India and Nepal In-depth Tour

Day 1: Mumbai Namaste! Welcome to India. Meet your tour guide who holds Bravo Asia Tours’ greeting board at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. We will transfer to hotel so you can fresh up after your long flight. Start this incredible India tour with the one of the oldest cities of India – Mumbai. Formerly called Bombay, Mumbai is a vibrant metropolitan and No1 city, located on India’s west coast. On the Mumbai Harbour waterfront stands the iconic Gateway of India stone arch, built by the British Raj in 1924. Offshore, nearby Elephanta Island holds ancient cave temples dedicated to Shiva. The city is also famous as the heart of the Hindi-language Bollywood film industry. There will be no tour in this day so you can take some time to get used to the new time-zone. Overnight in Mumbai Day 2: Mumbai - Aurangabad Today, we will have one day city tour of Mumbai before we head to Aurangabad by air. The tour begins at the city’s signature landmark, the Gateway of India. Drive around Horniman Circle and visit the Town Hall, right beside the docks of Mumbai, and the Victoria Terminus. Next you will visit the Prince of Wales Muesum. Take a break for lunch then continue our tour to the Flora Fountain and Fort area where you can view the impressive Gothic and Victorian buildings that were constructed during the Bristish Raj. Drive up to Malabar Hill where the hanging gardens provide a panoramic view of the city and the Queen’s Necklace. The tour ends with a visit to the famous Dhobi Ghat where you can observe the age old tradition of the Dhobis doing Mumbai’s laundry. Transfer to airport and board your flight to Aurangabad. You are greeted upon arrival and driven to your hotel. Overnight in Aurangabad Day 3: Aurangabad We will have a full day tour of the UNESCO world Heritage site – the Ajanta Caves. There are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dated back to the 2nd B.C. The incredible variety of paintings and sculpture were created in hard rock by using primitive yet ingenious to the devotion of the Buddhists, as well as the talents of their skilled craftsmen. After the tour of Ajanta, we will drive back to hotel. Overnight in Aurangabad Day 4: Aurangabad - Mumbai After breakfast and checkout your hotel, we will continue our tour in Aurangabad to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ellora Caves. There are 34 Caves and any one of them would individually be considered a significant attraction in most nations. Visit The Kailash Temple and Daulatabad Fort. This 14th century hilltop Fort is an impressive sight which’s once sloping sides were manually carved sheer on all sides so that no one could climb straight to the top. After this tour, we will drive to Aurangabad airport in time to board your evening flight to Mumbai. Drive to airport for check-in. Overnight in Mumbai Day 5: Mumbai - Kochi/Cochin After breakfast and checkout your hotel, we will continue our tour to Cochin. Your tour guide of Bravo Asia Tours will meet you and hold the greeting board with your name on it. Transfer to hotel for rest until lunch. Start your exploration of South India with a tour to island of Cherai. Visit the 19th century Azheekkal Sree Varaha Venkateswara Temple – the temple Ratha then the Portuguese Fort, the Pallipuram Church. This exploration is followed by a walk on Cherai beach that allows you to experience coastal Keralan culture. In the evening, there will be a Kathakali dance show in local theatre. This dance is Kerala’s ancient performing art, which tell story through dancing and music. The dance form is an ancient forefather of many Asian dance forms. Overnight in Cochin Day 6: Kochi/Cochin Cochin, the fascinating port city of South India, comes to what it is today with influences of various European cultures and rich indigenous history. Our tour of Cochin starts from the Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays and Saturdays). Then we will move on to Jew Street. After the Jew area, we will visit the St. Francis Church, one of the first European churches built in India. The famed Vasco Da Gama was buried in its courtyard for a few years before his remains were returned to Portugal. After lunch, our tour will continue to the most photogenic attractions in Cochin, the Chinese fishing nets. We will be back to hotel so you can have a freshen up. This evening we will go to have dinner with a famous Keralan Chef and her family at their home. This is the highlight of our Cochin tour, you can even learn Keralan cuisine from the Chef. Overnight in Cochin Day 7: Kochi/Cochin - Backwaters Morning after breakfast, we will checkout the hotel and drive to the backwaters. Your most treasured travel memories of this India tour start from boarding your houseboat at Alleppey. Overnight in onboard Day 8: Backwaters - Kochi/Cochin - Pondicherry/Puducherry Disembark from your houseboat. We will drive back to Cochin