This tour will drive you through stunning Trans-Himalayan landscapes, crossing over great Himalayan peaks, through the backwaters of Kerala, quaint villages and hamlets and will lead to off the beaten track destinations. We will be seeing Ancient Himalayan, Tibetan and Southern Indian architecture and art, as well as monasteries and temples, wildlife and nature. We will experience local Hindu and Buddhist culture and food. There will be plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife and take pictures.
Day 1: Delhi
After arrival in Delhi we will take a cab to the hotel, where we will check you in. You can take the rest of the day at ease.
Day 2: Delhi – Agra (Distance 230 km, driving time est. 2-3 hours)
Early after breakfast we will depart for Agra via the Taj Yamuna express way. On our way, we will visit Fatehpur Sikri and we will continue our drive to Agra, where we will check in to our hotel before visiting the Taj Mahal, the symbol of great architecture and love. The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahaan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1632. After the visit, if there is time, we can visit the local markets and afterwards we will go back to our hotel for a good rest.
Day 3: Agra – Jim Corbett National Park (Distance 300 km, driving time est. 6-7 hours)
Jim Corbett National Park is a forested wildlife sanctuary in northern India’s Uttarakhand State. It is rich in flora and fauna, and it is known for the presence of Bengal tigers. Other animals, including leopards and wild elephants, roam the Dhikala zone. The banks of the Ramganga Reservoir, the Sonanadi zone, is home to elephants and leopards, along with hundreds of species of birds.
After an early breakfast we will drive to Jim Corbett National Park and we will stop for lunch on the way. We will arrive & check into to your hotel or forest bungalow (depending on availability) in the park. You can relax or take a short walk around the area.
Day 4: Jim Corbett Safari Day tour – Morning Slot
After breakfast we will drive to the National park, where we will shift into the safari vehicles (Government approved) and enjoy the thrills of the jungle safari. The safari vehicles offer a good view to see the wildlife, flora & fauna. After the safari we will return to your hotel/ bungalow.
Day 5: Jim Corbett – Chandigarh (Distance 360 km, driving time est. 7 hours)
After breakfast we will depart for Chandigarh, the capital of the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. We will stop for lunch on the way and check into your hotel on arrival. You can freshen up and take the evening at ease.
Day 6: Chandigarh Sightseeing (Day Tour)
Chandigarh was designed by the Swiss-French modernist architect, Le Corbusier. His buildings include the Capitol Complex with its High Court, Secretariat and Legislative Assembly, as well as the giant Open Hand Monument. The famous Rock Garden is a park featuring sculptures made of stones, recycled ceramics and industrial relics.
After breakfast we will visit the Rock garden, Sukhna Lake, Zakir Hussain Rose garden and Sector 17 market. Later we will return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Chandigarh – Amritsar (Distance 225 km, train time est. 3 hours 30 minutes)
Amritsar is a city in the north-western Indian state of Punjab, 28 kilometers from the border with Pakistan. At the centre of its walled old town stands the gilded Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), the holiest gurdwara (religious complex) of the Sikh religion. It is positioned at the end of a causeway, surrounded by the sacred Amrit Sarovar tank (lake), where pilgrims bathe.
Early morning, we will take a cab to Chandigarh Train station to board the Shatabdi express to Amritsar. You will receive breakfast on board. We will arrive at Amritsar and check into our hotel. You will have a chance to freshen up and visit the city and the Golden Temple, Jalayan wala bag, and the traditional markets.
Day 8: Amritsar – Dharamshala (204 km, driving time est. 5 hours)
Dharamshala is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by cedar forests on the edge of the Himalayas, this beautiful hillside city is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile. The Thekchen Chöling Temple Complex is a spiritual center for Tibetan Buddhism, with the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives housing thousands of precious manuscripts.
We will leave for Dharamshala after breakfast and visit the Tea gardens on the way. We will check into your hotel and take a short walking tour of the local Markets later in the afternoon.
Day 9: Dharamshala
We will wake up amidst the Himalayas, looking out over the Dhauladhar Range. After breakfast we will depart for a local sightseeing tour, visiting the Dalai Lama Temple, Tibetan monasteries’, McLeod Ganj and the Tibetan markets. We will return to the hotel afterwards.
