Ahmedabad to Varanasi Journey

Ahmedabad. On arrival, meet our representative for assistance and a private transfer to your hotel – check in is from 12:00, with early check in subject to availability.In the afternoon we set out on a city tour, beginning at Bhadra Fort with its carved gateways and historic inscriptions, then the Jama Masjid and the nearby tomb of Sultan Ahmed Shah. We see the Shaking Minarets at Siddi Bashir’s Mosque near Sarangpur Gate, and visit Sabarmati Ashram, established in 1915 and moved to its riverside site in 1917 for Gandhi’s experiments in self-sufficiency. We continue to the Hatheesing Jain Temple, dedicated to the 15th Tirthankar, Dharamnath, and round off the day at a selection of museums, including the Kite Museum and the Vishala Vichar Museum. As we travel, we also note Ahmedabad’s remarkable modern architecture by Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, Doshi and Correa. Overnight in Ahmedabad.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set out from Ahmedabad on a full–day excursion to Adalaj Stepwell, Rani ki Vav in Patan and the Sun Temple at Modhera.We begin at Adalaj Stepwell – 18 kilometres north of Ahmedabad in Gandhinagar district – a stepwell of four levels attributed to Queen Rudabai. Though now dry, it once supplied water to travellers and pilgrims, its deep interior reaching the water table and offering cool respite as water levels rose and fell with the seasons.We continue to Patan to visit Rani ki Vav on the banks of the Saraswati River – attributed to Udayamati, queen of the 11th–century Chaulukya dynasty and spouse of Bhima I. Silted over and rediscovered in the 1940s, it was restored in the 1980s by the Archaeological Survey of India and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014.We end at the Sun Temple in Modhera – dedicated to Surya and set by the Pushpavati River – built after 1026–27 CE during the reign of Bhima I. No worship is offered now and it is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. The complex comprises the Gudhamandapa shrine hall, the Sabhamandapa assembly hall and the stepped Kunda reservoir, with intricately carved exteriors and pillars and numerous small shrines around the tank.Return to Ahmedabad – overnight at the hotel.

Ahmedabad – Vadodara – Kevadia – Statue of UnityAfter breakfast we set off from Ahmedabad for Kevadia, approximately 200 km – around 4 hours – with sightseeing stops en route.We begin at Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara, reputedly one of the largest private residences ever built and said to be around four times the size of Buckingham Palace. When completed it featured modern amenities such as lifts, and its interiors evoke a grand European country house. It remains the residence of the royal family. The expansive compound also includes Moti Bagh Palace, the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum and the LVP Banquets & Conventions complex.We continue to the Champaner–Pavagadh Archaeological Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – centred on the city established by Sultan Mahmud Begada. It is noted as the only complete, unchanged Islamic pre‑Mughal city in India and includes a wide range of monuments such as mosques, temples, tombs, gateways, fortifications, palaces, pavilions, helical wells and a customs house, largely from the 16th century. Much of the site remains unexcavated, and there is evidence of earlier Chalcolithic occupation.We then drive on to Kevadia near the Sardar Sarovar Dam and check in at Tent City or a hotel close to the Statue of Unity. In the evening we watch the laser light and sound show projected onto the statue – held daily except Monday – which narrates the life of Sardar Patel and his role in India’s independence and unification. We round off the day with dinner in the dining area accompanied by live music. Overnight in tent or hotel.

After breakfast, we visit the Statue of Unity – the world’s tallest statue at 182 metres. The 4,647‑square‑metre exhibition in the pedestal showcases Sardar Patel’s life, his role in the Freedom Movement and the unification of princely states. High speed lifts take us up through the core to a viewing point about 400 feet for panoramic views. We then see the Sardar Sarovar Dam, Selfie Point and the Valley of Flowers. Later, we drive to Maheshwar – approximately 265 km, around six hours. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, we drive about 40 km – roughly 1 hour – to Mandu, an ancient fort city encircled by stone walls and gateways. We take in its striking Afghan-era architecture and distinctive baobab trees, then visit Hoshang Shah’s domed marble tomb, the expansive Jami Masjid and the long Jahaz Mahal, which appears like a ship reflected in twin lakes. We return to Maheshwar by afternoon and visit Maheshwar Fort, a historic stronghold that safeguarded around 2 sq km. Its origins date to the 4th–5th century, while the present structure is largely 17th–18th century. We see the five main entrances, defensive walkways about five feet wide and rooms used by soldiers on watch, recalling the fort’s tactics with guns, cannons and arrows. Inside the complex we visit the Rajbada palace, Ahilyabai’s place of worship with a golden jhula and the Rajrajeshwar Temple. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast in Maheshwar, we drive 145 km – around 3 hours – to Omkareshwar to visit one of the 12 jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Set on Omkar hill – an island in the middle of the River Narmada – the temple features a large sabha mandap supported by 60 brown stone pillars. Its five storeys house different deities, and three daily prayer services are conducted – the morning by the temple trust, the other two by priests of the Holkar and Scindia states. Many pilgrims also visit the nearby Mamleshwar Temple, and a ritual dip in the Narmada before entry is considered auspicious. The ancient shivling is enclosed behind glass for protection.After sightseeing, we continue to Indore and check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast in Indore, we drive to Ujjain to visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple – one of the 12 jyotirlingas – where the lingam sits in a subterranean chamber and is regarded as swayambhu. The present five‑storey temple dates to the mid‑18th century and blends Bhumija, Chalukya and Maratha styles; its marble walkways were restored by the Scindias in the late 19th century. Three floors are dedicated to the lingams of Mahakalesvara, Omkaresvara and Nagachandresvara – the last accessible to devotees only on Naga Panchami. Within the complex, we also see Koti Tirtha, a sarvatobhadra‑style tank, and images along the approach that reflect the temple’s form during the Paramara period. Set beside Rudra Sagar, the temple also holds the Bhasma Aarti, for which devotees gather as early as 4 am.After our visit, we continue by road to Bhopal – total driving today is approximately 255 km, around five hours – and check in at the hotel for the night.

