Golden Triangle With Pushkar

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Duration: 09 Nights / 10 Days
Places Covered: Delhi - Pushkar - Jaipur - Agra - Delhi

Day 01 - Arrival in Delhi
A Our India Holiday representative will receive you at the airport and help with your hotel transfer.
Delhi, India's capital has seen great empires rise and fall around it for millennia, with each new batch of rulers building over the works of their predecessors. As a result, the city abounds in monuments and ruins of stunning diversity. The seat of the world's largest democracy, it also boasts of magnificent symbols of government that pay architectural tribute to the ideals of self-rule and democracy. These co-exist side by side with wide multi-lane motorways, shopping malls, fast cars and ultramodern steel-glass office complexes that characterise any large 21st century metropolis.
Overnight at Delhi. 

Day 02: Sightseeing around Delhi 
After breakfast at the hotel, leave for a guided tour of Old Delhi. Your luxury group tour in India begins at Raj Ghat, the famous memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. The shrine bears testimony to the simplicity of the man who changed the world with the power of ideas. A simple black stone structure with an eternal flame burning at one end. The majestic Red Fort was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639, and remained seat of the empire for the next two centuries. Today, the Prime Minister of the India delivers his Independence Day speech to the nation from the ramparts of this red sandstone structure. Jama Masjid is one of Asia's largest mosques. We shall view this magnificent structure from outside, its lofty and highly ornate domes and minarets reminiscent of a scene from the Arabian Nights. A short distance away lie the bustling markets of Chandni Chowk, "Moonlit Square," the celebrated 17th century market complex, where sweetshops from the 1790s still do roaring business . After lunch, proceed for a sightseeing tour of New Delhi. New Delhi was built by the British in the 1930s as their imperial capital. Majestic government and administrative buildings line the wide, tree-lined avenues of what is also known as Lutyen's Delhi after Sir Edwin Lutyens who was commissioned to design the city in 1911. Start at India Gate, the red sandstone arch erected in memory of Indian and British soldiers who laid down their lives in World War I. Close by are the majestic Parliament House, the seat of the world's largest democracy and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the Indian President's official residence. Inside are the famed Mughal Gardens with its ornate fountains and manicured lawns. Mughal Gardens are open to the public during spring. Further south lies the Qutub Minar. Built by Qutubuddin Aibak, a slave general in 1193, it is India's tallest stone tower and marks the site of the country's first Muslim kingdom. The iron tower in a square opposite is unique in that it never rusts, although it has been exposed to the elements for centuries. The lotus-shaped Bahai temple south of Delhi is also of interest. An ideal place for meditation, this Bahai House of worship is open to people of all faiths. Overnight at Delhi.

Day 03: Delhi to Pushkar by rail
Leave for the train station at dawn. Your hotel will pack you a delicious breakfast. A Our representative will meet you at the station upon arrival and escort you to the Our Approved luxury camp that will be your home for the next few days. You'll also meet the rest of your group here.
Pushkar, a short drive from Ajmer, is one of the holy cities of Hindu mythology. Built around a large natural lake ringed by hills and surrounded by desert, Pushkar finds mention in the Hindu epics and certain records suggest that the city may have been in existence since the 4th century BC.
Overnight will be at the camp. 

Day 04 & 05: Sightseeing in Pushkar, visit the camel fair 
Breakfast will be served at the camp. Proceed for sightseeing.
By the banks of the Pushkar Lake is India's only temple to Brahma, the creator of the universe. The solemn, hypnotic evening aarti ritual at the lake is not be missed.
In late fall, animal-rearers from all over the country descend upon Pushkar for the famed week-long animal fair. Hundreds and thousands of beautifully turned out camels, cattle and thoroughbred horses are on display, the dust thrown up by hooves concealing the city's features in a perpetual cloud of haze. Animal shows, competitions, races abound and the sleepy town buzzes with acrobats, tourists, animal trainers, curio sellers, photographers, filmmakers, gypsies and of course the animals in their surreal finery, who are all in it together in what surely ranks among the most unusual jamborees in the world.
At the fairground and various venues around it, there is entertainment galore, from low-brow parlour and circus tricks to highly sophisticated cultural performances. There will be the scintillating Shilpa Gram Arts and Crafts Fair, a cultural performance by Rajasthani troupe Kuchaman and the fabulous Desert Symphony Concert on one hand, and the fiercely contested camel milking, cross-breed cattle, rural sports, wrestling and matka race (which local women run balancing earthen pitchers on their heads) competitions on the other.
Visitors are welcome to pit their skills against locals at a game of kabaddi or matka phod (where teams have to make human pyramids to reach and break an earthen pitcher suspended high above the ground). You may also participate in the highly popular and competitive Beard and Moustache Competition but be forewarned that you will up against adversaries who are formidably endowed with facial hair and a crushing defeat is inevitable.
Less adventurous visitors may take a memorable camel or camel cart ride to the sand dunes bordering the fairground, or visit Sunset Point for a terrific display of colours in the desert sky.
The Pushkar Animal Fair is one of the most exotic highlights of your luxury holiday in the Indian subcontinent.
Overnight will be at the camp.

