Divine India

Arrival in Delhi

Arrival at Delhi International Airport. After immigration formalities and baggage collection, we will meet you at the Arrivals Terminal and take you to your hotel. Upon arrival at the hotel, we will check in (standard check-in time is 2:00 PM).

The capital of India is the main gateway to the country. Contemporary Delhi is a bustling metropolis that successfully combines the old and the new. Among the great skyscrapers appear buildings and monuments from another past time, whose forms silently recall the ancient heritage of this region. The first impression for any visitor comes during the journey from the airport, which presents itself as a kind of garden city, surrounded by trees and beautiful parks.

We will take you to an Aarti ceremony to receive the blessings of the gods and thus begin our journey with good health and tranquility. In Indian culture, whenever we start a journey or a new project, we ask for good luck by performing an Aarti ceremony and applying a tika.

New Delhi

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a morning discovering Old Delhi, visiting some of the most important historical and cultural attractions of the capital. Next, visit Raj Ghat, an emotional monument commemorating Gandhi's life, continue with a tour of the Rashtrapati Bhavan district, where all the important government buildings and the national parliament are located, as well as the India Gate and the Salt March monument — all grand examples of British imperial political power at its peak in India. Also visit the famous Connaught Place, the commercial hub of the capital.

Later we visit the wonderful Sikh temple, Bangla Sahib, where one will feel peace and connection with oneself. We end with the temple of Swami Narayana, called Akshardham Temple, the largest in the world.

New Delhi – Jaipur (256 km)

Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Departure by road towards Jaipur. Along the way, we continue enjoying and learning more about the people, the country, its culture, history, and the meaning behind each ritual they perform. You are welcome to ask your guide questions during the journey.

Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan, a romantic kingdom of gleaming palaces, great fortresses, and royal maharajas located in the western desert. Jaipur is known as the "Pink City" in reference to the distinctive color of its buildings.

Jaipur – Amber – Jaipur

In the morning, we attend a Hawan ceremony, a Hindu ritual. We perform this ritual to bring good energy into the body and release negative energy.

Afterward, we visit Amber Fort. Once inside, we tour the Jagmandir Palace, Jaimahal, and the Kali Temple with its gardens. Amber Fort, overlooking Lake Maotha, has a reputation for having been the treasure of the Kacchwaha rulers. Its construction was begun by Man Singh I in 1592 and completed by his descendant Jai Singh I. Its imposing exteriors conceal an internal paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its fullest expression. At the foot of the hill, you may ride an elephant for the slow but steady ascent to the main gate, entering in the purest style of honorable times past. The fort, completed in the early 18th century, took 100 years to build and today, though abandoned, offers a fascinating glimpse into the Mughal family way of life. In the afternoon, visit the typical markets and shops, and tour the textile factories where traditional clothing with original Jaipur designs is made. We then visit the Birla Temple during the aarti ceremony. The Birla Temple is very ancient and famous for its grand and sacred ceremony — a wonderful place to spend a long time in peace. Later, we enjoy a dinner with the marvelous traditional dances of Jaipur.

Jaipur – Agra (236 km)

Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Departure by road to Agra. En route, visiting Abhaneri. After the visit, arrival in Agra.

In the afternoon, visit the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays). The Taj Mahal is an architectural marvel that always ends up becoming the soul of every tourist visit to Agra. A monument to love, that's how the Taj Mahal is defined, impressive for the beauty of its white marble architecture.

Agra – Jhansi – Orchha

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the train station to take the Shatabdi Express at 8:10 AM, arriving in Jhansi at 10:45 AM. Then, transfer to Orchha, a monumental village. This small town boasts an enormous heritage, with attractions such as the island of the impressive palace-fortress, the chhatri cenotaphs, and several Hindu temples. Explore the rustic streets of the village, discovering the hidden beauty of the decaying monuments built by the Bundela Rajputs over more than four centuries.

Orchha – Khajuraho

After breakfast, we proceed by road to the hotel in Khajuraho. Then attendance at an Aarti ceremony, a Hindu ritual.

Khajuraho

Have breakfast at the hotel before visiting the erotic temples that have made the village of Khajuraho famous. The complex, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consists of about 20 temples with over a thousand years of history. The temples display thousands of relief sculptures depicting various sexual and religious postures. Visit the temples of Chausath Yogini, Kandariya Mahadeva, Chitragupta, Vishwanath, Lakshmana, and Vishnu Garuda.

In the afternoon, we have Tantra and ritual classes. Visit a Hindu family in the village and cooking class and see the castes.

Khajuraho – Varanasi

Breakfast at the hotel, then we travel by road to Varanasi, the "sacred city" of the Hindus. Arrival, assistance, and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, transfer to the banks of the Ganges at sunset for a boat ride along the river. We will participate in the beautiful Aarti ritual on the banks of the Ganges — one of the most important rituals in Varanasi, where faith connects with the river. Observing from the boat the ritual purification ceremonies and the sacred bathing of pilgrims at the ghats. Watch as the murmur grows louder with the arrival of ever more devotees coming to perform their ritual ablutions in the sacred river. The day ends with a stroll along the ghats (steps used for Hindu rituals) by rickshaw.

Varanasi

At dawn, boat ride on the sacred Ganges River to see the "Ghats" or ritual baths and cremation sites. Watching believers bathe and worship the river at the Ghats is one of the most extraordinary experiences a traveler can have in India. Millions of pilgrims come here to purify themselves in the river waters, attend ancient rites, consult astrologers, and expel negative karma. We will walk through the alleyways of the old quarter to witness the depth of the Hindu religion in people's daily lives.

Excursion to Sarnath, the buried Buddhist city where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Sarnath was a renowned center of learning from the 6th century BC to the 12th century AD. Visit the ruins, the Stupa, the Buddhist Temple, and the Museum.

Varanasi – Bodhgaya

After breakfast, we will depart by road to Bodhgaya, which is a minimum of 6 hours away. Enjoy the days in Bodhgaya, visit the Mahabodhi Temple, and other temples.

Bodhgaya – Delhi

After breakfast, we will leave for the airport to Delhi. Arrival at Delhi airport. Transfer to hotel, check-in, and rest.

Delhi - Rishikesh

After a delicious breakfast, we transfer you to the airport to take the flight to Dehradun, then we drive to Rishikesh, which is 45 minutes away. Upon arriving in Rishikesh, we will check in at the hotel.

Activities include:

• ✓ Meditation and yoga on the banks of the Ganges River, bathing in the Sacred River, offering water to the sun and Shiva (a Hindu ritual), and finally floating a candle with flowers on the river
• ✓ Visits to ashrams, meeting Gurus during their lectures or during the aarti ceremony (subject to their availability on those days)
• ✓ Aarti ceremony at the Ganges River (Triveni Ghat — after the ceremony we celebrate our love for the Ganges with full emotion through dance and song; on another day we will also attend the ceremony at Parmarth Ashram)
• ✓ Visit to Ram Jhula and the typical markets of Rishikesh

Rishikesh - Delhi

After breakfast, we depart by road to Delhi. We leave according to your international flight schedule. After a long journey, the day comes to bid farewell to the country but take its love with you.

HAVE A GOOD TRIP!