Northern India Discovery

After a hearty breakfast your full day of sight-seeing through Old and New Delhi will begin. Qutab Minar is a soaring 73-metre-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after defeating Delhi’s last Hindu Kingdom. The tower has five distinct stories, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15m diameter at the base to just 2.5 metres at the top. The first three stories are made of sandstone with the top two made of marble and sandstone. Another stop is the Red Fort which was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty for nearly 200 years, until 1856. It is located in the centre of Delhi and houses a number of museums. In addition to accommodating the emperors and their households, it was a ceremonial and political centre of the Mughal state and for events critically impacting the region. We’ll also visit Chandni Chowk which is in the heart of Old Delhi and is a busy shopping area with markets full of spices, dried fruit, silver jewellery and vivid saris. Narrow side streets are crowded with tiny shops selling essential oils, stationary and traditional Indian sweets. What will you find in your explorations?

It’s an early start today to catch your train to Hardiwar. We’ll provide you with a packed breakfast which you can enjoy on your journey. On arrival in Hardiwar, our guide will greet you and you’ll be transferred to your hotel for lunch before enjoying a guided tour of the city. Hardiwar is an ancient city and an important Hindu pilgrimage site in the foothills of the Himalayas. The city is the largest in its district and has grown beyond its religious importance – providing a kaleidoscope of Indian culture and development. In the evening you’ll be taken to Har Ki Pauri – the largest of several sacred ghats. Here you will experience the Ganga Aarti (river worshiping ceremony) in which tiny flickering lamps are floated off the bathing steps.

In the morning you’ll enjoy breakfast in the hotel before travelling out of Hardiwar and over to Rishikesh. Rishikesh is most famous for the Kaksham Jhula, a hanging bridge across the river Ganga that connects two villages. The entire bridge is made of iron, is 450 feet long and stands 70 feet above the river. The bridge is very popular with tourists because of its rich mythological history. Rishikesh is also renowned for its centres for studying Yoga and meditation. Temples and ashrams line the eastern bank around Swarg Ashram which is a traffic free, alcohol free and vegetarian enclave upstream from the town. On our tour we will visit the ashram made famous by the Beatles, the Gita Bhawan Temple and the Triveni Ghat. If you would like to participate in a yoga class or try adventurous activity (another thing Rishikesh is known for) there is the opportunity to book. At the end of the day we’ll return you to Haridwar for dinner and your overnight stay.

We will leave for the airport after breakfast where you will catch your flight to Jaipur. Once you have arrived our guide will greet you and make sure you get to your hotel. The evening is yours to enjoy exploring the local market or just relaxing in your hotel room.

Today is a full day taking in the sites of Jaipur. “The City of Victory”, was first intended to be “Sawai Jaipur”, named after the boy Prince, who commissioned it – Maharaja Jai Singh II – a warrior, astronomer and politician who reigned over the Mughals from 1699 to 1743. Today’s Jaipur is pink, visually described as the city shaded with the autumn colours of a sunset. Although originally the walls were render set and pigmented the colour of red sandstone, Jaipur’s universal coat of pink only came in 1876 to coincide with the visit of the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII). Almost the entire city was given a coat of pink paint, thus giving it the name “The Pink City”. This city is the perfect example of urban and rural cultures blending harmoniously. You’ll head to Amber Fort – tour the chambers and hallways of the palace, famous for the excellence of its design and decoration. Within the complex is Ganesh Pol, an imposing gateway painted with the images of the elephant-headed god, Ganesh. Next up you’ll visit the Jantar Mantar Observatory Although it was built in the 1700s it appears to be quite futuristic. It houses unique instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens. Continue your visit to City Palace to witness the Maharaja’s private collection of textiles and armoury. Culminate the tour with a photo stop at Hawa Mahal also known as the “Palace of the Winds”. This beautiful façade is probably the most-photographed in Jaipur, with its ornately carved windows designed so the ladies of the palace could look out onto the streets unobserved. After all the sightseeing is said and done, we will transport you to Rathambore for your overnight stay.

First thing in the morning you will hop into a shared cantor and head into the park. Ranthambore National Park is best known for its tigers and is hailed as one of India’s finest wildlife destinations. The Park covers nearly 400 square kms and is dotted with structures that will remind you of a bygone era. Along with the tigers you are also bound to see striped hyenas, jungle cats, bats, mongoose and perhaps even a leopard, to name just a few. There are also snub-nosed marsh crocodiles, lizards, tortoises, pythons and vipers to keep a look out for. The park is dotted with ruins and lakes which give it a unique and wonderful mix of nature and history along with the wildlife. After your adventure you will return to the hotel for breakfast then travel to Agra with a stop for lunch along the way.

We have saved the best for your last day in India. At sunrise we will take you to the Taj. The 17th century Taj Mahal is often called a poem in stone. If so, the mausoleum is a love poem – created by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years to be completed and was designed and planned by a Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen. After breakfast we will do one of two things. If we are able to get the first time slot of the morning, we will take you to Wildlife SOS where you will see bears and elephants who have been rescued from their previously harmful lives. You will get to see how they are progressing in their new protected environment and perhaps help with some of their daily activities. If this option is not possible, we will instead take you to Agra Fort. An imposing structure with walls of red sandstone, almost two miles long, it contains palaces, audience halls and mosques. The fort presents a good sampling of Islamic and Hindu architectural styles. It was built by the third Mughal Emperor, Akbar. Subsequent additions were made to the fort by his son Jahangir and grandson Shahjahan.

It’s time to say goodbye to this unique and wonderful country. We hope you feel you have truly discovered Northern India over these 9 days. Thank you for travelling with Nomadic School Tours.