Taj Mahal & Mumbai Getaway
Highlights of India tour is a fabulous and inspiring introduction to the history and culture of India's three most quintessential destinations - Delhi, Agra, and Mumbai. From Delhi travel to Agra, home of the impressive Taj Mahal, and end your stay in Bombay also known as Mumbai is the economic powerhouse of India.
It is young, lively and a confluence of varied cultural currents and crosscurrents have given Mumbai a unique position as the most multi-ethnic city of India.
Mumbai is also the country's financial and commercial hub and has a principal port on the Arabian Sea. It is also the hub of the Indian film industry, which has played a pivoted role in the development of cinematography. & Bollywood as it is called, produces the second most number of pictures in the world every year, next only to Hollywood, U.S.A. Mumbai claims to be the world's largest production center for films.
Journey highlights
Train ride to Delhi – Agra – Delhi
Explore the magnificent Taj Mahal-the extravagant monument of love Witness the commercial capital of India Bollywood tour in Mumbai
See the Hindu gods sculpted in the caves on Elephanta Island Optional Full day Pre- Tour to New Delhi
FRIDAY: ARRIVE DELHI By International Flight
Welcome to India! Arrive Delhi T3 terminal by International Flight.
After immigration, you will be met by our Customer service executive in the welcome area of the hotel.
Assisted transfer to the hotel and on arrival, check-in for your stay (check-in time 1400 hour).
Delhi is India’s capital and a major gateway to the country. Perhaps there is no other capital city in the world so steeped in history and legend as the Indian capital Delhi. It was the magnet, which drew the Mongols, Turks, Persians, Afghans, Mughals and the British, all of whom contributed to its glorious but turbulent past. The fascination with Delhi was such that even though it was abandoned many times, its rulers returned to it again and again rebuilding it at least seven time Today, the twin cities of Old and New Delhi still intrigue Indians and tourists alike as the cultural and political capital of the largest
democracy in the world.
Overnight in Delhi
MEAL: None
SATURDAY: DELHI – AGRA By: Train (Gatimaan Express – 0810/0950hrs)
AGRA - DELHI By: Train (Gatimaan Express – 1750/1930hrs)
Early morning transfer to Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station to board the train to Agra.
Agra - Once a small village on the banks of the Yamuna, it was transformed by two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and his grandson Shah Jehan into the second capital of the Mughal Empire – Dar-ul- Khilafat, or ‘seat of the Emperor’ in the 16th & 17th century. A world of contrasting edifices of red sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys, bustling streets, and small buggies, Agra retains the irresistible charm that made this the favorite city of the Mughals.
Upon arrival in Agra, proceed to Taj Mahal. Today you visit the Taj Mahal. This extraordinary monument with its exemplary beauty is awe-inspiring and will create an unforgettable memory. Mughal emperor, Shahjahan built this architectural wonder to enshrine the mortal remains of his beloved Queen Mumtaz Mahal.
Fashioned from white marble with semi-precious pietra dura stone
inlay work, it was described by Nobel Prize-winning poet Rabindranath
Tagore as “a teardrop on the face of eternity”.
Lunch will be arranged at a fine restaurant or hotel.
Rest of the afternoon is at leisure/shop for souvenirs Or to Take an
Optional Excursion to the Agra Fort
In time transfer to Agra railway station to board the train to Agra. Upon
arrival in Delhi, transfer to your hotel.
Overnight in Delhi
MEAL: Breakfast, Lunch
SUNDAY: DELHI - MUMBAI By Flight: (0900/ 1115hrs)
Today morning transfer to the Delhi airport and fly to Mumbai. On arrival, assisted transfer to the hotel and check in for your stay, check-in time 2pm.
Mumbai is a city of dreams, the glamour of the movie world, the razors edge of the skyscrapers to the mainland of the harbour, people here come from diverse ethnic backgrounds yet nurture the dream of success, their undying spirit adds color and flavor to this multicultural city. A throbbing, cosmopolitan metropolis, it still retains the glory of the past, the colonial legacy that coexists with the Maratha influence. Still considered as the heart of business India, Mumbai
houses the country's vibrant Stock Exchange. The Gateway of India is
almost literally a symbol of entry into the country by sea or air. Arrive Mumbai and transfer to your hotel.
In the afternoon exploring the main sights of Mumbai starting with visit of Prince of Wales Museum. Built in gothic and Moorish architecture, it boasts of a significant collection of Indus valley artefacts some of them dating back to more than 5000 years. Most impressive are the miniature paintings – nearly 2000 of them, from various stylistic schools of India. Drive along Marine Drive, the sea - Front Boulevard, also known as the Queen’s Necklace as in the evening, the
streetlights on this U-shaped road light up, the view from south Bombay’s skyscrapers or from the exclusive residential area, is that of a Queen’s Necklace. Next, visit the dhobi ghats (photo-stop), the massive outdoor laundry site where dhobi wallahs (laundry workers) beat, wring, iron and code millions of pieces of laundry daily. End the tour with a visit to Mani Bhawan - a memorial dedicated to the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi.
In the evening dinner will be arranged at a fine Restaurant.
Overnight in Mumbai
MEAL: Breakfast, Dinner
MONDAY MUMBAI
Optional Activity - Mumbai at Dawn ( Pre- breakfast )
Today, get a glimpse of the glamour world of Bollywood – the famous Hindi film industry. The aim for the tour is to ensure that the guests understand the madness that we have for our films and television. The tour involves exclusive workshops like Bollywood dancing and sound recording. The guests learn some dancing and share video clips of their experiences with a family member or friend back home. Seeing amazing things is great but we help the guests build very fond instant memories.
