QUICK ESCAPENORTH INDIA

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Intoxicating…incomparable…bewitching…exhilarating…India has it all. Superlatives are seldom enough to describe this amazingly vibrant and vivacious land, where the ancient mixes with the modern, and the senses are constantly tempted with sights and sounds of the most exotic kind. India is more than a country; it is a continent in its own right. Indeed, it may be even more than this – perhaps a microcosm of all that theworld has to offer.

What makes India such a special place and such a worthwhile travel destination? Is it the art and architecture or unique wildlife, be it Taj or tiger? The culture or cuisine? The breathtaking natural beauty, be it Himalayan precipice or pristine, sandy beach? Perhaps it is the deeply ingrained sense of spirituality that permeates a land responsible for the birth of the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh faiths. It is undeniably all of these things. But what makes India uniquely extraordinary is the charm and vitality of her people. India is a land of immense antiquity, a nation that proudly displays a vast cultural diversity. India’s name is derived from the Indus River, whose valleys were first settled five thousand years ago. Since then India has been enriched by successive waves of migrants from distant lands, each adding to the cultural heritage of the Subcontinent. Now home to a plethora of languages, religions, ethnicities, and cultures, it is this diversity that truly inspires and continues to breathe life into modern India, and which is displayed in her people to this day.

INDIAQuick Escape- North India

Day 1 WELCOME TO DELHI

After negotiating Immigration and Customs, step into the receiving area, where you will be met by Nomadic Expedition staff and escorted to your hotel, located in the heart of New Delhi. Expect to reach the hotel approximately two to three hours after landing.

After an “orientation meeting” with our local staff, head out to visit two of India’s main religions with visits to a Hindu and a Sikh temple. Both of these temples are very active and hundreds of pilgrims come every day to pray and meditate in the halls and rooms. We will first visit Lakshmi Narayan Temple (photo on left), also known as the Birla Mandir. Built in 1938, this beautiful temple is dedicated to the goddess of prosperity and good fortune from the Hindu pantheon of Gods.

After exploring the temple and hearing stories from Hindu mythology, head off to experience one the most visible and vibrant of India’s religion – the Sikhs. The Sikh men stand out in any crowd with their colorful turbans and beards. We visit Bangla Sahib Gurudwara (a Sikh temple). At one time this was the bungalow of Raja Jai Amber from

Jaipur. This is a very active temple and hundreds of pilgrims come every day to pray and meditate in the halls and rooms.

Sunset will find us at the famous India Gate with its vast lawns, where tens of local families come to enjoy sunset and picnic. We will mingle with the local families, play on the lawns before heading off to an Indian restaurant for our welcome dinner. Shangri-La Hotel (B, D)

Day 2 EXPLORE “OLD DELHI”

Heading out after an early breakfast you explore “Old Delhi,” with its narrow dirt roads, its myriad people and inexpensive and colorful bazaars that keep alive the traditional workmanship for which Delhi has always been famous.

Driving past the Red Fort (you will visit the grander red fort in Agra), you trade your motor vehicle for a bicycle rickshaw, which will take you into the heart of Chandni Chowke (the silver square - so named because of the silver merchants). Negotiating alleyways, which seemingly get narrower and narrower you end up at the Jama Masjid, the largest Muslim mosque in India.

After exploring the Mosque and getting an insight on ‘Islamic India,’ we head to Raj Ghat – the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, which has become a major pilgrimage site for India. On any day one can expect to see visitors from all parts of India spending time in the gardens. The evening is at your leisure to dine in one of Delhi fine restaurants.

Shangri-La Hotel (B)

Day 3 TO AGRA

After breakfast you depart by road (private car/driver) for Agra a three-hour drive on the new National Highway brings you to the Mughal City.

After checking-in, you head out on over the Yamuna River to explore the forerunner of the Taj Mahal - the elaborately ornate Itmad ud Daula. In memory of her father, this mausoleum was built by Queen Nur Jahan in 1622, and is a perfect example of the fine inlaid stonework and translucent marble screens that Agra is so famous for. Many historians believe that this monument was the inspiration for Shah Jahan to build the Taj, and it is often described as the “petite Taj.”

For sunset on the Taj we go to Mitab Bagh, across the river from the Taj (pictured below). Legend has it that this garden was the site chosen by the Emperor Shah Jahan to build a mirror image of the Taj in black marble – a mausoleum for himself.

