Wonders of India And Nepal

Welcome to Delhi! The capital of India is a bustling metropolis that successfully combines ancient and modern in its folds. Delhi can broadly be divided into two parts — Old Delhi and New Delhi. Old Delhi was the capital of Delhi’s Muslim rulers, notably the Mughals between the 17th and 19th centuries. New Delhi on the other hand is referred to as the Imperial City when the British decided to move their capital from Calcutta in 1911. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for a non-alcoholic welcome drink.

Overnight in Delhi 

Start your day with a visit to Old Delhi. Begin your journey at Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque. Enjoy an exhilarating rickshaw ride through the by-lanes of Chandni Chowk (Silver Street). Walkthrough the old dusty alleyways and other fascinating sights! Drive past the mighty and sprawling Red Fort, which was built in 1648 and stands along the Yamuna River. Continue your tour to New Delhi to see the colonial architecture that defined the British era in India. Later, visit a famous Sikh Temple, as we go to our last stop at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Sikhism is a progressive religion (and in many respects, ahead of its time). At Bangla Sahib, you will see how this religion blends practices from Hinduism and Islam into something new. You may watch (and join if you like) the langar, the voluntary group cooking and feeding program at the Gurudwara. We will continue our travels to the Qutab Minar Complex — the tallest tower in the world for centuries, developed by the first Islamic rulers of India. It continues to be the most imposing, artistically carved, and engraved sandstone pillar anywhere!

Overnight in Delhi

In the morning you will drive to Agra, the yesteryear capital of the mighty Mughal Empire and the current home to some of the world’s top tourist sites. Even if the idea of visiting what is arguably the world’s greatest 'monument to love' does not appeal to you, there is more to see in Agra. Upon arrival, you will transfer to your hotel. Spend your day at leisure or join an optional tour. This afternoon, visit the Taj Mahal, one of mankind's greatest architectural feats. Built out of white marble by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it was constructed by 20,000 laborers over a 12-year period. The entire monument is a masterpiece of symmetry.

Overnight in Agra

Known as the Red Fort of Agra, this walled imperial city was founded in 1565 by Emperor Akbar (1556—1605) and is a well-deserving UNESCO World Heritage site, situated just 2.5 kilometres from the famous Taj Mahal. Its palaces, grand mosques, and elaborate public hall are crafted from pink-red sandstone and are a testament to an era when Indo-Muslim art, strongly marked by influences from Persia, was at its height. Emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal for his deceased wife, was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in Agra Fort. He is said to have died in the Musamman Burj, a marble tower he built himself, with one of the most breathtaking views of the Taj Mahal.

Today you will depart for Bharatpur, a birder’s paradise, with an en-route visit to Fatehpur Sikri, an eerily abandoned capital from the Mughal Empire between 1570 and 1586. Akbar built this city to celebrate the birth of his son and future heir to the throne, Emperor Jahangir. While Akbar is believed to have been illiterate, he took great interest in the arts and architecture; Fatehpur Sikri is one of his masterworks. Sadly, it served as a capital for little more than a decade, as it was eventually abandoned for a lack of accessible water. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel, and perhaps join our optional tour.

Overnight in Bharatpur

Head on an escorted visit to the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary by bicycle/paddle rickshaws. The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is one of the finest bird parks in the world. The sanctuary (also known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park) is a reserve that offers protection to faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water birds, as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambars, Chitals, Nilgais, and Boars.

This morning drive to Jaipur. The “City of Victory" was initially intended to be named "Sawai Jaipur" after the boy Prince who commissioned it — Maharaja Jai Singh II — a warrior, astronomer, and politician who reigned over the Mughals from 1699 to 1743. Today Jaipur is covered in pink, visually described as the city that is shaded with the autumn colors of the sunset. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel. There will be an en-route visit to the Galta Ji Temple, a large Hindu complex that lies 10 km to the east of Jaipur. These temples are a popular tourist attraction as they are home to a large colony of monkeys, which has given rise to the common name of the complex, the monkey temple. Galta Ji Jaipur is a unique Hindu temple as it is centered around a natural spring that has been channeled to fill seven large pools. In these pools, pilgrims come to bathe away their sins while, at quiet moments, the playful monkeys can be found swimming in the holy waters. Enjoy an orientation tour of the city. Begin your journey with a photo-stop at the Hawa Mahal, a striking landmark which is often called the Palace of Winds. Built-in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, specifically for the women in the royal family, this structure helped them watch the city’s processions through tiny, latticed windows and balconies without ever being seen. Next, you will visit the Jantar Mantar Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a stone astrological and astronomical Observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th century. Continue your tour to the City Palace Museum, home to a priceless collection of antiques, costumes, and armory of the Mughals and Rajputs. It also houses an art gallery displaying a wide collection of miniature paintings, carpets, royal paraphernalia, and rare astronomical works in Arabic, Persian, Latin, and Sanskrit.

Overnight in Jaipur

This morning, visit the Amber Fort. Situated approximately 11km outside Jaipur, this majestic monument was created using elements of both Hindu and Islamic architecture and design. Murals, frescos, and paintings depict the daily life of a bygone era on walls etched with carvings and decorated with mosaics and mirror work. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or perhaps join the below optional tour.