Also partnered with a few amazing Film and TV production houses that welcome our guests to their sets and ensure an amazing time. Get to interact with professionals in the entertainment industry like actors, journalists, musicians and dancers that provide with stories and knowledge that are both personal and authentic.
Evening is at leisure.
Overnight in Mumbai
MEAL: Breakfast, Lunch
TUESDAY: DEPART MUMBAI By: International Flight
Post breakfast; take a ferry from Mumbai Harbour to Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see its renowned temples, carved directly out of the basalt rock. The cave temples here were excavated between the 5th and 8th centuries AD and are famous for their magnificently sculpted panels. The best known is the one that depicts
the Maheshmurti – a three-headed image of Lord Shiva, which signifies the creator, preserver, and destroyer of this universe as per Hindu mythology. The Portuguese named this island after a large stone elephant that was found near the landing. The elephant now stands at the Victoria and Albert Museum on the mainland.
Optional Worli Fishing Village Tour Lunch will be arranged at a fine restaurant Rest of the day is at leisure;
however, the car will be at your disposal to catch up on the last-minute shopping Room will be reserved for late checkout till 1800hrs.
In time, transfer to Mumbai airport to board the flight for onward
destination.
MEAL: Breakfast, Lunch
Optional Tours at Additional Cost
Pre - Tour of Delhi with 1 night Hotel, city tour, sound and light show at the Red Fort followed by dinner
Optional activity: Supplement cost: USD $ 125 per person on minimum 2 paying pax Your tour begins in Delhi, India’s capital city that sports a rich history spanning over 2,000 years. After a short briefing, head out on a tour of Old Delhi, the capital of Mughal dynasty between the 16 th and 19 the centuries.
Arrive Old Delhi and visit Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in year 1650 AD and completed in the year 1656 AD. From here you will board cycle rickshaws for a tour of Chandni Chowk (Silver Street). Here you will get a glimpse into an old world lifestyle slowly fading from Delhi.
The hustle and bustle of everyday life can be felt in the Chandi Chowk's narrow lanes. Board the bus after the rickshaw ride, going past the Red Fort (photo stop), and you will disembark at the Raj Ghat – a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, set within a beautiful park.
As a complete contrast to Old Delhi, New Delhi was designed and built by the British in the 1920's-it's a city of wide boulevards impressive Government buildings, green parks and gardens. In 1911 King George V announced the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. The King's architects, Lutyens and Baker, set in motion the
Design and construction of Delhi's eight city - New Delhi. In New Delhi, you will visit two monuments from Delhi's past - Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar. Your drive takes you along the ceremonial avenue, Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament House and the Presidential residence. Also visit the Lotus temple of the Bahai sect.
Overnight in Delhi
MEAL: Dinner and Sound and Light Show at the Red Fort Visit the Agra Fort ( Following visit to the Taj Mahal )
Optional activity: Supplement cost: USD 31 per person on minimum 2 paying pax
Visit the Agra Fort - the seat and the stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. Approachable by two imposing gates and constructed of red sandstone, the citadel was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar between the years 1565 and 1573. Encircled by a moat, this dramatic city within a city was the palace of three emperors,
Akbar, Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb, each of whom made significant contributions to the wonderful architecture of the inner buildings – a combination of Persian (Islamic) and local Hindu styles. Visit Mumbai at Dawn (early morning before breakfast and before Bollywood Tour )
Optional Activity: Supplement cost: USD 95 per person on minimum 2 paying pax
Start early morning for a unique experience to see the bustling city of Mumbai at dawn. You will get a peek into the underbelly of the city and insights into what makes this magnificent city tick. From seeing hundreds of newspaper vendors sort out newspapers of 7 different languages, experiencing one-of-its-kind fish auction of 20 tonnes of fish, to seeing an ‘only green’ herb market sprawled across a popular bridge. From watching the milkmen drive past with canisters, the
melee of colour at the flower markets, to experiencing the clamour and chaos of the arrival of over 100 tonnes of vegetables, fruits and meat – you will witness the mercurial character of Mumbai, like none other.
What’s interesting is that when you walk the same lanes a few hours later, you wouldn’t find any evidence of the morning’s hustle bustle.
Worli Fishing Village Tour ( after visit to Elephanta Caves ) Optional Activity: Supplement cost: USD 95 per person on
minimum 2 paying pax Nestled in an area dotted by state-of-the art architectural wonders and towering sky-scrapers, exists the quaint and picturesque Worli
Fishing Village. An essential part of the 7 villages that make the island city of Mumbai, this six hundred year old village is a quintessential settlement of the original Inhabitants of Mumbai – The fishermen community.
A walk through this village transports you to the land of stories. Of people, of legends, of folklores, of superstitions. What ‘s fascinating is that nothing has changed since the time of the first settlement – Be it the way they make their nets, catch their fish, do their business, their beliefs, the custom or age-old traditions. This tour gives a window-seat view into the lives of the people, making this a walk in history. But what truly makes this tour special, is a walk inside the Worli Fort. Lost
in the pages of history, this British watch tower still stands tall as it
overlooks the beautiful Arabian Sea.
Cost Includes Accommodation on twin share basis for a total