This trip not only offers an authentic insight into the great cultural and religious lifestyles of India, but is also a combination of temples, palaces, architecture and of course wildlife. We venture into the heart of the Kipling country and visit two of India’s wildlife reserves in search of tigers, the most majestic of all animals.

The tour starts in the bustling capital of Delhi, and then visits the beautiful city of Jaipur, the Pink City, where we explore the Amber and City Palaces. We then  head to India’s premier wildlife reserve, Ranthabhore National Park for game drives to spot tigers and other wildlife, before journeying to Agra with its Mughal architecture and the beautiful white marbled Taj Mahal. We take in Gwalior, the capital of the Scindia Dynasty, the beautiful town of Orchha and the erotic temples and sculptures of Khajuraho. Bandhavgarh Park is our next venue for tiger spotting, before traveling to the holy city of Varanasi on the River Ganges, our final stop before returning to Delhi.

Delhi to Jaipur.  Delhi must be one of the most bustling capital cities in the world. New Delhi was built for the British Imperial Government of India and remains the administrative centre of the country. It also has a busy commercial sector and a new Parliament building as well as imposing government offices and embassies.

During our City Tour, we see the Presidential Palace, which comes into view from its prime position on an artificial hill at one end of the Rajpath - a wide boulevard originally built for Imperial Processions. The great India Gate spans the other end of the Rajpath. This was built to commemorate the 90,000 Indian Army officers who died in World War One.

Then we travel back in time to Old Delhi for a visit to another of Shahjahan’s great buildings, Jama Masjid which means Friday Mosque. It is built on an outcrop of rock near the Red Fort and is the largest Mosque in India with a 100 square metre courtyard surrounded by colonnades. 

We also visit the World Heritage Site of Humayun's Tomb. This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal.  

After the tour, we drive to the beautiful city of Jaipur where we overnight.   (B)

Jaipur to Ranthambore National Park.  After breakfast we leave Jaipur and we head for Ranthambore National Park.

Ranthambore used to be the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Today, it is famous for its tigers and is one of the best places in the country to see these majestic predators in the wild. The Park covers an area of nearly 400 sq. km, and its deciduous forests were once a part of the magnificent jungles of Central India. The terrain is rugged and there are rocky ridges, hills and open valleys with lakes and pools. Ranthambore's royal past manifests itself in the picturesque ruins around the park, such as lake palaces and old fortifications. 

The park was set up a part of India’s Project Tiger, a conservation initiative. Due to conservation efforts, the tiger population has stabilized if not increased here. The tigers can be spotted quite often even during the day, at their normal pursuits - hunting and taking care of their young ones.  (B,D)

Ranthambore National Park to Agra. Today we drive into the state of Uttar Pradesh and to the city of Agra.

On our way to Agra we stop off for a visit to Fatehpur Sikri - a deserted city of deep red sandstone, perfectly preserved and offering a detailed insight into the life of India’s Moghul emperors. Built by Humayun’s son, the Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri was a capital city for a very short time. Look out for the stone-tethering ring for the elephant that was used to crush criminals to death; the Turkish Sultana’s House with stone carvings of animals; the Astrologer’s Pavilion; the outdoor chess court; and the Harem.

Our journey continues onto Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. On arrival into Agra, the remainder of the day is free.   (B)

Agra - Sunrise Visit to Taj Mahal, Agra to Gwalior.  In the past Agra was a capital city, but it is now most famed and most visited for one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World - the Taj Mahal. No visit to this part of India is complete without a trip to India’s most famous monument. It is a place of breathtaking beauty. It is the tomb of Shajahan’s favourite wife Mumtaz-Mahal who died in childbirth. The marble walls of the Taj Mahal change colour with the time of day - at dawn it is pale pink, at noon it is blindingly white and at sunset it is golden. The gardens, with their dark green cypresses and water channels are an integral part of the artistry of this romantic building.  We include a guided sunrise tour of the Taj Mahal .

After our tour of the Taj and breakfast, we leave for the short journey to the Royal City of the Scindia's, the Royal Family of Gwalior.

In the afternoon we visit the fort and the Scindia Museum. We overnight in Gwalior.  (B)

Orchha to Khajuraho. After breakfast we leave Orchha for the town of Khajuraho.

