travel proposal for culinary tour of north india with...

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75 St Mary’s Road & The Old Fire Station London W5 5RH ABTA ATOL AITO

Travel Proposal for

Culinary Tour of North India

With Hays Travel & Transindus

04-15 March 2016

Prepared by:

Brijesh Sarsar

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Your itinerary at a glance…..

March 2016 04 March: Fly from Manchester to Doha on Qatar Airways. Change for flight to Amritsar

05 March: Arrive Amritsar early morning. Stay at Ramada Amritsar for 3 nights. Evening visit Wagah border to see Retreat ceremony.

06 March: In the morning visit Golden Temple and Jalianwala Bagh. Evening enjoy cooking demo with dinner

07 March: Train to Ambala. Drive to Shimla (4 hours). Stay at The Clarkes Hotel for 2 nights

08 March: Enjoy a sightseeing of Shimla today

09 March: Toy train ride to Kalka. Connect with train to Delhi. Stay at Metropolitan Hotel for 2 nights

10 March: Enjoy a full day sightseeing of Delhi today.

11 March: Drive to Jaipur (5-6 hours). Stay at Shahpura House for 2 nights

12 March: Enjoy excursion to Amber Fort in the morning. Afternoon visit sights of Jaipur

13 March: Drive to Agra (5-6 hours) visiting Fatehpur Sikri en route. Stay at Four Points by Sheraton for 1 night.

14 March: Morning visit Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Drive to Delhi in the afternoon. Stay overnight at Holiday Inn

15 March: Fly back to Manchester via Doha on Qatar Airways



TRAVEL ITINERARY

04 March 2016 – Friday: Manchester – Doha – Amritsar

The group assembles at Manchester airport by 5:30 AM (own arrangements to arrive at airport)

Fly from Manchester to Doha on Qatar Airways

Flight QR 220 Departs Manchester at 0755 hours, arrives Doha at 1755 hours

Arrive Doha and change for Amritsar

Flight QR 25 Departs Doha at 1945 hours

05 March 2016 – Saturday: Amritsar

You will arrive Amritsar airport at 0145 hours (early morning). On arrival in Amritsar, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. You will stay at Ramada Amritsar (Standard Rooms) for three nights. The hotel room is booked from previous evening (4th March) to enable immediate occupancy.

Amritsar information: Amritsar - the holy city for Sikhs, has grown from a sacred village pond into a spiritual temporal center of Sikh culture. The city gets its name from the pool-Amritsar (Pool of Nectar), which was constructed by the fourth religious preceptor of the Sikh faith. Apart from being one of the holiest places for Sikhs, Amritsar is also a major commercial, cultural, and transportation center. Being the gateway for travelers coming to India on the overland route from central Asia it soon became the center of various commercial activities. There are various historical and religious sites. The most famous of them all in the Golden Temple which was founded by the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ramdas and completed by his successor Guru Arjan Dev. Like other Sikh religious sites in India, the Golden Temple stands in simple majesty, the gilded splendor of its paneling, dome and minarets shining in the morning light, silhouetted softly in the water and etched gently across the city escape. For the Sikh community the Harmandir Sahib Gurdwara Golden Temple is the final spiritual "vision," journey's end or beginning and, for every other community too, it is a shrine to be visited. Situated at the other end of the causeway connected to the Harmandir Sahib is the Akal Takht. Literally, it means the eternal throne and its building opposite the temple has significance. While the temple stands for the spiritual guidance, the Akal Takht symbolizes the dispensing of justice and temporal activities. Gurdwara Baba Atal Sahib and the Shahidi martyr's shrine are important religious centers, each with its own history. Amritsar played a pivotal role in India's quest for independence, and no national monument has more significance than Jalianwala Bagh, a solemn, grim reminder of one of the bloodiest chapters of India's freedom movement. Several historical Gurdwaras like Baba Bakala, Goindwal Sahib, Tarn Taran, and Baba Sahib, attract the devout.



The morning is at leisure to recover from jet lag.

Amritsar lies on the border with Pakistan. The retreat ceremony performed by the soldiers of both countries at Wagah border is quite an amazing experience. In the afternoon, you will drive to India-Pakistan border at Wagah. Every day the guards from both sides perform the retreat ceremony by lowering their country flags. This short event is the climax of high octane, adrenaline rushing drama, cheered by crowd from both sides. You are requested to start early to bag seats at convenient location. The simple seating arranged on an open pavilion is first-come-first-served basis. We suggest carrying hats, goggles, mineral water and camera!

