After breakfast take sightseeing tour of historic city visiting Old Delhi visiting the majestic Red Fort, a marvel in red sandstone, Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India, both built by emperor Shah Jahan of Taj Mahal fame, Later sightseeing continues to visit New Delhi include Rashtrapati Bhawan, one-time imperial residence of the British viceroys; the India Gate, a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers martyred during the Afghan war; Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, built by Qutub-ud-din Aibek of the Slave Dynasty;

Morning board the fastest train of India as Gatiman Express Enjoy a guided tour of the impressive Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Time permitting, opt to visit the Baby Taj. Built by the emperor Shah Jahan to honour the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz, it is built of marble and decorated with the most delicate inlay work, the Taj Mahal needed the labours of 20,000 men and is assessed to have cost something in the region of 3 million rupees (at today’s prices that equates to around $70 million). We then pay a break to the splendor of Agra Fort. Built by Emperor Akbar and then elaborated by his grandson, Shah Jahan, the fort was once a great city, with palaces, mosques and halls all lying behind the protective clinch of 20m high walls.

After breakfast, there will be some leisure time to wander the city, possibly taking in the rich classiness of the beautiful Itimad-ud-Daulah, a 17th century tomb constructed for the Emperor Jehangir’s chief minister that reflects the marble majesty of the more famous Taj Mahal (hence its rather apt title of ‘Baby Taj). In the evening board your train for Jaipur. Night stay is in Jaipur

Today explore the pleasures of this royal city which highlights India’s most important cultural treasures. We will start by viewing the facade of the Hawa Mahal, the famous ‘ Palace of the Winds’, whose astonishing frontage of red and pink sandstone towers some 5 storeys over the city streets. Constructed at the end of the 18th century its 935 windows were planned to allow the women of the harem to stare out on the city scene below without themselves being seen, the openings offering the added bonus of generating a refreshing breeze (hawa), which kept the palace cool even in the hot summer months. Carry on to visit the mighty Rajput capital of Amber and its outstanding fortress. Overseeing Maotha Lake, the fort is a spectacular creation of white marble and red sandstone that contains a dazzling mix of Hindu and Muslim embellishment, embracing the magnificent mirrored halls of the Sheesh Mahal. It was from these lofty walls that the Kachchawahas ruled over their kingdom for around 7 centuries, until its prominence was eclipsed by nearby Jaipur. This afternoon visit the amazing observatory of Jantar Mantar. Our added visit is to the luxurious grandeur of the City Palace, a stunning complex of gardens and courtyards that presents a rich blend of Mughal and Rajasthani design and houses an armory and a museum that is home to a stunning array of costumes, manuscripts and inlaid splendor. Spend your night in Jaipur

Full day is for leisure and rest. If you want then you can enjoy the day on your own. See more of Rajasthan city. Opt for Bollywood Movie at Raj Mandir. Visit this impressive cinema and watch a song-and-dance Bollywood film. In later afternoon you shall be transferred to Jaipur railway station to board train for Udaipur. It is a scenic 6 -7 train journey. On arrival at Udaipur you shall be transferred to your hotel for overnight stay.
Night stay is in Udaipur

Morning after breakfast you shall be taken to Jagdish Temple and the City Palace, one of the largest royal palaces in India. Attend a Rajasthani cultural show on Gangaur Ghat. Night stay is in Udaipur

Enjoy a free day in Udaipur. There’s loads to explore and do in Udaipur, and we sought to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to rest or try optional happenings such asdiscovering the Monsoon Palace, understanding Rajasthani cuisine with a cooking class, and visiting the Saheliyon-ki-Bari Garden. In the evening board your train for Bundi. On arrival at Bundi check in at your hotel for overnight stay.

