The Heart of India.A Jill Worrall Tour

Creating your Travel Memories....Contact Br ig itte Kempf I 03 6888 486 or 027 2333027 I t ravel@memoriesconnect ion.co.nz

share twinSingle Supplement $2,690pp

$14,450pp

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21 days Fully Escorted Holiday by Jill Worrall

Included in your tour• Return economy class flights from Christchurch/Auckland

to Delhi on Singapore Airlines.• Includes all ground transportation and internal flights.• First class hotels, with a mix of smaller authentic hotels.• All breakfasts, four lunches and ten dinners while on tour.• All sightseeing as per itinerary included in price.• All tipping.• An exceptional experienced local guide with us all times.• Fully escorted from NZ by your tour operator Jill Worrall.

DEPARTS: 09 NOV 2018. RETURNS 29 NOV 2018.

Depart New Zealand Fri 9 November

Delhi Sat 10 NovemberOn our arrival in Delhi early this morning our national guide will be waiting for us at the airport and we will head straight for our hotel where our rooms (and breakfast!) will be waiting for us.After a chance for a rest and to freshen up, we may go out this afternoon and start our Delhi sightseeing programme (as outlined below on Sunday’s programme). We’ll be back to our hotel for an early night! Delhi, India’s capital is a sprawling city with a unique blend of the ancient and modern. It has two key parts – New Delhi, the city created by the British in 1911 to be the Imperial capital of India, and Old Delhi, which was the Muslim (Mughal) capital between the 17th and 19th centuries. (B)Overnight: Delhi.

Delhi Sun 11 NovemberToday we’re going to set out into Delhi’s crazy traffic for a tour of highlights of both Old and New Delhi. Included in our programme today (the order will depend on traffic and other factors) is the Jama Masjid, one of India’s most important mosques which dominates Old Delhi. This mosque was built by Moghul emperor Shah Jahan in 1658. While we’re in this area, we’ll take an exhilarating rickshaw ride through the neighbouring bazaar with its narrow lanes and fascinating mix

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of tiny shops.In New Delhi, we will stop near India Gate, a 42-metre-high arch built by the British in 1931. Originally called the All India War Memorial to the memory of the 90,000 Indian Army soldiers who died during the First World War, it features an eternal flame to the Immortal Soldier. We will also see the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s House) as we drive through this area. This mansion was once the official residence of the Viceroy of India and was designed by Sir Edward Luytens.Also on our programme today is one of India’s most historic and beautiful sites, Humayun’s Tomb. This was built on the order of Moghul emperor, Akbar, along with Humayun’s first wife. It was finished in 1572 and is considered to be India’s first garden tomb. It’s now a Unesco World Heritage-listed site.We are also going to depart from the usual tourist route in Delhi to visit one of the city’s most important Sikh places of worship, the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. This complex includes the place of worship (the Gurudwara) itself, along with a large holy pond, a school and art gallery. But our special focus, after visiting the Gurudwara will be the Langar hall. Langar is a Sikh concept by which anyone who visits the complex is offered a free meal. To provide food for thousands of people every day, a team of volunteers are constantly at work in the vast kitchen. We have the opportunity to join them for a while! (Don’t worry, you don’t have to be an experienced cook and it’s fine just to watch if you prefer). I visited here in 2016 and it was a very friendly and fascinating place. We will have our welcome dinner this evening. (B, D)Overnight: Delhi.

Your Itinerary

Jill Worrall INTERNATIONAL TOUR OPERATOR AND MANAGER

A 21- day tour of incredible highlights

Prepared by a local Indian expert and personal friend of mine, this India tour combines all the must-see sites with some extra special, exclusive extras. Of course, there is the Taj Mahal and a boat ride on the Ganges but there’s a lot more too to give you a more close-up and personal experience of India, including the

legendary Pushkar Camel Fair.

India can seem a bit daunting for first-timers but I’ve been there numerous times and, together with my local expert, we

will make sure you enjoy every minute of it.

