Highway to Himalayas

Highway to Himalayas 16 Days | Delhi to Kathmandu

Combining an intoxicating • Jaipur – Tour the City Palace and Jantar • Escorted by an English-speaking Indian mix of culture, incredible Mantar Space Observatory before we visit tour guide (for groups of 6 or more) • wildlife, exceptional sights and Amber Fort Services of English-speaking Indian • Lucknow - Gaze at the incredible Islamic specialist guides at some sites unsurpassed scenery, Highway and British Raj style architecture and • Airport arrival and departure transfer on to Himalayas is our definitive discover the royal splendor of this days 1 and 16 group tour of the north India and incredible city • All relevant transfers and transportation in neighbouring Nepal. Explore India's • Abhaneri – See the famous Chand Baori private air-conditioned vehicles step well and marvel at the 3,500 steps Golden Triangle, holy Varanasi, What's Not Included Chitwan National Park, captivating that drop down 13 stories to the waters edge • Tipping Kitty: USD$45-55pp, paid in local Kathmandu and more, in 16 days. • Fatehpur Sikri – Walk around this well currency preserved former Mughal capital which • Entrance Fees: USD$135-150pp, paid in HIGHLIGHTS AND INCLUSIONS was abandoned more than 400 years ago local currency • International flights and visas Trip Highlights What's Included • Tip for your tour guides in India and • Agra – Enjoy a tour of Agra Fort and the • Breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 4 dinners Nepal. We recommend you allow USD legendary Taj Mahal which remains an • 15 nights 3-4 star and heritage hotels $4-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your extravagant monument dedicated to love • Guided sightseeing - Delhi, Jaipur, Chand tour guides is an entirely personal gesture • Kathmandu – Discover the highlights Baori Step Well, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, of Nepal’s capital city including Durbar Chitwan National Park and Kathmandu ITINERARY Square and the Bodhnath • Morning and afternoon jungle activities • Delhi – Ride on a rickshaw through in Chitwan National Park - Jeep safaris, Day 1 : Delhi Chandni Chowk Bazaar and tour the nature walks, canoeing and bird watching Saturday. Welcome to India! Upon arrival in • highlights of Old and New Delhi Bicycle rickshaw ride in Keoladeo Ghana Delhi, you’ll be transferred to our hotel to • Chitwan National Park – Explore the National Park enjoy the rest of today at leisure. This evening • biodiverse park and look out for rare Rickshaw ride in Delhi meet your group and guide in the hotel lobby • species including tigers, elephants, rhinos Sunrise boat cruise on the holy Ganges in for a welcome meeting at 18:00. Overnight - and crocodiles Varanasi Delhi • Varanasi – Sail on the holy Ganges River • Travel by jeep to beautiful Amber Fort in and watch the religious tradition of ritual Jaipur cleansing on the riverside ghats (steps) • 2 economy class flights: Varanasi to Delhi and Delhi to Kathmandu

Highway to Himalayas - 16 Days updated on 02-10-2021 07:19:10 www.onthegotours.com This information has been compiled with care and good faith. They give an accurate illustration of the proposed arrangements for this holiday. Circumstances beyond our control such as changes in local conditions, inclement weather or other reasons could force us to make changes to UK 020 7371 1113 [email protected] this itinerary. Any costs shown are subject to change, though are an accurate reflection of costs at time of writing. Please also note that visa AUS 1300 855 684 [email protected] requirements are subject to change and are the responsibility of the traveller and not that of On The Go Tours. NZ 0800 44 77 69 CAN 1 866 890 7038 - 1 - USA 1 866 606 2960 SA 0800 990 311 Highway to Himalayas

Highway to Himalayas

Day 2 : Delhi sightseeing to your specification for an excellent price. Day 6 : The Taj Mahal These will be delivered to our hotel before we leave. Overnight - Jaipur (B:2) Day 5 : Chand Baori & Keoladeo Ghana National Park

