The best places in North and Central India. 12 days

The best places in North and Central India. Delhi, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jaipur, Agra, Orcha, Khajuraho, Varanasi. 12 days.

On this tour:

The most interesting sights of the Golden Triangle of India: Taj Mahal, forts, bazaars, colorful street animals, bright Indian women, smells of incense, national cuisine and more; Colorful Rajasthan - Eastern fairy tale of India - palaces of maharajas, merchant houses-haveli, elephants, camels, the Thar desert, beautiful national clothes and unique culture; Khajuraho. Old villages, rural fields where people work like 100 years ago, classical Indian nature. And, of course, the world-famous temples of the Kama Sutra, covered with hundreds of statues of the finest work; Sacred Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world, the city of the god Shiva, the capital and heart of Hinduism, the city where people flock from all over India to pray or to die. Cremations take place here every day and without interruption, and the sacred fire never goes out.

Day 0-1. Delhi.

Meeting at the airport. Depending on the time of your flight, we will take you to Delhi for a hotel stay to meet you after breakfast, or we will start the tour right away.

Today we will explore the capital of India, the city of contrasts Delhi. And from its many attractions, we will choose the most interesting and unique.

Qutub Minar is a historic site with the remains of the first Indian mosque, built from parts of 27 destroyed Hindu temples for this purpose and the highest minaret built by several generations of sultans.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is a beautiful Sikh temple with a sacred pond and dining room where absolutely anyone can have lunch.

Colonial center, built by the British, with wide avenues, government buildings (Parliament, Presidential Palace) and the Gate of India.

Lotus Temple is Delhi’s visiting card. A Baha'i temple for meditation, meditation and prayer. Its doors are open to all religions.

Walking tour - we will walk through the living streets of Delhi.

And, to choose:

Akchardham is a white temple of amazing beauty, decorated with numerous statues.

Or a bicycle rickshaw tour of Chadney Chowk - an interesting market where they sell everything from gold to bags of spices.

The next city on our route is Udaipur. It can be reached by night train or plane (evening or in the morning).

Night at a hotel in Delhi, Udaipur or on a train.

Day 2. Udaipur (White City of Rajasthan)

After breakfast we will start exploring the city.

Udaipur is known as the White City of India. White palaces, havelis, temples, castles floating on lakes and just ancient buildings gracefully complement the beauty of sparkling lakes in the sun. This city is called the most romantic city of India, the Venice of India, the city of lovers, the most European city of India, one of the cultural capitals of India. And for good reason. It is fresh, beautiful, cleaner and less hectic than most other cities. Here you can relax and enjoy the moment.

We walk through the central part of the city - with its old streets, parks, palaces and beautiful traditional haveli merchant mansions.

Take a boat ride on the lake and make a stop on a small island with a beautiful lake palace Jag Mandir, surrounded by a garden. And after sunset, we will go for dinner in one of the romantic and cozy cafes of Udaipur.

A night at a hotel in Udaipur.

Day 3. Udaipur.

Today we will continue to explore Udaipur.

Visit the white complex of the City Palace with beautiful buildings and museums inside.

We will go to the temple of Jagdish Mandir (Jagannatha Raya) - the most important city temple, which is patronized by Vishnu. The entrance to the temple is guarded by a huge bird Garuda made of bronze and two large stone elephants.

We will visit the cenotaph of Rajput kings - the most beautiful in Rajasthan.

We will walk along the ghats - steps on the embankment of Lake Pichola, drink masala tea in a cafe overlooking the water.

By sunset, we will climb a beautiful hill with Monsoon Palace located on it.

We will visit the cultural village-museum, where we will see traditional clothes, houses, dances of Rajasthan.

A night at a hotel in Udaipur.

Day 4. Udaipur-Pushkar.

After an early breakfast we will go to Pushkar (5-6 hours).

This small town is a shrine for Hindus on the one hand, and a favorite holiday destination for international hippies on the other. Important religious shrines coexist in Pushkar with cafes for hippie backpackers, and pilgrims dressed in traditional scarves-skirts - with dreadheaded guys in Ali-Bab pants. Pushkar is also famous for camel safaris and camel fairs held in autumn.

After a short stay at the hotel, we will go for a walk in the center and by the sacred lake, where you can watch Hindu priests and pilgrims.

One of the places of Pushkar must be visited: this is the temple of Brahma, just one of the 2 temples of this deity in India.

In the afternoon, we are waiting for a camel safari in the Thar desert.

Night at a hotel in Pushkar.

Day 5. Pushkar Jaipur.

We'll have a little more time for Pushkar in the morning.

This is not a city of planned sightseeing. There is no need to hurry, plan and walk with a map. Here relaxed walk, sit on the steps of the lake or in numerous cafes, reflect on the futility of life and imbued with the atmosphere. Photographers have the opportunity to make unique photos of colorful characters flocking here from all over India.

Then we will go to the Pink City of Jaipur – the capital of the most interesting state of Rajasthan (3-4 hours).

After checking into the hotel and a short rest, we will go to explore the city. We will drive and walk through the streets of the Rose City with ancient buildings, live bazaars, scurrying rickshaws, walking animals and all the colors of Rajasthan culture and daily life. Visit the famous Palace of Winds, built for harem.

Night at a hotel in Jaipur.

Day 6. Jaipur Agra.

