Breakfast at hotel.

Morning drive to Rishikesh (224 kms/ 6 hrs SURFACE DRIVE), on arrival check-in at Hotel.

RISHIKESH

beautiful image of holy river with many people.

The sacred city of Rishikesh on the banks of river Ganges is almost universally regarded as the ultimate destination in Yoga practice in India.
Most of the many ashrams that lie scattered across this ancient town are excellent places to learn and practice Yoga…and that too from skilled exponents of this art.

On arrival check-in at hotel.

Evening witness the “Aarti” prayer being performed in the banks of river Ganges.

Overnight stay at Hotel.

Breakfast at Hotel.

AM SIGHTSEEING OF Rishikesh visting Ram Jhula, Laxman Jhula, Bharat Mandir & Triveni Ghat.

PM yoga session for 01 hrs.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel.

AM free at leisure.

Afternoon drive for Haridwar & visits of Haridwar.

Haridwar, the holy city lies at the foot of the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. Legend goes that when lord Shiva sent Ganga to quench the thirst of the people, she extricated herself from the matted locks of Lord Shiva and descended to the plains at Haridwar. From here, the Ganga proceeds eastwards and southwards through Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Calcutta towards Ganga Sagar, where it meets the sea.

Haridwar is known for the Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh fairs that are held marking the 12 years solar cycle. Millions of devotees and visitors take a dip in the holiest of Hindu rivers at this time.

PM transfer to Railway station to board train to Lucknow (overnight train).

Overnight on board.

Arrive Lucknow in Morning.

LUCKNOW

Lucknow, is located on the banks of the Gomti River. The beautiful city with parks, palaces, gardens and imposing architectural monuments, Lucknow became one of the most celebrated centers of Oriental opulence, music, dance, drama , poetry and scholarship during its glorious days of Nawabs (1775 AD – 1856 AD). The exotic and highly cultured Lucknow with all its pomp and splendour is very much able to accommodate the modernity, keeping the tradition and culture alive altogether.

Breakfast at Hotel.

(Check-in at 1200 hrs) Early check in will be subject to availability of rooms.

PM visit Lucknow monuments, residency & Imambara.

Overnight at Hotel.

Breakfast at hotel.

Morning drive to Prayagraj (226 kms/ 5h00).

On arrival check-in at Hotel.

PRAYAGRAJ

The Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj is a confluence of three rivers, the Gange, Yamuna and Saraswati. Of these three, river Saraswati is invisible and is said to be flowing beneath the earth. It meets the other two rivers from the base. The point of confluence is a sacred place for the Hindus, as it is of high religious importance to the Hindus. A bath here is said to wash all the sins and free human from the cycle of birth. The river Yamuna ends at this point and Ganges continues after this till it meets sea at Bay of Bengal. The city is built on an ancient site and in aryan times it was known as Prayag.

Visit of Temple & Sangam.

SANGAM
The meeting point of the rivers, the Sangam,  is believed to have great sould cleansing powers and is a major pilgrimage site. It is even more holy because the invisible Saraswati river is supposed to the join the Ganga and Yamuna at this point. During the month of Magha (Mid Jan to Mid Feb) hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come to the bath at this holy confluence for the festival known as Magh Mela. The most propitious time of all happens every 12 years when the massive Kumbh Mela takes place.

Other attactions include the Hanuman temple; the Anand Shrine, which is a shrine to the Nehru family and was donated to the India government by Indira Gandhi in 1970; Khusru Bagh, a peaceful garden which contains the tomb of Prince Khusru, son of Jehangir; All saints Cathedral, which was designed by Sir William Emerson, the architect of Victoria Memorial in Calcutta.

Overnight stay at Hotel.

• Breakfast at hotel.
• Morning drive to Varanasi (130 kms / 3h00).
• On arrival in Varanasi, transfer to the hotel.
• Afternoon excursion to Sarnath (10 kms / 0h30).