One of the unexplored cities with a rich historical wealth. Bundi is surrounded by the Aravalli hills on the three sides and is circumscribed by a massive wall with four gateways. Interesting monuments including impressive medieval forts, palaces, havelis, temples with beautiful stone idols and chattris with carved pillars, along with a picturesque lake in the heart of the town, add to its charm. Bundi is very famous for its intricate carvings and murals. Visit Step-wells of Bundi: For anyone who wants to see the beauty of different types of stepwells, a visit to the township of Bundi is recommended. A number of stepwells have been made over a period of three centuries by members of the royal families as well as the people of Bundi who took interest in a worthwhile cause. Out of around 20 stepwells in the area, those worth a mention are Naval Sagar, Sisodiaji ki Baori, Purushottam ki Baori, Sukhi Baori, Manoharji ki Baori and RAmi ki Baori. Taragarh Fort: The serpentine Taragarh Fort and its palace is what immediately strike visitors on arrival in Bundi. Rudyard Kipling who visited here a century ago wrote, “No human hand can create such a splendour; for only angels have that skill”. Taragarh is Bundi’s pride. This imposing fort was raised at a height of 500 meters atop a hill by Rao Bar Singh in the 13th century. In time get transferred to Kota and board your overnight train for Mumbai. Night is on board.

Made up of seven islands on the eastern periphery of the Arabian Sea, Mumbai attracts people from all over the country to its prosperous streets. Mumbai is also the abode of ‘Bollywood’, an industry that creates more films per year than any other city in the world. After freshen up we will be exploring city this morning, watching the honey-coloured Gateway of India arch and the macabre Towers of Silence. Built by the Parsis escaping persecution in Persia during the 17th century, the Towers were a mortuary for the dead. Being Zoroastrians the Parsis were not allowed to bury or cremate their dead, so in its place they were left in these towers to allow nature to dispose of them. We also visit the municipal dhobi ghats and the Prince of Wales Museum, which has an outstanding compilation of Indian miniatures from the Moghal and Rajasthan schools, whilst at the Mahatma Gandhi Museum we’ll learn a slight of the great man’s life and ideas, because of an notable collection of books, photographs and letters.

Leaving the city timely this morning we travel by train to Goa, following the Konkan Railway to the station at Thivim. Travelling along this line offers us an occasion to rightly realize some of the most stunning scenery tendered by any of the Indian rail networks as we surpass through the amazing scenery of the Western Ghats. The palmfringed shores of Goa were colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century, who seized the original Arab trade settlement and began building a city on the Arabian Sea sprinkled with houses, gardens monasteries and churches, lots of which unluckily no longer remain. Goa ultimately became the commercial centre for East and West, where traders could purchase pearls, coral, rubies, golden jewellery, silks, China porcelain, lacquered furniture, ambergris and exotic spices. The Portuguese influence is still very much apparent – the main religion is still Roman Catholic and siestas are still widely applied in the hot afternoons. Like most parts in India, Goa also has its own food specialities, the most well-liked is pork vindaloo! You may also want to sample the locally prepared spirit feni – a spine-tingling drink made from coconut or cashew apples.

We have a comfortable start to the day with the morning free before we meet in the afternoon and take a walk around the city of Panjim. While Goa is mainly known for the beaches that lure tourists during the year, the wide streets of Panjim are worth discovering. The buildings are noticeably European in style with shutters, balconies and red tiled roofs though they are assorted with more traditional temples to form a rather unusual style. If you wish to spend some time on the beach it is just a short taxi ride away.

This morning we will go to a local spice plantation, to learn a little of the spices and plants that grow between these fertile landscapes. This part of India has long been famous for its plentiful array of spices; indeed Christopher Columbus was en route to the spice rich Malabar Coast when he bounced into America by mistake. A journey of the gardens with a local guide will disclose the massive wealth of Goa’s aromatic treasures, containing pepper and nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon.

In time you shall be transferred to Goa Railway station to board overnight train for Hampi. Night is on board

Arrival at  railway station near Hampi where you will be straight driven away to Hampi.

After breakfast have a visit to group of Hampi  temples visiting Virupaksha temple, Lakshmi Narain Temple, Vijaya Vittala Temple. Mesmerize yourself with art and architectures of Hampi site. In the evening opt for visit to local bazaar or stay at leisure. Night stay is in Hampi

Overnight stay is in Hampi

Note that check in time at hotel is around 1200 Hours. If room is subject to availably at the time of check in. In any case if room is not available then you can enjoy breakfast at hotel restaurant till the room is ready for check in.

Full day is for leisure and rest or optionally visit Hampi sites for photography as it is a photogenic site for shutterbugs. Night stay is in Hampi.

