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| Day 01: Fly To Delhi |
| Leave for India and fly to Delhi, the capital
of the country. |
| Day 02: Arrive Delhi |
Arrive Delhi International airport, after meet and greet by
tour manager, transfer by chartered a/c transport to hotel.
Rest of the, at leisure for an introductory talk on the tour
and overview of the mutiny.
Optional: Tour of Delhi: In the afternoon guided tour includes
Qutab Minar built in early 13th century as a victory tower and
Humayuns Tomb, an early Moghul architecture, most beautiful
buildings, built in the mid-16th century.
Night Stay: Hotel
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| Day 03: Delhi –
Meerut – Delhi |
|
After breakfast leave for a day tour of Meerut,
here we explore the cantonment area including St Johns Church,
cemeteries, court marshal grounds and drive by Smith’s residence.
Evening return to Delhi.
Night Stay:
Hotel |
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| Day 04: In Delhi |
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After breakfast, most of the day will
be spent around old Delhi to explore the war / mutiny related
sites. We will visit Battlefield of Badli-ki-Serai, built by an
old king as traveler’s shelter; single pillared memorial
of Gordon Highlanders, Mutiny monument in the vicinity of Kashmiri
gate; it is a strange Gothic tower, a Mutiny Memorial –
an octagonal, tapering tower built to commemorate the British
and the Indians who fought on their side in 1857, John Nicalson’s
Grave, Kashmiri Gate area - Built in 1835, it was raised as a
defense against any attack from the direction of the Ludlow Castle,
which was towards the north-west of the city, brief look at St
James Church and Red Fort, which stands along the eastern edge
of the walled city, on the west bank of the Yamuna River. It was
planned as an irregular oblong (2.41 km perimeter) and was built
as the royal residential and official complex by Shah Jahan. s
If time allows explore Flag staff house It used to be the house
of the British Commander-in-Chief. After the Indeendence of India
the Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru resided in this house from
1948 till his death in1964. Delhi - Karachi war memorial, The
Cemetery has an imposing entrance of Grey Dholpur Stone, within
which is one part of the Dual Memorial to 25,000 men of the Army
and Air Force of Undivided India who died during the 1939-45 War
while on service in non-operational zones - the Delhi and Karachi
1939-1945 War Memorials.
In between sightseeing, we will take a break for lunch.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 05: Delhi – Ludhiana
Train |
|
Morning transfer to railway station, board the Ludhiana
bound fast train, arrive Ludhiana by mid day and continue by luxury
cars to Aliwal, The Battle of Aliwal witnessed a Sikh force consisting
of approximately 7,000 cavalry and 17,000 infantry, half of which
were regular troops, in a defensive formation with a river to
its rear. Sir Henry Smith was able to direct well co-ordinated
attacks using cavalry, artillery and infantry in such a manner
resulting in the most decisive outcome for the British during
that stage of the war. Return to Ludhiana hotel for night stay.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 06: Ludhiana – Firozpur
– Amritsar Drive |
|
After breakfast drive to Mudki, located 20 miles
south-east of Ferozepur was the first battlefield for the battle
between Lord Hardinge and the Sikhs. The first Anglo-Sikh war
was fought in Ferozepur in 1845. During the first Anglo-Afghan
war, British troops advanced to Kabul from here in 1838. Anglo-Sikh
War Memorial Ferozeshah, This memorial was set up in 1976 A.D.
The portraits of important historical personalities and battle
scenes have been portrayed here byartists, Jaswant Singh and Kirpal
Singh along with some of the weapons. from here we drive to Sobraon
village where another Anglo – Sikh clash took place. After
battlefield explorations we move to Sikh holi city – Amritsar
for night stay and exploration.
Night Stay:
Hotel |
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| Day 07: Amritsar – Delhi
Train |
|
After breakfast explore the Golden temple The architecture
of the golden temple is a blend of the Hindu and Muslim styles.
As the sun shifts, the temple presents myriad views, each magnificent
and captivating and Jalianwala bagh, This place is noted for its
most notorious massacre under British rule. It is 400 meters north
of the Golden Temple. General Dyer personally led the troops to
the sight and ordered his men to open fire without any warning.
Rest of the day at leisure, In the evening board the fast train
to Delhi, Dinner on board. Arrive Delhi around 10.30 hrs, and
transfer to hotel.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 08: Delhi – Agra Drive |
Morning depart and drive to Agra via
Alwar, en-route visit Deeg Fortress, Palace and Museum, it was
the capital of Jat Rulers in the 18th century. The central citadel,
set up in 1730 is square in layout and stands on a slightly raised
ground. (Museum closed on Friday), and Fatehpur sikri deserted
city of Akbar, Few kilometres short of Agra a brief halt at Sasia,
there is no monument or any thing left to see, even not the name,
the area has been rebuilt and occupied by army and number of small
villages with different names, from here a short drive to Agra.
Arrive and check in at hotel.
Night Stay:
Hotel |
| |
| Day 09: In Agra |
After breakfast visit Taj Mahal,
(closed on Fridays) the most extravagant monument ever built for
love. On the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, Moghul Emperor
Shah Jehan built her this memorial over which 20,000 men labored
for 22 years to create a masterpiece in white marble inlaid with
semi precious stones; the art is called pietra dura and Agra Fort,
(Agra Fort) where Shah Jehan spent the last years of his life,
imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. The most impressive part of the
Fort are the Dewan-e-Am, Hall of Public Audience where the Emperor
met officials and listened to petitioners, and the Dewan-e-Khas
Hall of Private Audience where he received foreign dignitaries.
