FESTIVAL TOUR SUGGESTIONS # 8

Best during Period : September

Duration : 17 nights / 18 days

Cities covered : Mumbai - Pune - Delhi - Leh - Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Delhi

Colorful festivals covered :
- Pune Festival at Pune
- Ladakh Festival at  Leh (1st - 15th Sep.'08)

Highlights : A sweeping tour across West and North India from the shores of Mumbai and the Pune Festival with live performances by the country’s finest classical music starts to India’s splendid capital and on to the northern most reaches of India.  Leh:  a rare lunarscape of bleak rock and gravel, the exotic land of Buddhist monasteries at the time of the annual , Ladakh Festival:  A live with drumbeats, dances and blazing hues.  Return to the plains for a Golden Triangle Tour.
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[These Festival Tour Programs are best run with minimum 6 travelers to a group & more]

Day 1 - ARRIVE BOMBAY
The romance and colour of India greets you as you disembark from your jet in Bombay – a metropolis of energy and vitality. Our representative escorts you to the hotel. On the arrival at the hotel ladies in authentic local costumes greet with garlands and anoint your forehead with the traditional red “tikka”. Afterwards relax with a welcome drink. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2 - BOMBAY
This morning city tour will take you to all of Bombay’s best known landmarks; impressive Gateway of India built in 1911, the handsome Prince of Wales Museum famous for its collection of miniature paintings, Marine Drive, Bombay’s sweeping shoreline, unique Hanging gardens and Mani Bhawan, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Afternoon free. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3 – BOMBAY / PUNE
Morning take a short flight for Pune – the cultural capital of Maharashtra, and once the inviolable bastion of the Maratha empire, Pune has a colourful heritage, a special kind of magic all its own.

The intrepid Peshwas, lovers of art and learning who later made Pune their home, left their legacy in the gardens, palaces and Universities spread over the city.
Arrive and check in at hotel. Afternoon witness THE PUNE FESTIVAL.

Eleven days of revelry and worship. And a memory to warm your heart, forevermore. Imagine 100 woodstocks or 50 live aid shows running simultaneously. With close to 50,000,000 impassioned participants from all over Maharashtra paying tribute to one powerful entity.

The eleven day Pune Festival will encompass Western India’s most picturesque religious festival, live performances by the country’s finest classical music starts, folk art, music and theatre, exotic customs and cuisine. Besides, Pune abounds with ancient caves, forts, temples and museums.

Lord Ganesh is perhaps the best beloved and most benign God of Hinduism. Part human, part elephant, pot-bellied and four armed, Ganesh is as colourful and fascinating a diety as one could ever hope to find. Overnight at hotel.

Day 4 - PUNE
This morning explore the colourful activities at THE PUNE FESTIVAL. The Pune Festival reflects the spirit of the people – warm, friendly, honest, welcoming. They’d love to share their joy with you. Overnight at hotel.

Day 5 - PUNE
This morning you will again visit THE PUNE FESTIVAL. Full day explore the colourful activities of the festival.

Day 6 – PUNE / DELHI
This morning you visit Singhagarh Fort, depicting the scene of one of Shivaji’s most daring battle, parvati temple atop a hill, Raja Kelkar Museum, Aga Khan Palace where Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned and the samadhi of his wife Kasturba Gandhi. Also visit Shanwarwada the historic palace of Peshwas.

Afternoon transfer to airport to board flight for Delhi – India’s splendid capital. Founded on the sight of several cities it has been the seat of power for centuries. Today Old and New city combine to present a harmonious whole offering the traveller elegant shops, broad laburnum lines avenues, sunwarmed elegant forts and mosques that were once stronghold of Mughal powers and colourful bazaars. Our representative escorts you to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 7 – DELHI / LEH
This morning transfer to airport to board flight for Leh – A rare lunarscape of bleak rock and gravel, Ladakh is dotted with towering edifices of granite and grail mountains which surround it. It is an exotic land of monasteries carved into hillsides; statues of the Buddha, Bodhisattvas and Lamas, of rich art treasures and of paintings and murals; each one a further testimony of a glorious civilization that once survived. Our representative escorts you to hotel. Time free for acclimatization. Overnight at hotel.

