SACRED RIVERS AND ANCIENT FORTS
Experience the largest Hindu festival, the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj (Allahabad), during this tour. During the festival, many Hindus flock to the holy Ganges to bathe there to wash off their sins. The highlight of the Kumbh Mela is the "Peshwai," a procession of thousands of Hindu Naga Sadhum monks flanked by festively dressed elephants, horses and conjuring musicians. After the procession, these naked "holy men," smeared with the ashes of the deceased, ritually cleanse themselves in "sangam," the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna. Also in Varanasi, you will encounter many religious rituals along the banks of the Ganges, where the water floods the lower steps to the ghats and serves as a cremation site.
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur
The first few days will give you time to explore Delhi at leisure, including the markets, mosques and monuments. You will go to Chandi Chowk to breathe in the daily life and experience the smells and colors of India. In Agra, visit the iconic Taj Mahal and the beautiful Red Fort at sunrise. From the hills surrounding Jaipur, there are stunning views of the Amber Fort, an almost palatial structure of sandstone with white marble. As a sign of hospitality, the old town of Jaipur was painted pink in the eighteenth century and visitors are still welcome. In the shady palace garden of the City Palace, sip tea at the same spot where the rulers of the Singh Empire enjoyed their cup of chai in the eighteenth century. Where the world can't find you...
TIPS & TOPS Festival Trip Kumbh Mela 2025:
- The Kumbh Mela festival takes place alternately in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik; the entire cycle lasts twelve years
- During the festival, you will stay in a beautiful luxury camp near Allahabad
- In Delhi, explore the magnificent Humayun's Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed funerary monument
- Take a ride by bicycle rickshaw in Chandi Chowk and tour Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (Sikh temple)
- Enjoy a delicious homemade dinner in Delhi, while enjoying heartwarming conversations at a local family's house
- Visit Sarnath temple, cradle of Buddhism
- Explore Varanasi on a guided walk through millennia-old alleys the holy temples and the sacred Maha Aarti at Ganga Ghat
- A boat ride on the Ganges (preferably at sunset) is a perfect time to watch life on the waterfront of Varanasi
- Over a local lunch at Garh Himmat Singh, get to know the local village life of eastern Rajasthan better
- Visit the Jhalana Leopard Safari Park on an evening jeep safari
- Old Lucknow is renowned throughout the country for its food; your guide will lead you through the very best addresses for lassi, kebab, nihari and malai gilori
- In Lucknow, visit the Martinere College, the British Residency, AsafiImambara and HussainabadImambara
- The Taj Mahal in Agra has been declared one of the seven new wonders of the world. Visit it at sunrise, when you will be ahead of the crowds and the colors are at their best
- In 'the pink city' Jaipur, visit the Amber Fort, City Palace and the Palace of the Winds
