Mystical India
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Exclusive Duke departure – November 5-23, 2019 WITH PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR AND MYSTICAL INDIA RANTHAMBORE TIGER PRESERVE 19 days from $5,687 total price from Boston, New York, Wash, DC ($4,795 air & land inclusive plus $892 airline taxes and fees) ystical and spiritual, chaotic and Mconfounding, India overflows with riches. While staying at excellent hotels, we travel the classic Golden Triangle: bustling Delhi; Agra, home of the sublime Taj Mahal; and Jaipur, great city of the Rajput. We also search for elusive Bengals at Ranthambore Tiger Preserve, and absorb the holiness of Varanasi. NEPAL Delhi Kathmandu/ Nagarkot Agra Jaipur Varanasi Kalakho Ranthambore National Park INDIA Arabian Sea Destination Air Indian Ocean Motorcoach Extension (air) Entry/Departure On Day 12 we visit the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO site considered one of the world’s most beautiful buildings. Avg. High (°F) Nov Dec Delhi 82 73 Day 1: Depart U.S. for Delhi, India to Ajmer. We continue by motorcoach to Pushkar Agra 85 75 and our deluxe resort. Late afternoon we gather for Day 2: Arrive Delhi We arrive in India’s hyperactive a camel cart ride and orientation tour of the Push- capital late evening and transfer to our hotel. kar Camel Fair, where Indians come from near and Your Small Group Tour Highlights far for this part bazaar and trade fair, part religious Tours of Old and New Delhi • Pushkar Camel Fair • Home- Day 3: Delhi After a morning at leisure followed pilgrimage. We return to our resort for dinner to- hosted dinner with Jaipur family • Magnificent Taj Mahal by a briefing about the journey ahead, we set out to gether tonight. B,L,D • Two-night stay at Ranthambore Tiger Preserve • Kalakho discover Old Delhi. Our first stop is Raj Ghat, the tribal home visit • “Pink City” of Jaipur • Holy city of Vara- simple black marble slab honoring Mahatma Gan- Day 6: Pushkar Camel Fair We start our day with nasi • Pilgrimage site of Sarnath temple and museum dhi. We continue on to Gandhi Smriti, a museum a morning tour of Pushkar village, where thousands dedicated to the Indian icon; and pass by Lal Qila, the of devotees experience a religious resur gence by swim- Day Itinerary Hotel Rating Red Fort complex of palaces. This afternoon’s sights ming in the sacred waters of Pushkar Lake. Then we 1 Depart U.S. for Delhi include the red sandstone and marble Jama Masjid, return to our resort for lunch before an afternoon at 2-4 Delhi Taj Diplomatic Enclave Deluxe India’s largest mosque; and the colorful Chandni leisure to explore Pushkar independently. B,L,D 5-6 Pushkar Ananta Spa & Resort Deluxe Chowk market, where we ride rickshaws. Late this 7-9 Jaipur Jai Mahal Palace Deluxe afternoon we return to our hotel, where tonight we Day 7: Pushkar/Jaipur Today we travel by coach enjoy a welcome dinner together. B,D to the “pink city” of Jaipur, one of the great cities of 10-11 Ranthambore Taj Sawai First Class Madhopur Lodge the Rajput, with historic forts, palaces, and gardens. 12 Kalakho Dera Village Retreat Not rated Day 4: Delhi We encounter more of this pulsating We reach our hotel late afternoon. B,L,D 13-14 Agra Courtyard Sup. First city today, beginning at Qutb Minar, the 379-step Marriott Agra Class tower dating to 1192. Next, we pass by India Gate, Day 8: Jaipur Our first stop is the stunning Hawa 15-17 Varanasi Taj Gateway Ganges Sup. First the majestic arch honoring the 90,000 Indian soldiers Mahal, the elaborately carved pink sandstone “Pal- Class who died fighting alongside the British in World ace of the Winds.” We continue on to Amber Fort, 18 Delhi Hotel Pullman Deluxe New Delhi Aerocity War I. Then the remainder of the day is free for built by the Kachhawah Rajputs as their capital 19 Depart Delhi for U.S. further exploration and dinner on our own. B,L from 1037 to 1728; Jantar Mantar, the open-air observatory; and City Palace Museum, housing the Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel industry standard reference. Unrated hotels may be too Day 5: Delhi/Pushkar Today we depart Delhi magnificent art collections of the Maharajahs of small, too new, or too remote to be listed. very early by express train for the half-day journey Jaipur. B,L 18 Visit us at dukealumnitravels.com B – Breakfast; L – Lunch; D – Dinner For reservations, call Duke Alumni Travels at (800) FOR-DUKE or (919) 684-2988 Tour membership limited to 24 Duke alumni and friends Day 9: Jaipur/Sanganer This morning we visit the village of Sanganer to see traditional block “THE PATH IS THE GOAL.” print ing and handmade paper industries. Later we see local life up close as we explore an outdoor mar- – MAHATMA GANDHI ket before visiting Birla Mandir, the Hindu temple made of pure white marble. Tonight we are dinner Day 13: Kalakho/Abhaneri/Agra En route to Agra guests in the home of a multi-generational Rajast- today, we stop in