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Highlights of Northern India
Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Orcha, Khajuraho & Varanasi tour with option to Extend to Bhutan, Nepal and Darjeeling
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Overview
Costs
Included
Itinerary
Tour Leader
Trip PhotosThe tour highlights the very best and must see places of Northern India. From the capital Delhi, we travel to Jaipur, the capital of colourful Rajasthan. Visiting the myths and legends associated with Agra to see the mesmerizing beauty of the Taj Mahal. From Agra, journey through rural India to the picturesque town of Orcha and further away from cities to the Khajuraho, to admire the stunning 1,000-year-old temples – infamous for their explicit carvings depicting the entire Kama Sutra. Our final leg of this India journey brings us Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in the world and holiest for the Hindu.
From Varanasi you can extend your travel to Bhutan, Nepal or Darjeeling or all of them.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Delhi – Welcome To India.
Upon arrival in Delhi, meet and transfer to the hotel. Take a rest to recover from jet lag.Overnight in hotel.
Day 2: Short Delhi Tour and drive to Jaipur
After breakfast, check out of the hotel. Before taking on the road to Jaipur, we will briefly tour New Delhi. Drive through the Raj Path Avenue, where we will view the India Gate, a memorial for the unknown soldiers of World War, see the Parliament Buildings and President of India’s House all from outside. Then in the outskirts of Delhi, visit the World heritage listed sites of Humayun’s Tomb, the first garden tomb built in 1570, which set a benchmark for later Mughal mausoleums in India, including the Taj Mahal. Also stop to wonder at the tall brick minaret of Qutab Minar, an UNESCO World Heritage Site made of red sandstone and marble, built way back in 1193.
Then begin our drive to Jaipur, which around 4 ½ hrs drive, scanning the scenery from the comfort of a private vehicle. This evening, take a walk to the city’s crowded and colourful bazaars, which sell a wide variety of artisan goods. Jaipur is famous for semi-precious stones. Overnight in hotel.
Day 3: Jaipur Tour
Jaipur also called “Pink City” is the capital of the colourful state of Rajasthan. We begin our full day private tour after breakfast. At the outskirts of the city, on a hilltop is the fortress and Palace complex called Amber Palace. Ride the elephant uphill, just as in the old days the Kings would have to visit Amber Palace. Make a photos stop at India’s most photographed building after the Taj Mahal, the Hawa Mahal or ‘Palace of the Winds’. This famous building has elaborately carved facade built to enable the ladies in the Palace to watch the goings-on in the street below without being seen. Visit the City Palace and its museum, located in the heart of the Old City. Visit Jantar Mantar, one of the five astronomical observatories built by Maharaja Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur.
Option: In the evening, if you feel like it, you can discover the extravagance of a Bollywood blockbuster, at the spectacular Raj Mandir Cinema.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 4: Jaipur – Agra via Fatehpur Sikri
En-route to Agra, stop at Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted former capital of the Akbar, the most famous Mughal Emperor. This magnificent deserted Mughal city was built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, only to be abandoned after 15 years due to the scarcity of water. Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and see the elements of different religions: Akbar built three palaces for each of his favourite wives—a Hindu, a Muslim, and a Christian. A highlight of the settlement is Jama Masjid, a striking mosque featuring elements of both Persian and Hindu design. The main entrance of the mosque is the impressive 54-metre high Buland Darwaza, the Gate of Victory, constructed to commemorate Akbar’s military victory in Gujarat.
Upon arrival in Agra, enjoy walking in Sadar Bazaar which is famous for handicrafts, marble goods and leather shoes.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 5: Agra – Taj Mahal
Early this morning, visit the Taj Mahal, the ultimate monument to love. Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the ornate carvings and bejewelled marble of this mausoleum are truly breath taking. Spend the afternoon exploring impressive Agra’s Red Fort, home to Shan Jahan and many Mughal Emperors prior and after him.
In the evening, you have an option to see light and sound show at Agra Fort, which displays and showcases the history of Agra Fort or you can simply rest and stay in the hotel.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 6: Agra- Jhansi by Train and drive to Orchha
Early this morning (at 8:00AM), take a two and half hour (A/c) train ride across Indian terrain to Jhansi. Transfer short distance to picturesque town of Orchha.
