The golden triangle of India with Varanasi

Delhi
Arrival at Delhi airport. Transfer to hotel for some rest. Around 10 am after breakfast you
will start your guided tour of Old Delhi. In particular, you will visit the Red Fort (visit only from outside), a UNESCO World Heritage since 2007, built in 1639 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (the creator of the Taj Mahal), the the Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, where an ancient copy of the holy Quran written on Deer skin is preserved. Visit small lanes of this part of the city such as Chawri Bazar, one of the busiest street of Old Delhi. Later visit Raj Ghat, the site of Mahatma Ghandi cremation. After lunch you will visit new Delhi with its Government buildings such as the India Gate, an arch erected in memory of the Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during World War I, and the Parliament House. In the late afternoon we will continue the visit with the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwara, or Sikh house of worship in India, known as the “Sarovar.” Then trasfer to the hotel. Overnight in Delhi (D)

Delhi – Jaipur
Around 10 a.m. will start the visit of the poor district of Paharganj, in Old Delhi, led by special tour guide from a local NGO, which saves street kids, giving them education and job training. This experience aims to show the tragic reality of street kids, watching the world from their perspective. A former street kid will walk you trought the streets of the district of Paharganj and the areas around the train station. This gives you the unique opportunity to visit the city with exceptional guides. Later, transfer by car to Jaipur (about 4 and a half hours), the largest city in Rajasthan and symbol of magnificence and abundance. The city was founded in 1727 by Jai Singh II and it was the first Indian city with a reticular planimetry. Jaipur was the capital under the reign of the Kachwaha clan and it is an ideal tourist destination. Overnight in Jaipur (B).

Jaipur
After breakfast, visit to the Hawa Mahal along the road to Amber Fort. Transport by jeep to the castle. After lunch, visit to the Anokhi museum, which shows how important craftsmanship is for the rural economy of India. In the afternoon, visit to the Royal Palace and the ancient city; places full of charm, culture and architecture, with splendid fortresses, majestic palaces, peaceful temples and beautiful Havelis (ancient noble residences). The “Pink City” can boasts of a refined craftsmanship and a spectacular goldsmith tradition, which enhance its uniqueness. Lush gardens and flower beds add serenity to the landscape. All together these ingredients create a picturesque environment that fascinates every visitor. Walking throught the streets of this unique city makes it easier to understand local history and culture. Overnight in Jaipur. (B)

Jaipur – Agra
After breakfast transfer to Agra by highway (about 4 hours). Arrival in Agra and lunch in a small restaurant supported by a local NGO that helps women victims of acid attacks. After lunch visit old Agra. You wll explore the old city on a 3-hour walking tour led by a local guide who shows you daily life away from the typical tourist attractions. Learn about Agra’s history, architecture, and traditions as you discover the old market and its surroundings. The first stop will be the Jama Masjid, a big mosque opposite to Agra Fort. You will continue walking along the narrow lanes of old Agra, meeting a local family living in the area. Later you will visit the ancient Manka Meshwar temple (Shiva temple), followed by the wholesale spice market, Rawatpara, where you can find Agra petha, a candy made from ash gourd. You will also experience the bustle at the shoe mandi in Johri Bazar, the only street of Ayurvedic doctors, the paan (betel leaf), and the food street of Seth Gali. At sunset Visit to the Taj Mahal (closed on friday). It is one of the most famous and visited monuments of India, built at the behest of the Mughal emperor Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The majestic white marble building is now a universal symbol of love and romance and it is also one of the seven wonders of the world. It was built in 1653 (symbolically remembered in the 16 gardens and 53 fountains) and it took 16 years of work and the commitment of thousands of artisans
Overnight in Agra (B, L)

Agra- Orcha-Khajurahoo
In the early morning, transfer to the railway station and departure for Jhansi (about 2 and a half hours), from which we continue with private means of transport to Orchha. Visit of the town, and ancient capital built in 1531, which represents a happy synthesis between traditional Hindu, Indo-saracen and more refined Mughal architecture. Everything here is still imbued with the atmosphere of the past: the imposing fortress and its buildings, the Jahangir Mahal and the Raja Mahal, are among the most romantic in India. Continue to Khajuraho (160 km: about 3 and a half hours), in Madhya Pradesh. Arrival in the late afternoon and hotel accommodation.
Overnight stay in Kaìhajuraho (B).

Khajurahoo
Visit of the extraordinary temple complex, built between the X and the XI centuries, famous for its erotic sculptures and declared “World Heritage Site”. We’ll visit the temples situated in the Eastern group, characterized by the extraordinary wealth of details and those of the Southern group, then the Hindu temples, situated in the Western group. In the afternoon, free time to visit the city independently. In the night you will take a night train to Varanasi.
Overnight on a train (B)

Varanasi
After breakfast, guided tour of the sacred city with its many attractions, ancient temples such as Kashi Vishwanath, Kal Bhairava, Durga Kund and Annapoorna. Varanasi is also an important center of art, crafts, education and culture. There are the Benares main Ghats, or bleachers leading to the Ganges, many of which are used for ritual ablutions, others for cremations. Often the bleachers are associated with a legend or a mythological episode; others are private. The most important steps for cremations is the Manikarnika Ghat, known as Mahasmasana, included in the sightseeing tour. It is believed that burning bodies in these special places is the right way to achieve Moksha, salvation. In the evening, you will see the famous religious ritual of the Ganga Aarti Puja, which takes place every day at sunset at the Dasaswamedh Ghat, near the Kashi Vishwanath temple and is a very choreographic ceremony. It is performed on a stage by a group of young Pandits, wrapped in saffron tunics, who hold the ceremonial dishes in front of them.
Overnight in Varanasi. (B)

Varanasi
After breakfast, time to discover the Ghats (stairways) that dot the Ganges. In the afternoon, visit the Buddhist city of Sarnath, located 13km northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Gomati River in the Ganges in Utta Pradesh. Sarnath Deer Park is the place where Gautama Buddha first taught Dharma. Today it is one of the 4 key points of the Buddhist community (with Bodhgaya, Kushinagar and Lumbini in Nepal) and attracts believers from all over the world, especially on the day of Purnima (or Buddha’s birthday), when life is celebrated, the death and enlightenment of Buddha. Overnight in Varanasi. (B)

Varanasi – Delhi
In the morning, internal flight to Delhi airport and departure with international flight.