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From 27 March to 05 April 2026
Summary Itinerary
Clicking on the days of travel in the summary itinerary will take you to the detailed itinerary for that day and vice versa clicking on the day in the detailed itinerary will return you to the summary itinerary. In the detailed itinerary, in addition to the images and description of the days, we also have the day of the month and the week
Detailed Itinerary
Flight
The day has arrived! Heading to the airport for my flight to Delhi. A very good flight!
Flight 27MAR Air India AI126 Chicago 14:30 pm Delhi 16:50 pm +1
arrivals
Walk
Welcome to India! In your arrivals Flights from Pune and Chicago will be assisted by our local partners who will be waiting with a sign bearing your name (or with 'Chörten' written on the sign) in the area we agreed upon at the airport (as in the image above and on the Arrival in Delhi page in Portuguese). here and in English hereWe monitor the arrival of each Chörten traveller, maintaining telephone contact with our representatives' team at the airport from before their plane lands until the moment we speak. This ensures you can rest assured that we are monitoring the situation and making sure your arrival is being well taken care of.
Transfer to the hotel with assistance (approx. 35-45 min), located in a central area with interesting possibilities for sightseeing and cultural activities. If you arrive at the hotel before 14 PM, we will speak with the hotel in advance, requesting, if available, that we can check in earlier than the hotel's formal check-in time. On our first day, we will be arriving, adjusting to the time zone, and trying, despite the fatigue from the hours of flight, to sleep at the right time. Not during the day as we might want to due to the time difference we are used to. For these reasons, the suggestion for the first excursions is that they be quite light on the one hand., as we are still not processing the information very well but we want to stay awake.
Let's talk about possibilities for a walk in the area around our hotel.
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- Without guide
- With driver and car
Flight 28MAR Air India Express IX1231 Pune 19:05 Delhi 21:20
Lotus Temple
Hare Krishna Temple
Kartavya Path (Rajpath)
Gandhi Smriti
Raj Ghat
Today we will start our day further south of the city, where we will visit the beautiful Lotus TempleBuilt in the shape of its name, it belongs to the Bahá'í religion, founded in the 19th century in ancient Persia. Upon visiting, you'll be invited to remain silent for a moment. This is an interesting opportunity and experience in the midst of this large, bustling city. After visiting the temple, which is sometimes open, further along the exit (before turning right to the street gate), there are stairs leading to an exhibition on the history and work of this religion. It's interesting to take a look and experience brief expositions on its thoughts.
Near the Lotus Temple, we can visit the temple ISKCON. Very beautiful, it's a good opportunity to see how the Hare Krishna movement, which we've already seen in our countries, is practiced in India. Let's just be mindful of their midday closing times (open from 10 a.m. to 13 p.m., then from 16:15 p.m. to 21 p.m.).
Near our hotel is the esplanade built by the English in the 20th century, called Kartavya Path (until recently called Rajpath). Here you will find India Gate, a landmark of the city, built in honor of the fighters in the great war, where you can get off to take some photos. On the other side of Kartavya Path is the house of the current president of India.
Another special visit for our day is the last house where Gandhi lived, known as Birla House or Gandhi SmritiWe will learn a little about this important part of this nation's history, including the life and final moments of this great leader, an example of the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence) and the culture of peace that continues throughout the world today. The most important parts of the museum today are at the beginning of the visit. So, a suggestion: (1) head to the back of the house where Gandhi was assassinated on the way to the place where he said his daily prayers. Return and take a look at a presentation about Gandhi's life, with photos of his birthplace, until he became the Gandhi we know. Then enter (2) the house through Gandhi's bedroom, where his belongings are displayed. In all the places where Gandhi lived, he had a simple room with belongings like these. (3) On this same ground floor, further into the house, on the right, after a room with a projection and music that Gandhi liked, there is a corridor with black and white photographs recounting Gandhi's life. If you have time, it's interesting. These are the most important parts of the visit. I suggest you continue through the other rooms in a much more concise manner, for a few minutes, including the floor above. There are volunteers available to show you the museum, but it can take a long time. If you'd like their support, ask them to present just two or three sections of the museum, or do a 5-minute summary (which will probably end up being longer). Suggestion: spend a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes on these sections of the museum (after Gandhi's room) so you can use your day for other visits in the city.
Chronologically in relation to the two visits mentioned above (but perhaps we will do this visit first due to the route on the city map), we will pay homage to the memorial where Gandhi was cremated, the Raj Ghat. We will see what his last words were, a sign of great achievement on his spiritual path. Those who like photographs, look for images taken by Cartier-Bresson, one of the greatest photographers who ever lived, who was in Delhi that day.
We can also take a walk around one of the parks where locals go for walks. A very beautiful one is Lodi Garden. Another option, since you'll be at Humayun Tomb, is the Sunder Nursery next door. Besides being very well-kept and beautiful, there's a café and restaurant inside.
We will check the city's cultural agenda for the days in Delhi, as a possibility of a special activity, where great artists from the country perform.
