Day 01 : Delhi
Meet and assist on arrival at Delhi airport/railway station and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day is spent leisurely.

Delhi, the city actually consists of two parts. Delhi or `Old Delhi' was the capital of Muslim India between the 12th and 13th centuries. In Old Delhi you will find many mosques, monuments and forts relating to India's Muslim history. The other part of Delhi is `New Delhi', the Imperial city created as the capital of India by the British. It is a spacious, open city and contains many embassies and Government buildings. The city is rich in the architecture of its monuments.

Overnight stay at Delhi

Day 02 : Delhi
Morning a full day city tour visiting Raj Ghat, Shanti Vana, Qutub Minar built in 1199 and Lotus Temple. Also drive past President House, Parliament House, India Gate and Connaught Place. Evening an option to visit Delhi Haat.

Lotus Temple or Baháí House of Worship or Bahá'í Mashriqu'l-Adhkar -This lotus shaped temple is one of the most visited edifices in India. Its soothingly quiet Prayer Hall and tranquil surroundings have touched the hearts of numerous visitors, awakening in them a desire to trace its inspirational source and capture a bit of its peace for themselves.

As a symbol of beauty and purity, representative of divinity, the lotus flower remains unsurpassed in Indian iconography. Rising up pure and unsullied from stagnant water, the lotus represents the manifestation of God. The architect used this ancient Indian symbol to create a design of ethereal beauty.

Against the backdrop of a religious milieu which encourages the fragmentation of the Supreme Reality into innumerable gods and goddesses, each personifying a specific attribute of the Almighty, the Bahá'í Temple, with its total absence of idols, elicits bewilderment. Few temples radiate the atmosphere of sublimity, peace, and calm so necessary to elevate a devotee spiritually as the Bahá'í House of Worship.

Delhi Haat - In the hub of South Delhi lies Delhi Haat. The place has been developed by the Tourist Dept. of Delhi, to promote the craftmanship of India. It offers a kaleidoscopic view of the richness and diversity of Indian handicrafts and artefacts. Spread over a large area and imaginative landscaping, the plaza is paved with stone and brickwork skillfully interspersed with grass, flowering shrubs and towering eucalyptus trees., conjuring up an oasis which visitors can explore at their leisure. The food plaza offers the inimitable flavours of gastronomic delights from the various regions of India. A wide variety of skillfully crafted handicrafts, intrinsic to each part of the country are available in this exotic bazaar. These range from intricate rosewood and sandalwood carvings, embellished camel hide footwear, to sophisticated fabrics and drapery. Gems, beads, brass ware, metal craft, silk and woollens....the range is endless.

Overnight stay at Delhi

Day 03 : Delhi – Agra (204kms)
Morning visit Akarshdham Temple and then in the afternoon depart to Agra. On arrival at Agra, check in to the hotel.

Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi epitomises the 10,000 years of Indian culture in all its breathtaking grandeur, beauty, wisdom and bliss. It brilliantly showcases the essence of India’s ancient architecture, traditions and timeless spiritual messages. Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades.

The beautiful mandir is built without steel, consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangled shikhars, a spectacular Gajendra Pith (plinth of stone elephants) and 20,000 murtis and statues of India’s great sadhus, devotees, acharyas and divine personalities.

The mandir is a fusion of pink stone and pure white marble, where the pink stone symbolizes bhakti in eternal bloom and the white marble that of absolute purity and eternal peace.

Agra - is globally renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal. But this royal Mughal city has, in addition to the Taj, many monuments that epitomize the high point of Mughal architecture.

Overnight stay at Agra

Day 04 : Agra – Fatehpur Sikri – Agra (50kms x 2)
Early morning proceed for sightseeing of Taj Mahal and return to the hotel. After breakfast a tour of Agra visiting Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Evening is leisure time.

Taj Mahal One of the most photographed tourist attractions in the world, Taj Mahal is the attraction that pulls the tourists from all over the world. The Taj Mahal is entirely made of white marble and its walls are decorated with exquisite pietra dura (stone inlay) work. It is said that different types of precious and semi-precious stones were used in the intricate inlay work done on the interiors. This magnificent monument is set around a Charbagh or 'four garden' plan, which is split by watercourses-a reflection of the Persian style architecture.

Agra Fort is built by Emperor Akbar on the west bank of the river Yamuna and beautified with palaces and gardens by Jehangir. The crescent-shaped fort, with its 20-metre high and 2.4-km outer walls contains a maze of buildings that form a small city within a city. One can enter the fort only through the Amar Singh Gate. The public access is limited to the southern part of the fort, which includes nearly all the buildings of tourist interest. The Diwan-i-Aam (hall of public audience) and Diwan-i-Khas (hall of private audience) were built by Shahjahan for receiving audiences.

Jehangir's palace built by Akbar was the largest private residence in the fort. Close to Diwan-i-Khas, stands an octagonal tower known as Musamman Burj. It was here that Shahjahan breathed his last after seven years of imprisonment. Other places to see within the fort include the Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (the mirror palace) and the Anguri Bagh (the Grape Garden).

Fatehpur Sikri Thirty-nine kilometers from Agra stands Fatehpur Sikri, the red sandstone city of yesteryears. The city was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1564 AD in honor of the Muslim saint, Sheikh Salim Chisthi. Fatehpur Sikri was intended to be the capital city but the shortage of water and unrest in the north-west made Akbar abandon it after 14 years. One of the major attractions of this city is the marble tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisthi. Other places of interest include Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, Jodha Bai’s Palace and Birbal Bhavan.

