13D12N Spirituality and Wellness in India

Exceptional Experiences:

• Stay overnight in the former residence of Jaipur royalty, the breathtaking Rambagh Palace.

• Take an exciting rickshaw ride through the narrow alleys and also visit India’s largest mosque, built by the Mughal Emperors.

• Take part in a hands-on lesson in ancient Indian astrology

• Participate in the holistic wellness programmes offered by Ananda.

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Itinerary:

DAY 1: DELHI, INDIA

Depart Singapore and touch down in Delhi, India. Meet your local guide and they will seamlessly whisk you to your awaiting vehicle. Your home in Delhi will be the ultra-modern Oberoi Hotel, an elegant bastion of world-class luxury.

Accommodation: 5* The Oberoi, New Delhi

DAY 2: DELHI, INDIA (B/L/D)

Spend a day exploring India’s capital city. With its orderly, spacious, tree-lined avenues, New Delhi exhibits a unique blend of British and Indian styles. Explore the highlights including Humayun’s Tomb and the government buildings. After lunch, embark on a visit to old Delhi, with its twisting maze of streets lined with buildings that span the ages. Here, we take an exciting rickshaw ride through the narrow alleys and also visit India’s largest mosque, built by the Mughal Emperors.

Accommodation: 5* The Oberoi, New Delhi

DAY 3: AGRA, INDIA (B/L/D)

Today, after breakfast, set off to visit Agra. Beloved Agra was the capital of the Mughals in the 16th and 17th centuries, and most of the Mughals’ most famous monuments are here: including the magical Taj Mahal.

Go back to an era of Emperors and Princes when you check into your accommodation and you will certainly feel like royalty in your gorgeous room, decorated in teak and sandstone, overlooking the Taj Mahal.

At sunset, feast your eyes on the Taj Mahal. Unique in the world, the Taj Mahal is a glorious monument that wasn’t built to honour battle or conquest—it’s a monument to something simpler and more beautiful: love.

Accommodation: 5* The Oberoi Amarvilas

DAY 4: AGRA, INDIA (B/L/D)

Rise early to visit the majestic Taj Mahal and its grounds, the white marble tinged with the pink of dawn, the gentle opalescent sunrise shining up from the reflecting pools.

After breakfast, we visit the Agra Fort, which lies on the bend of the River Yamuna, was built by Emperor Akbar as his citadel in the 16th century. Also visit the widely acclaimed ‘Kohinoor Jewellers’ for a viewing of their priceless collection of hand-woven tapestries.

Early this evening, proceed to Mehtab Bagh, a site across the river that affords a spectacular view of the Taj Mahal.

Accommodation: 5* The Oberoi Amarvilas

DAY 5: JAIPUR, INDIA (B/L/D)

This morning after breakfast, continue the journey with a short domestic flight into Jaipur. India’s famous ‘Pink City’ is so-called because its walls were painted pink to honour visiting royalty, the Prince of Wales in the 1800s. Your base in Jaipur is the former residence of Jaipur royalty, the breathtaking Rambagh Palace.

Visit the colourful bazaar area this afternoon. Jaipur is a shopper’s paradise, renowned for gems and jewellery: precious and semi-precious stones set in gold, ‘meenakari’ (enamel work) and antique and chunky silver jewellery.

Accommodation: 5* Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

DAY 6: JAIPUR, INDIA (B/L/D)

Your first stop for the day is Amber Fort. On the crest of a rugged hilltop and overlooking Lake Moata, the fort lends a majestic strength that evokes thoughts of legends and fairy tales.

This afternoon, we visit the City Palace complex, which continues to evoke the splendour of a bygone era. In an unending series of delights, from its grand aged entrance to the play of ornamental fountains. You also have the opportunity for a hands-on lesson in ancient Indian astrology. The Jantar Mantar, literally translated as ‘calculation instrument,’ is an extravagant observatory, built in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh, on a grand scale that was way before its time.

Accommodation: 5* Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

DAY 7: JAIPUR, INDIA (B/L/D)

After breakfast, we proceed to the quaint nearby village of Samode. Once a rich town within the principality of Amber (for which the Fort is named), Samode’s Palace evokes these halcyon days of lavishness. We enjoy a jeep safari through the village followed by a lavish luncheon at the Palace, before returning to the city.

Accommodation: 5* Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

DAY 8: VARANASI, INDIA (B/L/D)

Following a leisurely morning, wing your way into Varanasi, India’s most sacred city. At over 2,500 years old, it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. It is a rare place where an ancient yet still thriving religious tradition is so incredibly accessible. Thousands of pilgrims visit Varanasi daily to take a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges, which in the Hindu religion is believed to wash away sins. We will stay at the Taj Ganges, offering tranquil luxury.

Visit the ghats (river bank) in the evening, when the setting sun casts mystical shadows upon the darkening water, and the tiny sacred lamps that line the banks are ceremoniously lit.

Accommodation: 5* Taj Nadesar Palace, Varanasi

DAY 9: VARANASI, INDIA (B/L/D)

Observe the holy rites on a boat ride at dawn on the river as devotees perform ritual sunrise baths and religious ceremonies, that has remained throughout the centuries, in the pink and gold light. Afterwards, return to the hotel for breakfast.

Stop by an interesting temple dedicated to the Hindu deity, Hanuman. Then, we will visit the temple complex to get a fascinating insight into local life, beliefs and customs. Afterwards, continue your exploration with a visit to Sarnath—the religious centre where Buddha delivered his first speech after gaining enlightenment—and the Dharmekh Stupa—where Buddha delivered his first sermon. We also stop by the museum, which has a small but renowned collection of Buddhist and Brahmanist antiquities.

Accommodation: 5* Taj Nadesar Palace, Varanasi

DAY 10: DEHRA DUN, INDIA (B/L/D)
Today you head north – into the Himalayas – as you take a short flight from Delhi to Dehradun. Arrive at the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun and drive to Ananda, located close to the town of Rishikesh.

Built on a mountain ridge, Ananda is located in the 100-acre palace and picturesque estate of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal. Surrounded by graceful Sal forests, it overlooks the Ganges, the holy river of the Hindus, as it runs swiftly through the southernmost ranges of the Shiwalik Mountains through the lush green valley of Rishikesh.

Accommodation: 5*Ananda in the Himalayas

DAY 11: DEHRA DUN, INDIA (B/L/D)

Spend your days participating in the holistic wellness programmes offered by Ananda.

Put life in perspective with the Rebalance programme. Stop feeling burnt out and start living again. The new Ananda Rebalance programme aims to create a harmonious inner balance. OR

Effectively unlock your youthful fervour with the Renew programme. It cleanses your body from within and provides relief from muscle.

Accommodation: 5* Ananda in the Himalayas

DAY 12: DEHRA DUN, INDIA (B/L/D)
Continue on day 2 of your holistic healing and rejuvenation with the Ananda therapies.

Accommodation: 5* Ananda in the Himalayas

DAY 13: DELHI, INDIA (B/L/D)
Return to Dehradun today and fly back to Delhi. Upon arrival, you will be escorted to your hotel where a room has been reserved for you. Later tonight your journey through this magical part of the world comes to an end as you proceed to the International Airport for your departure flight.

Accommodation: 5* The Oberoi, Gurgaon

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Please note: This itinerary is designed to give you an idea of what to expect on the tour but is not set in stone. What we actually do on a given day is flexible and can be tailored based on the interests of the group.

This itinerary and its package inclusions might be changed later in time, subject to availability.

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