Great heritage tour, from the Taj Mahal to Bhopal
€1100
per person
A 11-day great cultural tour of the most famous sites of Madhya Pradesh
This cultural trip begins in Uttar Pradesh where we will admire the famous Taj Mahal and then continue onwards in Madhya Pradesh with a stop at Gwalior. Gwalior owes its fame to the fortress city which is perched 100 meters high nicknamed ‘the pearl of the empire’ by the Mughal Emperor Babur. Our third leg will be to the city of Orchha, which nestles peacefully beside the river Betwa. This small city counts an impressive number of sumptuous buildings. Once upon a time, Orchha was the capital of a flourishing kingdom ruled by the Bundela Kings descending from a Rajput clan of Varanasi.
After this quiet stay, we will travel to Khajuraro, known for its sumptuous temples that were built in the dynasty of the Chandela Kings. Classified as World Heritage of Humanity, its fame is world renowned because of the famous sculptures depicting the ‘art of love’.
Our last stop will be in Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh, which has the peculiarity to have been governed by four Muslim queens, the Begums, between 1819 and 1926. On the way, we will make a detour to Sanchi, a small village famous for its splendid Buddhist monuments dating back to the early 3rd century BC; It is the oldest existing Buddhist sanctuary in India.
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HERITAGE / CULTURE
Great tour of the most famous sites of Madhya Pradesh: Gwalior, the pearl of the east, Orchha city of the Bundelas kings, Khajuraho and its splendid 'sensual' temples, Sanchi one the oldest Buddhist sites of India and Bhopal, city of the Begums.
11 jours
SACRED INDIA
Immersion in sacred India, from Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) to Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) via Bhopal and its great mosque, Sanchi and its ancient stupas, Khajuraho and its 'sensual' temples and Chitrakoot, city of Lord Rama's exile.
12 days
Day 1
Delhi - Agra
Namaste! We welcome you warmly in Delhi and leave for the first leg of this journey that will take us to Agra and its famous Taj Mahal. Overnight in Agra.
Day 2
Agra & the legendary Taj Mahal
This day is dedicated to the visit of the Taj Mahal, but also to different historical monuments of Agra: the Agra Fort, Timad-ud-Daulah, Chini-Ka-Rauza, the mausoleum of Akbar. Overnight in Agra.
Day 3
Agra - Gwalior via Fatehpur Sikri
We leave for Gwalior, the first cultural step in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Just before, we will stop at Fatehpur Sikri, one of the finest examples of 16th century Mughal architecture that will influence Indian urbanism, especially that of the Old City of Delhi. It served as an ephemeral capital to the Mughal Empire from 1571 to 1585, when it was abandoned in favor of Lahore. Arrival in Gwalior in the afternoon. Overnight in Gwalior.
Day 4
Gwalior, the pearl of the Mughal empire
After breakfast, we head to the Gwalior Fort. Perched on a hill, a hundred meters high, the Gwalior Fort is spread over three square kilometers, surrounded by a solid sandstone wall. At its peak, Gwalior Fort was considered the most invincible fortress in North India. The citadel contains several monuments including a palace (Man Singh), Hindu temples (Sasbahu and Teli Ka) and a Gurdwara (Sikh temple). After visiting those monuments, we will stop at the remarkable 15th century Jain Caves excavated in the cliff of the fort. In the afternoon, we will visit the palace-museum of Jai Vilas, current residence of the Maharaja of Gwalior whose gigantic chandeliers weigh more than three tons each. Our visit will end at the mausoleums of Mohammed Ghaus, one of the greatest Sufi masters of India, and that of Tansen, who was the most beloved musician at the time of Emperor Akbar's reign; it was considered one of the nine jewels of the court. Overnight in Gwalior.
Day 5
Gwalior - Orchha
Departure for Orchha, the city of the Bundelas kings. Arrival in the afternoon. After checking at the hotel, we will stroll along the banks of the river Betwa and visit the beautiful royal cenotaphs. Overnight in Orchha.
Day 6
Orchha, the city of Bundelas kings
After breakfast, we will head to the Orchha fort built on an island of the river Betwa and connected to the mainland by a bridge with several arches. It contains two palaces: the Jahangir Mahal and the Raja Mahal. We will then visit the temples of Chaturbhuj and Rama Raja, the latter being the only temple in India where Lord Rama is revered as a king in a palace. We will also go to the Laxminarayana and Durga, temples perched on a rock. Our day will end on the banks of the river Betwa where you will be able to observe the faithful performing their religious rites. Overnight in Orchha.
Day 7
Orchha - Khajuraho
After this relaxing stop, we will take the road towards Khajuraho and its sumptuous temples known for their frescoes describing 'the art of love'. The temples of Khajuraho were erected over a period stretching from the 10th to the 13th century by the dynasty of the Chandelas kings. There were 85 of them originally, but only 22 of them can be seen today. These temples are dedicated to Hindu and Jain cults. Overnight in Khajuraho.
Day 8
Khajuraho and the temples of love
The temples of Khajuraho are divided into three groups called 'west group', 'east group' and 'south group'. The most important temples are concentrated in the western part (where the village is located). They are adorned with finely carved statues that illustrate many aspects of everyday life and the deities of the Hindu pantheon. But what attracts a lot of tourists there are their erotic sculptures, although they actually represent only a tiny portion of the decoration of the temples. Overnight in Khajuraho.
Day 9
Khajuraho - Sagar
We take the road towards Bhopal. We will make a stop for a day by the lake of the charming town of Sagar. In the afternoon, we will wander around the lake and visit several Hindu temples. Overnight in Sagar.
Day 10
Sagar - Bhopal via Sanchi
Departure for Bhopal. Along the way, we will stop at the village of Sanchi, famous for its splendid collection of Buddhist monuments dating back to the first to the 3rd century BC. There are fifty monuments on the hill of Sanchi, including the great stupa built by Emperor Maurya Ashoka (about 272 - 237 BC), and several temples in ruins. Arrival in Bhopal in the late afternoon. Overnight in Bhopal.
Day 11
Bhopal, the city of the begums
This day is dedicated to the visit of the capital of Madhya Pradesh. We will start with the 'Taj-ul-Masajid' mosque meaning literally 'the crown among the mosques'. It is one of the largest mosques in Asia. Then, we will go for a short walk in the city. We will pass the Gohar Mahal, the former palace of Begums, now converted into a cultural center. In the afternoon, we will leave the city to visit the temple of Bhojeshwar which houses a lingam of more than 2 meters high, one of the largest in India. We will then visit Bhimbetka, a World Heritage Site, which contains rock paintings dating back 28,000 years. Overnight in Bhopal.
Day 12
Flight Bhopal-Delhi
We drop you off at the airport of Bhopal, end of this cultural trip. Looking forward to meeting you again. Namaste.