Departure from Toronto to Delhi.

Arrive Indira Gandhi International airport. Meet, Greet and Welcome at the international Airport by our representative and transfer to hotel.

After Breakfast at the hotel we will embark on a city tour of the bustling New Delhi the capital of India and its third largest city. The city consists of two parts Old and New Delhi our tour will highlight both areas with visits to the India gate, Qutab Monar, The Raaj Ghata memorial to Mhaytma Gandhi and Jama Masjid the Great Mosque of Old Delhi and the largest in India (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

Morning transfer to the airport for our flight to Jodhpur upon arrival to Jodhpur we will visit a local restaurant for lunch. Then we will embark on an afternoon city your including Mehrangarh Fort the fort founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha is intricately adorned with long carved panels and latticed windows with Exquisite designs in red Sandstone.

We will then visit Jaswant Thada an imposing white marble cenotaph built to commemorate the acts of bravery and generosity of the rulers in 19th century. Followed by a visit to the local spice market to learn a little emote about what goes into Indian Cooking and pick up some spices for your own curries at home (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

Morning departure for the Thar Desert We will arrive at our Safari Camp by early afternoon. Upon arrival at the road head, you will find our camels waiting after a camel ride we will and sunset in the desert we will arrive at camp. We will enjoy a dinner and camp fire with music and dances under the starry desert sky (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

After breakfast our adventure will start by Jeep Safari one of the best ways to explore the Thar Desert. Our safari in the desert will include visits to Kanoi, Khaba, Deda Dhani, Zaziya and Ludrva and Kuldhara, The Ghost Town. This is one of the most bizarre stories of human migration one can hear about the village of Kildare. Once a prosperous settlement of the Palatal Brahmins, all the residents of Kuldhara and 83 nearby villages vanished suddenly one night in 1825, having lived there since 1291. In all likelihood they set up base somewhere beyond Jodhpur but no one has ever been sure.

We will enjoy lunch in the desert and return to camp mid afternoon, after bidding good bye to our desert hosts we will drive to Jaisalmer for our overnight (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

After breakfast at our hotel this morning we will enjoy a city tour of Jaisalmer that will include a tour of Gadi Sagar a man made reservoir built in 1156 AD, it is one of the most favorite tourist attraction in Jaisalmer. The lake is marvelously placed in picturesque surroundings and an imposing sandstone entrance known as Tilon-ki-Polopens to the lake. A grand Krishna temple is also placed at the gate. The banks of the Gadi Sagar enclose superbly maintained gardens, temples and majestically carved Chattris.

Then we will continue on to visit the Jaisalmer Fort that stands about 100 meters over the city and in fact houses a citadel within its huge ramparts. Walking down the narrow cobbled stone lanes, one can feel the sheer magic of Jaisalmer. Visit the Havelis (mansions of the rich merchants) which have beautifully carved facades, jali screens and oriel windows overhanging the streets below (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

Today we will have free time in the morning to relax this afternoon we will travel to Jodhpur and visit the Mandore gardens before we transfer to Jodhpur Railway Station to board our evening Intercity Express to Jaipur. We will have a let arrival in to Jaipur and transfer from Rail station to hotel for overnight (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

We will have a later start this morning then embark on a city tour of Jaipur including the City Palace, located in the heart of the walled city; the City Palace Complex gives you an idea about the farsightedness of the founder of Jaipur Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. He left behind a legacy of some of the most imposing and magnificent architecture in the city.

We will then cross the road and visit Jantar Mantar: one of the five observatories in India built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. This is one of the largest and the best preserved. The king was passionate about astronomy and numerology – small wonder then that it led to the setting up of the observatory (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

We will enjoy a morning visit Amber fort by Jeep or Elephants (Subject to availability), en-route photo stops at Hawa Mahal. The Amber Fort: Amber (pronounced Amer) is situated about 11 kms from Jaipur and was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachwahas of Amber, before the capital was shifted to the plains, the present day Jaipur.

The Amber Fort set in picturesque and rugged hills is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture. Constructed by Raja Man Singh I in 1592 and completed by Mirja Raja Jai Singh the fort was made in red sand stone.

After lunch we will drive to Agra for dinner and overnight at our hotel (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

Today is one of the days you have all been waiting for after breakfast we will first make our way to the Agra Fort: Construction of this massive fort was begun by Emperor Akbar in 1565, and additions were made up until the time of his grandson, Shah Jahan. While in Akbar’s time the fort was principally a military structure, by Shah Jahan’s time it had become partially a palace. There are many fascinating buildings inside the massive walls which stretch for 2.5 km, surrounded by a moat over 10 meters wide. The fort is on the bank of the river Yamuna, and only the south gate can be used to enter. You can also catch your first glimpse of the majestic Taj Mahal from afar while visiting the fort.

