Overview
Come, Seek and Discover. Match India’s rhythms to your heart, its colors to your mind, and find a travel experience that is yours alone. An India like no other. Friendly, warm, welcoming … and uniquely your own.
Itinerary
Upon your arrival in the Indian capital city of New Delhi, you will be greeted by our representative at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. After a warm welcome, you will be escorted to your hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.
This morning, discover the history and heritage of Delhi, with a visit to Qutab Minar, a fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture. Then drive to the old part of the city, walking through the busy streets of Chandni Chowk, to Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. En route, drive past the splendid Red Fort, India Gate, President’s House, Parliament House and other Government Secretariat Buildings of Lutyens Delhi. This evening embark on your drive to Agra, city of the world famous Taj Mahal. Upon arrival in Agra, check in to your hotel for overnight stay.
This morning witness the surreal views of the Taj Mahal by sunrise. Step inside this eternal symbol of love and appreciate the intricate designs and symmetries that rhyme as a poem written in marble. Taj Mahal is an extravagant display of love, built by Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Later visit the splendid Agra fort, built in red sandstone, encapsulating magnificent palaces, halls of public and private audience and beautiful gardens. Option to watch a classic Theatre Performance: This evening, you have the option to watch a live theatre performance, introducing you to the story of the Taj Mahal. Watch the spectacular performance – “Mohabbat the Taj – The saga of love”, staging the largest replica of the Taj Mahal, and presenting the legend of love that created this magnificent mausoleum (at extra charge)
After breakfast, embark on a leisurely drive to Jaipur – land of the Rajputs. Jaipur is an exuberance of colour, dance and traditional arts and crafts. Known, as the ‘Pink City’, Jaipur is home to ancient forts and palaces and is one of India’s most well planned cities. En route to Jaipur, visit Fatehpur Sikri, the capital city of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. Upon arrival check in at your hotel for 02 nights stay. Enjoy an evening at leisure in Jaipur. Option for Home Hosted Dinner: This evening you have the option to learn more about local lifestyle and culture of India with dinner at an Indian home. Spend time talking to your hosts and learn about their way of life. You may also opt for a unique opportunity to step inside an Indian kitchen and learn the age old art of Indian culinary delights. Your hosts will be happy to share their secret recipes and give you some handy tips about Indian cooking (at extra charge)
This morning, visit the Amber fort, which was built in the 16th century. An elephant ride will help you ascend to this hilltop fort (elephants are subject to availability). Alternatively, you could choose to walk or drive up to the fort. This afternoon, visit the City Palace complex with its museums and Jantar Mantar, the ancient astronomical observatory, and the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), built in the 18th century. This palace with its innumerable windows and screened balconies was especially built for the royal women to view the city and processions from behind their purdahs. Later explore the many facets of Jaipuri crafts such as semi precious jewels, pottery, colourful embroidered fabrics with mirror work, woven carpets etc – watch artisans at work and enjoy souvenir shopping in this colourful city of Jaipur.
After breakfast, embark on a drive amidst the arid Rajasthan desert towards Pushkar, a land of fairs in the heart of Rajasthan. Famous for the annual cattle and camel fair in November, Pushkar is also one of the holiest cities of India, being one of the 5 sacred dhams (pilgrimage site) for Hindu devotees. Upon arrival in Pushkar, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Pushkar, mingling with saadhu’s (holy men in their orange attires), visiting the holy Pushkar Lake and the various temples in the region. The most famous is the Brahma Temple, said to be the only temple in the world dedicated to Lord Brahma.
Option for Evening Sunset Camel Safari with Dinner: This evening, you have the option to enjoy an evening sunset camel safari with cultural performance followed by dinner. (at extra charge).
This morning, drive to Jodhpur, a city ringed by high stone walls with seven gates and several bastions. This second largest city of Rajasthan was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459 A.D. Upon arrival in Jodhpur, check in to your hotel. Enjoy an evening is at leisure in Jodhpur.
Option for a Village Jeep Safari: This afternoon, you have the option to experience a jeep safari to the nearby Bishnoi villages, to get a feel for the local lifestyle of Rajasthani villagers. Bishnoi’s are a village community of Rajasthan who are famous for their cultural lifestyle and their love for nature and animals. You get an opportunity to observe the village lifestyle and interact with villagers, shepherds, farmers and weavers of the region (at extra charge).
After an early breakfast, visit the imposing Mehrangarh Fort that has fine views over the city and Jaswant Thada, the white marble memorial of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. This This afternoon, drive to Udaipur, a serene city set in the scenic valley of Aravalli hills, surrounded by three lakes – Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar and Udai Sagar En route to Udaipur, visit the famous Jain Temples at Ranakpur. Built in the 15th century, Ranakpur temples are one of the largest Jain temples in India. The temples are known for their architecture, grand structures and exquisite sculptures. Upon arrival at Udaipur, check in at your hotel for 2 nights stay.
Spend the day exploring Udaipur. Visit the City Palace, one of the largest palace complex in Rajasthan; the grand white marble Jagdish Temple and Saheliyon-Ki-Bari, garden of the maids of honor.
