Sample Itinerary 2018

Day 1: Delhi-Transition to Varanasi
Arrive Delhi before or after midnight. Taxis from the hotel pick everyone up at the terminal, taxi to hotel for rest overnight. Wake up in India! Breakfast buffet in the hotel, meet Rakesh in the lobby for hotel check out and transition back to the terminal for flight to Varanasi. Arrive Varanasi, taxi to hotel, check into rooms, settle for a few minutes. Meet in the courtyard for a walk down to the ghats to greet Ganga Ma, first prayers & blessings, and Dinner at Shree Cafe. Walk back to the hotel, good night, sweet dreams!

Day 2: Old City Tour-”Older Than Time”
Chai in the hotel. Walk down towards the ghats for Breakfast at Shree Cafe. Walk down the ghat for a gentle boat ride on the Ganga, drifting and taking in the current, Uschi will tell stories about the various ghats and history of Banaras. Boat drops us off at Manikarnika Ghat for the old city tour of amazing temples, shrines, and small streets potent with history & beauty. Uschi tells stories of various temples, history etc. Divine lassi experience at Blue Lassi, watching the funeral processions and flow of traffic as we pause. Walk the wild streets back to Rakesh’s shop for a divine shopping experience. Dinner, Goodnight.

Day 3: Villages of Varanasi
Breakfast in the hotel. Tuk Tuks pick us up and we drive the Panch Kroshi road out to Sarai Mohana village to meet some of the women Uschi works with. Bring some pictures of your family, gifts, be ready to interact and tell stories. Walk through the village to see some traditional silk sari weaving as it happens here, village life, and paintings all over the village done by a friend of Uschi’s. Our boatman meets us and we walk down to the bank of the Ganga for a boat ride back viewing the northern ghats of the city. Boat drops us off at Dasaswamedh ghat, Rakesh meets everyone to take them to his shop for chai, a little rest, and wrapping up shopping. Dinner, goodnight!

Day 4: Varanasi Life
Breakfast (location TBD). Cycle rickshaw to the Durga Red Temple, blessings and darshan there. Walk to the nearby Sankat Mochan temple for an experience of Bhakti, and the blessings of Hanuman. Walk back down to a nearby cafe, for drinks and a few minutes of relaxing. Cycle rickshaw back to the hotel and rest. Uschi meets everyone at the hotel to go over the importance of the Arati ritual & it’s significance. Shopping some of Uschi’s wonderful items crafted with the women. Ganga Arati on Dasaswamedh Ghat, Dinner, goodnight.

Day 5: Transition to Khajuraho
Hotel check out. Taxi to airport, flight to Khajuraho. Arrive in the afternoon, rest. Spa bookings for the group at the nearby lovely Ayurvedic Spa. Dinner, goodnight!

Day 6: Khajuraho Temples
Morning Yoga. Breakfast in Hotel. Tuk Tuks pick us up for a tour of the local temples. First we will visit a small temple of an unexcavated relic, a local worship temple. So beautiful. A guide will then join us for tours of the various Khajuraho temples. Lunch at the hotel. Head back out after some rest to see the large temple complex in the afternoon, guided tour there and shopping at the cute fair trade souvenir shop. Back to the hotel, dinner, goodnight.

Day 7: Khajuraho Village Life
Morning Yoga. Breakfast in Hotel. Bicycle tour out to the village of the Isabel family to meet Vimala, enjoy Indian hospitality, and chai and snacks. See the sights in the lovely community, an incredible Durga temple, and hand out chocolate to the village children. Cycle back to the hotel, rest, snacks. Tuk Tuks pick us up to go out to the Raneh Falls/Panna National Park for a tour with a Ranger to the see the wildlife and incredible landscape, volcanic canyon. Drive back to the hotel, dinner, goodnight.

Day 8: Transition to Agra
Breakfast in hotel. Tuk tuk’s pick us up for drive to the station. Coolies load bags into the train and we buy some snacks for the ride to Agra. Arrive Agra about 5:30pm. Taxi’s pick us up and we drive to our hotel. Check in, dinner in hotel restaurant. Trip to Arkhil’s jewelry shop for those that are interested rest, goodnight.
Day 9: Taj Mahal-Fatepur Sikri
Breakfast in hotel. Taj guide picks us up and we go for the Taj Mahal tour. Lots of photos, hearing about the history. Taxis pick us up, ride to Indianer restaurant for delicious lunch. Drive to Fatepur for tour of Fatepur Sikri, Akbar’s palace and the Sufi Dargah & Mosque. Guided tour by Mriraz. Drive back from Fatepur, stopping at Sheroe’s Hangout for snacks and interacting with the women who are acid attack survivors. Return to hotel, goodnight!

Day 10: Transition to Rishikesh
Breakfast Buffet. Hotel check out and departure by Deluxe Bus for Rishikesh! We stop along the way for lunch, pit stops, **we will reach Rishikesh earlier in the day and the drive won’t be as long as the train ride! Arrive Rishikesh, check into hotel, Dinner buffet, Goodnight!

Day 11: Welcome to Rishikesh
Morning Yoga. Breakfast Buffet. Walk through the Yogi forest to visit a sadhu ashram where we can have quiet time to feel into personal connection along the Ganges. Bring your modest bathing wear and a towel, many people choose to take a full dip, and soak in the sun and meditate on the rocky shore. Walk a bit further up river to meet a Sadhu/Babaji who is a friend of ours. A magical being who has lived under a peepal tree for more than 20 years, we will have some interacting with him. Walk back towards the hotel, lunch at a French (although food is California Hippie) Restaurant on our way. Resting and Ayurvedic treatments begin. 5pm Ganga Arati. Buffet Dinner 7:30pm, Goodnight! **We will schedule ayurvedic appointments into our time in Rishikesh, it’s just important to keep your times and not forget because of shopping or activties! We will always get you back in time :)

Day 12: Rishikesh
Morning Yoga. Breakfast Buffet. Jeeps pick us up for a tour up the mountain sides to the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple. See the terraced hillsides & glorious views over Ganga Ma in all of her majesty. Cars drop us off on the way back for lunch at the Pumpernickel German Bakery Cafe with another incredible view from their rooftop tiki lounge. Shopping for trinkets as we walk to the taxi stand, drive back to the hotel. Rest or chai. Dinner, Goodnight.

Day 13: Transition to Delhi
Walk down to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram to see the incredible paintings and take photos. Walk back along the Ganga, last blessings. Hotel check out. Taxis leave the hotel for transition to Delhi. Stop en route for some lunch, we are leaving early to avoid the heavy Delhi traffic later in the day. Arrive at the airport in late evening, you may choose to book a lounge spot so you have a place to rest till flight check in. Check in for your flight and soak up your last India moments.