A JOURNEY THROUGH NORTHERN INDIA 4 – 20 FEBRUARY 2021 FROM £6,680 PER PERSON Tour Leaders: Caroline & Peter Stanley This delightful tour offers a fascinating introduction to Northern India, capturing the very essence of the region. It combines culture and tradition with ancient temples, the ever-present colonial history and architecture, and magnificent scenery. Our journey begins in Kolkata (Calcutta), built by the British some 300 years ago, we explore their widespread architectural legacy including Dalhousie Square, the Governor’s Residence, St. John’s Church, the Victoria Memorial, Botanical Gardens and Belvedere House. We travel on to the 300-year-old Rajbari Bawali which is set in a serene environment, away from the chaos of Kolkata, before moving on to explore the grand colonial monuments of Lucknow, Uttra Pradesh’s capital, with wide boulevards, green parks and acclaimed cuisine. We continue to the vibrant old city of Hyderabad, famous for its quality pearls before finally exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi, set amidst the vastness of the Deccan Plateau, and one of India’s most spectacular archaeological treasures. Magnificent palaces, temples, watchtowers, and urban ruins, built in distinctive Dravidian style, line the banks of the Tungabhadra River and are a glorious legacy of the mighty 14th century Vijayanagar Empire. There is the option to extend your stay with a few days of relaxation at the charming Nilaya Resort in Goa. View from Babughat of Howrah Bridge Victoria Memorial, Kolkata Dalhousie Square, Kolkata 17-DAY ITINERARY, DEPARTING 4 FEBRUARY 2021 4 February London / Dubai to Kumartuli, a traditional potters’ set in its own gardens, dominates quarter in Kolkata, to view the making the city centre. This has an excellent Suggested flights (not included the of elaborate statues from clay and display on the history of the city and tour cost) Emirates EK2 departing bamboo by expert artisans, always a gallery of pictures by British artists London Heathrow at 13.40 hrs. busy with the numerous religious such as Zoffany who came to India. festivals that fill the annual calendar. Continue to the suburb of Alipore 5 February Dubai / Kolkata Finally visit the magical Marble to visit Belvedere House, once the Palace (1835) built to house an art private home of Warren Hastings, Arrive in Dubai at 00.40 hrs and collection brought from Europe the first Governor-General of Bengal connect to EK570 departing Dubai in what can only be described as during East India Company rule at 02.00 hrs arriving Kolkata at 07.40 hypnotic chaos. Return to the hotel. and the scene of the famous duel hrs. Transfer to the Oberoi Grand in 1780 when Hastings shot and Hotel where three nights are spent. Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon at wounded his bitter critic Sir Philip Centrally located in the commercial leisure. Dinner at the hotel. Francis. Afterwards we visit the heart of Kolkata’s main shopping and Agri-Horticultural Gardens (founded business district, the Oberoi Grand 7 February Kolkata 1820) which adjoins Belvedere House was a classically designed residence to view the winter flowers which are and combines Victorian architecture We start the day travelling to central stunning in February. We will also and charm with state-of-the-art Kolkata to enjoy the busy Sir Stuart pass the famous racecourse, built in amenities and facilities. There are Hogg Market (1874), better known 1820 and the largest horse race venue a variety of excellent restaurants to as New Market. We move on to view in India and the National Library, choose from and an exclusive spa, the exterior of Government House, established in 1836 on the Belvedere swimming pool and a fully equipped seat of the Viceroys, a building based Estate and the largest library in India gym and fitness centre. Rooms will be on Kedleston Hall (1799-1802). Next by volume. Dinner at the hotel. available for immediate occupation. comes the Old Town Hall (1813) and the High Court (1872) by Walter 8 February Kolkata / Bawali Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon at Granville based on a Gothic building leisure. Dinner at the hotel. by George Gilbert Scott followed by Morning transfer (with luggage) to the a ramble in the surreal Park Street 300-year-old heritage hotel, Rajbari 6 February Kolkata Cemetery, an amazing assembly of Bawali, which has been lovingly neo-classical funerary monuments. restored into a luxury boutique hotel. Early morning we visit the Babu Ghat, We also pass the Royal Asiastic constructed during the British Raj, Society, founded by civil servant Sir Lunch at the hotel. After lunch along the river bank of the Hooghly, William Jones in 1784; the Convent enjoy a show round of the estate to see the busy commuter ferries and of our Lady of Loreto, established in before enjoying the rest of the hustle and bustle of