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Secret Himalayan India

Toy Train Shimla India Shutterstock 1397919182
View Of Manali, Kullu Valley, India
Mussoorie, India
Naggar Castle

Travelling to heritage hotels in hill station towns, and using small vehicles to take off at tangents to little-known temples and villages, this is a beguiling blend of cities, serenity, scenery and spirituality

A wonderfully scenic circling of the Himalayan foothills, this is a journey through stunning landscapes, to famous cities, tiny towns, and almost forgotten temples, to reveal the reverence of the region’s three faiths, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh. We see Hindu shrines, ashrams, and ceremonies, from the beautiful, bucolic Kullu Valley villages, to Rishikesh and Haridwar, where the sacred Ganges flows down from the mountains to the plains, and the Aarti rites of floating lights take place each evening at dusk. Steeped in its ethereal spirituality, Dharamsala (‘pilgrim’s rest’) is the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile, and the home of Buddhism and of the Dalai Lama; its temple and monastery enveloped in peace and serenity. Amritsar is the holiest city of the Sikh religion, its Golden Temple the most sacred place of pilgrimage, where the Palki ritual takes the Guru Granth Sahib book ‘to bed’ each night, and back to the temple every morning, symbolically treating the holy book as a human teacher. Stays in Old Delhi and modern Chandigarh complement time-warp hill station towns, including remote and splendidly scenic Mussoorie; and busy Shimla, its colonial buildings contrasting with the twisting lanes of the bazaar.

Overview

  • Flight  - 1 night
  • Delhi  - 1 night
  • Haridwar  - 2 nights
  • Mussoorie  - 2 nights
  • Chandigarh  - 1 night
  • Shimla  - 2 nights
  • Kullu Valley  - 3 nights
  • Palampur  - 1 night
  • Dharamsala  - 2 nights
  • Pragpur  - 1 night
  • Amritsar  - 2 nights
  • Anandpur Sahib  - 1 night
  • Delhi  - 1 night
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Naggar Castle
Mussoorie, India
Aarti Ceremony, Haridwar, India
Toy Train Shimla India Shutterstock 1397919182
Rishikesh

Tour Highlights

  • Cultural & Countryside
  • Jules Verne Sightseeing
  • 3 UNESCO Heritage Sites
  • 2 Lunches & 10 Dinners
  • Local Expert Guide
Secret Himalayan India Map
Kangra Fort, India
Unique Experiences

Indian Ceremonies & Kangra Fort

Learn more about India at Aarti, Palki and Border ceremonies. Visit Kangra Fort, the largest and oldest fort in the Himalayas and its museum displaying the Maharaja’s possessions.

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Travelling to heritage hotels in hill station towns, and using small vehicles to take off at tangents to little-known temples and villages, this is a beguiling blend of cities, serenity, scenery and spirituality

Itinerary

Day 1

Overnight flight direct to Delhi, or from your chosen airport, direct or via Dubai.

Key: B - Breakfast L - Lunch D - Dinner

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- Itinerary -

Key: B - Breakfast L - Lunch D - Dinner
Day 1

Overnight flight direct to Delhi, or from your chosen airport, direct or via Dubai.

Day 2

On arrival, transfer to the classic colonial Hotel Maidens for overnight stay. Later, visit the 14th-century, Agrasen ki Baoli step well, 60m-long and three storeys deep; and the city’s iconic Red Fort, where huge sandstone walls encircle a series of pavilions, linked by the Nahr-i-Behisht (‘stream of paradise’) water channel.

Day 3

Leave Delhi on the early morning train to Haridwar (5hrs), a place of Hindu pilgrimage, where visitors immerse themselves in the holy River Ganges, and light-up the dusk each day with floating flamed offerings to the life-giving Ganga Goddess. Two nights at the heritage Ganga Lahari, on the riverbank. This evening, see the Aarti ‘ceremony of lights’ at the Ghat at Har ki Pauri.
(B, D)

Day 4

Morning safari in Rajaji National Park, a tiger reserve, with Indian elephant herds, spread around the Himalayan foothills, and crossed by the Ganges and Song Rivers (closed from 15th June to 15th November). Drive to nearby Rishikesh, known as the ‘the Yoga Capital of the World’, to visit Shantikunj ashram, a Hindu academy for spiritual awakening; and the 137m-span of the Laxman Jhula pedestrian bridge. Attend an evening Aarti ceremony at Triveni Ghat then return to Haridwar.
(B)

Day 5

Travel (4hrs) to the hill station town of Mussoorie, once the home of Sir George Everest, with fabulous views to snow-capped peaks, and down into the Doon Valley. Two nights at the heritage WelcomeHotel The Savoy.
(B)

Day 6

Visit nearby Landour, a small and peaceful town, little-changed in the last century. Stroll through the shops and cafés of the Sisters Bazaar, and walk to the peak of Lal Tibba, at 3025m, the highest point in the lower Himalayas’ Garhwal region, with fantastic panoramas of far-away hill villages. Afternoon at leisure.
(B, L)

