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Rely on the confident energy of specialists and their knowledge of ancient Indian sciences combined with modern treatments. Bring radiance to your skin, body and spirit. Experience the healing science of Ayurveda. Benefit from centuries old herbal remedies.
Try the ancient science of Yoga, which upholds wellness as a natural state of being, when the mind, body, and environment coexist in total harmony. From here we take you to East India, to Orissa. Orissa is a land of holiness, beauty and artistic excellence. The History & Heritage of Orissa - Kalinga or Utkala of ancient times - is an experience that is as sublime as it is aesthetically gratifying. It is a land of much splendor.
The Art and Architecture, the Handicrafts, the Dance, Drama and Music, the Fairs and Festivals are indicators of superb past prosperity. It has been endowed with natural bounty in all aspects one can dream. It had attracted Saints, Philosophers, Pilgrims and invaders alike with its rich life, art and cultural heritage manifested in many forms.
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Delhi
Namaste! We are welcomed the traditional Indian way with hands clapped together. After immigration and custom formalities, we are assisted and driven through the city to our hotel. Overnight: Taj Palace Hotel, Delhi. (2 nights)
Day 2: Delhi
Throwing a charismatic charm on its visitors, the capital city of Delhi enriched with culture, architecture and human diversity, spreads along the western end of the Gangetic plain. A city deep with history, invaluable monuments and landmarks of love, empires, religion and sacrifices, Delhi has a long and illustrative tale to tell.
The city is formed by the combination of two distinct, but unanimous fragments, the Old Delhi and New Delhi reflect the past and contemporary style. Our morning tour starts with India Gate, the All India War Memorial built after the 1st World War in memory of 90,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in the war.
Then we’ll have stops at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (the Presidential house), the two blocks of the Secretariat, and a drive by the Parliament House and Connaught Place, the circular market designed by the British to connect Old Delhi with New Delhi. Visit Gandhi Smriti, the old Birla House, where Gandhi was shot dead as he was coming out for his usual evening prayer on January 30th, 1948.
If time permitting, we’ll visit the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Crafts Museum with its fantastic collection of arts and crafts from all over the country, and drive through the Lotus Temple, to admire the latest architectural marvel of India.
Our afternoon tour starts at the Red Fort built by the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648, as he moved his capital from Agra to Delhi, after the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Drive through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk and get a feel of “Old Delhi”. See the most famous and the biggest mosque in India, the Jama Masjid, which was also built by Shah Jahan in 1650.
On our way back to New Delhi visit Raj Ghat, the memorial built for Mahatma Gandhi. Will continue the day-tour with a visit to the World Heritage Site Humayun’s Tomb, which was built by Humayun’s widow Hamida Banu, in the memory of her husband and after nine years of his death. It is also believed that this site was an inspiration for the famous Taj Mahal.
From here we drive to the highest Minar (tower) in Delhi known as Qutub Minar. This Minar was built to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over the Rajputs in 1192 A.D, by his viceroy Qutub-ud-din Aibak, and it became a symbol of the military might of the Turko-Afghan Slave dynasty, and the pole of justice and Islam. (Breakfast)
Day 3: Delhi / Haridwar (Train: Dehradun Shatabadi Express - Dep. 06.55 hrs – Arr. 11.22 hrs)
Today we are transferred to the Central Railway station in Delhi to board the luxurious Shatabadi Train to Haridwar. We will travel like Royalty aboard and after we arrive to Haridwar we are assisted by our local guide and driven to our Hotel.
Afternoon is free for us to rest and have ‘acclimatized’. In the evening we attend an Aarti Ceremony on the River Ganges at Haridwar. Overnight: Ananda In the Himalayas (3 Nights) (Breakfast)
Ananda In The Himalayas is the ultimate luxury destination, a spa resort located at the picturesque foothills of the Himalayas, and it is the birthplace of India's ancient arts of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. Ananda is a retreat dedicated to restoring balance and revitalizing energy, through a holistic approach, incorporating the healing principles of the East and the West with a specific focus on Ayurveda and Aromatherapy, along with contemporary spa technology.