Located on the banks of the Betwa River, Orchha has changed little over the centuries. Although a small town today, Orcha once served as the capital of the Bundela Kings, one of the largest and powerful Kingdom in central India, and as a result, Orchha has more temples and palaces than any town of this size deserves. Crumbling temples and palaces are scattered across rural countryside, their spires and domes rise from the jungle. Orchha, means ‘Hidden’ and it is indeed a hidden gem. Visit Orchha Fort Palace Complex, Raja Ram Temple and Cenotaphs and tour the local village.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 7: Orchha- Khajuraho
With our private vehicle, drive across the rural India to Khajuraho, which is around 180KM/4hrs away. Far from any major cities, Khajuraho’s remote location saved its stunning 1,000-year-old temples – infamous for their explicit carvings depicting the entire Kama Sutra. Although remote and very quiet today, in the tenth century Khajuraho was the center of the thriving civilization of the Chandelas. This magnificent group of temples (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was built between the ninth and tenth centuries. The erotic stone carvings here have come to symbolize the important role of love and prana energy in Hindu thought. Only about 20 temples survive from the 85 that were originally built, but they are among the finest in India. This afternoon, we visit the eastern and western temple complexes. In the evening there are optional activities such as Sound & Light Show in held near the Western temple or see the famous Kandariya classical dance performance in a Theater.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 8: Khajuraho- Flight to Varanasi
In the morning, visit the Southern group of temples and take a quick flight to Varanasi, the holiest of Hindu cities. Meet and transfer to the hotel.
Known as Benares or Kashi in ancient India, Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world, with a written history dating back more than 4,000 years. It has an intense, almost palpable atmosphere of spiritual devotion, a feeling of an unending religious festival. Hundreds of temples propitiate the thousands of deities in the Hindu pantheon. Pilgrims from every part of this vast nation crowd the narrow streets and the riverside ghats. Towards the evening, transfer to the bathing ghats located alongside the sacred River Ganges. People flock in large numbers every day to bathe and worship in the temples built beside the riverbank. Feel the timelessness of Varanasi as the sun sets and as the temple priests perform aarti, the sacred light ceremony, on the banks of Mother Ganga. After the puja ceremony is complete, transfer back to the hotel.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 9: Varanasi
At sunrise, we board our small boat for a cruise on the Ganges. From our boat we can see the everyday life of this holy city. People arrive at the ghats at dawn to take a ritual dip, perform yoga asanas, religious rites, wash clothes and offer flowers and incense to the river. After disembarking, walk with your guide to visit local temple before returning to the hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast, we drive to the nearby ancient Buddhist learning center of Sarnath. Here, Gautama Buddha preached his first sermon to his first disciples. Visit some of the Buddhist temples and Sarnath Museum, (except on Fridays, when the museum is closed) which houses some of the great treasures of Indian Buddhist art. We may be able to visit a local silk-weaving workshop.
Return to Varanasi, where plan on visiting Banaras Hindu University, Bharat Mata temple and if time is still available, we will walk through crowded alleyways, and browse its markets.
Overnight in hotel.
Day 10: Flight Varanasi – Delhi or extend to Bhutan or Nepal
Transfer to airport for your flight to Delhi. Connect your international flight OR you can opt for extension tour to Nepal and fly Kathmandu.
Nepal Extension via Lumbini
Day 10: Drive from Varanasi to Lumbini (6-7hrs), crossing into Nepal
Day 11 & 12: Lumbini to Chitwan: Drive to Chitwan and spend two nights in Chitwan National Park
Day 13 & 14: Travel to Pokhara (5-6hrs) and spend two nights in Pokhara
Day 15 & 16: Drive to Kathmandu (5-6hrs) and spend two night in Kathmandu
Day 17: Departure from Kathmandu and or extend to Bhutan
Bhutan Extension
Day 10: Fly or train from Varanasi to Kolkata
Day 11: Fly to Bhutan, travel to Thimphu
Day 12: Thimphu
Day 13: Thimphu to Haa Valley
Day 14: Haa to Paro valley
Day 15 & 16: In Paro valley with one day for hike to famous Takstang Monastery.
Day 17: Departure
- A brief tour in capital Delhi to cover Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Rajpath Avenue and India Gate.
- Discover the delights of the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur, where we ride an elephant to Amber fort. Visit Hawa Mahal, City Palace Museum and Jantar Mantar Observatory
- Tour the ruins of Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s capital city, on our way to Agra.
- Visit the timeless Taj Mahal of Agra and get swept up in a kaleidoscope of colours in the local market.
- Travel through central India’s rural areas and spend a night in picturesque Orcha with palaces and temples rising from the jungles
- Peruse Khajuraho’s erotic temple carvings
- Mingle with pilgrims in spiritual Varanasi, where we ride boat on Ganges, visit sarnath and stroll through it narrow alleys filled with lively shops and color. Also visit Sarnath from Varanasi
- Easily extend your trip to Nepal, Bhutan, Darjeeling/Sikkim or all
Overview
Trip Type Culture Tours
Activities Included 
Accommodation 4 star deluxe hotels with combination of heritage hotels.