Overnight in Jaipur

This specially designed morning cycle tour of Old and New Jaipur aims to provide a ‘green way’ of exploring the waking up of the Pink City. We will start the tour early to avoid traffic at the iconic Statue Circle with a safety briefing and time to gear up for the ride. The tour will head northwards to M.I Road where we start by tasting a famous Lassi (churned yogurt shake) to build our energy up. Afterwards, enter the walled city cycling past its mansions; we will see the city waking up and the temple services starting. We will stop at the market to climb up to its roof for a bird’s eye view of the city, and then ride through the twisting lanes to visit the chief deity of the city ‘Govind Dev Ji’ and attend a morning Aarti ceremony. The next stop will be the morning vegetable market before heading south to Albert Hall, which is currently a government museum. On the way, we shall make pit-stops to taste local snacks.

After breakfast at the hotel, travel overland to Delhi and check in to your hotel. Explore Delhi at your own leisure.  

Overnight in Delhi

In the morning you will transfer back to Indira Gandhi International Airport for your flight to Kathmandu. Upon arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Overnight in Kathmandu

Enjoy a city tour of Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, also known as Kantipur. Visit Durbar Square, one of the three durbars (royal palace) squares in the Kathmandu Valley. From there you will visit Pashupatinath, one of the most significant Hindu temples in Nepal. This is one of the most important Shiva temples on the subcontinent and draws devotees from all over India each year. Pashupati is considered to have a special concern for the Kingdom of Nepal. Pashupatinath, an ancient plinth situated by the banks of the holy Bagmati River, is an epithet of Shiva, the Lord of all Creatures. The old buildings on the site were destroyed by Moslem Invaders in the 14th century. But with its stone linga smashed to dust, it rose again behind their retreating backs. Succeeding monarchs restored the temple and its images. The flowing Bagmati is a holy river and the ghats (crematorium) at its bank are the earnest Hindus’ truest cremation center. Spend the rest of your day at leisure or join the optional tour below.

Overnight in Kathmandu

This tour will take you to Patan City. Lalitpur, the city of beauty is separated from Kathmandu only by the Bagmati River and is the second-largest town in the valley. Lalitpur is fragmented from other cities due to its significant architectural masterpieces dating to ancient times. Patan's central Durbar Square is packed with temples: it is an architectural center point with a far greater concentration of temples per square meter than Kathamandu or Bhaktapur. Krishna Mandir, one of the grandeurs of the squares, was built in 1637 by King Siddhinarsingh Malla. The Golden Temple which is the unique Buddhist Monastery was founded in the 12th century with a large rectangular building with three roofs and a copper gilded facade showcasing images of Buddha and Avalokitesvara. The square has been unrestrainedly adorned by the Bhimsen Temple, Manga Hiti, Vishwanath Temple, Jagannarayan Temple, Golden Temple, and various others.

After breakfast at the hotel, visit Swayambhunath, the golden spire of the 5th-century. Swayambhu stupa is adorned with a colorful fluttering of prayer flags; it crowns a hill overlooking the Kathmandu Valley and offers fantastic views over the city of Kathmandu. Swayambhunath is one of the most recognizable symbols in Nepal and the painted eyes of Buddha watch all who ascend the worn stone steps. It is a World Heritage Site and one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. It is at the source of the Valley’s mythical beginning. Legend has it that the history of the Valley began with the draining of an ancient lake by an Enlightened Being to reveal the Valley and a lotus flower was transformed into the hill and the shining light became the stupa itself. Swarms of pilgrims and red-clad monks circle the complex, spinning the prayer wheels, while the scores of monkeys that give the temple its nickname, Monkey Temple, prance about in irreverent groups. Interestingly the temple complex is scattered with shrines and statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities and the assortment of pilgrims from both faiths characterizes the country’s unique religious harmony. After the visit transfer to the airport for your flight back home.

Today you will be picked up early in the morning for your flight over Mount Everest. Pickup will be from the hotel around 5:45 AM for a flight departing at 6:30 or 7:00 AM for extraordinary views of Mount Everest. [This flight only operates when the weather is nice, and viewing will be satisfactory]. The Himalayan Range will fascinate every visitor to Nepal. One of the main attractions for travelers is the Mountain Flight. For those who are restricted by time or other constraints, mountain flights offer an incredible alternative to climbing and will give you incredible memories of the highest peaks on earth. The first mountain you will see is Langtang at 7234 meters. The Valley of Langtang, which is not visible from the plane, is the most beautiful in the Himalayan region. From there you will see Gosainthan (8013m). This mountain is situated on the Nepal – Tibetan border. The Tibetan name for this mountain is Shisapangma. Next, get ready to see Dorje Lakpa (6975m): this mountain has a Tibetan name, which means “the mountains of many sacred Thunderbolts”. It is considered a holy site for Buddhists. From there you will discover Gauri–Sanker (7134m). This single mountain has two peaks and two names because the Hindus believe the mountain looks like the Gods Shiva and Gouri. This holy mountain was restricted to climbers until 1977. It was only in 1979 that an American/Nepalese group reached the summit. Next, you will see Lhotse: (8516m): this mountain lies to the south of Everest. The name given by the Sherpas is Lhotse, which means “South Peak”. The first ascent of this mountain took place in 1956 by the Swiss. Finally, get ready to see the magnificent Mount Everest (8848m). This extraordinary mountain was discovered in 1852 and is the highest mountain in the world. It is named after Sir George Everest — an English surveyor. Sagarmatha “Top of the Universe” is the name given by the Nepalese which means, “Mother of the World” and Chomolungma in Tibetan. Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, his Sherpa, were the first to climb Everest on May 25th, 1953, as a coronation gift to Queen Elizabeth II. After the flight, you will return to the hotel.