Day 10: Dharamshala Norbulingka Institute
Norbulingka Institute, founded in 1995 by Kelsang and Kim Yeshi at Sidhpur, is dedicated to the preservation of the Tibetan culture in its literary and artistic forms. The institute is named after Norbulingka, the traditional summer residence of the Dalai Lama, in Lhasa, Tibet. The ground plan is based on the proportions of Avalokitesvara, the thousand-armed god of compassion, with the temple as the head.
Norbulingka is dedicated to handing down tradition and restoring standards by providing training, education and employment for Tibetans. It supports an environment in which Tibetan community and family values can flourish. It reconciles the traditional creativity with the modern art and seeks to create international awareness of Tibetan values and their expression in art and literature. Norbulingka produces high quality, traditionally crafted art objects, as well as clothing and home furnishings. Free guided tours of the institute are available to visitors every day.
After breakfast we will check out of your hotel and move to a family home stay where you will spend a night with the natives of the state and enjoy the local food and culture and learn the Himachal Pradesh traditions. After shifting you will visit Norbulingka Institute, where a Buddhist vegetarian lunch will be provided. You will be able to purchase objects in the shop.
We will return to the family home stay later.
Day 11: Dharamshala – Gaggal Airport -Delhi – Kerala (20 km, driving time est. 45 mins, plus 4 hours flight)
Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar Coast, has nearly 600 km of Arabian Sea shoreline. Itis known for its palm-lined beaches and backwaters, a network of canals. Inland are the Western Ghats, mountains which slopes support tea, coffee and spice plantations as well as wildlife. National parks like Eravikulam and Periyar, plus Wayanad and other sanctuaries, are home to elephants, langur monkeys and tigers.
After breakfast we will depart for Gaggal Airport and take a flight to Delhi, where we will take a connecting flight to Kerala. On arrival, we will take a cab to your hotel. After a little rest and freshen up we will take a local sight-seeing tour of Cochin city, visiting Fort Kochi and Kochi port old market. After that we will return to the hotel.
Day 12: Kochi – Vembanadu Lake (52 km, driving time 1 hour 30 minutes)
Vembanadu (Vembanad Kayal or Vembanad Kol) is the longest lake in India, and the largest lake in the state of Kerala; Mangrove with an area of 2114 sq. km is the second largest Ramasar site (protected area) in India, after Sunderbans in West Bengal. Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, Vembanadu Lake is called Punnamada Lake in Kuttanad and Kochi Lake in Kochi. Several groups of small islands including Vypin, Mulavukad, Vallarpadam and Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake area. Kochi Port is built around the Willingdon Island and the Vallarpadam island. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in an area of the lake.
After a late breakfast we leave for Vembanadu Lake and R Block to start the cruise at 12:00 hrs. We will have lunch at R Block. After lunch we will cruise through 6000 canals, C Block, Kuppapuram river and Pallathuruthy. We will stay the night at Pallathuruthy.
Day 13: Backwaters cruise
We will depart at 10am for a cruise through Kanjuppadam, Pindithod and Chambakulam canal. We will visit Champakulam Chundan (Snake Boat). Lunch will be at Munnattumugham. We will proceed to Ranganathan Jetty (Puthanaryiram) and transfer to small rice/motorboat for a cruise through narrow canals where the houseboat cannot operate. We will continue the cruise through the narrow canals: Akkathara Thod, Chennekeri canal, Kainakeri canal, Muttam Thod, Erumbanam thod, Punchiri Thod, Punnamada via SNDP thod and Panakkal thod. We will stay overnight at Kuppapuram thod.
Day 14: Aleppey – Kochi (52 km, driving time 1 hour 30 minutes)
After our breakfast and morning cruise checkout at Aleppey Punnamada Jetty OR Kumarakom, you will end your Cruise. We will take a cab and transfer to your hotel at Kochi. You can take the day at ease for shopping and spend time at the beach or traditional markets. Later we will return to the hotel.
Day 15: Kochi – Cochin International Airport (40 km, driving time 50 mins)
After breakfast we will take a cab for Cochin International Airport, where you will board for your plane home. Your organised tour will end here.
HIGH SEASON / ON SEASON
LOW SEASON / OFF SEASON
