Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 Jaipur

After breakfast, half-day excursion trip takes you to Amber Fort. En route, make a photo stop at the palace of winds the Hawa Mahal. A 5 stored building with 25cm thick facade from the 18 century having 953 windows and niches so that ladies of royal family could see the procession and events in the city without being visible to the people. Proceed to the Amber City Fort situated 130m high with the Aravalli hills around and 11 km north of Jaipur. It was the ancient capital of the Kachhawaha Rajputs till 1037. Enjoy an Elephant ride to the top of the Palace fort.

Return to Jaipur.

Afternoon visit the “Pink City” of Jaipur. The City Palace occupies the center of Jaipur. It now houses the Royal residence and museums with collections of textiles and costumes, armoury, manuscripts, paintings etc.

Also visit Jantar Mantar (1728-34) by king astrologer Jai Singh II. The instruments are built of stone with marble facing on the important plains for measuring the harmony of the heavens. Each instrument serves a particular function and each gives an accurate reading.

Overnight stay at the hotel in Jaipur.

Day 7 Jaipur/Ranthambore (132 km)

After breakfast drive to Ranthambore National Park.

Ranthambore National Park, one of the finest tiger reserves in the country under the Project Tiger scheme. It covers an area of 410 sq km running from the easternmost spur of the Aravallis to the Vindhya range. The nearest town Sawai Madhopur is 10 km away. The park is set in a dry deciduous forest, the area covers rocky hills and open valleys dotted with small pools and fruit trees. The Ranthambore Fort overlooks the sanctuary and dominates the landscape. The Fort was the stronghold of the Yadavs in the 8^th century, attacked time and again, changing many hands, finally into the hands of the house of Jaipur. Originally Ranthambore was the hunting area of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Tiger sightings are reported almost daily usually in the early mornings during November-April. The lake grasslands and the drier areas of the park provide fine habitat for sambar; antelopes, langoor, few leopards, nilgai, chinkara, sloth bear, jackal, wild boar, crocodile, different types of snakes, the occasional rare caracal, and about 300 species of birds.

On arrival in Ranthambore, check in at the lodge.

Later in the evening game rides to the National Park.

Day 8 Ranthambore

Morning and evening enjoy jeep safaris at the reserve.

Overnight in Ranthambore.

Day 9 Ranthambore/Bharatpur (175 km)

After breakfast drive to the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary or Keoladeo Ghana National Park which was established in 1956. This 29 sq km marshland is one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world with over 360 species of birds, out of which 117 are the local birds. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, it used to be a part of the private shooting reserve of the Maharaja of Bharatpur.

Early morning and dusk are the best times for viewing the birds and animals. Among many birds species to be seen are egrets, storks, ducks, Chinese coots, kingfishers, spoonbills, sarus cranes and several birds of prey, including falcon, marsh harrier and eagle. Alone 80 species of ducks can be spotted here. There are also chital, nilgai, deer, wild cats, hyenas and wild boar whilst near the entrance there are usually some very large rock pythons. During November to February the northern hemisphere migratory birds visit the park from China, Europe and Siberia, including the rare Siberian Crane.

Evening boat ride in the lake, where you can watch birds in their nests.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 Bharatpur/Agra (50 kms)

Early morning rickshaw ride through the park. After breakfast further drive to Agra. En route, visit Fatehpur Sikri.

40 km (1 hour) from Agra, lies the beautiful and deserted medieval city, Fatehpur Sikri, built by Akbar the Great in the 16^th century to serve as the capital of his vast empire. It was mysteriously abandoned 13 years later. Today, it is perfectly preserved as a ghost city built at the height of the empire’s splendor.

Later proceed to Agra.

Agra stands on the right bank of the river Yamuna, was once the seat of the Mughal rulers, the zenith of art and an enshrined romance. A town famous for its beautiful medieval monuments. The passion of the Mughals for building endowed it with some of the loveliest buildings in the world.

On arrival in Agra check in and overnight at the hotel.

