India Vacation

Uttarakhand is one of the newly carved youngest states of India, which is located in the lap of Himalayas. It is very famous for its Char Dham Yatra, pilgrimage tour destinations i.e. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Apart from this, there are a number of famous hill stations in this state which attract adventure freaks and honeymoon couples from various parts of India and abroad.

Badrinath Shrine

Badrinath is a famous holy shrine of Hindus, which is situated in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is considered as the most important sites of Char Dham pilgrimage and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Located at an altitude of 3,415 meters above sea level, Badrinath temple is perched on the banks of Alaknanda river. It is surrounded by Nar and Narayan mountains and is situated at a distance of 301 km from Rishikesh.

It was established by Adu Shankaracharya in 9th century and attract lakhs of pilgrims every year from far away places. Several renovations have been carries out in the temple premises after its construction. June to September months are best for visiting this Hindu shrine as the roads are blocked due to heavy snowfall in the winter season.

Jolly Grant is the nearest airport to visit Dadrinath, which is located in Dehradun, the capital city of Uttarakhand. It is at a distance of 317 km away from Badrinath. This shrine is accessible by nearest railway station, Haridwar, which is 310 km far. One can reach Badrinath by road from various places like Delhi, Rishikesh and Haridwar, but its roads are rocky and it is advisable to travel by all terrain vehicles.

Kedarnath Shrine

Kedarnath is an another holy pilgrimage shrine of Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage tour. It is located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, in the lap of Himalayas. Kedarnath is the remotest shrines among all the Char Dham shrines and is located at an altitude of 3,584 meters above sea level near to Mandakini river.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kedarnath shrine presents a beautiful view of snow capped mountains and lush green valleys. The shrine opens for pilgrimage in April end and closes in October end as it remains cut off from rest part of the world because of heavy snowfall in the Himalayan ranges.

There are a number of attractions near to Kedarnath shrine like Ukhimath, Agastyamuni, Phauli- Pasalat Devi Maa, Kalimath, Bamsu and Trijugi Narayan.

One can reach Kedarnath by a steep walk of about 14 km from Gaurikund as it is connected by road from Dehradun, Rishikesh and Haridwar. The nearest railway station is Haridwar from where one can reach Gaurikund by road. Jolly Grant is the nearest airport to reach Kedarnath, which is located in Dehradun.

Now-a-days one can also enjoy the Pawan Hans helicopter ride to Kedarnath shrine from Agastyamuni and Phata. There are a number of guest houses and hotels near to Kedarnath shrine for pilgrims to stay.

Rishikesh – 'the Gateway to Land of Lords', is one of the popular Hindu pilgrimages destinations in India. It is a perfect combination of pilgrimage, adventure, wildlife, yoga and meditation. The holy city awaits millions of devotees and adventure enthusiasts every year. Rishikesh is often crowded, specially from April to October.

Historical Tales

Heralded amidst lofty hills, the city is located at an altitude of 356 m above the sea level. It is also known as 'Tapo Bhumi' means the place for meditation of Gods. According to legends, sage Raibhya Rishi did severe penance and as a reward, God appeared to him in the form of Hrishikesh. It is also said that the land has witnessed the incident in which Lord Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu.

Yoga and Meditation Centres

Rishikesh is also popularly known as world of yoga and meditation. The holy town is dotted with numerous yoga resorts where people can do meditation and yoga for their spiritual development. The serene and calm ambiance in the ashrams conducts yoga and meditation to attain complete mental peace and satisfaction. Some of the popular centres includes The Yoga Study Centre, Sri Ved Niketan Ashram and Yoga Niketan Ashram.

Adventure Activities

Set an expedition to adventure world filled with lot of excitement and enjoyment. Have a thrilling experience of white water rafting in Rishikesh. Rafting on water of wisdom is an unique experience that enchants every visitor. Explore the wild waves of Ganges that gushes down from an altitude of 480 m. Those who are sacred of rafting can indulge themselves in gentle canoeing here.

The other option to add more thrill in your Rishikesh trip is trekking. Explore the fascinating trekking routes surrounded by lush greenery on high ranges of great Himalayas. The trek route offers a magnificent panaroma of picturesque locales.

Shopping Arcade

Rishikesh is primarily a pilgrimage destination. Therefore visitors can rarely find big markets or souvenir shops. But there are few things which can delight the shopaholics. They can shop for handicrafts made of sea shells, beads, pearls etc. Visitors can also look for saris, handloom fabric, bed covers and cotton fabrics at local shops.

