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Extension: The Taj Mahal and Agra

Program Number: 19869RJ
Start and End Dates:
10/15/2013 - 10/20/2013; 10/26/2013 - 10/31/2013; 11/21/2013 - 11/26/2013; 3/22/2014 - 3/27/2014; 4/5/2014 - 4/10/2014; 4/15/2014 - 4/20/2014;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Agra
Price starting at: $1,544.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 12; 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

After an inspiring high-altitude adventure in the Nepalese Himalayas, forge a connection with another mystical region by immersing yourself in the cultural wonders of India’s Golden Triangle. Make your way to important historical sites by way of the bustling marketplaces in Delhi and Agra. Spend a morning at the Taj Mahal, visit the tower of Qutub Minar and walk amongst locals at the India Gate.




Highlights

• Embark on an early morning visit to the Taj Mahal to watch the sun rise.
• Take a rickshaw ride through Chandini Chawk, one of the oldest marketplaces in Delhi.
• Visit Fatehpur Sikri, a historic city that once served as the region’s capital and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.



Activity Particulars

Walking on uneven terrain; some stairs.



This program may only be taken as an extension to "Trekking in Nepal: The Height of Adventure in the Himalayas (#20336)." If booking your own flights, please refer to the day-by-day itinerary for correct arrival and departure dates.



Itinerary Summary

Arrival Delhi, 2 nights; coach to Agra, 2 nights; coach to Delhi, 1 night; departure.



Arrival Delhi
2 nights

Visit Lal Quila — or Red Fort — a 17th-century fort complex built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan before making your way to Jama Masjid Rajghat Raj Ghat, the largest mosque in Asia. Delight in a rickshaw ride through the marketplace of Chandini Chawk and enjoy a walk along India Gate where locals congregate.



Coach to Agra
2 nights

Learn about the history of Qutub Minar, the world’s tallest minaret, before taking in the sight of the incredible mausoleum of Akbar at Sikandara. Watch the sun rise during an early morning visit to the Taj Mahal and explore Agra Fort, one of the many residences of Shah Jahan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel in the white marble architecture of the tomb of Itmad-Ud–Daula.



Coach to Delhi
1 night
Departure

Explore Fatehpur Sikri, a historic city whose mosque and surviving palace are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.




Agra

Agra lies on the banks of the Yamuna River in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It achieved fame as the capital of the Mughal emperors from 1526 to 1658. Many of the splendid Mughal-era buildings still exist today, most notably the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. All three are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Accommodations
Delhi: Elegant hotel on lush, sprawling seven-acre grounds. Agra: Four-star hotel set in quiet landscape of gardens, within walking distance of the Taj Mahal.
Meals and Lodgings
   Suryaa New Delhi
  Delhi, India 2 nights
   Trident Hotel Agra
  Agra, India 2 nights
   Mapple Emerald Hotel
  Delhi, India 1 night
 Suryaa New Delhi
Type: Five-Star Hotel
  Description: The Suryaa New Delhi is a 5 Star Deluxe Hotel located in the heart of New Delhi, a mere 35 minute drive from the International Airport & adjacent to Delhi's business districts - Nehru Place, Pragati Maidan-International Trade Fair venue, Okhla & Noida Export Promotion Zone.
  Contact info: New Friends Colony
New Delhi,  110 025 India
phone: +911126835070
web: www.thesuryaanewdelhi.com/
  Room amenities: Satellite TV, CD Player, DVD Player, In-Room Movies, Coffee Maker, Mini-Refrigerator, Mini Bar, Wi-Fi Internet, Phone with Voicemail, Bathrobe, Hairdryer, Bathtub, In-Room Safe, Air Conditioning & Iron/Ironing Board
  Facility amenities: Laundry/Dry Cleaning, Multi-lingual Staff, Administrative Services, Concierge Services, Barber/Hair Stylist, Business Center, Currency Exchange, Fax, Gift Shop, Room Service, Health Club, Indoor Pool, Health Spa/Massage, Outdoor Pool, Hot Tub, ATM & Safe Deposit Box
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: n/a Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services for more information.

