INDIA CASTLES & PALACES TOUR - 18 DAYSFrom USD 1849 Per Person

www.satguruun.com

Explore romantic Rajasthan, marvel at the Taj Mahal, experience the real India and enjoy unique indulgence as an

honored Guest in some of India's renowned Heritage Palace Hotels.

Highlights: Stay in Palaces & Castles

Visit Taj Mahal Elephant Ride at Jaipur Camel Ride at Jaisalmer

Jeep Safari to a village Horse SafariLake Nakuru National park

Tour Feature s!Includes:• accommodation share twin/double room basis at small Palace &

Castles in Rajasthan • full breakfast throughout the tour • arrival/departure transfers by AC car with English speaking

representative • all excursions from Delhi to Delhi by AC Car with trained driver • services of local English speaking guides for all sightseeing tours • elephant ride at Jaipur • camel ride at Jaisalmer • jeep safari at Bijaipur • horse safari at Nawalgarh • train fare Delhi/Agra in AC Chair Car • all applicable taxes on room+meals+road taxes etc. as on 30th June,

2012Not included:• entrance tickets to the monuments/museums• meals other than breakfast• international airfare• visa fee• insurance charges (we recommend comprehensive insurance including

cancellation of the tour due to an unavoidable event• all expenses of personal nature i.e., laundry drinks including bottled

water camera fee telephone charges tips etc

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Taj Mahal

Contact us on sttssin@satguruun.com for more information and booking.

Day 1: Arrive/Delhi by Int’lArrive Delhi International Airport Transfer to your Hotel. Check in time is 12 noon.

Day 2: DelhiFull day guided tour of Old & New Delhi visiting Red Fort (UNESCO World Heritage Site - Red Fort was built by the mughal emperor - Shah Jahan – Monday closed.

Stop at Jama Masjid – the Great Mughal Mosque (It is the largest mosque in India. Then visit Raj Ghat (The cremation ground of the father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi)

After the visit of Old Delhi you will move ahead to visit Humayun's Tomb (UNESCO World Heritage Site - Humayun's tomb is believed to have been designed in 1565 AD. Continue your tour with Qutab Minar (UNESCO World Heritage Site - Qutab Minar is 73 meters high which tapers from a 15 m diameter base to just 2.5 m at the top.

Day 3: Delhi/Agra by Shatabadi Express (0615/0812hrs)Today you morning you will be transferred to Delhi Train station in time to board train to Agra Meet/Assist on arrival and transfer to Hotel. Morning visit Taj Mahal Taj Mahal (UNESCO World Heritage Site) – Closed on Friday’s.

Describe as a most extravagant monument ever build for love, this sublime Mughal mausoleum is India’s most ogled icon. The Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Afternoon visit Agra Fort (sometimes called the Red Fort), was commissioned by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1565, and is another of Agra's World Heritage Sites. Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque, the Diwan-e'Am and Diwan-e-Khas (halls of public and private audience), Jahagir Palace, Khas Mahal, Sheesh Mahal (mirrored palace),

Day 4: Agra/Jaipur via Fatehpur Sikri by road (250 kms/6-7hrs)Breakfast in the hotel Depart for Jaipur and en route visiting Fatehpur sikri The Mughal Emperor Akbar built Fatehpur Sikri about 35 km from Agra, and moved his capital there. Later abandoned, the site displays a number of buildings of significant historical importance. A World Heritage Site, it is visited by most tourists. The name of the place came about after the Mughal Emperor Barbar defeated Rana Sanga in a battle at a place called Sikri. Continue your drive to Jaipur and check in at hotel.

Day By Day itinerary

Elephant Ride at Jaipur

Day 5: JaipurMorning depart for Amber fort (Situated atop the Aravali hills, it is the ancient capital of Jaipur and a magnificent example of Rajput architecture). We ascend to the fort on Elephant's back and come down in Jeep. Pronounced ‘Amber’ and meaning ‘High’, this wraithlike fort – palace beautifully illustrates Rajput artistry in the faded shades of the reddish pink. Later sightseeing of Jaipur city visiting Hawa Mahal- Palace of Winds (This five storied building which looks out over the main street of the old city is one of Jaipur's major landmarks.

Jantar Mantar (The Observatory, built by Raja Jai Singh in1728. City Palace Museum (City Palace is delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture. A part of the palace is still the house of the former Maharaja of Jaipur). Visit the various galleries displaying the armory, clothes and paintings of the Rajput clan. The tour of Jaipur is not complete without shopping as Jaipur is known as a shopper’s paradise famous for jewelry, handicraft, carpet, blue pottery and textiles

Day 6: Jaipur/Deogarh via Ajmer by road (275kms/5-6hrs)Depart for Deogarh en route visiting Ajmer. The Dargah Sharif of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti is situated at the foot of the Taragarh hill, and consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate donated by the Nizam of Hyderabad, a mosque donated by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the Akbari Mosque, and the domed tomb of the saint. Continue your drive to Deogarh and check in at hotel. Deogarh is located very close to the boundaries of Mewar, Marwar and Marwara in Rajasthan. Deogarh is acute place in Rajasthan to spend your holidays because it is not very hot and not too cool. This place is cool in compare to many other places of Rajsathan.

