The journey
Overview
Travelling to heritage hotels in hill station towns, and using small vehicles to take off at tangents to little-known temples and villages, this is a beguiling blend of cities, serenity, scenery and spirituality.
A wonderfully scenic circling of the Himalayan foothills, this is a journey through stunning landscapes, to famous cities, tiny towns, and almost forgotten temples, to reveal the reverence of the region’s three faiths, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh. We see Hindu shrines, ashrams, and ceremonies, from the beautiful, bucolic Kullu Valley villages, to Rishikesh and Haridwar, where the sacred Ganges flows down from the mountains to the plains, and the Aarti rites of floating lights take place each evening at dusk. Steeped in its ethereal spirituality, Dharamsala (‘pilgrim’s rest’) is the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile, and the home of Buddhism and of the Dalai Lama; its temple and monastery enveloped in peace and serenity. Amritsar is the holiest city of the Sikh religion, its Golden Temple the most sacred place of pilgrimage, where the Palki ritual takes the Guru Granth Sahib book ‘to bed’ each night, and back to the temple every morning, symbolically treating the holy book as a human teacher. Stays in Old Delhi and modern Chandigarh complement time-warp hill station towns, including remote and splendidly scenic Mussoorie; and busy Shimla, its colonial buildings contrasting with the twisting lanes of the bazaar.
Unforgettable moments
Highlights
01
Visit the stepwell in Agrasen Ki Baoli
02
Take a safari in Rajaji National Park
03
Journey on the Toy Train
04
See the Golden Temple in Amritsar
05
Visit the largest Community Kitchen
06
Enjoy the Wagah Border Ceremony
Your itinerary
Day by day
- Day1
Join tour in Delhi; Visit the Agrasen ki Baoli step well and the Red Fort+
Your tour starts at the classic 5-star Claridges Hotel for an overnight stay
We depart the hotel at 2pm and begin by visiting the 14th century Agrasen ki Baoli step well, which is 60m long and three storeys deep. We continue to the city’s iconic Red Fort, where huge sandstone walls encircle a series of pavilions, linked by the Nahr-i-Behisht (‘stream of paradise’) water channel.
- Day2
Take the train to Haridwar and enjoy an Aarti ceremony+
Leave Delhi on the early morning train to Haridwar (5hrs), a place of Hindu pilgrimage, where visitors immerse themselves in the holy River Ganges, and light-up the dusk each day with floating flamed offerings to the life-giving Ganga Goddess. Two nights at the Lemon Tree Rishikesh. This evening, see the Aarti ‘ceremony of lights’ at Triveni Ghat.
MealsBreakfast, Dinner - Day3
Enjoy a safari in Rajaji National Park and visit Shantikunj ashram+
Morning safari in Rajaji National Park, a tiger reserve, with Indian elephant herds, spread around the Himalayan foothills, and crossed by the Ganges and Song Rivers (closed from 15th June to 15th November). Drive to nearby Rishikesh, known as the ‘the Yoga Capital of the World’, to visit Shantikunj ashram, a Hindu academy for spiritual awakening; and the 137m-span of the Laxman Jhula pedestrian bridge. Return to your hotel.
MealsBreakfast - Day4
Travel to Mussoorie and into the Doon Valley+
Relax with an optional yoga activity at the hotel. Travel (4hrs) to the hill station town of Mussoorie, once the home of Sir George Everest, with fabulous views to snow-capped peaks, and down into the Doon Valley. Two nights at the heritage Kasmanda Palace.
MealsBreakfast - Day5
Visit the town of Landour and walk to Lal Tibba point+
Visit nearby Landour, a small and peaceful town, little-changed in the last century. Stroll through the shops and cafés of the Sisters Bazaar, and walk to the peak of Lal Tibba, at 3025m, the highest point in the lower Himalayas’ Garhwal region, with fantastic panoramas of far-away hill villages. Stop for lunch at Mall Road before heading to the hotel. Afternoon at leisure.
MealsBreakfast, Lunch - Day6
Transfer to Chandigarh and visit the Capitol Complex+
Travel (8hrs) to the gardens and modernist architecture of Chandigarh, the dream of India’s first Prime Minister, Neru, planned and realised by French architect, Le Corbusier, and lauded as an example of 20th -century urban planning. Visit Le Corbusier’s Capitol Complex, encompassing the High Court, Secretariat, Legislative Assembly, and the huge, steel Open Hand Monument, signifying the city’s ethos, “open to give, open to receive”. Overnight at the 5-star Taj Chandigarh.
