10 Days Special Interest Tour
PACKAGE STARTS RS. 16000
Route : Delhi-Amritsar-Dharamshala-Pragpur-Shimla-Chandigarh-Delhi
Special Activities:
Village Walk, Tractor Ride, Interaction with Local people and communities, Lunch with Local family, Wagha Border ceremony, Night Ceremony at Golden Temple, Experience the Monastic Life, Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism and Monasteries, Heritage walk in the village at Pragpur with Interaction with local families, Heritage walk at Shimla, day hiking tour with interaction local villagers Etc.
Name of Tour : Special Interest Tour
Highest Altitude : 2400 Mts.(Kufri)
Best Season : Round the year
Duration of the Tour : 09 Nights / 10 Days
Outline Itinerary :
Day 01) Delhi – Amritsar by Shatabdi Train
Day 02) Local Village visit, Tractor Ride, lunch with local family with interaction
Day 03) Amritsar Local sight seeing tour
Day 04) Amritsar – Dharamsala Drive / 210 Km / 06 hrs drive
Day 05) In Dharamshala (Experience the Monastic life beneath the Himalayas an Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism and Monasteries)
Day 06) Dharamsala - Paragpur drive / 70 kms / 02 hrs
Day 07) Paragpur- Shimla drive / 220 Km/ 06 hrs
Day 08) Shimla Heritage walk
Day 09) Shimla local tour with day hike
Day 10) Shimla – Chandigarh / 120 Km / 04 hrs drive
RATES
|
Category
|
Hotels |
Min 02 Pax |
Min 04 Pax |
Min 06 Pax |
|
Standard
|
Amritsar : Aaditya Continental or similar Dharamshala : Snow Retreat or similar Pragpur : Anand Palace or similar Shimla: Woodpark or similar |
High Season: Rs. 27000 Low Season : Rs. 24000 |
High Season: Rs. 22000 Low Season : Rs. 19000 |
High Season: Rs. 19000 Low Season : Rs.16000 |
|
Deluxe
|
Amritsar : Grand Hridey or similar Dharamshala : Hotel Divyansh or similar Pragpur : Deejay or similar Shimla: Sukh Sagar Regency or similar |
High Season: Rs. 31000 Low Season : Rs. 28000 |
High Season: Rs. 26000 Low Season : Rs. 23000 |
High Season: Rs. 22500 Low Season : Rs. 19500 |
|
Super Deluxe
|
Amritsar : Sawera Grand or similar Dharamshala:Hotel Spring Valley Resort or similar Pragpur : Chateau Garli or similar Shimla: Royal Regency or similar |
High Season: Rs. 37000 Low Season : Rs. 34000 |
High Season: Rs. 32000 Low Season : Rs. 29000 |
High Season: Rs. 28500 Low Season : Rs.25500 |
|
Luxury |
Amritsar : Hotel Ramada or similar Dharamshala : Hotel Indraprasth or similar Pragpur : Judge’s Court or similar Shimla: Snow Valley Resort or similar |
High Season: Rs. 46500 Low Season : Rs. 43500 |
High Season: Rs. 41500 Low Season : Rs. 38500 |
High Season: Rs. 38500 Low Season : Rs. 35500 |
QUOTATION INCLUDES:
- Accommodation in mentioned or similar category hotels on double/twin sharing basis
- All breakfasts and Dinners
- All ground transportation by one ac(nac in hills) vehicle (02 pax in one Etios/Dezire Car and 04 -06 pax in one Innova) as required in the tour programme
- All Toll taxes, parking fee, state taxes and drivers allowances
QUOTATION EXCLUDES:
- Airfare/Train fare/Bus fare
- Any other meals
- Any Special Activities (as it will be charged extra , depends on the activity taken by guest)
- Any expenditure of personal nature such as telephone calls, laundry, mini bar or drinks during meals, tips to driver, guide, helper, etc.
- Any kind of Insurance and medical evacuation
- Any Hotel before starts and after tour ends
- Guides and Monuments Fees
- GST
We can provide you all other travel services before tour starts and ends
Detail Itinerary :
Day 01) Delhi – Amritsar by Shatabdi Train
This morning you will be transferred to New Delhi railway station to board the train to Amritsar. Meeting & assistance upon arrival at Amritsar railway station and transferred to your hotel.
The word Amritsar means the holy pool of nectar (the drink of the gods). Amritsar is a city situated in the state of northern Punjab, the northwestern region of India. It is 25 kilometers away from the Pakistan border. Amritsar is one of the prime destinations for pilgrimage in India. It is the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion. It is the centre of Sikhism and the principal place of worship for Sikhs and visited by thousands of tourists from across the world.
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 02) Local Village visit ,Tractor Ride, lunch with local family with interaction
Village Tour: Drive out of the city for one and a half hours, towards a small village. On the way you’ll see vast fields, orchards, tractors and trucks, rural markets selling farm implements, etc. Your guide will familiarize you with the basics of the economy, society and culture of rural Punjab.
