Escorted Tours 2020 & 2021 - 2nd Edition - Mercury Holidays

18 INDIAN SUBCONTINENT MEAL PLAN: All meals included ACCOMMODATION Mumbai 2 nights 4 ★ The Fern Residency Amritsar 2 nights 4 ★ Hyatt Amritsar Shimla 2 nights 4 ★ The Clarks Hotel Delhi 2 nights 4 ★ The Metropolitan New Delhi Jaipur 3 nights 4 ★ Lemon Tree Agra 2 nights 4 ★ Crystal Sarovar Premiere Lucknow 2 nights 5 ★ Radisson Lucknow City Centre Varanasi 2 nights 4.5 ★ Radisson Hotel Kolkata 2 nights 5 ★ Hotel Hindusthan International or 5 ★ Taj Bengal Kolkata Cochin 3 nights 3.5 ★ Casino Hotel Alleppey 1 night Traditional House Boat Thekkady 2 nights 3 ★ Abad Green Forest Munnar 1 night 4 ★ Tea Country Resort DAY 1: UK TO MUMBAI Depart London on your scheduled overnight flight to Mumbai via Dubai. DAY 2: MUMBAI D On arrival you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your hotel. After checking in the rest of the day is at leisure. DAY 3: MUMBAI B/L/D Embark on a morning tour starting with the Gateway of India. Next, board a motorboat to Elephanta Island and explore the ancient caves. Back in Mumbai, admire such sites as the grand Jain Temple and Hanging Gardens, before arriving at the beach of Chowpatty. Continue to the museum of Mani Bhavan. DAY 4: MUMBAI TO AMRITSAR B/L/D Fly from Mumbai to Amritsar. On arrival you will be at met by a local guide and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore. DAY 5: AMRITSAR B/L/D Following breakfast, enjoy a visit to one of the most awe-inspiring and memorable sights in India, the spectacular Golden Temple. After lunch, the afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace, alternatively you can take an optional excursion to the Wagah Border. DAY 6: AMRITSAR TO SHIMLA B/L/D This morning you’ll board the train to Chandigarh before taking a winding, scenic drive through the former summer capital of British India, Shimla. DAY 7: SHIMLA B/L/D Depart Shimla for the neighbouring hill station of Kufri. Tour the impressive Rashtrapati Niwas, former residence of the British Viceroy. DAY 8: SHIMLA TO DELHI B/L/D Today, ride on the UNESCO-recognised “Toy Train” – at a leisurely pace to Dharampur Station where you will disembark for lunch. Transfer by car to Kalka Station for your connecting train to Delhi where you will be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. DAY 9: DELHI B/L/D Today, discover Delhi in a full-day tour, taking in sights such as the Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb. Crossing to the centre of New Delhi, you’ll visit the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial before the ruins of Qutab Minar. DAY 10: DELHI TO JAIPUR B/L/D After breakfast, drive to Jaipur (known as the Pink city) by coach. The rest of the day is at leisure. DAY 11: JAIPUR B/L/D Begin your day with a visit to Amber Fort. Ascend to the fort by Jeep, experiencing the grandeur of a Maharaja. Continue to the City Palace before visiting Jantar Mantar. Finally, you’ll marvel at the numerous windows of the stunning Hawa Mahal. DAY 12: JAIPUR B/L/D Enjoy a day at leisure to explore this beautiful city. DAY 13: JAIPUR TO AGRA B/L/D Depart Jaipur this morning by coach for the wondrous city of Agra, the former capital of the mighty Mughal dynasty. Your afternoon will be at leisure to explore. DAY 14: AGRA B/L/D Begin your day with a sunrise tour of the magnificent Taj Mahal. You’ll return to your hotel for breakfast before visiting the impressive, red sandstone Agra Fort. DAY 15: AGRA TO LUCKNOW B/L/D Today’s coach ride takes you from Agra to Lucknow, India’s former artistic and cultural hub. On arrival, check into your hotel, you are then free to explore. DAY 16: LUCKNOW B/L/D Take a full-day tour of Lucknow, see the Hazratganj Market and the 1857 Memorial Museum. Continue to the Chota Imambara and the Rumi Darwaza. Return to your hotel after a day of sightseeing. DAY 17: LUCKNOW TO VARANASI B/L/D Board a coach to Varanasi where you’ll be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. This evening, tour the ghats and witness a Ganga Aarti ceremony. Travel through bustling cities, scenic landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage Sites as this tour offers a true insight to the colour, culture and spiritualism of India before heading south to finish in lush Kerala. Taj Mahal PACE: To book or for further information visit your local travel agent or call us FREE on 0800 408 0556 A PASSAGE THROUGH INDIA 28 days from £2,699pp TOUR HIGHLIGHTS ✔ City tours of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi, Kolkata and Mumbai ✔ Delight in the magnificent Taj Mahal ✔ Experience Kerala’s backwaters with an overnight stay on a traditional houseboat ✔ Boat safari on tranquil Periyar Lake ✔ Ride the UNESCO-recognised ‘Toy Train’ ✔ Marvel at views of the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas from Darjeeling ✔ The abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri ✔ Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges River ✔ Wander the Amber and Agra Forts ✔ Visit Amritsar’s gleaming Golden Temple