Royal and Rustic Rajasthan with Wildlife
Duration: 13 nights/14 days
Places to Visit: Delhi - Jaipur - Ranthambhore - Bharatpur - Agra - Umaria
- Bandhavgarh - Delhi
Day 1: Arrive Delhi.
Arrive Delhi by an International flight. Meeting and assistance on arrival at
Delhi Airport and transfer to the hotel.
On arrival, check in to the hotel room.
Delhi - the capital of India, is a fascinating city with complexities
and contradictions, beauty and dynamism, where the past co-exists with the present.
Many dynasties ruled from here and the city is rich in the architecture of its
monuments. Delhi is not only the present metropolis of India but also a Necropolis.
Because of its location, being on the banks of the river Yamuna, many cities
have risen and fallen over the last five millenniums. Overnight in Delhi
Day 2: Delhi
Morning full day tour of the city.
Morning : Visit to the Old City of Delhi to see the historic Red Fort
and the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque from the outside. See the colourful
bazaar of Chandni Chowk and take a cycle rickshaw ride through the back
streets of Old Delhi to get a first hand experience of the hustle and bustle
of this traditional city. This ride through the small by-lanes will be most
fascinating.
Return to the enroute doing a tour of New Delhi visiting the Qutab Minar,
a tower of victory built in the 12th century and India Gate - the war memorial.
Drive past the Rashtrapathi Bhawan, the residence of the President of India,
the houses of Parliament and the Government Secretariat buildings. Overnight
in Delhi
Day 3: Delhi - Jaipur
Morning drive to Jaipur ( 280 kms/ 5 ½ hours ). Assistanc eon arrival
and check in to the room.
Jaipur - the capital of Rajasthan, is colour washed pink - the colour
associated with hospitality in Rajput culture. This Pink City of fairy tale
palaces, rugged fortresses perched on barren hills and broad avenues, is picturesque.
The first planned city of its time, Jaipur is encircled by a formidable wall.
Check into the hotel, rest of the afternoon at leisure for independent activities.
Overnight in Jaipur
Day 4: Jaipur
Morning : excursion to Amber Fort with Elephant ride upto the Fort. Drive
past Hawa Mahal, known popularly as the Palace of Winds, is a facade built for
the Ladies of the Royal household in the 19th century. The Amber Fort, the capital
of the erstwhile State of Jaipur until 1728 is perched on a hill. It has halls
of Public and Private audience, a Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors) various marble
palaces which are marvelous examples of ancient Rajput architecture. The Temple
of Amba (Mother Goddess), the patron deity of the Royal family is at the entrance
to the palace. Ride an elephant to ascend the hill on which the Fort is situated.
Afternoon : city tour visiting the City Palace - the former royal residence
built in a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal styles which houses a museum with
a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes and armoury of the Mughals and Rajputs,
including swords of different shapes and sizes with ornate handles. It has an
art gallery with an excellent collection of miniature paintings, carpets, royal
paraphernalia and rare astronomical works in Arabic, Persian, Latin and Sanskrit.
Also visit the Jantar Mantar - an astrological and astronomical observatory
built by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th century, which is remarkable for its
accuracy even in the present times. Overnight in Jaipur
Day 5: Jaipur - Ranthambhore
Morning drive for Ranthambore (166 kms/ 3 hours). On arrival, check in at the
lodge.
Ranthambore : With an area of 400 sq. km encompassing rocky hill crests
which descend to open valleys between the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges, dotted
with water pools and fruit trees, this park gets its name from the thousand
year old fortress, which looms above the forest. Well known for the diurnal
activity of tigers, Ranthambore is a very special and unusual area where a natural
present meets a historical past. Sambar, cheetal, chinkara, nilgai and languor.
The elusive leopard and tigers are found in this reserve with tourists standing
a very good chance of seeing tigers during the day.
Dotted across the landscape are the crumbling ruins of its past glory, be it
chatris or cupolas, like palaces or old guard posts, all of which reinforce
the magical and ethereal quality of this great wilderness.
Lunch and Dinner at the lodge. Afternoon visit the sanctuary on Jeep. Overnight
in Ranthambore
Day 6: Ranthambore
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the lodge.
Morning and afternoon visit the sanctuary on Jeep with an English speaking Naturalist.
Overnight in Ranthambore
Day 7: Ranthambore
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the lodge.
Morning and afternoon visit the sanctuary on Jeep with an English speaking Naturalist.
Overnight in Ranthambore
Day 8: Ranthambore - Bharatpur - Agra
Early morning proceed on a game drive. Return to the hotel for Breakfast. Late
morning transfer to the Railway station to board the train for Bharatpur. .
Leave Ranthambore for Bharatpur by Golden temple mail (1300/ 1535 hrs).
