Overview of Taj Mahal and Temples Tour India

Our Taj Mahal and Temples Tour India gives you the opportunity to see and experience a lot of local life, Holiest places of Hindus, Buddhist, and Jain’s experience a lot of local life. Explore the Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi city, all the highlights of north India can be combined. Then we explore the Economy capital and Bollywood city of India Mumbai, Excursion to Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Aurangabad.  Then we had to South India trip combines cultural, Temples, and natural experiences: You start to Badami, Pattadakal, and Aihole, where you will encounter treasures of the ancient Indian cave and temple architecture. Travel to the mysterious temples of Hampi, Holy temple of Tamilnadu Meenakshi temple in Madurai our last visit to East India explore Konark Sun Temple, excursion to the Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri caves.

Itinerary at a Glance

DAY 01: ARRIVAL AT DELHI
DAY 02: DELHI SIGHTSEEEING
DAY 03: DELHI TO AGRA BY ROAD (205 KM)
DAY 04: AGRA TO VARANASI BY TRAIN
DAY 05: VARANASI SIGHTSEEING
DAY 06: VARANASI TO MUMBAI BY FLIGHT
DAY 07: MUMBAI SIGHTSEEING
DAY 08: MUMBAI TO AURANGABAD BY FLIGHT
DAY 09: EXCURSION TO AJANTA CAVES
DAY 10: AURANGABAD TO HUBLI VIA MUMBAI BY FLIGHT & BADAMI BY ROAD (120 KM)
DAY 11: BADAMI TO HOSPET BY ROAD (140 KM)
DAY 12: EXCURSION TO HAMPI
DAY 13: HOSPET TO HASSAN BY ROAD (304 KM)
DAY 14: HASAN TO BANGALORE BY ROAD & MADURAI BY TRAIN
DAY 15: ARRIVE MADURAI AT RAILWAY STATION & SIGHTSEEEING
DAY 16: MADURAI TO BHUBANESHWAR VIA CHENNAI BY FLIGHT
DAY 17: EXCURSION TO KONARK
DAY 18: EXCURSION TO RATNAGIRI, LALITAGIRI
DAY 19: BHUBANESHWAR DEPARTURE

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 01: ARRIVAL AT DELHI
Meeting assistance on arrival at the airport followed by traditional Indian welcome by flower garlands and later transfer to your hotel

DAY 02: DELHI SIGHTSEEEING
After breakfast visits the famous Akshardham Temple. Akshardham displays the essence of India’s art and culture in its awe-inspiring structure. It is made of salmon-colored sandstone and white marble contains around 20,000 carved deities and reflects traditional Orissa, Gujarati, Mughal, and Rajasthani architectural elements. The Akshardham monument, built without steel. Here you also see the life of Swami Neelkanth through various stages of life – most interesting.

Later continue with combined sightseeing of Old & New Delhi, Visit of Old Delhi where we will see Jama Masjid, Red fort from outside, enjoy a rickshaw ride in the busiest wholesale market Chandni Chowk.

Post Lunch Continue to New Delhi visiting the Qutab Minar, Then proceed to “Lutyen’s Zone” New Delhi, we will stop to see Rashtrapati Bhawan, (Offical President’s Palace ), Parliament House and the India Gate– a war memorial arch.

DAY 03: DELHI TO AGRA BY ROAD (205 KM)
After breakfast take the expressway to Agra & on arrival check-in at the hotel
Arrived Agra Proceed sightseeing tour of Agra with a Guide visiting the world-famous Taj Mahal & Agra Fort – Built by Emperor Akbar on the west side of the Yamuna river.

DAY 04: AGRA TO VARANASI BY TRAIN
After breakfast check-out and drive to Agra Cantt to board an day train to Varanasi. Evening visit Ghats of Ganges River to enjoy and witness the prayer ceremony

DAY 05: VARANASI SIGHTSEEING
Early morning boat cruise on river Ganges. Return to the hotel for breakfast and then proceed for half day sightseeing of Varanasi Visit the Bharat Mata Temple, Durga Temple and drive past Banaras Hindu University

Post Lunch at Local restaurant / hotel proceed to visit important holy site of Buddhist called Sarnath, this holy site is Located just only kilometer from hindu holy city Varanasi, this is place where Lord Gautum Buddha taught his first sermon to his followers.

DAY 06: VARANASI TO MUMBAI BY FLIGHT
After breakfast check-out from your hotel and transfer to Varanasi airport to board flight for Mumbai.
Arrive Mumbai and straight proceed to Half day Mumbai city tour
Afternoon we will start the Mumbai city Tour our first visit Gateway of India– this is mumbai’s principle landmark, Prince of Wales Museum, Mani Bhawan, Jain temple. Then we will drive around the Afghan Church, Haji Ali Mosque– a shrine in honor of a Muslim Saint.

