Day 1.  March 13, 2022 -Depart Canada - Fly from Canada to Delhi, India. Non-stop overnight flights are available from Toronto. Participants from the West may require to fly out a day earlier in order to arrive in time to join the group in Delhi, India.

 

Day 2. March 14, 2022 - Arrive Delhi - Upon arrival at Delhi in the evening, you are met, greeted and escorted to the hotel. You are welcomed in the hotel in a traditional Indian style on arrival and check into the hotel for overnight. Overnight stay at The Lalit Hotel, Deluxe Rooms 

 

Day 3. March 15, 2022 - Delhi - Morning at leisure. During the afternoon, we’ll embark on the Three Religions Tour. India is a melting pot of different cultures, languages and religions, all of which co-exist happily together and the entire country celebrates each religion’s festivals. It is not uncommon for Christians to stop and offer a ‘puja’ at a Hindu temple or for Hindus to join their friends at a church festival.  A brief introduction to three of the major religions - Hinduism, Christianity and Sikhism - will be the highlight of this excursion and will bring us into the places of worship offering good insight into the characteristics of each of them. We’ll visit the Birla Temple, Sacred Heart Cathedral, and the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. Tonight, we enjoy our welcome dinner at OH Calcutta Restaurant. Overnight stay at The Lalit Hotel, Deluxe Rooms (B,D)

 

Day 4. March 16, 2022 - Delhi - New & Old - Explore the classic sights of Old Delhi. We begin with the 300-year old Chandni Chowk - a maze of lanes crowded with shops. Then, a look at Jama Masjid - India's largest mosque, and later, in complete contrast to the noise and crowds of Old Delhi, we visit Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, the main architect of India's independence. A rickshaw ride through Old Delhi will be an exciting experience. In the afternoon, we explore New Delhi. Here is Qutub Minar, the tapering monument dating back to 1199 symbolizing the supremacy of Islam. We’ll see Mughal emperor Humayun's tomb, the earliest example of Mughul architecture in India and a precursor to the famous Taj Mahal. Lastly, we drive past the India Gate, Presidential Palace and Parliament House, witnessing the grandeur of Lutyen’s urban planning. Our dinner tonight will be at the Indian Accent, a local restaurant showcasing inventive Indian cuisine. Among its various accolades, this restaurant has been featured in the World's 50 Best Restaurants of 2018 and rated as the No.1 Restaurant in India by TripAdvisor for six consecutive years. Overnight stay at The Lalit Hotel, Deluxe Rooms (B,D)

​

Day 5. March 17, 2022 - Delhi – Chomu - After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Chomu. Check in upon arrival and proceed to have lunch in the hotel. Today being the eve of the religious and festive affair of Holi, we will join in the festivities. Holi has been celebrated in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, corresponding to the Hindu calendar, marking the beginning of spring.

 

This evening, we witness the rituals of Holika Dahan (the night before Holi), where people gather together in front of huge bonfires, throwing in garlands and branches signifying the burning away of the evil spirits. We’ll also enjoy a cultural dance performance at the Courtyard. Dinner and overnight stay at Chomu Palace, Heritage Hotel, Palace Rooms (B,L,D)

 

Day 6. March 18, 2022 - Chomu Jaipur - Today, entire streets and towns turn red, green and yellow as people throw colored powder into the air and splash them on others celebrating the Holi festival. Each color carries a meaning. Red, for example, symbolizes love and fertility while green stands for new beginnings. Later in the day, families will gather together for festive meals. This exuberant festival is associated with the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. Wear Kurta Pyjama (Indian attire) which will be provided to you as we get ready to play Dhulandi at the hotel pool side garden with colored water & gulal (coloured herbal powder).  Some of us will be given drums to play while festive Indian music will be playing in the background. Post celebrations we’ll have lunch at the hotel and later depart for Jaipur. This evening, we enjoy an engaging cooking demonstration than in gracious hospitality of a local family at their humble home and listen to the stories of this ‘Pink City’ from our charming hosts. The delicious home cooked food is but only a small sample of the traditional Rajasthani cuisine which we’ll relish as we dine together with our hosts. Overnight stay at the Jai Mahal Palace Hotel, Luxury Rooms (B,L,D)

 