Khajuraho is home to one of the most unique temple complexes in India. One thousand years ago, under 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. For many centuries the temples were hidden in the surrounding dense jungle, until they were rediscovered a few decades ago and opened for the world.

We arrive into Khajuraho and after check-in at the hotel we have a guided tour of the magnificent temple complexes - the Kamasutra Temples. These resplendent temples are famed for the delicate sensuality and eroticism of their sculpture. The intricacy of the temples was made possible by the soft buff-coloured sandstone used in their construction.  If the temples of Khajuraho can be said to have a theme, it is woman. A celebration of woman and her myriad of moods and facets, such as dancing, writing, smiling and playing with her child. All these scenes depicted in a wealth of detail, sharply etched, sculpted with consummate artistry.   (B)

Varanasi - River Ganges. Overnight train to Delhi.  Early this morning, we take to the waters of the sacred Ganges, something you must do when you visit this part of India. The best way to see and understand the importance of the holy river Ganges is to take a boat trip along its waters. We spend the early morning rowing along the holy river, watching life along its banks, and witnessing the many ceremonies that take place here, as well as people performing yoga. The boat ride takes us past the various ghats lining the waterfront of the Ganges River. The bathing ghats are a major attraction, and people flock here in large numbers every day to take a bath and worship in the temples built beside the riverbank.  The funeral ghats can also be seen. According to Hindu religion, after death your body must be put on a pyre and inflamed. After one day, the ashes are collected and set free on the Ganges - a sign of liberty of the soul.  

Generally we disembark near to one of the funeral ghats, and walk through the narrow alleyways to another of the main sights - the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is popularly known as the golden Temple due the Gold plated dome on its 15.5 metre high spire. One tonne of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the gold plating of the spire. The temple was destroyed in the various invasions and was rebuilt in 1776 by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore. 

After breakfast at  the hotel we continue with our city tour of Varanasi. This three thousand-year-old city, on the bank of the Ganges is at the heart of Indian civilisation and the Hindu religion. For every visitor Varanasi has different experiences to offer. The shimmering red and golden water of the Ganges when rays of dawn fall on them, the high banks, the temples, the Ashrams, the pavilions all are an experience in themselves. As a city with a rich and vibrant past, it has no exquisitely carved palaces, no impregnable fort or architectural splendour, but still the city has an inherent charm of its own. The ghats dotted with temples and the maze of alleys along the ghats makes Varanasi a fascinating place to wander around.

Our city tour includes some of the main attractions of Varanasi, including the Bahrart Hindi University. This university has been and still is a tradition and centre of learning of Indian Art, Music, Culture and Philosophy. It was built in 1917, and is also a place for the study of sanscrit.

Later we leave for the railway station for our overnight train journey back to Delhi. (B)

Hotel Singh Sons

7A/10-11, W.E.A., Channa Market

Karol Bagh

New Delhi. 110005

Tel : + 91 11 2574 9500-08

Fax : + 91 11 2574 9510

The Pre-Departure meeting is held at 6pm THE DAY of the scheduled departure date. The pre-departure meeting is held to discuss the tour itinerary in more detail, meet your crew and fellow passengers.

In each departure city we have named a joining hotel from where the tour will leave. It is your responsibility to make your way to this hotel. Your Tour Leader will leave a notice at reception on the first day of departure with information as to where he/she can be contacted and you should inform him/her that you have arrived.

PLEASE ADVISE KUMUKA OR YOUR AGENT IF YOU WILL BE ARRIVING LATE AND ARE THEREFORE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE PRE-DEPARTURE MEETING.

In addition the crew will check that all passengers have the necessary travel documents, insurance and immunization certificates for the tour. It is IMPORTANT that you attend this meeting. Please advise KUMUKA or your AGENT if you CANNOT attend this meeting.

All passengers MUST bring:
1. Passport.
2. Vaccination Certificate.
3. Travel Voucher.
4. Travel Insurance Policy.

In most of the hotels in Asia you may be required to deposit your passport at Reception. This is a perfectly normal practice and nothing to be concerned about. Just make sure that you retrieve it before when you check out of the hotel.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx  for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

Departure taxes are generally included in the airline tickets, and no longer payable at Delhi International Airport.

