Enticing India

Our representative will be waiting at the airport to escort you to your hotel.

After breakfast, proceed on a brief tour of Old and New Delhi.

OLD DELHI
This 300-year-old walled city was built by Emperor Shah Jehan in 1648 as his capital. The magnificent Red Fort built of red sandstone has within its Walls, marble palaces and a grand audience Chamber - the Diwan-i-Khas, where Moghul emperors held court and the world-famous jeweled Peacock Throne once stood. From here board your cycle rickshaws and go through narrow lanes of "Chandni Chowk" - now a bustling jumble of shops, of labyrinthine alley's running off the main Thorough are with craftsmen's workshops, hotels, mosques and temples. End this ride at Jama Masjid, one of the most elegant mosques in India.

Thereafter, visit New Delhi the new capital designed by Sir Edward Lutyens, drive past the impressive Rajpath to the World War I memorial - India Gate, the Presidential Palace, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Secretariat buildings - the centre of all government activity. Time permitting visit Humayun's Tomb built in 1565 AD by his grieving widow Haji Begum, Lunch at Baluchi restaurant (A great culinary adventure, serving Indian favourite from all over the sub-continent)

Overnight: Delhi

After your breakfast depart for Agra en route tea-coffee break at Country Inn restaurant - Kosi. (Country Inn is an oasis on the Delhi - Agra national Highway just 99 km. from Delhi, and 100 km. from Agra (The City of the Taj Mahal). Arrive Agra (5 hours drive) and check in at the Hotel.

Lunch at Mughal Sheraton or similar.

Visit Agra Fort
Behind its forbidding red sandstone battlements lie palaces that tell the story of the Moghul Empire. The most impressive part of the Fort is the Dewan-e-Am, where the Emperor sat on his throne to dispense to his subject, and the Dewan-e-Khas where he received foreign dignitary brief visit is also made to the marble inlay workshop - where one can see the art that went into the inlay work at the Taj Mahal. This workshop has brought back into India this almost forgotten art style. Time permitting, visit the tomb of Itmad-ud-dullah, father of Queen Nur Jehan - a two storied tomb bearing mosaics in inlaid semi-precious stones.

Visit the Taj Mahal by Sunset
The greatest love story ever told. On the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, in wild extravagance, Shahjehan built her this memorial. 20,000 men laboured for over 17 years to build this wealth of white marble and precious stone. The Taj Mahal is closed to visitors on Friday. The last approach to the Taj will be in procession of horse and carriages. Transfer to Railway Station to board the Bhopal - New Delhi Shatabdi Express 2001. Board the Train at Agra. Arrive Delhi and proceed to the Hotel where you will have Late Buffet Dinner.

Overnight: Delhi

Depart Delhi by air. (Daily flight) Arrive Goa and proceed on an orientation tour of Old Goa before checking in a hotel.

Goa
A place outside time...a tiny emerald speck on the west coast of India, tucked away snugly between the hills of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Goa has a warm, tropical climate with an average temperature of 21°C (79°F) throughout the year.

The land is covered with paddy fields and groves of cashew mango and coconut. Strung along the 100 km. coastline are golden stretches of beaches with picturesque names like Arambol, Vagator, Baga, Anjuna, Calangute in the north, and the raw beauty of Colva, Betul and Palolem in the South.

Goa's Portuguese history which began in 1510 and ended in 1961, makes for a fabulous amalgam of Iberian and Indian, Christian and Hindu lifestyles. "Golden Goa" was the capital of the Portuguese Empire in the east and they imposed upon its essentially Hindu environment their own architectural styles.

Old Goa
Half a dozen imposing churches and cathedrals and a fragment of a gateway are all that remain of the second capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur and the Portuguese capital that was once said to rival Lisbon in Magnificence Old Goa has declined from a vibrant city of over a hundred thousand souls to little more than a handful of potent architectural relics. Old Goa is still the spiritual heart of Christian Goa, and its most famous building is the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which contains the tomb and mortal remains of the peripatetic St. Francis Xavier, credited with introducing Christianity to much of South-East Asia. The largest of the churches is the Portuguese-Gothic Se Cathedral, dating from 1562, which houses the so-called 'Golden Bell', whose resonant peal can be heard thrice daily.

Dinner Seafood Barbeque on the beach party with a live band. Dine under a starlit sky on Succulent lobsters, jumbo prawns and other local seafood delicacies which form part of a delightful barbeque set up on a lovely stretch of the Goan beach. Guests may also cook there own food on skewers over a campfire. A local musician captures the magic of the moment on his guitar strings.

Overnight: Goa

A Sun dappled, scenic cruise to Ilha de Grande, a secluded, un-inhabited Goan Island, where you can snorkel, fish and enjoy a picnic. The cruise begins at 0900 and returns at 1700 hrs. The trip includes a boat ride to an uninhabited island, set off the South Goa coastline. Guests shall be disembarked here, and are free to swim, sunbathe, snorkel or fish at their own risk. The boats used will be fiberglass vessels, with a toilet on board. On request, the quest shall be provided with traditional Fishing tackle, Snorkeling gear, Beach umbrellas and mats. Lunch and local drinks will be provided for our guests on a beach. Freshly caught fish will also be cooked and served. TDH - Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Goa

A drive to the biggest island in Goa "Tiswadi", to the two temples of distinct Hindu style prevalent in the early 18th century "Mahalsa and Mangueshi". Drive on to Savoi Plantation. Which is one of the biggest farms in Goa. Here one can get acquainted with a variety of spices and tropical plants. Spices such as clove, pepper, cinnamon and cardamom are grown. An experienced guide will accompany our guests throughout the plantation providing valuable information about the uses of different plants and spices. The orchards require a special mention as a variety of tropical fruits grow here such as Papaya, Chickoo, Pineapple, Guavas and Citrus fruits like Tangerines, Sweet limes and Sour limes.

Lunch - will be served in a Banana leaf placed inside a bamboo plate.

Afternoon - at leisure to enjoy some sunbathing or the facilities of the Hotel.

Dinner - Goan Carnival Theme - Join the tradition of a royal welcome, which is a part of Goa's rich Portugal heritage. Where revelry, song and dance, great food and good wine come beautifully together. Discover the joys of Goan cuisine at a delightful buffet dinner.

Transfer to the airport in Goa to catch your flight for Bombay. Depart Goa by air. (Daily flight) Arrive Bombay and proceed to Hotel Le-Meridien. Afternoon at Leisure. Dinner at Captain Trumpet's restaurant (which is known for its innovative Asian cuisine.) Late-night transfer to the airport for your international flight.