Day 07. March 19, 2022 - Jaipur - Taking another step into the past, we’ll explore Amber Fort, a classic and romantic Rajasthani Fort Palace. The rugged, time-ravaged walls of the Fort may not look beautiful from the outside, but the interior is a virtual paradise. Inside the Fort is Jag Mandir (Hall of Victory). The Fort is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. This afternoon, we explore the Maharaja's City Palace, the former Royal residence and its Armoury Museum as well at the Textile and Costume Museum, both fine examples of weaponry and fabrics of the early times.  Our exclusive unique opportunity arrives as we visit the private area where the present Royal Family still resides. At the center is Chandra Mahal, the seven-tiered moon palace where the present Maharaja lives. Here’s where we savour Hi-Tea. Later, we tour the city’s busy streets, making a brief photo stop at Hawa Mahal - the Palace of Winds, an iconic landmark of Jaipur. Our last stop on the tour is at Jantar Mantar, the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world. Dinner and overnight stay at the Jai Mahal Palace Hotel, Luxury Rooms (B,D)

​

Day 08. March 20, 2022 - Jaipur – Agra via Fatehpur Sikri - Early morning, we take the rickshaw tour and venture into the bustling doodh-mandi (milk market), a bustling distribution system to get the milk to the city’s half a million homes. There are also other fascinating markets to visit this morning as the Pink City wakes up. We can watch the sellers setting up their flower and vegetable stalls as we wander around, sip chai (tea) and offer puja (prayers) at a local temple. Then it’s time for breakfast as we head back to the hotel.

 

Leaving Jaipur, we begin our drive to Agra stopping en route to visit the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, built in 1569. Emperor Akbar built and used Fatehpur Sikri as his capital until scarcity of water forced him to move the capital back to Agra. The ghost-city is remarkably well-preserved with graceful buildings that speak of the grandeur and splendour of the Mughal Empire at the height of its power. In the evening, we are booked for “Mohabbat The Taj”, a musical, bringing alive the historical legacy of Mogul era in India and depicting the love story that inspired the building of the Taj Mahal. Dinner and overnight stay at the ITC Mughal Hotel, Mughal Rooms. (B,D)

 

Day 09. March 21, 2022 - Agra - The most memorable moment awaits!  At sunrise, we’ll visit the world’s most photographed architecture - the Taj Mahal.  Built in 1632 it has a fascinating love story behind it. This perfectly proportioned masterpiece stands testimony to the skill of 20,000 craftsmen brought together from Persia, Turkey, France and Italy. Seeing the masterpiece come alive with the first rays of the sun is priceless. In the afternoon we’ll visit Agra Fort, a testimony to Mughal talent for combining defensive architecture with beauty and design. We’ll take an evening stroll in Mehtab Bagh (Moonlit Garden) on the banks of the Yamuna River for an exceptional view of the Taj Mahal at sunset.

 

Our memorable day has a fitting and memorable end with dinner at Peshawari restaurant where we’ll relish authentic and traditional North West Frontier cuisine. Overnight stay at the ITC Mughal Hotel, Mughal Rooms. (B,D)

 

Day 10. March 22, 2022 - Agra – Lucknow - From one historic city to another, as we board our luxury coach for travel to Lucknow.  During early evening, we’ll embark on ‘Heritage Walk’, discovering the lanes and the by-lanes of the Chowk to explore and understand the vast history that this city of superlatives holds. Our local expert shares his knowledge of Lucknow taking us into the bygone era of this city. Dinner and overnight stay at the Taj Mahal Lucknow Hotel, Superior Rooms (B,D)

​

Day 11. March 23, 2022 - Lucknow - Our sightseeing begins with a visit to the magnificent monuments of Bara(big) & Chota(small) Immambara built by the early Nawabs of Lucknow in in the 18th century showcasing the glorious princely past. We will stop at the gigantic gate - Rumi Darwaza - built in 1783 and which still remains one of the famous landmarks of the city. After delicious lunch at a city center restaurant, we’ll leave for The Residency, official abodes of the British in the 1800’s that stand witness to the bitterest battles during the war of independence in 1857. Our final stop will be at La Martiniere College, one of the finest and the largest examples of European funerary monument in the sub-continent. We dine tonight at Oudhyana Restaurant in our hotel, Lucknow’s most famous restaurant. This city of Nawabs offers us their traditional Awadhi cuisine. Overnight stay at the Taj Mahal Lucknow Hotel, Superior Rooms (B,L,D)

 

Day 12. March 24, 2022 - Lucknow – Kolkata (By Flight) - A transfer to Lucknow airport for our flight to Kolkata. We fly on board Indigo flight 244 departing Lucknow at 10:55AM, arriving Kolkata at 12:35 PM.  Early in the evening, a guided walk introduces us to the many cultures, as we discover why Chinese breakfast still rules Tiretta Bazar, and how the Armenians gave the city its oldest surviving Christian church and how this city has become a great melting pot of diverse cultures. Dinner and overnight stay at The Lalit Hotel, Superior Rooms (B,D)

 

Day 13. March 25, 2022 - Kolkata - Using different modes of transport - a boat ride on Hooghly River, a tram ride in the city and a heritage walk will all serve as the perfect introduction to British Calcutta. Prepare to wet your appetite for all things Raj as we walk through the ‘European’ areas of what was once the capital of the British Empire in India. Next, we we visit a 131-year-old flower market, a riot of colours and a source of flowers not just in the city but to the rest of India and even to Europe.  Visiting the 300 years old settlement called Kumartuli (potter locality) we’ll walk through the narrow maze of lanes and alleyways seeing the artists at work. And finally, a quick photo stop at Victoria Memorial designed in Italian Renaissance-Mughal style and built of white marble from Rajasthan. Dinner and overnight stay at The Lalit Hotel, Superior Rooms (B,D).

