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Explore the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, see off the beaten track villages, ride the Himalayan Queen 'toy train' and visit important Sikh, Buddhist and Hindu religious pilgrimage sites at Amritsar, Mcleodganj and Haridwar.
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12 Days
Amritsar / Delhi
Explore the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, see off the beaten track villages, ride the Himalayan Queen 'toy train' a...
After touching down in the holy city of Amritsar, you'll be greeted by one of our staff members at the airport, who will transport you to your hotel. Once you've settled in, we'll explain what you can expect to experience on this India tour over the next few days, before arranging a time to collect you in the morning.
Today we'll make our way to the Golden Temple, which is the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion.
When you get there, have a look at its roof glistening in the sun. The entire top of the Golden Temple has been crafted out of pure gold, with its interior laden with jewels and gold leaf. Once you're inside, you'll feel the calming atmosphere of this holy place - regardless of your religious beliefs.
While you're here, you'll spend an hour at the temple's free community kitchen which feeds up to 100,000 people every day. You'll have a meal here, before spending some time doing Langar Seva - where you will help to serve and prepare food as well as clear and wash up - a small gift of our time and effort in thanks and support.
This afternoon, we'll make our way through the farmlands of Punjab, stopping to see the fresh produce before watching the daily Wagah Border ceremony at sunset, a military practice which the Indian and Pakistan security forces have done since 1959. They perform colourful, rapid dance-like manoeuvres, which signifies the brotherhood and cooperation between the two countries.
You'll travel back to Amritsar and you have the option to either go back to your hotel, have supper at a restaurant or go back to the Golden Temple to witness the Palki Sahib Ceremony, where the Holy Book - the Guru Granth Saab - is taken from the main shrine in the Hari Mandir to the sanctum, its resting place until the ceremony starts again in the morning. It also gives you a golden opportunity to explore the inside of the Golden Temple, which may have been busy with pilgrims earlier in the day.
Today we'll head to the base of the towering Himalayas to Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj. You have the day free to explore Mcleodganj's Buddhist monasteries, museums, temples, waterfalls, lakes, and Tibetan settlements. It's also the home of the Tibetan Government in Exile and the Dalai Lama's residence. Take in the stunning scenery and explore the local markets which sell exotic sculptures, souvenirs and Thangka paintings.
After a free day exploring Mcleod Ganj, your day starts with a tour of the Dalai Lama Monastery, where you'll attend a puja - a prayer session, that includes chanting mantras, bowing and making offerings. We'll offer lamps and Khagat religious cloth, made of silk and worn around our necks as a show of respect.
Afterwards, we'll make our way to the Bhagsunag Waterfall and Shiva Temple. The Temple is about one kilometre away from the main waterfall, which is flanked by cliffs and trees, providing you with spectacular views. If you'd like, you can even take a swim in its icy waters.
Once you're at the temple, be sure to visit the freshwater spring, which is believed to have healing powers. Its waters are channeled into large tanks and devotees bathe in it to cleanse their ailments.
Your final stop is a visit to the Naddi View Point, which breathtaking views of the Dhauladhar mountain ranges and the pristine Dal Lake below.
Your day begins with a tour of the Norbulingka Institute, which preserves the literary and artistic forms of the Tibetan culture, before visiting the Pragpur Heritage Village, which was founded in the 16th century by the Kuthiala Soods in memory of Princess Prag Dei of the Jaswan royal family.
You'll also visit the Dada Siba Temple, known for its murals and miniature wall paintings. After lunch, you explore the village a little more, before travelling to Garli - another heritage village in the Kangra Valley which boasts colonial style architecture, evident in its mansions, temples and sarais. We'll check in at our hotel, before a local guide walks us through the village and providing valuable insight into their history.
You'll head to Dharampur Himanchal to board the 'toy' train to Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, situated at the foothills of the Himalayas. Shimla used to be the summer capital of British India, and it remains the terminus of the Kalka-Shimla Railway, completed in 1903. Its narrow gauge railway is one of the world's most famous train journeys, and has since been named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a highlight of the tour.
Watch how the train steams its way up the hills, passing hundreds of bridges and tunnels along the way, every turn providing you with more breathtaking views.
You'll catch the Himalayan Queen service, missing the lowest section from Kalka, which shortens your journey quite a bit, but shows you the best scenery. The train stops regularly, so you can jump off and buy some snacks from one of the local vendors on the platforms.
You';ll arrive in Shimla in the afternoon and have time to settle in and look around. Shimla is also known for its craft shops, a pedestrian avenue, as well as the Lakkar Bazaar, a market specializing in wooden toys and crafts.
