Spiritual Tour (Jyotirlinga, Kamasutra Temple & Holy River Ghats)

Arrive Delhi (flight)
On arrival at Delhi airport assistance and transfer to hotel check in. (hotel check in / out time 1200hr afternoon early check in subject to rooms availability).

Later city tour of Delhi, visiting landmark of Old Delhi which include Red Fort the residence of the Mughal emperor for nearly 200 years until 1857. Jama Masjid one of the largest mosques in the world, built by Shah Jahan. Cycle Rickshaw ride in Chandni chowk & Khari Baoli Spice Market a busy shopping area with markets full of spices, dried fruit, silver jewelry and vivid saris, while the narrow side streets are crowded with tiny shops selling essential oils, stationery and traditional Indian sweets. Raj Gath the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi where he was cremated after his assassination.

In New Delhi visit Humayun Tomb the first garden-tomb in Indian subcontinent and an early example of Mughal architecture commissioned by Humayun's first wife Empress Bega Begum in 1569-70. Qutab Minar a 73-metres tall minaret that forms part of the Qutb complex a fine examples of Afghan architecture. Lotus Temple a Baháʼí House of Worship notable for its flowerlike shape open to all, regardless of religion. Drive thrugh VVIP areas passing President House, Parliament & India Gate etc.
Overnight at hotel.

Delhi - Indore (flight) / Indore - Omkareshwar - Indore (85kms/ 2hrs approx one way)
Breakfast at hotel transfer to airport to board flight for Indore.

On arrival at Indore airport meet with your driver & guide and proceed to visit Omkareshwar home to one of the 12 jyotirlinga temples in the world. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is nestled in the Omkar mountain, an island in the middle of River Narmada. The temple has a large sabha mandap (prayer hall) standing on 60 brown huge stone pillars. The five storeys of the temple have different deities each and three prayer services are conducted in the temple everyday. While the morning prayer is done by the temple trust, the other two prayer meetings are held by the priests of the Holkar and Scindia states. The temple draws pilgrims in large numbers who also visit the nearby Mamleshwar temple. Taking a dip in the Narmada river before going inside the temple is considered auspicious. The ancient shivling in the temple is barricaded by a glass box to avoid destruction.

After sightseeing drive back to Indore check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel

Indore - Mahakaleshwar - Bhopal (85kms/ 2hrs approx one way)
Breakfast at hotel,excursion to visit Mahakaleshwar Temple - One of the 12 jyotirlingas and among the most prominent temples in Ujjain, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The lingam (a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva) at Mahakaleshwar resides in a subterranean chamber and is believed to be swayambhu or self-manifested. The present temple is a five-storey structure and was constructed midway during the 18th century. Built in Bhumija, Chalukya and Maratha styles of architecture, the temple is an architectural marvel. Of note are its marble walkways that were restored in the latter half of the 19th century by the Scindias. Three floors of the building are occupied by lingams of Mahakalesvara, Omkaresvara and Nagachandresvara, respectively. The Nagachandresvara lingam is accessible for devotees only on the occasion of Naga Panchami. There is also a kunda (tank) in the premises called Koti Tirtha that has been built in the sarvatobhadra style. On the path from the stairs of the kunda to the temple you will come across several images of the original structure of the temple, reflecting its grandeur during the period of the Paramaras (9th and 14th centuries). Located near Rudra Sagar, the temple holds a special Bhasma Arti for which devotees gather here as early as 4 am. There is an enthusiastic vibe in the air and the lit diyas make for a stunning sight.

