Samode – Udaipur
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LXV WINE - JOURNEY TO INDIA FEBRUARY 2015 Long before European countries woke up to the ‘incredible taste of fermented grape juice’, prehistoric Indian communities were fully conversant with the intoxicating wines they could distill from plants and fruits. Beginning with the Rigveda, the first among India’s ancient Vedas, and ending with the poetry of Mirza Ghalib, eminent Urdu poet of the 18th century, India’s tradition and history prove that the temporal joys offered by a glass of wine and its complex spiritual symbolism were equally familiar to generations of Indians! Your journey to India is a cultural cocktail. With its diverse mixture of people, gastronomy, scenery, architecture, religions and cultural influences. Journey Sutra weaves together inspiring destinations, with un‐comparable experiences of a lifetime. QUICK LOOK ITINERARY 15 Nights, 16 Days: 03rd TO 18th FEBRUARY 2015 DELHI – KHAJURAHO – ORCHHA – AGRA – RANTHAMBORE – JAIPUR – SAMODE – UDAIPUR TUESDAY, 03 FEBRUARY 2015 ARRIVE DELHI WEDNESDAY, 04 FEBRUARY 2015 DELHI THURSDAY, 05 FEBRUARY 2015 DELHI FRIDAY, 06 FEBRUARY 2015 DELHI – KHAJURAHO SATURDAY, 07 FEBRUARY 2015 KHAJURAHO – JHANSI – AGRA SUNDAY, 08 FEBRUARY 2015 AGRA MONDAY, 09 FEBRUARY 2015 AGRA – RANTHAMBORE TUESDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2015 RANTHAMBORE WEDNESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2015 RANTHAMBORE – JAIPUR THURSDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2015 JAIPUR FRIDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2015 JAIPUR – SAMODE SATURDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2015 SAMODE SUNDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2015 SAMODE – UDAIPUR MONDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2015 UDAIPUR TUESAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2015 UDAIPUR WEDNESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2015 UDAIPUR – DELHI Delhi Delhi , India’s capital is a multidimensional metropolis. A vibrant melting pot ,it is sprinkled with captivating ancient monuments, magnificent museums, a vivacious performing‐ arts scene ,modern hotels and great places to eat and shop! DAY 1 & DAY 2 TUESDAY, 3RD FEBRUARY: ARRIVE DELHI Arrive Delhi. You will be met and assisted on arrival at Delhi International airport. Transfer to the Imperial hotel for check in. The moment you drive down the royal palm lined drive you know you have reached somewhere special. Built in 1934 as a jewel in the crown by the British Raj, this landmark hotel located in the heart of New Delhi exudes style and colonial elegance. Designed by Lutyens assistant, Bromfield, the inlaid marble floors, three‐story atriums, fountains and lithographs complement well appointed rooms, grand suites, wonderful restaurants and bars. The hotel's city centre location does mean it can be fairly noisy and that good views are in short supply but these shortfalls are more than made up for by the hotel's colourful history and its unmistakable sense of location. Night at hotel. WEDNESDAY, 04TH FEBRUARY: DELHI Breakfast at hotel. Morning visit to HUMAYUN’S TOMB - the first garden‐tomb in the Indian subcontinent and the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. Drive onto old Delhi, past the Red Fort. Proceed to KHARI BAOLI Asia’s biggest spice market by CYCLE RICKSHAW. The street is congested but lively, lined by shops crammed by spices, pulses dried fruits and other edibles. Continue your walk through the streets of CHANDNI CHOWK, KINARI BAZZAR & DARIBA KALAN , savouring the sights and smells and sampling some of the famous street foods of old Delhi and walk through the famous Parathay Wali Gali to reach the Jama Masjid. Visit the JAMA MASJID mosque ‐ this congregational mosque was built by Shahjahan in 1650 Proceed for LUNCH AT KARIMS ‐ Old Delhi’s most famous culinary destination, boasts of a line of chef’s that used to prepare meals for Mughal emperors. Located in the bustle and chaos , it serves legendary Mughlai fare, Mutton Korma and Stew, Seekh kebabs and Bakri Khani. Afternoon at leisure at the hotel. Dinner at Indian Accent (pre paid) we welcome you on a unique culinary journey. awarded the best restaurant all india by time out, indian accent showcases indian food for the 21st century with a path-breaking contemporary menu that is sure to excite the adventurous, yet satisfy traditional palates. seasonal and organic (where possible) and fresh local produce join unusual ingredients from world cuisine to create a menu that we hope will excite the adventurous, yet satisfy traditional tastes and evoke nostalgia. this is our attempt at proposing indian food for the twenty first century – a unique marriage of global ingredients and techniques with the flavours and traditions of india. Return back to hotel. DAY 3 THURSDAY 05TH FEBRUARY: DELHI Breakfast at hotel. Morning visit to a SIKH TEMPLE to witness the wonder of mass community kitties that feed over 2000 people a day. Proceed to visit the QUTUB MINAR, first Islamic structure in India. LUNCH