Golden Triangle with Aurangabad

Best time to visit: Throughout the year
Duration: 07 Nights / 08 Days
Routing:  Delhi - Jaipur - Abhaneri - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Delhi - Aurangabad - Mumbai Departure 

Best available hotels:

Delhi	Jaipur	Agra	Aurangabad
The Oberoi	Rambagh Palace, Jaipur	The Oberoi Amarvilas	Taj Vivanta Aurangabad

Trip Highlights
Delhi	Raj Ghat ,Jama Masjid , President’s house, Humayun’s tomb ,Qutub Minar
Jaipur	City palace , Jantar Mantar , Hawa Mahal,Amber fort and sheesh Mahal
FatehpurSikri	Emperor Akbar’s Residential complex , Mosque and tomb of Salim chisti
Abhaneri	Step well ‘Chand Baori and Harshat Mata Temple
Agra	Taj mahal,Agra fort , Mehtab Bagh , Itmad ud Daulah ,Sikandara
Aurangabad	Ajanta caves,Ellora caves,Girineshwar temples,Auranagabad caves ,Mini Taj and Shivaji Maharaja Musuem

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive Delhi
Arrive by International flight, after traditional Indian style ‘Swagat’ (Welcome) by Exceptional Escapes representative, he would assist you at the airport & transfer to hotel for check in.

Delhi takes pride in being the capital of the country for many dynasties. It is in fact a city wrapped in legend, where time flows differently, and where every moment becomes a moment of history. A vibrant melting pot, it encapsulates two very different worlds, the 'old' and the 'new', each representing delectably different experiences.

Enjoy rest of the free time in shopping at some High end Fashion stores of South Delhi – One of the most happening places of Delhi. Visit Craft Emporiums etc with our shopping expert.
Overnight Hotel – Delhi

Day 02: Delhi
Post breakfast start your day with a private guided city of Old Delhi

Old Delhi:
Raj Ghat, memorial to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. It is a simple black marble platform that marks the spot of his cremation20on 31 January 1948.
Continue the 17th century walled city of Shah Jahanabad, the great Jama Masjid, the principal mosque of Old Delhi. Built in the year 1656 AD by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, it is the largest & best known mosque in India.

Experience the rickshaw ride ‘a friendly local guides takes you through the bustling streets for an authentic glimpse of the ‘walled city’ in the heart of Delhi. As you travel by foot and rickshaw, explore KhariBaoli, Spice Market, Visit a Sikh temple & admire historical land mark and more…

Post lunch Continue private guided tour of New Delhi:

Drive past India Gate, and memorial built in the year 1931 to commemorate the Indian soldiers who died in the World War I & the Afghan Wars. The names of the soldiers who died in these wars are inscribed on the walls.

President's House, the official residence of the President of India, built in the year 1931. Until 1950 it was known as Viceroy's House & served as the residence of the Governor-General of British India.

Humayun's Tomb, memorial of Mughal Emperor Humayun, built in the year 1562. The complex is a World Heritage Site & the first example of this type of Mughal architecture in India.
Qutub Minar built in the year 1206 by Qutub-ud-din Aibek. It is the tallest (72m) brick minaret in the world, an important example of Indo-Islamic Architecture. QutubMinar& its monuments are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Optional: - Followed by escorted tour to view light & sound show at Red fort (Closed on Monday).
Overnight Hotel – Delhi (B)

Day 03: Delhi – Jaipur (Drive 262 Kms / 5-6 Hrs)
Post breakfast drive to Jaipur: popularly known as Pink City, the flamboyant & colourful capital of Rajasthan. With its rich & colourful past, resplendent with tales of velour & bravery, it is now one of the most important heritage cities in India. The city was founded in the year 1728 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber. It remains the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions of the universe, through nine rectangular sectors.

Rest of the day at leisure to explore the local market of PINK City.

Optional: Chokhi Dhani Rajasthani Village is a cultural tour with folk entertainment and mouth-watering Rajasthani food.
Overnight Hotel – Jaipur (B)

Day 04: Jaipur
Post breakfast private guided sightseeing of PINK City, Jaipur  

Start your day with an exciting adventure overwhelming experience of elephant ride at Amber Fort, the palace complex which stands to this date was commenced under the reign of Raja Man Singh.

City Palace a perfect blend of Rajasthani & Mughal architecture. The centre of the palace is a seven-storied building called Chandra Palace, with fine views over the gardens & the city.

Jantar Mantar (Solar Observatory) an astronomical treasure house, with solar devices that give accurate predictions till date.

Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), a five-storied structure of pink sandstone. It was built in the year 1799 so that veiled royal women could peer down the busy street market unseen by the world through its 593 stoneJharokas (mini windows).

Post Lunch day at leisure to explore the local market of PINK City.
Overnight Hotel – Jaipur (B)

Day 05: Jaipur – Abhaneri (96 Kms / 1:30 Hrs Approx)
Agra via FatehpurSikri (Drive 260 km - 6 hours)
Post breakfast drive to Abhaneri; a great historical site of the 7th Century Step well or “Bawri”, which is a unique invention of the natives. It is one of India's largest step wells and is located in front of the Harshat Mata Temple, an ancient 7th Century Sun Temple.  