06 March 2016 – Sunday: Amritsar

Today morning you will visit the Golden Temple again and see devotees performing rituals. Also visit the Jalianwala

Bagh. During the visit of Golden temple, our guide will take you to the famous community kitchen at the Golden

Temple where approximately 75,000 devotees take langar /food daily at the temple and the number doubles on special

occasions. You will have an opportunity to see the community kitchen where various foods like Dal (lentils), green

vegetables, Chapati (Indian handmade breads) are being prepared and washing of the utensils. There will be an

opportunity to sample the food where you have sit on the floor and meals will be served by the volunteer devotee.

In the evening, you will visit a local family to witness a cooking demonstration followed by dinner.



07 March 2016 – Monday: Amritsar – Shimla

After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to Amritsar railway station. Board Paschim Express to Ambala. The train departs Amritsar at 0815 hours and arrives Ambala at 1310 hours. You will be met at Ambala station and driven to Shimla (4 hours drive). You will stay for next two nights at Clarkes Hotel (Deluxe Rooms) (3 star Heritage hotel).

08 March 2016 – Tuesday: Shimla

Today you will enjoy a full day sightseeing of Shimla. It is one the most popular hill stations in India and often referred to as the “Queen of the Hills”. The life revolves around ‘the Mall’ which you will explore on foot (vehicles are not allowed). You will enjoy the stroll on the busy Mall to visit the Christ Church. This place offers good vantage point to admire the beauty of Shimla.

Shimla information: In the days before independence, Shimla (also called Simla) was the most important British hill station, and was the summer capital of British India. The British in 1819 A.D first discovered Shimla, but it was not until 1822 A.D that the first permanent house was erected and not until many years later that Shimla became the summer capital. The name Shimla is derived from the Himalayan Goddess Shamla - a synonym of Kali. Shimla has been blessed with all the natural bounties, one can think of. Dwelling on a panoramic location, the hilly town is surrounded by green pastures and snow-capped peaks. The spectacular cool hills accompanied by the structures made during the colonial era create an aura, which is very different from other hill stations.



09 March 2016 – Wednesday: Shimla – Delhi

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Shimla Railway Station. You will enjoy a characteristic experience of ride on narrow gauge train – fondly called as ‘Toy Train’

Shimla – Shimla Railway: It is one of the very few active narrow gauge train routes in the world. It is known for dramatic views of the hills and nearby villages. This train route has 107 tunnels and 864 bridges and 919 curves! It is an amazing train ride full of fun, thrills and mesmerizing visual beauty. The train departs from Shimla at 1030 hours and arrives Kalka station at 1625 hours

On arrival in Kalka, you will change to Shatabdi Express for Delhi. It runs from the adjacent platform. You have to collect your baggage and walk across the platform to board. The porters are available for hire (no assistance arrantged).

The train departs Kalka at 1700 hours and arrives New Delhi Railway station at 2145 hours. You will be met by our representative at the station and transferred to your hotel. Your stay for next two nights is arranged at The Metropolitan Hotel (Standard Room). It is a centrally located 5-star Modern Hotel.

The Metropolitan Hotel, New Delhi

Delhi Information: Located on the banks of the River Yamuna, Delhi has been continuously inhabited since at least the 6th century BCE. After the rise of the Delhi Sultanate, Delhi emerged as a major political, cultural and commercial city along the trade routes between northwest India and the Indo-Gangetic plains. It is the site of many ancient and medieval monuments, archaeological sites and remains. In 1639, Mughal Emperor Shahjahan built a new walled city in Delhi which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 to 1857.

After the British East India Company had gained control of much of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, Calcutta became the capital both under Company rule and under the British Raj, until George V announced in 1911 that it was to move back to Delhi. A new capital city, New Delhi, was built to the south of the old city during the 1920s. When India gained independence from British rule in 1947, New Delhi was declared its capital and seat of government. As such, New Delhi houses important offices of the federal government, including the Parliament of India, as well as numerous national museums, monuments, and art galleries.

Owing to the migration of people from across the country, Delhi has grown to be a multicultural, cosmopolitan metropolis. Its rapid development and urbanization, coupled with the relatively high average income of its population, has transformed Delhi. Today, Delhi is a major cultural, political, and commercial center of India.



10 March 2016 – Thursday: Delhi

Today you will enjoy another full day of Delhi sightseeing. Today you will venture into old quarters of Delhi – or Shahjehanabad. You will visit Jami Masjid – the biggest mosque in India and take a cycle rickshaw ride through busy bazaars to visit Red Fort. Later you will visit Rajghat – the Samadhi of Mahatma of Gandhi.

