Best India Tour

When your flight lands at the Delhi Airport, our local representative will greet you at the arrival lobby by holding a signboard with your name on it, and then escort you to the hotel in our well-prepared private car.

Good to Know Before Travel:
1. Be careful with the drinking water. To make sure you travel safely, we have prepared bottled water in the car. But just in case you need it when you enjoy your free time, do make sure that the bottled water you purchased has not been opened since some vendors recycle the bottle and fill in with tap water. Moreover, never try street food due to its unknown water.
2. The best cloths for lower body are pants and long skirts, which not only meet the requirements for entering the temples and monuments, but also provide protection from the sun.
3. Prepare some changes with you all the time. Almost all vendors and taxi drivers have a general acquiescence that do not give changes to foreigners. Perhaps the amount is not large, but it makes people uncomfortable if it happens frequently.

Our tour will begin from the Raj Ghat, the resting place of Gandhi who is known as the national father of India. At the cemetery, you can join other visitors in remembering this world hero. Next, you will be escorted to marvel at the iconic Red Fort of Mughal Empire (1526 - 1857) from outside, and then follow our guide to have a thorough visit of the nearby Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. At the top of the mosque, one could capture the entire layout of the capital Delhi. Afterward, the guide will take you on a rickshaw ride through the bustling Chandni Chowk, a time-honored local market packed with tiny shops and a dazzling array of local products.

In the afternoon, we will move onwards to New Delhi and first visit the Qutub Minar, the highest tower of India built in 1193, and then wander at the Humayun’s Tomb, a typical Mughal architecture. Later, we will show respect to the impressive India Gate, a monument built in memory of unknown Indian soldiers during the World War I. Finally, let’s admire the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, one of India’s most prominent Sikh temples.

★ What makes our service superior:
1. See all three of Delhi’s World Heritage sites in one day – Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, and Red Fort.
2. In addition to guided tour of regular attractions, we will also arrange a special rickshaw ride to the most popular local bazaar, giving you up-close insights into the real Indian life.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport to catch a flight to Varanasi. Upon landing, our local driver will greet you and serve you with a smooth drive to the hotel in our well-equipped private car. After checking in, you can rest at the hotel or, if you have time, simply walk around to get a first impression of this holy city by the Ganges River.

★ Special Evening Activity: Ganga Aarti
When night falls, one thing you should not miss is witnessing the sacred and unique Ganga Aarti Ceremony. Our guide will pick you up from your hotel and head to the site of the ceremony, the Dashashwamedh Ghat, to get the best vantage point for the spectacular scenes. You will see some funeral pyres in blaze for the cremation of dead Hindus, as well as many pandits dressed in long robes, holding large lamps and marching in a set pace. The devotees put numerous floating ‘diya’ lamps in the Ganges. Things you’ve never seen before will make this night unforgettable!

Does the Water of Ganges Has Magical Curative Effect?
In India, people drink water of Ganges River and often take water for their families, they believe the water from Ganges has magical power that can cure physical or mental diseases, and also, they will get better life in the next if they worship Shiva while alive and be buried in the Ganges after death.

In the eyes of outsiders, the synonym for Ganges is dirty and messy with countless garbage and excrement floating on the surface, and even the human corpses and ashes. However, in the hearts of Indians, the Ganges is holy that can wash away all impurities. On July 12, 2016, an Indian organization did an incredible thing by selling water of Ganges in bottles. Can you guess what happened? The bottled water was crazily purchased by the public, over 100,000 bottles were sold within one hour, since people think the unprocessed water was the purest. Actually, the most basic reason is that the locals have adapted to such an environment, and they usually eat a large amount of garlic and onions, which have a bactericidal effect.

When you travel in Varanasi, you can always see people bathing or drinking in the Ganges, and perhaps even internet celebrities from around the world live streaming their own bathing experience or drinking the water, and some of suffered from diarrhea or eye inflammation. We suggest all tourists only take a look but not try either of them.

Meals: Breakfast

Get up in the early morning, and we will take a boat cruise along the holy Ganges River to revel in the mysterious ghats, where devout pilgrims take their morning prayers at sunrise. We will pass by the most notable Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat with thousands of devotees. Along the bank, you may see a lot of locals bathing in the river in the chill morning, as they believe that the holy water could wash away their sins. A cruise is the best way to watch the religious funeral rituals along the river, but taking photos is not allowed.

Return to the hotel for breakfast, and then you will be accompanied by our guide to enjoy a Varanasi day trip covering highlight attractions, such as the Bharat Mata Temple, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Mandir, and Banaras Hindu University. In the afternoon, we will escape the city and head to Chiraigaon Village, where locates a production line of Chiraigaon jam, pickles and other seasoning products. Mahatma Gandhi once said: The soul of India lies in its villages. When you are there, the villagers will warmly welcome you and will show you the process of making pickle, their traditional agriculture and folks. The most important is to know how they do their daily routines and their living condition by interacting and communicating with them, which you may never know when traveling in the city. Hope a cup of masala tea can revive you from a full day's exploration.

Meals: Breakfast

Depending on the flight time, our driver will transfer you from the hotel to the Varanasi Airport for your flight to Jaipur. After a 2-hour flight, you will arrive and be met by our local driver who will escort you to the hotel.