Day 7: Deogarh/Bijaipur by road (170kms/3-4hrs)

Depart for Bijaipur and check in at hotel. Located in the Vindhyanchal Hills at 600 meters above sea level, surrounded by graceful forests of Flame of the Forest & Jaracanda overlooking the farmlands in the valley, Castle Bijaipur is the ultimate place where history, nature and hospitality form unison. It is not just a retreat that will leave you breathless with the enchantment of its surroundings, but assists in redefining lifestyles to include the well-known Indian traditions of life and hospitality. Rest of the day is free to relax.

Day 8: Bijaipur

Today you will enjoy a Jeep Safari into to the local villages and the lotus lake. Afternoon is free to relax. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9: Bijaipur/Udaipur via Chitorgarh by road (176kms/4-5hrs)Depart of Udaipur en route visiting Chittorgarh. Chittorgarh Fort The Chittorgarh Fort seated on a 180 metre hill, covers an expanse of 700 acres. It was constructed by the Mauryans in the 7th century AD. This fort was the citadel of many great Rajput warriors such as Rana Kumbha, Maharana Pratap, Jaimal, Patta, etc. Continue your drive to Udaipur and check in at hotel.

Day 10: UdaipurBreakfast in the hotel. Depart for half day sightseeing tour of Udaipur – also known as City of Lakes visiting City Place - standing on the east bank of Lake Pichola is a massive series of palaces built at different times from

1559. The balconies of the palace provide panoramic views of "Jag Niwas" (the Lake Palace Hotel), Jag Mandir on one side and on the other the city of Udaipur. Its main entrance is through the triple-arched gate - the Tripolia, built in 1725. There is a Suraj Gokhda, where the maharanas of Mewar presented themselves in the times of trouble to the people to restore confidence. The Mor-chowk (Peacock courtyard), gets its name from the mosaics in glass decorating its walls.

Sahelion ki Bari was laid for a group of forty-eight young women attendants who accompanied a princess to Udaipur as part of her dowry. The gardens set below the embankment of the Fateh Sagar Lake have lotus pools, marble pavilions and elephant-shaped fountains. Late afternoon, approximately an hour before sunset, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Pichola and visit the Jag Niwas Palace by motor launch.

Day 11: Udaipur/Jodhpur via Ranakpur by road (285kms/6-7hrs)Depart for Jodhpur en route visiting Ranakpur – famous of Jain’s temple. Ranakpur is located in the mountain ranges of Pali district, 23 kms away from the Phalna railway station. Ranakpur is reached after passing lush green valleys and streams and the heart capturing views drive away any fatigue of the journey. The Ranakpur Jain Temples were built during the reign of the liberal and gifted monarch Rana Kumbha in the 15th century. Continue your drive to Jodhpur and check in at hotel.

Day 12: JodhpurBreakfast in the hotel

fatigue of the journey. The the liberal and gifted monarch

Depart for Jodhpur visiting Mehrangarh Fort lies at the outskirts of Jodhpur city and is located atop a 125 m high hill. The magnificent Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur ka kila) is the most majestic and one of the largest forts in India. It was originally started (c.1459) by Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur. However, most of the extant fort dates from the period of Jaswant Singh (1638-78). The ramparts of Mehrangarh Fort provide not only excellently preserved cannons but also a breath-taking view of the city, Jasawant Thada The Jaswant Thada is architectural landmark found in Jodhpur. It is a white marble memorial built in 1899 in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Also visit the bustling market of Jodhpur.

Day 13: Jodhpur/Jaisalmer by roadDepart for Jaisalmer and check in at hotel. Rest of the day is free to relax.

Day 14: Jaisalmer

Depart for half day sightseeing tour of Jaisalmer Jaisalmer Fort (Golden Fort)

Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, it is situated on Trikuta Hill and had been the scene of many battles. Its massive Sandstone walls are a tawny lion color during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. The famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later turned it into a film – Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) which was based on this fort. This is a living fort and about a quarter of city's population still lives inside the fort.

Also visit the famous Havelis of Jaisalmer visiting Patwon-ki-Haveli and Salim Singh-ki-Haveli.

Afternoon excursion to Sam Sand Dunes to enjoy Camel Ride on the Dunes. and enjoy beautiful Sun set,

Day 15: Jaisalmer/Bikaner by roadDepart for Bikaner and check in at hotel. Rest of the day is free to relax.

Day 16: Bikaner/Nawalgarh by roadDepart for sightseeing tour of Bikaner visiting. Junagarh Fort The fort was built by Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner who reigned from 1571 to 1612. Junagarh Fort is constructed between 1588 and 1593 by Raja Rai Singh, fort has a 986 meter long wall with 37 bastions & two entrances. Also visit other places of interest. Afternoon drive to Nawalgarh and check in at hotel.

Day 17: NawalgarhDepart for sightseeing tour of Nawalgarh.

Nawalgarh was founded by Thakur Nawal Singh Ji Bahadur (Shekhawat) in 1737 AD at the village site of Rohili. Nawalgarh was encircled all around by the high Parkota (walls) comprising of four Pols (gates) in different directions, namely Agoona Darwaja, Bawadi Darwaja (in north), Mandi Darwaja and Nansa Darwaja, each gate has iron doors. Bala Kila Fort situated in the center of the Thikana and Fatehgarh Fort situated outside of the Parkota as an Out Post. Worth visiting are The Aath Haveli complex, Anandilal Poddar Haveli, Bansidhar Bhagat Haveli & Chokhani Haveli. Afternoon is free to relax.

Day 18: Nawalgarh/Delhi by roadDepart/Delhi by Int’l flight. Depart for Delhi International airport in time to connect your onward flight to next destination.

Day By Day itinerary