the ancient village of Abhaneri to han family. B,D see the fortified Chand Baori step well (c. 800), whose 3,500 steps descend some 13 sto ries into the Days 10 & 11: Jaipur/Ranthambore We travel ground. Continuing on, we reach the ancient Mughal today to Ranthambore National Park, the former strong hold of Agra early this afternoon. After lunch hunting ground of the Maharajah of Jaipur and now on our own, we visit Itimad-ud-Daulah, the two-story a 512-square-mile natural preserve that is home to marble “Baby Taj” that inspired the Taj Mahal. B,D hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, mammals, and of course, Bengal tigers. This afternoon we take our first Day 14: Agra This morning we visit the Taj Mahal, wildlife drive through the magnificent tomb built by Emperor Shah Jahan the park. The next day in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz. Then we we take both morning take an Indian cuisine cooking lesson and enjoy the and afternoon wildlife results for lunch. Later: imposing Agra Fort. B,L drives to see not only wildlife (though tiger Day 15: Agra/Delhi/Varanasi We depart by coach and leopard sightings this morning for Delhi, where we board a late are not guaranteed), afternoon flight to Varanasi, the holiest city in but also picturesque Hinduism. We dine tonight at our hotel. B,L,D ruins of forts and pal- aces. 2B,2L,2D Day 16: Varanasi/Sarnath Today we visit nearby Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught after achiev- Day 12: Rantham- ing enlightenment. One of Buddhism’s four holiest bore/Kalakho sites, Sarnath draws pilgrims from the world over. We depart early Palace of the Winds, Jaipur We see some of the temples and stupas then tour for Kalakho, where Sarnath Museum, housing a superb collection of we embark on a camel safari to meet local Meena Buddhist artifacts from excavations here. Back in tribespeople in their homes: huts of mud, with walls Varanasi tonight we attend a traditional aarti offering We may see Bengal tigers at Ranthambore. decorated with floral and animal designs. Tonight we ceremony as we cruise along the Ganges. B,D enjoy a traditional folk dance perfor mance. B,L,D Day 17: Varanasi Early this morning we return to Tour Departs: November 5, 2019 the Ganges where Hindu pilgrims perform their rituals Prices include international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees Post-Tour Extension along the ghats (steps) leading to the river. We visit Boston, New York, Washington, DC $5,687 several ghats by boat as we experience for ourselves the Chicago, Dallas, Houston, $5,887 November 23-28, 2019 spiritual aura of the hallowed Ganges waters. Then we Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle return to our hotel with time to rest before this after- Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, NEPAL noon’s walking tour. Tonight we celebrate our journey Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, 5 days/4 nights for $1,195 total price at a farewell dinner at our hotel. B,D $6,087 Single Supplement: $245 Minneapolis, Orlando, Philadephia, Raleigh-Durham, Tampa Absorb the beauty of the Himalayan Day 18: Varanasi/Delhi We fly this afternoon to Denver, Detroit, kingdom – and the warmth of its people – on this Delhi, where the evening is at leisure. B $6,187 Phoenix, Portland (OR) special journey featuring sacred shrines, royal cities, and indigenous lifestyles. Day 19: Return to U.S. Early today we transfer to Land Only (transfers not included) $4,495 the airport for our return flight to the U.S. Please call if your city is not listed. Prices are per person Your Tour Price Includes Your Tour Price Includes based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $892, which are subject to change • Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights • Air transportation Delhi/Kathmandu, inclusive of airline taxes until final payment is made. and fees within India Single travelers please add $1,795. All 2019 tour prices • 4 nights’ accommodations: 2 nights in Kathmandu at Crowne • 17 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe, Superior First Class, above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are Plaza Soaltee (Superior First Class); 2 nights in Nagarkot at First Class, and unrated hotels Club Himalaya Nagarkot (Superior First Class) guaranteed. • 38 meals: 16 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 12 dinners • 8 meals: 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 3 dinners Business Class upgrade (subject to availability) on • Extensive sightseeing, including Pashupatinath shrine • Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees (UNESCO site); Boudhanath monument; colorful Bhaktapur, • Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director round-trip Trans-Atlantic flight: $4,795 per person “City of Devotees;” Swayambhunath Temple; royal city of • Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip in addition to the above costs.