► Crowned as the Pink City, Jaipur has most of its roofs and walls painted pink, and even the local women prefer pink saris. As the capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is a quite poetic destination endowed with a number of grand forts, palaces and natural wonders. If there’s still time after checking into the hotel, you can wander around downtown Jaipur, with our private car and driver at your disposal.

Free Afternoon suggestion
If you are tired of visiting various museums or monuments, a leisurely strolling through the local market may get you relaxed. Jaipur is such a great place to buy souvenirs. The markets are filled with various items such as clothing, jewelry, gemstones, and embroidered textiles, as well as pottery and puppets. Today we recommend two places to go.

Ajmeri Gate is the west gate of the old city wall of Jaipur, located in the center of the old town. Across from it is a government run handicraft shop that sells high-quality traditional handicrafts, including blue pottery decorated with yellow flowers, wooden carvings depicting Rajasthan characters, and hand printed saris. The price is fixed and cannot be negotiated, but which also avoids the trouble of bargaining, and it is fair to every customer.

The other one is Johari Bazar, famous for jewelry stores selling gold and silver. It is located next to the old city wall, facing the gate of Sanganeri, also known as the South Great of the old town. Johari Bazar is definitely a paradise for jewelry enthusiasts. The market shines brightly, with dozens of stores selling a variety of goods ranging from antique jewelry to exquisite silver and gold. No matter what your budget is, you can bring home some beautiful things.

Not far away from Johari Bazar, in the middle of Sanganer Gate and New Gate, locates the Bapu Bazaar, one of the popular stops for traditional jewelry. Here you can find handmade trinkets, locally manufactured textiles. Have a look of here if you are still energetic, and do remember to bargain at a half price.

Meals: Breakfast

A morning excursion to the grand Amber Fort will be a highlighted experience of your holiday. Towering on an isolated mountain, the splendid palatial complex was accomplished with red sandstone in 1592. The Palace of Mirrors in the fort will astonish you with its rather exquisite and elegant architecture.

★ Let’s refuse to mistreat elephants!
From the Amber Fort’s parking lot to the fort’s hilltop entrance, there are locals offering elephant rides and jeep transfers for an extra fee. We do not include the transfer, not for the cost, but because we want to do our best to let everyone know the plight of these elephants and refuse to ride them. It’s actually not a long way and only takes 15 minutes to walk.

After visiting the fort, we will drive to the Jal Mahal for a short stop to take photos of the serene palace on water before continuing our journey back to downtown Jaipur to visit several sites. The guide will show you around the Maharaja City Palace, with luxury design and abundant collections, through which you’ll see the extravagant lifestyle of the royal family. Next, we’ll move to the Jantar Mantar Observatory, a masterpiece of Sawai Jai Singh II - the founder of the whole Jaipur City. The astronomical instruments there are still in function to present his intelligence. The final stop will be the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), another architectural wonder of Jaipur, with smart design that allows wind to travel through every window. The guide will take you to the best viewing point across the road to take a panoramic photo of its grand pink facade.

Meals: Breakfast

Today we will start a road trip to Agra, and en route visit an UNESCO World Heritage site, the centuries-old Fatehpur Sikri. It was once the capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, but was abandoned just 15 years after its completion due to water shortages. The palace enjoys a delicate mix of Islamic, Hindu and Christian architectural styles. Follow our guide to take a closer look at the highlights there, including the Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chishti, Panch Mahal, Guland Darwaza, and Ibadat Khana. Before dark, we will arrive in Agra and check into a local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Our first destination today will be the iconic Taj Mahal. This magnificent mausoleum was built between 1632 and 1653 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The white marble palace, with grand design and resplendent decorations, will make visitors awestruck.

★ What makes our service superior:
1. We will offer you an all-inclusive ticket that includes access to the main mausoleum of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, free drinking water, shoe covers and a tourist map.
2. If the weather is clear and you would like to get up early to see the sunrise, please let our guide know in advance and he or she will take you inside the Taj Mahal early in the morning to find the best angle for you to wait for the stunning sunrise.

►  Good to Know: Almost all hotels and attractions in India take security checks, but the one in Taj Mahal is particularly strict. Due to the large number of visitors from all over the world, security checks takes time and only chocolate, water, and baby food are allowed to be brought in. You can enter the site quickly if you travel light.

After visiting the Taj Mahal, we will set off for the Agra Fort. Built of red sandstone, it is one of the most exquisite forts of India that enjoys a long history of more than 400 years. The maze-like fort boasts numerous halls, magnificent towers, and mosques. Please follow our guide to uncover the historic stories and mysteries of the fort. If there is time left, you can explore Agra further at your own leisurely pace, with our private car and chauffeur at your disposal within the downtown area.

Meals: Breakfast

Your 9 days best tour of India is drawing to an end. After breakfast, our driver will escort you in a comfortable private car for a 3 to 4 hours’ drive to the Delhi Airport, where you can fly home or continue your journey. Have a nice trip!

Meals: Breakfast

► If you would like to make an extensional stay for further exploration in India, or you want to explore other destinations, please feel free to contact us.