ITC Mughal (B)

MONGOLIA | SIBERIA | BHUTAN | TIBET | CHINA | NEPAL | INDIA

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Y O U R J O U R N E Y

THIS IS A PRIVATE JOURNEYOFFERING ON-DEMAND DEPARTURES

HIGHLIGHTS:

Visit the ‘Imperial’ Cities of India

Sunrise and sunset on the Taj Mahal

Historical Agra Fort

Explore the pink city of Jaipur

ACCOMMODATIONS:

2 nights at Shangri-La Hotel

2 nights at ITC Mughal

1 night at Clement Village Retreat

2 nights at Jai Mahal Palace

MONGOLIA | SIBERIA | BHUTAN | TIBET | CHINA | NEPAL | INDIA

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Day 4

EXPLORE AGRAYou will rise early to watch the sunrise over the Taj Mahal—an unforgettable way to start off your day. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in 1631 to enshrine the mortal remains of his Queen Mumtaz Mahal. It took seventeen years, 20,000 workers and a King’s treasury to build this wonder. You will wander with your guide into the inner chambers of this monument to love, the planet’s most famous and most entrancing exercise in Muslim architecture. Experience the Taj up close, and watch the light play on its magnificent lines from other parts of the city; sometimes the reflection of the Taj in the Yamuna River seems as spectacular as the monument itself.

After lunch, you visit Agra Fort, built by Akbar as his citadel over the years 1565-73 in the finest architectural style. It is an almost perfect fusion between military might and lavish beauty. The fort, approachable through its two lofty main portals on the west and south, was successively occupied by three great Mughals - Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan - each of whom made significant structural contributions to this complex. Shah Jahan died here, imprisoned by his son, gazing at the Taj Mahal he had built in memory of his wife.

The remainder of the day is free for shopping or further exploration of Agra.

ITC Mughal (B)

Day 5 FATEPUR SIKRI – KALAKHO VILLAGE AREA

Departing Agra, you now delve deeper into rural India. An hour outside of Agra is your first stop of the day. Fatepur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal Empire between 1570 and 1586. Akbar built the city to celebrate the birth of an heir (the future Emperor Jehangir). After 16 years, there was not enough water to support the population, so the capital was moved back to the Red Fort in Agra. The dryness that plagued Akbar and forced him to abandon his dream city has perfectly preserved this moment of Mughal history and exquisite memorial to the genius of Akbar for our admiration today.

A four-hour drive from Fatepur brings you to the Dera Village Retreat in the Kalakho village area.

Set on the banks of a monsoon lake, off the Agra to Jaipur highway, it is ideally located for exploring the traditional village life of rural India. Skillfully blending the exotic ambience of an authentic village with modern facilities, this air-conditioned retreat is a unique experience.

At the Clement Village Retreat, guests are treated to the ultimate in Indian hospitality with attentive personal service, in spacious and tastefully furnished tented accommodations offering private facilities and sumptuous dining. The range of activities in Kalakho includes wildlife viewing, camel trekking, horse riding and village safaris, which include home visits in the neighboring village communities.

Clement Village Retreat (B, L, D)

MONGOLIA | SIBERIA | BHUTAN | TIBET | CHINA | NEPAL | INDIA

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Day 6 DRIVE TO JAIPUR

After a leisurely breakfast, saying goodbye to your village hosts you drive 3-hours to the “Pink city.” Jaipur is popularly known as the “Pink City,” due to the pink-colored sandstone of the buildings in the old walled city. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, home of the Rajputs - a group of warrior clans who ruled this part of India for a thousand years. Built in 1727 by the warrior-astronomer Maharaja Jai Singh-II, Jaipur is laid out as described in the ancient Hindu treatise on architecture, the “Shilpa- Shastra.” Battlement walls with seven gates encircle the old city, and broad avenues divide it into neat rectangles.

On arrival in Jaipur, we will check into the Prime Minister of Jaipur’s old residence, now an elegant hotel. The Jai Mahal Palace was built in 1745 and has been painstakingly restored by the Taj Group of Hotels. With classic Indo- Saracenic architecture set amidst 18 acres of landscaped Mughal gardens, the property is also ideally located to take advantage of Jaipur’s many sites.

