.
GOLDEN TAJ WITH VARANASI, BODHGAYA, RAJGIR NALANDA TOUR

Duration : 9 Nights / 10 Days.
Destinations : Delhi - Agra - Varanasi - Sarannath - Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Nalanda - Patna - Delhi.

Tour Details :

Day 1: Arrive Delhi
On arrival in Delhi, our representative will be there to receive you at the airport and transfer you to your pre-booked hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 2: Delhi - Agra (Drive 220 kms / 140 miles)
After breakfast check out hotel and drive to Agra, The city of the Taj Mahal and one of the most popular destinations in the world. Visit Akbar's tomb at Sikandra, enroute to Agra. Afternoon visit Agra Fort, which has the Pearl Mosque, Diwan-e-am (the hall of public audience) and Diwan-e-Khas (the hall of private audience). Overnight at the hotel.

TAJ MAHAL- Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen.

AGRA FORT- Fort built in red sandstone with its magnificent palaces, halls of public and private audience and the beautiful gardens. This is where Emperor Shah Jahan was kept under house arrest by his third son Aurangzeb and spent the last year of his life viewing the Taj Mahal from across the river Jamuna.
Afternoon drive to Jaipur enroute visiting FATEHPUR SIKRI -the deserted red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his capital and palace in the late 16th century is an exhilarating experience.

Day 03 Agra-Visit to Tajmahal & Overnight train to Vasranasi
After breakfast visit the Agra fort, built by the great Emperor Akbar, and the famous Taj Mahal-the symbol of love, built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. You may also visit Dayal Bagh. By evening you will be transferred to board the train to Varanasi. Overnight in Train.

Day 04 : Varanasi City Tour
On arrival at Varanasi, pick up and transfer to Hotel. This afternoon visit the Bharat Mata Temple, Durga temple, Tulsi Manas mandir, Banaras Hindu University which has an art gallery, Kashi Vishwanath Temple etc. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 05 : Boat Ride & visit to Sarnath
Early morning boat excursion on the holy river Ganges to see the bathing ghats and cremation site. Watching people bathing and worshipping at the ghats is one of the most extraordinary experiences of a visit to India. This afternoon visit Sarnath, the Buddhist city, where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon. Visit the ruins, the stupa, the Buddhist temple and the museum. Return to hotel for overnight stay.

Day 06: Varanasi / Bodhgaya
At dawn we visit the sacred Ganges for a boat ride. Every morning at dawn hundreds of worshippers can be seen bathing in the sacred waters. The great river banks are lined with an endless chain of stone steps-the ghats-that stretch from one end of the city to the other. The Ghats form an impressive part of the religious landscape of the city. Proceeding downstream at a leisurely pace, you would be pointed out the significant temples and buildings as well as the changing architectural style. Life and death go hand in hand in Varanasi. While young people seek prosperity and protection from harmful influences, the older generation comes to Varanasi to cleanse their souls in the forgiving waters in preparation for their ultimate dissolution.

Believing that anyone who dies in the river of life in Varanasi gains freedom from the cycle of birth and death, the City of Light has become a haven for the sick and aged waiting out their final days. The smoke that billows from the crematoriums on the edge of the river gives testimony to their final release from life's earthly confines. We would docked our boat at Manikarnika (Cremation) Ghat. On any given day, anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred corpses are cremated here, The ghat is assiduous with activity as the cremated bodies threw up smoke and fire. Later we drive to Bodhgaya. Upon arrival check into your Hotel. Overnight Stay in Hotel

Day 07: Bodhgaya
Full day touring of Bodhgaya. One of the holiest of holy pilgrim places for the Buddhists of the world is Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya The Mahabodhi Temple built on the east of the sacred tree stands majestically 17 feet high on a base 5 feet square, and consists of a soaring pyramidal tower surmounted by a stupa. The Vajrasan or Diamond Throne lying between the Bodhi Tree and the temple marks the actual spot where Buddha sat in meditation and attained supreme knowledge. A gilded Buddha smiles upon the visitors from a niche in the wall of the temple, and his footsteps carved in stone hold flower offerings from the devout.  After breakfast back to the hotel and overnight stay in hotel.

Day 08 : Bodhgaya / Rajgir / Nalanda / Patna
Morning we drive to Patna en-route we visit Rajgir & Nalanda.
Rajgir is a verdant valley surrounded by rocky hills. Here on Griddhakuta or Vultures Peak the Buddha set in motion his second Wheel of Law and for three months every year during the rainy season preached many inspiring sermons to his disciples. The Buddha Sangha of Japan have constructed a massive modern stupa, the Shanti (peace) stupa at the top of the hill in commemoration. The view from the top is breathtaking. One can climb up to the top along a bridle path. However, the aerial chairlift is far more exciting.

12 kilometres from Rajgir is Nalanda which was in Buddha's time a lovely resort of Saints and ascetics. Lord Buddha visited Nalanda several times and delivered some important sermons. It emerged as a university in the 5th century A.D. and remained the greatest seat of learning for 7 years. Great thinkers like Nagarjuna, the Mahayana Buddhist Philosopher. Dharmapala the Brahman scholar, Aryadeva, and Padmasambhava taught here.
After sightseeing we drive to Patna Train Station in time to board overnight train for Delhi.
Overnight : 1st Air-conditioned Sleeper Accommodation

Day 09: Arrival / and Sightseeing
Meeting and assistance on arrival in Delhi railway station, and drop to the hotel, after fresh up sightseeing . Visit to India Gate, Qutab Minar, Himayun Tomb and Lotus Temple after sightseeing back to the hotel, and overnight stay in hotel.

Day 10 Delhi - Local Sightseeing - Departure
After Breakfast check out from hotel and visiting Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana - the cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Afternoon visit India Lakshminarayan Temple - a modern Hindu Temple. Also drive past President's House, Parliament House, Government Secretariat Buildings.
After sightseeing transfer to the International airport in time to board flight back home.