1948.

Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, discovery of New Delhi and its surroundings. Humayun’s Tomb: Built in the middle of the 16th century by Haji Begum, the first wife of Humayun, the 2nd Mughal emperor. It is a fine example of Mughal architecture that is said to have inspired the construction of the Taj Mahal.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Welcomhotel Dwarka or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the railway station to take the train to Ajmer (Pushkar). Assistance on arrival in Ajmer and transfer and departure for Pushkar.

Pushkar is located on the edge of a small lake, on the edge of the desert. It is both a very important pilgrimage site for Hindus – and one can see many ghats and temples there – and a center of cattle trade nowadays known all over the world. Every year, in October and November, its famous camel fair is held.

Lunch and visit to the fair in Pushkar, separated from Ajmer by the Nag Pahar mountain. Exclusive prayer with a priest.

Dinner and accommodation in a camp.

Accommodation in a tent.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Udaipur, the city of narrow, lively streets, whitewashed houses, balconies and tiny windows.

Arrival and check-in at the hotel.

Lunch at the hotel. In the late afternoon, depending on the water level, transfer to the pier. Mini-cruise on the lake Pichola to admire the magnificent facade of the palace of Udaipur and stop at the island of Jag Mandir.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Comfort Inn or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for the visits. You will discover the City Palace, former palace of the Maharana of Udaipur. Built in the XVIIIth century, this palace of which a part is still inhabited by the descendants of the Maharana of Udaipur, dominates the lake Pichola. It is a labyrinth of marble halls, decorated salons, courtyards, numerous ceramics and gardens. Visit Sahelion Ki Bari or “Garden of the Damsels”, a beautiful park with many fountains.

Lunch followed by a visit to a silk painting center, specializing in miniatures.

Free afternoon for personal activities.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Comfort Inn or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Ranakpur, through roads lined with acacias, where you can see norias, pump wells, and women walking on the road carrying golden or silver jugs on their heads.

You will also discover the great Jain temples, which seem to be hidden in the Aravelli mountains. There is an enchanting charm in this lonely place; you will be surprised and admired by the sculptures of the different temples. It is the most beautiful Jain sanctuary.

Lunch. Continue by road to Jodhpur.

Arrival and installation at the hotel.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Park Plaza or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, a veritable eagle’s nest built on a hilltop overlooking the city. It can be accessed through seven monumental gates, some of which still bear the scars of the enemy’s cannonballs. Inside there are many inner courtyards, surrounded by palaces with sculpted facades.

The fort’s museum contains palanquins, gondolas used to move around in elephants, weapons, sabers, swords, daggers and small cannons. Many rooms contain collections of miniatures, the Takhat Mahal room is entirely decorated with mirrors and paintings, with colored glass balls hanging from the ceiling and the Jankhi Mahal contains an amazing collection of royal cradles.

From the top of the ramparts defended by impressive cannons, a splendid view is offered to you on the blue city 120 m below and, in the distance, on the Umaid Bhawan Palace.

Lunch. Continue by road to Bikaner.

Arrival and installation at the hotel.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel : Heritage Resort or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit of the Junnagarh Fort, a fortress built in the 16th century which contains various palaces and temples. It is a maze of corridors, staircases and courtyards.

You will be able to visit: the coronation hall, the ice palace, the Maharajah’s room, the weapons museum also containing elephant pods, the conference hall with a silver throne, as well as the first nail boards of the fakirs…

Tuk Tuk ride in the picturesque Bazaar, then Heritage walk in the old city to explore its narrow streets and enjoy visiting some old havelis.

Lunch. We drive back to the Shekhawati region: the region of Rajasthan nicknamed “the open air art gallery of Rajasthan”.

Arrival and installation at the hotel.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Grand Haveli or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for the visit of Mandawa. It is in these villages surrounded by sand dunes, that we find the havelis, houses of rich merchants who used to live from the camel trade between India and Pakistan, small palaces with walls decorated with painted frescos, real illuminated works.

The havelis are houses built by prosperous merchants. They are covered with frescoes. These murals date on average from the 19th century.

Lunch. Continuation by road to Jaipur, the vibrant capital of Rajasthan, owes its nickname of “pink city” to the pink paint that covers the buildings of the old city. Built on the bed of a dry lake in an arid landscape, the city is surrounded by bare hills, topped by fortresses and crenellated ramparts.

Arrival and installation at the hotel.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Royal Orchid or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to Amber Fort, about 10 km from Jaipur. Amber is the ancient capital of the state founded by the Minas and then abandoned a few centuries later when its maharajah Jai Singh moved to Jaipur. Located at the entrance of a rocky gorge, overlooking a beautiful lake, the strategic location of this fortress is highlighted by the beauty of its architecture. It is a labyrinth of walls and towers which, from one hill to another, formed an incomparable alarm and defense system. Here, everything has remained exactly as it was centuries ago.