and catch flight to Chennai. Be greeted by Chennai local tour guide and escorted to Puducherry (approximately 3 hours). Arrive at Puducherry in the early evening and check into your boutique colonial lodging. This picturesque town was the location of the entire first act of Life of Pi. Overnigh in Puducherry Day 9: Pondicherry/Puducherry Take a walking tour of this fascinating town. It is called the French Riviera of the East. With a long history of trade and war, the current city started taking shape under French Governance a few hundred years ago. This extremely laid back city has two distinct parts, the Colonial and the Indian. They are separated by a small canal. The Colonial side is with Mediterranean houses in tree lined streets and the Indian side is of a Tamil city with noise and crowding. Guided tour ends before lunch. The rest of the day will be your free time to explore. Overnigh in Puducherry Day 10: Pondicherry/Puducherry - Mahabalipuram Check out from your hotel in Puducherry then proceed on the scenic drive to Mahalipuram. This 3 hour drive will take you through coastal villages with frequent glimpses of the Bay of Bengal. Arrive at Mahalipuram hotel, you will be assisted with checkin. You are at leisure for the remaider of the afternoon. Overnight in Mahabalipuram Day 11: Mahabalipuram Mahabalipuram is an ancient port of South India, which is like the Hoi An ancient town in Central Veitnam, in each nation’s history progress. Mahabalipuram was the second capital of the Pallava Kings of Kanchipuram. Vying with this splendor is a beach and the picturesque Bay of Bengal. The famous Pancha Rathas Temple, the massive bas-relief Descent of the Ganges and the eight Mandapams are all located within the small coastal community. Another picturesque view of this beach are fishermen and their colorful fishing boats. In the late afternoon, after visiting all the temples, take a stroll along the beach and talk to those fishermen back with their catch. It is the most original and authentic experience of Mahablipuram. Overnight in Mahabalipuram Day 12: Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram Today we will have an excursion tour to Kanchipuram. This ancient holy city is known as the “Golden City of A Thousand Temples” and is one of the seven sacred cities of India. Its many temple domes can be seen from a long ways away as you approach the city. This city is also famous for its silk weaving industry. Kanchi silk sarees are considered to be the finest. We will visit a silk weaving family today. Overnight in Mahabalipuram Day 13: Mahabalipuram - Chennai - Delhi Your tour guide will be assistant of hotel check out, and then escort you to the Chennai Airport for your onward flight to Delhi. Meet your tour guide who holds Bravo Asia Tours’ greeting board at Indira Gandhi International Airport. We will transfer to hotel so you can fresh up. The rest of day will be free; you can arrange it according to your personal needs. Overnight in Delhi Day 14: Delhi Today, we will begin to explore the capital of India, where is also the start of our incredible India tour. We will visit the exterior of the massive and awe-inspiring Rashtrapati Bhawan and Delhi’s landmark structure India Gate. Then continue our tour to the National Museum (closed on Monday and Gazetted holidays). The incredible artifacts and exhibits will both amaze you and will bring clarity to much of what you will experience during your tour of India. After that, we will visit the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. After lunch, we will visit a UNESCO world Heritage site – Tomb of The Mughal Emperor Humayun. Your tour guide will take you a tour with rickshaw to the next UNESCO world heritage site of Delhi - the Qutab Minar. This 239-foot tall medieval tower is a symbol of victory and an example of Persian architecture from that period. Overnight in Delhi Day 15: Delhi After breakfast in the morning, we will take an exploration of Old Delhi. Drive through the ancient city’s lost streets; enjoy an exciting rickshaw ride and walk with your tour guide through the crowded alleys of Chandni Chowk. The modern and the ancient are mixed together, providing a truly impact on the senses at every level. We then will visit the Jama Masjid – the largest mosque in India. After that, we will take some rest and have lunch. We will visit the third UNESCO world heritage of Delhi - The Red Fort, this magnificent complex was finished a decade before the mosque we visit in the morning. Both of them were built by Shah Jahan, who is also the Taj Mahal creator. Later, we will take you to this surprisingly calm and serenity oasis in Old Delhi – The cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, which is a simple yet stirring memorial to the father of India. Overnight in Delhi Day 16: Delhi - Varanasi Breakfast and checkout, you will be escorted to airport and catch a mid-morning flight to Varanasi. Be