Jama Masjid is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is the largest and best-known mosque in India. It lies at the origin of a very busy central street of Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk. The later name, Jama Masjid, is a reference to the weekly Friday noon congregation prayers of Muslims, Jummah, which are usually done at a mosque, the

"congregational mosque" or "jāmi' masjid". The courtyard of the mosque can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshippers. The mosque also houses several relics in a closet in the north gate,

including an antique copy of the Qur'an written on deer skin. Later you will take a cycle rickshaw ride through busy bazaars of Chandani Chowk to arrive at the Red Fort. The Red Fort is a 17th century fort complex constructed by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan in the walled city of Old Delhi. It served as the capital of the Mughals until 1857, when Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled by the British Indian government. The British used it as a military camp until India was made independent in 1947. It is now a popular tourist site, as well as a powerful symbol of India's sovereignty: the Prime Minister of India raises the flag of India on the rampants of the Lahori Gate of the fort complex every year on Independence Day. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Red Fort showcases the very high level of art form and ornamental work. The art work in the Fort is a synthesis of Persian, European and Indian art which resulted in the development of unique Shahjahani style which is very rich in form, expression and colour. Red Fort, Delhi is one of the important building complexes of India which encapsulates a long period of Indian history and its arts. Its significance has transcended time and space. It is relevant as a symbol of architectural brilliance and power. After sightseeing you will be dropped back at your place of stay.

In the afternoon, you will continue the sightseeing of New Delhi. You will visit the two most important monuments in New Delhi which are Qutb Minar and Humayun’s tomb.

The Qutab Minar, at 72.5 meters, is the world's tallest brick minaret. It is situated in the Qutb complex, amidst the ruins of ancient Hindu & Jain temples which were destroyed and their stones used to build the Qutb complex and minar. Construction commenced in 1193 under the orders of India's first Muslim ruler Qutb-ud-din Aibak, and the topmost storey of the minaret was completed in 1386 by Firuz Shah Tughluq. The Qutb Minar is notable for being one of the earliest and most prominent examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as Qutab complex. The complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Delhi, and was also India's most visited monument in 2006, as it attracted 3.9 million



visitors, even more than the Taj Mahal, which drew about 2.5 million visitors

Humayun's tomb is a complex of buildings built as the Mughal Emperor Humayun's tomb, commissioned by Humayun's wife Hamida Banu Begum in 1562 CE, and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyath, a Persian architect. It was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, and is located in Nizamuddin East, close to the Dina-panah citadel also known as Purana Qila, that Humayun founded in 1533. It was also the first structure to use red sandstone at such a scale. The complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Later you will enjoy an orientation tour of Lutyens' Delhi. You will drive past Connaught Place – called as Heart of Delhi, and then stop at India Gate. Then you will drive to Raisan Hills to see Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s Palace) from outside. Beside it is the Parliament of India.

Today evening, you will visit a local family to witness a cooking demonstration followed by dinner.

11 March 2016 – Friday: Delhi – Jaipur After breakfast, you will drive to Jaipur. It is a smooth rid of about 6-7 hours on National Highway 8. There are good restaurants on the way for refreshment and using facilities.

Jaipur, also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. During the British rule in India, Jaipur was the capital of the princely state of Jaipur. Founded on 18 November, 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 6 million. Jaipur is the first planned city of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. At present, Jaipur is a major business centre with all requisites of a metropolitan city.

Your stay for next two nights is arranged at Shahpura House (Suite) - a Heritage Mansion converted into hotel.

Shahpura House



12 March 2016 – Saturday: Jaipur

Today you will enjoy a full day sightseeing of Jaipur. In the morning, you will enjoy an excursion to Amber Fort. The fort is ascended on elephant’s back. Amber Fort located in Amber, 11 km from Jaipur, it was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber, before the capital was shifted to present day Jaipur. Amber Fort is known for its unique artistic style, blending both Hindu and Muslim (Mughal) elements, and its ornate and breathtaking artistic mastery. Amber Fort is constructed of white and red sandstone. The Fort is unique in that its outside, an imposing and rugged defensive structure, is

markedly different from its inside, an ornate, lavish interior influenced by both Hindu and Muslim (Mughal) styles of ornamentation. The walls of the interior of the fort are covered with murals, frescoes, and paintings depicting various scenes from daily life. Other walls are covered with intricate carvings, mosaic, and minute mirror work.

You will visit Hawa Mahal – Palace of Winds – en route to Amber Fort. Hawa Mahal or the "Palace of the Winds" was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Usta in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god. Its unique five-story exterior is also akin to the honeycomb of the beehive with its 953 small windows called jharokhas that are decorated with intricate lattice work. The original intention of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen. Built of red and pink sandstone, the palace is situated on the main thoroughfare in the heart of Jaipur’s business centre. It forms part of the City Palace, and extends to the Zenana or

women's chambers, the chambers of the harem. It is particularly striking when viewed early in the morning, lit with the golden light of sunrise.

Later in the afternoon, you will visit the City Palace complex which is still the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. It includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal palaces and other buildings, is a palace complex in the city. It was the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the head of the Kachwaha Rajput clan. The Chandra Mahal palace now houses a museum



but the greatest part of it is still a royal residence. The palace complex, which is located northeast of the centre of the grid patterned Jaipur city, incorporates an impressive and vast array of courtyards, gardens and buildings. The palace

was built between 1729 and 1732, initially by Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber.

