Home
—» Taj
Mahal Vacation Tours —» Golden Triangle Tours
with Gwalior
Golden Triangle Tours with Gwalior
No. of Days : 8 Days / 7 Nights
Destination Covered : Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Gwalior - Delhi
Day 01 : Arrive Delhi
Arrive
Delhi in the evening. Upon arrival, you shall met & assisted with your baggages
at the airport by our executive and transferred to prebooked hotel. Delhi :
India’s capital & a major gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi
is a bustling metropolis which successfully combines in its fold the ancient
& the modern. Its strategic location was one of the prime reasons why successive
dynasties chose it as their seat of power. New Delhi also reflects the legacy
the British left behind . The division between New & Old Delhi is the distinction
between the capitals of the British & the Moghuls respectively. So, wherever
the visitor goes, he will invariably confront the citys’ past.
Day 02 : Delhi
After breakfast, half Day city tour of Old Delhi. Visit Jama Masjid, the largest
mosque in India. Built by Shah Jahan, the construction was started in 1844
and was not completed until 1658; Red Fort, which was also built by Shah Jehan.
This massive fort was built from 1638 to 1648; Chandni Chowk and Rajghat -
the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. Afternoon, city tour of New Delhi. Visit
Humayuns Tomb : built in mid 16th century this is an early example of Mughal
architecture; Qutab Minar, drive past India Gate, President House, Connaught
Place. The city tour ends with a visit to Laxmi Narayan Temple (Birla Mandir).
Day 03 : Delhi - Jaipur
After breakfast, leave for Jaipur : The city owes its names, foundation and
its careful planning to the great warrior - astronomer Maharaja Jai Singh
II. In 1727, with Mughal power on the wane, Jai Singh decided to move down
from his hillside fortress at nearby Amber to a new site on the plains. He
laid out the city, with its surrounding walls and six rectangular blocks,
according to the principles of town planning set down in Shilpa Shastra, an
ancient Hindu treatise on architecture. Afternoon, at leisure.
Day 04 : Jaipur
After
breakfast, excursion to Amber Fort. Elephant ride from the foothills of the
Aravallis to the fort entrance. Amber Fort : At a distance of 11 kms from Jaipur,
Amber was the ancient capital of Jaipur state. Construction of the fort began
in 1592 by Raja Man Singh, the Rajput commander of Akbar's army and is a superb
example of Rajput architecture. Afternoon, city tour of Jaipur. Visit the City
Palace which has museum having an extensive collection of art, carpets, enamel
ware and weapons; Jantar Mantar - the observatoy built my Maharaja Jai Singh
in 1728 and the façade of Hawa Mahal.
Day 05 : Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra
After breakfast, leave for Agra. Enroute visit the abandoned Mughal city of
Fatehpur Sikri : built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, was the old capital of the
Moghuls, which was abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. See
the graceful buildings including the Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch
Mahal & other Palaces which are still preserved in its original glory.
Continue drive to Agra. Arrive Agra in the evening and check-in at prebooked
hotel.
Day 06 : Agra - Gwalior
Afterbreakfast, city tour of Agra. Visit Red fort, which was built by Emperor
Akbar in 1565, and additions were made up until the time of his grandson,
Shah Jahan. It contains the hall of public and private audiences amongst many
other beautiful structues; Itmad-ud-daulah, which was contructed by Nur Jahan
between 1622 and 1628 and is very similar to the tomb she constructed for
her husband, Jehangir, near Lahore in Pakistan; the highlight of the Day -
The Taj Mahal, which was constructed by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz
Mahal. Contruction of the Taj began in 1631 and was not completed until 1653.
Afternoon, drive to Gwalior. On arrival in Gwalior check in at prebooked hotel.
Day 07 : Gwalior - Delhi (By Train)
After
breakfast, visit the Gwalior Fort - The Mughal emperor Babar referred to the
Gwalior Fort as “the pearl amongst fortresses in India” and although
you may beg to differ, you will probably agree that this, the dominating feature
of Gwalior’s skyline, is definitely a citadel worth seeing. With a turbulent
and pretty eventful past, the Gwalior Fort spreads out over an area of 3 square
km, bounded by solid walls of sandstone, which enclose three temples, six palaces
and a number of water tanks.
Regarded as North and Central India’s most impregnable fortress, the
Gwalior Fort was built by Raja Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century. In the
five hundred years since then, the fort has changed hands many times- it has
been held by the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas and British, who finally handed
it over to the Scindias. ToDay it’s a must-see sight on any Gwalior itinerary,
and just the ride up to the fort gives you a taste of what’s coming:
the southern path is bounded by rock faces with intricate carvings of the
Jain tirthankars. As you enter the fort, you’ll see lots more to impress
and interest you: palaces and temples, impressive gates and historic water
tanks.
Of the temples in the Gwalior Fort, the most famous are the Teli-ka-Mandir-
a 9th century Dravidian-style shrine which is notable for its profusely sculpted
exterior; the Saas-Bahu Temples- two pillared temples which stand next to
each other, one larger than the other; and the Chaturbhuj Mandir, a Vaishnavite
shrine dating back to the 9th century. Among the fort’s most prominent
palaces is the amazingly ornate Man Singh Palace, built by Man Singh in the
15th century. Embellished with a vivid pattern in tile and paint, the palace
spreads over four levels, and despite its picture-pretty appearance, has a
somewhat gory history: Mughal emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned and later murdered
his brother Murad here.
Equally
grisly is the Jauhar Kund, which marks the spot where the women of the harem
burnt themselves to death after the defeat of the king of Gwalior in 1232. Other
palaces within the Gwalior Fort which are worth seeing include the Karan Palace,
the Jahangir Mahal, the Shahjahan Mahal and the Gujri Mahal (the latter built
by Man Singh for his favourite queen, Mrignayani). Afternoon, transfer to the
railway station to board train for Delhi. On arrival in Delhi meet and assist
at the railway station and transfer to prebooked hotel.
Day 08 : Depart Delhi / Onward Destinations
Early Morning, transfer to airport to board flight back home/onward destination.
Golden Triangle Tours with Gwalior Reservation Form
Copyright
©, Destination
Taj Mahal India. All Rights Reserved