greeted by your tour guide at Varanasi Airport then transfer to hotel. Take a city tour of Varanasi including several temples along the holy river. Walk through the narrow lanes and through the crowded bazaars to discover a way of life that hasn’t changed much over the past few millenniums. Two of the highlights of Varanasi tour are the sunset and sunrise cruises on the Ganga. Float on the river and send off your own lamp in the oil lamp ceremony at sunset. Your boat enable you a great view of the hundreds of lamps as they are sent floating down the holy river. Overnight in Varanasi Day 17: Varanasi This morning cruise tour will start very early at around 6:00 AM. The boat offers an excellent view of all the activity on the Ghats. Along the river, you can witness the morning dip taken by pilgrims, ash immersed ceremony, newborn naming ceremony, women bathing with their sarees on and yoga or meditating men. Back to hotel and have breakfast. This mid-morning will be your free time. We will take a city tour of Varanasi in the afternoon after lunch. Overnight in Varanasi Day 18: Varanasi - Agra Today we are going to Agra by mid-morning flight. Meet your tour guide at Agra airport then transfer to hotel for check in. There is no activity in the rest of the day so you can take a rest after tour of previous days. Overnight in Agra Day 19: Agra Our tour today start e tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah, which is believed that its design inspired the creation of the Taj Mahal. This afternoon, we will visit the first red sandstone fort of North India, the Agra Fort. Enjoy a sunset visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the incomparable Taj Mahal. The world’s greatest monument dedicated is love is obviously a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Taj Mahal was completely by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1653 A.D. as a memorial to his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. This spectacular white marble mausoleum was created by about 22,000 skilled craftsmen and it took twenty two years to complete. Explore the amazing Taj and its surroundings until it is time to admire the sun’s rays setting on the façade of the world’s finest monument. Overnight in Agra Day 20: Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur Mehtab Bagh, a 500-year-old Mughal garden located across from the Taj Mahal on the other side of the Yamuna River, provides a extraordinary place to enjoy a sunrise morning walk out. Back to hotel for breakfast and fresh-up. Checkout then we are going to drive to Jaipur en route to Fatehpur Sikri. This beautiful uninhabited city is the best preserved collections of Indian Mughal architecture in India. Today’s journey ends in Jaipur. Your tour guide will assist you with hotel chech-in. Sleep well and we will meet you next morning for tomorrow’s tour. Overnight in Jaipur Day 21: Jaipur Today, we will have a tour in and around Jaipur. Start with the Amber Fort and Palace, located near the walled city, is a UNESCO world heritage site. The massive For complex was originally built by Raja Mansingh and is one of India’s finest examples of Rajput architecture. Explore the chambers and hallways, which are famous for their exquisite designs and handcrafted embellishments. Return to the valley beneath the Fort and you are driven to nearby Samode for a unique Rajasthani experience. Tour the boutique Samode Palace which it now operating as a luxury hotel. Have a famous Rajasthani lunch at the Palace. After that we will have a camel safari through surrounding rural area. A village walk will take place, when you can observe how the locals go about their daily lives and work. Overnight in Jaipur Day 22: Jaipur Continue our exploration of the walled city of Jaipur. We will visit Jantar Mantar, a fascinating stone observatory built by Raja Jai Singh in 1728. Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Wind), a intriguing façade built in 1799. With its detailed honeycombed façade filled with concealed windows, royal maidens once watched the streets below through the fabulous jali (lattice screens), which hid them from prying male eyes. Today snake charmers and fortune-tellers ply their trade below the same hideaway. The impressive view makes it the most photographed building in the country after Taj Mahal. Then to the City Palace, the former royal residence, part of which is still occupied by the Royal family and is not accessible to the public. After your lunch, we will visit the Albert Hall Museum which is a museum of the industrial arts. In the rest time of the day, you may take a stroll with your tour guide through the pink bazaar in the heart of the old town. Overnight in Jaipur Day 23: Jaipur - Delhi - Kathmandu - Nagarkot After breakfast at the hotel, you will be at leisure until your tour guide and driver escorting you to airport to flight back to Delhi, and then connect your flight to