Itinerary
ITINERARY
The concept of the ''Village Trek“ is unique in that it provides an insight into the lives and daily routine of the Kumaoni villager. Overnight stays in the village houses gives you a chance to experience their warmth and genuine hospitality. The accomodation is rustic but clean and has all the basic amenities. The walks end at a different village each afternoon. The village houses have been partially renovated and toilets and bathrooms added without spoiling the ambience. After a day’s walk you can freshen up with a hot bucket bath. Food is cooked hygienically and mineral water is provided. The trek starts in the region of Almora which is the first British hill station (1815) in Kumaon Uttaranchal in the western Himalaya. Kumaon lies at the feet of some of the tallest mountains in India. Situated between Garhwal to the west and Nepal to the east Kumaon offers a natural environment where forests and wildlife have still to unfold their mysteries. Local religious customs and ancient traditions are very much alive here. This area has been a confluence where cultures have blended together, leaving behind an infinity of architectural wonders eg. Ancient temples, prehistoric paintings and charming villages set amongst green terraces. The itinerary covers both the cultural and natural aspects of the region. Before begining the trek you spend two nights at Kalmatia Sangam Himalaya Resort which helps you to adjust to the altitude and will give you a feel of the area with its abundance of flora and fauna. The last night is also at Kalmatia Sangam to relax, unwind, share memories and enjoy delectable meals. Kalmatia Sangam has 10 rooms/cottages all of which are individual, very tastefully furnished and offer a spectacular views of the Himalaya. Nanda Devi (7816m) is the dominating view.
Day 01 : Arrive DELHI (Flight TBA)
Arrive at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to The Manor Hotel. A capital way to begin your discovery of India “I asked my soul what is Delhi? It replied the world is the body; Delhi is its soul….. This is how a 19th century poet described this city that has ever been so many things to so many different people. To the weary travellers on the ancient silk route it was the first plain after having crossed the Himalayan Mountains with the promise of shelter, food and business opportunities. To the Afghan, Turk, Greek, Arab and Roman kings it was a vast and inexhaustible source of treasures of all kinds. To the Chinese travellers it was the land of knowledge and wisdom. Its ageless face saw the advent of Islam. It saw empires being built and destroyed or even merely dismantled to make way for the new and Delhi lived on…. The British created their own Delhi with large well planned avenues and planted 10000 trees with a 112 kms of hedges that it would be green round the year abundant with flowers a botanical paradise. The seat of the British Empire Delhi of 1911 was planned to resemble ‘an Englishman dressed for the climate’. Its planners and main architects decided that it would be neither Hindu, nor Muslim, nor Buddhist, nor English nor Roman but IMPERIAL a house for the Viceroy that resembled ‘a giant Indian bungalow, embattled Rajput fortress and Mughal tomb with shades of Buckingham Palace with English country house comforts. Delhi is perhaps the only city in the world that fuses its past present and evokes its future without losing an iota of its identity. 1300 monuments speak of her antiquity of the ambitions of men who thought they could hold on to her but history proved otherwise. A popular superstition is that it is also known as the ‘graveyard of dynasties’ with every one of its cities built there heralding the death the dynasty that built it. Thus, Delhi is a Melting Pot of cultures, politics and religions of India’s colourful past in its monuments, its palaces, and in the faces of its people that they narrate the story of their glorious past. Overnight: The Manor Hotel (Manor rooms)
Day 02 : DELHI
Breakfast at the hotel
Old Delhi – Happily Chaotic! 09:00 hrs We proceed for our unique yet fascinating experience of Old Delhi. Visit the mighty Red Fort followed by “cycle rickshaws” through the lanes of “Chandni Chowk” or Silver Street, experiencing the sights and sounds of this very busy Avenue heading west from the Fort. Chandni Chowk literally means “moonlit crossroads” and an area which best represents the “super-Oriental”- the glory and the guile; the grandeur and the grime, with its crowded bazaars, twisting lanes, maze of small streets strange aromas, the pungent odour of Oriental spices, the cries of shopkeepers, coolies and “rickshaw- walas” and the clatter and whirr of furious industry. The thrill of being driven through the narrow, winding lanes is a memorable experience. This is perhaps one of Delhi's most populated areas and the largest marketplace. Conclude the tour with Raj Ghat – Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial. New Delhi: Touch of Faith, Philosophy & British India Afternoon: The discovery of New Delhi continues with a visit to Qutab Minar which is Delhi's Eiffel Tower, its Statue of Liberty and Nelson's Column. Visit the mosques, mausoleums and ruins of forts that lie around it. Later visit the Humayun’s tomb - the magnificent structure in red sandstone and white marble – one of the finest examples of the garden tomb and a precursor to the Taj Mahal. We drive to one of the most colonial parts of New Delhi called Raisina Hill. Drive past the Viceroy's House (now known as Rashtrapati Bhawan, present residence of the President of India) Lutyen's magnum opus; the India Gate, a war memorial arch. We then drive past a Sikh place of worship called a Gurdwara or Temple. This shrine is the scene of constant devotional music, whose ethereal tones are relayed throughout the entire complex. A Sikh temple without a Community Kitchen or “Langar” is inconceivable. Food is serviced in the kitchen of the Gurudwara 24 hours to all visitors without any distinction of caste, creed, color or religion. All people – high or low, rich or poor sit in the same queue. Approximately 40,000 visitors share meals every day.