In the village we’ll take a walk around to see the typical structure and layout of houses, cattle sheds, etc. We will see the village shop, livestock grazing and feeding, and the drying of cowdung fuel cakes. We'll take a tractor ride through the beautiful fields and see the seasonal crops growing. We'll end at the home of a local family for tea and snacks. On the way back, we'll also see a traditional brick kiln where bricks are made by hand.
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 03) Amritsar Local sight seeing tour
Morning depart for sightseeing of Amritsar visiting famous Golden Temple, Jallinawala Bag and afternoon . Wagha Border visit. Overnight in the hotel.
Golden Temple(03 Km): The Golden Temple or 'Hari Mandir', situated in Amritsar, Punjab, is the most sacred pilgrim spot for Sikhs. The site of the temple was sacred to the Sikhs since the time of the 4th guru, Ram Das. Construction of the Amrit Sarovar (pool of nectar) was initiated by Guru Amar Das, the third Guru, in 1570 and was completed by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru. His successor, Guru Arjan Dev began work on the building after inviting Mian Mir, the Sufi saint, to lay its foundation stone in 1588. 1601 Harmandir Sahib completed. In 1603-1604, the first volume of the Guru Granth Sahib ji, was prepared in this city and was installed at Darbar Sahib on August 16, 1604.
The Akal Takht (The throne of immortality, lit. the never ending throne) the seat of Sikh political power was built by Guru Hargobind ji in 1606. Two flags representing temporal and spiritual authority and Sikh sovereignty were set up in front of the Akal Takht. Here Guru Hargobind ji wore two swords of Miri and Piri (temporal and transcendental authority) Around 1830, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had Muslim goldsmiths to gold-plate some parts of the inner section of the Darbar Sahib. The Gold plating led to it being called the Golden Temple.
All Sikh people try to make a visit to the temple and take bath in holy tank of the temple. kitchen and recitation of the divine word never cease here. Every day more than 25,000 people, (during special occasions 100,000 people) have free food in the ‘Guru-ka-langer’, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or gender.
Talk on Sikhism at Golden Temple :
Morning visit the Golden Temple and we shall provide a small class inside the Golden Temple with the Talk or Introduction with Sikhism by an expert
Jallianwala Bagh(02 Km) : Jallianwala Bag is located near to Golden Temple and is a Martyrs' Memorial built in the shape of eternal flame of liberty, in the memory of those people who died on 13th April 1919 in the bagh. Here, about 1500 to 2000 persons who were attending a peaceful meeting during the freedom to celebrate the Baisakhi Festival and on hearing that a meeting had assembled, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer with his army of 150 troops ordered open fire at the crowd.
According to British Raj sources, around 379 people were dead and 1500 wounded people were left to die in the well within the garden. Today, this public garden houses a memorial, which was established in 1951, to pay homage to thousands of people killed during the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. The British Queen Elizabeth II and her husband laid a wreath at the Memorial on 14 Oct.' 1997.
Timings: 6 AM - 7 PM in summer and 7 AM - 6 PM in winter
Gallery Timings: 9 AM - 5 PM in summer and 10 AM - 4 PM in winter
Attari-Wagha Border(28 Km) : The International Border between India and Pakistan lies 28 kms from Amritsar at Attari on the Grand Trunk Road and 24 Kms from Lahore. The border crossing draws its name from Wagha(Pakistan) and Attari (India) villages.
Wagha is a village located in the Wahgah Zone of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is situated 600 metres west of the border. It is 3 kilometres from the bordering Indian last village Attari. The Wagah railway station is 400 metres to the south and 100 metres from the border.
A flag-lowering ceremony is held here daily at sunset by both sides. The ceremony started in 1986 as an agreement of peace, although there was not a conflict at that time. The Wagha-Attari border ceremony happens at the border gate, two hours before sunset each day. The flag ceremony is conducted by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers . Their steps are matched so perfectly that it is like watching a mirror image of the same exercise. The ceremony is a huge attraction for visitors and is poignant reminder of the partition of 1947 when Punjap was divided between two nations.
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 04) Amritsar – Dharamsala Drive / 210 Km / 06 hrs drive
Depart for Dharamshala/Mcleodganj in Kangra Valley.
The Kangra valley is one of the most picturesque valleys of lower Himalayas. Dharamshala is a main town in Kangra valley and the headquarter of Kangra District, it lies on a spur of the Dhauladhar range and commands majestic views of the mighty Dhauladhar ranges above, and the Kangra Valley below. Dharamshala founded by British in 1855 and recognized as the headquarter of Kangra district. Dharamshala literally means ‘the Holy Refuge’ divided into upper and lower towns, lower Dharamshala is the main town at 1300 mts. and the upper Dharamshala or McLeod Ganj at 1770 mts. and is 10 Km away from the lower town. Mcleodganj gained new appeal with the arrival of His Holiness Dalai Lama in 1960. Today, it is known throughout the world as the Little Lhasa in India.
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 05) In Dharamshala (Experience the Monastic Life Beneath the Himalayas an Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism and Monastries.)