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- Without guide
- With driver and car
Car trip
Agra Fort
After our breakfast, we will travel today on a new road to Agra (approx. 3h30min). The time we leave Delhi will greatly influence how much we can enjoy the afternoon in Agra. See the suggestions for the end of the day below. Perhaps having breakfast early at the hotel check-in time, having already dropped off with our luggage and then leaving immediately, would be a good idea. Please let us know what you prefer. We'll discuss it.
Let's see what time we'll arrive in Agra, if it's better to check in at the hotel or take advantage of our time to explore the area. Agra Fort. This Red Fort of Agra, more beautiful and with more history than the one in Delhi, was first used by Babur, the first Mughal emperor, in the 16th century, and built in its current form by Akbar. We will visit its gardens, public and private audience halls, mosque, and living quarters, including the place where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son and the one Akbar built for his son, with symbols of all the major religious and philosophical traditions of the time.
An extra possibility for the end of the day is to go to an area behind the Taj, on the other side of the Yamuna River, to see the SunsetOf course, it depends a lot on the weather that day. But every time we've been, even when we don't see the sunset itself, all travellers have always enjoyed it and said it was worth it. We usually go by tuk-tuk, for the fun and for the time our driver has been working since early in the morning. Tomorrow will start even earlier and we'll hit the road again. Out of respect for him, our own safety, and the fun of taking a tuk-tuk! We'll arrange in advance to meet a well-known tuk-tuk driver. On the way, we can visit the Baby Taj, a mausoleum that is 5 minutes from the Taj sunset spot. The Taj sunset spot is called Taj View Point. It's not inside the Taj, but behind it, on the other side of the river. There are two options: a park that costs a little more called Mehtab Bagh, and on the riverside, which costs less, called Taj View Point ADA. Both are good. I recommend the latter.
Sunset calculation (we'll discuss this the day before):
– I suggest arriving 40 min or a little before sunset (here) to enjoy and have more chances of seeing a beautiful light (which depends a lot on the weather, but it is always worth it).
– From the tuk-tuk point, it's about a 5- to 7-minute walk to the Taj Viewpoint. If you're driving, the walk from the parking lot to the Taj Viewpoint takes a little over 10- to 15-minutes.
– From Baby Taj to where the tuctuc can go it usually takes 10 minutes (here). Visiting the Baby Taj can be done in 20 minutes.
– Then we see how long it should take from where we are (hotel, fort or some other point in the city) to the Baby Taj (here), bearing in mind that after the bridge we pass through the neighborhood market with narrow and sometimes congested streets.
Tips on starting tomorrow:
– We suggest you get a good rest this day, not ending it too late, so you can visit the Taj early tomorrow, starting at night. Besides the possibility of beautiful light, even though it's already quite crowded, it's much less crowded than during the day, later in the morning. There may be some fog, which will almost always lift at some point (and may return later). But even if it doesn't lift, which is quite rare, it's still quite beautiful. All travellers to date have expressed gratitude for going early, and even those who went later have told us they should have gone earlier. PS: The guide's chances of suggesting a later visit are almost 100%. Every time, without exception, that travellers agreed to the guide's suggestion, the explanation immediately followed. If necessary, you can ask Guilherme to speak with him.
Calculation for the start of tomorrow. We'll talk then. If you want to get an idea beforehand:
– We start by looking at the sunrise time on that day: here
– To keep in mind, the walk from the search and security to the place where we see the Taj, approximately 10 minutes. Time at the search plus about 5.
– But we'll calculate based on the time the Taj gates are expected to open, between 1 and 30 minutes before sunrise, plus the queue time, which will depend on our arrival time. Earlier, shorter queues. Later, longer queues. For example, if sunrise is at 6:00 AM, let's assume the gates open at 5:10 or 5:20 AM. If we arrive 20 minutes or more before this time, we're usually comfortable with the queue, longer security check times, and longer walking. In this example, I'd calculate a walk from security check around 5:30 AM. This would mean arriving in line for a maximum of 5 hours. Anyone who wants to arrive earlier is also welcome. There's a café that opens just before the gates open, right in front of the gate we'll enter (the East Gate).
– From our car parking lot to the entrance gate (East Gate), approx. 5 min by electric car.
– From our hotels to the Taj parking lot approx. 10 min. From the guesthouses approx. 15 min walking, no need for a car or electric car.
– Leave food at the hotel, creams, travel knife, nail trimmer, practically everything except a camera, cell phone for photos, temple kit and, depending on the time of year, warm clothing. Talk to your guide about what you can and cannot take with you as this also varies greatly from season to season.
– Confirm the time breakfast ends with the hotel as well to calculate your return time from the tour tomorrow: from the Taj to the gate and then to the car.. 30-40 min, plus 10-15 min from the car to the hotel.
– This way you can visit the Taj with peace of mind, having a peaceful day. A very good visit!
