Day-to-day schedule
Day 1: Delhi
Welcome to India!
Your tour starts in Delhi, where you can use your hotel room from check in time (12.00 hrs at noon) on day 1. Most of your travel companions will arrive later in the late evening of day 1 or early morning of day 2, the exact time will be depending on their flight schedule.
Upon arrival, our local agent informs you about the exact time your transfer from your hotel to Delhi International Airport will take place, to pick up the rest of your travel companions. You will also meet with your tour leader at 08.00 hrs (day 2) in the lobby of the hotel. From the airport you will travel directly to the city of Jaipur, a 5 to 6 hour drive.
Day 2: Delhi - Jaipur
You will stay for 3 nights in the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. Explore at your leisure the North of the city that is surrounded by hills dotted with forts and palaces. One of the most elegant of which is the Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace). Roam the bustling streets filled with Rajasthani men, in their huge turbans and equally large moustaches, and women, decked in jewellery over the most colourful saris in India. You can also go on an excursion out of the city to see the famous Amber Fort standing at the top of a hill surrounded in all directions by hills, upon which smaller fortifications are also built. There are many marble statues and mosaics to admire up here and you can also round off your visit to the fort with a ride on the back of an elephant (subject to availability).
Day 3: Jaipur
The Pink City is partially encircled by a crenellated, battle-scarred wall, and the major gates of Chandpol, Ajmer and Sanganeri have been carefully restored. The entire city is a feat of town planning; the Old City is still loosely divided into traditional artisans' quarters.
Day 4: Jaipur
Our final day in Jaipur where we can take the time to explore any palaces or forts we have yet to discover.
Day 5: Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri – Agra
We leave early in the morning and visit Fatehpur Sikri, an abandoned imperial city situated not far from Agra. Here, the emperor Akbar ruled between 1571 and 1585 but the glory of Fatehpur Sikri was short-lived due to the insufficient water supplies and soon after Akbar’s death, the city was abandoned. Fortunately, the remains still paint a picture of the wealth of the city’s heyday and consist of a number of well restored and maintained palaces, the most impressive of which are the breathtaking Jama Masjid (Great Mosque) and the Buland Darwaza, reputed to be the largest gateway in all of Asia. The architecture of this impressive mosque displays both clear Christian and Hindu influences besides the most prevalent Muslim influence. The entry fee for Fatehpur Sikri is not included in the price of your holiday.
At the end of the afternoon we arrive in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, just in time to watch the sun set behind this world-famous monument.
Day 6: Agra - Varanasi
During the day you will have time to explore Agra and a visit to the world famous Taj Mahal is a must. However, besides this architectural wonder, Agra also has a series of other interesting sights. Once one of the three most important Moghul cities, the old area to the west of the Red Fort is multi-coloured and hectic, while the region in which most of the hotels are situated is spacious and green. The gigantic Red Fort, the residence of Indian Emperors of old and the colourful bazaars in the city are a treat for the eyes and great for finding some beautiful souvenirs.
In the evening we board the night train to Varanasi, the most sacred city in the whole of this immense land. We travel in third class sleeper cars with air conditioning.
Day 7: Varanasi
According to legend Varanasi is the holiest city in India and the oldest city in the world. It is also known as Benares or Kashi and is the city of Shiva, the most powerful of the Hindu gods. The city itself is dusty and hectic and the number of buffalo and sacred cows on the streets is higher than in any other city in the country, making life very difficult for the bicycle rickshaws, people pulling hand carts and freight lorries. Outside the centre countless narrow alleys and streets lead to the very soul of India, Mother Ganges. In this sacred river, thousands of people wash their sins away every day, ashes of the dead are scattered and leaves carrying candles float by as offerings to the river. The Ganges itself has left its mark on the buildings and ghats through flooding and it has also undermined building foundations throughout the centuries, which have simply been restored with infinite patience. A boat trip along the river is highly memorable, especially at sunrise.
Day 8: Varanasi
You should also visit Sarnath, a holy Buddhist site where Buddha founded his eightfold path to nirvana. Another interesting attraction is the Archaeological Museum which contains an exquisite collection of Buddhist and Hindu art. The monasteries and temples here are also very attractive, built by Buddhist pilgrims coming from many different countries. The Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan temples are especially worth visiting.
Day 9: Varanasi – Lumbini
We leave India today and after a long bus ride we cross the border into Nepal to Lumbini. Once part of India and famous for being the Buddha’s birthplace, we will stay here overnight before travelling on to Pokhara the following day.
Day 10: Lumbini – Pokhara
Travelling along winding roads, through the spectacular Himalayas we arrive in Pokhara, set in a sub-tropical valley where the mountains rise straight up to the highest peaks in the world. In the middle of this spectacle of rock, ice and snow is the Macchapuchare, the steepest mountain in the Himalayas, which from the side resembles a giant fish tail. No man has ever reached the summit of this mountain though, in the 1950s, a French expedition nearly managed it. But when in sight of victory, the sherpas became intensely fearful of divine revenge should humans reach the summit and they turned back. It is now forbidden to climb the mountain. Once a hippie paradise, Pokhara is situated in a picturesque location on a mountain lake, where you can swim, row or enjoy the stunning panoramic view from one of the tea gardens.
Day 11: Pokhara
Visit Lakeside, a popular shopping area of Pokhara where you can spend a day or afternoon browsing through the many shops and check out what the street vendors are selling, including a number of Tibetan refugees selling their handicrafts. If you see an item of interest thats commonly sold then take up the chance to do a bit of bargaining to see the best price achievable!