Day 11 Agra

After breakfast visit the world famous monument of India, the Taj Mahal (1631-1653), a poem in white marble, built by Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaj Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. It employed 20,000 workers from the Central Asia and Europe for 22 years to construct this extravagant monument of love, inlaying the white marble edifice with precious and semi precious stones. After Taj Mahal visit Agra Fort (Fort and Palace) situated on the west bank of the river Jamuna, made by the Mughal King Akbar in the 16^th century and completed by his grandson Shah Jahan, who was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb for 8 years in this fort, before his death. The fort is crescent - shaped and the perimeter is 2.4 km long. Finally visit the stunning tomb of Itimad-ud-daulah or the `Baby Taj’- a marble memorial with exquisite inlay work built by Nur Jahan, queen of Jehangir, for her father in 1628.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12 Agra/Varanasi

After breakfast, in time transfer to the airport to connect flight to Varanasi.

Varanasi derives its name from the two streams – Varuna in the north and Assi in the south, the British corrupted the name Varanasi to Banaras. The oldest name is Kashi, which means `the City of Light’. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the holiest city for the Hindus, also for the Jains, because the three tirthankars, 7^th, 11^th & 23^rd were born here. It is believed that anyone who dies here goes straight to heaven The city draws pilgrims from all over the world, to worship, meditate and above all to bathe.

Rest of the day free.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 13 Varanasi/Kathmandu

Today early morning you experience the life of this ancient city. See the beauty of the rising sun on the Ganges Boat Ride. The boat ride passes along some of the 100 ghats, with numerous palaces built by Hindu kings. Experience the early morning rituals of the Hindus being performed, thousands of people taking a bath in the holy river believing they will be free from the circle of rebirth. It is interesting to see the pilgrims offering sweets, flowers and holy water to the Sun God.

Return back to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast excursion to Sarnath, 9 km from Varanasi, one of Buddhism’s major centers in India. It was here that Buddha gave his first Sermon after attaining Nirvana. In the complex is the Dhamekh Stupa (5^th-6^th AD) or Dharma Chakra, the most imposing monument at Sarnath built to commemorate the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon to the five disciples. Also visit Dharmarajika Stupa that was built by Emperor Ashoka (273-326 BC). From this stupa a green marble casket containing human bones and pearls was found, said to be the relics of Buddha. It was the seat for Buddha’s meditation. To the rear is the 5m lower portion polished sandstone Asokan Column (3^rd century). The Deer Park on the south – west, has several species of deer. On the way back to the Hotel visit a modern Buddhist temple which has beautiful life size frescos of Buddhas life. In the vicinity is the sapling of the Bodhi tree brought from Sri Lanka, under which Buddha sat and attained enlightenment.

In time transfer to the airport to connect flight to Kathmandu. On arrival in Kathmandu transfer to the hotel.

Kathmandu, the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal, nestled in the cradle of the Himalayas, the highest mountains in the world. It is the world’s only Hindu Kingdom, unified by King Prithvi Narayan Shah in the late 18^th century. Nepal is known as the kingdom where deities mingle with mortals. It is a blend of the best of China, Tibet and India, squeezed between the vastness of China to the north and India to the south, east and west, and the staircase to the frozen heights of “the roof of the world. Nepalese people are perhaps the friendliest in the world, with kind and spiritual nature. The scenery is simply without parallel.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 14 Kathmandu

After breakfast visit Kathmandu city, a city which looks like a living museum. Visit the Durbar Square, the highest concentration of at least 48 buildings of unique architecture, palaces, monuments and temples are found here. We continue to the Kumari Bhal, or the Temple of the Living Goddess. A young Buddhist girl whom the locals believe is a living goddess appears in a window of the temple courtyard. However, you will not be allowed to come any closer to this deity, as only Hindus are allowed an audience with her. Overlooking the Durbar Square is the Hanuman Dhoka Palace, built by King Pratap Mall in the 17^th century, which means the “gate of the Monkey God”. At the entrance there is a huge statue of the Monkey God Hanuman from the Ramayan epic. Shiva-Parvati Temple, a three storey temple famous for its erotic stone carvings. visit to the world’s most glorious Buddhist Also visit stupa of Swayambunath. It is said to be 2000 years old and is situated 70 m above the level of valley. Often referred to as the `Monkey Temple’. This temple is believed to be famous in the tantric cult.