BIHAR

HARYANA

MADHYA PRADESH

PUNJAB

RAJASTHAN

UTTARAKHAND

NEPALDELHI

AGRA1

KHAJURAHO1

VARANASI1

RANTHAMBORE 2

JAIPUR2

PUSHKAR2

UDAIPUR 2

NARLAI 1

MANWAR 1

JODHPUR 1

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1= START CITY

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UTTAR PRADESH

The Heart of India

Jaipur to Pushkar Sat 17 NovemberToday we are off to another incredible Indian highlight – one of the most famous of India festivals and one of the world’s largest camel fairs, Pushkar. This five-day annual camel fair is not the only attraction here as Pushkar is also a very important and sacred pilgrimage destination for Hindus. On our arrival, we’ll have our first walk around the fair. Along with the buying and selling of animals there are competitions, including ones for the longest moustache and a bridal competition. There will be no shortage of camels – up to 50,000! (B, D*)Overnight: Pushkar.

Pushkar Sun 18 NovemberWe will spend all day around Pushkar, watching the competitions, the livestock sales, the pilgrims bathing in the lake and absorbing all the vibrant colours, music and other attractions that make this THE festival in India along with a wonderful fair selling an astonishing range of handcrafts and the usual fair paraphernalia. (B, L,D*)Overnight: Pushkar. *Because Pushkar is a sacred city all meals here are vegetarian.

Pushkar to Udaipur via Kelwa Mon 19 NovemberIt will be a major change in pace today after we leave the fair and head for Udaipur, one of my favourite places in all of Rajasthan.A change of pace because en route we’re going to stop for lunch at the Jodh Sagar Shooting Range Country Club. Along with lunch there will be a chance to try your hand (and eyes!) at clay pigeon shooting.Then it’s back on the road again to Udaipur. The city’s name means city of sunshine and was established by Rajput king Mahrara Uday Singh in 1567. It’s also known as the city of lakes and the Venice of the East. Situated on the banks of a lake (which sometimes alas in the dry season may either have little or no water in it) the city is full of amazing palaces, the most famous being the Lake Palace which covers an entire small island in the lake itself. (B, L)Overnight: Udaipur.

Udaipur Tue 20 NovemberWe will spend a full day exploring the delights of Udaipur. Included in our programme is the City Palace Museum (in a wonderful palace overlooking the lake, the Garden of the Maids of Honour and the local market. The City Palace is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan and its museum houses a vast collection of glass, ceramics and other royal treasures. If lake levels permit we will also take a boat ride on Lake Pichola, alighting on Jagmandir Island with its beautiful gardens and gorgeous carved elephants. We will also visit a painting school – Udaipur is an important centre for the art of Indian miniature painting. (B)Overnight: Udaipur

Udaipur to Narlai/Rohetgrah via Ranakpur Wed 21 NovemberOn our way to the village of Narlai we will stop in the town of Ranakpur which is famous for its Jain Temple. The temple is a confection of intricate and beautiful carvings.Tonight, we are staying in the Aravalli Hills in a boutique hotel which was once a hunting lodge for the Jodhpur royal family (it is still owned by family members). Either this evening or tomorrow morning we will take a safari trip to try to spot leopards, which have been increasing numbers here. Dinner tonight will be a spectacular event, being held beside a candlelit 16th century stepwell. (B, D)Overnight Rawla Narlai.

Narlai to Manwar Thu 22 NovemberWe’re driving to the Shergarh desert region today, an area populated by Rajput people. We’ll be staying at Manwar Camp, an ideal place from which to explore Indian desert life, wildlife, culture and landscapes. Our first stop however will be at Manwar Resort, which is built in traditional village-style, where we will have lunch. Then we’ll continue to the Manwar tented camp, which lies in the Thar desert. Here we’ll have the chance for a camel or cart ride to the dunes for sundowners then return to camp for dinner and traditional entertainment. (B, L, D)Overnight: Manwar Camp.

