Each state of India's has much to offer to the perceptive traveler. This itinerary explores the Central India State of Madhya Pradesh connecting places dating from pre-historic times to modern day cities. Most of the places covered; Orchha, Khajuraho, Sanchi, Indore, Bhopal are deeply embedded and portrayed the heritage of the region. The state is also famous for its high population of tigers. We travel to Shivpuri and Bandavgarh where tiger viewing is high.


Day 01 ARRIVE DELHI
Arrive Delhi by International flight.
You will be met on your arrival by our representative with fresh flower garlands. You will then be transferred to your hotel.
In the afternoon you will be given the city tour of Old & New Delhi.
Old Delhi. Visit the former centre of Moghul Power, Old Delhi offers ancient monuments, narrow streets and bustling bazaars. Drive past the vast Red Fort, built in 1648, the Jama Masjid, the greatest mosque in India and completed in 1658 by Shah Jahan who also built the Taj Mahal, and the Raj Ghat, the simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. A unique experience of taking 'rickshaw ride' from the Red Fort, through "Chandni Chowk" or Silver Street, experiencing the sights and sounds of this very busy avenue heading west from the Fort. Chandni Chowk - literally means "moonlit crossroads" and an area which best represents the "super-Oriental" - the glory and the guile; the grandeur and the grime, with its crowded bazaars, twisting lanes, maze of small streets strange aromas, the pungent odour of Oriental spices, the cries of shopkeepers, coolies and "rickshaw-walas" and the clatter and whirr of furious industry.
New Delhi - drive past the stately government buildings of the British Era designed by Lutyens, including the India Gate & the Presidential Palace. Continue onto the beautiful Humayuns tomb of the Mughal era & predecessor of the world famous Taj Mahal. End the tour at the towering minaret of Qutab Minar
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 02 Delhi - Agra
Leave Delhi for Agra by air conditioned vehicle.
Arrive Agra and check at the hotel.
This afternoon you will have some free time to explore the city on your own.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 03 Agra - Gwalior
Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning you will be given the city tour of Agra.
Visit TAJ MAHAL (Closed on Fridays) - located on the bank of Yamuna River, the most extravagant monument ever built for love. Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which is always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from it's stunning design balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen.
Red Fort - lies on the bend of the river Yamuna, almost in the heart of the town. Akbar built it as his citadel over the years 1563-73 in the finest architectural style. It has imposing gates and walls of red sandstone and a moat.
Continue your drive to Gwalior.
Arrive Gwalior, and check in at the hotel.
Rest of the day free.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04 Gwalior - Shivpuri
Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning you will be given the tour of Gwalior.
Tour includes the enormous 19th century Jai Vilas Palace. This Palace is famous for its ornate chandeliers & crystal. A few of the rooms have in converted into a museum filled with the Scindia dynasties memorabilia. Gwalior Fort - where a sun temple is believed to have been constructed within the area of the fort. Also visit Man Mandir which is a six towered palace & which forms the eastern wall of the fort. The fort has monuments dating back to 8th century A.D. onwards and is one of the largest forts in India. Also visit the Gujri Mahal, a turreted palace of stone now houses the archaeological museum. Gwalior also offers the Tomb of Muhammad Ghaus, a saint worshipped by the Mughals & the Tomb of the famous musician Tansen.
Later proceed to Shivpuri.
Arrive Shivpuri and check in at the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 05 Shivpuri - Chanderi - Orchha
An early morning safari to Madhav National Park - 8 km away from Shivpuri is the crescent shaped Sakhya Sagar Lake named after a queen. The 11 km circumference lake has a spring and is surrounded by a 156 sq km area at an altitude of 360-480 m which was the royal game reserve in the past but became the Madhav National Park in 1958. You can see various kinds of birds. Many migratory birds can be seen here in winter, enhancing the attraction of the park. At the National park you can see innumerable deer, Sambars, Chitals or spotted deer, Nilgai, Chinkaras, Dhowsinghs, numberless wild boars, Cheetahs.. There are a number of observation towers like George Castle for watching the animals.
Return to the hotel for Breakfast.
After breakfast you will be given the city tour of Shivpuri is steeped in the royal legacy of its past, when it was the summer capital of the Scindia rulers ol Gwalior. And earlier, its dense forests were the hunting grounds ot the Mughal emperors when great herds of elephants were captured by Emperor Akbar.

Much later, it was the tiger that roamed the wooded hills and many a magnificent beast was ' bagged' by royal shikaris. And, with its luxuriant forests and undulating hills, Shivpuri was a natural choice as the summer resort capital of the Scindias.