Feel free to explore Shimla this morning or you have an option to trek towards the Tara Devi Temple, located amongst a thick forest of oak and rhododendron and offers scenic views of the lofty Himalayas surrounding the town.
As afternoon comes around, you'll explore Shimla on foot, visiting its main attractions such as the Vice Regal Lodge, the Christ Church, the Gaeity Theatre, before taking a cable car ride to Jakhu Temple, Shimla's most famous temple, dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman. It's situated on the highest peak in Shimla at a height of 2,455 metres.
We have some free time this morning to finish looking around Shimla before we descend out of the hills again to catch a fast train from Chandigarh to Haridwar.
Haridwar is an ancient city on the banks of the River Ganges, and is an important Hindu pilgrimage site with thousands of pilgrims making their way there every year to bathe in the holy waters. The city is set at the point where the Ganges leaves the forested mountains for the plains below making it one of India's most beautiful city locations.
We spend the morning visiting the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar and seeing the many pilgrims taking a dip in the river at the main Har Ki Paudi ghat. Other stops today include the Shanti Kunj ashram, the Chandi Devi temple, which we reach by cable car, and the Pawan Dham temple which features many incredibly intricate glass and mirrored ornaments and depictions of Hindu gods.
We leave Haridwar this afternoon for the short drive to Rishikesh, another holy city on the banks of the Ganges. Rishikesh is renowned now as one of India's centres for yoga and meditation, as well as adventure activities with white water rafting on the Ganges particularly popular.
This evening we will head down to the river to experience the Aarti ceremony at Triveni Ghat. This nightly prayer session takes around an hour and is accompanied by the chanting of bhajans, beating drums and ringing bells. Devotees, and visitors, light oil lamps and candles, placing them in flower filled boats made from leaves, before releasing them into the holy waters of the river
We'll take a walking tour of Rishikesh today, along the river and between the Laxman Jhula and the Ram Jhula bridges. We'll pass various temples and the Shivananda, Parmarth Niketanj, Geeta Bhawan and Swarg Ashrams, and learn about the importance of yoga and meditation to the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and other religions.
The rest of the day is free to explore this fascinating town further.
Your day is free in Rishikesh today to explore independently, arrange some activities locally, or take one of our optional activities. These include a safari trip to the nearby Rajaji National Park in search of wild elephants and tigers, a cooking class with a local family, or an exciting white water rafting trip on the Ganges.
Later in the afternoon we return to Haridwar station to catch the fast train to Delhi for our final evening.
Our tour ends in Delhi today with free time and then a transfer to the airport for your departure.
A range of optional half day tours of the city are available if you have a late flight or add an extra day or more in Delhi, as well as longer extensions to visit the holy city of Varanasi or to do some safaris in search of tigers and other wildlife at Ranthambore National Park.
Discover the best of this destination on an unforgettable journey combining vibrant history with awe-inspiring sights.
Explore iconic landmarks, rich culture, and timeless wonders with expert guides and seamless travel.
Guaranteed departures with confirmed dates. Book early to secure your preferred date.
| Departure Date | Return Date | Availability | From price | Notes | |
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Travel exclusively with your family or friends on a private tour tailored to your pace and preferences.
Tell us what you have in mind and our travel specialists will help design a tour tailored to your interests, dates and budget.
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The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often use on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level.
Amritsar
McLeod Ganj
Garli
Shimla
Rishikesh
Haridwar
New Delhi
This 4-star hotel is one of the best known in Amritsar and has 69 rooms with free WiFI, a sauna, steam room and swimming pool. The location is good with several cafes and restaurants within easy walking distance.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the country you're visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Most other options can be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Most options are priced the same throughout the year, though some may have seasonal pricing or minimum number requirements - our sales team will advise the final pricing based on your travel date and number of passengers on your booking.
No optional extras are currently listed for this tour.
Option details are coming soon.
The detailed Tour Notes below provide important practical information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday.
We use good quality hotels rated at the Indian 3-star and 4-star level on this tour as well as some heritage properties. These heritage hotels are often converted from former palaces or merchant houses and are full of historical character, though they may feel a little dated. They are often a highlight of your stay.
The specific hotels listed on our website are our preferred hotels for our small-group tours. However, these may be changed from time to time based on current availability and other logistics. In this event alternative hotels of a similar standard will be used. If you would like to guarantee any particular hotels for your trip, please contact us to request a tailor-made otur.
Accommodation is based on twin or double en-suite rooms with air conditioning. All couples will receive a private double room.
Please check the Single Room Supplement option for details on room sharing options and charges for solo travellers on this tour.
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