yoga journey to rajasthan, delhi & agra...tour of india’s capital, delhi and continue from...

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YogaJourneytoRajasthan,Delhi&AgraWithFranGallo&ArvindSingh,Ph.D.January17toFebruary3,2018

This journey combines daily yoga with Seattle yogini, Fran Gallo, elegant accommodations, wonderful food, natural beauty, stunning architecture, and the rich colorful culture of North India. We begin with a tour of India’s capital, Delhi and continue from there on a fabulous tour of Rajasthan, visiting Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Ranthambor Tiger Preserve. From there we journey to Agra, home of the peerless and majestic Taj Mahal. This tour is filled with breathtaking views, wildlife, beautiful palaces, and the vibrant scenes of daily life in India. Arvind is an amazing guide and expert on Indian culture, history, and religions!

*Please note that trip itinerary is subject to change and improvement as needed. Date Activity EveningLocation

17Jan DeparthomecityforDelhi Overnightflight

18Jan ArriveinNewDelhi.DriverwillmeetyouatIndiraGandhiInternationalAirportandtakeyoutothehotel.

NewDelhi

19Jan Morning:7:00Yoga,Breakfastbetween8.00and10:00a.m.Tourbeginsat10:00a.m.StartyourtourwithapoojaceremonyinShreeLakshmiNarayanTemple,andvisitfamousBanglaSahibGurudwara.Afternoon:AfterBanglaSahibdrivetoOldDelhithroughtheChandniChowkBazaarandvisitJamaMasjid,thelargestmosqueoftheIndiansub-continent,andRajGhatmemorialtoGandhi.Evening:Dinnerathotel.Freetimetoshop,restorexplore.

NewDelhi

20Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.Afteraleisurelybreakfast,drivetotheairporttocatchaflighttoUdaipur.Enjoytheafternoonatthehotelorexploringonyourown.Restupfromthebusytravelofthelastthreedays,goforaswim,orvisitthespa.Evening:PresentationongeographyandhistoryofRajasthan.Dinneratthehotel.

Udaipur

21Jan Morning:7:00Yoga,Breakfastbetween8:00and9:30.10:00begintourofUdaipur.VisittheCityPalace,andShriJagadishTemple.Afternoon:VisitSaheliJiBawadiandthentakeanearlyeveningboatrideonLakePichola.Evening:Optionalshoppingorvisitthehotelspa.Dinneratthehotel.

Udaipur

22Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.Afterbreakfast,startyour6hrsdrivetoJodhpur.Enroute,visitthefamous14thCenturyJaintemplesofRanakpur.ReachJodhpurandcheckinatthehotel.Jodhpurispopularlyknownasthe“bluecity.”Today,itsgentleatmospherebeliesastormyyetgloriouspast,withcitywalls,7gates,numerous16thcentury’sbastionsandtowersanditsmajesticMehrangarhFort.Evening:DiscussionabouttheRajputs,thewarriorcasteofHindus.Dinnerinthehotel.

Jodhpur

23Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.Afterafabulousbreakfast,startyourguidedtourandstopatJaswantThada,aclusterofwhiteMarbleRoyalcenotaphsbuiltin1899byaqueeninmemoryofherhusbandMaharajaJaswantSingh.FromtherewewilldrivetothemassiveMehrangarhFort,setonahighhilloverlookingJodhpur’sruggedandrockyterrain.Theenclosedpalacesareintricatelyadornedwithlongcarvedpanelsandlatticedwindowsexquisitelywroughtfromredsandstone.Thisforthasagotahugemuseuminside,housingamarvelouscollectionofartifactsownedbytheRoyalfamilyandsomebeautifulMogulpaintingsthathavetouredtheworld,includingawonderfulshowattheSeattleArtMuseumcalledCosmosandGarden.

Jodhpur

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Afternoon:Afterthetour,comebacktothehotelandrest.LateafternoonoptionalshoppingexcursiontoMaharani,thefamoustextilewarehouse.Evening:DinnerwithatraditionalJainFamily.

24Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.Enjoyaleisurelybreakfastandmorningbeforeyouembarkonavillagesafaribyjeeps.InyourjeepsafariyouwillseewildlifeandexperiencethevillagelifearoundJodhpur.Wewillvisitthehomesofpotters,weavers,andfarmers,includingthevillageofVishnois,apastoralcommunityknownfortheirloveandreverencefornatureandanimals.Eventoday,theirlifeislivedcompatiblywithnature.Evening:Free.Dinneratthehotel.

