This 4-day extension tour explores India's rich cultural heritage in the Central region. Visit Jaipur for a view of old and modern India, as well as numerous ancient ruins located throughout the city. Make a list of all your experiences and use them to inspire you to write your own version of The Jungle Book. Visit Varanasi, the greatest Hindu pilgrimage site for centuries, and watch the Ganges for a magnificent Aarti (prayer) ceremony, the shimmering bacon of devotion, before returning to New Delhi.
Highlights
Visit the Amber Fort, the most iconic monument in Jaipur.
Walk through the mystical landscape of poets, sacred temples, holy ponds near Assi ghat, in the southernmost of the Ganga river.
Ride a boat for a spiritually enlightening and picturesque Varanasi leading down to the water on the western bank of the Ganges.
Witness religious rituals being performed in Varanasi and Ganges.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Jaipur: The capital city of Rajasthan, also known as "Pink City" owes its name, its foundation, and planning to the great warrior astronomer Maharaja Jai Singh II. The city sits on a dry lakebed in a wild and somewhat arid landscape, surrounded by barren hills surmounted by fortresses and crenelated walls.
After the city tour, transfer to Jaipur Airport for a flight to Varanasi.
Varanasi or Benaras (also known as Kashi) is one of the oldest living cities in the world. The Varanasi's Prominence in Hindu mythology is virtually unrevealed. The land of Varanasi (Kashi) has been the ultimate pilgrimage spot for Hindus for ages and believes to have the power to wash away the sins of mortals.
In the evening, visit the Ganges for a glittering Aarti (prayer) ceremony and witness the ceremony as a shining beacon of devotion and bliss the divinity in and around us. Witness this religious ritual is performed and a truly unique experience. The magical quality of the evening begins with a slow upriver float from Assi Ghat as the sun cascades across the city skyline. Aarti ceremony begins with lighting up the multi-tiered ceremonial brass lamps and a well-synchronized and rhythmic chanting of the holy mantras. While some priests blow the conch shells to sanctify the atmosphere, other priests begin waving the incense sticks to worship Mother Ganga.
The Subah or morning Banaras! Get up early at the crack of dawn with us for this boat journey. Spiritually enlightening and fantastic photogenic, Varanasi is at its brilliant best by the ghats, the long stretch of steps leading down to the water on the western bank of the Ganges. Observe the living traditions of one of the oldest religions. Ride a boat from Assi Ghat to Manikarnika ghat will be conducted to enjoy a beautiful & colorful view of River Ganga in mellow light and watch pilgrims perform morning -a prayer to the rising sun. Be amazed by the color palette that surrounded, like the red and golden color of the water of the Ganges, temples, ‘ashrams’, and pavilions. Venture again down the Ghats as much less crowded than the evening before, going back to Assi Ghat to witness the morning Aarti (prayer). Get back on the boat and cruise down to Kedar Mandir. As Varanasi wakes up, watch the many priests coming to the banks for their rituals and many children taking their morning baths.
Historical Walk – Southern Temples & Sacred Ponds Walk A walk through the mystical landscape of poets, sacred temples, holy ponds near Assi ghat, the southernmost embankment of the Holy Ganga river, walk in the footsteps of 16th century Banaras poet and mystic PanditGoswamiTulsidas, translator of the sacred Ramanyana text. Listen about the history and unique culture of Varanasi while visiting the Southern temple established by Tulsidas! The walk ends with a special darshan, meaning (taking sight) of a hidden sun temple behind his home. In the late evening, walk through the city of learning & burning and see Banaras when it is known as (Mahashamstana), the great cremation ground of Shiva.
Early morning yoga session at Ghat: Yoga presents a unique combination of physical, metaphysical, and supernatural elements. According to Hindu mythology, Varanasi liberates the soul from the human body to the ultimate. It is the Ganga Ghats of Varanasi that complement the concept of divinity. Experience early morning Yoga sessions on these Ghats by the yoga masters of Varanasi. Be ready to witness the liberating embrace of Mother Nature as you breathe the fresh early morning air and practice yoga which in itself is rejuvenating for the senses.
On-time departure transfer to airport to board the flight for New Delhi.
Day 4: New Delhi | Return Home
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board the flight going home/onward journey.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is 25% (20% is non-refundable at the time of booking), and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and a maximum of $20,000 charge
This was our first trip to South America and we were a little nervous. But Adventure Life made things so easy! All our questions were answered before we left, and our guide, Vidal, was amazing! He gave us enough space to explore without rushing us along. He also knew where the best picture taking opportunities were, which was great.
Lindsay Gompf
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
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1 day ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.