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.
Saturday. Welcome to India and the start of your holiday! Arrive Delhi, included transfer to hotel.
Overnight - New 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!
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)
Jaipur - Bharatpur via Abhaneri and Peharsar. Departing
Jaipur we stop in the village of Abhaneri to see Chand Baori, which is the largest and deepest step well in the world. This incredible well has an staggering 3500 steps and is 13 stories deep. Then we
drive on to the rural village of Perharsar, where 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)
Bharatpur - Agra. Today we travel to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri - the magnificent fortified Mughal capital of Emperor Akbar. In Agra, we visit the impressive Agra Fort before touring the the legendary Taj Mahal and witnessing a spectactular golden sunset. Built by Shah Jahan in the 16th century as an enduring memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaz, the Taj Mahal is without peer.
Overnight - Agra (B)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Day 11: Lumbini - birthplace of Lord Buddha
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)
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 N. P. (B:2, L:2, D:2)
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)
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. For a unique experience, opt to take a scenic flight toward and up close the Mt Everest. The hour long flight (offered by a number of local companies) offers 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.
Overnight - Kathmandu (B:2)
Tuesday. Our holiday concludes after breakfast and included onward departure transfer to the airport.
(B)
Discover Golden Amritsar
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Discover beautiful
Amritsar on our 3 day/
2 night Golden Amritsar bolt-on. Home to the world famous Golden Temple and the seat of the Sikh religion. Built in 1803 and made of marble, copper and pure leaf gold, the temple is an amazing architectural feat. During your stay, we witness the sunset spectacle at Wagah Border - the only road crossing between India and Pakistan where the fascinating changing of the guards and ceremonial lowering of the flags take place with great pomp to a cheering crowd of thousands.
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Elephants playing polo.... and competing in a tug of war?

Join us and witness the immensely colourful and wildly exciting Elephant Festival hosted annually in the Rajasthan capital of Jaipur! Groomed to perfection, glittering in gold, laden with silk tassels and intricately decorated with brightly coloured motifs, row upon row of elephants will catwalk before an enthralled audience at the parade. The elephants move gracefully in procession, participate in running races, play the regal game of polo and by far the greatest highlight is the tug of war between men and elephants, a mismatch of epic proportions.
This is festival time for the elephants and we will not be missing the parade! If travelling with us on our Highway to Himalayas tour departing 23 March 2013, we have revised our touring arrangements to allow for us to attend the festival. Travellers on this tour will spend an additional day and evening in Jaipur, making this tour 19 days in length. The festival begins mid afternoon on 26 March with camels and horses and lively folk dancers and musicians leading the carnival to Jaipur’s open air Chaugan Showground. Here we’ll be ringside to witness the colourful festivity, the crowning of the Best Decorated Elephant, the polo match and the comical bout of man verses elephant in tug of war. A small supplement has been added to our tour cost. For exact itinerary arrangements please refer to our Highway to Himalayas Taj tour Go Guide.
Prices & Departure Dates
Prices shown are per person travelling. 'Twin/Double' prices per person apply when there are 2 people travelling, sharing a room. The 'Single supplement' applies for single travellers who require their own room and needs to be added to the 'Twin/Double' price. If you are happy to be paired up with another single traveller of the same sex on your tour, this can be arranged, (if another solo traveller of the same sex is already booked upon the tour), thus avoiding the single person supplement.
All our scheduled tour departures are guaranteed subject to a minimum of 2 travellers. To date we have not cancelled a single trip.
Note: If departing on 23 March 2013 we will be attending the Elephant Parade in Jaipur and taking part in Holi celebrations in Bharatpur. Please see our tour Go Guide for more info.
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Diwali Departure |
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XMAS Departure |
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New Year Departure |
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Easter Departure |
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Holi Departure |
2012 |
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| 15 SEP - 02 OCT |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 29 SEP - 16 OCT |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 13 OCT - 30 OCT |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 27 OCT - 13 NOV |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 10 NOV - 27 NOV |
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USD $3,149 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 24 NOV - 11 DEC |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 08 DEC - 25 DEC |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 22 DEC - 08 JAN |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |

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2013 |
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| 12 JAN - 29 JAN |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 26 JAN - 12 FEB |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 09 FEB - 26 FEB |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 23 FEB - 12 MAR |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 09 MAR - 26 MAR |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 23 MAR - 09 APR |
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USD $3,149 |
USD $1,089 |