The Peacock throne (now in Iran) was in this fort, before being
moved to Delhi by Emperor Aurangzeb.
Afternoon at leisure.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 10: Agra – Gwalior –
Jhansi – Orcha Drive |
We leave Agra after an early breakfast
and drive to Orcha, en-route we briefly explore Gwalior Fort one
of the most redoubtable in the world. Rajpur Vallor and Chivalry
are redolent in the stone of 15th century palace of Raja Mansingh,
located in the citadel and site of Jhansi that including i.e.
Jhansi Fort, Built by Raja Bir Singh in 17th Century on a hilltop
as an army strong hold, the fort also houses a museum of sculpture
collection which provides insight into the history of Bundelkhand
and Jokan Bagh. On 8th June 1857 The British officers agree to
leave the town fort under a promise of safe passage by the rebels
but just outside Jhansi, in the Jokan bagh one of the rebel leader
ordered their death.
Orcha (In Madhya Pradesh), is a medieval township with beautiful
temple complex and Jehangir Mahal Palace, a fine example of architecture
from Bundela dynasty (16th to 18th centuries). Arrive and check
in at hotel.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 11: Orcha – Jhansi –
Kanpur Drive |
After breakfast orientation tour of Orcha
and drive on to Kanpur, arrive late afternoon and check-in at
hotel.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 12: Kanpur – Lucknow Drive
|
Full
day in Kanpur to explore the historical sites that includes: All
Soul’s Memorial Church, built in 1857 in memory of the British
soldiers who died in the revolt of 1857. Outside the church, there
is an enclosed pavement marking the graves of over 70 officers
and men captured and executed on 1 July 1857, four days after
the Satichaura ghat massacre. Satichaura Ghat, a dusty track leads
down to the river Ganga and a small Siva temple stands by it.
There is a small plaque in the wall at the head of the track.
Memorial Garden, In the Memorial Garden there is a statue by Marochetti
and a screen designed by Sir Henry Yule. Bibigarh Well, where
the dismembered bodies of European women and children had been
thrown. They were relocated here in 1948. Late evening drive to
Lucknow, arrive and check in at hotel.
Night
Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 13: Lucknow – Mumbai Fly |
After
breakfast guided sightseeing tour of Lucknow which includes: La
Martiniere College, Built and designed by French soldier turned
architect- Claude Mrtin, it incorporates the features of Italian
architecture, fusing them with native architectural attributes
of Hindu and Mughal architecture. The Kaisarbagh area, started
in 1848 and was completed in 1850 by the last nawab of Avadh,
Wajid Ali Shah. The building flanked by two Kakkhi Gates provided
quarters for the ladies of the royal harem. Secunderbagh Garden,
it derives its name from one of the begums of Nawab Wajid Ali
Shah, Sikander Mahal. It was surrounded by high walls covering
120 square yards area, with a summer house in its centre. The
Residency compound one time, the official residence of the British
Resident, it was built in 1780-1800. A witness to one of the bitterest
battles during the war of independence in 1857. Bara Imambara,
To provide employment and relief to his subjects during the calamitous
famine of 1784, Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula built this Imambara, which
also houses his tomb.
Evening fly to Mumbai arrive and transfer to hotel.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 14: Mumbai – Aurangabad Fly |
After
breakfast transfer to airport, fly to Aurangabad, arrive and transfer
to hotel. We will spend full day exploring the monuments including:
Bibi ka Makbara, (1679), the rather sad imitation of the Taj Mahal
built by Aurangzeb as a mausoleum for his wife Ellora caves, The
temples of Ellora are not primarily caves like Ajanta: they have
been hewn out of the hillside from living rock. They consist of
more than thirty monastic chambers and shrines, dating from the
6th to 8th century AD, an architectural wonder of the world and
triple record of the aspirations of Buddhism, Jainism and Brahmaninsm.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 15: Aurangabad – Akola Drive |
After
breakfast we drive to Assaye, the battle occurred September 23rd
1803 near the village of Assaye in south central India. It was
one of the decisive battles of the second Anglo – Maratha
War. After spending sufficient time in tracing the foot steps
of Willington, shells are still found in the field, we drive on
to Akola for night stay.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 16: Akola – Chikaldhara Drive |
Morning
depart and drive to Argaun for a brief visit of the battlefield,
there is no monument or any thing to see, Small piece of ground
unutilized sounded by fields. From here we continue journey to
Chikaldhara, arrive by lunch time, check – in at hotel,
after lunch explore the Gawilghur fort In 1803, in the Second
Maratha War, Colonel Arthur Wellesley, who later became the Duke
of Wellington, captured the Gawilgarh fort from the Marathas.
Night Stay: Hotel |
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| Day 17: Chikaldhara – Nagpur
Drive, Nagpur - Bombay Fly |
| Morning
depart and drive to Nagpur airport and fly to Mumbai. Arrive Mumbai
and transfer to international airport for homeward flight. |
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| Day 18: Departure |
| Fly back home. |
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