After sightseeing drive to Bhopal check in at hotel.
Modhera Sun Temple

Bhopal Bhimbetka & Bhojpur (45kms/ 1hrs approx one way)
Breakfast at hotel, excursion to vosit Bhimbetka (UNESCO World Heritage Site) & Bhojpur.
The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site dating back to the Paleolithic age. They exhibit the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent, and show a gimps into the beginning of the South Asian during the Stone Age. Some of the shelters were inhabited by the homo erectus more than 100,000 years ago. Some of the stone age rock paintings found among the Bhimbetka rock shelters are roughly 30,000 years old.
Next proceed to Bhojpur and see its famous temple that is dedicated to Shiva. The temple houses one of the largest lingas in India and it's crafted out a single rock.
On return city tour of Bhopal. You will visit two historic mosques - Jama Masjid and Moti Masjid, as well as Taj ul Masajid and the arts center in Bharat Bhawan. This unique all-day adventure highlights one of the nation's most stunning cities and is not to be missed.
The Bhoj Wetland consists of two lakes located in the city of Bhopal. The two lakes are the Bhojtal and the Lower Lake are manmade reservoir. A total of more than 20,000 birds are observed annually. Bhoj Wetland was recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention of 1971 in 2002. The Upper Lake acts as the lifeline of the city supplying 40% of its potable water. White storks, black-necked storks, bar-headed geese, spoonbills, etc., that have been rare sightings in the past, have started appearing. A recent phenomenon is the gathering of 100-120 sarus cranes in the lake. The largest bird of India, the sarus crane (Grus antigone) is known for its size, majestic flight and lifetime pairing.
Overnight in Tent/ Hotel.

Bhopal - Sanchi - Udayagiri - Khajuraho (376kms/ 8hrs approx)
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Khajuraho via visiting, Sanchi (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Udayagiri Caves & Sagar Jain temples.

Sanchi is a serene hill crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD. Sanchi is an ancient place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and its uniqueness lies in the fact that Buddha is not represented through figures, but through symbols.
Udayagiri Caves are early Hindu ritual site, they were extensively carved and reworked under the command of Chandragupta II, Emperor of the Gupta Empire, in the late 4th and 5th century AD. Udayagiri has a series of rock-shelters and petroglyphs, ruined buildings, inscriptions, water systems, fortifications and habitation mounds, all of which have been only partially excavated.
Continue drive and visit Sagar one of the beautiful Jain temples. It is also home to Lakha Banjara Lake which is visited by hundreds of tourists every week on account of its fresh environment and favourable climate.

Arrive Khajuraho checkin at hotel.
Overnight at Hotel

Khajuraho - Prayagraj (376kms/ 8hrs approx)
Breakfast at hotel. Visit exceptionally well maintained UNESCO World Heritage Site, exploring the different temples and marvelling at their astonishing beauty. Khajuraho is breath taking and its temples are amongst the most popular in India. Over the course of the 11th and 12th centuries the Chandela dynasty created the most sublime examples of erotic sculpture in India. The temple of Khajuraho are India’s unique gift to the world, representing, as they do, a paean to life, to love, to joy, perfect in execution and sublime in expression on account of their remarkable erotic sculptures.

Later drive to Prayagraj check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.

Prayagraj – Varanasi (120kms/ 2.3hrs approx)
Breakfast at hotel, city tour of prayagraj. Visit Sangam: literally means confluence. The place has been named so because it is situated on the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and a mythical river named Saraswati. The actual confluence is located around 7 Kilometers from the Civil Lines. The place is considered to be one of the most sacred in Hindu religion and is the site for Ardh-Kumbh and Kumbh Mela that takes every 6 and 12 years respectively.
Overnight at Hotel

Varanasi
Early morning boat ride and Ghat visit along the Ganges and catch the scene of devotees bathing and praying in the sacred water.