Day 12: Pokhara – Kathmandu
We leave for Kathmandu along a winding road into the Kathmandu Valley and the heart of Nepal. Here nature is combined with a multitude of temples, monasteries and other exquisitely decorated buildings. The three majestic cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, once the capital cities of numerous sovereigns, are situated in the middle of the fertile rice fields and surrounded on all sides by mountains. In the cities’ heyday between the 16th and 19th centuries, they competed with each other to build temples bigger and more beautiful than their neighbours. The citizens of the valley were long reputed for their carving skills, bronze and other metalwork and people as far over the border as Tibet and China were proud owners of Nepalese craftsmanship.
Day 13: Kathmandu
Much of daily life in Kathmandu continues almost as if the 20th century is still to come as the native folk appear as if out of the middle ages, especially in the older part of the city. A mile and a half to the west you will find the large and extremely beautiful stupa (traditional Buddhist monument) of Swayambunath which is definitely worth a visit, if only to see the many monkeys which hang around the area, giving the stupa the nickname ‘Monkey Temple’. An even bigger stupa is situated a little further outside Kathmandu, in Bodnath and on the way we pass Pashupatinath, the sacred Tibetan Hindu site, where Nepalese and Indians bathe in the Bagmati River.
Day 14: Kathmandu
Enjoy another day in Nepals' capital city.
Day 15: Kathmandu – Nagarkot
On the edge of the Kathmandu Valley is the mountain town of Nagarkot, the best place to get a view over the peaks of the Himalayas, such as the Ganesh Himal and the Lhotse. The endless views of these giants are particularly spectacular at sunrise, (weather conditions permitting).
Day 16: Nagarkot – Bhaktapur
Today we will walk past spectacular views, through charming small village downhill towards Bhaktapur. If you would rather not walk, you can take a taxi from Nagarkot to Bhaktapur but the cost of this is not included in the main price. We’ll stay overnight in Bhaktapur which is the smallest of the three royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley. It is surrounded by rice fields, brick houses, temples and squares, curving streets and alleys. Bhaktapur retains a very medieval atmosphere, with an absence of cars and a penchant for tending to their cattle, pottery and rituals in the many temples. Around sunset, the elder residents chat while the youths stroll around and the young children play around them. The timeless Bhaktapur is a breath of fresh air after the other two busy cities and most tour guides recommend staying a night here. Bhaktapur is also the best place to buy wood carvings and Nepalese dolls.
Day 17: Bhaktapur – Chitwan National Park
Today we travel to the renowned Chitwan National Park, where you can spot Indian rhinos and other wildlife from your mount on the back of an elephant. Chitwan is the most popular nature reserve in Nepal and is reputed for its vastly varied terrain, its bird life and its Indian rhinos. There are deciduous forests, grassy plains, rivers, lakes and subtropical forest which attract an equally varied array of wildlife, including 400 different species of bird and more than 40 different species of mammal. Tigers and panthers are the most intriguing predators, although the chances of spotting them are relatively low but you are more likely to spot a powerful Indian rhinoceros, Indian bison, wild oxen and many types of deer. There also apes, crocodiles, monitor lizards and snakes within the park as well as herons, cranes, storks and numerous species of cormorant and ibis. Hornbills are rare, but their loud calls and typical manner of flying will clearly indicate when a couple of them are nearby. You can explore by elephant, canoe or on foot.
Day 18: Chitwan National Park
Make the most of this second day in the park and try an alternative method of watching the wildlife.
Day 19: Chitwan - Gorakpur - Delhi
First we travel back across the Indian border to Gorakhpur by bus before boarding the night train to Delhi arriving the following morning. We will travel in 3rd class air conditioned sleeper carriages.
Day 20: Delhi
In the morning we arrive at India’s hectic capital city Delhi, whose history stretches back over three millennia. There is an old area (Old Delhi), mostly built during Moghul rule, and a new area (New Delhi), which was designed at the start of the 20th century by the English architect Luytjens as the jewel in the British Empire’s crown. The contrast between Old and New Delhi is enormous. The old region is a cramped, colourful, oriental ‘ant colony’ full of narrow alleyways, temples and mosques. The Red Fort and the Jami Mashid, the biggest and most elegant mosque in the land, are situated here. The new region is a spatially constructed metropolis with long, broad, straight avenues, pavilions and parks. It is a city which almost seems deserted in comparison with the busy, cramped Old Delhi. Delhi spreads out for miles in all directions around the old and new areas. To the East, over the sacred River Yamuna, to the South, where the stately homes belonging to the rich are situated, along with the important military buildings, and to the North and West, where the majority of Delhi’s population live. Between all of these buildings stand hundreds of monuments which attest to the city’s colourful history. Aside from sightseeing, you may also wish to spend some time buying souvenirs at the many markets and shops.
Day 21: Delhi
You are free again today to explore Delhi and its surroundings for one last time. The group will usually be leaving very late this evening or in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Day 22: Delhi
The last day of your tour. You can use your hotel room in Delhi until check out time (most times at 12.00 hrs noon). We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of India and Nepal.
Your personal ‘my.shoestring’ page on our website is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today.
When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any post-tour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (day 22) is not included.
FESTIVAL TOURS
On departure date 4 March 2012 you will be able to visit the ELEPHANT FESTIVAL in Jaipur.
On departure date 20 July 2012 you will be able to visit the TEEJ FESTIVAL in Jaipur.
On departure date 23 March 2013 you will be able to visit the ELEPHANT FESTIVAL in Jaipur.