Shivpuri's royal ambience lives on in the exquisite palaces and hunting lodges and graceful, intricately-embellished marble chhatris (cenotaphs) erected by the Scindia princes.
Continue your drive to Orchha. En-route visit Chanderi.
Shivpuri summer capital of the Scindia rulers of Gwalior including Chhatris, Madhav Vilas Palace, Sakhya Sagar Boat Club, Bhadaiya Kund. Afternoon drive to Orrcha enroute visit Chanderi, surrounded by hills, lakes and forests, and there are several monuments of Bundela Rajputs and Malwa Sultans. Overnight at hotel.

Day 06 Orchha - Khajuraho (170 kms / 3 hrs)
After breakfast a guided tour of Orchha including Jehangir Mahal, Raj Mahal, Chaturbhuj Temple, Laxminarayan Temple and Chhatris (Cenotaphs). In the afternoon drive to Khajuraho. Overnight at hotel.

Day 07 Khajuraho
Breakfast followed by a guided tour of Chandela dynasty temples famous for their spectacular sculptures and carvings. Visit the Northern and Eastern group of temples. Evening for leisure. Overnight at hotel

Day 08 Khajuraho - Bandhavgarh (237 kms / 6 hrs)
Morning visit to the southern groups of temples, then drive to Bandhavgarh National Park. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. This is also known as the ‘white tiger country’. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for many years. On arrival check in resort. Overnight at jungle resort.

Day 09 Bandhavgarh
Take an early morning jungle safari. After breakfast day at leisure until evening safari to get a chance to view and enjoy more than 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. Overnight at resort

Day 10 Bandhavgarh - Jabalpur (164 kms / 3.5 hrs.) – Bhopal (air)
After breakfast drive to Jabalpur to board flight to Bhopal. On arrival Bhopal met and assisted at airport, transfer to hotel. Afternoon excursion to Sanchi. Sanchi is known for its Stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century B.C. to 12th century A.D. The most famous of these monuments, the Sanchi Stupa 1 was originally built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. Overnight at hotel.

Day 11 Bhopal - Bhojpur - Bhimbetka - Bhopal
Post breakfast excursion tour to Bhojpur founded by the legendary Parmar King of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (1010-1053), and named after him, renowned for the remains of its magnificent Shiva temple and cyclopean dam. Later visit Bhimbetka, 46-kms south of Bhopal. The northern fringes of the Vindhya range surround the town. In this rocky terrain of dense forest and craggy cliffs, over 600 rock shelters belonging to the Neolithic age were recently discovered. Here, in vivid panoramic detail, paintings in over 500 caves depict the life of the pre-historic cave dwellers making the Bhimbetka an archaeological treasure, an invaluable chronicle in the history of man. Return to Bhopal. Overnight at hotel.

Day 12 Bhopal – Ujjain – Indore (240 kms / 6 hrs)
Post breakfast proceed for Ujjain, situated on the banks of the river Shipra and has been regarded since times immemorial as sacred. The belief in the sacredness of Shipra, has its origins in the ancient Hindu mythological tale of churning of the Ocean by the Gods and the Demons. After sightseeing drive to Indore and check in to hotel. Overnight at hotel

Day 13 Indore – Mandu – Indore (198 kms / 4 hrs)
Breakfast followed by a guided sightseeing of Indore to include Lal Baag Palace, Bada Ganapati and Kanch Mandir. Then drive to Mandu. Mandu is a celebration in stone, of life and joy, of the love of the poet-prince Baz Bahadur for his beautiful consort, Rani Roopmati. The balladeers of Malwa still sing of the romance of these royal lovers, and high up on the crest of a hill, Roopmati's Pavilion still gazes down at Baz Bahadur's Palace, a magnificent expression of Afghan architecture. Evening, return to Indore. Overnight at hotel.

Day 14 Indore - Maheshwar - Omkareshwar - Indore (231 kms / 5 hrs)
After breakfast proceed for guided sightseeing of Mahaeshwar. This temple town on the banks of the river Narmada finds mention in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. In addition, Omkareshwar, the sacred island, shaped like the holiest of all Hindu symbols, 'Om', draws hundreds of pilgrims to this island. Drive back to Indore. Overnight at hotel.

Day 15 Indore - Delhi / Mumbai (air)
After breakfast, free time. Transfer to airport to catch a connecting flight to Delhi/ Mumbai. On arrival transfer to hotel for wash and change & later proceed for International airport to board flight for back home.