Northern India & Nepal

The group flight will arrive into Delhi in the morning and we will transfer

to our hotel. Those who have made their own flight arrangements will join us

at the hotel during the day. You are free today to explore Delhi and rest

after your flight; rooms may not be available until noon but it is often

earlier than this.

Comfortable Hotel

After breakfast we will have a tour of the capital. In Old Delhi we visit

Jama Masjid (India's largest mosque). We then drive past the fine colonial

buildings in New Delhi. Built by the British Raj in the early years of last

century and set in spacious tree-lined boulevards, these now house various

Indian governmental departments. We then visit Humayun's Tomb, one of the

earlier Moghul Emperors. In the afternoon we drive to the 'Pink City' of

Jaipur. This drive will take approximately 5 to 7 hours, depending on local

traffic.

Comfortable Hotel

* *A full day to explore Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and one of the

most attractive and colourful cities in India. Built in the late 18th

century, it is a planned city of broad avenues built of sandstone and painted

pink at a later stage. First we visit the City Palace. Formerly the residence

of the Maharaja it is now a fine museum containing rare manuscripts,

paintings, royal garments and weapons. Close to the palace is one of the most

intriguing sites of India, the observatory of Jai Singh. This is an assembly

of immense astronomical instruments made of marble and brass set in a

pleasant garden. We will also see Jaipur's impressive landmark, the Hawa

Mahal, or Palace of the Winds. A few miles from the main city is the splendid

Amber Palace, rising above a lake. The imposing hilltop fort contains large

courtyards and interiors with fine decorations including inlaid alabaster

panels and a Chamber of Mirrors. We can walk up the hill through the massive

gateway to the courtyard. Jaipur is a centre of many handicrafts, such as

durries (woven rugs), carpets, printed cloth, semi-precious stones,

leatherwear etc.

*Comfortable Hotel*

 We begin the day by driving to Agra via the deserted ancient city of

Fatehpur Sikri. Formally the capital of the Mughal Empire, this wonderfully

preserved 'ghost town' was constructed by Emperor Akbar between 1570 and 1585

and reflects his ideals in art, religion and architecture. This impressive

and well-preserved citadel became his capital in 1571, after the blessing of

a local Moslem holy man correctly predicted the birth of a longed-for son,

his successor the Emperor Jehangir. The mosque, designed to hold ten thousand

worshippers, the palaces, residences and halls of audience are all of

decorative red sandstone. But this magnificence only lasted 14 years, as in

1584 Akbar left Fatehpur Sikri to secure his outlying territories, leaving

this city much as we see it today. The site is one of the most atmospheric in

northern India and its position on a ridge overlooking the modern village

below, and its wonderful state of preservation give us with a taste of this

city's majestic past.

*Comfortable Hotel*



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 A very early start to see the incredible spectacle of the sunrise over the

Taj. The Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz

Mahal, who died in 1631, built the beautiful white marble Taj Mahal. The Taj

is serenely beautiful and never fails to amaze a first time visitor; the

white marble exterior changes colour according to the position of the sun and

is matched by the rich interior detail. Within striking distance is the

imposing Red Fort of Akbar, whose mighty sandstone walls enclose the

beautiful white marble Pearl Mosque and the palaces, halls, courtyards and

fountains of his sons and successors, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. It is here

that the latter spent his last years, imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb.

Agra also offers a wide variety of handicrafts including jewellery, inlaid

and carved marble, carpets and clothes and there should be time for some

shopping. In the evening we make our way to Agra Fort train station to catch

our overnight train to Varanasi.

On arrival in Varanasi we transfer to our hotel. Please note rooms may not be

available until noon but efforts are made to make it earlier if  possible.

In the afternoon we vist the nearby Sarnath Temple.  Sarnath is as sacred to

Buddhists as Varanasi is to Hindus. The main monument at Saranath is the

Dhamekh Stupa which is the very spot where Buddha is believed to have given

his first sermon. Evening free. *

Comfortable Hotel*

* *Varanasi, situated on the River Ganges, is one of the most holy cities in

India and stands at the centre of the Hindu universe. As such, the city lives

and breathes Hinduism: there are thousands of pilgrims, wandering holy men

(Sadhus), religious leaders and casual visitors. Immerse yourself by

exploring its maze of narrow lanes, many temples and watch the Hindu

ceremonies that take place around the clock. Just before dawn, we take a boat

out on the Ganges to witness the extraordinary spectacles on the ghats; the

steps leading down to the river. Every day thousands of Hindu pilgrims come

to these three miles of riverbank to submerge themselves in the waters of the

holy Ganges. In the evening you can witness the aarti ceremony from the banks

of the river.