At the heart of the wellness focus, is the integration of Yoga and Ayurveda philosophies along with purifying whole body therapies, while incorporating the five elements of the Nature, thus creating harmony between the mind, body and spirit.
Day 4: Haridwar
Haridwar is located at the foothills of the lower Himalayan Shivalik Mountains, on the banks of River Ganges (Ganga), and it is an important pilgrimage site for the Hindus’. When the Ganges leaves the mountains and enters the plains, Haridwar is the first major town on the plains. Though the Ganges does not lose its rapids completely, nevertheless it becomes very quiet and calm here.
Haridwar has earned fame as being the place that has been blessed by the trinity of the Lords Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. It is also one of the major Shaktipeeths. Down the ages, Haridwar has purified the mind, the body and the soul of people not only in spiritual or religious terms, but also as a major learning centre for arts, science and culture.
Our visit today includes Rishikesh, a very important Hindu pilgrimage site. This is also a cluster of a number of Ashrams and temples giving the entire place a spiritual feeling. The ceaseless flow of the river, regarded as Goddess Ganga adds to the beauty and the purity of the place.
Along the river, the area is filled with thick green forests in the mountainous region. Rishikesh is famous for its yoga sessions that are taught here by many yoga experts. Besides the sadhus and saints, masses of tourists visit this place every year, to have a look at this much heard-about place.
If the wonderful scenery and the numerous pilgrimage sites were not enough, Rishikesh also makes some of the most popular adventure sport destinations of India. River rafting, trekking, rock climbing, hiking - are some of the activities one can easily opt for here. We will be visiting Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Geeta Bhawan temples & ashrams, while here. (Breakfast)
Day 5: Haridwar
Today we enjoy our stay at The Ananda Spa & Resort, maybe attending yoga classes, or taking Ayurvedic Massage Therapies and other available Spa treatments (optional & by private arrangements). (Breakfast)
Day 6: Haridwar / Delhi (Train: Dep. 06.23 hrs – Arr. 11.15 hrs)
Early in the morning we are transferred to Haridwar Railway station to board the Shatabadi Train back to Delhi. Our pleasant train-ride will get us to Delhi, where we meet our guide and later check-in to our Hotel. The rest of the day is free for us to wander around our hotel or check out the closest bazaars. Overnight: Taj Palace Hotel, Delhi (1 night) (Breakfast)
Day 7: Delhi / Varanasi (flight)
Today after breakfast we are transferred to the airport for our short flight to Varanasi. On arrival in Varanasi, we go first to our Hotel, followed by a city tour. The Land of Varanasi (Kashi) has been an ultimate pilgrimage spot for Hindus’ for ages. Often referred to as Benares, Varanasi is the oldest living city in the world and as Mark Twain said, "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together".
Hindus believe that one who is graced to die on the land of Varanasi would attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and re-birth. Later in the afternoon we’ll have a short excursion to Sarnath - the buried Buddhist city, where Buddha preached his first sermon.
After attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, the Buddha went to Sarnath; and it was here that he preached his first discourse in the Deer Park to set in motion the 'Wheel of the Dharma'. It is one of the most-holiest sites as in this place the stream of the Buddha's teaching first flowed. Overnight: Hotel Taj Ganges (1 night) (Breakfast)
Day 8: Varanasi / Calcutta (overnight train, the ‘Kalka Mail Express’ Train: Dep. 20.40 hrs – Arr. 07.10 hrs next morning)
Early in the morning we leave for a boat ride on the River Ganges to see the bathing Ghats (river bank) & cremation site. Sunrise on the riverfront, as seen from a boat, can be a spiritually uplifting experience. The life on the Ghats bound in an endless string of rituals and the ever-changing aspects of the river & the wide landscape across have fascinated visitors from all over the world. We return to hotel for breakfast, followed by a city tour of Varanasi.