 Trident Hotel Agra
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: The hotel is within walking distance of the Taj Mahal, set in a quiet landscape of gardens.
  Contact info: Fatehabad Rd.
Agra,  282 001 India
phone: +91 562 223 5000
web: www.tridenthotels.com/agra/index.asp
  Room amenities: 138 rooms with central air-conditioning with individually controlled thermostat, mini-bar, electronic safes, tea- and coffee-making facility, direct-dial telephones with dataport connection, Internet access, satellite television, hair dryer. Nonsmoking rooms available.
  Facility amenities: Restaurants and Bars, outdoor swimming pool, barber shop, beauty salon, concierge desk, gift shop, safety deposit box, laundry service, foreign currency exchange, and business center.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Mapple Emerald Hotel
Type: Hotel
  Description: Nestled between the throbbing city of New Delhi & the business hub of Gurgaon, spread over sprawling 7 acres, Mapple Emerald is a bustling Business & leisure hotel. With well appointed rooms, lush green lawns, spacious banquet halls & state of the art conference facilities - it has a plethora of options to host any indoor/outdoor event.
  Contact info: National Highway - 8, Rajokri, New Delhi
Rajokri
New Delhi,   India
phone: +91 .11.2566.1661
web: www.mapplehotels.com/city-newdelhi/overview.asp?links=jd1&htID=7
  Room amenities: Mini bar/tea coffee maker, An electronic safe, LCD & hairdryer, Hi-speed internet
  Facility amenities: Business center, Banquet Halls, Meeting Rooms, Gymnasium, Foreign Exchange assistance, Doctor on call
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights after: TBA Please contact program provider for price.


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Program starts on October 13, 2012 at the program hotel in Delhi. You will be staying at Suryaa New Delhi that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends after lunch on October 18, 2012 at the program hotel. You will be staying at Mapple Emerald Hotel the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. On January 15th, 2010 India changed its laws regarding re-entry to India with a tourist visa. Currently tourists re-entering India within 2 months are required to get a re-entry visa. Due to the complexity of these laws, there is still some ambiguity on what documentation is required for tourists traveling with a group. We ask that you please carry a copy of your full flight itinerary with you when you enter India for the first time, and show this to the customs officials.
  Required innoculations:
Yes: There are no vaccinations required to enter India unless visitors are coming from a contaminated area. However, it is always a good idea to check with your personal physician before going abroad. Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, MMR, and DPT are given at all stages of life should be up to date. Malaria pills are a consideration. Please check with your doctor or travel clinic.
  Parking availability:
N/A
Transportation (For Independent Travelers)
To Start of Program
  Location:  Delhi
  Transportation to site: This program, Extension: The Taj Mahal and Agra is designed as a post extension of your main program 20336, Trekking in Nepal: The Height of Adventure in the Himalayas. All transfers from the main program to the post-extention are included in your program cost.
  From End of Program
  Location: Delhi
  Transportation from site: You may want to inquire with the concierge at Mapple Emerald Hotel about alternative transportation services from the hotel to the airport. Private arrival and departure transfers -at an additional cost- may be arranged in advance by the calling Road Scholar Travel Services.
    (Additional transportation information same as above)


Required innoculations:

Yes: There are no vaccinations required to enter India unless visitors are coming from a contaminated area. However, it is always a good idea to check with your personal physician before going abroad. Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, MMR, and DPT are given at all stages of life should be up to date. Malaria pills are a consideration. Please check with your doctor or travel clinic.

The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Welcome to Delhi
(Saturday, October 26)
   
 Afternoon: Afternoon arrival in Delhi.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Suryaa New Delhi
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Old Delhi and the Legacy of Gandhi
(Sunday, October 27)
   
 Breakfast: Buffet breakfast in the hotel.
 Morning: Then, depart for an excursion to Old Delhi. Drive past the Red Fort, and then go on a bicycle rickshaw ride around the heart of Chandini Chowk, - named for the silver merchants - navigating narrow alleyways, and a bustle of people, to end at Jama Masjid, the largest Muslim mosque in India. Continue on to the Raj Ghat - the cremation ground of Mahatma Gandhi.
 Lunch: In a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Drive past the India Gate, Parliament house and the Rashtrapati Bhawan (Delhi). India Gate is constructed as a memorial and was built in the memory of 90,00 soldiers who laid down their lives during world war I. Today, it stands as a popular hang out spot for locals, where can you can watch monkeys perform, enjoy a camel ride, blow soap bubbles all over the lawns, play with balloons and just experience the vividness of India come alive.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
   
Accommodations: Suryaa New Delhi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Depart for Agra / The Monuments of the Moghul Empire
(Monday, October 28)

Note: Transfer to Agra will take about 4 1/2 hours with rest stops.
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: After breakfast, visit Qutb Minar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The surrounding archaeological area of this site contains funerary buildings, notably the magnificent Alai-Darwaza Gate, the masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art (built in 1311), and two mosques, including the Quwwatu'l-Islam, the oldest in northern India, built of materials reused from some 20 Brahman temples. Then depart to Agra.
 Lunch: Lunch en route to Agra.
 Afternoon: En route, your Study Leader presents an overview of Indian History. At the mausoleum and tomb of the mighty Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor -the son of Emperor Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India - discover the legacy of Sikandra and the Moghuls. The tomb has three-storeyed red sandstone minarets displaying wondrous inlay work of marble on the four corners of the building. 'Langurs', black-faced monkeys have found a safe haven in the beautiful gardens surrounding the mausoleum and often stray to the walkways too. The construction of the mausoleum was begun by Akbar but completed in 1613 by his son, Emperor Jehangir. Continue your drive to Agra. Upon arrival in the late afternoon, check in and relax for the rest of the evening.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
   