Then we are off to the famed Taj Mahal: Emperor Shah Jahan constructed this most famous Mughal monument made out of White marble in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal; it has been described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love. Started in 1631 it took 20,000 people, 22 years to complete this magnificent complex. The high red sandstone entrance gate is inscribed with verses from the Koran in Arabic; paths leading from the gate to the Taj are divided by long watercourse in which the Taj is beautifully reflected. The ornamental gardens through which the paths lead are set out along the classical Mughal lines of a square quartered by watercourses.

After a photo stop and brief description you will have free time to truly enjoy this breathtaking site (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

Today will be a travel day with a few short stops along the way after an early breakfast we will transfer to the railway station for our Shatabadi Express for Jhansi. Sit back enojoy the Indian country side as we pass through villages and farm land on our way to Jhansi. We will then be met at the Jhansi rail station and transferred to our coach to begin our ride to Khajuraho.

We will stop in Orchha enroute, Orchha's grandeur has been captured in stone, frozen in time, a rich legacy of the ages. For this medieval city, the hand of time has rested and the palaces and the temples built by its Bundela rulers in the 16th and 17th century retain much of their pristine perfection. Jehangir Mahal, a tiered palace crowned by graceful Chhatries, commands a spectacular view of soaring temple-spires and cenotaphs.

We will have lunch in Orchha and then continue the journey to Khajuraho arriving late afternoon (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

After breakfast we will enjoy the quiet and picturesque town of Khajuraho and its beautiful Temples. In the temple architecture of India, the Khajuraho complex remains unique. One thousand years ago, under the generous and artistic patronage of the Chandela Rajput kings of Central India, 85 temples, magnificent in form and richly carved, came up on one site, near the village of Khajuraho. The amazingly short span of 100 years, from 950 AD - 1050 AD, saw the completion of all the temples, in an inspired burst of creativity. Today, of the original 85, only 22 have survived the ravages of time; these remain as a collective paean to life, to joy and to creativity; to the ultimate fusion of man with his creator.

We will visit the Western Group of temples, the most important temple being the Kandariya Mahadeo Temple - dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the largest and most typical of the Khajuraho temples. Visit the Chaunsat Yogini Jain Temple-dedicated to the 64 "Yoginis" or attendants of Goddess Kali. This temple stands apart from the rest. Also see the Chittra-gupta or Bharatji Temple with a lovely sculpture of Lord Vishnu in his 11-headed form. The sculptures that adorn the temples, carved in stone depict gods, goddesses and amorous couples. Later visit the Eastern Group of temples including the Ghantai Temple, Vamana Temple dedicated to the "Vamana" or dwarf incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the Javari Temple. There are also three Jain Temples with beautiful carvings and non-erotic sculptures. Although these are Jain temples, they also contain numerous Vaishnav deities.

We will return to the hotel for lunch and a free afternoon to enjoy the pool or maybe take a carriage ride into town for some shopping (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

After breakfast we will transfer to the airport for our flight to Varanasi.

Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Many names have been given to Varanasi, though its recently revived official appellation is mentioned in the Mahabharata and in the Jataka tales of Buddhism. It probably derives from the two rivers that flank the city, the Varuna to the north and the Asi to the south. Many still use the anglicized forms of Banaras or Benares, while pilgrims refer to Kashi, first used three thousand years ago to describe the kingdom and the city outside which the Buddha preached his first sermon; the "City of Light" is also called Kashika, "the shining one", referring to the light of Shiva

Upon arrival we will transfer to hotel enroute visiting - Sarnath - 10-Kms away from Varanasi is the fabled place, which bears testimony to its great past where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples, expounding the principles of Buddhism. We will also visit the Mahabodhi 'Buddha temple and walk around the Deer Park. Later we will see the Monastery ruins area, Dhameka Stupa.

This evening another adventure begins we will tour to the downtown area in a rickshaw. We will experience Varanasi, intimately on our leisurely rickshaw ride through the narrow streets and alleys of Varanasi. In the evening the Ghats and temples are lit with oil-lamp lights or candles. Participate in an Arti Ceremony (collective prayer) and watch the floating Diyas (lamps) on the river Ganges (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

We will awaken very early this morning and enjoy a morning boat cruise on river Ganges. The western banks of Ganges has a string of Ghats - the chain of stone steps, all built with pavilions, palaces and terraces, most of which are mainly used as Dharamsalas where the pilgrims stay during their visit to the holy city. At dawn, the Ghats are abuzz with activity of the devotees performing their ablutions in the river or offering prayers to the rising sun and performing other religious rituals. A boat ride along the Ghats gives you vantage views of this activity. The sunrise on the Ganges is a soul-lifting experience. After our boat ride we will walk through the narrow side streets besides the ghats to find our bus and return to the hotel for breakfast.

Later this morning if time we will have a further city tour of Varanasi before connecting to airport for our afternoon flight back to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi we will transfer to hotel near airport for Dinner several rooms will be available to freshen up, change and relax a little before our flight back to Canada (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included).

Arrival in Toronto.