> DAY 1: Delhi
Welcome to India’s capital city of Delhi! At the airport you will be greeted with a traditional Indian welcome and escorted to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.
> DAY 2: Delhi
Start today’s touring in Old Delhi. Explore the Red Fort, Raj Ghat and the mile-long Chandni Chowk Bazaar. Continue your tour to New Delhi - drive along Rajpath to view the Parliament House, the President’s House and India Gate. Visit the Humayun’s Tomb, Qutab Minar and Birla Temple. In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner at Bhukhara Restaurant. (B, L, D)
> DAY 3: Delhi, Agra
After breakfast depart for Agra, home of the famous Taj Mahal. During the drive you will enjoy a stop at Sikandra to visit the tomb of Emperor Akbar. In the afternoon, explore the 16th century Agra Fort with its battlements, apartments, gardens and audience halls. Continue on to the magnificent Taj Mahal, the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world. Witness the transformation as the monument reflects the warm glow of sunset. Overnight at your hotel in Agra. (B)
> DAY 4: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur
Early in the morning, watch the sunrise over the the magnificent Taj Mahal. After breakfast depart for Jaipur. You will stop en route for a visit of the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri with its magnificent red sandstone buildings. Continue on to Jaipur and check into your hotel. Enjoy a relaxing evening at your leisure. (B)
> DAY 5: Jaipur
In the morning, visit the mountain fortress of Amber, riding royally atop regally painted and decorated elephants. In the afternoon enjoy a tour of Jaipur City, visiting Hawa Mahal, or the “Palace of Winds,” City Palace and the ancient observatory. (B)
> DAY 6: Jaipur, Mumbai
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport. Fly to Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India’s most cosmopolitan city. Enjoy a tour of the city including the British-built arch “Gateway of India,” the Hanging Gardens and Malabar Hills where Mumbai’s rich and famous live, the Prince of Wales Museum, Dhobi Ghat, Marine Drive, the Gandhi Memorial Museum and Jain Temple. Overnight at your hotel in Mumbai. (B)
> DAY 7: Mumbai, Elephanta Caves, Cochin
Cruise across the harbor to Elephanta Island and visit its famous caves, filled with carvings and sculptures dating back to 550 A.D. In the afternoon fly to Cochin where, upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. (B)
> DAY 8: Cochin
In the morning visit the Portuguese Church built by St. Francis in 1562, the Jewish Synagogue, the famed Mattancherry Palace, and the Chinese fishing nets—ingenious devices requiring little human attention. Spend your afternoon at leisure. In the evening enjoy a presentation of the colorfully costumed Kathakali dance drama. (B)
> DAY 9: Cochin, Kumarakom
After breakfast depart for Kumarakom, where you will experience the rich culture and active lifestyle that has evolved over the centuries in and around the backwaters and waterways that thread this region. Arrive and check in at your hotel. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon enjoying the beautiful natural landscape. (B)
> DAY 10: Kumarakom
This morning enjoy a boat ride through the series of canals and lagoons snaking their way through several tiny villages and tropical vegetation. Not only do the backwaters of Kerala link the state together, they are an integral element in maintaining ecological balance and creating harmony with nature. Your afternoon is at leisure. You may want to experience an Ayurvedic therapeutic massage, indigenous to this region, which is both relaxing and healing, or perhaps take advantage of the rich waters with a bit of fishing. (B)
> DAY 11: Departure
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Cochin airport to meet you international flight home. (B)