Option for boat cruise at Lake Pichola, Udaipur: Enjoy an evening boat cruise at the serene Lake Pichola (at extra charge and subject to water level)
Enjoy a morning at leisure. Then you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight to Mumbai, the celluloid capital of India. Upon arrival in Mumbai, check in at your hotel and enjoy the day at leisure.
Optional Elephanta Caves Tour: Enjoy an excursion tour to the rock cut Elephanta Caves (located 10 Km from the Gateway of India, Mumbai). A short ferry ride takes you across the harbour to the island of Elephanta for a visit to the Great Cave Temple, which dates back to 550 A.D. Elephanta’s most striking figure represents the three aspects of Shiva – the creator, preserver and destroyer (at extra charge).
Today, enjoy a city tour of Mumbai visiting the Prince of Wales Museum, Gateway of India, Gandhi museum and the bustling Dhobi Ghats, where you will see hundreds of men and their families engaged in the family business of washing clothes. Later, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home.
Includes:
- Accommodation on twin sharing basis
- Daily buffet breakfast at all hotels.
- Meeting and assistance on arrival and departures
- Chauffeured air-conditioned vehicles for all transfers, excursions and sightseeing tours
- English speaking Guide for all excursions & sightseeing.
- All currently applicable taxes
$100 per person high supplement Oct 21 – Noew Year’s
Trip Code: IN-TLI-07
Agra – Clark Shiraz
Delhi – Country inn Suites
Jaipur – Four Points by Sheraton
Jodhpur – Park Plaza
Mumbai – Hotel Fariyas
Udaipur – Udai Kothi
All U.S. citizens need a valid passport and valid Indian visa to enter and exit India for any purpose (also see Special Circumstances section below). Most visitors, including those on official U.S. government business, must apply for visas at an Indian embassy or consulate abroad before entering the country. U.S. citizens seeking to enter India solely for tourist purposes, and who plan to stay no longer than 30 days, may apply for an electronic travel authorization at least four days prior to their arrival in lieu of applying for a tourist visa at an Indian embassy or consulate. Please visit the Indian government’s website for electronic travel authorization for additional information regarding the eligibilities and requirements for this type of visa. Without the electronic travel authorization, which must be obtained at least four days prior to arrival, visas are not available upon arrival for U.S. citizens. If you do not have a valid passport and visa you may be immediately deported. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in India cannot assist you if you arrive without proper documentation. Please carry photocopies of the bio-data page of your U.S. passport and the pages containing the Indian visa and Indian immigration stamps. If your passport is lost or stolen, copies will help you apply for a replacement passport and an exit visa from the Indian government. Replacing a lost visa, which is required in order to exit the country, may take three to four business days.
U.S. citizens wishing to visit India are responsible for requesting the correct type of visa from the Indian Embassy or Consulate. There are generally no provisions for changing your immigration category (e.g., from tourist to work visa) once you have entered the country. Indian visa regulations change frequently, often with little advance notice, and changes may be poorly advertised and inconsistently enforced. Travelers are urged to check the website of the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. before any travel to India to review the most current information. If you travel on a tourist visa, you are generally given six months of legal stay upon entering India; extensions are rarely granted. Indian visas may be obtained in the United States through Cox & Kings Global Services, the Government of India?s visa contractor. Diplomatic and Official visa applications, however, are accepted directly at the Indian Embassy and Consulates. Please review the information on the Cox & Kings website to determine your purpose for travel and the most appropriate visa category. All U.S. government employees, including military personnel, must obtain country clearance for travel to India.
U.S. citizens of Pakistani origin or descent are subject to administrative processing and should expect additional delays when applying for Indian visas.
Foreign citizens who visit India to study, do research, work, or act as missionaries, as well as all travelers and residents planning to stay more than 180 days, are required to register their visit or residency within 14 days of arrival with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) closest to where they will be staying in addition to having the appropriate visa when they enter India. The FRRO maintains offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Lucknow, Calicut, Goa, Cochin, Trivandrum, and Amritsar. District Superintendents of Police serve as Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs) in all other places. Some U.S. citizens traveling to India on tourist visas may not be allowed re-entry to India within two months of departure without specific permission from an Indian embassy or consulate abroad. We recommend all U.S. citizens review the entry requirements described on the Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section on the Indian Bureau of Immigration website. Travelers have reported that enforcement of this rule at ports of entry may be inconsistent.
If you overstay your Indian visa, or otherwise violate Indian visa regulations, you may require clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs in order to leave the country. Generally you will be fined and, in some cases, may be jailed for months until deportation can be arranged. Visa violators seeking an exit clearance are requested to schedule an online appointment at the Ministry of Home Affairs website before visiting the Visa Facilitation Center at The Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreigners Division, NDCC-II Building, Sai Singh Road, New Delhi 110001 (tel. 91-11-2343-8037). Processing of an exit visa under these circumstances can take up to 90 days and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Exit permits for children born in India via surrogacy face the same potential delays if the parents have violated Indian visa requirements.
For the most current information on entry and exit requirements, please contact the Embassy of India at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 939-9806 or the Indian Consulates in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, or Houston. Outside the United States, inquiries should be made at the nearest Indian embassy or consulate.
General information regarding Indian visa and immigration rules, including the addresses and telephone numbers for the FRRO offices, can be found at the Indian Ministry of Home