After breakfast, drive to Badami. Check-in to your hotel on arrival. Visit Badami  which is famous for its rock cut temples. Places to worth visit are: The Banashankari Temple and Badami Cave Temples dating back to the 06th& 07th centuries. Later drive further to visit the temples and sculptures of Pattadakal, Aihole & Mahakuta blended in Dravidian and Nagara style.

Overnight stay at Badami

Relax at your hotel. At the time of checkout drive to  railway station to board your train for Mysore.

[The train is basic with overnight beds]

Arrive at Mysore railway station and get transferred to your pre booked hotel in Mysore.

Today you will cover magnificient Mysore Palace, Jagmohan Palace. Evening is free or go for rickshaw ride in busy markets of Mysore. Night stay is in Myosre.

Note that check in time at hotel is around 1200 Hours. Room is subject to availably at the time of check in. In any case if room is not available then you can enjoy breakfast at hotel restaurant till the room is ready for check in.

Morning drive to Bylakuppe and discover the Namdroling Monastery – home to nearly 5,000 Tibetan

Buddhist monks and nuns Namdroling Monastery is recognized as a base for teachings of the Buddha and the Nyingma belief – the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Carry on to Madikeri for your overnight stay

Discover Madikeri (the coffee hub of India) and experience a tour of a coffee plantation.

Understand the production procedure and have a sample or two of the locally-grown coffee while

taking in the beautiful scenery.

Later visit the Madikeri Fort and the famous Raja’s Seat for its spectacular views.

Morning hop for a morning drive to  a nearby railway station from where you will hook the train for Kochi [ Kerala] . This train will take you to God’s Own Country – Kerala.

Verged by the Arabian Sea in the West, the towering Western Ghats in the East and schmoozed by 44 interrelated rivers, Kerala is blessed with a exceptional set of terrestrial features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia. A long shoreline with serene beaches, tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters, plush hill stations and exotic wildlife, are just a few of the wonders that await you once you crossover to the other side. And what’s more, each of these fascinating destinations is only a two hour drive from the other – a singular benefit no other place on the planet can offer.

On arrival at Kochi get transferred to your hotel.

Kochi, a principle port and center of the Malabar Coast spice trade since the 14th century. Known as the “Queen of the Arabian Sea,” it was here that the first European settlement in India was recognized by the Portuguese. Successively, the city was ruled alternatively by the Dutch and the British until its independence

Kochi Sightseeing

Today, view 16th century St. Francis Church, one of the oldest churches built by the Europeans in India. Head to the harbor where local fishermen continue to use cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, distinctively unique to Kochi, living symbols of a centuries-old Chinese influence on this coast dating back to the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan. Spend the rest of the day on your own in Kochi. Time to relax before tonight’s colorful Kathakali dance performance, Kerala’s popular classical and emotional form of dance, drama and music

Following the performance, enjoy dinner at the hotel restaurant

After breakfast you will be driven away to Munnar

Munnar, Located at about 5,200 ft above the sea level, Munnar is a stunning hill station in the district of Idukki, Kerala. Munnar rolling hills covered in mist crisscrossed by the winding road, the dark emerald green coloured plantation and the few lone houses in midst of it will immediately make you fall in love with this place is also an ideal place for nature lovers, wildlife lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike.

If you can indulge in boating, trekking and paragliding. Munnar is the perfect place to hang your shoes and just soak in the calm and relaxing atmosphere.

Today, drive to Periyar National Park hanging high in the Cardamom Hills, the best-known wildlife sanctuary in South India, home to elephants, antelope, deer and many species of birdlife. Its diversity of flora and fauna, virgin lakes and impressive forests will surely make this visit most memorable.

After time to relax and settle in at the hotel, wander leisurely through one of the area’s spice plantations. You’ll hear about the many different ways to use these spices in both medicines and in the preparation of food.

Overnight: Periyar National Park

Today the drive to Alleppey reveals this tranquil backwater region of Kerala. Boarding a houseboat, you cruise along this very intricate network of canals, lakes, lagoons and rivers called the “Venice of the East.” Monitor Kerala’s rural lifestyle as you glide past tiny villages sprinkled with rice fields and witness a way of life that has changed little through the ages. With women washing clothes on the river banks while children play in the shallows and kingfishers dart among the palm trees. Night is on Houseboat

In time get transferred to Kochi airport to board your flight for onwards journey. Tour Ends