Visit Kashi Vishwanath Mandir - the temple complex consists of a series of smaller shrines, located in a small lane called the Vishwanatha Galli, near the river. The main temple is quadrangle and is surrounded by shrines of other gods. There are small temples for Kaalbhairav, Dhandapani, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Vinayaka, Sanishwara, Virupaksha and Virupaksh Gauri in the complex. There is a small well in the temple called the Jnana Vapi also spelled as Gyaan vapi (the wisdom well). The Jnana Vapi well sites to the north of the main temple and during the invasion by the Mughals the Jyotirlinga was hidden in the well to protect it at the time of invasion. It is said that the main priest of the temple jumped in the well with the Shiv Ling in order to protect the Jyotirlinga from invaders.
Return to hotel for breakfast. Thereafter full day to explore Sarnath & Varanasi.
Sarnath - here the Buddha delivered his first discourse, the Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta (Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion), which explains the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path. It was also in Sarnath that the Buddha appointed his first group of disciples (sangha) to propagate his new teaching. Among the most notable monuments at Sarnath are the Dhamek Stupa, originally built by Ashoka, and the Ashoka Pillar, whose inscription points out the necessity of unity within the sangha. The ruins of various stupas and monasteries at Sarnath bear witness to of the monastic tradition that flourished here for over 1,500 years; among the new temples is the Mulaghandhakuti Vihara, built in 1922 by Anagarika Dharmapala. Today, hundreds of pilgrims visit the Vihara every evening to chant the Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta, acknowledging with their voices the wisdom and compassion that began to emanate from Sarnath with the Buddha’s first sermon.
City tour of Varanasi visit World famous Benaras Hindu University, The Ramnagar Fort Palace & Many Temples.

Varanasi - Bodhgaya (250kms/ 5hrs approx)
Breakfast at hotel drive to Bodhgaya check in at hotel. Later visit Mahabodhi Temple an UNESCO World Heritage Site, encompassed by an ancient railing dating back to 100BC. Bodhi Tree: where Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. Also visit Tibetan Monastery, Burmese Temple, Chinese Temple and Monastery, Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, Thai Temple and Monastery, and many more. Rest time to relax, evening attend temple aarti.

Gaya is a holy city beside the Falgu River. It’s known for 18th-century Vishnupad Mandir, a riverside temple with an octagonal shrine. Close by, ancient Mangla Gauri Temple is set on a hilltop. To the north, Hindu devotees bath in a Brahma Kund pond before honoring their deceased ancestors atop Pretshila Hill.
Overnight at hotel.

Bodhgaya - Deoghar (235kms/ 5hrs approx)
Breakfast at hotel drive to Deoghar check in at hotel.

Later visit Baba Baidyanath Dham - The most prominent temple in town that draws devotees in hordes every year. The Baba Baidyanath Temple is revered as both a jyotirlinga (devotional representation of Lord Shiva) and a shaktipeeth (devotional shrines where the severed body parts of Goddess Shakti fell). It also houses idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Parvati. Prayers begin at 4 am and first the head priest worships with shodashopachar (sixteen services). Then, devotees are allowed to worship the Lord. Legend has it that this is the place where the king of Lanka, Ravana, sacrificed his ten heads one by one to Lord Shiva. Seeing this, the Lord descended on earth and healed Ravana's injuries. Thus, Shiva is called 'vaidhya' meaning doctor or healer. While there are several such legends associated with this sacred land, history too proves its importance. A mention of the temple can be found from 8th century AD, during the rule of the last king of the Gupta dynasty, Adityasena Gupta. During the Mughal period, Raja Man Singh, the ruler of Amber, is said to have built a pond here, which is known as Mansarovar. The temple faces the east and is a plain stone structure with a pyramidal tower, which is 72 ft high. Atop it are three compactly set gold vessels, along with a punchshula (five knives in a trident shape). There is also an eight-petaled lotus called Chandrakanta Mani.
Rest time to relax.
Overnight at hotel.

Deoghar - Nalanda - Patna (265kms/ 6hrs approx) / Delhi (flight)
Breakfast at hotel drive to Patna, enroute visit Nalannda a hot seat of knowledge and learning established in the 5th century. Continue drive to Patna and dropoff to airport to board flight for Delhi.

On arrival at Delhi airport assistance and transfer to hotel.
Overnight at hotel.

Delhi - Departure (flight)
Breakfast at hotel as per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.