DELHI · AGRA · JAIPUR · UDAIPUR · JODHPUR
MARCH 17-27, 2024
ITINERARY
11 DAYS FROM $14,999
Overload your senses – feel your spirit – Restructure your basic assumptions. This tour will touch your soul. Our 14-day India adventure of discovery takes you on a journey of more than just a destination, but perhaps even of yourself. Long after you leave you will be gently haunted by memories of a place, a person, even a sound, or the smells of tea, jasmine blossoms, and incense. This is not your average tour of India: this is Zoom India!
Day One ~ Arrive in Delhi
Meet & greet at Delhi airport by Zoom Vacations representative who will escort you to your hotel - Taj Palace.
Hotel check-in time is 14:00 hours. Rest of the day at leisure to relax and unwind from your long flight.
Evening: Welcome Dinner and Cocktails at a surprise location
Accommodations: The Oberoi Hotel, Delhi
Meals Included: Welcome Dinner
Day Two ~ Delhi
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning: Tour of Old Delhi – Visit Jama Mosque, is one of the largest & most beautiful mosques in the world and is constructed in red sandstone and white marble. The main prayer hall has a seating capacity of more than 20,000 worshippers. Enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk, the spine of Old Delhi. Drive past Red fort, built in red sand stone in 1648. This magnificent monument is laid out along the river Yamuna as an irregular octagon. drive past India Gate, this 42m high stone arch of triumph bears the names of 85,000 Indian Army soldiers who died in the campaigns of WW I the North West frontier operations of the same time and the 1919 Afghan fiasco.
Lunch at one of our favorite restaurants.
Afternoon: Tour of New Delhi – Visit Qutub Minar, the tallest free-standing tower in the world which was built in several phases. Conclude tour at Humayun’s Tomb, the first great example of Mughal architecture in India, it developed to become the hallmark of the Mughal Dynasty.
Accommodations: The Oberoi Hotel, Delhi
Meals Included: Buffet Breakfast
Day Three ~ Agra
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning: Drive to Agra - approximately 4 hours. On arrival check-in at The Oberoi Amarvilas.
Afternoon: Visit Red Fort, one of the most important strongholds of the Mughals. Continue to Taj Mahal by sunset, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
Accommodations: Oberoi Amarvilas
Meals Included: Buffet Breakfast
Day Four ~ Agra to Jaipur
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit Taj Mahal at sunrise, return to hotel for breakfast.
Post breakfast drive to Jaipur - the picturesque five hour drive in our luxurious transportation will take us through India’s picturesque countryside as we drive past local villages and admire the local way of life. En route photo stop at the majestic Chand Baori, one of the largest stepwells in the world, and possibly one of the oldest… an architectural delight.
Lunch will be arranged en route. Post lunch continue to Jaipur. On arrival check-in at hotel Taj Rambagh Palace.
Later return to your hotel.
Accommodations: The Taj Rambagh Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner
Day Five ~ Jaipur
Buffet Breakfast at leisure in hotel
Morning city tour of Jaipur visiting City Palace museum that has a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes, armory of Mughal and Rajput weaponry. The museum also has an art gallery with an excellent collection of miniature paintings, carpets, royal paraphernalia and rare astronomical works that were acquired by Sawai Jai Singh II in order to fulfill his passion for astronomy. Also visit Jantar Mantar Observatory built between 1728 and 1734 – it houses precise instruments for measuring “the harmony of heavens” each instrument serves a particular function and gives an accurate reading.
Photo stop at Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). This beautiful façade is probably the most-photographed in Jaipur, with its ornately carved windows designed so the ladies of the palace could look out onto the streets unobserved.
Lunch at a beautiful restaurant in Jaipur
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy our wonderful hotel amenities such as the pool and spa, or to enjoy local shopping at specialty shops.
Accommodations: The Taj Rambagh Palace
Meals Included: Buffet Breakfast
Day Six ~ Jaipur to Udaipur
Buffet Breakfast at leisure in hotel
After breakfast, this morning transfer to Jaipur airport in time for our flight to Udaipur.
Udaipur, the city combines real beauty with a picturesque association of a great and glorious past. It stands in a valley, amidst green hills on the banks of the wide, steel blue Lake Pichola. On little islands in the lake, from the water's edge, rising marble palaces of pure white that glistens like fairy castles. Crowning the ridge in which the city clusters, along the shore of the lake is the palace of the Maharana. Possibly no city in Rajasthan is quite as romantic as Udaipur and is replete with fantastic hill top fortresses, exotic fairy tale palaces and gripping legends of medieval chivalry and heroism.
Upon arrival a Zoom Vacations representative will meet you at Udaipur airport.
From airport drive to the fascinating Eklingji temple complex. Eklingji, the town has in all about 70 temples including the famous Eklingji Shiva temple. The original structure of the temple was built in 734 A.D. The temple has a beautiful rustic architecture with distinctly carved tower. The temple also has beautiful and heavy silver doors. On entering the main hall, you are greeted by a mesmerizing fragrance and a silver image of ‘Nandi’. There are two more Nandi’s in the temple; one made of black stone and the other of brass. Shiva is worshipped here in the form of a four faced black marble image.