Overnight stay at Agra

Day 05 : Agra – Gwalior (140kms)
Morning drive to Gwalior. On arrival at Gwalior check into the hotel. . Later a city tour of Gwalior.

Gwalior Fort - Perched high on a rocky massif, it makes an imposing edifice with its blue tiled palace. Nearly three km long, it is built at a vantage height of 100 m above the city. The Fort houses a number of historic monuments like the ancient Jain monoliths carved into the rock face, the Scindia School, a famous residential school for boys , and the Man Mandir Palace.

Man Mandir Palace - Built by Raja Man Singh towards the end of the 15th century, it is an impressive structure that clings to the very edge of the fort, its façade embellished with blue ceramic tiles. A ‘son-et-lumiere’ (Light & Sound) show is held here every evening.

Overnight stay at Gwalio

Day 06 : Agra – Orchha (170kms)
Morning drive to Orchha. On arrival at Orchha, check into the hotel.

Orchhais famous for its palaces and temples built in the 16th and 17th century. Most famous among them are Jahangir Mahal, built in in 17th century to mark the visit of Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Raj Mahal is well known for its murals depicting religious themes and chhatris or the memorial of the rulers

Overnight stay at Orchha.

Day 07 : Orchha – Khajuraho (182Km)
Morning proceed to Khajuraho. On arrival check in to the hotel. Rest of the day is spent leisurely. Evening watch light and sound show.

Khajuraho -Once the capital of the Chandela kings, Khajuraho is famous for its magnificent carved temples. Built in between 950 AD and 1050 AD, the temples are beautiful examples of Indo Aryan architecture and features exquisitely carved sculptures. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and the Jain Thirthankars, only 22 out of 85 remain. The Khajuraho temples are a World Heritage monument.

The temples are divided into 3 groups i.e. Western group, Eastern group and Southern group.

Among the Western group, the main temples are the Kandariya Mahadeo Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is the largest of the Khajuraho temples. It features a 31 meter high spire and bands of beautiful carvings. Lakshmana Temple, it is one of the earliest and also the best preserved temple in that area, with full five part floor plan and four subsidiary shrines. Around the band are two bands instead of three. The lower one has the fine figures of Apsaras (Celestial Maidens). Around the base of the temple is the continuous frieze with scenes of battle, hunting and processions. Chausat Yogini Temple, it is the oldest of the surviving temples of Khajuraho and the only temple built in granite. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali.Chitragupta Temple,this temple is dedicated to Surya, the sun God. It houses some of the finest sculptures which include processions, dancing girls, elephant fights and hunting scenes. In the inner sanctum, Surya can be seen driving his chariot with seven horses. Visvanath Temple, here it is the depiction of women that draws the attention. They are shown fondling a baby, writing letters, playing music and also in the most provocative poses.

Eastern Temples compromises the Parsvanath Temple, which is the largest and finest of the Jain temples at Khajuraho. The temple was originally dedicated to Adinath and later to Parsvanath. Adinath Temple, adjacent to the Parsvanath temple,has fine carvings, very similar to the Hindu Temples at Khajuraho.

Southern Temples are the Duladeo Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple has fine carving of sculptures of Apsaras on display here. Chaturbuj Temple, the temple has a 3-meter high richly carved statue of Vishnu.

Overnight stay at Khajuraho

Day 08 : Khajuraho – Varanasi ( By flight )
Early morning proceed to visit the temples of Khajuraho. Afternoon transfer to Khajuraho airport to board flight to Varanasi. Meet on arrival at Varanasi airport and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure or an option to go by cycle rickshaw to the ghats to see the evening aarthi.

Varanasi is known by three names i.e Kashi (the city of light),Benaras and now as Varanasi.It is the oldest living city in the world and is situated on the west bank of the Ganges River. In ancient times, it was a great centre of knowledge and learning. For the devout Hindu the city has a special place besides being a pilgrimage centre, it is considered especially auspicious to die here, ensuring an instant route to heaven.

"Ghats", lining the west bank of the Ganges for more than 6 kms.Lined with temples,they reverberate with endless cycle of Hindu religious practices. People throng these Ghats to offer their morning prayers to the rising sun. The evening “Ganga aarthi" on the banks of the river Ganges with lighted lamps is a mesmerizing sight.

Overnight stay at Varanasi

Day 09 : Varanasi
Early morning proceed for a boat ride on the sacred river Ganges to see the sunrise and the cremation ghats to witness the living tradition of one of the world's oldest religions.

Later, a half day sightseeing of Varanasi, visiting Sarnath, Benaras Hindu University and other temples. Afternoon is leisure time. In the evening a stroll along the narrow lanes and bazaars of Varanasi. Later see the evening “Ganga aarthi” at the ghats.

Sarnath is located 13 kms from Varanasi and is the place where Buddha gave his first sermon. Kashi Vishwanath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva houses one of the 12 jyothirlings. Benaras Hindu University is the oldest university in north India. And was established by Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya.

Overnight stay at Varanasi

Day 10 : Varanasi Airport/Railway Station
Drop in time to Varanasi Airport/Railway station.