The Globalista Travel Journal » Blog Archive » The Maharajas’ Express Itinerary

November 6, 2009

Day 1 Fly London – Delhi

Day 2 Delhi

Arrive in Delhi, the capital of independent India and transfer to your hotel in Connaught Place. Seven cities have existed here since the 10th Century and it has been ruled over by Rajputs, Turks, Afghans, Mughals and the British. Delhi is two cities in one: the first is the Old Delhi of the Mughals, created by Shah Jehan and still a medieval palace of forts, mosques and bazaars whilst the second is New Delhi. Take an afternoon tour of the main city sights.

Day 3 Board the Maharajas’ Express – Agra

Begin the six night journey through North India with Agra, the capital of India in the 16th and 17th centuries. Start the afternoon’s sightseeing at the imposing Agra Fort – the building which was started in 1565 by Akbar with later additions made by his son Jahangir and grandson, Shah Jahan – followed by a visit to the Taj Mahal.

Conceived as a palatial hotel on wheels, the Maharajas’ Express features luxurious carriages equipped with every modern amenity and comfort. Each carriage comprises spacious and stylish passenger cabins with climate control-LCD television-and environmentally friendly washrooms.

Day 4 Gwalior

Arrive in Gwalior this morning. Head to the Gwalior Fort, the city’s most famous landmark. Tour the many temples and ruined palaces such as the Man Mandir Palace, Gujari Mahal, Sas Bahu Ka Mandir and Suraj Kund. Following lunch at the beautiful Usha Kiran Palace, explore the Jai Vilas Palace. Resembling an Italian Palazzo, it’s filled with an assortment of royal possessions, curiosities and memorabilia. Revisit the Usha Kiran Palace for cocktails, before returning to the train.

Day 5 Khajuraho

The train continues to Jhansi from where you travel by road to Khajuraho. Spend a morning at the Chandela Hindu temples, which represent some of the finest examples of Indo-Aryan temple architecture in northern India. The remote location of Khajuraho meant that the temples were relatively unharmed by Muslim invaders and as a result the fine carvings are in very good condition. Khajuraho has more than 80 temples, of which 22 survive.

In the afternoon explore the magnificent temples in the area. Khajuraho itself is a tiny village but here, in its temples, is perhaps the strangest visual experience you will have in India. Here the Hindu Trinity (Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma) is depicted in stone, besides men and women, feasting, dancing, and making love. Continue to the Eastern group of temples, the Jain Temples and admire the sculptures and carvings. Following lunch, familiarize yourself with the local culture and the rural lifestyle of the villagers on a guided Village Walk before returning to the train.

Day 6 Bandhavgarh National Park

The train arrives in Umaria from where you transfer by road to Bandhavgarh National Park. Bandhavgarh is located in the Vindhya Hills of Madhya Pradesh and was formerly a part of the princely state of Rewa. The rare white tiger originated from here and as such, the forests of Bandhavgarh were protected as a royal hunting reserve. Though small, the National Park is home to many of India’s rare and endangered animals.

Bandhavgarh is famous for its tigers but a wide range of other mammals also inhabit the park, such as spotted deer, leopard, hyena, wild boar and Indian wolves and antelope. Take a game drive in the park before returning to the train for the overnight journey to Varanasi.

Day 7 Varanasi

Varanasi is the holiest of the Hindu cities, and probably the oldest living city in the world. Situated on the sacred river of Ganga, half way between Delhi and Calcutta, it is a frenetic city of colourful bazaars, exquisite and bright silks, festivals, temples, mosques and palaces – all centred around the teeming ghats (steps leading down to the river on which people stand to wash or immerse themselves in the water) of the Holy Ganges.

In the early morning you will have the chance to go on a boat excursion on the Holy River Ganges to see the Bathing ghats and cremation sites. Watching people bathing and worshipping at the ghats is one of the most extraordinary experiences of a visit to India. Continue with a walk through the twisting alleys absorbing the hustle and bustle of the Old City.

After breakfast, visit Sarnath, 11 km away, the buried Buddhist city where Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon and also attained nirvana. The Archaeological Museum at Sarnath displays a variety of Buddhist relics including the Ashoka Pillar, whose four back-to-back lions have been adopted as India’s national emblem.

Day 8 Gaya

Proceed to Nalanda, an important seat of learning in ancient India. Its ruins indicate the presence of more than 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from all over the world. After visiting these magnificent ruins enjoy lunch at Rajgir. After lunch, drive to Bodh Gaya – the place where Prince Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree and came to be known as Lord Buddha. Visit the Maha Bodhi Temple complex dedicated to Lord Buddha; originally believed to be a small shrine erected by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, the temple was later restored in the 11th and 18th centuries. Today, the temple complex is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For Buddhists, Bodhi Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha. In 2002, the Mahabodhi Temple here became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.