Call: 0844 3350 197 Full Itinerary HIMALAYAN HERITAGE TOUR OF INDIA. TALK TO OUR WELL TRAVELLED TEAM OF EXPERTS 0844 3350 197 Monday to Friday 09:00 - 18:00 GMT JOURNEY SNAPSHOT ACTIVITY LEVEL: FLIGHT INFORMATION: Flights depart London Heathrow Airport [LHR] Level 2 to arrive at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International DESTINATION: Airport, Amritsar, India [ATQ] on Day 1 and depart Indira Gandhi New Delhi Airport [DEL] Himalayan Heritage Tour of India on Day 13 DURATION: PICKUP LOCATION: 13 days, 12 nights Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar, India [ATQ] on Day 1 © The Big Journey Company2020 - 2021.All rights reserved. Holiday tours are operated by The Big Journey Company Limited. Registered in England. Registered office: Marron Bank, Branthwaite, Cumbria, CA14 4SZ. Registered number: 6532140. The Big Journey Company Limited is a member of The Travel Trust Association member number U5675 and holds an Air Travel Organiser’s License number T7282. Call: 0844 3350 197 OVERVIEW Choose your own departure date for your group. Travel through time as we visit Northwest India's Golden Temple in Amritsar, take the Toy Train north to Shimla & spectacular Himalayan scenery before ending on a high at the Taj Mahal India’s remarkable contrasts come to life in the states of the Northwest, where you can experience the hustle, bustle and energy of city life and also the verdant, breaktaking valleys of the Himalayas. Experience for yourself the contrast of the peace and serenity of the picturesque hill stations of Mcleodganj, Norbulingka and Shimla with bustling and vibrant Delhi. Whether this is your first visit to India or you have been here many times before, India is so vast and so fascinating that there is always more to see and you cannot fail to be blown away by the chaos and the culture of it all. This tour of Northwest India brings the past to life, taking in one of most sacred shrines in world, the Golden Temple at Amritsar, as well as the UNESCO World Heritage sites the Toy Train to Kalka and the Taj Mahal. Experience for yourself the contrast of the peace and serenity of the picturesque hill stations of Mcleodganj, Norbulingka and Shimla with bustling and vibrant Delhi. ITINERARY SUMMARY DAY 1 - Welcome to Amritsar! DAY 2 - Exploring Amritsar DAY 3 - Amritsar to Dharamsala DAY 4 - McLeod Ganj Hill Station - "Little Lhasa" DAY 5 - Dharamsala to Pragpur DAY 6 - Explore Pragpur and Traditional Cookery Class DAY 7 - Travel to Shimla DAY 8 - Shimla City Tour DAY 9 - Shimla to Chandigarh by train & Delhi DAY 10 - Delhi City Tour DAY 11 - Delhi to Agra & Agra Fort DAY 12 - Taj Mahal DAY 13 - Goodbye to India and Home © The Big Journey Company2020 - 2021.All rights reserved. Holiday tours are operated by The Big Journey Company Limited. Registered in England. Registered office: Marron Bank, Branthwaite, Cumbria, CA14 4SZ. Registered number: 6532140. The Big Journey Company Limited is a member of The Travel Trust Association member number U5675 and holds an Air Travel Organiser’s License number T7282. Call: 0844 3350 197 FULL ITINERARY DAY 1 - WELCOME TO AMRITSAR! On arrival at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar [ATQ] we will be met in the arrivals lounge and transferred to check in at the hotel. After an early welcome dinner together, where you will meet you Big Journey Company Tour Director and the rest of your tour group, we will be thrown right in to the local culture and customs. Tonight we will enjoy an evening excursion to one of most sacred shrines in world - the Palanquin Ceremony at the Golden Temple. To the accompaniment of drums and with hymns filling the air, devotees carry the Guru Granth Sahib (the Holy Book) on a gold and silver-gilded palanquin from the main shrine in Hari Mandir to the gateway of the inner sanctum. Included meals: Welcome Dinner DAY 2 - EXPLORING AMRITSAR Today we will explore the most iconic city of the Punjab region, Amritsar. We will make a return visit to the glorious Golden temple. Located in the heart of the city, the Golden temple is the holiest religious shrine of the Sikh Religion, but welcomes everyone regardless of the religion or faith one follows. The stunning sanctum, shimmering in the water of the holy tank, flanked by spotlessly clean marble walkways and pavements makes it breathtakingly beautiful. We will also visit the Community Kitchen where food is served free of cost all day and night to anyone who attends. We will also visit Jallianwala Bagh, a historical monument of national importance. Late in the afternoon, we travel to the Wagah border to witness the “Change of Guard” ceremony. Here Indian and Pakistani soldiers march to a very enthusiastic crowd and the flags are lowered with great skill and precision. This is a daily military practice