Gardens of India
BEAUTIFUL GARDENS OF INDIA
11 – 31 MARCH 2010
Day 1
Depart Heathrow on scheduled airline services to Bangalore.
Day 2 Bangalore
Arrive Bangalore where you will be met and transferred to the hotel.
Day 3 Bangalore
Morning sightseeing tour of Bangalore - city with its centuries old trees, sub tropical herbs and well laid out gardens. Visit the beautiful botanical gardens of Lal Bagh, the Nandi Bull Temple, the impressive building of the Vidhana Souda (Secretariat). Continue onwards to the Palace of Tipu Sultan. It was started by Hyder Ali and completed by Tipu Sultan. One of the three summer palaces built by the two Mysore rulers, it is made entirely of wood, except for the internal pillar supports. Within are gloriously painted walls, ceilings, and balconies in red, black and gold.
Day 4 Bangalore – Cochin – Periyar
This morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Cochin.
Upon arrival in Cochin, you will be met and driven to Periyar (200 kms). Check in at the hotel.
Day 5 Periyar
Periyar - Sprawling across 777 sq kms of the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats, it is the home to one of the largest wildlife reserves in India. Alive with exotic flora and vibrant wildlife, it is the perfect getaway tucked away among hills.
Visit Mr. Abraham’s Spice Garden, an organic garden of spices, where you can interact with the agriculturists to know more about the spice cultivation, organic farming, use of plants in medicine (ayurveda) and the scientific knowledge about each spices. Mr. Varkey Varkey who is the grand father of Mr. Abraham started the farm in 1952. A comprehensive tour shall take 1 hour or even longer.
Afternoon boatcruise on Lake Periyar - an artificial lake which is the heart of the famous Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and animals such as wild Elephants, Asiatic deer, Black buck, wild boars and others from the surrounding sanctuary come to the shores of the lake to drink water. Lake Periyar is or reservoir created by a dam on Periyar River.
Day 6 Periyar – Munnar
Morning drive to Munnar (90 kms). Check in at hotel.
Munnar – is the beautiful hillstation housing world’s highest tea-growing estates. Beyond these estates are rich tropical forests that houses an assortment of wildlife such as Nilgiri Langur, Sambhar, Gaur, Elephant and Lion-tailed Macaques.
Visit the Old Railway Garden. The Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company Private Limited (KDHP) succeeded Tata Tea Limited on 1st April 2005, when the latter exited most of its plantations in Munnar to focus on the growth of its branded tea business. With its 7 extensive gardens covering approximately 24,000 hectares, the company is today the largest tea corporate in South India with an annual production of 21 million kg of tea. Virtually all its 13,000 - plus employees are its shareholders. The company is fully conscious of the social obligations to its employees as well as the public at large and spares no effort to fulfill these, often well exceeding the statutory requirements. Further, it is strongly committed to preserving the fragile ecology and rich bio-diversity of the area in which it operates.
Day 7 Munnar
Morning visit Ervikulam National Park (16 kms) – home of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (a type of mountain goat) that roams on a stretch of grassland or is seen climbing the pinnacles of the undulating hills.
Afternoon visit the popular tea estates.
Day 8 Munnar – Cochin – Mumbai – Udaipur
Transfer to Cochin airport (140 kms) to catch your flight to Udaipar (via Mumbai).
Upon arrival in Udaipur you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Day 9 Udaipur
Morning city tour of Udaipur, one of India's most romantic cities and famed for its lovely palaces and lakes. Begin by visiting the City Palace and wandering through its beautiful rooms and apartments. Also visit the Garden of Maidens "Sahelion-ki-bari”.
Late afternoon enjoy a boat ride on the placid waters of Lake Pichola. From the lake you have a wonderful view of the City Palace stretching along the east bank, while the south bank has pleasant gardens running down to the waterside. (Boat ride depending upon the water level of the Lake)
Day 10 Udaipur – Mt Abu
Afternoon drive to Mount Abu (190 kms). Check in at hotel.
Mount Abu - A serene retreat set amidst lush forested hills, Mount Abu is the only hill station in Rajasthan. Situated at the southern tip of the Aravali range, this pleasant hill retreat in Rajasthan owes its cool climate to its rich flora covering the entire hillside that includes coniferous trees and flowering shrubs.
Day 11 Mt Abu
Visit the Beautifully laid parks and gardens which are interspersed throughout the hilly paradise. Ashok Vatika, Gandhi park, Municipal Park, Shaitan Singh Park and Terrace Garden are some of the noteworthy gardens.