Please note that these taxes are subject to change.

For detailed climate information see www.kumuka.com.   

Tip: Always bring a lightweight, waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella even during the height of summer - this should prepare you for anything!Due to its size and varied topography, India experiences great extremes of climate.

Most of India has three seasons:

Cool – October to April (north India), November to March (south India) The most pleasant time to travel IN Sub Himalayan India. Generally warm clear sunny days and cool nights.

Hot – April to June Hot and Humid by days and night.

Wet - July to September (north India) July to October (south India) Humid and Wet

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs.  Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe.

Dress discretely, especially if you are visiting religious sites. For women this means skirts or long pants with T-shirt. For men, this means long shorts or trousers with a T-shirt. Always take your shoes off when entering temples or any religious site.

Care should be taken to respect the conventions of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and other religious and ethnic groups, particularly in respect of clothing and footwear.

We suggest that you take into account the time of year you will be travelling, and pack accordingly to the season. Quick drying clothes are recommended, and at many hotels there are laundry facilities. Your tour leader will advise where laundry facilities are available.

Personal Effects:
Camera & film, Spare passport photos, Water bottle, Money belt, Torch, Sewing kit, Sunhat/ Sunglasses, Music cassettes /CDs, Books, Wet Ones, Soap to wash clothes, Writing materials, Swiss Army knife, Calculator, Personal toiletries, including tampons, Contraceptives, Insect Repellent, Sunscreen.

NOTE: If you wear glasses, it is advisable to bring a spare pair since opticians are uncommon. If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

English will be spoken in the larger cities. You might like to take the time before your trip to read up on the country you will be visiting and perhaps learn a few words of the language. Your effort will always be welcomed and will make your trip all the more enjoyable.

One of the great myths about travelling in India is that the food is poor. We are delighted to inform you that on our trips this is definitely not the case. Indeed many people find the delicious food to be one of the highlights of a visit to India. Another myth is that Indian food is always hot. In fact North India food, whilst often very rich in flavour, usually does not contain very many spices. These are found more in Southern Indian food. South Indian food is also predominately vegetarian whereas North Indian food is more often based around meat, although there are always vegetarian options available even here. A further surprise is that many of the dishes familiar to you from Indian restaurants at home cannot be found in India (there is no such thing as a Madras) as they have been created to cater to foreign tastes. Finally there is no such thing as curry. This term is rarely, if ever, used in India as each dish is made with different individual spices. As these have to be mixed specifically for each order you should expect to have to wait at least 30 minutes for a-la-carte food orders in India.

In major cities there will usually be a number of excellent restaurants available serving a wide variety of dishes to order. In more remote places hotels often prepare an evening buffet, again with a wide range of food, much of it vegetarian.

Vegetarians or those with special dietary needs can also be catered for, however in some countries the type of food may be limited. Please let the Reservations team know your special requirements as soon as possible so we can do all possible to assist your needs.

The variety of food will differ, as you will be visiting a number of different areas. We try to ensure that you get the most experience from your Kumuka trip and one of the ways to do this is by trying local cuisine.

Pre-booked transfers - If you have booked an arrival transfer, please look for our representative who will be holding a sign with your name or Kumuka once you have cleared Customs and Immigration.

Making Your Own Way - The Meeting Point for your tour is advised at the beginning of this dossier. If you have not arranged for us to meet and transfer you on arrival and are therefore making your own way to the Meeting Point it is best upon arrival at to take a metered taxi. Drivers may want to negotiate a price before leaving the airport. Do not agree to this, insist that they switch on the meters and pay the amount that it displays when you arrive at your destination.

Kumuka endeavors to advertise a compliment of optional activities available locally during tours with selected ground handlers to make your tour more enjoyable. These ground handlers and activity partners are selected for their standards in quality, professional ability and reputation. Although Kumuka has developed a travel insurance policy to cover all activities offered during your journey, Kumuka cannot be held responsible for injuries or claims arising from adventurous activities by a third party.

Details and prices of optional activities will be advised by your tour leader.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

KUMUKA WORLDWIDE

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