MealsBreakfast - Day7
Visit the Zakir Rose Garden, later taking the Toy Train to Shimla+
Visit the Zakir Rose Garden, with 1,600 species of roses in its 30-acre botanical enclave (seasonal periods in bloom). Travel by road to Solan station, to board the narrow-gauge ‘Toy Train’, renowned for the route’s spectacular scenery, crossing bridges and cutting through tunnels and pine forests, for its journey to Shimla. A picture-perfect retreat, the British-era summer capital now blends cool colonial charm with colourful Himachal character. Two nights at Oberoi Cecil Shimla.
MealsBreakfast - Day8
Enjoy a morning tour through Shimla+
Stroll along the Mall on a morning tour of Shimla, which includes a visit to the grand Viceregal Lodge (now named Rashtrapati Niwas), its majestic façade matched by manicured gardens, at the top of Observatory Hill; Shimla Government Museum and Sanath Art Gallery, showcasing regional heritage and contemporary art; the town’s Christ Church, known for the five windows of the Virtues.
MealsBreakfast - Day9
Travel to Mandi for a temple walk and continue to Kullu Valley+
Drive (4hrs) to Mandi, visiting the majestic Victoria Bridge, built in 1877. Stop for lunch before taking a ‘Temple Walk’ among the 81 old stone shrines. Continue (4hrs) to the Kullu Valley (Valley of Gods), where every village has its own deity, and slopes are cloaked with apple orchards and deodar trees. Three nights at the boutique Shivadya Resort & Spa in Karjan village.
MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Day10
Enjoy a Seol village walk to Dashal, before driving to Naggar+
Visit Seol village for a morning walk to a Himalayan stream, and through the forest to the very traditional village of Dashal, with an 11th-century Shiva temple. Later, drive to Naggar, the old capital of the Kullu Valley. Visit the Roerich Art Gallery, its collection of rare paintings exhibited in the late artist’s home; and walk to the medieval Naggar Castle, now part-hotel.
MealsBreakfast, Dinner - Day11
Visit Karjan village and temple before continuing to Old Manali+
Enjoy a village walk in Karjan and an afternoon at leisure, perhaps to trek to Sajla waterfall, cascading into a rocky pool in a beautiful, forested setting. Later, visit Karjan’s temple; experience the hot water springs of Vashisht Baths; and continue to Old Manali for the pagoda Temple of Hadimba Devi and its statues of the gods, said to be where the sage Manu meditated.
MealsBreakfast, Dinner - Day12
Travel to Paprola to board the Toy Train to Palampur+
Drive (6hrs) to Paprola to travel again on the ‘Toy Train’, this time to Palampur, known for its tea gardens and brilliant birdlife. Three nights at the 4-star Rakkh Palampur.
MealsBreakfast, Dinner - Day13
Transfer to Dharamsala and visit the Norbulingka Institute+
Travel by road to Dharamsala, the residence of the Dalai Lama. Visit the spellbinding surrounds of the Norbulingka Institute, established to support Tibetan refugees and to preserve Tibetan culture art, and crafts and see the Dalai Lama Monastery. Complete your visit with a Naddi Village walk.
MealsBreakfast,Dinner - Day14
Enjoy a village walk, followed by a tea tasing experience+
Enjoy exotic views on a morning village walk. Return to your hotel for breakfast then visit a experience a tea tasting session. Return to your hotel for lunch and enjoy an afternoon free to explore before enjoying dinner at a cultural evening.
MealsBreakfast,Dinner - Day15
Explore Kangra Fort and continue to Pragpur+
Drive just 20km south to visit Kangra Fort, the little-known but largest fortress in the Himalayas and, dating back to 400BC, believed to be the oldest in India. Continue to Pragpur. An intriguing step-back-in-time, with an ongoing programme of conservation, its cobbled lanes are lined with painted, mud-rendered houses, its market draped with colourful fabrics. Overnight at the heritage hotel Judge’s Court, a country manor built for Justice Sir Jai Lai.
MealsBreakfast, Dinner - Day16
Transfer to Amritsar and enjoy a Palki ceremony+
Travel (4hrs) to Amritsar. On arrival, transfer to the boutique hotel Ranjit Vilas, brimming with traditional Punjab character, for a two-night stay. This evening, attend the Palki religious ceremony at the Golden Temple.