Overnight: The Manor Hotel (Manor rooms)
Day 03 :DELHI –AGRA (200 kms / 4.5 hrs)
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:30 hrs Depart by road for Agra and upon arrival check in at hotel The Radisson.
Agra – The city that created the most extravagant monument ever built for love. Agra city is a virtual gateway to a world of discovery. It has witnessed the rise of the pomp and pageantry of three great Mughal monarchs - Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan, all of whom lavished on this fabled city, their love and riches to transform the land into one of the greatest centers of art, culture, learning and commerce. Much of the city's impressive past lives in evidence even today, in the haunting presence inside the monuments and in the majesty of the buildings.
15:30 hrs Visit to the Agra Fort
The Agra Fort’s construction was started by Emperor Akbar in 1565 when he was just 23 years of age. Within the fort are several fascinating buildings – the Pearl Mosque built of marble, the Hall of Public Audiences, the Hall of Private Audiences where the famous "peacock throne" was kept, the Octagonal Tower, the Jehangir Palace built by Akbar for his son Jehangir and the Khas Mahal, a beautiful white marble structure used as a private palace.
This evening, enjoy a traditional Indian ladies indulgence! Beautiful henna application on your hands will leave you feeling like a queen. Watch and learn how to drape the most elegant outfit - the sari.
Overnight: Radisson Hotel (Superior rooms)
Day 04 : AGRA / FATEHPUR SIKRI / DELHI (240 kms/06 hrs)
DELHI/KATGODHAM (Ranikhet Exp/ 2240 hrs-0510 hrs *)
Early this morning visit the Taj Mahal to see this monument by the light of the rising sun.
It is said that the world is divided into two parts; those who have seen the Taj Mahal and those who have not. A flawless architectural creation For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, painters and musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, colour and son. Since the 17th century, travellers have crossed continents to come and see this ultimate memorial to love, and few have been unmoved by its incomparable beauty. Taj Mahal stands in the city of Agra, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of the Yamuna River. It was built in the memory of the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum, who won the heart of a Mughal prince. She was married at 21 to Emperor Jahangir's third son Prince Khurram and stayed loyally by his side through good times and bad: in the luxurious royal palaces of Agra as well as the transient tents of war camps. A labour of love ~ Work on the mausoleum began in 1633 and 20,000 workers laboured for 17 years to build it. The most skilled architects, inlay craftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from all across India and lands as distant as Persia and Turkey. The master mason was from Baghdad, an expert in building the double dome from Persia, and an inlay specialist from Delhi. Intricacy in design ~ what is most amazing about the Taj Mahal is the fine detailing. The coloured inlay is never allowed to overwhelm the design, as carvings done in relief sensitively balance it. The ornate pietra dura and relief carvings are of floral, calligraphic and geometric designs. However, flowers remain the main decorative element as the tomb depicts a paradise garden. The skill of the inlay worker is so fine that it is impossible to find the joints, even when as many as 40 tiny pieces of semi-precious stones have been used in the petals of a single flower. Some of the best calligraphy of Koranic verses can be seen around the entrance arches and on the two headstones. The colours of the Taj ~ Taj Mahal changes its moods with the seasons and the different times of the day. At dawn, the marble has a delicate bloom in shell pink, by noon it glitters majestically white, turning to a soft pearly grey at dusk. Monsoon clouds give it a moody blue tint and it appears and disappears like a mirage in the drifting mists of winter. It can be solid and earthbound, fragile and ethereal, white, amber, grey and gold. The many faces of Taj Mahal display the seductive power of architecture at its best.