Day 8 - LEH
Full day visit to LADAKH FESTIVAL.

When the Sun turns mellow gold and a moist breez sweeps the rocky moonland of Ladakh, Leh bursts with drumbeats and dances. The streets and alleys are stroked with blazing hues and life pulsates with an extravagance of gaiety. The people of the mountains throng, bedecked in gold and silver ornaments and exotic turquoise headgears. The monks in the ritual regalia and elaborate masks dance in a slow, languorous movement to the rhythm of cymbals, flutes and trumpets. There are Yak, Lion and Tashishpa dances, portraying the legends and fables of Ladakh, the hermit kingdom. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9 - LEH
Full day at LADAKH FESTIVAL.

The flags in myriad colours fluttering on the ancient monasteries, an enchanting display of Tankhas, a mock marriage archery contest, horse polo and a festival of Ladakh cuisine mark the celebrations, exquisite handicrafts and antiques overflow in the narrow lanes and tiny bazaars. The guests are served with Chang a potent barley concoction that adds an element of abandon to the religious fervour. Evening visit a Ladakhi home. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 10 - LEH
This morning your day starts with the sightseeing tour visiting the – Shankar Gompa which has innumerable statues of pure gold and a number of interesting paintings. Also visit the Leh Palace. Drive to the Spituk Monastery, which contains a large collection of tankas and old masks. Thereafter, visit Phyang Monastery. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 11 - LEH
Today you take full day excursion to Shey, Thiksey and Hemis with box lunch. Shey was once the residence of the royal family and is famous for its 7.5 meter high glided statue of Buddha. Thiksey is one of the largest and most impressive monasteries famous for its various images, stupas and exquisite wall paintings. It also houses a two storied status of Buddha. Return to Leh in the evening for Overnight at hotel.

Day 12 – LEH / DELHI
Morning transfer to airport to board flight for Delhi. Our representative escorts you to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 13 – DELHI / JAIPUR
Morning depart for Jaipur – gateway to Rajasthan and a city ablaze with colour when latticed rose – pink monuments fight with brilliantly turbaned men and vividly costumed women for attention. Arrive and check in at hotel.

This afternoon you visit the City Palace, a picturesque complex of palaces and courtyards famous for its collection of Rajput miniatures, carpets and manuscripts. You also visit the exquisite Palace of Winds with its honeycombed ffaçadeand 18th century Observatory.

EVENING WITNESS PUPPET SHOW. PUPPETEERS NARRATE LOCAL LEGENDS AND TRADITIONAL FOLKLORE WITH A COMIC TWIST.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 14 - JAIPUR
Your day starts with an excursion to Amber Fort, you ride up the ramp of this 11th century bastion atop a gaily decorated Elephant.

Later time free for shopping. Jaipur is a major gems and jewellery centre where one can find some of the finest jewellery besides woolen and carpets, hand block printed sanganeri and Bagru cotton fabrics. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 15 – JAIPUR / AGRA
Morning depart for Agra. Enroute stopping at Fatehpur Sikri: a glittering imperial capital conceived and built by the emperor Akbar. It is filled with red sandstone buildings, mosques and courtyards. The pearl Mosque here is designed after the mosque of Mecca and is a fine blend of Persian and Hindu architecture.

Continue your journey to Agra – Synonymous with the timeless beauty of the Taj Mahal – radiant at noon and amber at dusk. Arrive and check in at hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 16 – AGRA / DELHI
This morning you visit the world’s greatest love tribute. The Taj Mahal built by Emperor Shahjahan for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal.

Mark Twain said of this monument “You cannot keep your emotions within bounds, when that soaring bubble of marble breaks upon your view”. Taj Mahal is like a silent rhapsody that you will carry in your heart. You will also visit Agra Fort, an impressive cluster of palaces, fortresses and mosques on the banks of river Yamuna across the Taj Mahal. Afternoon depart for Delhi. Arrive and check in at hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 17 - DEPART DELHI
Your India experience comes to an end as you are transferred to the International airport to board your homeward bound flight.