Comfortable Hotel

* *We board our private bus and make an early departure for Nepal. We drive

across the northern plains, passing through a few towns and lots of Indian

villages. At the Indian border we leave our bus and walk across through

customs and immigration to Nepal (approx. 500 metres). Once in Nepal, we

enter the Terai, the narrow plain running along the southern breadth of the

country. We have a short drive (approx. 1 hour) to Lumbini, the birthplace of

the Buddha, where we spend the night. Total driving time approx. 12 hrs.

*Standard Hotel*

Early this morning there is a short, optional rickshaw ride around the

Lumbini gardens. Buddha was born here and the area is being developed into a

place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from all over the world. Travelling east

and parallel to the mountains, we reach Chitwan (approx. 4 hour drive), where

we spend two nights. The park, with its jungle and thick forest, was the

former royal hunting ground and was made a conservation area in 1973. During

your stay you can enjoy an optional ox cart ride in Tharu village or an

evening dance performance; both providing a glimpse into the fascinating

lives of the local tribe. 

*Standard hotel*



 

Chitwan National Park and the surrounding forest covers an area of 923 square

kilometres of the terai (low land region in southern Nepal) and affords

excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Amongst the larger animals, you

have an excellent chance of seeing the Indian one horned rhino, Sambar and

Chital deer, guar, langur and Rhesus monkeys, mongoose, jackal, otter and

crocodile. The more elusive animals include tiger, leopard, leopard cat,

Sloth bear and Indian bison. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded in

this area.



Wildlife activities are managed and escorted by experienced naturalists and

shikharis and included in your stay is a jeep safari and a dug out canoe

excursion. Birdwatching outings can also be organised.



*Standard Hotel*



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* *Today, our journey to Pokhara is only 140km but will take 4-5 hours. We

follow the gorge of the Narayani River and soon we are in the foothills of

the Himalaya. The scenery changes dramatically from the forests and farmlands

of the terai to steep terraced hills, and as we get closer to Pokhara we

begin to see the formidable Annapurna Range. Set at only 1,000m amongst

semi-tropical plants and with a delightfully warm climate, it is actually

much closer to the main Himalayan peaks than Kathmandu. Machhapuchhare, the

'Fishtail Peak', dominates the skyline especially on a clear morning. We stay

in a simple hotel near to Lake Phewa, with a wide choice of restaurants and

other facilities close by.

*Standard Hotel*

* *We can either relax by or on the beautiful lake in Pokhara, or the more

energetic can hike into the surrounding hills for even better views of the

peaks. There are many wonderful day walks in and around the Pokhara valley,

one of the best being to drive up to the remains of a fort at Sarankot, the

hill directly overlooking the lake and then walk back to Pokhara. An early

morning start is required to guarantee the clearest view, but once there, the

whole Annapurna range can be seen with virtually no intervening hills. This

is one of the best of all viewpoints for Machhapuchhare, most people's

favourite mountain in the region. For many though, Pokhara is a place to

relax by either renting a rowboat or bicycle for a few hours and exploring

the lake and its shoreline at a leisurely pace.

*Standard Hotel*

* *We leave early for the long drive to Kathmandu, along the Chinese-built

road running parallel to the main Himalayan range. The distance is only 200km

but it is a slow climb through the mountains and the journey will take most

of the day (7 - 8 hours). The views, however, are stunning as we follow the

Marsyangdi and Trisuli rivers, passing numerous villages and terraces

stretching thousands of feet up the hillside. We arrive in Kathmandu in the

late afternoon and check into our centrally located hotel.

*Comfortable Hotel*

We have today to explore Kathmandu and the valley. In the early morning there

is the opportunity to take a scenic flight to see Mount Everest (this can be

booked and paid for on arrival in Kathmandu; see 'Extra Expenses and Spending

Money' section below regarding costs). Today there will be a half-day

sightseeing tour visiting Pashupatinath, the most important Hindu temple in

the valley, and Bodnath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. The

rest of the time is free for individual exploration of Kathmandu. You may

like to visit Durbar Square of Kathmandu with its old Royal Palace and

intricately carved temples, or Swayambhunath, the 'monkey temple', set on a

hill overlooking the city.



Kathmandu also offers the most wonderful and varied opportunities for

souvenir shopping: clothes, trinkets, Tibetan and Nepalese handicrafts and

superb bookshops. It also has a wide variety of restaurants serving some of

the best food from the sub-continent and you can also find wonderful pizzas

and apple pie.



*Comfortable Hotel*

Those on the flight inclusive package will depart for the airport this

morning for the daytime flight back to London; Land Only arrangements will

finish after check-out from the hotel.

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