Meal Daily breakfast only
Best Seasons Janurary to March
August to December
Route Delhi-Jaipur-Agra-Jhansi-Orchha-Khajuraho-Varanasi- A brief tour in capital Delhi to cover Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Rajpath Avenue and India Gate.
- Discover the delights of the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur, where we ride an elephant to Amber fort. Visit Hawa Mahal, City Palace Museum and Jantar Mantar Observatory
- Tour the ruins of Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s capital city, on our way to Agra.
- Visit the timeless Taj Mahal of Agra and get swept up in a kaleidoscope of colours in the local market.
- Travel through central India’s rural areas and spend a night in picturesque Orcha with palaces and temples rising from the jungles
- Peruse Khajuraho’s erotic temple carvings
- Mingle with pilgrims in spiritual Varanasi, where we ride boat on Ganges, visit sarnath and stroll through it narrow alleys filled with lively shops and color. Also visit Sarnath from Varanasi
- Easily extend your trip to Nepal, Bhutan, Darjeeling/Sikkim or all
Cost Information
Cost Per Person in US Dollars
This is small Group Journey with daily – guaranteed departures, but available for private trips at a small premium.
Cost is based on number of participants (Maximum 8 members). At the time of sign-up, you will be invoiced based on 2 participants and final invoice will be raised on total sign-ups before departure.
- 6-8 members: $1110 Per Person
- 3-5 members: $ 1170 Per Person
- 2 member: $1260 Per Person
- Single member: $1970 (including single room supplement)
- Single room supplement: $400
- For trips in May until 15 September 10 % discount will be provided.
- Exclusively choosing to travel privately will be charged small fee. Ask for details
Included
- Accommodations in listed 4 star type hotels.
- Daily breakfast as per itinerary.
- Entrance fees to the monuments listed in the itinerary. (extra fees may for cameras and any additional monuments or optional tours visited)
- Elephant ride in Jaipur, Boat ride in Varanasi
- Train ticket from Agra to Jhansi in air conditioned chair car
- Land transfers and transportation by Private AC Vehicle.
- Full escorted and guided by English speaking local guides.
- All applicable taxes for above services.
Not included
- India visa (option available for visa upon arrival).
- Flight in and out of Delhi
- Flight tickets (2 flights) in coach class between Khajuraho-Varanasi-Delhi
- Lunches and dinners (approx between $5 -15 for each meal)
- Any other tourist activities not mentioned in the program.
- Optional tips and gratuities
- Insurance for Travel/Medical
Group Travel Dates
Traveller Review
James N.W
Nov 04 - 09,2015I also wanted to say what a wonderful tour we had. Our guide Gaurav was fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed his company. He loves his country and religion and we learnt so very much from him. He always went the extra mile to make our trip extra special and to make sure we were enjoying every moment. The driver did a fantastic job in the chaotic traffic and got us safely to our destinations. We were so grateful that he was driving. The hotels were lovely and Gaurav made sure that we took time to enjoy the hotel and pool.
Thank you again for a well organised and executed tour. We’ll definitely tour with you again.
Carlo
Carlo P. & Benjamin P. S. D.
April 25 - May 02, 2015:Hello Santosh,
Martin, Richard, Daniel & I would like to thank you very very much for the great Indian adventure you had planned for us.
Everything went smoothly from the start till the end. We did appreciate the fact that during our trip you made sure that everything went well.
Santosh, I am sorry I could not call you back before our departure but we did not have any more minutes available on our phone and we had to leave earlier the hotel because of the death of the indian political official that day.
The bookings of hotels and selection of visits, guides and chauffeurs were all done with great details and well chosen.
Of course we appreciate very much the collaborations of Marcel and Roger. Mille fois merci à vous!
Many thanks to all three of you!
We will recommend you all to the many people we will talk about our trip to India.
Richard, Martin, Daniel & Rémi.
Oct 20 - Nov 17, 2012The trip was excellent / amazing. Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Top marks to Mukesh (guide) and Hacinda (driver). I couldn’t say enough good about them. They made a great team and always went the extra mile to make our trip to India a memorable and successful trip. Please be sure to pass our compliments on Mukesh & Hacinda to your supplier in India.
Delhi
Taj Mahal Palace is a great hotel – would recommend it.