(Jai Mahal Palace; B)

Day 7 EXPLORE JAIPUR

In the morning, tour the Amber Fort and Palace. This is a beautiful and very well preserved 16th-Century structure, built on four levels and surrounded by ruins. This was the location backdrop for the Mira Nair movie “Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love.” Among the many splendors of the fort is a small room with a ceiling covered in tiny mirrors. Stepping into the darkened

enclosure, a man lights two candles, moving them in circles to create a pattern that looks like an incredible star-filled sky. When this place was inhabited, a girl did this as part of her dance of love for her Maharaja.

You’ll visit the Temple of Kali, the Hall of Victory, or Jai Mahal and Jagmandir. You will also have the unique experience of traveling on the back of an elephant as you ride to the top of the hill on which the fort is situated.

This afternoon, you will wander in the colorful bazaars of the old city and tour the interior of Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) and the City Palace, where the present Maharaja resides. There is a Mughal art museum, housing a lovely collection of Rajasthani & Mughal miniature painting. Part of the complex is an outdoor 18th- Century astronomical and astrological observatory (Jantar Mantar) with several incredible sundials - accurate to 0.2 seconds - and very modern-looking astrological markers.

(Jai Mahal Palace; B)

Day 8 DEPARTURE

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch your outbound flight to Delhi.

(B)

B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner

Nomadic Expeditions reserves the right to change the above itinerary if necessary.

LAND PRICE INCLUDES:

• Accommodations as listed above, based on double occupancyand inclusive of all taxes and service charges

• All meals as indicated

• All ground transportation in India using air-conditioned vehicles

• Sightseeing as noted with experienced English-speaking localguides

• Sunrise & sunset visits to Taj Mahal

• All entry fees at all temples, museums, and monuments onsightseeing excursions

• All arrival/departure airport/hotel transfers

• Gratuities to local staff (local city guides, drivers, hotel staff,porters etc.)

• Govt. Service Taxes as applicable

LAND PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• International airfare, departure taxes and en route stopovers toand from Asia

• Certain Lunches and Dinners as listed in the above itinerary

• Gratuities to Trip Leaders

• Items of a personal nature, such as alcoholic beverages, laundry,phone calls, etc.

• Still camera and video fees

• Trip cancellation, travel delay or baggage insurance.

• Charges incurred as a result of delays beyond NomadicExpeditions’ control

We would love to share this exceptional adventure with you!

Our Expedition Specialists are available from 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM EST, Monday – Friday

Nomadic Expeditions Inc., | 57 Station Road | Cranbury NJ 08512 USA

Phone: 800-998-6634 or 609-860-9008 | Fax: 609-860-9608 | Email: info@nomadicexpeditions.com

LAND PRICE2 Participants: 3845 per person

3 + Participants: $5685 per person

Single Supplement: $945

(if you require single accommodation on tour)

WHY TRAVEL WITH NOMADIC EXPEDITIONS?

Unrivaled ExpertiseNomadic Expeditions was founded in 1992. Nothing can compete with the experience we have attained over 25 years of designing luxury adventure travel to Asia. While each trip we design is slightly different than its predecessor, our breadth of knowledge, network of contacts, and experience in the field is unrivaled.

Our People We hire the best in the business to create and execute memorable journeys for our clients. From our Expedition Specialists in the United States, Ulaanbaatar, Lhasa, and Thimpu who turn wish lists into reality to our English-speaking, professionally trained guides who share their extensive knowledge of the culture and natural history of our destinations, our staff is what makes Nomadic Expeditions successful.

Passion for Travel While our journeys open your eyes to a whole new world of experiences, we understand that choosing to book a trip with us requires time spent away from friends, family, and work. Your time is precious and we take that to heart. It’s why we design journeys that go beyond a checklist of attractions. When you travel with us, we want you to remember drinking tea with a nomadic family or digging for fossils with a renowned paleontologist. We imbue our trips with encounters, whether it’s with a local resident, a high-ranking government official, or a renowned wildlife conservationist, so you take home more than a set of photographs to frame on your nightstand.

Our Philosophy Nomadic Expeditions was founded on the principle of treading lightly long before sustainable travel was a buzz phrase. Every expedition is undertaken with the greatest respect for the lands we explore and the local people we meet. Those who travel with us do so with the assurance that the preservation and protection of the ecosystems and cultures we visit is of the utmost importance to us, both as individuals and as a company. Respect for the places we travel to is at the heart of everything we do, but over our 25 years we have realized additional opportunities where we can lend a hand. We have gone beyond simply treading lightly and have wholeheartedly partnered with local communities and regions. Read more about our sustainable practices and philanthropic efforts here.

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