Also visit Jantar Mantar. The Jantar Mantar a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (Ruler) Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. It is modeled after the one that he had built for him at the then Mughal capital of Delhi. He had constructed a total of five such facilities at different locations, including the ones at Delhi and Jaipur. The Jaipur observatory is the largest of these. Evening you can explore the colorful bazaars of Jaipur.

A cooking demonstration will be arranged in your hotel today – followed by dinner.

13 March 2016 – Sunday: Jaipur – Agra

After breakfast, you will drive to Fatehpur Sikri (4-5 hours). It was established by Mughal Emperor Akbar but had to be abandoned after 14 years due to scarcity of water. Visit this deserted Mughal city and drive on to Agra (1 hour).

Check-in to Four Points by Sheraton (Deluxe Rooms) for overnight stay. It is a 4-star Modern Hotel.

Four Points by Sheraton, Agra

14 March 2016 – Monday: Agra – Delhi

In the morning, you will enjoy a half day sightseeing of Agra. This will include visit to Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.



Taj Mahal, one of the most famous buildings in the world, is the mausoleum of Shah Jahan's favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and one of three World Heritage Sites in Agra. Completed in 1653, the Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal king Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Finished in marble, it is perhaps India's most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labor and 20,000 workers, masons and jewellers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustad

Isa, the Taj Mahal is on the bank of the Yamuna River. It can be observed from Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan gazed at it, for the last eight years of his life, as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is an acknowledged masterpiece of symmetry. Verses of the Koran are inscribed on it and at the top of the gate are twenty-two small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to build. The Taj Mahal was built on a marble platform that stands above a sandstone one. The most elegant dome of the Taj Mahal has a diameter of 60 feet (18 m), and rises to a height of 80 feet (24 m); directly under this dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan's tomb was erected next to hers by his son Aurangzeb. The interiors are decorated by fine inlay work, incorporating semi- precious stones.

Agra Fort (sometimes called the Red Fort): The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra Fort in 1565 CE., although it was converted into

a place by his grandson Shāh Jahān, being reworked extensively with marble and pietra dura inlay.

Notable buildings in the fort include the Pearl Mosque or

Motī Masjid, the Dīwān-e-'Ām and Dīwān-e-Khās (halls of

public and private audience), Jahāngīr's Palace, Khās

Mahal, Shīsh Mahal (mirrored palace), and Musamman Burj. The forbidding exteriors of this fort conceal an inner

paradise. The fort is crescent shaped, flattened on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river. It has a total perimeter of 2.4 kilometers (1.5 mi), and is ringed by double castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals by bastions. A 9 meters (30 ft) wide and 10 meters (33 ft) deep moat surrounds the outer wall.

In the afternoon drive back to Delhi. It is a smooth 4 hours’ drive on National Highway 2 or Yamuna Expressway. Stay

overnight at Holiday Inn (Deluxe Rooms) – a 4 star modern hotel in Aero city just beside the international airport.



15 March 2016 – Tuesday: Delhi – Doha – Manchester

Early morning around 6 AM, you will be picked up from the hotel and transferred to international airport (Terminal 3). Please note that the check-in is 3 hours prior to the departure. Fly back home with Happy Memories of Indian Holiday!

Fly to Doha on Qatar Airways

Flight QR 575 Departs Delhi at 0855 hours, arrives Doha at 1045 hours

Arrive Doha and change for Manchester

Flight QR 25 Departs Doha at 1310 hours, arrives Manchester at 1800 hours

-----------*** End of Tour ***-----------

MEAL PLAN: Bed & Breakfast

(Three meals with cooking demonstration are included)

INCLUDED IN PRICE:

Manchester-Amritsar & Delhi-Manchester via Doha on scheduled flights on QATAR AIRWAYS in economy

Accommodation for 11 nights on twinshare/double occupancy (single occupancy at a supplement)

Road travel by a private chauffeur-driven, air-conditioned bus (using 5 Innova cars in Amritsar & Shimla)

Amritsar-Ambala train ticket in air-conditioned 2-tier sleeper carriage

Shimla-Kalka train ticket in Chair car and Kalka – Delhi on Executive AC Chair Car

Assistance at airport and railway stations (no assistance for train change-over in Kalka)

Accompanying local tour escort for the entire tour

Entrance fees at the monuments

Jeeps for Amber Fort sightseeing

All currently applicable taxes

NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE:

India Visa & visa service charge

Travel Insurance

Meals (Lunches & Dinners)

Expenses of personal nature like room service items, laundry, telephone calls etc

Camera fees at the monuments (nominal)

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