All visits made here were very good.
Agra
The train experience was a good one.
The Taj was as amazing as one would expect. We went for both sunset and sunrise – visited at length for sunrise. If one had to make a choice I would recommend going for sunrise only.
Agra fort was good.
Oberoi was a great hotel, but lacked ambience! In terms of value for money it does not compare with the Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi. Wasn’t really taken w/Agra
Jaipur
Was very good
Hotel was ok – we were lucky to get a big room, so that helped and added to the comfort!
Loved everything we visited on the 1st day. If one had to make a choice of a 2nd day in Jaipur or a 2nd day in Udaipur, I would consider a 2nd day in Udaipur. Alternatively if one didn’t want to shop, they could possibly cram more into the 1st day. Of the forts on 2nd day, I preferred Nahargarh fort.
If one feels like a splurge for dinner, I would recommend dinner at the Rambagh Palace. Also a great place to stay if one wanted top drawer accommodation.
Udaipur
Loved it. We were very fortunate to do the boat ride around time of sun set – was possibly the best sunset I have ever seen. So when possible, I would recommend doing the boat trip just before sunset.
This was definitely the best of the palaces – that’s not to say the others we visited weren’t nice. Temple – we were there when people were worshipping, so it gave a better feel to it. Udaipur is a great city (much smaller). Great atmosphere.
Trident was ok – rooms on the smaller size. Dinner at Oberoi looking onto the lake lit up was good.
No sickness experienced by either of us. Overall, an excellent trip to be recommended. If one wanted to get another day’s visiting, it could probably be done by having little or no shopping, and fly as opposed to travel by road. We personally were very happy with our itinerary.
Thanks for all your help. Again a huge thanks to Mukesh and Hacinda. They were the icing on the cake !!
Bernadette & John. ”
John & Bernadette Gallagher
Sept 30- Oct07, 2011
As I mentioned, I am happy to give you my personal feedback on this trip. This was the trip of a lifetime for me! Thank you, Cindy- Bhutan Traverse & North India Sept 9-29, 2010.
Cindy S
Sep 9-29,2010
Just a few selected photos to give you a hint of what we were doing in Bhutan. Ugen, I’ll send a short report to you in the near future. I completed the longer form that Wind Horse provided at the beginning of our adventure. The bottom line is that while we are glad to be home after three long and fairly rigorous weeks, the many faces and experiences of Bhutan are indelible fixed in our minds. Sonam and Mr. Guddu (sp?) were our perfect hosts. Jb.
West to East Bhutan Traverse from Sept 10-24 & North India from 24-29 Sept 2010.
John B
Sept 10-29,2010Hello Santosh
Now that I am home from all my journeys, I have some time to write you. Thank You for arranging my trip with such great people, meeting me and driving in all the cities that I visited on my whirlwind tour of Northern India. They were always on time and they waited for me at the airport sometimes for hours due to my delayed flights. Of specific mentioning were the Driver and Guide in Agra/Jaipur …they were super. The driver was MORE THAN excellent …he was totally a great guy .In fact he was the best driver that I had on the whole trip in India ..he looked out for me like a mother hen ..he was a real gem ..he deserves a raise ..he should be a guide instead of a driver .he was very knowledgeable, very polite and very respectful … All of my Jet Airways flights were late ..some were VERY late . Jet airlines has great new planes and a wonderful staff ..they were top notch both on the ground and in the air ..it is too bad that they cannot stick to their schedules but this is not always their fault ..a good airline. I only had 2 hours of daylight after arriving in Udaipur so it was a waste of a visit but I got to see the Lake Palace which was the most important reason for going there . It quickly became dark so that ended that ! .the guide was a really nice guy who tried his best to show me as much as possible before the sun went down .
The Hotel in Udaipur was very very nice but the NOISE from the HUMMMMMM that travels all through the hotel from an outside source was incredible so not much sleep here. I was told that the hummmis were always present ??.had to leave very early the next am anyway …the driver and guide were on time for this very early departure ..
The Hotel in Varanassi needs new management ..it is a new hotel ..a beautiful hotel
but it is rapidly going downhill ..the managers need a wake up call to keep it alive .
I had so many room problems.I was moved 4 times in one night ..no excuse for that at all
if the managers had their staff on the ball to look after the hotel properly .