​

Day 14. March 26, 2022 - Kolkata - Mid-morning, we embark on a leisurely walk through Kolkata's food markets, a great way to discover the city's diverse food traditions. Capital of the state of Bengal, Kolkata's cuisine has been influenced by the many communities that settled here over the ages, from the Nawab of Oudh to the thriving Indian Chinese and Armenian communities and of course the colonial powers of Portugal, British and the Dutch. Kolkata’s Gariahat area has an array of street food, and a whole range of textiles on offer. Here we’ll relax in a popular restaurant that serves "thala" – a multi-course platter comprising a full Bengali traditional meal. Balance of the day is at leisure. Dinner and overnight at The Lalit Hotel, Superior Rooms (B,L,D)

 

 

Day 15. March 27, 2022 - Kolkata – Bagdogra (By Flight) – Gangtok by road - Today we depart aboard Indigo Air flight 797 departing Kolkata at 10:40AM, arriving Bagdogra Airport at 11:50AM. Upon arrival we are met and transferred to Gangtok in the Sikkim State. Dinner and overnight stay at Elgin Nor Khill Heritage Hotel, Superior Rooms. (B,D)

 

Day 16. March 28, 2022 - Gangtok - Gangtok is one of the most popular hill stations in India, very cultural and famous for arts, crafts and monasteries.  We’ll visit the Enchey Monastery housing the monks of the Nyingmapa Order of Tibetan Buddhism and the Rumtek Monastery, seat of the Karmapa Lama, the head of one of the main four branches Tibetan Buddhist Sects.. We’ll also see Do Drul Chorten and the Jhang Chub Chorten. Near these Chortens are two giant statues of Lord Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rimpoche, the patron saint of Sikkim. Dinner and overnight stay at Elgin Nor Khill Heritage Hotel, Superior Rooms. (B,D)

 

Day 17. March 29, 2022 - Gangtok - Darjeeling - After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Darjeeling, one of India’s top-rated hill-stations in the spectacular settings of the Himalayan foothills. Once a summer resort for the British Raj elite, it is well-known for its distinctive black tea grown on plantations that dot its surrounding slopes. Its backdrop is Mt. Kanchenjunga, which is among the world’s highest peaks. Dinner and overnight stay at the Mayfair Hill Resort, Executive Rooms.(B,D)

​

Day 18. March 30, 2022 - Darjeeling Set your alarm clocks for 3:30AM-  This early morning wake-up is because we are going to witness one of the most beautiful natural sights you’ll ever get to see.  We are taken to Tiger Hill to view (weather permitting of course) a spectacular sunrise over the Himalayan range which includes Kanchenjunga and Mount Everest! You’ll get to see the horizon changing colours just before sunrise and then the entire Himalayan range turning golden. Later, we proceed to Ghoom Monastery, the oldest in the area. A ride on the World Heritage Toy Train is a must when in Darjeeling! We’ll also visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park to see Himalayan animals like the Snow Leopard, the Tibetan Wolf, the Tibetan Yak, and the Himalayan Black Bear and several bird species. Dinner and overnight stay at the Mayfair Hill Resort, Executive Rooms. (B,D)

 

Day 19. March 31, 2022 - Darjeeling - The day is at leisure to enjoy exploring Darjeeling at your own pace. Breakfast, dinner and overnight stay at the Mayfair Hill Resort, Executive Rooms. (B,D)

 

Day 20. April 01, 2022 - Darjeeling – Bagdogra – Delhi (By Flight) - A leisurely breakfast, and the day to relax until it’s time to board our motor-coach for travel to Bagdogra Airport. We board the GoAir Flight 551 departing Bagdogra at 5:00PM arriving Delhi at 7:30PM. Upon arrival in Delhi, we are going to enjoy our farewell dinner at a popular restaurant.  We later return to the airport in time to board our international flight back to Toronto, Canada. (B,D)

 

Day 21. April 02, 2022 - Arrive in Canada Our non-stop flight brings us into Toronto, Canada.

​

End of services