Accommodations: Trident Hotel Agra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Sunrise at the Taj Mahal
(Tuesday, October 29)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel upon return from the Taj Mahal.
 Morning: Set out pre-dawn to watch the rising sun bathe the pristine white marble of the Taj Mahal in warm hues of gold, ochre and orange. Take some time to explore the exquisite grounds and view the highly decorated inside chamber. Next, visit Agra Fort. Originally planned as an impregnable military structure by Akbar, the Agra Fort, over a period of time, acquired all the elegance, lavishness and majesty of an imperial palace.
 Lunch: Observe a cooking demonstration in a private home, then feast on the meal specially prepared for you.
 Afternoon: Depart for Itmad Ud Daula and Mehtab Bagh to view Taj Mahal. Itmad- Ud - Daula is the first tomb in India built entirely with white marble. Mehtab Bagah translated as "Moonlight Garden" rests in front of the Taj. The octagonal pool in the centre of the terrace would reflect the image of the Mausoleum and thus the garden would provide a setting to view the Taj Mahal.
 Dinner: At the hotel.
   
Accommodations: Trident Hotel Agra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Fatehpur Sikr / Drive to Delhi
(Wednesday, October 30)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Depart to Delhi. En route, explore Fatehpur Sikr, the deserted sandstone city built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. A variety of architectural styles are found, since craftsmen representing many schools were employed. Originally planned as the capital, a shortage of water compelled Akbar to abandon his plans.
 Lunch: En route.
 Afternoon: Check into day room before your early morning flight home.
 Dinner: Dinner on your own.
 Evening: Late evening transfers to the airport for your early morning flight home.
   
Accommodations: Mapple Emerald Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Return flight home
(Thursday, October 31)
   
 Arrive To: Arrival back home.
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi


Author: William Dalrymple


Description: Dalrymple infectiously interweaves his own experiences over a year in Delhi with the art, architecture, history and literature of the city.



Delhi, Jaipur, Agra Map


Author: Globetrotter


Description: Covering Northern India and the neighboring Himalayas, this double-sided map also features detailed city plans, site diagrams and an index.



Eyewitness Guide Delhi, Agra and Jaipur


Author: Anuradha Chaturvedi (Editor)


Description: With chapters on Taj Mahal, Amber Fort Palace, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Red Fort and dozens of other highlights for the traveler, this compact, gorgeously illustrated guide to Delhi and its environs features 900 color photographs, maps and site plans.



Hindu Art and Architecture


Author: George Michell


Description: An excellent survey of Hindu art and architecture, explaining the meaning and construction of principal images and buildings, as well as the development of Hinduism and the corpus of myths that have influenced its artistic tradition.



In Spite of the Gods, The Strange Rise of Modern India


Author: Edward Luce


Description: Luce tackles the challenges and reality of the world's largest democracy with insight and balance in this portrait of a nation in transition.



India


Author: Stanley Wolpert


Description: Reflections on India - its religion and philosophy, its art, culture, and politics - by the dean of the country’s Ameri-can historians: beautifully written, and provocative as well as evocative.



India, A Traveler's Literary Companion


Author: Chandrahas Choudhury (Editor)


Description: Each of these 14 stories evokes place and landscape, providing an excellent introduction both to contemporary writers and to India's diverse cultures and history.



India, In Word and Image


Author: Eric Meola (Photographer)


Description: Meola deftly pairs colorful photographs of people, traditions, art and architecture with choice quotations by Salman Rushdie, R. K. Narayan, Jhumpa Lahiri and others in this dazzling visual celebration of the culture and pagaentry of India.



Midnight's Children


Author: Salman Rushdie


Description: Crowned Best of the Booker in 2008, Rushdie's greatest novel is a madcap, comic take on the birth of modern India in all its splendid and unexpected manifestations.



Mughal India, Splendours of the Peacock Throne


Author: Valerie Berinstain, Paul Bahn (Translator)


Description: This illustrated pocket guide presents the history, culture and splendor of the Mughal court and its celebrated architecture in hundreds of archival photographs and drawings.



Taj Mahal


Author: Giles Tillotson, Mary Beard (Editor)


Description: An enlightening pocket guide to the myth, meaning and legends of the celebrated tomb, "the queen of architecture."





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