Sarnath

After attaining enlightenment, Buddha came to Sarnath, where he preached his first sermon. In the sylvan surroundings of a deer park, he initiated his first five disciples into the Buddhist monk–hood. Here began one of the greatest religions of the world. Emperor Ashoka erected a magnificent stupa here. Forgotten for centuries, Sarnath was excavated by British archaeologists in 1836.

Varanasi
The city of Varanasi is situated along the west bank of the Ganges in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Also known as ‘Benaras’, Varanasi is an important pilgrimage centre for the Hindus. The city finds mention in the great epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. It was a flourishing trade center when Buddha came to Sarnath, about 10 kms away, to preach his first sermon in 500 BC. Right from the ancient times, Varanasi has stood as a symbol of Hindu renaissance and preserved the rituals and traditions of Hindu philosophy. Down the ages, pilgrims from distant lands have come to Varanasi in search of divine blessings.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Early morning boat–ride in River Ganges. View the sunrise from the centre of the river during the ride and see the devotees offering prayers on the banks of the holy river Ganges.

Return to hotel for breakfast.

Later go for an Orientation tour of Varanasi including visits to Bharat Mata Temple and Tulsi Manas Temple.

PM free at leisure for independent activities.

Overnight stay at Hotel.

Breakfast at Hotel.

Morning drive to Bodhgaya (275 kms / 7-8 hrs).

On arrival in Bodhgaya, transfer to the hotel. Evening Sightseeing of Bodhgaya.

BODHGAYA

It is the most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in the world. Apart from being a significant archaeological site, it is also a vital Buddhist centre. Devout Buddhists and tourists from all over the world visit Bodhgaya, to study Buddhism and the art of meditation, or to simply absorb the aura of solemn grandeur that surrounds the place. Bodhgaya is a quiet and peaceful place. You could visit Bodhgaya in a day, or even plan a long study leave, depending on your inclination. Under the giant Bodhi tree, the Buddha gained enlightenment. After spending seven weeks pondering over his awakening, he stepped out to spread his message to the world. The Niranjana river where he bathed after enlightenment still flows close by. Bodhgaya has a magnificent complex of monasteries in various Buddhist architectural styles. Overnight stay at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

RAJGIR

Rajgir the ancient capital of Magadha kings. The Buddha often visited Rajagriha to retreat at the Jivkamaravana monastery, preaching and meditating on the Gridhakuta Hill. The disciples of the Buddha built many structures here. Rajgir is also sacred to Jains as Lord Mahavira studied and meditated here. The first Buddhist Council was held here after the Buddha’s nirvana.

NALANDA

Nalanda is believed to be the oldest university in the world. Founded in the 5^th century BC, it became a renowned centre of Buddhist and Jain learning. Hieun Tsang, the Chinese traveler, spent several years here in the 7^th century AD. Nalanda Archaeological Museum has a magnificent collection of Pali and Mauryan statues, bronze and manuscripts. Nalanda Mahavihara an institute for the study of Pali literature houses rare Buddhist manuscripts. Though Buddha visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime, this famous centre of Buddhist learning shot to fame much later, during 5^th – 12^th centuries.

The Chinese scholar and traveler Hung Tsang stayed here in the 7^th century, and has left an elaborate description of the excellence, and purity of monastic life practiced here. About 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied in this international university.

Continue the drive to Patna

On arrival in Patna, transfer to the railway station to board train to Howrah

Overnight on board.

Arrive in Kolkata in Morning hours.

Meeting & assistance upon arrival and transfer to the hotel for Breakfast.

KOLKATA

One of the world’s great cities, Kolkata or Calcutta as it used to be known, has been through many incarnations. From an obscure village on the banks of the Hooghly river, it evolved into the capital of Great Britain’s Indian empire. Today this vibrant city with its distinct imperial flavour is the capital of West Bengal, the only Indian state with a communist-led government.

Check-in at hotel at 1200 hrs, early check-in will be subject to availability of rooms.

Morning sightseeing of Kolkata including visits to Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum and Kalighat Temple.

Overnight stay at Hotel.

Early morning in time transfer to the International Airport to connect flight to home.

TOUR ENDS WITH SWEET MEMORIES TO TAKE HOME