Detailed Itinerary :-

Day 1: Arrival Delhi International Airport

Upon your arrival at the Delhi International Airport, our executive will be there to give you warm welcome, and to transfer you to the hotel that has booked for you in advance. Even if you land here during the day time, you will have sufficient time to explore the wonders of this capital city of India. Some of the most important historical places in the city includes Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Jama Masjid, Humayun's Tomb and India Gate. Overnight stay in the hotel in Delhi.

Day 2 : Delhi Sightseeing

Next morning, we begin our journey with Akshardham temple, the most famous architectural beauty visited by thousand of tourists every day. After noon we proceed to Delhi Haat, art and handicraft center, famous for traditional techniques, designs and colors created by artists and craftsmen from various parts of the country. We invite you to explore and experience the captivating world of Indian Paintings, Stonework, Terracotta, Leather ware, Glass work, Blue Pottery, Lac Work, Home Decor and traditional Indian Puppetry. In the evening enjoy the cultural programmes and savor the pleasure of traditional Indian cuisine. Overnight stay at the hotel in Delhi.

Day 3 : Visit Jaipur

On the third day of the Golden Triangle Tour Package, by any luxury car or bus, you will be transfered to Jaipur, that will take approximately 5 hours. As you arrive Jaipur in the afternoon, you will have plenty of time to take a small excursion trip of the city. You can make Bapu Bazzaar in Jaipur famous for traditional Indian Handicraft and other items such as Rajasthani costumes, tie and dye, jutis, turbans, lac work, leather ware, artificial silver jewelery and much more. During the night get back to the hotel for the overnight stay.

Day 4 : Jaipur Sightseeing

In your visit of Pink City – Jaipur, on the fourth day of the tour, you will be visting places like City Palace, Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal and Jal Mahal. In the evening you are scheduled to visit Chowki Dhani- an ethnic village on the outskirts of Jaipur. Here you can enjoy elephant ride, bullock ride, camel ride, puppetry show along with traditional Rajasthan cuisine which includes Dal Bati Churma, Jalebi, Gatte Ki Sabzi and much more. Nightstay in Jaipur

Day 5 : Tour Agra

On the fifth day of the tour, we proceed to Agra to visit Taj Mahal – the 'Monument of Love'. The bewitching beauty of Taj Mahal will captivate your imagination with charm and wonder. Appreciate its architectural beauty and take a boat ride in river Yamuna exploring the nearby excursions. Other places you will cover same day includes Agra Fort and Itmad-ul-Daula. After exploring the Taj city, you will be staying at a hotel which will already be booked by us.

Day 6 : Delhi Departure

Next day you will leave for Delhi for the onward journey.

Just like the diversity in culture, lifestyle of the people, and its heritage, India also show various diversity in its climate. Weather in India (meteo inde )has mainly three main seasons:

winter, summer and monsoon. The winter months - November to March - are pleasant throughout India. The temperature drop abruptly into the mountains where there is snow. The summer months - from April to June - are hot in most of the country. The southwest monsoon usually ends by early June on the West Coast, and with the exception of areas south-east, India receives most of its rainfall between June and September.

Kerala lies between latitude 10 degree north and longitude 76.25 east.

Total area
Kerala covers total area of 38,863 sq km.

Climate
The hilly area enjoys cool and bracing climate all round the year. Plains are hot and humid. The temperature ranges between 32 degree C to 22 degree C.

Language Spoken
Malayalam is the official language of Kerala.

Food Habits
The culinary world of Kerala includes many delectable dishes having tantalizing taste. Rice and fish are included in menu of daily meal. Coconut is the main ingredient of every food item, which makes it more delicious.

Some of the mouth watering dishes served in Kerala are Puutu-Kadala, Idiappam and Stew, Appam and vegetable stew/chicken curry, Pathiri and chicken curry, idli and dosa with coconut chutney and sambar. Kerala is also popular for its scrumptious variety of deserts such as achappam, banana chips, vada, murukku, cheeda, ada etc. Taste some exotic flavor of drinks such as tender coconut, sharbat and sambharam.

Best time to visit
Best time to visit Kerala is from November to March when there is not much humidity.

Local transport system
Regular private and Government buses ply to different parts of the state. An excellent network of railways connects the cities of Kerala. The major cities have a domestic airport from where tourist can board the plane to reach the desired destination. To travel locally people can hire taxi, auto rickshaw or local buses.

How to reach Kerala
Air: Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city has an international airport. The domestic airports at Kochi and Kozhikode connects the state with other parts of India.
Railway: Kerala has around 200 railway stations connecting it with other parts of the country.
Road: An extensive network of roads connects Kerala with other parts of India.