Today we enjoy a day of guided sightseeing in Bharatpur - Agra. This morning we explore India’s capital. In Old Delhi we visit Humayun’s the former Mughal capital city of Fatehpur Tomb and Jama Masjid - India’s largest and Sikri. The city was abandoned more than oldest mosque. We also see the site of 400 years ago due to a lack of water but Gandhi’s cremation at Raj Ghat and enjoy a remains fantastically preserved. Continue to thrilling rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk Agra, where we explore the impressive Agra bazaar, one of the oldest markets in the city. Fort and enjoy a tour of India’s most iconic In New Delhi we’ll stroll down the ceremonial Jaipur - Abhaneri - Bharatpur. Say goodbye site, the legendary Taj Mahal. This famous Rajpath and see the India Gate monument. We to Jaipur today as we travel to the village of white mausoleum was built in the 17th century enjoy a delicious Namaste dinner at the hotel Abhaneri to see the famous Chand Baori step under the orders of Emperor Shah Jahan. It this evening. Overnight - Delhi (B, D) well. This 13 story well is the deepest of its stands as a perfect and extravagant memorial kind in the world and has 3,500 steps that to his beloved wife who tragically passed Days 3-4 : Jaipur sightseeing lead down to the waters edge. It also famously away. We enjoy a beautiful sunset at this & Amber Fort featured in the blockbuster film ‘Batman: The wonderful site. Overnight - Agra (B) Dark Knight Rises’. Day 7 : Lucknow Agra – Lucknow. This morning we depart for After our visit we continue to a local school Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. (if open) to meet the pupils and teachers. We Boasting beautiful British Raj-era architecture operate our Change for Children programme as well as fantastic examples of Islamic art here and any donations you make will be and design, Lucknow is an enigmatic city greatly appreciated. You may also wish to steeped in history. This afternoon we’ll tour bring some educational gifts from home to the highlights of a city which first gained donate to the school (see trip notes). We importance in 1528 with its capture by Babur, Delhi - Jaipur. Today we drive to the UNESCO- then arrive at our hotel in Bharatpur and the first Mughal ruler of India. Our first stop will listed Pink City of Jaipur. Enjoy a guided tour enjoy a visit to Keoladeo Ghana National be to the Chota Imambara, one of the most of the beautiful City Palace and the Jantar Park. Enjoy a bicycle rickshaw ride around intricate and exquisite buildings in Lucknow, Mantar space observatory - a collection of 19 this important wetland reserve and keen bird- it was built as a congregation hall for Shia separate astrological instruments. watchers can enjoy spotting some of the Muslims and today houses the tombs of hundreds of bird species which inhabit the Muhammed Ali Shah and his family. Our next park. A knowledgeable guide will accompany stop is the Rumi Darwaza, often referred to as Early on day 4 you may opt to join our us to identify the species we manage to spot. the Turkish Gate. This imposing gate is a busy Balloon Over Jaipur add-on and sail over Overnight - Bharatpur (B, D) route through the city. We finish the day at lofty palaces, temples and fortresses in a hot Bara Imambara, this impressive complex was air balloon. Later, we visit the striking 16th built in the 1780’s and houses a mosque, a century Amber Fort, which we reach by jeep. step well and a maze of corridors. Overnight Enjoy a tour of this well preserved site, spread - Lucknow (B) out over four levels and built on the shore of shimmering Maota Lake. On our way back Day 8 : Lucknow to Jaipur we stop at a local cotton weaving Today we further explore the city of Lucknow, house and a tailor shop. Here you may wish to heading first for La Martiniere college. have traditional Rajasthani garments created The college was established in 1845 from