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Delhi to Agra Mon 12 NovemberWe will be leaving the capital this morning along one of India’s newest and finest highways, the Yamuna Expressway, which will take us to Agra.Our first sightseeing destination in Agra will be the Unesco World Heritage-listed Agra Fort, which is really a small walled royal city. Construction of the fort, considered one of the finest Moghul forts in all of India, began by the decree of Emperor Akbar in 1565. His grandson Shah Jahan carried out further work on the fort and later was held prisoner then by his own son Aurangzeb after he seized power from his father in 1658.Later in the day, as sunset approaches we will then head for one of the undoubted highlights of our visit to India, the Taj Mahal. Knowns as the world’s most extravagant monument to love, this stunning mausoleum was built by Shah Jahan during the 17th century for his beloved wife Mumtaz. No matter how many photos or videos you will have seen of the Taj, I promise you won’t be disappointed by it…it simply takes one’s breath away, no matter how any times you see it.Before we return to our hotel we’ll also stop at one of the factories that specialise in marble inlay work, a tradition that has carried on in Agra, since the time of the construction of the Taj Mahal. (B)Overnight: Agra.

Agra to Ranthambore Tue 13 NovemberBefore we leave Agra, we’ll be making a very early morning start so that we can see the Taj again at sunrise. This is a magic time as the Taj emerges like a pearl from the early morning mists.Then it’s on the road again, with a stop at another less conventional visitor destination, the Sheroes Hangout. This is an initiative by India’s Stop Acid Attacks campaign, which was founded in 2013.We then head to the Ranthambore National Park, one of the success stories for India’s Project Tiger conservation programme and one of the best places in India to look for tigers. At the time of writing there are about 48 tigers living in the park. The park covers over 1300sq km and is a mix of forest, rocky ridges and grassland. As well as tigers (and of course we can’t guarantee we will see them) the park in winter, which is the season we will be there, is also home to thousands of migratory birds and many other animal species too. The park is also full of ruined temples, forts and was once a hunting preserve for the Maharajahs of Jaipur. (B, D)Overnight: Ranthambore.

Ranthambore Wed 14 NovemberWe have a full day in the park with early morning and late afternoon game drives to give us the best possible chance of seeing a tiger and other wildlife that live in the park. (B, L, D)Overnight: Ranthambore.

Ranthambore to Jaipur Thu 15 NovemberJaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is our destination today. Jaipur is known as the Pink City because of the pink-tinted buildings that dominate the old city. It was founded in 1727 by Maharajah Jai Singh II, situating it between typically barren and rocky Rajasthan hills, many of which are still topped by walls and fortifications. Tonight, we will be having dinner with a local family and at some point, during our Jaipur stay we will visit a showroom dedicated to one of Jaipur’s most famous exports, gems and jewellery. (B, D)Overnight: Jaipur

Jaipur Fri 16 NovemberWe have a full day to explore Jaipur including a tour of the City Palace, which is still the home of the Maharajah of Jaipur. In the areas of the palace accessible to the public there are extensive collections of art, carpets, weapons and other treasures.We will also visit the Jantar Mantar (observatory). This was built by Maharajah Jai Singh in 1728. Although it looks like a collection of rather modern sculpture, it is in fact a collection of structures designed to measure the position of stars, calculate eclipses and so on. One of the most spectacular of these is a 27m-tall sundial. We will also take a jeep ride up to the spectacular Amber Fort, just outside Jaipur. This was once the ancient capital of Jaipur and includes beautiful elements of traditional Rajput architecture. (B)Overnight: Jaipur.

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Manwar to Jodhpur Fri 23 NovemberIt’s off to the wonderful Rajasthan city of Jodhpur today which lies on the fringes of the Thar desert. It’s dominated by the huge Mehrangarh Fort and was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, the chief of a Rajput clan known as the Rathores. We will be visiting the fort today, stopping first at the Jaswat Thaada which is close by – a beautiful memorial built in memory of Maharajah Jaswant Singh II. Then it’s up to the fort itself for an exclusive champagne evening tour with the fort’s museum curator. This fort is considered to be the most striking of all the Rajasthan forts and is still owned by the current Maharajah of Jodhpur.We will also visit an amazing textile shop in Jodhpur’s old city. (B, D)Overnight: Jodhpur.