We’ll visit the Bharat Mata Temple and its big relief map of India in Marble, the Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Mandir and the Benares Hindu University, which has an art gallery & the mosque of Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb. In the evening we are transferred to Varanasi Railway Station to board our comfortable overnight train the ‘Kalka Mail’ to Calcutta. Overnight: Onboard train (1 night) (Breakfast)
Day 9: Calcutta
Upon arrival to Calcutta, we are met by our local guide and taken to our Hotel. A city of love and warmth, sorrow and despair, dreams and hopes, poverty and squalor, grandeur and glory, Calcutta is compelling, effervescent, teeming with life and traditions a medley of moods, styles, cultures, politics, industry and commerce.
For 250 years British Calcutta was part of the British Empire, and signs of this era are everywhere. Our tour includes today only the Raj Bhawan and the High Court. We’ll also stop by the famous teahouse, where Bengali academics sit and discuss. Overnight: Taj Bengal (2 nights) (Breakfast)
Day 10: Calcutta
Our morning city tour of Calcutta starts with The Victoria Memorial followed by the St. Paul's Cathedral and Fort William. Victoria Memorial - Calcutta The white marble building at the Southern end of Calcutta continues to be the city's pride and joy. The Victoria Memorial, with its formal gardens and watercourses was conceived by Lord Curzon to commemorate the British Empire at its peak.
Other colonial monuments within the city have either been obliterated with time or have been renamed or demolished, but the popularity of the "VM" seems to endure forever. The Memorial consists of numerous hybrid features: it has Italian-style statues over its entrances, Mughal domes in its corners and tall elegant open colonnades along its sides. Sir William Emerson designed the building and its construction was completed in 1921.
The main attraction at the Memorial is the huge somber statue of the Queen, which is flanked by two ornamental tanks. Made of Makrana marble from Jodhpur, the Memorial is capped by a dome bearing a revolving bronze figurine symbolizing victory.
There are 25 galleries in a chamber beneath the dome, each of these housing several mementos of British Imperialism - statues and busts of Queen Mary, George V and Queen Victoria; paintings of Robert Clive and the Queen, French Guns captured at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and a black marble throne of a Nawab defeated by Clive. Our second stop today is at Fort William, the citadel of Calcutta. With the permission of the Nawab of Bengal, this Fort was built between 1696 and 1702 by the British East India Company and named after King William III of England.
In 1757 East India Company has demolished this old construction and they’ve started reconstruction of a new one, which was completed in 1773 and it is still here. After a short visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral, we have free time for exploring the city and its ‘numerous faces’ by ourselves. (Breakfast)
Day 11: Calcutta / Bhubaneshwar (flight)
After our breakfast at the hotel we go to the airport and fly from Calcutta to Bhubaneshwar, the Capital City of modern Orissa State. The city is known as being the ‘Ancient Temples Town’ of India.
There are still as many as 100 temples, some of which are masterpieces of Hindu architecture and contain exquisite carvings and sculptures, like the Raja-Rani Temple, the Mukteshwar Temple, the Parasurameswar Temple and the Lingaraja Temple, just to mention few, as these are the most important ones we will visit today.
The Raja-Rani Temple is dating back to the 11th century and it is an elegant example of great finesse in temple art and architecture. The sensuous beauty of the female form and filigree sweetness of flowers and fruits are enhanced by the artist’s dexterous skill.
Lack of a temple deity, and celebration of the female forms are some intriguing aspects of this temple. The Mukteshwar temple it is also called the ‘Cathedral City’, in fact it is said that at one time over 7000 temples crowded around the holy Bindu Sagar Tank alone.
Today just about 500 remain, of which some are the perfection personified. One of the most delightful expressions of the Kalinga School of Architecture in this city is the luminous beauty of the Mukteshwara Temple, often called the “Gem of Orissa Architecture". Its importance also lies in the fact that it is a glorious synthesis of the old and new styles of that school. It also shows an excellent combination of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain features.