Lunch at one of our favorite places in India
Later transfer to the Oberoi Udaivilas.
Walk around old city of Udaipur followed by a sunset boat cruise on Lake Pichola.
Accommodations: The Oberoi Udaivilas
Meals Included: Buffet Breakfast and Lunch
Day Seven ~ Udaipur
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning city tour of Udaipur visiting City Palace, a conglomeration of buildings added by various Maharanas, the palace manages to retain a surprising uniformity of design. The entrance is through Hathii Pol (elephant gate) along the main street of the old city, past the Jagdish Temple. The paintings, mosaics, intricately carved ‘chhatris’ and of course the architecturally brilliant facade all contribute in making a visit to the City Palace a truly memorable experience.
Continue to Crystal Gallery that houses a rare collection of Osler's crystal ordered from England by Maharana Sajjan Singh in 1877. Culminate the tour at the Maharana’s Vintage & Classic car collection. On display are the magnificent Rolls Royce, 1939 Cadillac open convertibles, rare Mercedes models, 1936 Vauxhall among others.
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy our wonderful hotel amenities such as the pool and spa, or to enjoy local shopping at specialty shops.
Accommodations: The Oberoi Udaivilas
Meals Included: Buffet Breakfast
Day Eight ~ Udaipur to Jodhpur
Buffet Breakfast at leisure in hotel
After breakfast drive to Jodhpur and en route visit Ranakpur Jain Temple.
Surrounded by the Aravalli hills and located on the banks of 'Magai' river this grand and gigantic four-facet structure was built between the late 14th to mid-15th centuries. The present structure of the temple came into being after 50 years of hard work by various artisans and sculptors. The temple is dedicated to 'Lord Adinath'. Light colour marble has been used for the construction of this grand temple which rises majestically from the slope of a hill with its distinctive domes. The temple has over 1444 marble pillars, carved in exquisite detail and no two pillars in the temple are the same. It is also said that it is impossible to count the pillars. So with countless pillars and each different from one another, you are bound to be baffled by the beauty of this unique temple.
Lunch has been arranged at the former country lodge of a member of the royal family of Jodhpur.
Continue your drive to Jodhpur.
Check in to the award-winning, Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace
Accommodations: The Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch
Day Nine ~ Jodhpur
Breakfast, included, served at the hotel
After breakfast visit one of the largest forts of the country, the majestic Mehrangarh Fort. The fort is famous for its expansive courtyards, intricate carvings and multi-storied palaces. Our next stop will be near the fort, on the banks of a lake, the Jaswant Thada. This is the memorial of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Made of gleaming white marble on a platform of red sandstone this monument is worth a visit.
Afternoon: This afternoon there will be time for shopping and enjoy the palace: its pool, the spa, and stunning grounds.
Tonight, witness Holika Dahan ceremony at the Outer periphery of Umaid Bhawan Palace. The rituals are performed followed by the lighting of the Holika (huge bonfire), representing the triumph of good over evil, folk songs and dances bring alive the rich heritage of Rajasthan. In mythology fire is believed to purify good from bad.
Accommodations: The Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch
Day Ten ~ Jodhpur and the Holi festival
Breakfast, included, served at the hotel
Today we participate in Holi - the Festival of Colors – as personally invited guests of the Royal Family of Jodhpur. A special champagne brunch will be served at this special location worthy of a Maharajas fest.
Holi is a spring festival, a celebration of love, frolic, and colors. The celebration is a free-for-all carnival of colors, where participants play, chase and color each other with dry powder and colored water, with some carrying water guns and colored water-filled balloons for their water fight! People visit family, friends and foes to throw color on each other, laugh and chit-chat, then share Holi delicacies, food and drinks.
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy our wonderful hotel amenities such as the pool and spa, or to enjoy local shopping at specialty shops.
Accommodations: The Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day Eleven ~ Jodhpur
Optional - Yoga activity for the early risers / meet the master perfumer of the Royal house of the Marwar.
Breakfast, included, at leisure in hotel
Morning is at leisure.
By 12 noon transfer to Jodhpur airport in time for your flight to Delhi.
Accommodations: The Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast
Air: International and domestic airfare not included. However, Zoom Vacations will arrange all necessary internal flights.
Passports: Your valid passport should have at least two blank visa pages and should be valid for at least six months after your planned departure from the country you are visiting.
Note: Passport pages titled "Endorsement Pages" are not visa pages.
Visas: Please note that travelers to India need to have a Indian Visa in advance of your trip in order to enter India. For more information, go to http://www.in.ckgs.us
While Zoom Vacations will assist when possible, please note that passport, visa, and vaccination requirements vary from country to country and are the sole responsibility of the traveler. If you are a US resident, you may click here for more information on passport, visa, and vaccination requirements for various countries.
*Land only Introductory rate, based on double occupancy. Prices are subject to change. Need a roommate? Zoom Vacations® is happy to match you with someone, at no additional charge. Or, you may pay a single supplement and go as a single.
Please read Terms and Conditions prior to booking.
For more information on entry and exit requirements, see here.