daily life. Drive 1842, and the oldest and first Loreto afternoon at leisure. Optional (and along Strand Road and admire the institution to be established in India, at a supplementary cost of £100 per famed Eden Garden cricket stadium, and; the Royal Calcutta Turf Club, person) early evening country boat before arriving at the iconic Dalhousie founded in 1847, which became the ride on the Hooghly to watch the Square, the heart of British Kolkata, premier horse racing organisation in sunset before returning to the hotel taking in the classical Post Office India during the British Raj. It is still for a Sandhya Aarti experience, a (1864-68), site of the notorious Black an exclusive private club and operates fusion of Sanskrit chants where light Hole, past the Writers’ Building built the Kolkata Racecourse. is offered and songs are sung to the in 1780 and resurfaced in 1880 and St. Hindu deities. Dinner at the hotel. John’s Church (1787) modelled on St. Lunch at the Bengal Club which dates Martin’s in the Fields and designed by from 1827. This afternoon we visit James Agg stuffed with fascinating the city’s two greatest landmarks, 9 February Bawali tombs both within and without. Stop St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was for coffee at the legendary Coffee completed in 1847 in Gothic Revival Morning at leisure or early morning House on College Street which has style to accommodate the ever optional (and at a supplementary played an important part in Kolkata’s growing European community in cost of £25 per person) rustic rural cultural history and known as the Bengal, and the Victoria Memorial village walk or bicycle ride to see hub of intellectual debates. Continue (1921) by Sir William Emerson which, the local daily life before returning 020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad Chota Imambara, Lucknow to the hotel for an optional (and at Lyon, France. It is the only school Lunch at local restaurant. Visit the a supplementary cost of £50 per in the world to have been awarded Qutub Shahi Tombs, which were person) cooking demonstration using royal battle honours for its role in built on a square base surrounded the variety of fresh organic fruits, the defence of Lucknow during the by pointed arches incorporating vegetables and aromatic spices from mutiny of 1857. distinctive styles of Pashtun, Persian the local area. and Hindu architecture, as well Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon at as the Salar Jung Museum, which Traditional kolapata bhoj lunch on leisure. Dinner at the hotel. encompasses the Nawab’s prized a banana leaf. Afternoon at leisure ancestral collections and Nizam’s to enjoy the swimming pool and 12 February Lucknow Royal jewellery which are beautifully highly acclaimed Mantra spa. This on display. Dinner at the hotel. evening enjoy another Sandhya Aarti Morning visit to Chota Imambara, experience followed by musicians and also known as Imambara 15 February Hyderabad Baul performers. There will also be an Hussainabad Mubarak, an imposing opportunity to learn the art of saree monument built as an imambara or a Morning at leisure. and dhoti tying. Dinner at the hotel. congregation hall for Shia Muslims, by Muhammad Ali Shah, the Nawab Lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon 10 February Bawali / Lucknow of Awadh in 1838. It was to serve as visit to the Old City including the a mausoleum for himself and his Charminar, a structure built on the Morning at leisure before departing mother, who is buried beside him. spot of the ornamented granite (with luggage) to Kolkata airport for a mosque of Mecca Masjid and where domestic flight Lucknow. Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon at Quli Qutb Shah prayed for an end leisure. Dinner at the hotel. to a plague epidemic. Roam the Lad Packed lunch en route to the airport. Bazaar selling the famous Hyderabadi On arrival in Lucknow transfer to 13 February Lucknow / Hyderabad glass and stone studded bangles the luxurious 5-star Taj Mahal hotel known as Sona Bai, bridalwear, overlooking the scenic banks of the Morning departure (with luggage) pearls, and Attar (perfume). There Gomti River, and where three nights for Lucknow airport for a domestic will also be the opportunity to visit are spent. Just a few kilometres flight to Hyderabad. On arrival a pearl merchant. Visit the exotic from the city centre, the hotel’s transfer to the Taj Falaknuma Palace Chowmahalla Palace, which was the architecture reflects the glories of the Hotel where three nights are spent. Nizam’s palace, last lived in in 1911 Nawabi era with graceful pillars, rich Built in 1894, it is the former palace but used for the last coronation in tapestries, and intricate decoration. of the Nizam, rumoured to be the 1967, as well as the British Residency, There are two restaurants and a lovely richest man in the world at one time.