Heritage of India by Satabdi Train

Day 1 · Arrive Delhi

1. 1

   New Delhi

   Passing by

   On arrival at Delhi International airport meet with our office executive assistance and transfer to hotel check in. (hotel check inj / out time 1200hr afternoon early check in subject to rooms availability)

2. 2

   Jama Masjid

   2 hours Admission included

   Later city tour of Delhi, visiting landmark of Old Delhi which include Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni chowk & Khari Baoli Spice Market. Cycle Rickshaw ride in Chandni Chowk.

3. 3

   Mehrauli/Qutub Minar

   4 hours

   Sightseeing of New Delhi which includes Qutab Minar, Humayun Tomb, Lotus Temple & VVIP areas President House, Parliament & India Gate.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 2 · Delhi - Gwalior (0600/ 0925hrs, Satabdi Train) / Gwalior - Orchha (125kms/ 3hrs drive)

1. 1

   Gwalior

   3 hours

   Breakfast at hotel transfer to New Delhi railway station to board train for Gwalior. On arrival at Gwalior railway stattion meet your guide & driver and proceed to visit Gwalior Fort.

   Gwalior Fort, situated on top of a hill, finds its place among the best fortresses of India, known for its great architecture and rich past. With well-maintained premises, the fort complex includes several temples, palaces and water tanks. Jain temples form unique monuments inside the fort, with the Siddhachal Caves and Gopachal rock-cut Jain monuments being the two areas, complete with thousands of Jain Tirthankar idols defaced during the Mughal invasion. Teli Ka Mandir and Sahastrabahu (Sas-Bahu) Ka Mandir are the two architecturally rich Hindu temples here. Gurudwara Data Bandi Chhor is another holy place built inside the fort’s complex, and it was where Sikh Guru Hargobind Sahib was kept as a captive by Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Man Mandir Palace, Gujari Mahal, Assi Khamba Ki Baoli, and Suraj Kund are other important monuments found in the complex.

   After sightseeing drive to Orchha check in at hotel.

2. 2

   Orchha

   2 hours

   Later visit the Orchha Fort complex, which houses a large number of ancient monuments consisting of the fort, palaces, temple, and other edifices. The early 16th century fort complex which is accessed from an arched causeway, leads to a large gateway. This is followed by a large quadrangular open yard surrounded by palaces. These are Raja Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, a temple, gardens and pavilions. The battlements of the fort have ornamentation. Notable architectural features in the fort complex are projected balconies, open flat areas and decorated latticed windows.

   Chaturbhuj Temple a multi-storied structure which is a blend of temple, fort and palace architectural features. The temple was originally built to deify an image of Rama, as the chief deity, which was installed in the Rama Raja Temple inside the Orchha Fort complex. The temple is noted for having one of the tallest Vimana among Hindu temples.

   Rest time free and easy to relax.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 3 · Orchha - Jhansi (12kms) / Jhansi - Bhopal (1045/ 1355hrs, Satabdi Train)

1. 1

   Bhopal

   4 hours

   Breakfast at hotel transfer to Jhansi railway station to board train for Bhopal. On arrival at Bhopal railway station assistance and transfer to hotel.

   Later city tour of Bhopal one of India’s greenest cities. You will visit two historic mosques - Jama Masjid and Moti Masjid, as well as Taj ul Masajid and the arts center in Bharat Bhawan. This unique all-day adventure highlights one of the nation's most stunning cities and is not to be missed.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 4 · Bhopal Bhimbetka & Bhojpur (45kms/ 1hrs approx one way)

1. 1

   Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

   5 hours Admission included

   Breakfast at hotel, excursion to visit Bhimbetka Caves (UNESCO World Heritage Site) & Bhojpur Temples.

   The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site dating back to the Paleolithic age. They exhibit the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent, and show a gimps into the beginning of the South Asian during the Stone Age. Some of the shelters were inhabited by the homo erectus more than 100,000 years ago. Some of the stone age rock paintings found among the Bhimbetka rock shelters are roughly 30,000 years old.

   Next proceed to Bhojpur and see its famous temple that is dedicated to Shiva. The temple houses one of the largest lingas in India and it's crafted out a single rock.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 5 · Bhopal - Sanchi - Udayagiri - Bhopal (50kms/ 1hrs approx one way)

1. 1

   Sanchi

   3 hours

   Breakfast at hotel, excursion to visit Sanchi Stupas (UNESCO World Heritage Site) & Udayagiri Caves.

   Sanchi is a serene hill crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD. Sanchi is an ancient place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and its uniqueness lies in the fact that Buddha is not represented through figures, but through symbols.

2. 2

   Stop 2

   2 hours Admission included

   Udayagiri Caves are early Hindu ritual site, they were extensively carved and reworked under the command of Chandragupta II, Emperor of the Gupta Empire, in the late 4th and 5th century AD. Udayagiri has a series of rock-shelters and petroglyphs, ruined buildings, inscriptions, water systems, fortifications and habitation mounds, all of which have been only partially excavated.

   Return to Bhopal and rest time free and easy to relax.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 6 · Bhopal - Agra (1515/ 2111hrs Satabdi Train)

1. 1

   Bhopal

   5 hours

   Breakfast at hotel, visit the Bhoj Wetland consists of two lakes located in the city of Bhopal. The two lakes are the Bhojtal and the Lower Lake are manmade reservoir. A total of more than 20,000 birds are observed annually. Bhoj Wetland was recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention of 1971 in 2002. The Upper Lake acts as the lifeline of the city supplying 40% of its potable water. White storks, black-necked storks, bar-headed geese, spoonbills, etc., that have been rare sightings in the past, have started appearing. A recent phenomenon is the gathering of 100-120 sarus cranes in the lake. The largest bird of India, the sarus crane (Grus antigone) is known for its size, majestic flight and lifetime pairing.

   Later transfer to Bhopal railway station to board train for Agra. On arrival at Agra railway station assistance and transfer to hotel.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 7 · Agra - Delhi (2hrs Satabdi Train)

1. 1

   Agra

   5 hours

   Sunrise visit Taj Mahal an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the bank of the Yamuna river commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal, it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself.

   After breakfast visit Agra Fort the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. Itmad-ud-Daula Tomb a Mughal mausoleum commissioned by Nur Jahan, the wife of Jahangir, for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg.

   Evening transfer to railway stattion to board train for Delhi. On arrival assistance and transfer to hotel.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 8 · Delhi - Departure

1. 1

   New Delhi

   Passing by

   Breakfast at hotel. As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.