DAY 07: MUMBAI SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast Excursion to Elephanta Caves (Closed on Mondays)
Return back to the city and spend time at leisure Overnight stay at hotel

DAY 08: MUMBAI TO AURANGABAD BY FLIGHT
After breakfast and check out from the hotel and transfer to the airport to board a flight to Aurangabad. On arrival in Aurangabad airport & transfer to the hotel
Proceed with an excursion to Ellora caves (Close on Tuesday) & Daultabad Fort.

Ellora Caves – it was constructed between 600 to 1000 CE, located in the Sahyadri hills western Ghats in Aurangabad, Ellora included the temple of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist caves, more than a hundred caves with only 30 open for tourist or public dig from the hills called charanandari.
Later we will visit with guide Daulatabad Fort constructed by Mohammed Tughlauk in the fourteenth century.

DAY 09: EXCURSION TO AJANTA CAVES
After breakfast proceed with an excursion to Ajanta caves & on return back City tour of Aurangabad. (Close on Mondays)
Later proceed with city tour of Aurangabad visiting Bibi-Ka-Maqbara and Panchakki most of the monuments or mosques like the Kali Masjid,Shahganj Masjid, Chuk Masjid or Lal Masjid.

DAY 10: AURANGABAD TO HUBLI VIA MUMBAI BY FLIGHT & BADAMI BY ROAD (120 KM)
Early breakfast and then transfer to the airport to board a flight to Hubli via Mumbai. Meeting assistance on arrival at Hubli airport and drive to Badami (140 Kms/3 Hours)

DAY 11: BADAMI TO HOSPET BY ROAD (140 KM)
After breakfast, Check-out & visit Aihole & Pattadakal
Aihole is the cradle of the stone temple the southern Dravida School. this is the oldest temple constructed in fifth century A.D.
Explore The Megumi Temple is built of 630 small zie Ravanaphadi cave has some beautiful carvings.
Pattadakal -reached the Chalukyas kings from the 7th to 09th Centuries. Temple has pillars depicting the life of Krishna. Virupaksha temple has sculptures and panel scenes from Ramayana & Mahabharata.
Continue to drive to Hospet &check-in at the hotel

DAY 12: EXCURSION TO HAMPI
After breakfast proceed to visit Hampi
Hampi is a charming and beautiful city during the Vijay Nagar kingdom also the capital of this empire, here you will find some sculptures and ruins in the Virupaksha, Vittala, and Hazara Rama Temples where you will big Lord Narasimha, Lord Ganesha picture on the elephant house (stables).

DAY 13: HOSPET TO HASSAN BY ROAD (304 KM)
After breakfast check-out and drive to Hassan. On arrival check-in at the hotel
The evening will be free at leisure

DAY 14: HASAN TO BANGALORE BY ROAD & MADURAI BY TRAIN
After breakfast visit Belur & Halebid. The Chenna Kesava temple is 900 years ago is an exquisite example of Hoysala art. Halebid’s 12th-century Hoysaleswara Ho Kedareswara temples are masterpieces of Hindu art. On the return, if time permits visit Sr Sravanbelgola, hewn out of a single rock and visible from a distance of 25 km of the statue of Lord is bathed with milk and honey once every twelfth year.
Continue drive to Bangalore (140 Kms/3 Hours) and transfer to the railway station to board an overnight train to Madurai

DAY 15: ARRIVE MADURAI AT RAILWAY STATION & SIGHTSEEEING
Early morning, arrive at Madurai Railway station and transfer to transfer to hotel in Madurai
Take a rest till late afternoon after overnight train Journey
Later, proceed with visit to Meenakshi temple

DAY 16: MADURAI TO BHUBANESHWAR VIA CHENNAI BY FLIGHT
After breakfast transfer to Madurai Airport to board a flight for Bhubaneshwar via Chennai.
Arrive Bhubaneswar in the afternoon. Meet upon arrival & transfer to the hotel.
Today we will visit Lingaraj Temple (Note: Non-Hindu are not allowed inside Lingaraj Temple)

DAY 17: EXCURSION TO KONARK
After breakfast proceeds to Konark to see the beautiful Sun Temple built in the 13th century in honor of Surya, the Sun-god, containing exquisite stone sculptures. The life-size lions and elephants, figures of warriors on horse, scenes of battle, all sculpted with great imagination and skill; testify to the high standards of ancient India art and engineering skills.
Later in the afternoon return to Bhubaneswar and Visit of Caves- Khandagiri and Udaygiri hills were carved and tunneled, to create this multi-storied ancient apartment residence for Jain monks.

DAY 18: EXCURSION TO RATNAGIRI, LALITAGIRI
After breakfast proceed with a full-day excursion to the Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri caves, situated on the hills of the Assia range, 90 kms from Bhubaneshwar(incorrect). These caves are unique examples of Buddhist art, sculptures, and iconography of the 2nd century BC. The caves have yielded a rich crop of antiquities.

DAY 19: BHUBANESHWAR DEPARTURE
After breakfast pick up from the hotel and transfer to Bhubaneshwar International airport to board a flight to home country

Included and Excluded