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| 06 APR - 23 APR |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 20 APR - 07 MAY |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 07 SEP - 24 SEP |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 21 SEP - 08 OCT |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 05 OCT - 22 OCT |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 19 OCT - 05 NOV |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 02 NOV - 19 NOV |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 16 NOV - 03 DEC |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 30 NOV - 17 DEC |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 14 DEC - 31 DEC |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| 28 DEC - 14 JAN |
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USD $3,049 |
USD $1,089 |
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| Post-Tour accommodation - Kathmandu |
USD $89 |
USD $40 |
| Pre-Tour accommodation - Delhi |
USD $89 |
USD $40 |
| Car Transfers - Kathmandu |
USD $59 |
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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!
Bolt-ons
Make the most of your time away! Listed below are the optional activities that are available on this trip. Please note that you will need to book these prior to travel as we cannot always guarantee availability of these activities once you are on holiday.
| The Festival of Light is the happiest festival of the Hindu calendar. At night, countless oil lamps are lit to show Rama the way home from his period of exile. In all the festival lasts five days. |
| Sail within a breath of lofty hilltop forts and
fine regal palaces. Look down upon sleepy
villages waking to the early morning sun. Drift
past expansive waterside manors and intricately
stone carved temples with the Pink City of Jaipur in the distance on a magical hot air balloon
adventure. |
| Ride the narrow gauge railway aboard the Himalayan Queen Toy Train to Shimla. Nestled between lofty peaks and breathtaking scenery, the charming getaway was once the summer capital of British India. The natural beauty of Shimla will enchant you, being famous for its colourful bazaar, temples at soaring heights, stunning sunsets and verdant woods, contrasted with the quintessential English pomp and style. |
| Go where the wild things are! Available on our Deserts, Palaces, Ganges; Highway to Himalayas and Delhi to Darjeeling and also to anyone wanting to take a walk on the wildside is an excursion to Panna National Park. Panna National Park is home to some of the best wildlife species in India. The park is renown for its wild cats, leopards as well as deer, antelope, langur monkey and sambar.
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Experiences
If you are interesting in trips with similar experiences to this one, then check out some of the ones we've listed below.
| There are very few places where the rare and enigmatic tiger can still be glimpsed in the wild, stalking through dense forest and undergrowth, a solitary predator with no natural enemies, save one. Go in search of tigers at some of the best wildlife parks in central India, Nepal and Siberia. |
| From the snow capped peaks of the mighty Himalayas and Everest - the world's highest mountain, to holy Mt Sinai in Egypt, Morocco's Atlas Mountains, Russia's Urals and China's breathtaking Yellow Mountain. Our tours visit all of these breathtaking mountain regions and more. |
| One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and an enduring Indian icon, the elegant structure known as the Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who sadly died in 1631, giving birth to their 14th child. In her dying breath, Mumtaz Mahal urged Shah Jahan to build a mausoleum for her, more beautiful than any the world had ever seen. In 1632 building began on the world’s greatest monument to love, which, even today, undoubtedly has no peer. In order to ensure the perfection of the Taj Mahal could not be replicated anywhere else on earth, the artisans and workers who created it, are said to have later had their hands or thumbs amputated. |
Highlights & Inclusions
Below is a list of key highlights and what is included on this tour. Further, where appropriate, we have listed the items that are not included in the tour price.
Trip Highlights
- Delhi - Old Delhi - Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat.
- Jaipur - Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, City Palace and visit to a cotton trader/tailor
- Bharatpur and Perharsar Village
- Agra - Taj Mahal (entrance fee included), Agra Fort and a visit to a marble craft shop
- Orchha - temples of the Bundelas (entrance fee included)
- Varanasi, Mother India site, local temples, mosques and the holy River Ganges
- Royal Chitwan National Park - Nepal
- Kathmandu - the city, Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple and various other temples and shrines - Nepal
| - New Delhi - India Gate, Rajpath, Humayun's Tomb, Qutab Minar and a carpet emporium with demonstration
- Abhaneri - Chand Baori 9th century step well
- Keoladeo Ghana National Park - UNESCO site
- Fatehpur Sikri - ancient Mughal city
- Khajuraho - Chandela dynasty temples and Jain temples
- Lumbini - birthplace of Lord Buddha. City and Ashokan Pillar
- Pokhara and the Himalayas, Lake Phewa - Nepal.
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What's Included
- 17 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners (including Namaste Dinner in Delhi)
- Elephant ride to Amber Fort - Jaipur (*Subject to Government regulations and availability)
- Bicycle rickshaw ride in Keoladeo Ghana National Park
- Economy class flight - Khajuraho to Varanasi
- All relevant transfers and transportation
- Touring of Delhi, Jaipur, Perharsar, Chand Baori Step Well, Agra, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Chitwan National Park, Pokhara and Kathmandu
- Specialist guides at local sights
| - 17 nights - 3-4 star and heritage hotels
- Horse and cart/buggy ride to Taj Mahal - Agra
- Sunrise boat cruise on the holy Ganges - Varanasi
- Entrance fees for the Taj Mahal, Jaipur City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Bundela Temples
- Airport arrival and departure transfers on day 1 and day 18
- English speaking Indian tour leader for groups of 6 or more
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What's Not Included
- International flights and visas
- Entrance Fees: $105-115 USD
| - Tip for your tour leader. We suggest $13-$20 USD per person for this tour. Tipping your leader is an entirely personal gesture.
- Tipping Kitty: $35-40 USD

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Postcards
Here's what some of our past travellers have written in to us and said about their experiences on this trip.
I have had an excellent tour of N. India and would not hesitate to recommend it to others.
Elizabeth Crichton , Mar 2012
I've had an outstanding time in India once again, much credit is due to our tour leader Atul. He's top-notch at his job and made everything go remarkably smoothly, always in a friendly manner. His fluency in english is terrific.
Lance Hori , Mar 2012
Excellent trip to India, everything went without fault. This could be down to background work carried out by Atul to ensure everything went smoothly. Sad to leave India, hopefully Nepal will be just as good.
Jennifer Opara , Feb 2012
our guide, Satendra was excellent, very cheerful and always went out of the the way to make our experience memorable and enjoyable. Thank you.
Meri G, Feb 2011
Excellent guide, thoroughly enjoyed the experience in India. Will recommend it to everyone!
D Griffiths , Jan 2011
Orchha, Khajuraho & Varanasi sightseeing was outstanding!
Lavita Nelly, Apr 2010
Visa services was excellent, Orchha Fort was favourite part of the tour. Overall very enjoyable, well organized. Well worth recommending.
Timothy F, Apr 2010
We had a great time, great guide and looking forward to another on the go tour.
Kevin Barrett, Apr 2010