Colonial India & Backwater 14 days

Day 1 Arrive Delhi

On arrival, assistance & transfer to the hotel (hotel check-in/ out time 12 pm). Rest time is free for personal activities. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 Delhi (B)

City tour of Delhi. In Old Delhi, visit the majestic Red Fort (closed on Monday), the residence of the Mughal emperor for nearly 200 years until 1857. Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in the world built by Shah Jahan. Cycle Rickshaw ride in Chandni Chowk & Khari Baoli Spice Market, a busy shopping area with markets full of spices, dried fruit, silver jewellery and vivid saris, while the narrow side streets are crowded with tiny shops selling essential oils, stationery and traditional Indian sweets. Raj Gath is the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, where he was cremated after his assassination. In New Delhi, visit Humayun Tomb, the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent and an early example of Mughal architecture, commissioned by Humayun`s first wife, Empress Bega Begum, in 1569-70. Qutab Minar, a 73-metre tall minaret that forms part of the Qutb complex a fine example of Afghan architecture. The Lotus Temple, a Bahai House of Worship notable for its flower-like shape. Also, drive past the President's House, Parliament & India Gate, etc. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Delhi - Varanasi (B)

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Varanasi. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Evening attend Holy Ganga Aarti, a magical ritual held every evening at sunset on the banks of the Holy Ganges. The entire Ghat gets illuminated with a divine light that can be felt strongly. The magnificent ritual involves huge brass lamps lit with oil, and the priests chant the holy mantras that reverberate in the entire location. The entire Ghat gets illuminated with a divine light that can be felt strongly. The magnificent ritual involves huge brass lamps lit with oil, and the priests chant the holy mantras that reverberate in the entire location. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 Varanasi (B)

Early morning boat ride & ghat visit along the Ganges and catch the scene of devotees bathing and praying in the sacred water. Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the River Ganges. The city has 88 ghats; most of the ghats are bathing and puja ceremony ghats, while two ghats are used exclusively as cremation sites. The ghats are frequented by people which including early morning bathers, priests, people practising meditation and yoga, students and tourists as well. City tour of Varanasi. Visit Banaras Hindu University, with a 5.3 sq km campus and 30,000 resident students, it is the largest residential university on the continent. Bharat Mata Temple, built in 1936, houses a relief map of undivided India carved out of marble. Tulsi Manas Mandir is one of the most famous temples in Varanasi. The temple has beautiful images of Lord Rama, Mother Sita, Lakshman and Lord Hanuman. The walls of the temple are adorned with verses from Ramcharitmanas, the Hindi version of the epic Ramayana. Sarnath was where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon after attaining the Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 5 Varanasi - Kolkata (B)

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Kolkata. On arrival at Kolkata airport, assistance & transfer to the hotel. Rest time is free & easy to relax. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 Kolkata (B)

City tour of Kolkata. Visit Fort William, one of the most enduring Raj-era edifices built during the early years of the Bengal Presidency of British India, on the eastern banks of the River Hooghly. Victoria Memorial is an immaculate white memorial bounded by verdant greenery and broad roads dedicated to Queen Victoria. Inside the memorial, there is a museum where you can see the dresses of the queen as well as different kinds of weapons used during that era. Netaji Bhawan is a building maintained as a memorial and research centre to the life of the Indian nationalist Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The house, built by Bose`s father in 1909, is owned and managed by the Netaji Research Bureau and includes a museum, archives and library. Howrah Bridge is one of the most popular bridges of India, built on the river Hooghly. It is one of the major Kolkata attractions, and people from different parts of the country come here especially to witness this amazingly structured bridge. Dakshineswar Kali Temple is one of the major pilgrimage centres dedicated to Goddess Kali. Located on the bank of the River Hoogly, the temple compound maintains a large courtyard with rooms along the boundary walls, twelve shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, a bathing ghat on the river and a shrine dedicated to Rani Rashmoni. Overnight at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 7 Kolkata - Chennai (B)

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Chennai. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Later visit Fort St. George & St Mary`s Church inside the fort, built by the British East India Company in 1640 AD. Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a holy shrine of Lord Shiva, originally built by the mighty Pallavas and rebuilt in the 16th century by the Vijayanagar kings. Vadapalani Murugan Temple is one of the most frequented places of worship for Hindus in Chennai. The Government Museum, built in the Indo-Sarcenic style it houses a rich collection of works of Raja Ravi Varma. Dakshinachitra Museum, one of the living-history museums. Santhome Cathedral is a historical and ancient pilgrim centre, which was built during the 14th to the 15th century AD by the then reigning Portuguese. Drive past Marina Beach, a 13 km long natural urban beach along the Bay of Bengal. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 Chennai - Pondicherry (235kms) (B)

