Highway to Himalayas - 18 Days

Combining an intoxicating mix of culture, incredible wildlife, exceptional sights and unsurpassed scenery. A road less travelled, the Highway to Himalayas is our definitive group tour of the North of India and Nepal.

Note: The following arrangements are relevant to all tours departing from 01 June 2010.

Day 1: New Delhi
Saturday. Welcome to India and the start of your holiday! Arrive Delhi, included transfer to hotel. Overnight - New Delhi
Day 2: Old Delhi
Delhi. This morning, our Welcome Meeting takes place. An orientation tour of India’s capital includes congested Old Delhi and the more streamlined New Delhi. Highlights of our tour include India Gate, Jama Masjid - India's oldest and largest mosque, Qutab Minar and Raj Ghat - site of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation. Tonight, we enjoy a Namaste Dinner at an Indian restaurant. Overnight - New Delhi (B, D)
Highway to Himalayas - 18 Days Go Guide : :Check out the go guide for details of the tour, info on visas, climate, money, what to bring and more!
Days 3 - 4: Jaipur
Delhi - Jaipur. Today, we travel by road to Jaipur also known as the Pink City. We enjoy a tour of the City Palace and Jantar Mantar - an old, yet cleverly designed space observatory. On our second day, we enjoy a stately elephant ride and visit the stunning 16th century Amber Fort. Jaipur is sensational for shopping. Keep your eyes peeled for colourful papier mache puppets and traditional jootis - the Rajasthani shoe of choice.

We’ll also visit a cotton trading/tailor shop which specialises in tablecloths and other articles block-printed with traditional Rajasthani designs and a very capable tailoring service where bolts of European-style fabric can be crafted into shirts and other garments meeting your specification. Prices are excellent and your new garb will be delivered to your hotel before we leave Overnight - Jaipur (B:2)
A lady sits by a magnificent view on a balcony at the City Palace in Jaipur
Day 5: Peharsar
Jaipur - Bharatpur via Peharsar. Today we drive to the rural village of Perharsar, on foot we walk the backstreets discovering local life, traditions and (if open) visit the village school where we operate our ‘Change for Children’ programme. Here, we’ll also visit a charming haveli (mansion house) with small courtyard, lawned gardens and rustic appeal carefully being restored to the splendour of better farming years. After hotel check in at Bharatpur and time to freshen up we visit Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we’ll enjoy a leisurely bicycle rickshaw ride through the park. Overnight - Bharatpur (B, D)
Day 6: The Taj Mahal
Bharatpur - Agra. Today we travel to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri - the magnificent fortified Mughal capital of Emperor Akbar. In Agra, we enjoy a rickshaw ride to the Taj Mahal. Built by Shah Jahan in the 16th century as an enduring memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaz, the Taj Mahal is without peer. Later, we visit the Agra Fort. Overnight - Agra (B)
Day 7: Orchha
Agra - Orchha. Striking south, we journey by express train to Jhansi and onwards by road to Orchha. Situated on the banks of the River Betwa, Orchha is dotted with temples and palaces built by Bundela rulers, which we’ll explore. Overnight - Orchha (B)
Day 8: Khajuraho
Orchha - Khajuraho. We arrive in Khajuraho, famed for its stunning temples built in the Chandela dynasty over a 100 year burst of creative genius from 950 - 1050AD. The carved temples display exceedingly artistic aspects of Indian life a millennium ago. How and why they were built still remains a mystery. We’ve plenty of time to see the temples for ourselves! Overnight - Khajuraho (B)
Musicians in Orchha
Day 9: Varanasi
Khajuraho - Varanasi. Early this morning we offer a jeep safari in Panna NP, please see our wildlife safari Panna NP bolt on for details. This afternoon we bid farewell to Khajuraho and fly east to Varanasi. Perhaps the holiest city in India; Varanasi, also known as Benares or the city of Shiva, is also one of the oldest cities on earth. Sitting on the banks of the holy River Ganges, it has been a centre of learning and civilisation for more than 2000 years and is a place of Hindu pilgrimage. Overnight - Varanasi (B)
Day 10: Boat Ride on the Ganges
This morning, we enjoy a sunrise boat ride on the holy Ganges where we’ll view the ancient religious tradition of ritual cleansing that takes place on the many riverbank ghats (riverside steps). Later, we embark on a tour of this vibrant and deeply spiritual city.

At sunset consider re-visiting the ghats for the evening pilgramage, remarkably different from the dawn ritual. Overnight - Varanasi (B)
A Nepalese Sadhu (Holy man)
Day 11: Lumbini
Varanasi - Lumbini. Today we drive north and cross the border into neighbouring Nepal. Our destination is Lumbini, where we can visit the birthplace of Lord Buddha in 623BC. The Lumbini Garden is famous for the Ashokan Pillar, which offers epigraphic evidence of Lord Buddha’s birth. Overnight - Lumbini (B)
Days 12 - 13: Chitwan National Park
Lumbini - Royal Chitwan NP. Leaving Lumbini, we drive to Royal Chitwan National Park. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest National Parks in Asia, Chitwan supports a population of a variety of species including Indian one horned rhino, bison, sloth bear, wild boar, deer, leopard and of course the magnificent, if elusive, Bengal tiger. On day 13 we enjoy morning and evening elephant ride game walks. Overnight - Chitwan National Park (B:2, L:2, D:2)
Days 14 - 15: Pokhara
Chitwan NP - Pokhara. Today we drive to Pokhara. Perhaps the most stunning of Pokhara’s sights is the spectacular backdrop panorama of the Annapurna range. Although the highest among them is Annapurna (8091m), it is the fish tailed summit of Machhapuchhre (6977m) spectacularly rising behind Lake Phewa that completes the vista. We enjoy 2 free days in Pokhara. Hike, bike, shop or relax - the choice is yours! Overnight - Pokhara (B:2)
Temples and buildings of Durbar Square in Kathmandu
Days 16 - 17: Kathmandu
Pokhara - Kathmandu. Driving north, we arrive in Kathmandu. Resembling a medieval city of temples, shrines and living gods, Kathmandu is Nepal’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city, a meeting place of a dozen ethnic groups and once one of the most important points on the caravan routes between Tibet and India.

Our sightseeing will include an overview of the city taking in Pashupatinath Temple which stands on the banks of the River Bhaginiti, Swayambhunath Pagoda and colossal Bodhnath. We’ll explore Durbar square in the heart of Kathmandu, which is home to more than 50 stunning temples and shrines.
There will also be free time to relax, explore and shop on your own or for the piece de resistance - take a amazing scenic flight toward and up close the Mt Everest. See our Everest flight bolt-on for more info. Overnight - Kathmandu (B:2)
Day 18: Kathmandu
Tuesday. Our holiday concludes after breakfast and included onward departure transfer to the airport.

NOTE: 25 Dec 2010 departure
On New Years Eve all hotels in India charge a compulsory New Years dinner supplement. On this night we will be staying at Amar Mahal hotel in Orchha. The New Years dinner (with entertainment) cost is payable by you locally, (collected on day 2 of your tour in addition to your entrance fees and tip kitty), budget approx: USD$30. (B)

Everest Flight
Take a breathtaking scenic flight over the majestic Himalayan mountains in Nepal. Reaching some 5500m to 8850m in height, no other country can rival Nepal’s concentration of towering peaks. On the hour long flight soak up the views of a seeming endless chain of snow capped peaks, as you fly above the clouds, over glaciers and lakes, rivers, gorges and see the world’s highest and most enigmatic mountain - Mt Everest.