Jodhpur to Varanasi via Delhi Sat 24 NovemberToday will be a travel day as we fly to Delhi and stay for one overnight. (B)

Delhi to Varanasi Sun 25 NovemberThis morning we fly to Varanasi. Varanasi (once known as Benares) is also called the City of Light and is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. It’s regarded as one of Hinduism’s seven holy cities. Every day thousands of pilgrims come to the ghats (steps) that line the River Ganges to wash away their sins or to cremate their loved ones. This is a place of chaos, colour and where the cycle of life and death is on show for all to see. In some ways, it’s the perfect climax to our visit to India and one for which, after several weeks on the sub-continent, you’ll be somewhat prepared. No-one can totally be prepared for Varanasi however, which is partly why it is such an amazing place. While we are in Varanasi

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we will be driving to Sarnath, which is the site of Lord Buddha’s first sermon after he attained enlightenment. Then, in the evening we will be heading to the banks of the holy Ganges to witness the nightly, awe-inspiring evening prayer ritual known as Arti. (B)Overnight: Varanasi

Varanasi to Khajuraho Mon 26 NovemberWe’ll be up early this morning to take a boat ride on the sacred Ganges River, which will take us past the ritual bathing sites and the cremation areas. Then after breakfast back at our hotel we will check out and head to the airport to fly to Khajuraho.Khajuraho is famous for its Hindu and Jain temples. This is a World Heritage Listed site and its famous erotic carvings are part of what are considered some of the finest temple art in the world.We will be vising the Laxmi, Varha, Kandariya Mahdevi and Devi Jagdambi temples during our sightseeing day. This evening we will meet for our farewell dinner.(B, D)Overnight: Khajuraho

Khajuraho to Delhi and onward flights Tue 27 NovemberWe will be transferred back to the airport for our flight back to Delhi and our last night in Delhi. (B)

Depart Delhi Wed 28 NovemberWe will bid goodbye to India today as we return to the airport for our flight home to New Zealand.

Arrive New Zealand Thu 29 November

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Tour highlights• Visit some of chaotic, bustling Delhi’s key sites, including

one of India’s most important mosques and be pedalled through the Old City on cycle rickshaws.

• Stop in the heart of New Delhi, beneath the impressiveIndia Gate.

• Help out at a Sikh temple’s community kitchen.• View the incomparable Taj Mahal at both sunrise and

sunset.• Keep our fingers crossed to spot tigers and leopards in

two wildlife sanctuaries.• Enjoy Indian hospitality during a family dinner in Jaipur

and visit the Maharajah of Jaipur’s palace museumcomplex.

• Attend the Pushkar Camel Fair.

• Take a sunset boat cruise on Udaipur’s Lake Picholaand explore its City Palace museum.

• Be amazed at the carvings in Ranakpur’s Jain temple.• Spend a night in a tented camp in the Thar desert.• Join the curator of Jodphur’s Mehrangarh Fort for an

exclusive, evening champagne tour.• Be rowed along the sacred River Ganges, alongside

the unforgettable Varanasi ghats and joined thefaithful at the daily evening riverside rituals.

• Try to take in the rather mind-boggling eroticcarvings at the Khajraho temple complex.

• Along the way there will be opportunities to shopfor some of India’s famed handcrafts including inlaidmarble work, gems and textiles.

Creating your Travel Memories....Contact Br ig itte Kempf I 03 6888 486 or 027 2333027 I t ravel@memoriesconnect ion.co.nz

CONDITIONS: Valid for new bookings from 30 April 2018. Ticket taxes and surcharges are included in the advertised price. A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 pp is required upon confirmation. Departure is guaranteed subject to a minimum 10 passengers. Full payment will be required by 24 August 2018. Other departure points from NZ domestic cities not included. Indian visa cost is not included. We may need to change the itinerary due to unforeseen airline schedule changes.