Highway to Himalayas - 16 Days updated on 02-10-2021 07:19:10 www.onthegotours.com This information has been compiled with care and good faith. They give an accurate illustration of the proposed arrangements for this holiday. Circumstances beyond our control such as changes in local conditions, inclement weather or other reasons could force us to make changes to UK 020 7371 1113 [email protected] this itinerary. Any costs shown are subject to change, though are an accurate reflection of costs at time of writing. Please also note that visa AUS 1300 855 684 [email protected] requirements are subject to change and are the responsibility of the traveller and not that of On The Go Tours. NZ 0800 44 77 69 CAN 1 866 890 7038 - 2 - USA 1 866 606 2960 SA 0800 990 311 Highway to Himalayas

Highway to Himalayas instructions in the will of Major General Claude Day 11 : Journey to most biodiverse wildlife reserves in Asia. The Martin, who left a large endowment for its Kathmandu park is home to many iconic and rare species construction and upkeep. Today, it educates including Bengal Tigers, leopards, elephants, Varanasi - Delhi - Kathmandu. Today we upwards of 6,000 pupils at one time and the sloth bears and the Indian rhino. There is fly back to Delhi and then onwards to Constantia building has been described as also a population of the critically endangered Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. After our ‘perhaps the best-preserved colonial building gharial (crocodile) and a vulture breeding long day of travelling we’ll transfer you in Lucknow’. Later we’ll visit the remains of centre for the critically endangered Oriental straight to our hotel to rest and relax. two British Raj-era buildings, Dilkusha Palace white-backed vulture and the Slender-billed Overnight - Kathmandu (B) and the British Residency, both of which were vulture. shelled during the 1857 siege of Lucknow and Day 12 : Kathmandu today lay in ruins. The rest of the day is at Sightseeing leisure for you to further explore Lucknow. This huge level of biodiversity makes the Overnight - Lucknow (B) park extremely popular with visitors and we will have a good chance of seeing some of Day 9 : Varanasi this wildlife over the next two days as we explore the park on game drives, jungle walks, bird-spotting trips and canoeing excursions. Overnight - Chitwan National Park (B:2, L:2, D:2) Day 15 : Kathmandu Today we enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of delightful Kathmandu. We’ll visit the riverside Pashupatinath Temple and Swayambhunath Pagoda. The pagoda is perched on a hill-top Lucknow – Varanassi. Today we drive from with a stunning birds eye view of Kathmandu Lucknow to Varanasi, one of the oldest and below. Continue to the colossal Bodhnath and holiest cities on Earth. The city is also an Durbar Square in the heart of the city. The important Hindu pilgrimage site, set on the square is home to more than 50 temples and banks of the River Ganges. shrines that you may wish to visit.

Varanasi is perhaps the holiest city in India, Chitwan National Park - Kathmandu. Enjoy a final morning of wildlife spotting in the known as Benares or the city of Shiva, it is also After the tour there is free time to relax park before we return to Kathmandu. The last one of the oldest cities on earth. Sitting on the or explore at leisure. Perhaps discover one evening of our tour is free for you to relax or banks of the holy River Ganges, Varanasi has of Kathmandu’s vibrant markets - the Ason explore at leisure. Return to Durbar Square, been a centre of learning for more than 2000 and Mangal bazaars both offer a vibrant which comes to life in the evening or do some years and it's an important Hindu pilgrimage atmosphere and a variety of gifts, spices and last minute souvenir shopping. Overnight - site. Overnight - Varanasi (B) street food. Overnight - Kathmandu (B) Kathmandu (B) Day 10 : Boat Ride on the Days 13-14 : Chitwan National Day 16 : Kathmandu Ganges Park Sunday. Today marks the end of our tour. We This morning we enjoy a magical sunrise will transfer you to the airport for your onward boat ride on the holy Ganges. Watch the flight. ancient religious tradition of ritual cleansing that takes place on the riverside ghats (steps). Afterwards we enjoy a tour of Varanasi’s Note: Whilst in Kathmandu you can opt to highlights and you may wish to revisit the take an early morning scenic flight over the ghats this evening, when the ritual is different Himalayas. The scenic flight, which is offered to the morning. Overnight - Varanasi (B) by several companies, provides spectacular views of a seeming endless chain of snow capped peaks, as you fly above the clouds, Kathmandu - Chitwan National Park. On day 13 over glaciers and lakes, rivers, gorges and we drive to Chitwan National Park, one of the see the world’s highest and most enigmatic