Jodhpur

25Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.Afterbreakfast,drivetoPushkar,asmalltownsacredtotheHindusinRajasthanandnowatouristattractionforitsannualcamelfair.Overthecenturiesitgrewintoatempletown,andtodaythereareasmanyas400templesinPushkar.Pushkarisamazeoftemples,ashramsanddharamsalas,andisneverfarfromthesoundofworship,fromasceticsanddevotees.ThemostimportanttempleisdedicatedtoBrahma.InPushkarthereisalake

boundedby52ghatswheredevoteesgoforaholybath.Afternoon:ReachPushkarintheafternoonandafteralittlerestvisittheghatsandBrahmatemple.Afterashortvisittothemaintemple,peoplecanshopforonehour(greatlittlemarketsandfuntoshopinPushkar)andthengoona2hoursunsetcamelridesowecandosomeasanasinthesettingsun!!Evening:Freeforyourownactivities.Dinneratthehotel.

Pushkar

26Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.Afterbreakfast,drivetoJaipurthevibrantcapitalofRajasthan,popularlyknownasthePinkCity,becauseofthepinkcolorgiventothehousesandshopsintheoldcity.Itsitsonadrylakebedinsomewhataridlandscape,surroundedbyfortsandpalaces.Jaipuroffersacombinationofsplendidsightseeingandshoppingopportunities.Whenyouarrivecheckintoyourhotelwhereyoustayforthenexttwonights.Evening:WewilldinewithalocalRajputfamilyattheirhaveli.

Jaipur

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27Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.AfterbreakfasttakeaguidedtourofmajesticAmberFort,beginningwithanelephantridetothemaingate!TheancientcapitalofAmber,justoutsidepresentdayJaipur,wasoncetheseatofpowerbeforetheCityPalaceofJaipurwasbuilt.Seeelaboratelydecoratedhalls,somewithdelightfulfrescopaintings,glassorinlaidpreciousstones.OneofthemostoutstandingroomsistheMirrorPalacewherethelightfromasinglelamp,reflectedinthemanymirrors,illuminatestheentireroom.AfterAmberfort,visitthefamousCityPalace,alargecomplexofpalaces,gardensandcourtyardswhichisamuseumnow.IthousesthecollectionofMughalandRajputminiaturepaintings,raremanuscripts,royaldresses,andarms.Afternoon:After lunch we visit Eleday, an elephant park where we will learn about elephants, feed them, ride them, and even wash them if the weather is warm enough! Evening:Dinnerinalocalrestaurantwithlocalmusicanddance.

Jaipur

28Jan Morning:7:00Yoga.Afterbreakfast,drivetotheRanthamboreNationalPark,112milesfromJaipur.RanthamboreisanoutstandingexampleofanIndiangovernmentalconservationeffortcalledProjectTiger.Theforestsaroundthe11thcenturyRanthamboreFortwereoncetheprivategroundsoftheMaharajasofJaipur.Itispossible,ifyouarelucky,toseetigerslollingaroundlazilyinthesunorfeverishlyhuntingdownsambar,smalldeer,aroundthelakes.Thisparkhasalargevarietyofotheranimalsaswell.Checkintothehotelwhereyouwillspendtwonightsandenjoyyourlunch.Afternoon:Visitthewomen’scraftvillagetoseehandworkoflocaltribalwomenorrelaxbythepool.Evening:Restandenjoyfreetime.

Ranthambore

29Jan Morning:Earlyinthemorningstartforgamedrivewithanaturalist.Comebackaround10a.m.,eatyourbreakfastandrest.Yogatimetobedetermined.Afternoon:Startagainat2.30pmforyoursecondgamedrive.Evening:Dinnerandfreetime

Ranthambore

30Jan Morning:Earlybreakfast,thentake7:00amtraintoBharatpur.Yogatimetobedeterminedasweseehowthedaygoes.InBharatpurenjoyanafternoonvisittoawonderfulwildliferefuge,KeoladeoNationalBirdPark.ItisoneofthebestbirdparksinIndia,havingover400speciesofbirds,includingrareSiberiancranes.Evening:Dinneratthehotel.

Bharatpur

31Jan Morning:Earlymorningbirdsafariwithatrainedbirdguide,BreakfastanddepartforAgra.Afternoon:DrivetoAgraandenroutevisitFatehpurSikri(aWorldHeritageMonument),builtbyemperorAkbartheGreatin1571anddeserted14yearslaterbecauseitswatersupplyfailed.Evening:Restandrelaxafteraleisurelydinner.