Day 7

Travel (8hrs) to the gardens and modernist architecture of Chandigarh, the dream of India’s first Prime Minister, Neru, planned and realised by French architect, Le Corbusier, and lauded as an example of 20th -century urban planning. Visit Le Corbusier’s Capitol Complex, encompassing the High Court, Secretariat, Legislative Assembly, and the huge, steel Open Hand Monument, signifying the city’s ethos, “open to give, open to receive”. Overnight at the 5-star Taj Chandigarh.
(B)

Day 8

Visit the Zakir Rose Garden, with 1,600 species of roses in its 30-acre botanical enclave (seasonal periods in bloom). Travel by road to Kandaghat (3hrs), to board the narrow-gauge ‘Toy Train’, renowned for the route’s spectacular scenery, crossing bridges and cutting through tunnels and pine forests, for its journey to Shimla. A picture-perfect retreat, the British-era summer capital now blends cool colonial charm with colourful Himachal character. Two nights at the heritage Clarke’s Hotel, on the traffic-free avenue, The Mall.
(B)

Day 9

Stroll along the Mall on a morning tour of Shimla, which includes a visit to the grand Viceregal Lodge (now named Rashtrapati Niwas), its majestic façade matched by manicured gardens, at the top of Observatory Hill; the Shimla Museum, recording its British colonial era; and the town’s Christ Church, known for the five windows of the Virtues.
(B)

Day 10

Drive (4hrs) to Mandi, visiting the majestic Victoria Bridge, built in 1877, and taking a ‘Temple Walk’ among the 81 old stone shrines. Continue (4hrs) to the Kullu Valley (Valley of Gods), where every village has its own deity, and slopes are cloaked with apple orchards and deodar trees. Three nights at the boutique Shivadya Resort & Spa in Karjan village.
(B, L, D)

Day 11

Visit Seol village for a morning walk to a Himalayan stream, and through the forest to the very traditional village of Dashal, with an 11th-century Shiva temple. Later, drive to Naggar, the old capital of the Kullu Valley. Visit the Roerich Art Gallery, its collection of rare paintings exhibited in the late artist’s home; and walk to the medieval Naggar Castle, now part-hotel.
(B, D)

Day 12

Enjoy a village walk in Karjan and an afternoon at leisure, perhaps to trek to Sajla waterfall, cascading into a rocky pool in a beautiful, forested setting. Later, visit Karjan’s temple; experience the hot water springs of Vashisht Baths; and continue to Old Manali for the pagoda Temple of Hadimba Devi and its statues of the gods, said to be where the sage Manu meditated.
(B, D)

Day 13

Drive (6hrs) to Paprola to travel again on the ‘Toy Train’, this time to Palampur, known for its tea gardens and brilliant birdlife. Overnight at the 4-star Rakkh Palampur.
(B, D)

Day 14

Travel by road to Dharamsala, the residence of the Dalai Lama. Visit the spellbinding surrounds of the Norbulingka Institute, established to support Tibetan refugees and to preserve Tibetan culture art, and crafts. Two nights at the simply styled and scenically positioned Clouds End Villa.
(B, D)

Day 15

At 1,700m above sea level, McLeod Ganj is the upper section of Dharamsala, and the spiritual home of Tibetan Buddhism. Among the shrines and statues of the serene Tsuglagkhang Complex, visit the magnificent Namgyal Monastery, and Tibetan Museum of traditions and art. Enjoy exotic views on a village walk this afternoon.
(B, D)

Close Itinerary
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Notes:

This is a full itinerary with some visits on foot with uneven surfaces and inclines.

The weather can be cold at altitude during February and November.

Travel beyond the main tourist routes in smaller vehicles (3 guests per car all with a window seat).

Travel is not ‘off road’ but these vehicles allow for greater contact with local people and easier access whilst still travelling with a small Jules Verne group through dramatic passes and mountain scenery.

Heritage properties are full of charm and interest but rarely have lifts and rooms can vary in size and décor.

Departures & Prices

per person in a twin/double room
Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow

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February
February 8 (Thursday)
  • 4 Places Remaining

£ 3795
March
March 21 (Thursday)

£ 3795
October
October 17 (Thursday)

£ 3695
November
November 21 (Thursday)

£ 3795
Price Includes:

Air travel and taxes, transfers, 19 nights’ accommodation, breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 10 dinners, itinerary as described, services of guides and local representatives. If our specially negotiated airfares are unavailable at the time of booking, a supplement may apply.

Not Included:

Travel insurance, visa procurement, optional excursions, overseas airport taxes, tipping, any government taxes or compulsory charges introduced after publication.

Supplements per person

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Flight Options
  • Emirates from Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow
  • On request, please call
  • Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy
  • On request, please call
  • Virgin Atlantic Business Class
  • On request, please call
Privately Guided
  • Privately guided options available based on 2+ people
  • On request, please call
Tour Only
  • Arrival or departure transfer
  • £49
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