Author's tour India - Golden Triangle with a visit to Khajuraho

At 09:00, after breakfast, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Delhi, the capital of modern India. With a history of over three thousand years, the city has seen the rise of many dynasties and rulers. Their legacy is preserved in numerous monuments, from the 13th-century Lodi Mausoleum to British Empire architecture such as the Parliament Building and the Presidential Palace. During the tour, you will see the India Gate, the Presidential Palace and government buildings (from the outside), and also visit the Lotus Temple and the Qutub Minaret. The Lotus Temple (closed on Mondays) is one of the most impressive temples in India. Its unique architecture, reminiscent of a lotus flower, makes it the largest and most beautiful Baha’i temple, symbolizing the unity of believers around the world. Another iconic landmark is the 72-meter-high Qutub Minar, built in the 12th–14th centuries. Its walls are decorated with elegant calligraphy, and it serves as a reminder of the Muslim rule in Delhi. Next, you will go to the Akshardham Temple, one of the most majestic Hindu temples in the world, listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Its height is 42 meters, and its width and length are 94 and 106 meters respectively. The temple is decorated with 234 columns, 9 domes, 20 turrets and more than 20 thousand sculptures. There are 148 figures of elephants along the perimeter of the building. The outer part of the temple is faced with pink stone, symbolizing love, and the inner part is white marble, personifying purity and the Absolute. In fact, this is not just a temple, but a whole complex, including light and music fountains, sculptures and canals along which you can take a boat ride. After a busy day, you will return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay in Delhi.

After breakfast we go to Samod, which is 40 km from Jaipur. This city is famous for its palace, which was inherited by the aristocratic Rawal family. The palace is more than 400 years old, but it has been restored many times. On the ground floor is the Sultan Mahal - a hall with marble columns, tiles and carved furniture brought from Nepal. We will walk through the halls of the palace and examine the Mirror and Durbar halls, immersing ourselves in the atmosphere of past times. On the hill above the palace is the Samod Fort, which has survived many years, but its walls have not managed to escape the traces of time. But the panorama opening from its walls is fascinating and eclipses other historical places. Afterwards we will ride on camel carts through a traditional Rajasthan village, and the journey will end in the Samod Bagh garden, located 3 km from the palace. A lot of effort and money has been spent on restoring this garden. Then we return to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Jaipur, known as the "Pink City", was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in yellow tones, and in the mid-19th century, all the buildings were repainted pink in honor of the visit of the English Prince Albert. In this city, you will have unforgettable walks along the pink streets, viewing fabrics and saris, as well as getting acquainted with traditional jewelry that you can try on. Night and dinner at the hotel in Jaipur.

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we go to Amber Fort, located 11 km north of Jaipur. Here, in the Aravalli Hills, was once the ancient capital of Jaipur. The fort was started by Maharaja Man Singh in 1592 and is a complex of palaces, pavilions and temples. You can climb to the top of the fort on an elephant, enjoying music. The Maharaja's apartment offers a beautiful view of the gorge. In the afternoon - a city tour, including a visit to the Jantar Mantar observatory, built in 1728, as well as the City Palace, which contains collections of Mughal costume and weapons. We will also look at the outside of Hawa Mahal - the famous Palace of the Winds, built in 1799. Jaipur is famous not only for its fabrics, but also as a center of jewelry production. You will visit a workshop where jewelry is made, as well as a textile factory, where you can see unique Indian fabrics. Ladies will be able to try on sarees and men will be able to try on traditional kurtas. In the evening, visit the Birla Temple, an example of modern architecture dedicated to Lakshmi and Narayan. Overnight and dinner at a hotel in Jaipur.

After an early breakfast, we leave for Agra, with our first stop at the Giriraj Dharan Temple, dedicated to Krishna, built in the South Indian style. In Abaneri, we will see the Chand Baori stepwell, which is considered to be the deepest and most amazing structure of its kind. We will also visit the Harshita Mata Temple and visit the "dead city" of Fatehpur Sikri, which was built by Emperor Akbar. This city was the capital of the Great Mughals, but was abandoned due to lack of water. On arrival in Agra, we check into the hotel and have dinner.

After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour of Agra to see the famous Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz. It took 22 years to build and involved 20,000 artisans. Then visit Agra Fort, where Shah Jahan spent the last years of his life. The afternoon is spent visiting Sikandra, home to Akbar’s tomb, and Itimad-ud-Daulah, a beautiful mausoleum built by Nur Jahan. After the tour, visit a marble workshop. Then drive to Vrindavan, known as the “city of five thousand temples.” We visit Prem Mandir and the Hare Krishna temple before returning to Agra. Overnight and dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to railway station to proceed to Jhansi. On arrival, transfer to Orchha where we visit medieval monuments including Jehangir's Palace and Rama Raja Temple. Proceed to Khajuraho and check in at the hotel. Overnight and dinner at the hotel.

Morning tour of the Khajuraho temples, built between 950 and 1050 CE. These temples are famous for their carvings depicting scenes from the Kama Sutra. We will also visit the Matangeshwara Temple, where worship is still held. After lunch, transfer to Jhansi and board a train to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, transfer to the international airport for your flight.

The tour is over and we are being transferred to the airport.