MealsBreakfast,Dinner - Day17
A Visit the Golden Temple+
Visit the Golden Temple, gleaming with hundreds of kilos of gold leaf. Head coverings will need to be worn in the Golden Temple, in accordance with local customs and religious respect. Continue to the ‘world’s largest’ community kitchen, its thousands of volunteers feeding tens of thousands of pilgrims every day; and the garden memorial to those killed in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Afternoon at leisure, perhaps to explore the city’s labyrinth of lanes and bazaars.
(Due to FCO advice we currently can no longer visit the Attari / Wagah Border Ceremony. We are monitoring the situation.)
MealsBreakfast - Day18
Transfer to Anandpur Sahib for a town tour+
Travel (4hrs) to Anandpur Sahib, the Sikh ‘holy city of spiritual bliss’, where a tour of the town includes a visit to its Gurudwara. At The Kikar Lodge, each night paints a canvas of celestial beauty where you can unwind and connect with nature to create unforgettable memories under the starlit sky. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
MealsBreakfast, Dinner - Day19
Visit Virasat e Khalsa museum and take the train to Delhi+
Visit the Virasat E Khalsa heritage museum, offering an insight of the birth of Sikhism, 500 years ago. Travel on the Vande Bharat Express train to Delhi (4.5 hrs) for overnight at the 5-star La Lalit.
Please note your luggage will be taken by road to Delhi.
MealsBreakfast - Day20
Tour ends in Delhi+
Your tour ends this morning after breakfast. Check out time at the hotel is midday.
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MealsBreakfast
Accommodation
Where you stay
Delhi
The Claridges Hotel
Right where New Delhi meets Old Delhi, The Claridges Hotel is in a peaceful area, only a 10 minute walk to the serene Lodi Gardens yet still close to shopping centres, markets and the famous India Gate. The hotel extends a warm welcome and offers a several dining options, a bar, swimming pool, gym and spa. The rooms are a blend of classic and contemporary styles and provide air-conditioning, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, mini bar and safe.
Rishikesh
Lemon Tree
Located on the banks of the Holy Ganges river and the foothills of the Himalayan sub-belt, The Lemon Tree offers an tranquil retreat. Facilities include a large terrace and a vegetarian restaurant and café, bar and swimming pool. Rooms have private facilities, free wi-fi and safe.
Mussorie
Kasmanda Palace
A heritage boutique hotel tucked away on a quiet hillside with splendid views of the Doon Valley and the Himalayas. Restaurant, bar and WiFi (free). 29 rooms with private facilities, hairdryer, safe, cable TV and tea/coffee making facilities.
Chandigarh
Taj Chandigarh
A 5-star hotel with sophisticated architecture and interiors. Restaurants, bar, gym, spa, pool and WiFi (free). 149 air-conditioned rooms with hairdryer, safe, mini-bar, tea/coffee making facilities and satellite TV.
Shimla
Oberoi Cecil
A celebration of the elegance and grace of the Colonial era in the Queen of Hill Stations, located amidst the majestic Himalayan ranges, The 5-star Oberoi Cecil, a Grand Heritage hotel, is a part of Shimla's rich colonial history. Restaurant, bar, indoor pool, gym, spa and WiFi (free). 75 air-conditioned rooms with hairdryer, mini-bar, safe, tea/coffee making facilities and TV.
Shivadya
Palampur
Rakkh Resort
A 4-star boutique hotel perched on a hilltop surrounded by terraced hillsides. Restaurant, spa and WiFi (free). 15 air-conditioned cottages with private facilities, hairdryer, safe and tea/coffee making facilities.
Pragpur
Judge's Court
A heritage hotel located in the medieval hamlet of Pragpur, on the edge of the Himalayan mountains. Restaurant, bar, plunge pool and WiFi (free). 10 air-conditioned rooms with safe, mini-fridge, tea/coffee making facilities and TV.
Amritsar
Ranjit Vilas
A boutique family-run hotel with strong Punjab influences. Restaurant, WiFi (free) and 22 air-conditioned rooms with TVs.
Rupnagar
Kikar Lodge
Delhi
The Lalit
The Lalit is a 5-star hotel in the centre of New Delhi, boasting 6 restaurants, a bar/lounge area, a spa, a gym and a swimming pool (Wi-Fi free). All rooms offer a hairdryer and mini bar.
Hotels are as planned; occasionally similar alternatives are used.
Peace of mind
What's included
- ✦19 nights’ accommodation
- ✦Meals Included: breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 10 dinners
- ✦Itinerary as described
- ✦Services of guides and local representative
- ✦Flights from the UK can be added — ask your adviser