Meeting and assistance on arrival at Bharatpur railway station and transfer
to Agra hotel, en route visiting Fatehpur Sikri (15kms)
Fatehpur Sikri - This exquisite city built by Akbar the Great in 1569,
in red sandstone, with its forts, palaces and mosques was abandoned 14 years
after its creation due to political reasons. The Diwan-i-am - a vast courtyard
in which the emperor gave daily public audience; Diwan-i-khas - a large quadrangle
which contained all the major functions of the Palace, Pachisi court, the Emperors
private living quarter, Jodha Bhai’s Palace, Mariam’s Palace, Birbal’s
Palace, Hawa Mahal and Panch Mahal are some of the important buildings of this
residential complex. The Friday Mosque and the exquisite tomb of Sheik Salim
Chisti are in the religious grounds set aside in a separate enclosure adjacent
to the secular buildings.
Continue drive to Agra (40 kms). On arrival, check in to the room.
Agra is famous as the home to one of the Seven Wonders of the world -
the Taj Mahal. The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the
palaces in Agra is a vivid reminder of the opulence of the legendary Mughal
empire. Agra was their capital for nearly a hundred years from 1564. A pleasant
town , with a comparatively easy pace, Agra is known for its superb inlay work
on marble and soapstone by artisans who are hereditary crafts persons. The city
is also famous for its carpets, gold thread embroidery and leather shoes.
Day 9: Agra - Umaria
Morning proceed on a tour of the city visiting Visit the Agra Fort, built by
three Mughal Emperors starting from Akbar the Great in 1565 AD, which is a masterpiece
of design and construction. Within the fort are a number of exquisite buildings
including the Moti Masjid, Jahangir’s Palace, Khas Mahal and the Sheesh
Mahal, Diwane-i-Am, Diwane-i-Khas and Musamman Burj, where Emperor Shah Jahan,
the fifth Mughal Emperor, died a prisoner. Visit the Taj Mahal - the
inimitable poem in white marble. Built over a period of 22 years, by the Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan in 1630, for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal
remains, it is one of the seven modern wonders of the World.[The Taj is closed
on Fridays]
Afternoon transfer to Railway station to board the train for Umaria. Leave Agra
for Umaria by Utkal Kalinga Express at 1540hrs. Overnight enroute
Day 10: Arrive Umaria - Bandhavgarh
Arrive Umaria at 0615 hrs.
Meting on arrival and transfer to Bandhavgarh (32 kms/ 1 hours). On arrival,
check in to the Tiger Den Resort.
The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is relatively high.
The possibility of spotting Sloth Bear, Wild Boar, Leopard and Tiger is very
good. The park is also densely populated with animals like the Chital (Spotted
Deer), Sambar, Barking Deer, Nilgai (Blue Bull), Chowsingha (Four Horned Antelope)
and is rich in bird life.
The terrain is rocky, rising sharply from the swampy and densely forested valley.
The finest of these hills is Bhadhavgarh which is bounded by great cliffs and
eroded rocks. The Bandhavgarh Fort, believed to be 2000 years old, stands at
the highest point. There is a temple at the fort that can be visited by jeeps.
Scattered throughout the park, particularly around the fort, are numerous caves
containing shrines with ancient Sanskrit inscriptions. The ramparts of the fort
provide a home for vultures, blue rock thrushes and crag martins.
Lunch at the Lodge and then visit the sanctuary on Jeep/ elephant with an English
speaking Naturalist. During the day, we will have the opportunity to see some
of the Bird life in the environs and to visit the village. Overnight in Bandhavgarh
Day 11: Bandhavgarh
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge. Morning and afternoon visit the sanctuary
on Jeep/ elephant with an English speaking Naturalist.
The Forest Department has devised an ingenuous system of tracking the tiger
at this Park. Every day, early in the morning, elephants and their "Mahuts"
(drivers) are sent out into the jungle, in search of the Tiger. Once it has
been sighted, a radio message is flashed to the Forest Ranger, who in turn informs
the visitors in their jeeps, who are then taken on elephant-back, into the bush,
to see the elusive Tiger. Overnight in Bandhavgarh
Day 12: Bandhavgarh
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge. Morning and afternoon visit the sanctuary
on Jeep/ elephant with an English speaking Naturalist.
Overnight in Bandhavgarh
Day 13: Bandhavgarh
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at the Lodge. Morning and afternoon visit the sanctuary
on Jeep/ elephant with an English speaking Naturalist.Take the overnite train
from Umaria to New Delhi, leaves Umaria at 2015hrs to reach New Delhi at 1330hrs.
Day 14:Leave Delhi
Meeting and assistance on arrival at Delhi railway station and transfer to the
Hotel.
Afternoon at leisure for independent activities, meet Director Project Tiger,
in his office, depending on his availability. We shall try and meet him on Day
1 itself when you are in Delhi
Evening transfer to a nice restaurant for FAREWELL DINNER. After the
Dinner transfer to the Airport to board the flight for abroad.
LEAVE DELHI Depart Delhi by an International flight
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