Day 1: Arrive New Delhi
Arrive in New Delhi where you’ll be welcomed by our airport representative and transferred to your hotel for check in. Overnight in New Delhi.
Day 2: New Delhi
Your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and take you on a tour of the best sites of New Delhi. Start in the southern end of the city with a visit to the Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India, followed by Humayun’s Tomb, a grand example of Indo-Persian style architecture similar to the Taj Mahal. After lunch, take a short walk through the bustling Chandi Chowk shopping area in Old Delhi, and visit the adjacent Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. Continue to the serene park setting of Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. Finally, visit the Laxmi Narayan Hindu Temple near Connaught Place, the heart of Delhi where you can shop or have dinner. Overnight in New Delhi. (Breakfast)
Day 3: New Delhi to Amritsar
After breakfast, transfer to the train station for a 6-hour train ride to Amritsar. Your guide will help you board the train and find your seat. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed at the platform and transferred to your hotel for check in. Late afternoon, drive about 45 minutes to the Pakistan border at Wagah for the “Beating the Retreat” ceremony. Each day at sunset, soldiers from both countries march in an amazing spectacle of pomp and circumstance while crowds watch and cheer them taking down their respective national flags. Overnight in Amritsar. (Breakfast)
Day 4: Amritsar to Dharamsala
After breakfast, visit the Golden Temple. Originally a small lake in the midst of a quiet forest, the site has been a meditation retreat for wandering mendicants and sages for hundreds of years. Your guide will explain the Sikh Temple as you view the glimmering inner chambers, where the holy texts are kept, and the community kitchen, which provides free meals for more than 40,000 people a day. Afternoon, drive east about 5 hours to Dharamsala. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Dhauladhar Mountains, Dharamsala is sometimes referred to as “Little Tibet” because it is now home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. After checking into your hotel, the evening is free to explore Dharamsala. Overnight in Dharamsala. (Breakfast)
Day 5: Dharamsala
Enjoy breakfast and views of the sunrise over the Himalayas at your hotel. Today visit the Norbulingka Institute, an educational and historical institute dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture and providing employment for Tibetan refugees living in India. See the world's finest thangka painters, copper sculptors, wood carvers and appliqué artists as they create traditional art work and handicrafts in their workshops. Here you will learn about Tibetan culture and witness the merging of new lifestyles with ancient traditions for many young Tibetans who call India their home. Later visit St. John's Church and enjoy a nature walk in local tea gardens. Overnight in Dharamsala. (Breakfast)
Day 6: Dharamsala to Shimla
After breakfast, drive 6-7 hours to Shimla. Situated in the northwest Himalayas, Shimla is the Capital of the Himachal Pradesh and was the summer capital of the British Raj. The drive is incredibly scenic through dense forests of oak, pine, fur and rhododendron and offers an opportunity to see the daily life of Indians in Himalayan villages. Check into your hotel and enjoy a free evening in Shimla. We suggest taking a walk through the city's mall street, which is Shimla's social and economic hub and comes alive in the evenings. Overnight in Shimla. (Breakfast)
Day 7: Shimla
This morning, drive 25 minutes to visit a lookout point in the nearby village of Fagu with 360-degree panoramic views of the Himalayas. Tour the former capitol building, now the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, the Gaiety Theatre, the Mall, and the Christ Church. Overnight in Shimla. (Breakfast)
Day 8: Shimla to Rishikesh
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, then drive about seven hours through beautiful forested villages to Rishikesh, a pilgrimage city and destination for Hindu and Yoga devotees from all over the world. The evening is free. Overnight in Rishikesh. (Breakfast)
Day 9: Rishikesh
Today tour Rishikesh. Visit the Shivananda Ashram, the Nikantha Mahadev Temple, the Shri Tryambakeshwar Temple and the Triveni Ghat. Enjoy a rest in the afternoon and then return to the main ghat at sunset to witness the chanting and prayers at the Aarti Ceremony on the river. Overnight in Rishikesh. (Breakfast)
Day 10: Rishikesh to Haridwar
The morning is free to explore the temples and ghats on your own. In the afternoon, drive 30 minutes to Haridwar. Visit the Ghats in Haridwar this evening at sunset for the Aarti ceremony. Overnight in Haridwar. (Breakfast)
Day 11: Haridwar
Today tour Haridwar. Visit the colorful temples for which city is known, then continue to Har Ki Pauri, the main ghat on the Ganges and the religious and social focal point of the city. Spend the afternoon near the river where you can immerse yourself in the culture and energy of this holy city and explore the nearby market. Overnight in Haridwar. (Breakfast)
Day 12: Haridwar to New Delhi for Departure
Wake early for your 5-hour train to New Delhi. Upon arrival, you will be met at the platform by our representative. A car and driver is available for you until you need to be at the airport for your flight home. (Breakfast)
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Taj Mahal Extension
If you have more time in India, please consider adding a day trip by train from New Delhi to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Contact us for details.