Drive to Pondicherry via Kanchipuram & Mahabalipuram. In Kanchipuam, visit Kailasanathar temple, an 8th-century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Ekambareswarar temple, an ancient temple dedicated to Siva, has a 2500-year-old mango tree inside the temple has 4 branches, each yields different varieties of mangoes. Varadharaja Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Vaikundhaperumal temple is dedicated to lord Vishnu & Kamakshiamman temple is the ultimate form of Goddess Parvati. In Mahabalipuram, visit Monolithic Temples, Five Rathas, an excellent example of the evolution of Dravidian style architecture. Krishna's Butterball is a gigantic granite boulder resting on a short incline. 7th century Cave Temples cut and decorated with panels in the Mamalla style. Shore Temple was built with blocks of granite in the 7th century during the rule of King Narsimha-Varman II Rajasimha. The temple complex consists of two Siva temples and a carving of Anantasayana Vishnu. The Arjuna`s Penance is an enormous rock-cut relief, one of the largest in the world. Continue driving to Pondichery, check in & overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 Pondicherry - Chennai (160kms) (B)

Visit Drive to Pondicherry, check in at the hotel. Later, visit Auroville, an experimental community founded in 1968 by the spiritual leader Mirra Alfassa as a town where people from all over the world could live in harmony. Its focal point is the Matrimandir, a futuristic, spherical temple covered in gold discs. Pondicherry Museum houses a fantastic collection of bronze sculptures of gods and goddesses, a wide range of temple lamps, handicrafts and art. Drive past or walk through stunning French Quarters, charming mustard streets, colonial villas and vibrant Tamil settlements. Besides a very picturesque view of the lovely alleys and narrow lanes, you can also marvel at the gorgeous architecture of the French colonial settlements, which include the French consulate, Raj Nivas, Government Square, Churches & French schools. Evening to relax on the beach. Overnight at the hotel. Later, drive to Chennai, check in & overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 Chennai - Cochin (B)

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Cochin. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Later visit Fort Cochin, a charming seaside area known for its Dutch, Portuguese & British colonial architecture and elaborate bamboo fishing nets at Fort Kochi Beach. St. Francis Church was the original burial site of explorer Vasco da Gama. Upscale eateries and chic cafes serve Kerala specialities, and quaint shops sell cotton clothing and handmade souvenirs. Heritage buildings house contemporary art galleries. Also visit the Jewish Synagogue & the Mattancherry Dutch Palace. In the evening, enjoy Kathakali, a traditional dance form of Kerala with lavish costumes, exotic makeup, masks, etc. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11 Cochin - Alleppey (60kms) (B)

Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board a houseboat and sail through the tropical countryside, enchanting backwaters. While sailing, enjoy palm-fringed narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields and the neat, tiny hamlets lined up along either side of the canals, the panoramic sights that one can never forget. Pass through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level. Alleppey is referred to as the Venice of the East, due to canals, backwaters, and lagoons. Boats are the main mode of transportation here; you can see Shikara boats, small motor boats, passenger boats, cargo boats, and houseboats. Enjoy the sunset from the sun deck of the houseboats. The Houseboats have generated electricity, a sitting cum dining area, a separate bedroom with attached English toilets, a sun deck and a fully loaded kitchen with a chef & driver. Overnight in a houseboat.

Day 12 Alleppey - Cochin/Mumbai (B)

Disembark from the houseboat & drive to Cochin airport to board the flight for Mumbai. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Rest time for personal activities. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 13 Mumbai (B)

City tour of Mumbai. Drive via Marine Drive, one of the most beautifully laid boulevards in the city, to reach the Gateway of India. Board a ferry from here to reach Elephanta Caves (Monday closed). A flight of 100 steps takes you to the top of the hill where the caves are located. Afterwards, cruise back to the Gateway of India and then city tour. Drive past CST & Parliament House. Visit Dhobhi Ghat to see the city's famous open-air laundry in action. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalay, a grade I Heritage Building of the city counted amongst one of the most prominent museums of India. The complex exhibits a myriad collection of ancient artefacts, artwork and sculptures of the country, which give a unique insight into our past. Overnight at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 14 Mumbai - Departure (B)

As per the flight schedule, the Departure transfer to the airport to board the flight for the onward destination.