After breakfast we will head to Amber Fort with the beautiful Maharaja Palace inside. If we are lucky, in the vicinity of Amber we will find a fakir with a cobra and street traditional musicians or puppeteers. If desired, you can climb to the fort on elephants.

Then we will visit the old town of Amer, the former capital of the Rajputs before Jaipur. Here we will see narrow streets, old temples and an interesting step well.

On the way back to Jaipur, we will make a stop near a beautiful lake, walk along the promenade and look at the Jal Mahal Palace, standing right on the water.

Then we will walk in the area of the City Palace, where the family of Raja Jaipur still lives and visit the ancient Jantar Mantar Observatory with huge astronomical measuring instruments.

In the afternoon we have a road to Agra (4-5 hours drive).

A night at a hotel in Agra.

Day 7, Agra-Orcia.

Early in the morning we will see the main attraction of India, the 8th wonder of the world, a symbol of great love - the Taj Mahal.

Then we will return to the hotel for breakfast and a short rest, after which we will continue to get acquainted with the sights of Agra. We will visit the majestic and interesting - both externally and historically - Red Fort (by the way, which is the site of events in one of the books about Sherlock Holmes). Take a look at the small but unusually beautiful tomb of Itimad-ud-Dawla, called by the Indians “Baby Taj Mahal”. Watch the process of handmade marble in one of the showrooms.

In the afternoon we will move to Orcha (about 5 hours drive).

A night at a hotel in Orch.

Day 8, Orcha Khajuraho.

After breakfast, we'll start meeting Orcha. Today it is a small town, almost a village. One of the most cozy, calm and atmospheric places in Northern India, which travelers say that time stopped here many years ago. But before Orcha was the capital of the Principality of Bhudelkhand and the center of life in the region. Around preserved palaces, temples, cenotaphs and other interesting buildings against the backdrop of beautiful, soft nature.

In the afternoon we will go to Khajuraho (about 4 aces of the way).

Night at a hotel in Khajuraho.

Day 9, Khajuraho.

The town of Khajuraho is famous for groups of ancient temples covered with masterfully executed statues of gods, animals, scenes from everyday life, and especially illustrations for the Kama Sutra.

We will visit the best of the temples.

Then we will take a walk through the old village of Khajuraho, which preserved the structure of the traditional village, in which people lived according to the caste system.

Later in the afternoon, we will tour the countryside to see life in the Indian outback: villages, fields, working farmers, animals and nature. We will climb the local mountains - Teeth Mountains Teath-Mountains, and meet them with a sunset with a magnificent view.

In the evening, you can watch the Traditional Indian Dance Program accompanied by live music.

Next, we will arrange a traditional Indian dinner, and if you wish, you can even take part in the cooking process and, for example, learn how to cook chapati.

Night at a hotel in Khajuraho.

Day 10. Khajuraho-Varanasi.

In the morning we will visit the park to see the wildlife and the beautiful canyon with a river flowing along its bottom, in which you can find crocodiles. If desired, you can replace this trip with a full safari in Panna National Park, which is inhabited by tigers.

The remaining time can be spent walking around Khajuraho and visiting the remaining temples.

The next city of our route is the ancient and sacred Varanasi. You can get there by night train (arrival the next morning), by car (10-11 hours), or by plane (during the day).

Night on a train or hotel in Varanasi.

Day 11. Varanasi.

After breakfast, we will explore the city: streets, including the narrow colorful alleys of the gaali in the old part of the city, temples, bazaars.

We will make a trip outside Varanasi to Sarnat, an important pilgrimage site with a Buddhist stupa. The Buddha gave his first speech to his followers.

In the evening, we will visit one of the most interesting ceremonies in India: the Ganga aarti – the worship of the sacred river Ganges.

Night at the Varanasi Hotel.

Day 12. Varanasi Delhi.

Today we are waiting for an early ascent and the meeting of dawn in a boat sailing on the Ganges.

On the boat we will sail past all the ghats and look at the ancient city of Varanasi from the side. On one of the ghats we will see the process of cremation of the dead.

Then we will walk through the most interesting ghats and again go to the old quarters of the city - the heart and spirit of Varanasi, where you can see the life of Indians, ordinary for them, but so colorful for us.

At the end of the program and free time, the car will take you to the airport / train station (depending on the way you choose).

In Delhi, you will be greeted by the train carriage/airport and taken wherever you need to, depending on your future plans.

The cost of the tour for the dates you need and the number of people specify!

The cost of the tour includes: 11 nights of the hotel, breakfasts, camel safari in the Tar desert, a ticket for the Khajuraho-Varanasi and Varanasi-Delhi train, breakfasts, all transfers between the cities and within the cities (except Khajuraho-Varanasi and Varanasi-Delhi) in an air-conditioned car with a driver, a boat to Varanasi, 1 transfer to Delhi on arrival from Varanasi, a Russian-speaking guide for all 12 days (before departure from Varanasi), all taxes and fees.

When replacing trains with a plane / car, the cost will increase by the difference in tickets and an additional night at the hotel.

Not included: air travel; visa; insurance; lunches and dinners; entrance tickets to museums, monuments, parks, safaris, show programs, donations in temples; the right to photo and video shooting and storage where required; climbing to Amber Forth on elephants; personal expenses; tips to the driver, guide, porters in hotels.