Enjoy a camel ride through Abhaneri Village, visit to the onsite farm & experience the traditional village life from close quarter, followed by a traditional lunch.

Continue driven to Agra, en route a private guide visit to FatehpurSikri (Ghost Capital), the political capital of India's Mughal Empire under Akbar's reign, from the year 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned, ostensibly due to lack of water. Also visit Emperor Akbar's Residential complex, Mosque &Tomb of Salim Chisti.

Continue drive to Agra: beautifully situated on the banks of river Yamuna. It achieved prominence as the capital of the Mughal Emperors from the year 1526 to 1628, remains major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era monuments, most notably the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Fatehpur Sikri, all three are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Rest of the day leisure to explore local market and famous inlay marble art work of Agra.
Overnight Hotel – Agra (B)

Day 06: Agra – Delhi (Drive 220 Kms 4-5 Hrs. Approx.)
Delhi – Aurangabad (By Air India AI-441 @ 1750 / 1935 hrs)
Morning visit of Taj Mahal “Symbol of eternal LOVE Taj Mahal” at dawn (Closed on Friday), which stands on the banks of River Yamuna. It was built by the 5th Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan in the year 1631 in memory of his wife, MumtazMahal. It was completed in 22 years.

Post breakfast guided city tour of Agra

Agra Fort, taken over from the Lodhis by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. The Fort can be more accurately described as a walled palatial city. It was built from red sandstone, often inlaid with white marble & intricate decorations.

Itmad Ud Daulah;, one of the most beautiful of Mughal tombs, stands across the river Yamuna from the Taj Mahal, nearly one and a half kilometres up-stream. Belonging to the age of Jahangir, it contains cenotaphs of Mirza Ghiyas and Asmat Begum, parents of the powerful Mughal Empress Nurjahan queen of Jahangir, an exceptional beauty and an astute administrator. 

Later in time transfer to Delhi airport to board your flight to Aurangabad.         

Aurangabad; a village named Kirki where the city stands today. According to some historians, the city was founded in the year 1610 by Malik Ambar. He was the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah II of Ahmednagar, the then ruler of the Deccan (central parts of Southern India). In the year 1634, Aurangzeb was sent to Kirki as Governor of Deccan. In 1644, he moved to Agra to play an active role in Mughal politics. In 1681, the city again became the residence of Aurangzeb, who had now become Mughal Emperor. He lived there until his death in 1707. The modern name of the city was probably taken after his death.
On arrival our exceptional representative would assist you to transfer to hotel for check-in.
Overnight Hotel- Aurangabad (B)

Day 07: Aurangabad
Post breakfast full day Guide visit the Ajanta Caves (Closed on Monday) Nestling in an inner fold of the Sahyadri hills, 100 km from Aurangabad in the shape of a mammoth horse- shoe, are the 30 rockhewn caves of Ajanta. The Caves date from the 2nd century BC. Discovered in 1819 by a group of British army officers, these startling achievements took around 600 years to create. Ajanta Caves have been an UNESCO World Heritage Site specifically nominated for the international World Heritage program. 

Later drive back to Aurangabad.
Evening is FREE.
Overnight Hotel – Aurangabad (B)

Day 08: Aurangabad- Mumbai (Jet Airways 9W-692@ 1745 / 1850)
Mumbai Departure
Post breakfast guided visit of Ellora Caves (Closed on Tuesday) these enchanting caves were built in the time period between 5th and 10th century AD by the rulers of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty. They were built out of the vertical face of the Charanandri Hills and are 108 km from Ajanta Caves. The cave complex consists of 34 caves representing the three different religions of the world- Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism which is a proof that religious harmony existed during that time. It is also a World Heritage Site. There are temples as well as the monasteries inside the cave complex. The Kailash Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva inside cave 16 is the largest monolithic structure in the whole world.
Also visit the Girineshwar Temple.

If time allow visit Aurangabad Caves, situated at a distance of 5 km, nestled amidst the hills are Buddhist caves.Watch Mini Taj. Bibi ka Maqbara : the burial place of Aurangzeb's wife, Rabia-ud-Durrani. It is an imitation of the Taj Mahal at Agra. While returning visit PANCHAKKI- The 17th century water mill situated on Kham river side. An intriguing water mill, the Panchakki is famous for its underground water channel. Visit to Ch. Shivaji Maharaj Museum in city & move towards PAITHAN.  

Later in time transfer to Mumbai airport to board your International flight for onward journey taking back an Exceptional experience of India Holiday.

Tour Concludes: Exceptional Escapes Manager would assist you with your transfer to the airport for boarding onward flight.

Highlights & Inclusions:         

• Tried and Tested stylish hotel accommodation for 05 Nights.
• Meals as per the itinerary.
• Welcome soft drink on arrival at the hotel.
• 02 Bottle mineral water per person daily.
• All airport transfers, sightseeing and excursion tours as mentioned in the itinerary by Private vehicle with friendly chauffeur throughout the tour.
• IGST (Integrated Goods & Service Tax) A 24x7 customer care representative at your disposal throughout your stay in India.

Package does not include: Any Monument entry fee & camera fee, Any International or Domestic airfare, any optional service, any expense of personal nature such as hard/soft drinks, laundry, one/fax calls, tips etc. Any other expenses which is not mentioned in the “Package includes”