WAN 2009 - Welcome

Jaipur, also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan state, India. Jaipur is the former capital of the princely state of Jaipur. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3 million residents.

Jaipur is the first well planned city of India, located in the desert lands of India, Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. In the present date, Jaipur is the major business centre for the natives of Rajasthan with all requisites of a metropolitan city.

The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 111 ft (34 m) wide. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex (the Hawa Mahal, or palace of winds), formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. Another noteworthy building is Sawai Jai Singh's observatory, Jantar Mantar.

Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a Kachwaha Rajput,who ruled from 1699-1744 and initially his capital was Amber (city), which lies at a distance of 11km from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. Jaipur is the first planned city of India. The King consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the lay out of Jaipur. Finally under the architectural guidance of Vidyadar Bhattacharya, (initially an accounts-clerk in the Amber treasury and later promoted to the office of Chief Architect by the King)Jaipur came into existence on the classical basis of principals of vastushastra and other similar classical treatise.

JAIPUR & DELHI

2 nights / 3 days

27 Nov 2009 (Friday) DELHI - JAIPUR

Drive to Jaipur Visit Hawa Mahal Visit local bazaar / shopping (optional). Overnight at Jaipur
07h30 :	Leave for Jaipur by surface.
11h00 :	En-route break at midway motel for tea /coffee and snacks (buffet included).
13h00 :	Arrival at Jaipur Check-in to the hotel. Lunch (not included). Time to relax & unwind.
15h30 :	Visit the Hawa Mahal- The Hawa Mahal, which adjoins the famous City Palace wall, was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh and has now become one of the major landmarks of Jaipur.
	The palace is shaped like a pyramid and is a five-storied building, with number of small windows and screens, with arched roofs. As one looks at this building, one realizes that the rear side of the building is comparatively very plain and lacks much of ornamentation. One is rather surprised at the contrast, since in the front there is intricate carving and much attention has been paid to even minute details yet the backside is more a mass of pillars and passages. A visit to a local bazaar / shopping (optional).
19h30 :	Return to Hotel.
Overnight stay at Jaipur

28 Nov 2009 (Saturday) JAIPUR - DELHI

Visit the Amber Fort. Visit City palace Drive back to Delhi. Overnight at Delhi
09h00 :	Check-out of the hotel after breakfast (included) & move to the magnificent Amber Fort. the Amer Fort complex stands amidst wooded hills. One of the finest examples of Rajput architecture, it was the ancient capital of Jaipur. The original palace was built by Raja Man Singh and additions were made later by Sawai Jai Singh. Within the palace are the Diwan-e-Aam or the "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas or the "Hall of Private Audience" and the Sukh Niws, the private chambers of the queens with windows having latticed screens so that the ladies could watch the proceedings of the royal court in privacy. There is also the Jai Mandir or the "Temple of Victory", with its famed Sheesh Mahal, the scintillating "Hall of Mirrors". Ascend the hill on an elephant.
11h30 :	Proceed to City Palace. The City Palace, now converted into a museum, except a small portion that is still used by the royal family of Jaipur. Built in the fortified campus style, the palace covers almost one-seventh part of the city. One of the major attractions in the museum is the portion that is devoted to the arms and ammunition used by the royal family. Other important attractions are the Textile and Costume Museum, Art Gallery, Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, and Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am.
13h30 :	Lunch at a restaurant.
14h00 :	Proceed to Delhi.
16h00 :	En-route break at midway motel for tea / coffee and snacks
20h00 :	Arrive at Delhi. Check-into the hotel.
Overnight stay at Delhi.

29 Nov 2009 (Sunday) DELHI - HYDERABAD

Time free to relax and pack-up for return journey. Visit Qutub Minar. Visit Humayun´s Tomb and Bahai Temple. Drive Past President´s House, Parliament House & India Gate. Transfer to IGI International airport for departure.
10h45 :	Check out and leave for Half-day sightseeing of New Delhi. The tour to New Delhi starts with a visit to the Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India. Built in the early 13th century a few kilometres south of Delhi, the red sandstone tower of Qutub Minar is 72.5 m high, tapering from 2.75 m in diameter at its peak to 14.32 m at its base, and alternating angular and rounded flutings.
	The surrounding archaeological area contains funerary buildings, notably the magnificent Alai-Darwaza Gate, the masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art (built in 1311), and two mosques, including the Quwwatu'l-Islam, the oldest in northern India, built of materials reused from some 20 Brahman temples.
	Then visit Humayun's Tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun, it is an outstanding monument in the Indo-Persian style This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent.
	It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal. The tour also includes a drive past the imposing India Gate, the Parliament building and the Rashtrapati Bhawan (the President's residence).
	Later visit the famous Bahai Temple of Delhi, also known as Lotus temple it is made up of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. It welcomes people from all walks of life and sects and is an ideal place for meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility.
	The temple is built in the shape of a lotus as this flower is the symbol of purity and peace. It represents the Bahai faith, - an independent world religion; divine in origin, all embracing in scope, broad in its outlook, scientific in its method, humanitarian in its principles, and dynamic in the influence
:	In time transfer to airport .
:	Board flight for Hyderabad.
:	Arrival at Hyderabad.
Tour Ends.

Tour Cost:

	COMBINATION I	COMBINATION II
PAX - Twin sharing basis	INR 38,338 per person	INR 24,664 per person
Single room supplement	INR 26,935 per Single	INR 14,278 per Single

Extra Night In Delhi	COMBINATION I	COMBINATION II
Single Room	INR 22800	INR 16389
Double Room	INR 24510	INR 17808

(Above rate are per room/per night and inclusive of breakfast on fixed menu basis)

Additional:

Airfare: Economy Class for Delhi-Hyderabad sector	INR 8654 Per Person
Airfare: Business Class for Hyderabad-Delhi sector	INR 22954 Per Person

(Airfare / timings currently applicable and subject to change without notice)

Hotels Envisaged:

CITY	COMBINATION I	COMBINATION II
Jaipur	Raj Vilas	Rajputana Sheraton
Delhi	The Oberoi	Grand Intercontinental

The tour cost includes:

Arrival/Departure transfers, sightseeing, excursion as per programme by an air-conditioned MINI coach with services of an English speaking guide for city tour.
Hotel accommodation twin sharing at the hotels envisaged above or similar per respective combinations in standard room, with breakfast.
Monument entrance fee wherever applicable.

The tour cost does not include:

Meals (except those specified above).
Personal expenses like laundry, extras at the hotel, phone etc.
Any other services does not specified above.
Govt. Service tax - currently @ 2.58%. The tax prevailing at the time of billing will be charged.