Agra

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1Feb Morning:RiseearlyforasunrisetourofTajMahaltoviewthisincredibleandextravagantmonumentasthesunbathesitinanethereallight.Builtinthe17thCenturybyMughalEmperorShahJahanasamemorialtohisbelovedwife,MumtazMahal,ittook22yearsandthelaborof20,000men.Thewhitemarbleforthisperfectlyproportionedbuildingwithitsamazingdelicateinlayworkwastransportedtothesitebyelephantsfromaquarry200milesaway.Breakfastbackatthehotel.AfterbreakfastvisitthefamousAgraFort(RedFort),anotherWorldHeritageMonument.Lateafternoon:Afterlunch,freetimetorelax,swimorgoforamassage.Forthosewholike,anoptionalvisittoanartisanshopwherebeautifulmarbleinlayworkisdone.Evening:Thiseveningwewillattendaculturalshowwithmusicanddance.Dinneratthehotel.

Agra

2Feb Morning:7:00Yoga.Afterbreakfast,weleaveforDelhivisitingSikandra,thebeautifultombofEmperorAkhbar,enroute.Iftimepermitsforanylast-minuteshoppingwewillvisitDilliHaat,anopen-airmarketforhandicraftsfromalloverIndia.Evening:Dinner,thentransfertotheInternationalAirporttoflybackhome.

Intransit

3Feb Arriveinyourhomecitywithwonderfulmemoriesthatwillchangethewayyoulookatlife.

Tripcost:$4600includes:AlltransportationwithinIndia,5starhotels(onasharingbasis),breakfastsanddinners,porters,bottledwater,hotelanddrivertips,entrancefees,andgroupactivities.ItalsoincludesanorientationbookletandpersonaladviceontraveltoIndia.Costdoesnotincludetipforguide,drinks,roomservice,non-groupactivities,personalexpenses,orinternationalairfare.

Adepositof$500willreserveyourspot(fullyrefundablebeforeJuly30,2017).50%ofthetotalcostofthetourisduebyAugust30.Iftheretreat/touriscanceledduetolackofparticipants,youwillbegrantedafullrefund.Aminimumof10peopleisrequiredforthetriptooccur.Wedoanticipatemeetingourgoalof10participants.YouwillbecontactedafterJuly30toletyouknowifwehavemetourminimumsothatyoucangoaheadandpurchaseyourflight.Pleasesendinyourcheckwiththeregistrationformassoonaspossibletoguaranteeyourplaceandhelpusmakeallthetransportationandhotelbookingsinatimelyway.Dr.ArvindSingh,guideandtriporganizer,holdsanMAinIndianHistory&Culture,MAinIndianPhilosophy&Religion,andaPhDinIndianArchaeology.Hehaspublishedthreebooksand16researcharticlesondifferentaspectsofIndianculture,ecology,numismaticsandarchaeology.HewasaSeniorFellowoftheIndianCouncilofHistoricalResearch,NewDelhiandtaughtforseveralyearsatBanarasHinduUniversity.FranGallohasledseveraltripstoIndiaforKnowIndiaTravelandSpiritualIndiaJourneys.ShewasformerlyanEnglishinstructoratGreenRiverCommunityCollegeandnowdevotesherselftoteachinghathayogatoshareitshealingandempoweringeffects.ShestudiedhathayogaatAnandaYogaCentreinNepalandfurtheredherstudiesatVedNiketanYogaAshraminRishikesh,India.ForFran,yoga'smagicisindiscoveringhowtogobeyondwhatweperceiveasourlimitsandintheprofoundsenseofwholeness,peace,andbalanceoneobtainsfromcultivatingayogapractice.www.FranGallo.com.KelleyMcHenry,triporganizer,isalibrarianatSeattleCentralCollegewithaMasterofArtsinSouthAsiaStudiesfromtheJacksonSchoolofInternationalStudies,UniversityofWashington.ShehaslivedandworkedinKenyaandtheNetherlandsandtraveledwidelyinAsiaandEurope,butIndiaishertruelove.Inadditiontoacademicstudies,KelleyhasbeentoIndiamanytimes,livedwithIndianfamilies,studiedHindi,andbeenleadingtourgroupstoIndiaforthepast15years.

For more information, please contact Kelley McHenry Phone: 206-546-2599 Email: info@spiritualindiajourneys.com