Sunday 9 May 2010

Photo album....



The Journey


The Trip in Brief....

In Brief........

Day 1 Fly overnight from London Heathrow to Delhi.

Day 2 Morning arrival and transfer to the Ashok Country Resort. Afternoon orientation tour of Delhi including Lutyens’ India Gate, Parliament House, Raj Ghat, the Jama Mosque, driving past the Red Fort.

Day 3 Morning drive to Agra. Transfer to the Clarks Shiraz Hotel for a two-night stay. Optional half-day excursion to Agra Fort.

Day 4 Morning visit to the Taj Mahal. Afternoon optional excursion to Itmad-Daula, the tomb of Ghiyas Beg, the first Mughal building to be faced with white marble and inlaid with stones.

Day 5 After breakfast drive to the Ranthambore National Park visiting Fatehpur Sikri en route, for two nights at the Ranthambore Regency Hotel.

Day 6 Morning and evening game viewing drives.

Day 7 Optional early morning game drive or take an optional hot air balloon ride over the park before driving to Jaipur and the Hotel Mansingh for three nights.

Day 8 A full-day optional tour of Jaipur includes the Amber Fort situated some 10 kilometres from the city and which was the ancient capital of Jaipur State. Continue to the City Palace in the centre of Jaipur, still home to the royal family today. Visit the Jantar Mantar, the largest stone-built observatory in the world and view the ‘Palace of the Winds’, the Hawa Mahal, built in 1799 to enable the women of the court to watch street processions, while remaining in a strict state of purdah.

Day 9 At leisure for further exploration of this fascinating city. Evening Sound & Light show at the Amber Fort.

Day 10 Drive from Jaipur to Delhi and overnight at the Ashok Country Resort.

Day 11 Morning transfer to the railway station to board the Shatabdi Express train (air-conditioned chair class) to Amritsar. Early evening visit to Wagah Border Point for the ‘Changing of the Guard’ ceremony. Optional Palki ceremony. Overnight at Hotel Ranjit Savasa.

Day 12 A city tour includes the Golden Temple. Travel by road to McCleod Ganj (1,700m) for two nights at the Surya Resorts.

Day 13 Visit the Tibetian Monastery and museum. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 14 Drive to Shimla at an altitude of 2,000 metres for two nights at the Clarke Hotel.

Day 15 Morning tour of Shimla including a visit to the Vice Regal Lodge and a stroll along the Mall. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 16 Travel on the “Toy Train” from Shimla to Borag, then jeep to Kalka and continue to Delhi by train and transfer to Ashok Country Resort for a final night in Delhi.

Day 17 Early afternoon flight to London arriving later the same day.