Highway to Himalayas - 16 Days updated on 02-10-2021 07:19:10 www.onthegotours.com This information has been compiled with care and good faith. They give an accurate illustration of the proposed arrangements for this holiday. Circumstances beyond our control such as changes in local conditions, inclement weather or other reasons could force us to make changes to UK 020 7371 1113 [email protected] this itinerary. Any costs shown are subject to change, though are an accurate reflection of costs at time of writing. Please also note that visa AUS 1300 855 684 [email protected] requirements are subject to change and are the responsibility of the traveller and not that of On The Go Tours. NZ 0800 44 77 69 CAN 1 866 890 7038 - 3 - USA 1 866 606 2960 SA 0800 990 311 Highway to Himalayas

Highway to Himalayas mountain - Mt Everest. The flight will be the outdoor pool to escape the heat. The offered on the morning of day 13 or day 16, hotel prides itself on its range of dining subject to availability. options including the Spice Art restaurant, (B) which serves delicious North Indian cuisine, and Moasic, where you’ll find a range of HOTELS international dishes.

Highlighted below are some of the hotels Hotel Royale Residency which we frequently use on this tour, though Situated a stone’s throw away from the we reserve the right to substitute these legendary Taj Mahal, the Royal Residency hotels to ones of a similar standard. Hotel is perfectly located for anyone Please refer to your Tour Voucher for your wanting to immerse themselves in Agra’s confirmed arrival hotel and further arrival famous monuments. Each comfortable air- information. Mandawa Haveli conditioned room features a minibar with tea and coffee making facilities, satellite Vivanta by Taj Dwarka Made of pink and red sandstone, the TV as well as excellent en-suite facilities. beautiful heritage-style Mandawa Haveli Vivanta by Taj Dwarka is a modern, luxury Guests can enjoy an array of flavours around is a fine example of typical Rajasthani hotel located in Dwarka, on the outskirts of the world in the multi-cuisine restaurant, or architecture. All rooms are well appointed New Delhi, just a 15-minute drive from the perhaps sip on a cocktail next to the outdoor with intricately carved wooden beds and airport. Spread over 7 acres, this striking pool. hotel has a unique angular design and king-size royal portraits, with modern offers 250 luxurious rooms and suites. All amenities such as free WiFi and ensuite tastes are catered for at the hotel's multi- bathrooms. Spend an evening dining on cuisine restaurant, while the Indus Express continental, Indian or Rajasthani cuisine on restaurant serves mouth-watering Punjabi the outdoor terrace or request a private, cuisine. Head to the popular Tipple bar candlelit dinner on the rooftop under a star- for a delicious array of heady cocktails studded sky. Well located in the heart of Jaipur city on Sansar Chandra Road, this or relax by the poolside with a refreshing Surya Hotel smoothie from the Celsuis Pool Bar. The hotel is just a few minute’s drive from the nearby Sector 21 Metro station provides Palace of the Winds. Originally built in 1818 as an ancient Nepali direct access to the heart of the city and King's Palace, the Surya Hotel has been after a day of sightseeing you can cool off beautifully restored to its former glory. with a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool or Guestrooms are classically furnished with relax in the sauna and massage parlour. excellent amenities and beautiful European- style bathrooms. Meals are served in the Canton Royale Restaurant which serves up a delicious array of Indian and International Udai Vilas Palace cuisine. Those wanting a refreshing drink should head to the Sol Bar for cocktails, Set amongst 2 acres of landscaped gardens, beers and other beverages. The hotel also the Udai Vilas Palace is a traditional hotel offers traditional Henna tattoos and Indian located right in the heart of Bharatpur handicrafts to purchase. Crowne Plaza New Delhi city. Guest rooms are spacious and well Rohini equipped with comfortable beds and large windows. The hotel is famous for its Located just footsteps from the nearest barbecue nights and Rajasthani folklore metro station, the Crowne Plaza New Delhi evenings, where you will be enthralled by offers a beautiful blend of contemporary traditional music and dance performances. facilities and warm Indian hospitality. Each Keoladeo National Park, one of the most en-suite guestroom features traditional wood well-known bird sanctuaries in India, is also furnishings and a minibar, free WiFi and a just a five-minute drive away. Hotel Shankar flat screen TV. Guests can unwind in the This 19th century palace was the former Adya Spa which features a mix of Asian home of the rulers of Nepal from 1894 to and European therapies or take a swim in