Climb by 4×4 to the ramparts of the fort. The interior of the fort has many arcaded courtyards, beautiful gardens invaded by monkeys. The Palace contains walls of Persian style mosaics, doors with ivory and wood filigree. Visit the fairy-tale rooms of the Palace, set with mirrors, as well as the temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. The Rajputs took over the fort in 1037, and kept it until 1728, when they deserted Amber for the new city of Jaipur.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

Discovery of the city: The City Palace, the Maharajah’s Palace, part of which is still inhabited by him and which houses Mughal miniatures. The Hawa Mahal or “Palace of the Winds”, an extraordinary section of wall of an old palace of baroque style. Walk in rickshaw and discovery of the market of Jaipur.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Royal Orchid or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by road to Ranthambore.

Ranthambore is famous for its national park and spreads over an area of 1,334 square kilometers along its nearby sanctuaries like – the Mansingh Kaila Devi Sanctuary and the Mansingh Kaila Devi Sanctuary. The park is most famous for its tigers and is one of the best places in India to see the majestic predator in its natural habitat. The tigers can be easily spotted even during the day, busy with their regular hunting quest and taking care of their cubs.

Arrival and check-in at the hotel.

Lunch.

In the afternoon Jeep tour or Canter safari in Ranthambore National Park.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Sher Garh Resort or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning Jeep or Canter safari tour in Ranthambore National Park.

Lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon Jeep or Canter safari in Ranthambore National Park.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Sher Garh Resort or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Jaipur and visit Fatehpur Sikri en route. Fathepur Sikri is the former capital of the time of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Of more baroque architecture than the Red Fort, this capital was abandoned a few years after its construction. Resulting from the synthesis of various styles, Indo-Muslim and Hindu, it is one of the most spectacular sites.

Visit the Great Mosque with the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti. Jewel House also called Diwan-I-Khas (Hall of Hearings) contains the pillar of Akbar, the giant chessboard.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to Agra. Arrival and installation at the hotel.

In the evening visit of the Red Fort: it had an essentially military function, then, it was partially transformed into palace. To visit the Saman Burj: tower from the top of which one sees the Taj Mahal. Behind these walls, it is a real city in the city, that you will discover.

Hotel: Crystal Sarovar Premier or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the sublime TAJ MAHAL one of the most famous monuments in the world, built in the 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan as a testimony of eternal love.

In 1631, Shah Jahan lost his favorite wife Mumtaz-i-Mahal (the chosen one of the palace) when she gave birth to their fourteenth child. The emperor then decided to build her a mausoleum to match his grief, a sort of palace of love.

Taj Mahal, a huge red sandstone door covered with verses of the Koran in Arabic. Once crossed this monumental red sandstone gate inlaid with white marble and covered with verses of the Koran, the Taj Mahal appears, unreal, in all its whiteness.

Erected on a marble platform, at each of its corners stand. High white minarets. The central structure of the Taj is made of white marble, semi-translucent, carved with flowers and inlaid with semi-precious stones in beautiful patterns.

Under the central dome are the cenotaphs of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Departure to Delhi.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

Transfer to the airport in the evening for the flight to Varanasi. Assistance on arrival in Varanasi and transfer to the hotel.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Rivatas by Ideal or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

At the first rays of sunlight, transfer to the pier for a boat ride on the Ganges where thousands of pilgrims come to purify themselves in the sacred water.

The Ganges is worshipped by Hindus who perform devotional ceremonies on the steps leading down to the river. You will be able to observe the fascinating spectacle of the “ghats”, steps which go down to the edge of the river, where a crowd of devotees, faithful, priests, merchants, men, women and pilgrims swarm.

Disembarkation, then stroll in the alleys to discover the Golden Temple, the main sanctuary dedicated to Shiva and whose entrance is reserved for Hindus.

Visit of the city of Varanasi – Tulsi manas temple, Durga temple and Bharat Mata temple.

Return to the hotel for breakfast.

Departure for the visit of Sarnath, cradle of Buddhist teaching. It is here that Buddha preached his first sermon in 528 BC. Visit its museum which houses remarkable representations of Buddha, the capital of the column of Emperor Ashoka and many statues. Also visit the Buddhist museum and temple.

Lunch.

In the late afternoon, walk on the ghats in rickshaw at the time of the Puja: the priests pray in front of the Ganges and bless the pilgrims.

You will attend the evening ceremony (Puja) on the Ghats by the river.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Rivatas by Ideal or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Depending on flight schedules, transfer to the airport and fly to Delhi and Amritsar.

Lunch.

Upon arrival, assistance and transfer to the hotel.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Holiday Inn or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning visit the Golden Temple and stroll through the colorful market of Amritsar. Then city tour of Amritsar (Jallianwala Bagh, Durgiana Temple).

Lunch at the hotel. In the evening visit the Golden Temple and attend the evening ceremony.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Holiday Inn or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning.

Lunch.

In the afternoon, visit of Wagha Border to attend the ceremony.

Dinner and return to the hotel.

Hotel: Holiday Inn or similar

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Transfer to the airport (around midnight on December 8-9)
Flight Amritsar – Montreal with a stopover in Doha