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- Without a guide (to get a spot in the fort)
- With driver and car
Taj Mahal
Fatehpur Sikri,
Today we will wake up very early for our visit to Taj Mahal (see suggestions above, at the end of the previous day). Built by Shah Jahan for his wife, Muntaz Mahal, in the 20th century, thousands of workers and architects from different regions of the world, over a period of XNUMX years, used the famous white marble from India and precious stones. Early in the morning, in addition to the possibility of beautiful light, it is also quieter than during the day. Our local guide will tell you several stories about this monument. Return to the hotel for a good breakfast.
Then we will travel to the capital of the state of Rajasthan, Jaipur.
On the way we will visit the city Fatehpur Sikri, , built by the Mughal emperor Akbar. A scholar of the philosophy of the great religious traditions, he was the first Mughal emperor to not levy higher taxes on those outside his religion, and to have a Hindu general command his army. In addition to visiting his city, which was used for a very short period, we will also visit the emperor's Jama Masjid (Friday mosque) and the mausoleum of a Sufi saint from the time of this empire.
We will arrive at our hotel at the end of the day.
Tip about starting the tour tomorrow:
– It's possible to climb up to the fort with the help of an elephant. A few years ago, they began limiting the number of climbs per elephant, a great measure to avoid overloading and stressing the animals. Thus, there are a limited number of elephants and climbs for each of them (if you want to talk about the work of Wildlife SOS, link here, please let us know). Talk to your guide at the end of the day to ensure you leave the hotel at a time that will allow you to arrive at the front of the line at a time that will guarantee the maximum possible elephant presence, if you prefer to climb the hill.
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- With a guide at the Taj Mahal and without a guide at Fatehpur Sikri (so they can get a spot at the monument).
- With driver and car
Amber Fort
Jantar Mantar
City Palace Museum
Hawa Mahal
We will start our day early to climb up to the Amber Fort...with the possibility of using an elephant for the ascent. Please see the note at the end of the previous day regarding the number of elephants. We will walk through the halls, gardens, rooms, and secret passages, with views of the area around the palace of the Rajput and Akbar's army general, Man Sing. In the same village of Amber, near Jaipur, we have the option of visiting a museum about the 'block printing' painting technique, set up by the Anokhi shop.
On the way back to the pink city, as ancient Jaipur is known, we will stop on the shores of a lake where there is a palace on an island, called Jal Mahal. A restaurant suggestion, quite old and traditional, very funny actually, where we ate approx. 20 years is the LMB. In the old part of the city, everyone knows it. One of the good options is the Veg Thali, a combination of several Indian foods (rice, lentils, vegetables, yogurt, see if a butter nan or plain nan is already available if you don't order it, it's delicious). Ask not to come spicy but it should come a little or a little. So a sweet or banana lassi to go with it can be great!
After a good lunch, we will walk through the old city. We will visit the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds, built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 so that women could watch the hustle and bustle of the streets without being seen. We will also visit the City Palace Museum and Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory also from the 18th century, now protected by UNESCO, consisting of large instruments of incredible precision to this day.
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- With guide
- With driver and car
Temples
Walk
Today we have an approximately 3-hour trip to the small but important Hindu pilgrimage city of Pushkar, one of the oldest in India. The creation and name of this city, which means Blue Lotus, are associated with the god Brahma, who chose it for an important ritual offering to Agni, the god of sacred fire. Its small lake is associated with Shiva, the god of destruction and reconstruction. There are very few temples dedicated to Brahma in the whole world. One of these, with its current structure dating from the 14th century but existing for over two thousand years, is here in Pushkar. We will walk because of its temples around this small lake.
There are two temples in Pushkar, located on top of two hills surrounding the lake. One of them, the higher one, is reached by cable car and is called Savitri Devi Temple. The other, a little lower, is the Gayatri Mata Temple, about a leisurely 25-minute walk away. We usually visit them around sunset time.here) or sunrise (here) taking care to return while it's still light. From both sides we have a very beautiful view of the city and the Thar Desert.
Other possibilities in the region include camel rides and the beautiful traditional local dance called Kalbelia.
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- Without guide
- With driver and car
End of free day
Today we will continue our journey for approximately 6 hours to a typical hotel on the road between Pushkar and Delhi. On the route between Pushkar and Delhi, we travel alongside one of the oldest mountain ranges on our planet. While the Himalayas are relatively young mountains, geologically speaking (approximately 60 million years old), the Aravalli Range dates between 1.8 and 3.2 billion years old on our planet, which is 4.5 billion years old. For this reason, they are lower mountains.
The end of the day is free for them to enjoy the hotel and, if they feel like it, perhaps explore the region.
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- Without guide
- With driver and car
Free day
A free day to enjoy as you prefer. We'll chat that day to see how you're feeling, what time you want to continue your trip to Delhi (approximately 3 hours), and how you'd like to enjoy Delhi. Have a good trip!
We will check the city's cultural agenda for the days in Delhi, as a possibility of a special activity, where great artists from the country perform.
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- Without guide
- With driver and car
Flight
Transfer to your flight to Pune. We hope you enjoyed your time in India! Have a good flight!
We thought about that day and organized it as follows:
- With a representative assisting with the transfer.
- Without guide
- With driver and car
Flight 5APR Air India Express IX1230 Delhi 03:50 Pune 06:05