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Nepal, Bhutan & the Golden Triangle Gold Tour21 days duration (including travel time back to Australia)
You depart today aboard your flight bound for India, where you arrive late this evening after a plane change in Singapore. After clearing Customs and Immigration in Delhi, you are met and taken to your hotel for the night. (Meals in flight)
Following breakfast you are taken to the airport for your flight to Katmandu the capital of the ancient mountain kingdom of Nepal. Here you meet up with the rest of the group. Kathmandu has the air of a medieval city with a maze of narrow streets, wooden temples and beautifully decorated palaces. In the background there is often the gentle sound of jangling cymbals and the markets are a rich blend of colours and aromas. On arrival we are met and taken to our centrally located hotel. In the evening we are introduced to the culture of Nepal with a Cultural dance and dinner at a local restaurant. (BD)
This morning we are taken on a sightseeing tour of Katmandu visiting amongst others the Temple of Kumari, the residence of the living Goddess with its carved wooden balconies and windows and the fabulous Buddhist Stupa of Swayambhunath, which is said to be over 2,000 years old and popularly known as monkey temple.
In the afternoon we visit Patan City or “the city of fine arts” as it is also known. Here we visits Patan Durbar Square, situated in the heart of the city, it is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments (BLD)
This morning we are taken to Boudhanath which is possibly the world's largest Buddhist stupa and a site of great veneration for Buddhists. Around the stupa, a number of monasteries of the different sects of Tibetan Buddhism have sprung up which include one that houses an enormous, splendidly adorned, seated statue of Maitreya Buddha. We also visit Pashupatinath, the most sacred of Hindu temples in Nepal and situated on the banks of the holy Bagmati River.
In the afternoon we visit Bhaktapur City or the “city of devotees” as it is sometimes called. It is shaped like a conch shell and was the setting for the major Hollywood production “The Little Buddha”. Pottery and weavings are its traditional industries. (BLD)
Today is an early start as we are taken to the airport for a scenic flight around the Himalayan Mountains. During the approximately one hour flight we should see, amongst many others, Mt. Everest reaching up 8,848 meters into the sky. Following the flight we remain at the airport until our flight to Paro in Bhutan departs later this morning. On arrival we are met and taken for lunch before being taken by road to Thimphu, the capital. Exquisitely beautiful and brimming with traditional Bhutanese art, architecture, and culture, this tiny capital of Bhutan is nothing less than Shangri-La. (BLD)
Today's full day of sightseeing in the Thimphu valley will be our first real introduction to the way of life in this peaceful part of the world. We start the day with a walk to Tango Goemba, a monastery of the Mahayana school of Buddhism located outside the city. Here we are given the opportunity to witness how the locals are trained in the Buddhist way of life. In the afternoon we visit the National Library, which was established in the late 1960s to conserve the country's literary treasures, which form a significant part of Bhutan's cultural heritage.
While in the area we visit the nearby Institute for Zorig Chusum, commonly known as the Painting School, where students spend six years training in the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan. (BLD)
Following breakfast we drive past the Trashi Chhoe Dzong (Fortress of the Glorious Religion); a distinctively Bhutanese fortress-monastery erected in 1641on our way to visit the National Memorial Chorten with its finely executed wall paintings and delicately fashioned statues giving us a deep insight into the kingdom's Buddhist culture. Following the visit we are driven to Paro, located in a beautiful valley which encapsulates a rich culture, scenic beauty and hundreds of myths and legends. It is home to many of Bhutan's oldest temples and monasteries and the National Museum.
