India - Himalaya
In India you will experience and see the religious side of Indian life, which will include visiting various temples, mosques and places of spiritual significance. You will learn about their religious views and ideas and be introduced to a very deep spiritual awareness that spans back thousands of years.

BUDDHISM & HIMALAYAN TOUR

Ancient and fascinating cities, spectacular Himalya scenery, incredible sights and culture, this is a religious studies experience not to be missed.

Tour Highlights The Golden Temple, Amritsar • Dharamshala • Agra Fort • Taj Mahal • Jama Majid Mosque

DAY 1 DEPARTURE
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled flight to Delhi.

DAY 2 ARRIVE IN DELHI
You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel You will then have an orientation tour of Delhi, which is divided into two parts: New Delhi and Old Delhi.

DAY 3 DELHI - TRAIN TO AMRITSAR
Our sightseeing of New Delhi includes a visit to India Gate, Parliament House and Humayun's Tomb, the first Mughal garden tomb. One of Delhi’s most striking monuments is the 70-meter high Qutab Minar, which looms majestically across the wide plains. In the afternoon you will be transferred to the New Delhi railway station to board the Express train to Amritsar. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel.

DAY 4 AMRITSAR
Amritsar is one of the most ancient and fascinating cities of India and is an important seat of Sikh history and culture. Amritsar has various historical and religious sites. The most famous of them all is the Golden Temple, which was founded by the fourth Guru of Sikhs. Another revered shrine is the Durgiana Temple, which is dedicated to goddess Durga. The Jallianwala Bagh reminds the visitor of one of the most heart-rending events in the history of India. Bullet marks and the well into which some people jumped to escape the onslaught can still be seen.

DAY 5 DRIVE TO DHARAMSHALA & McLEOD GANJ
After breakfast we will drive to Dharamshala, the principal township of the region, founded in 1855 and now with a population of approximately 16,000. It has one of the most spectacular settings for a Hill Station - magnificently set amongst pine forests, against a backdrop of peaks rising to over 15,600ft on three sides.

DAY 6 McLEOD GANJ & DHARAMSHALA
There are two sections to the town, lower Dharmshala is where the bazaars and civic centre lie. Some 1500 feet higher up is where McLeod Ganj is located, it is the settlement of Tibetan Buddhists who sought refuge here in 1960 following their exile from Tibet. The Buddha Temple is situated opposite the residence of the Dalai Lama and around it are located a monastery and a nursery. The Church of St John-in-the-Wilderness (1860) is a short distance below McLeod Ganj.

DAY 7 DRIVE TO CHANDIGARH
This morning we drive to Chandigarh. En route we stop at Baijnath, an important pilgrimage place for the Hindus due to its very old Siva temple. The temple is said to date from 804 A.D.

DAY 8 TRAIN FROM CHANDIGARH TO DELHI, TO AGRA
After breakfast we will transfer to Chandigarh railway station in time to board the Shatabdi Express. From Delhi we will continue to Agra. On arrival, we will visit the red sandstone Agra Fort, enclosed by forbidding 20-meter high walls. Three successive Mughal helped create this massive structure which contains Hindu and Muslim architecture. The highlight of your trip will probably be a visit to the Taj Mahal, surely the greatest monument to love and one of the wonders of the modern world. Completed in 1652, skilled craftsmen from Persia, Turkey, France and Italy and some 20,000 labourers worked for 17 years to build this edifice, constructed by emperor Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal.

DAY 9 AGRA TO DELHI
Today we will return to Delhi this morning and then this afternoon visit Nizamuddin Mosque. Jama Majid is one of the country's largest mosques, built in 1656, where thousands of Muslims offer prayers. It lies opposite the Red Fort and is surrounded by a large number of shops, which deal in a variety of goods. The great mosque of Old Delhi is both the largest in India and the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees.

DAY 10 DEPART DELHI TO LONDON
Today we shall transfer back to the airport for our return flight, landing back at London later the same day.

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