Day One: Monday 5th October 2020

Check-in at the Claridges Hotel New Delhi. Opening ceremony in the afternoon at Lodi Gardens. An evening visit to the Laxmi (The Mother of Abundance) Narayan Temple.

 

Ishvara, our tour guide, will explain and discuss some of the Primary Goddesses of India, listed below:

Radha: Beloved of Krishna 

Kamadhenu: Sacred among Cows 

Tulsi:  Sacred among Plants  

Ganga: Sacred among Rivers

Sita: Goddess of Virtue  

Kali: Destroyer of Demons

Saraswati: Goddess of Wisdom  

Laxmi: Mother of Abundance

Parvati:  Beloved Of Shiva  

Durga: Universal Feminine power

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Meals Included:  Dinner

Overnight: Claridges Hotel

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Day Two: Tuesday 6th October 2020

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After breakfast, we, visit the famous Baha’i Lotus Temple.

In the late afternoon, we make our way to Bangla Sahib to experience the essence of the Sikh Dharma. Karma Yoga & Seva:  Enlightenment through service to humanity.

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We get to work in the communal kitchen and make chapatis with Sikh women.

After cooking, we serve Langar and eat the food we have made with the thousands of other visiting pilgrims.

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We will also drink the holy water from the underground spring discovered by the young Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, during a Cholera epidemic, centuries ago.

We will learn about Adi-Shakti, the female force that governs the Universe. 

In the evening, we will have the opportunity to meditate at the Sarovar, a lake surrounded by marble shrines. 

 

Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Claridges Hotel

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Day Three: Wednesday 7th October 2020

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Today we embark on true Indian pilgrimage as we board an early morning Shatabdi Express train to Mathura – the birthplace of Lord Krishna, which leaves from Delhi at 06:00 and arrives Mathura at 07:23 hours. We will be met at Mathura station and drive to short distance Vrindavan and explore the world of Lord Krishna.

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Vrindavan is home to 10 000 temples. We will visit Radha Raman Temple and some others as we walk along the Yamuna River and through Loi Bazaar. We will enjoy lunch at the famous Hare Krishna Temple in Raman Reti.

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In the afternoon we visit the serenity of the lake Kusum Sarovara, where Radha collected flowers for her beloved Krishna. In the late afternoon, we drive to Agra, about an hour drive. Check-in at your hotel for the overnight stay.

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Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Overnight: Taj Hotel & Convention Centre

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Day Four: Thursday 8th October 2020

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Early in the morning, we enjoy a breath-taking sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal to watch the sun slowly caress the white marble of the beautiful monument of Love. After breakfast, we visit the Agra Fort seeing the many varied architectural styles of the complex, built by successive Mughal rulers. The fort was home to Emperors of the Mughal dynasty until 1638. We have lunch at Sheroes Hangout, a cafe run by girls, to raise funds for acid attack victims. (own expense)

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In the late afternoon, we transfer to the railway station to board your Train “Gatimaan Express” (Air-conditioned Executive Class) to Delhi, which leaves from Agra at 17:50 and arrives Delhi at 19:30. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Claridges Hotel

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Day Five: Friday 9th October 2020

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Today we will proceed on a unique half-day spiritual tour that takes you around the different religious communities of India. Then, make your way to Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, the oldest and best-known Jain temple. Then we will visit Shree Vijayanad Birds Hospital, where injured and unwell birds are treated in accordance with Jain beliefs. Explore the crowded markets of Chandni Chowk, where many of the local silversmiths are Jains.

 

Afternoon at leisure. For those that want to go shopping, we will visit the many craft emporiums on Baba Kharak Singh Marg.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Claridges Hotel

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Day Six: Saturday 10th October 2020    

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Morning flight to Dehra Dun at the foothills of the Himalayas

We will drive up into the mountains, visiting a Tibetan monastery along the way.

An opportunity to practice silent meditation.

 

We arrive at the old British Hill Station town of Mussourie, with breathtaking views of the Himalayas. Our stay is at the Kasmanda Palace, the summer retreat of the royal family of Kasmanda.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Kasmanda Palace Hotel

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Day Seven: Sunday 11th October 2020

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In the morning we will explore the old colonial town of Mussourie.

Today we will leave for full day sightseeing of Mussoorie, exploring the famous, 3 km long Camel Back Road, where you can view the mighty Himalayas in the morning and go for nature walks. Proceed to the Gun Hill, which is Mussoorie’s second-highest peak (400ft above sea level) and capture picturesque views of the Doon Valley and Himalayan Range.