Another park, the Brahma Kumaris Peace Park is both lovely and serene, It is the realisation of a dream, a natural environment where silence and recreation co-exist, The Peace Park is nestled between two famous peaks of the Aravalli hills - the well known spiritual pilgrimage destinations of Guru Shikhar (Teacher’s Garden) and Achal Garh (Immovable house). The Park is an oasis of natural beauty found only 8 kms from the Brahma Kumaris Headquarters in Mount Abu.
Day 12 Mt Abu – Jodhpur
Morning drive to Jodhpur (290 km) and check into your hotel.
Afternoon visit the Mandore the old capital of the Marwar where the fine "Chhatris" (cenotaphs) of the Jodhpur Royals are set in lush and terraced gardens outside the ruined city visit especially the 15 rock cut figures in the "Hall of Heroes".
Day 13 Jodhpur
Morning tour of Jodhpur - including Meherangarh Fort - one of the most impressive and formidable fort in the whole of fort-studded Rajasthan. It is situated on a high natural rock bluff from where you can look down on the wonderful panorama of the bustling city below. Also visit Jaswant Thada - the Royal Cenotaphs.
Day 14 Jodhpur – Delhi
Morning is at your leisure. Afternoon transfer to the airport for your flight to Delhi.
Upon arrival in Delhi you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Day 15 Delhi
Morning you will be taken to visit Old Delhi Former centre of Mughal Power, Old Delhi offers ancient monuments, narrow streets and bustling bazaars. Drive past the Red Fort, built in 1648 and board the ‘rickshaw ride’ for a unique experience from the Red Fort, through “Chandni Chowk” or Silver Street, experiencing the sights and sounds of this very busy avenue-heading west from the Fort. Later visit the Jama Masjid, the greatest mosque in India and completed in 1658 by Shah Jahan who also built the Taj Mahal, and the Raj Ghat, the simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
This afternoon you will be taken to visit New Delhi drive past the stately government buildings of the British Era designed by Lutyens, including the India Gate & the Presidential Palace.
The Mughal gardens are open to the public in February-March every year. Visitors are allowed entry to the garden from 9.30 A.M. till 2.30 P.M. on all days except Mondays. The gardens may remain closed on other days also in case of a function in the Mughal gardens or during the visit of a VVIP during the said period. The dates are made known to the public through various media. The entry and exit into the gardens is regulated from Gate No. 35 of the President's Estate, which is located near the North Avenue, at the western end of the Church Road.
Continue onto the beautiful Humayun’s tomb of the Mughal era & predecessor of the world famous Taj Mahal.
Day 16 Delhi – Chandigarh
Morning you will be transferred to the railway station in time to board your train to Chandigarh.
You will be met upon arrival in Chandigarh and transferred to your hotel.
Day 17 Chandigarh
Chandigarh, was designed by European modernist architect Le Corbusier or the crow in 1950. The name of Chandigarh stems from the name of Shri Chandika (the female Shakti or Goddess) whose temple adorns the north border of Chandigarh. The snow-white dome of Mata Chandi devi's Temple on the north-east of the city is visible from across the lake.
Chandigarh is best known for its outstanding modern and folk architecture. The Secretariat, the High Court, and Vidhan Sabha (secretariat) - are each a fine specimen of modern architecture. Another major attraction is the Rock Garden completed by Nekchand. Built with multicoloured fragments of china and waste ceramics this magical garden covers an area of 6 acres and shows an excellent artistic treatment of recycling waste.
Day 18 Chandigarh – Delhi – Srinagar
Morning you will be transferred to the railway station in time to board your train to Delhi.
Upon arrival in Delhi you will be met and transferred to the airport for your flight to Srinagar
On arrival in Srinagar you will be met and transferred to the houseboat
Srinagar - Nestling in the midst of the great peaks of the Karakoram, Zanskar and Pir Panjal ranges and at a height of 1,730 metres, Srinagar is a truly beautiful city. The summer capital (May - October) of Jammu & Kashmir and the centre of the valley, this city has been eulogised by travellers, poets, kings and saints alike for its scenic splendour and delightful ambience. The Jhelum River traverses the city and serves as a lifeline for its people. Srinagar is renowned for its enchanting lakes filled with houseboats and shikaras set amidst forested mountain slopes.
In the afternoon Shikara ride on the Dal Lake to enjoy the beauty that God has graced this city.