that the security forces of both nations have jointly followed since 1959 and is a symbol of the rivalry between these two countries as well as a demonstration of brotherhood and cooperation Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner DAY 3 - AMRITSAR TO DHARAMSALA Today we say farewell to Amritsar and enjoy a picturesque drive to Dharamsala (approx 6 hrs). Set against the backdrop of the dramatic Dhaula Dhar Mountains, Dharamsala is one of the principle towns of the Kangra valley. With dense forests and cool healthy air, Dharamsala has everything for a perfect retreat. Today Dharamsala has become home to the Tibetan government in exile. It is also the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, spiritual head of the Buddhist faith. We arrive in Dharamsala and check-in to our hotel before enjoying a late lunch. The rest of today will be spent at your leisure to enjoy the slower pace of live, beautiful scenery and picturesque surroundings. Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner DAY 4 - MCLEOD GANJ HILL STATION - "LITTLE LHASA" Today we visit Norbulingka, a self-sustaining place dedicated to the preservation of the Tibetan arts and culture. In this way, the community helps to conserve the unique identity of Tibetans and the sacred traditions which took root in Tibet. Here you will find museum-quality artwork using methods that have been practiced and passed down for many centuries. This afternoon we will enjoy an escorted tour of McLeod Ganj. McLeod Ganj is a hill station with bustling bazaars. Its culture is a beautiful blend of Tibetan, Indian and some British influence. This area is also known as Little Lhasa and is famous around the world for being home to the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. We will enjoy a visit to the Namgyal Monastery, the Dalai Lama's temple, and the Centre of Tibetan Studies. We will also explore Gangchen Kyishong, the offices of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. The Nechung Oracle, located within the Gangchen Kyishong complex, is a beautiful monastery where we may have the opportunity to witness a daily service. Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner DAY 5 - DHARAMSALA TO PRAGPUR Today after a leisurely breakfast, we say goodbye to the fascinationg region of Dharamsala and drive to Pragpur. On the edge of the Himalayan Mountains and at an elevation of 2000 ft, the Kangra Valley is home to this heritage village. On arrival we will check in at one of India's finest country hotels, which is located in the heart of the medieval hamlet of Pragpur, allowing you the freedom to explore the village from the hotel for the afternoon. © The Big Journey Company2020 - 2021.All rights reserved. Holiday tours are operated by The Big Journey Company Limited. Registered in England. Registered office: Marron Bank, Branthwaite, Cumbria, CA14 4SZ. Registered number: 6532140. The Big Journey Company Limited is a member of The Travel Trust Association member number U5675 and holds an Air Travel Organiser’s License number T7282. Call: 0844 3350 197 Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner DAY 6 - EXPLORE PRAGPUR AND TRADITIONAL COOKERY CLASS Founded in the late 16th century in memory of a Princess, Pragpur well deserves its heritage village status. This morning we will enjoy an escorted walk through the winding cobbled lanes, mud-plastered walls and slate-roofed houses and make a return, if only briefly, to the simple life of an older era. We will return to the hotel for lunch. This afternoon we will enjoy a traditional cooking session, making our own dinner in the local way. Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner DAY 7 - TRAVEL TO SHIMLA Today we travel to Shimla, a journey of approx. 6 hours, with rest stops and lunch en-route. Late in the afternoon we reach our destination for today, Shimla. Strung out along a 12km ridge, with steep hillsides in all directions, the Himachal capital of Shimla is often referred to as the Queen of Hill Stations (a term coined by the British). Located in north-west Himalayas at an altitude of 2,130 meters (6,988 feet), the city of Shimla, draped in forests of pine, rhododendron and oak, experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters. Traffic is banned from the central part of town, so walking is pleasant even while huffing and puffing uphill. Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner DAY 8 - SHIMLA CITY TOUR Today we will enjoy a guided exploration of Shimla. We will explore the Gaiety theatre, Christchurch and The Mall, the main promenade that runs along the top of the ridge. This is now a busy shopping area with old colonial buildings. Then we will visit the summer residence of the Indian Viceroy, the British Raj leader of India between 1888 -1946.