Highway to Himalayas - 16 Days updated on 02-10-2021 07:19:10 www.onthegotours.com This information has been compiled with care and good faith. They give an accurate illustration of the proposed arrangements for this holiday. Circumstances beyond our control such as changes in local conditions, inclement weather or other reasons could force us to make changes to UK 020 7371 1113 [email protected] this itinerary. Any costs shown are subject to change, though are an accurate reflection of costs at time of writing. Please also note that visa AUS 1300 855 684 [email protected] requirements are subject to change and are the responsibility of the traveller and not that of On The Go Tours. NZ 0800 44 77 69 CAN 1 866 890 7038 - 4 - USA 1 866 606 2960 SA 0800 990 311 Highway to Himalayas

Highway to Himalayas

1964. Now a luxury heritage hotel, the facade Rooms can also be booked by any other still reflects its historic grandeur, whilst person wanting the comfort and privacy the guestrooms have been redesigned to of their own room. give travellers the comforts you’d expect of a modern hotel. Dining options include PRICES / DATES 2021 a number of in-house restaurants where you’ll find Nepalese, Asian and continental Date Twin Share Single cuisine. Alternatively, you can head to the 11 Sep USD 4,195 USD 5,445 Kunti Bar or Poolside Bar for a drink or two in 25 Sep USD 4,295 USD 5,545 the evening. 09 Oct USD 4,295 USD 5,545 23 Oct USD 4,295 USD 5,545 02 Nov USD 4,395 USD 5,645 20 Nov USD 4,295 USD 5,545 04 Dec USD 4,295 USD 5,545 18 Dec USD 4,395 USD 5,645

PRICES / DATES 2022 Machan Country Villa Date Twin Share Single Machan Country Villa is designed in the style 01 Jan USD 4,295 USD 5,545 of a traditional Tharu village. Guests are 15 Jan USD 4,295 USD 5,545 accommodated in the 6 thatched cottages 12 Feb USD 4,295 USD 5,545 and 10 rooms in the Long House, which 26 Feb USD 4,295 USD 5,545 are all comfortably furnished with modern 14 Mar USD 4,395 USD 5,645 amenities including air conditioning. The 26 Mar USD 4,295 USD 5,545 hotel has a lovely bar and restaurant serving 09 Apr USD 4,295 USD 5,545 up a whole host of Nepali, Pan Asian and 16 Apr USD 4,195 USD 5,445 Continental cuisine. All food is sourced 23 Apr USD 4,195 USD 5,445 locally ensuring that every meal is perfectly 07 May USD 4,195 USD 5,445 fresh and of the highest quality whilst 21 May USD 4,195 USD 5,445 supporting the local community. Perhaps rise early for a sunrise breakfast or enjoy a sunset BBQ in the hotel’s garden. The property is ideally located near the Chitwan National Park.

PRICES / DATES INFO

Departures are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 persons. 'Twin Share' prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a room. 'Solo Room' prices are applicable to all solo travellers, or if your booking party cannot reach the minimum of 2 persons in a room. Solo