The most prominent natural feature of Srinagar is the Dal Lake. Spread 6 kms long and 3 kms wide, the lake is divided into four parts by causeways. The lakeside is lined with luxuriant chinars and poplars. The waters of the Dal Lake are dotted with small willow covered islands that give an ethereal ambience to the lake on misty mornings. A unique feature of the lake is the Mihrbahri people, trading in flowers, fruits and vegetables grown on floating gardens on these islands in the lake. The Mihrbahris sell their wares from shikaras, the elongated gondolas that are the popular with tourists for touring the lake.
Overnight on the houseboat
Day 19 Srinagar
Morning tour of Old Srinagar city visiting Khanyar Rozabal to see the Jesus Christ tomb walk through the old streets of the city.
Afternoon tour of world famous Mughal Gardens visiting the Nishant Bagh (The garden of pleasure) and Shalimar Bagh (Adobe of love).
Nishant Bagh - made in 1633 by Asaf Khan, the brother of Empress Nur Jehan (Emperor Jahangir’s favourite queen), the garden has terraced layers with water channels flowing down the centre. Garden is situated on the banks of Dal Lake with the Zabarwan Mountains as its backdrop, the ‘garden of bliss’ commands a magnificent view of the lake and the snow-capped Pir Panjal mountain range which stands far away to the west of the valley.
The larger and more elaborate pleasure garden of the Mughals is the Shalimar Bagh, four kms away. Laid out by Emperor Jahangir for Nur Jahan, this garden is also divided into four terraces and has a water channel running down its centre. On the topmost terrace is the pavilion reserved for the royal visitors. Supported by stunning black marble pillars, the pavilion had tiny niches that were used to keep fragrant flowers in the day and light up the pavilion with lamps at night.
In addition to these two prominent pleasure gardens laid out for Empress Nur Jahan, there are several other formal gardens laid out by later rulers around Srinagar.
Overnight on the houseboat
Day 20 Srinagar – Delhi
Morning is at your leisure. Later you will be transferred to the airport to connect your flight to Delhi
You will be met upon arrival in Delhi and transferred to the hotel, where wash and change rooms are booked.
Enjoy your dinner at the hotel.
Later in the evening you will be transferred to Delhi airport for your flight to London.
Day 21 Delhi – Onward Destination
Early morning arrival at Heathrow.
COST: £3,995 per person
Cost Includes:
- Accommodation on twin/double sharing basis for 19 nights in good quality hotels
- International return economy class flights between the UK and India on scheduled airline services
- UK departure taxes
- Visa (we will obtain on your behalf)
- Based on room with breakfast and dinner in the hotels
- Transportation by air/train between the cities as specified
- Transfers and sightseeing by air conditioned vehicle as per the itinerary
- Entrances at monuments at all cities as per the itinerary
- Services of an English speaking escort/guide for the tour as per the itinerary
- Services of a Tour Manager
- Gratuities for the drivers, guides, porters etc
Cost Excludes:
- Insurance – it is a requirement that you have insurance for your holiday
- Any personal expenses such as laundry bills, telephone bills, beverages...
- The cost is based on current fuel prices, taxes and other statutory levies. In case of any increase in the same or any other inputs, we reserve the right to amend the price accordingly
- The cost is based on current exchange rates. In case of more than 4% difference in exchange rates (at the time of operation of the tour) we reserve the right to adjust prices accordingly
- Single Room Supplement
Passports & Visas
A valid passport is required for entry into India with a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of departure from India. Just download and complete the visa form online at http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/ and post to Interchange together with 2 passport sized photos and your passport and we will then check the details and make the application to the visa office on your behalf.
Health
At the time of writing no inoculations are compulsory if you are arriving from Europe, the United States or Canada. If you are entering from Africa or parts of Latin America, certification of Yellow Fever inoculation is required.
General recommendations for travellers to India are : Anti-malarial medications; Tetanus; Gamma Globulin (Hepatitis); Viral Meningitis
For further information contact your Doctor well ahead of your departure.
Consumer Protection
The air holiday in this leaflet is ATOL Protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 2429 (G. Burnett trading as Interchange.) In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk
Booking
Contact us here or write to us:
Interchange Croydon office,
27 Stafford Road,
Croydon,
Surrey CR0 4NG
Tel: 020-8681-3612
E-mail: interchange@interchangeworldwide.com quoting the reference GARDENS/INDIA
We reserve the right to change the information in our leaflet.
This leaflet is issued on the sole responsibility of the Tour Operator. It is not issued on behalf of and does not commit the Airline(s) mentioned therein, or any Airline whose services are used in the course of the tour. The liability of any Airline involved in the carriage of passengers and their baggage shall be limited by the terms and conditions of carriage of the Airlines.
Or contact us directly to discuss your requirements.