Kathmandu. Namaste! Welcome to Nepal. Be greeted by your tour guide of Bravo Asia Tours at the Tribhuvan International Airport of Kathmand, Nepal. We will drive to Nagarkot(approximately 1hour), a village located 32 km east of Kathmandu on the valley rim. This small village provides a grandstand panoramic view of the Himalayas. You can see five of the world’s 10 tallest mountains – Everest 8848, Lhotse 8516, Makalu 8463 and Manaslu 8163. If time permit, we will have a tour to Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanth Stupa. Overnight in Nagarkot. Day 24: Kathmandu - Bhaktapur - Chitwan National Park We will take a flight to Bhaktapur (approximately 25minutes) today. Upon arrival, meet your chauffeur and tour guide then transfer to Chitwan National Park, check in of your hotel and get ready for lunch. Our activities in Royal Chitwan National Park in the afternoon including: elephant safari, jungle walk and boat ride. Overnight in Chitwan Day 25: Chitwan National Park You activities today are set. So a early morning start on 5:30AM. Today’s activities include bird watching, elephant safari, jungle walk, crocodile observation trip by boat and visiting observation tower. Overnight in Chitwan Day 26: Chitwan National Park - Lumbini After breakfast, we leave Chitwan for Lumbini, the Buddhist pilgrimage site in the world. It takes approximately 5 hours to drive from Chitwan. Check in of the hotel in Lumbini, you are at leisure until your tour guide escort you to World Peace Pagoda in the later afternoon to admire the amazing sunset. Drive back to hotel for dinner. Overnight in Lumbini Day 27: Lumbini Today, we will visit the sacred land of Buddhism – Lumbini, in where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama on a full moon day in 623 BC. We will have a tour to Mayadevi Temple, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Neal. This complex consists of temples, ancient ruins, historical inscriptions, ancient sculptures and monasteries. The temple houses Marker Stone which was said the exact birthplace of the Buddha. Lumbini is also a huge collection of monasteries of various sects built by different countries including Nepal, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, Germany, France, Japan and many others. Overnight in Lumbini Day 28: Lumbini - Pokhara Check out hotel after breakfast. We will drive from Lumbini to Pokhara (driving approximately 8 hours). Arrive at Pokhara and check in to your hotel. You are at leisure the rest of the day. Pokhara is part of a once vibrant trade route extending between India and Tibet. To this day, mule trains can be seen camped on the outskirts of the town, bring goods to trade from remote regions of the Himalaya. This is the land of the Magars and Gurungs, hard working farmers and valorous warriors who have earned worldwide fame as Gurkha soldiers. The serenity of Phewa Lake and the magnificence of the fish-tailed summit of Machhapuchhre (6977m) rising behind it have to be experienced to be understood. Overnight in Pokhara Day 29: Pokhara Explore the old trading town of Pokhara where decorated pony trains from the Kali Gandaki trade routes jostle with men from the mountains, as they barter in the bazaar. Visit the Bindhyavasini Temple and the fascinating Butterfly Museum located in the grounds of the university. After lunch, we will enjoy a boat trip on Phewa Lake passing three-story villa where the King of Nepal maintains his winter home. Stop at the small golden temple to the Hindu god Varahi which is nestled in foliage on an island in the centre of the lake. You will see many fisherman and other pilgrims take their long canoes (carved from tree trunks) to the island to visit the shrine. Overnight in Pokhara Day 30: Pokhara - Kathmandu You are at leisure in the morning until transfer to airport for flight to Kathmandu. Meet your tour guide at Kathmandu airport then transfer to hotel for check in. The rest time of today is free. Overnight in Kathmandu Day 31: Kathmandu Today we will have a Kathmandu city tour, visit Kumari the Living Goddess, Kathamandap, the Big Bell and Kal Bharab. Then visit the Swayambhunath temple, Kathmandu’s oldest and best known religious monument. With a history that goes back at least 1500 years for the location, this ancient stupa is world renown and is visible from miles from all over the Kathmandu Valley. After lunch, we will take a tour to Patan City, one of the three queen cities of the valley. Patan is the city of fine arts, and we visit Durbar Square Krishna Mandir, and Mahavihar, the Goden Temple of Lord Buddha, built in the 12th century. Also visit the Tibetan centre. Overnight in Kathmandu Day 32: Kathmandu Board on vehicle and drive to airport of Kathmandu, from where, you will catch your flight onward to your next destination. This tour is officially finished now. The whole team of Bravo Asia Tours looks forward to meeting you again in your next trip to Asia.