Arrival Night - Delhi

You will arrive late in the evening at Delhi international airport. Following customs, immigration, formalities and baggage collection, a Festive India Tours representative will meet you as you exit the arrivals terminals building after which you would be transferred to your hotel.

Day 01 - Agra

The magical allure of the Taj Mahal draws tourists to Agra like moths to a wondrous flame. And despite the hype, it’s every bit as good as you’ve heard. In the morning you will proceed on a drive to Agra. After arriving at Agra you will check into leisure. Later you will visit “The Taj Mahal”. Night stay at leisure. Note: Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays.

Day 02 - Jaipur

Enthralling, Historical Jaipur, Rajasthan’s Capital, is the gateway of India’s most flamboyant state. The city’s colourful, chaotic streets ebb and flow with a heady brew of old and new. Early In the morning after breakfast you will leave for Jaipur. After arriving at Jaipur you will check into leisure. In the evening you will drive to Amer Palace for light and sound show en route taking a photo-stop at Hawa Mahal and Jalmahal. Night stay at leisure.

Day 03 - jaipur

At the city’s heart, The City Palace continues to house the former royal family, The Jantar Mantar, The royal observatory, maintains a heavenly aspect and just out of sight, in the arid hill country surrounding the city, is the fairy-tale grandeur of Amber Fort, Jaipur’s star attraction. Early in the morning you will go to visit Amer fort (include: Elephant Ridding). After visiting Amer fort you will visit City palace and Observatory. Later in the night you are welcome at “Nahargarh Fort” for your Dinner. Night stay at leisure.

Day 04 - Delhi

A symbol of the country’s rich past and thriving present, Delhi is a city where ancient and modern blend seamlessly together. Delhi showcases an ancient culture and a rapidly modernising country. Dotted with monuments there is much to discover here. In the morning you will be departed from Agra to Delhi. After arriving at Delhi you will check into hotel. In the evening you will go to visit Lotus temple and Hymaun’s tomb. Night stay at leisure.

Day 05 - Delhi

The seat of many powerful empires in the past, its long history can be traced in its many carefully-preserved monuments, ancient forts and tombs. This morning after breakfast you will visit the “Jama Masjid, Qutub minar and drive past the India gate, The Parliament buildings, Rashtrapati bhawan”. Night stay at leisure.

Day 06 - Thimphu

The capital of one of the world's most intriguing destinations, Thimphu combines a natural small-town feel with a new commercial exuberance that constantly challenges the country's natural conservatism and Shangri La image. Today in the morning you will be Transfer to the airport for your morning flight from Delhi to Paro. If the weather is clear you will be able to enjoy breath-taking views of the Himalayas. On arrival transfer to the city of Thimphu and your hotel. Your first Bhutan sightseeing excursions takes you up to Kuensel Phodrang, also known as Buddha Point, in the hills above the city. From here you can enjoy views out over the city and see one of the world’s largest and tallest statues of Lord Buddha. Night stay at leisure.

Day 07 - Thimphu

Thimphu offers the best opportunity to briefly break away from the tour itinerary. Your first full day in Bhutan begins with a visit to the National Memorial Chorten, a modern stupa in the heart of the city. You will continue on to the Handicrafts Emporium to learn a little more about modern life in this tiny Himalayan kingdom and to shop for crafts that have been produced in rural communities throughout Bhutan; and then the 17th-Century fortress and monastery, the Tashichho Dzong which is the seat of the nation’s government. Night stay at leisure.

Day 08 - Punakha

Punakha sits in a sultry, fertile and beautiful valley at the junction of the Mo Chhu (Mother River) and Pho Chhu (Father River). The low altitude of the Punakha valley allows two rice crops a year, and oranges and bananas are in abundance. Today begins as you depart Thimpu and ascend up to the 3088 metre Dochula Pass for 360 degree views of the Himalayas, which include some of the nation’s highest peaks. Continue on to the former capital of Punakha via the temple Chimi Lhakhang where you can hear tales of an eccentric 16th Century monk – the ‘Divine Madman’. Visit the beautiful Punakha Dzong before driving onwards to Wangdue Phodrang. Night stay at leisure.

Day 09 - Paro

The charming town of Paro lies on the banks of the Paro (or Pa) Chhu. The main street, only built in 1985, is lined with colourfully painted wooden shop fronts and restaurants. This morning you will travel to the city of Paro where a visit to the Ta Dzong, which is now the National Museum, begins your day of sightseeing. Next up is the Buddhist monastery of Rinpung Dzong from which you can enjoy panoramic views over the Paro Valley. Night stay at leisure.

Day 10 - Paro

Paro remains one of the best Bhutanese towns to explore on foot and is worth an hour or two's stroll at the end of a day of sightseeing. Today you will visit a real icon of Bhutan, the Taktsang Monastery or Tiger’s Nest, which seemingly clings to the side of a cliff making it one of the world’s most breath taking temples. Your exploration of Bhutan concludes with a visit to the ruins of the 17th Century fortress Drukgyel Dzong, which is set on the trail from Tibet to Paro, and Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the nation’s oldest and most beautiful Buddhist temples. Night stay at leisure.

Day 11 - Kolkata

Kolkata is a daily festival of human existence, simultaneously noble and squalid, cultured and desperate, decidedly futuristic while splendid in decay. Transfer to the airport for your flight to the Indian city of Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta. In the afternoon enjoy a taste of the city’s rich heritage visiting the Kalighat Temple and observing local life on board the city’s tram service, which is the oldest operating electric tram in Asia. Night stay at leisure.

Day 12 - Kolkata

As the former capital of British India, Kolkata retains a feast of colonial-era architecture contrasting starkly with urban slums and dynamic new-town suburbs with their air-conditioned shopping malls. Kolkata is the ideal place to experience the mild yet complex tang of Bengali cuisine. Visit the elegant white marble Victoria Memorial, which features a museum housing Imperial memorabilia, before heading to the historic Dalhousie Square and St John’s Church, which was modelled on London’s St-Martin-in-the-Fields. Drive past the Howrah Bridge, one of the largest cantilever bridges in the world, before visiting the striking Jain Temple which is set in pretty gardens and features stained-glass windows. Night stay at leisure.