AT MEHRAULI VILLAGE COMPLEX, overlooking the Qutub Minar. Afternoon at leisure to visit the HANDICRAFTS EMPORIUM DINNER WITH INDIAN FAMILY, where flavour of home cooking engulfs you. Return back to hotel. Overnight at hotel. Khajuraho The Kamasutra carvings thatswathe Khajuraho’s three groups of temples areamong the finest temple art in the world. The templesat Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty. DAY 4 FRIDAY 6TH FEBRUARY: DELHI – KHAJURAHO Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Delhi airport for flight to Khajuraho via Varanasi. FLIGHT 9W 2423 DEPARTS DELHI AT 10H45 Stopover in Varanasi for 30 minutes. Light snacks served on the flight. FLIGHT 9W 2423 ARRIVES KHAJURAHO AT 13H25 Met at Khajuraho airport by our representative and transferred to hotel. Late lunch at the hotel. (Pay direct) Take an informative and spiritual guided tour of the Karmasutra carvings that swathe KHAJURAO’s GROUPS OF TEMPLES which are among the finest temple art in the world. Return back to hotel. Dinner at the hotel (pay direct) Agra Agra stands as a testimony to the true spirit of a resilient era that made India a force to be reckoned with. With their talent and wealth the Mughals immortalized Agra in stone and marble leaving behind a legacy of some of the finest examples of Mughal architecture in the country. Today DAY 5 & DAY 6 SUNDAY 8TH FEBRUARY: AGRA SATURDAY 7TH FEBRUARY : KHAJURAHO – ORCHHA – JHANSI -AGRA Have a spectacular start to the day with a sunrise visit to the TAJ MAHAL, built by Breakfast at hotel. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, in loving memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her Drive to Orchha (180 Km / 4 ½ hours). mortal remains. Entered by a gate crowned with a red Ganesh, Return to the hotel for breakfast. ORCHHA name (Hidden Place) is singularly appropriate. Temples, palaces and chhatris After breakfast, visit the AGRA FORT where fight their way out of the encroaching jungle, Shah Jahan spent years of confinement at the their spires and domes overshadowing a few hands of his son Aurangzeb, looking wistfully at ramshackle streets. the Taj Mahal. LUNCH IN ORCHHA. Lunch at hotel (pay direct) Later afternoon transfer to Jhansi railway Evening witness the Taj Mahal from the station to board train for Agra. ITMAD-UD-DAULAH (mini Taj) and EXPLORE THE NEARBY VILLAGE OF TRAIN DEPARTS JHANSI AT 17H59 KACHPURA TRAIN ARRIVES AGRA AT 20H30 (Air-conditioned Executive Chair Car Class) Return back to hotel. De‐board the train in Agra and transfer to Dinner at hotel (pay direct). hotel. Dinner at hotel (pay direct). Overnight at hotel. Overnight at hotel. Ranthambore RanthamboreNational Park in south‐eastern Rajasthan is amongst the finest places in the world to see wild tigers. The park is named after one of India’s largest and most beautiful forts which stands majestically in the heart of the jungle DAY 7 & DAY 8 MONDAY 9TH FEBRUARY: TUESDAY, 10TH FEBRUARY: AGRA – BHARATPUR – RANTHAMBORE RANTHAMBORE Early morning transfer to BHARATPUR railway Begin your day early with second Jeep Safari to station to board train for SAWAI MADHOPUR. national park. Packed breakfast will be arranged from the Tigers at Ranthambore National park have hotel. been known to even hunt in full view of human visitors. These tigers are famous for being seen BOARD TRAIN FROM BHARATPUR AT 10H30 in the daytime too, due to their lack of fear of DEBOAR TRAIN IN SAWAI MAHDOPUR AT 12H30. human presence in vehicles. Arrive at Sawai Madhopur station and transfer The park has many water bodies located all to hotel in Ranthambore. over, which provide perfect relief during the extremely hot summer months for the forest Ranthambore National Park is in Sawai inhabitants. A huge fort, after which the park is Madhopur District of Rajasthan state. Located named, towers over the park atop a hill. There at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill are many ruins of bygone eras scattered all range, this is one of the finest places to view over the jungle, which give it a unique, animals. The park covers an area of about 400 wonderful and mixed flavour of nature, history sq Km and if combined it with the area of Sawai and wildlife. Mansingh sanctuary area, it is around 500 Sq km. Return back to hotel for breakfast. LUNCH AT THE LODGE. LUNCH AT THE LODGE. Afternoon experience your first Jeep safari to Late afternoon visit the Ranthambore Fort OR Ranthambore National Park (included in take 3rd Jeep Safari into the national park. package) This fort stands majestically atop a hill It is advisable to take along a good pair of overlooking the entire park. The walk up, one binoculars and if possible a camera with a very of the only places this mode of transport is powerful lens when visiting the fort. possible, is a very refreshing and exciting one as even the big cats have been spotted up Late evening return back to the lodge. there! The view of the surrounding keeps getting better and better as you go up but the Dinner and overnight at the lodge. view from the fort itself can only be described as breathtaking.