Mt. Chomolhari (7,300m) reigns in white glory at the northern end of the valley, its glacial waters plunging through deep gorges to form the Pa Chu (Paro River). Today we visit Rinpung Dzong or the 'Fortress of the Heap of Jewels', which was built in 1646. The approach to the Dzong is through a traditional covered bridge (called the Nemi Zam) and then up a paved stone path running alongside the imposing outer walls. We also visit Ta Dzong, which is located on a ridge immediately overlooking Rinpung Dzong and was originally built as a watchtower to protect the dzong. It is now the National Museum and holds a fascinating collection of art, relics, religious thangkha paintings, Bhutan's exquisite postage stamps, coins and handicrafts, together with a small natural history collection. (BLD)
This morning we are taken to see the ruins of the Drukgyel Dzong, perched in the mountains and the departure point for many long-distance mountain treks. This dzong, with a picturesque village nestling below its ramparts, was built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to commemorate his victory over the Tibetan invaders. Following the visit we undertake a walk to the Taktshang Monastery, the most famous of Bhutan's monasteries, which is perched on the side of a cliff 900 m above the Paro valley floor. It is said that Guru Rinpoche arrived here on the back of a tigress and meditated at this place, hence the monastery is also called 'Tiger's Nest'. This site is a place of pilgrimage which Bhutanese try to visit at least once in a lifetime. Though the climb is steep, the journey is most worthwhile on account of the superb views en-route. (BLD)
Early this morning we are taken to the airport for our flight to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi we are taken to our hotel for a two-night stay. In the afternoon we visit Bahai Temple or the Lotus Temple, a building looking a bit like the Sydney Opera House, which is the temple of all religions. This is followed by a Dances of India show and dinner. (BD)
Today we undertake a comprehensive tour of Old and New Delhi in which we get to see India Gate, the Houses of Parliament, Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid, one of Asia’s largest mosques. We undertake an interesting rickshaw ride through the narrow streets and colorful alleys of Old Delhi's market places before returning to our hotel for the night. (BL)
Following a leisurely breakfast we are taken by road to Agra. In the afternoon we visit the Agra Fort and Itimad-ud-Daulah, a beautiful tomb with marble and intricate etchings in its walls. We also visit a marble factory to see the craftsmen at work using traditional methods to form the tiny mosaic tiles from semi precious and precious stones and learn how the delicate marble inlaying is done. (B)
Early today we visit what is one of the absolute highlights of the tour: - the Taj Mahal, built in memory of his beloved empress, Mumtaz Mahal, by Emperor Shah Jahan. This marble mausoleum is the greatest gesture of love known to mankind. It is breathtakingly beautiful with many precious stones used in its inlays. Timed to correspond with the sunrise, we have ample time to explore this memorial before returning to our hotel for a late leisurely breakfast. Following breakfast we are taken by road to Ranthambore National Park. (BLD)
Ranthambore National Park is one of the largest national parks in northern India. It is known for its tigers and is one of the best places in India to see these majestic predators. Tigers can be seen during the day time and a good time to visit is in late November / December and May when the dry deciduous forests make sightings more common. Today we undertake both a morning and afternoon safari with time at leisure during the heat of the day. (BLD)
We again spend today undertaking morning and afternoon safaris in search of Tiger and other interesting wildlife to be found in the national park. (BLD)
Today we are taken to Jaipur the Capital of Rajasthan and often referred to as the “Pink City” where we spend the next two nights staying in royal opulence. We have the remainder of the day at leisure to enjoy our hotel and its’ surroundings. (BL)
This morning we visit the ornately decorated Amber Fort, located just outside the city before having the afternoon at leisure to enjoy our Palace hotel or to explore your surroundings. (BD)
Following breakfast we undertake a city tour visiting the highlights which include the Hawa Mahal, or the “Palace of Winds” and the Jantar Mantar (Astronomical Observatory). Early this afternoon we are taken to the airport for our flight to Jodhpur, also called the “Blue City” and located on the edge of the Thar Desert. On arrival we are taken to the Umaid Bhawan Palace which is also our place of accommodation this evening. It is the largest art-deco residence in the world and now home to the head of the royal family, a museum and a hotel. (BL)
After breakfast we visit the Mehrangarh Fort. Towering over the city, it contains a number of grand palaces, each of which is an impressive example of architectural excellence. Following our visit to the fort with its magnificent views, we are driven through the rugged, wooded hills of Rajasthan to the Jain Temples of Ranakpur. Noted for the grandiose scale of their architecture, the resident priests are still continuing the construction to this day. Following a tour and lunch we complete the drive to Udaipur, also known as the “Lake City”. (BL)
We start the day with a visit to the famous City Palace. It is actually a collection of palaces all surrounded by the royal palace walls which stretch over a mile on the eastern side of the lake. This afternoon is at leisure to enjoy our magnificent Palace hotel, go shopping or just explore the market place. This evening we undertake a sunset boat cruise on Lake Pichola before we host an “End of Tour” Dinner. (BLD)
This morning is at leisure to make the most of the final shopping or to relax around our hotel before we are taken to the airport for our flight to Delhi. On arrival we are taken for dinner before returning to the airport for our flight to Singapore departing later tonight. (BD)
On arrival in Singapore we remain in transit until your Singapore Airlines flight to Australia departs. You arrive home later this evening. (Meals in flight)
Welcome Home! All prices are subject to currency fluctuations, additional airline charges and changes in costs from ground suppliers. We reserve the right to vary any part of the tour at our sole discretion as circumstances may require.
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