Return to the hotel; check-out after breakfast and drive to Jaipur en-route visiting Fatehpur Sikri (40 Kms/01 Hour)
Fatehpur Sikri - this exquisite city built by Akbar the Great in 1569, in red sandstone, with its forts, palaces and mosques was abandoned 14 years after its creation due to political reasons. It is a visual experience of an ancient city abandoned by its ruler and yet well preserved to this day. One can visualize the splendour and glory of a bygone era. Fatehpur Sikri radiates a true sense of faith and belief in oneself and in God. Even today, people visit a shrine within the complex to pray for a better life.
After visit continue drive to Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi, you will be transferred direct to the Delhi Railway Station to board your overnight train to Katgodam.
Overnight: On board train
Day 05 : Arrive KATGODAM Upon arrival at Katgodam Station, youy will be met and will begin your drive to the Kalmatia Sangam Resort (drive approx 2 ½ hrs) Upon arrival, check in and enjoy breakfast. After breakfast start an easy walk to Chittai.The Chittai bell temple is dedicated to Golu Devta (god of justice and peculiar to Kumaon). The temple is hung with petitions and bells of all shapes and sizes brought by grateful devotees. The walking path starts from the resort through Chir (pine) forests via Sintola with good views into the valley and Himalya range. After temple visit walk back to the resort. Lunch & Dinner at the Resort.
Overnight: Kalmatia Sangam
Day 06 : KUMAON After breakfast drive to Binsar. Walk up to Zero Point through dense oak and rhododendron forests. Enjoy the view and hike downhill to Shiva temple. From there trek initiallly further downhill and then follow the western Binsar ridge towards Kangarchina. A very scenic walk with good views of the Himalaya on one side and the terraced valley on the other side. On route enjoy a packed lunch. Drive back to resort.
Dinner at the resort
Overnight: Kalmatia Sangam
Day 07 : VILLAGE WALK
The village walks lead through picturesque villages along terraced fields, waterfalls, along a winding stream and pine, cedar, oak and rhododendron forests. (If you can make it between mid Feb. and Apr. you will be rewarded with the lovely sight of the rhododendron flowers in bloom – a blaze of colour). The walks vary from gentle to slightly steep and take you between 1450m to 2250m. Walking on the old village trails you pass through several villages where the houses have wonderfully carved doors and windows. This itinerary gives you a realistic impression of Kumaoni local life, where the old traditions and culture are still part of their daily routine lives. You pass villages where the castes are strictly segregated, walk through terraced fields then along traditional irrigation channels. On arriving freshen up and enjoy a welcome drink while traditional Kumaoni food is cooked by the villagers. Stretch out with refreshments in a quaint, stone garden, overlooking small fields. The landlord while preparing the dinner hops in and out of his fields to get fresh veggies and herbs for your meal. Guests are welcome to watch and help! Relax, chat with the locals listening to tales of the past. Overnight: Village Home
Day 08: VILLAGE WALK
As everywhere in the Kumaon the people are friendly, curious in a childlike manner and more than happy to answer questions and be photographed. The walks take you en route to ancient Kali, Vishnu and Shakti temples (1000 years old), past ancient flour mills, where you can stop and see how they work. The Himalaya and panaromic valley views along the ridges are magnificent.
Overnight: Village Home
Day 09: VILLAGE WALK
Enjoy your last day here at this rural haven – the bonding with these simple village folk is an experience you will cherish for years to come. On the last evening as an additional option you can enjoy an evening of traditional Kumaoni folk dances and music with a bonfire.
Overnight: Village Home
Day 10 : RETURN TO KALMATIA
Today, walk downhill to Jageshwar through terraced fields, villages and magnificent cedar forests. At Jageshwar you can visit the ancient temple complex built by the Chand and Katyuri rulers between 8th. and 12th century A.D.
1 ½ hrs. drive back to Kalmatia Sangam Himalaya Resort. On the way stop to see the prehistoric rock art at Lakhudiar.
Overnight: Kalmatia Sangam
Day 11 : RESORT-KATGOGAM STATION (2 ½ hrs drive)
KATGODAM-DELHI (Ranikhet Express/2040-0355 hrs *) A leisurely day - relax, unwind, sunbathe, stroll around and late afternoon leave for Kathgodam railway station.
Overnight: Onboard train
Day 12: ARRIVE DELHI
Early this morning, you will be met at the railway station and transferred to your hotel. The day is free at your leisure to explore the city on your own. The car & driver are at your disposal for use within city limits.
Overnight: The Manor
Day 13 :DEPART DELHI (Flight TBA)
Breakfast at the hotel
Day is at leisure, with the car & driver at disposal. Later this evening, you will be transferred to the airport in time to board your flight back home.