 

Day 06 : Pushkar to Jaipur by road 
After breakfast at the camp, drive to Jaipur in a spacious, comfortable Our approved vehicle.
Jaipur, also known as the 'Pink City' from the facelift it received in 1853 to celebrate a visit by Prince Albert, is dotted with havelis (traditional mansions), bazaars, opulent palaces and rugged majestic forts that showcase the glorious past of its rulers, the Rajputs.
The Rajput princes were fierce warriors some of whom declared loyalty to the invading Mughals and proved to be formidable allies of the empire. Among them was King Jai Singh II, whom the Mughals gave the title Sawai Maharaja, or "King and a quarter". Jaipur gets its name from this valiant king.
In the evening, visit the Birla Temple. A stunning white marble structure, the three towers of the Birla Temple stand for three different approaches to religion. Carvings on the ornate pillars celebrate Hindu gods and goddesses along with Christ, Virgin Mary and St. Francis of Assissi. Don't miss the hypnotic evening Aarti, the ritual lighting of oil lamps.
Overnight will be at Jaipur.

Day 07: Sightseeing in Jaipur
Proceed for a morning excursion and elephant ride to Amber Fort after breakfast.
Situated on the top of a hill, the magnificent Amber Fort Palace offers a panoramic view of the old city. Established in 1592, its rugged exteriors believe the delicate architecture inside, a rare fusion of traditional Rajasthani and Islamic styles. Reach the fort the old fashioned way, atop a ceremonial elephant along a cobbled path up that opens into several havelis, step wells, courtyards and temples. Visit Sheesh Mahal or chamber of mirrors, Jas Mandir with its ornate ceilings and latticework and the stunning Shila Devi temple with its intricately carved silver door.
Proceed for further sightseeing.
The sprawling City Palace has been home to the rulers of Jaipur since the 18th century. The architecture of the palace is a blend of traditional Rajasthani and Mughal styles. The City palace Museum is located here and houses various items from Jaipur's princely and warrior past.
The scientific-minded King Jai Singh II, an astronomy enthusiast, commissioned five observatories named Jantar Mantar around West Central India in the early 1700s. The one in Jaipur is the largest and the best preserved. The massive architectural instruments are constructed out of local stone and marble some of which are still in use. We shall walk through and explore this surreal maze of giant geometric objects.
The exquisite outer facade of Hawa Mahal, the "Palace of Winds," resembles a manmade honeycomb and is one of Jaipur's most iconic and oft photographed sights. Designed to facilitate maximum air circulation and cross ventilation, the five-storied Hawa Mahal is made of lime and mortar, and decorated with impossible intricate trelliswork. From the privacy of its ornate jharokhas (traditional Rajasthani windows), the ladies of the court could gaze out at life in the streets below.
You have the evening to yourself.
Overnight will be at Jaipur. 

Day 08: Jaipur to Agra by road, visit Fatehpur Sikri en route 
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Fatehpur Sikri.
Fatehpur Sikri, or the "City of Victory", built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 in honour of sufi saint Salim Chishti was the capital of the Mughals for 14 years. The white marble Tomb of the Salim Chisti with its intricately carved marble screens occupies pride of place in the central courtyard of the structure.
Attractions include the colossal Buland Darwaza, a victory gate built to mark the conquest of Gujarat by Emperor Akbar, the Diwan-i-Aam where the emperor held his legendary hearings with the general public and the Diwan-i-Khas where he held private consultation with his nine ministers, or as he called them, his navaratna or nine gems.
Fatehpur Sikri also houses the palace of Jodhabai, Akbar's Hindu wife, and the house of the legendary Birbal - Akbar's Hindu minister and one of the navaratnas - the tales of whose extraordinary wit and wisdom are the stuff of popular culture in India, inspiring countless comic books and children's animation TV shows.
Continue to Agra.
The Mughal capital of Agra on the banks of the Yamuna River is a bustling town teeming with narrow, winding alleyways that hark back to an era gone by. Dotted by magnificent monuments including UNESCO World Heritage SIte Taj Mahal, the city is a dazzling contrast of red sandstone and white marble structures.
Later in the evening, attend Mohabbat-e-Taj, a performance that tells the story of the Taj Mahal through the medium of modern dance.
Overnight at Agra.

Day 09: Sunrise over the Taj Mahal, sightseeing in Agra
Proceed for an early morning visit to the Taj Mahal.
Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his queen Mumtaz Mahal and designed by Persian architect Ustad, the magnificent Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world. A massive white marble structure so delicate that it appears to float in the air, the Taj is otherworldly in its beauty and is best viewed in moonlight or at dawn and dusk. The close-up view reveals breathtakingly intricate inlay work carved into the marble, and bears eloquent testimony to the triumph of Mughal art, culture and architecture at its peak. No holiday in India is complete without the Taj.
Return to the hotel for breakfast. Later, proceed for sightseeing.
A beautifully maintained tree-lined monument at Sikandra marks the grave of the illustrious Akbar the Great. A great believer in harmony and equality of all religions, this visionary Mughal Emperor created Din-i Ilahi, a unique religion that combines the fundamentals of Islam, Hindusim, Buddhism and Christianity. His memorial imbibes architectural motifs of all the faiths that inspired him.
Standing across the river from the Taj, the majestic red sandstone structure of Agra Fort was erected in 1565 by Mughal Emperor Akbar the great. Little did he know that the same fort would later serve as prison for his grandson Emperor Shah Jahan in the end of his days. From his prison perch of Musamman Burj, an exquisite octagonal marble tower atop the fort, Shah Jahan would spend his last days looking out longingly at the Taj.
Itmad-ud-Daulah is perhaps the Mughal Empire's best kept secret. Empress Nur Jehan, wife of Jehangir, son of Akbar, commissioned the structure as a memorial to her father. Mistakenly called Baby Taj, Itmad-ud-Daulah in fact is decades older than the Taj, and may have served as its design blueprint.
Overnight at Agra. 

Day 10: Agra to Delhi by road, tour ends
Breakfast will be served at the hotel.
The morning is free. You'll be driven to Delhi in the afternoon. Later, the Our team will escort you to the international airport for your flight home.