Today morning Let our knowledgeable guide take you on a half-day walking tour to visit two places located just near Norbulingka, and observe the daily routines, curriculum, and lifestyles of monks and nuns. Learn about the basics of Tibetan Buddhist practice and study. In this half day walking tour first visit Gyuto Monastery is one of the two main centers for Tantric studies in the Gelukpa tradition. Gyuto was founded in Tibet in 1474 by the First Dalai Lama’s chief disciple, Kunga Dhondup. In 1959, the monastery was reestablished in India, and now houses over 500 monks, and is the temporary residence of His Holiness the Karmapa.
Thereafter visit Dolmaling Nunnery, the first nunnery ever to offer a full Buddhist philosophy curriculum for nuns. Founded by the Tibetan Nun's project in the 1990's, the 17 year long Buddhist studies program trains nuns in Buddhist philosophy and debate.
In the witness / join prayer ceremony at Namgyal Monastery, is the personal monastery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It has been working for young Tibetan monks in the hope of ensuring the survival of the unique Tibetan Traditional Buddhist studies and practices.
Optional: His Holiness the Karmapa gives public audiences on Saturday afternoon when he is in residence. This may be a good day to plan this tour, and you will need your passport as identification. (SUBJECT TO availability)
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 06) Dharamsala - Paragpur drive / 70 kms / 02 hrs
Drive to Pragpur and afternoon local tour
Today morning we will leave for Paragpur, where we will go for a village exploration to Experience the local flavor of India’s first UNESCO Heritage Village. Where you will walk down streets dressed with cobblestone that retains the medieval essence. Sun – baked houses stand in close harmony to the wooden facades of the colonial style buildings. The architectural wonders emit a strong aesthetic statement with undertones either historical, cultural, religious, architectural, archeological or antiquarian significance. The village has retained its traditional character and charm. Visits to weavers can be very satisfying. Excellent shawls and blankets are hand woven with the wool that is available in the village market. Local silversmiths offer a variety of handcrafted trinkets. Handloom and other fabric can be quickly “Block Printed” to your choice
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 07) Paragpur- Shimla drive / 220 Km/ 06 hrs
Drive to Shimla
The British discovered Shimla in the form of a little village in 1819 during the Anglo-Gorkha war. When war broke afresh in 1819, the British took the place with its cool and healthy climate. Here was installed a village of tents, where the heat weary British military and civil officers came to rest and the first house built in 1822, is regarded to be “Kennedy House” which was the residence of Charles Pratt Kennedy, the newly appointed political officer to the hill states. In 1864 under the Viceroyalty of John Lawrence, Shimla was officially declared the Summer Capital of British Empire in India (April to October). - a status is retained upto Indian Independence in 1947. After the independence of India, Shimla became the capital of Punjab until 1966, when it came under Himachal Pradesh. In 1971 Himachal Pradesh became a full fledged state and Shimla became the capital of this state.
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 08) Shimla Heritage walk with the interaction of locals
Heritage Walk in Shimla / 04 – 05 hrs walk :
The starting point of this walk is from the Clark’s hotel at one end of the Mall Road. This walk is through the town's Architectural Heritage Zone that brings you close to various architectural sites of British era. The walk from Hotel Clark’s to the Vice Regal lodge(- which is also know as the Indian Institute of Advance Studies passes through Combermere bridge, Mall Road, Christ Church, The Ridge, Bandstand, Gaiety Theater, Town hall, Scandal Point, General Post office building( Connie Cottage), Telegraph office, Grand hotel ( Bentinck’s Castel), Railway Board Building, Gorton Castle (Accountant General’s office), State Legislative building( Council chambers), Kennedy cottage( sight of the first British house in Shimla), Cecil Hotel, Museum (Museum remain closed on Monday and on all government holidays)and reach at Viceregal Lodge which is now a days know as Indian Institute Of Advance studies. Passing through many Historical and Heritage buildings, each possessing a different style of architecture and holding many stories of the past Era. From here you can drive back to your hotel
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 09) Shimla local sight seeing tour with day hike
Full day Tour of Mashobra village, Sipur , Mulkoti Village and Naldehra /02 hrs drive to and fro and 01.30 hrs. trek
Mashobra(2146 mts.) : In the morning after breakfast depart Shimla by Car(40 minutes drive). Reach Mashobra which is the starting point of the trek. Mashobra is a small village which holds a magnificent view of the valley.
From Mashobra descend into woods and after walking for 2 km you are in a thick pine forest and nearby to it is about 500 yrs old Shiva temple (Sipur). Continue descending down to village Mulkoti and visit this small local village and walk through small terraces to explore the rich flora of Himalayas. It is a 01 hour beautiful trek . from here drive to Naldehra and then back to Shimla
Naldehra (2044 mts.): Naldehra is 22 km from Shimla town and surrounded by beautiful deodar trees. This is a nine hole par 68 golf course. It was designed by the British Viceroy, Lord Curzon in 1903, who was so enchanted by the place that he even named a daughter after this spot, Alexandre Naldehra as her second name. The annual Sipi fair in June is held at Naldehra. It is a lovely, popular picnic spot and small walks through the thick forest of deodar can also be possible.
Overnight stay at Hotels.
Day 10) Shimla – Chandigarh / 120 Km / 04 hrs drive
Drive to Chandigarh and board your train or flight to Delhi
Tour Ends but Memories Remains – Always
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