Day 1: Depart for India
Day 2: After overnight flight to Europe and connecting flight to India, arrive late evening in Delhi.
Days 3: Morning at leisure to rest and acclimatize. In the afternoon you will tour the capital, exploring its unique blend of old and new by visiting ancient mosques, the famed Mughal Red Fort, the tomb of Emperor Humayun and the Lodi Gardens.
Day 4 and 5: Fly to Kathmandu on morning of day 4. Spend two days exploring Buddhist temples (including Pashupatinath, Kathmandu's most important and dramatic temple complex), strolling through the Kathmandu Bazaar, and touring the medieval cities of Patan and Bhaktipur. There will be an optional sightseeing flight over Mt. Everest (weather permitting).
Day 6: Fly to Bharatpur, Nepal, and travel through traditional Tharu villages to the Temple Tiger Lodge in Royal Chitwan National Park. Ride elephant-back through the park in search of tiger, rhino, wild boar, sambar, leopards and languar monkeys (as well as hundreds of species of birds).
Day 7: More game viewing by boat, elephant back or jeep.
Day 8: Fly back to Kathmandu in the morning. In the afternoon explore the streets of Kathmandu, full of wooden pagodas, temples and Buddhist Stupas.
Day 9: Morning at leisure. In the afternoon you will fly to Varanasi, the holiest Hindu city. In the evening you will take a ride on a bicycle rickshaw through its streets and markets.
Day 10: Explore Varanasi, and take an early morning boat ride on the River Ganges to view the ghats where the faithful purify themselves in the river. In the afternoon you will fly to Khajuraho and visit the Western Group of the Chandela Dynasty temples, famous for their sculptures and erotic carvings.
Day 11: In the morning you will visit the Eastern Group of Chandela temples. In the early afternoon you will fly to Agra. If time permits, in the evening you will visit the Taj Mahal at sunset.
Day 12: There will be a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Later in the day you will visit the vast complexes and palaces of the Agra Fort, as well as the tomb of Itmadud Daulah, thought to be a forerunner of the Taj Mahal.
Day 13: Leave for Jaipur by car in the morning, stopping en route to visit the deserted capital of the Mughal Emperor Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri.. You will also visit the Kaladeo Bird Sanctuary, the most important bird sanctuary in Asia, located in Bharatpur. Arrive in Jaipur in the early evening.
Day 14: Jaipur. In the morning you will visit the nearby ancient capital of Amber, with its magnificent fort. In the afternoon explore Jaipur itself, known as the "Pink City" for its pink-colored sandstone palaces. See the City Palace, the "Palace of the Winds" and the Jantar Mantar observatory, among other sights. In the evening you will attend a cultural program in an open-air theater (panghat), followed by a traditional dinner.
Day 15: Early in the morning you will fly to Udaipur, famous for its lakes, palaces and gardens. Spend the day visiting the Lake Palace Hotel and wander through the Royal gardens of the City Palace. Shop in the spice and silver markets.
Day 16: Drive to the Jain Temples at Ranakpur, some of the most impressive in all of India. After lunch at the Maharani Bagh Gardens, formerly the retreat of the Maharajas of Jodhpur, return to Udaipur.
Day 17: Day of leisure to enjoy and explore Udaipur. Optional excursions will be available to nearby hilltop temples and forts such as Chittorgarh or Eklingi. Dinner will be aboard the luxurious Gangaur boat, formerly the pleasure boat of the Maharana (this is subject to weather conditions and a minimum group size of ten people).
Day 18: Fly to Aurangabad, the most southerly and last of the Mughal capitals. In the afternoon you will visit the famed Ellora cave temples, rock-hewn shrines of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist art.
Day 19: There will be a full day visit to the Ajanta caves which were "discovered" by a British Army patrol in the 19th century. The caves contain astonishing and beautiful thousand-year-old sculptures and frescoes.
Day 20: Morning at leisure. Afternoon flight to Bombay, the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan city in India.
Day 21: Explore Bombay in the morning, visiting the Gateway of India, the Prince of Wales Museum and Malabar Hill. In the afternoon you will be free to explore at your leisure, or take an optional excursion to Elephanta Island. In the evening there will be a farewell dinner hosted in a private residence.
Day 22: Depart India, with individual transfers to the airport for your flight home.
December 18, 1998-January 8, 1999
$5685.00 per person, based on double occupancy. The Single Supplement is $1985.00.
This price includes: all internal travel in India and Nepal; international flights between India and Nepal; all transfers to and from the airports; first class hotel accommodations; full board dining daily; all sightseeing and special events costs, including entrance fees; the services of a professional tour leader; the handling of two bags per person; and all gratuities except for your tour escort.
Not included: the cost of international flights; personal expenses such as laundry; travel insurance; meals, beverages and sightseeing not included in your itinerary; visa fees and airport departure taxes.