The driver and Guide in Varanassi were excellent ..the guide spent a couple of hours with me at the Ganges River ..as I only wanted to see certain things in the city he stayed with me for a couple of hours at his doing .After I came home I learned that a bombing had occurred in the city at the court house killing some people ..sad very sad. The company in Varanasi that you selected was excellent ..the guide was a very charming person ..his command of the English language was excellent. The train ride from Agra to Janasi? was great ..I got do see a lot of country. I am a former farmer so watching the farms go by was a treat. The train was very clean and comfortable ..a great way to see India ..if I was to go back again I would use the train more to travel around .My drive to KHAJURAHO allowed me to see more of the farming countryside …my driver was an excellent , patient and careful driver considering the terrible road conditions we made it to our destination in great time …he dropped me off and then had to drive back to Janasi ? I felt sorry for him .I dropped going to one city along our journey to save time ..Orcha ?
I did not get to see anything in Delhi due to very delayed flights and thick fog …
Thank You for delivering my documents to the Hotel . You should of sent them by courier to save yourself time and petrol. My flight from Paro to Delhi was very late in arriving in Delhi that day and as I was quite tired I did not want to wait up to meet you at 11pm so I went right to bed ….the staff at the Park Plaza Gurgaeon were excellent ..if you need a good hotel near the airport for clients ..this is an excellent one .. it is only 20 min from both terminals ..the room was excellent as was the buffet breakfast which had everything you could imagine to eat .
Well we are to receive a very large snow storm here in a matter of hours so I have much outside work to do plus I have to drive to our nearest town for food as the driving will be bad for the next 4 days .Winter is here in Canada for the next 4 months . It is -15 C here but feels like -25 C with the wind chill factor so it is cold .
Thank You again for your splendid selection of companies to serve me in the various cities that I was in. I appreciated all your correspondence to make my trip to India
a very memorable one .Thanks for your organizational skills in timing my visits to each city .
Best of luck to you and your staff in your new Delhi Office .
Skip Nieman
Facebook Review
Guides
Gaurav Goyal
Gaurav Goyal remains stalwarts of Wind Horse Tours, India since its inception in 2005. Along with company he gained salience. His friend says ” He aged once he started to work “. Like any other works, it was hardly a stroll in park at the start. In initial days, where every little aspects was overwhelming to learn but he weathered the storm tenaciously and befitting he is in the stage where a rave review from the guests is just like another day in the office.
He grew up in old Delhi locality and did his college from there itself. He is familiar with every nook and corner around Delhi and surrounding regions. This assist in untying knots of intricate history of Delhi and its monuments it harbours in its fold when taking guests on tours.
When not guiding, you can find him in cricket ground with a Kookaburra cricket ball in hand all geared up to disturb the three timbers that batman passionately guard.
Rajat Gupta
Rajat Gupta is the gun young at Wind Horse Tours, New Delhi. With his advent there is infusion of fresh ideas, exuberance and passion , that changing travel scenario demands. He completed his degree course in Tourism Management in 2014.
At Wind Horse Tour, India, he is setting pace for innovations and fresh perspectives to thrive and to meet new demands. With opening of window for Visa on Arrival for many countries by Indian Government, this has thrown door wide open for travel industries to redesign structural patterns in term of infrastructures and itineraries.
He inherited the passion for the travel business from his father Santosh Gupta. While growing up or still now the travel talks hogs the limelight at the dinner table. He alway knew what he wanted or how he wants to shape up his career. Choosing travel management course was a conscious choice to hone his passion.
Trip Photos
Overview
Trip Type Culture Tours Activities Included Accommodation 4 star deluxe hotels with combination of heritage hotels. Meals Daily breakfast only Route Delhi-Jaipur-Agra-Jhansi-Orchha-Khajuraho-Varanasi
Max Group Size Maximum 8 pax ( Guranteed even for single traveller) Best Seasons Janurary to March
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Hi Santosh,
We are now at the hotel in Delhi – reflecting on our great trip here. Thank you for making everything work so smoothly and adjusting to have Raj join. He was excellent to support our journey in many ways – and we got to know so much more about the culture, current events while he managed every detail along the way.
Denish was amazing as our driver – we never once were feeling anxious given the extremely busy roads…he was ever so skillful in navagating. We would daily comment on how he could seemingly thread-the-needle of what seemed to us as chaos on the road – but in actuality – we could see with his driving – it’s actually oddly harmonious and flowing ( amazing to experience).
Now we must bid goodbye on this short stay in India – headed to the airport in the morning…which Raj graciously arranged for us a car to pick us up at 8:45am at the Marriott Aero city hotel.
We know we will be back – other cities beckon – but for now, it’s off to Bhutan then Nepal.
Thanks again Santosh – wonderful to have met you and hope to cross paths on our next stay.
namaste,