North India Heritage Tour with The Best Tour Packages from Kolkata
Places Covered: New Delhi – Agra (2nights) – Orchha (1night) – Khajuraho (1night) – Varanasi (2nights) – Bodh Gaya (2nights) – Onward Destination
No. of days: 8nights/9days
Detailed Itinerary:
Tomb of Itimad Daula. This is one of the major Mughal landmark monuments situated in Agra
Day 1: New Delhi – Agra:
Arrive in New Delhi and straight away drive to Agra. Delhi to Agra distance is around 245km, and it is usually a drive of about four hours.
Check into a hotel on arrival in Agra. After some relaxation, go and visit Akbar’s Tomb. Akbar was, in a true sense, the consolidator of Mughal rule in India.
Go and visit Itimad Daula’s Tomb afterwards. This is believed to be the precursor of Taj Mahal in India.
Have dinner at one of the restaurants. Overnight in Agra.
Day 2: Agra with the best tour packages:
After an early breakfast, go for a visit to the Taj Mahal – the new world wonder. This is the main reason why people come to Agra and what has made it famous in the world.
Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Made in white marble, it is an amazing experience to take a tour of Taj Mahal.
After a tour of Taj Mahal, go and visit Agra Fort, a fort initially built by Akbar. Subsequent additions were made by other Mughal rulers. You can very much understand how Mughal administration was run from the Fort.
Go and visit a marble workshop in the city. The city does not have marble rocks but it has expert craftsmen.
Have dinner at one of the restaurants. Overnight in Agra.
Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Khajuraho: This is the most famous of all the temples in Khajuraho
Day 3: Agra – Orchha with the best tour packages:
Start after an early breakfast. Drive to the railway station and take a train ride to reach Jhanshi. From Jhansi drive to Orchha, a drive of just over half an hour.
Check into a hotel and have lunch at a restaurant in Orchha.
Orchha, located in Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh, is on the banks of River Betwa. Orchha was established in 1531 by the Bundela ruler Rudra Pratap Singh.
Visit Orchha Palace. It has quite a few noticeable historical monuments. Jahangir Mahal, Ram Raja Temple and Chaturbhuja Temple are some of those monuments.
There are several cenotaphs (called Chhatris) in Orchha dotting the vicinity of the Fort and River Betwa.
Have dinner at your hotel. Overnight in Orchha.
Day 4: Orchha – Khajuraho with the best tour packages:
Check out after breakfast and drive to Khajuraho. This is a drive of a little more than four hours. Check into a hotel on arrival in Khajuraho.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Khajuraho has over 20 temples. Khajuraho temples have withstood the weathering over the years.
Khajuraho is well known world over for these very temples. Exterior walls of some of these temples have carvings showing sexual pleasures. These have always generated curiosity among the travelers. Temples in Khajuraho are in three different groups – Western Group of Temples, Eastern Group of Temples and Southern Group of Temples. Western Group of Temples is the most famous and Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is the largest of these remaining temples.
Watch the Light and Sound show in the evening. Return to the hotel afterwards, and have dinner. Overnight in Khajuraho.
Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi,
Day 5: Khajuraho – Varanasi with the best tour packages:
Get up very early and go for a tour of the temples in the early morning when the sun rises.
Return to the hotel, have breakfast and get ready to check out from the hotel. Drive to the airport and catch flight to Varanasi.
Check into a hotel on arrival in Varanasi. Go and visit the banks of the River Ganges. Enjoy the amazing evening aarti performed on the banks of the River Ganges.
Have dinner in the evening. Overnight in Varanasi
Day 6: Varanasi with the best tour packages:
Get up early in the morning and after breakfast go to the banks of River Ganges. Take a boat and cover all the ghats slowly, looking at the different temples and old buildings all along. Keep special focus on some of the most famous ghats – Dasaswamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Harischandra Ghat, Assi Ghat, Shivala Ghat, Man Mandir Ghat, Darbhanga Ghat, Ahilyabai Ghat and Kedar Ghat.
Visit the famous Kashi Viswanath Temple (open to Hindus only) and have a look at Manikarnika crematorium. Close to Manikarnika Ghat is the Nepali Temple, a temple known for its unique Nepalese architectural style.
Try out the traditional thandai. You can also try some traditional food items in the small old restaurants located. Later, move on to see the traditional art of making Banarasi Sarees – something which is a gift for all new brides. You can buy one if you want to.
Go on to visit Goddess Durga Temple, where locals visit in big numbers and you can see lots of monkeys roaming around getting fed by the locals. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple and Tulsi Manas Temple are also quite famous temples, located nearby.
Return and visit the ghats again and watch the serene aarti ceremony. Have dinner at one of the restaurants. Overnight in Varanasi.
Ganga Aarti at Dasawamedh Ghat, Varanasi
Day 7: Varanasi – Bodhgaya with the best tour packages:
After breakfast, drive to Sarnath, around 10km from Varanasi City. Sarnath is the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon in a Deer Park. This is why Sarnath is a much revered in Buddhism.
There are several Buddhist monuments and edifices at Sarnath. Besides the Deer Park, the monuments include Dhameka Stupa, Ashokan Pillar, Ashokan Lion Capital (the national emblem of India) and Mulagandhakuti Vihara. Archaeological Museum, though a small museum, is worth visiting. Also spend some time at the Tibetan Temple, located alongside the Deer Park.
Return from Sarnath and check out from the hotel. Proceed for Bodhgaya, a drive of for around six hours. Bodhgaya is a historic place where Buddha is supposed to have attained supreme enlightenment meditating under the Bodhi tree.
Check into a hotel on arrival in Bodhgaya.
Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya
Day 8: Bodh Gaya – Nalanda – Rajgir – Bodh Gaya with the Best Tour Packages:
After an early breakfast go on to visit Mahabodhi Temple, the historic temple built to pay respects to the place where Buddha attained enlightenment. Its origin is said to be more than 1500 years old. Have a look at the Bodhi Tree under which Buddha meditated. The tree existing now is said to be at the same place where original tree existed before.
Muchalinda Lake is just close by the main temple. Go there and feed thousands of catfish in the lake.
Go on a tour of Nalanda and Rajgir. Nalanda is a drive of a little more than two hours. Nalanda is famous for its university ruins. The ruins show how impressive old Nalanda University might have been and how it attracted students from far off places. Take a guided tour of these ruins and understand the life of students during those times.
Later, go and visit Nalanda Archaeological Museum. It has a good collection of ancient manuscripts and Buddhist statues.
From Nalanda, drive to Rajgir – a drive of just half an hour. Rajgir, called Rajgriha in ancient times, was the capital of Magadh kingdom under Bimbisara and Ajatshatru. Surrounded by seven hills, Rajgir is a must visit for anyone interested in learning about the glorious history.
Return to the hotel in Bodhgaya. Have dinner. Overnight in Bodhgaya.
Day 9: Bodhgaya – Gaya/Patna airport– Onward Destination with the Best Tour Packages:
Go to Gaya town to Vishnupad Temple situated on the banks of River Falgu. Return to the hotel, have breakfast. Check out from the hotel in Bodhgaya as per time of your flight. Drive to Gaya airport to proceed for onward destination.
If flight is not available from Gaya, drive to Patna – a drive of around four hours. Catch the flight from there for your onward destination.
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