Bhopal – Bhimbetka and Bhojpur (45 km – about 1 hour each way). After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to the Bhimbetka rock shelters, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the Palaeolithic age. The caves preserve some of the earliest evidence of human life on the Indian subcontinent, with rock paintings roughly 30,000 years old and shelters believed to have been inhabited by Homo erectus more than 100,000 years ago. We then continue to Bhojpur to see its Shiva temple, which houses one of India’s largest lingas carved from a single rock.On our return to Bhopal, we take a city tour, visiting Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid, Taj ul Masajid and the arts centre at Bharat Bhavan. We also see the Bhoj Wetland, comprising the manmade Bhojtal and the Lower Lake, a Ramsar-listed site since 2002 that supports more than 20,000 birds annually. The Upper Lake supplies around 40% of the city’s drinking water, and species such as white storks, black-necked storks, bar-headed geese, spoonbills and gatherings of sarus cranes are recorded here.Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast in Bhopal, we drive to Khajuraho, covering around 380 km – roughly 8 hours by road – with key stops en route. We begin at Sanchi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars span from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD, and where the Buddha is represented through symbols rather than images. We then explore the Udayagiri Caves, an early Hindu ritual site extensively carved and reworked under Chandragupta II in the late 4th–5th centuries, featuring rock shelters, inscriptions and other remains.We continue to Sagar to visit one of its Jain temples – the city is also home to Lakha Banjara Lake – before arriving in Khajuraho and checking in to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Khajuraho – Prayagraj (376 km – approx. 8 hours) After breakfast, we explore Khajuraho’s UNESCO World Heritage temples, built by the Chandela rulers in the 11th–12th centuries and renowned for intricate carvings, including some celebrated erotic panels. Later, we drive to Prayagraj – 376 km – approx. 8 hours – and check in at the hotel on arrival. Overnight in Prayagraj.

Prayagraj – Varanasi (120 km – around 2.5 hours). After breakfast, we tour Prayagraj, beginning at the Sangam – the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, revered as the site of the Kumbh Mela every 12 years and the Ardh Kumbh every 6. We continue to Allahabad Fort, commissioned by Emperor Akbar in 1583, noted for its massive walls and three grand gateways, and then visit Anand Bhawan, the Nehru family’s ancestral home, now a museum displaying family memorabilia and its role in India’s independence movement.In the afternoon we drive to Varanasi and check in to the hotel. In the evening we take a leisurely walk along the ghats to nearby temples and historic mosques, then board a boat to witness the Ganga Aarti at Dasashwamedh Ghat at sunset – we pause close to the steps for clear views. Overnight in Varanasi.

Varanasi – We start early with a sunrise boat ride along the Ganges, gliding past the ghats as devotees bathe and offer prayers. Afterward, we visit Kashi Vishwanath Mandir – a sacred complex tucked along Vishwanatha Galli near the river. The main temple forms a quadrangle and is encircled by shrines to deities such as Kaalbhairav, Dhandapani, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Vinayaka, Sanishwara, Virupaksha and Virupaksha Gauri. We also see the Jnana Vapi – the wisdom well to the north of the temple – where tradition holds the Jyotirlinga was concealed during invasions, with the chief priest protecting it by leaping into the well.We return to the hotel for breakfast, then continue to Sarnath for the day’s exploration. Here the Buddha delivered his first discourse – setting the Wheel of Dhamma in motion and outlining the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path – and appointed his first disciples. We visit key sites including the Dhamek Stupa, originally built by Ashoka, the Ashoka Pillar with its inscription on unity within the sangha, and the ruins of stupas and monasteries that reflect a monastic tradition spanning over 1,500 years. We also see the Mulaghandhakuti Vihara, built in 1922 by Anagarika Dharmapala, where pilgrims gather each evening to chant the Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta.Back in Varanasi, we take a city tour that includes Banaras Hindu University, the Ramnagar Fort Palace and several prominent temples. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer you to Varanasi airport in line with your flight schedule – board your flight for your onward destination.