The Lingaraja Temple and its towering spire-like beauty dominate the Bhubaneshwar skyline. The 11th Century temple is the culmination of architecture, beauty and sculpted elegance. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is believed to have existed its smaller version as far as back as the 7th Century. It is closed to Non-Hindus.
The temple boasts of a Natamndir (hall of dance), the Bhog Mandap (hall of offering) and the Jagmohan (the porch) while is’ beautifully carved tower rises to a height of about 55m. Overnight: Hotel Trident Hilton, Bhubaneshwar (1 night) (Breakfast)
Day 12: Bhubaneshwar / Konark / Puri (drive)
Today we leave Bhubaneshwar for Puri, which is about 56 km far from here. En route we’ll also visit Konark and its famous Sun Temple. The beautiful Sun Temple was built in the 13th Century in honor of the Sun God, containing exquisite carvings of life-like lions and Elephants, colossal figures of Warriors on Horses, Scenes of Battle and the Chase – all carved with great imagination and skill, testifying to the high standard of ancient Indian art and engineering skill.
Later we arrive into Puri and have some fun at the beach. Overnight: Hotel Mayfair Beach Resort, Puri. (1 night) (Breakfast)
Day 13: Puri / Bhubaneshwar (drive)
A town of eternal festivals and an important center of pilgrimage throughout the ages, Puri is also famous for its 12th Century Temple of Jagannath. This Temple is a frequent travel destination for thousands of Hindu pilgrims during the famous Rath Festival (June-July). Puri is also known and it is popular for the excellent beaches and the backwater activities you can enjoy here.
After breakfast we visit the Jagannath Temple and in the afternoon we drive back to Bhubaneshwar. The Jagannath Temple is one of the four most sacred places (Dhams) of worship for Hindus. Closed to Non – Hindus, it is synonymous with all that is held sacred in both religion and the state in India. The reigning deity who holds the devotees in a fever of intense religious fervor is Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe, Vishnu.
The 65-meter conical tower slashes the skies with its Vishnu Wheel and flag punctuating its glorious ascent. The exquisite pillar with its Aruna head at the entrance once rested at the Konark Sun Temple. Overnight: Hotel Trident Hilton, Bhubaneshwar (1 night) (Breakfast)
Day 14: Bhubaneshwar / Homebound (flight)
This morning we leave Orissa and Bhubaneshwar as we fly home via Delhi or Calcutta. After a ‘healing’ and cultural tour through areas most representative for yoga and Hinduism, we leave India holding back strong feelings and memories of a journey of ‘once in a lifetime’.
- End of our tour and services -
Price includes:
- Accommodation as mentioned, including all hotel taxes
- Meals as mentioned (Breakfast)
- All sightseeing and transfers by AC cars
- Air tickets for the Delhi / Varanasi & Calcutta / Bhubaneshwar sectors
- Road taxes, parking fees, driver’s overnight wages
- Train tickets for Delhi / Haridwar / Delhi & Varanasi / Calcutta sectors
- Services of local English-speaking guides
- Entrance fees to museums, monuments and sites included in the itinerary
Price does not include:
- International airfares and all airport taxes
- Meals not mentioned (Lunch, Dinner)
- Insurance & visa fee
- Personal expenses / Beverages / Tips / Bills
- Movie and Camera fees at some monuments
- Services not mentioned above
Tour highlights & World Heritage Sites (WHS):
- Qutub Minar (WHS - 1993)
- Jama Masjid (WHS)
- Ananda In The Himalayas
- Haridwar & Rishikesh
- Ganges Ghats (river bank) & Cremation
- Victoria Memorial – Kolkota
- The Raja-Rani Temple, the Mukteshwar Temple, the Parasurameswar Temple and the Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneshwar
- Konark Sun Temple
- The Jagannath Temple, Puri
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Land Prices for 2008
USD: 3,795.00 / CAD: 3,985.00 – per person in double occupancy.
Single supplement is USD: 1,900.00 / CAD: 1,995.00
For the departure dates marked with * please deduct $ 300 from the above price.
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Cultural Journey
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