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After lunch, we will cycle down the mountain in old fashioned rickshaws, to the remote Tibetan settlement of Happy Valley, which is home to around 5000 Tibetans and a major worship site. For the fit, a visit to Dalai Hills about a 400-meter walk from the Tibetan temple, Shedup Choephelling Temple. It is decorated with the Buddhist Prayer Flags all over and has a statue of Lord Buddha constructed by 20th regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Mussoorie to prevent disease, war, conflict and natural disaster that occurred on 13 June 2014. 

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For the others a peaceful relaxation at the Tibetan Temple with magnificent views. Another opportunity for privacy and meditation. As the sun sets, we make our way by bus back to the Kasmanda Palace.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Kasmanda Palace Hotel

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Day Eight: Monday 12th October 2020

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Private transport, down from the mountains to Haridwar: “The Doorway to God”.  A very scenic, three-hour drive. We check into the Haveli Hari Ganga Hotel, a Rajasthani style hotel, on the banks of the Ganges River Ganga Puja: we make our way down to Har Ki Pauri on the Holy Mother Ganga for the offering of clay lamps to the river as the sunsets.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Haveli Hari Ganga Hotel in Haridwar

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Day Nine: Tuesday 13th October 2020

 

Explore the town of Haridwar, where the Kumbha Mela takes place.

The Kumbha Mela is the largest gathering of Hindu pilgrims, up to 70 million people. The town of Haridwar has many Goddess temples which we will explore.

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Some of the Goddess temples we will visit include:

Ganga Mandir: Dedicated to the River Goddess

Mata Mansi Devi Mandir: Dedicated to the Goddess of the Mind

Bharat Mata Mandir: Dedicated to Mother India

Maya Devi Mandir: Dedicated to Adi Shakti

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Haveli Hari Ganga Hotel in Haridwar

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Day Ten: Wednesday 14th   October 2020

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Morning at leisure in Hardiwar. You may indulge in shopping, doing yoga, visiting a local guru or a Vedic Astrologer leisure.

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In the afternoon we will be driven to Rishikesh (approximately 1 hour driving time). Evening free for meditation and Yoga at your Ashram.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Yog Niketan Ashram

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Day Eleven: Thursday 15th   October 2020

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In the morning, we visit the Beatles Ashram also known as Chaurasi Kutia ashram belonged to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a famous guru who invented the transcendental meditation movement which fascinated the British band.

An option to have lunch at a very famous restaurant Chotiwala at an additional cost.

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In the afternoon, free time to explore Rishikesh. You may spend your time visiting various temples and Ashrams.

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In the evening, enjoy an Aarti ceremony. The Aarti is a pleasant ritual of worshipping the Ganga. Around 50-100 people visit the Aarti on any day. The ceremony at Rishikesh is held in a small place with a few people and is a relatively quiet affair. You can sit quietly in a corner and witness the ritual or join the crowds singing Bhajans with them. The Aarti happens at a very picturesque place on the banks of Ganga in front of a Shiva statue built on the river.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Yog Niketan Ashram

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Day Twelve: Friday 16th October 2020

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In the morning you will be picked up from your Ashram and driven to Shivpuri, about an hour drive, and experience 2 to 3 hours of white river rafting along River Ganges. Here, we encounter 7 rapids. We will be accompanied by trained guides, so you do not need any experience in River Rafting to take part in this experience. This is a great opportunity to conquer your fears and get your adrenalin going.

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After River Rafting, we will be collected at the Laxman Jhula Bridge and taken back to our hotel to freshen up. In the afternoon at leisure to do a yoga class or a spa treatment at the Ashram

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Yog Niketan in Rishikesh

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Day Thirteen: Saturday 17th October 2020

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After breakfast, we will explore the area around Laxman Jhula.

There may be an opportunity to visit a living Himalayan Master, meet astrologers, yogis and sadhus.

 

In the late afternoon, there will be a closing ceremony on the Banks of the Ganges

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Meals Included:  Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Yog Niketan in Rishikesh

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Day Fourteen: Sunday 18th October 2020

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Our Journey has come to an end.

After breakfast, we make our way to the local airport at Dehra Dun.

We take a short flight back to New Delhi.

 

For those that are heading home, we say our goodbyes. For the others that want to stay on for another day in Delhi check into a hotel at your own expense.

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Meals Included:  Breakfast