Explore the past of Goa with Portuguese history. Enjoy the European touch here in this exotic environment and admire the still kept treasures. Do you want to learn more about Goa’s history and like to enjoy antiques and evidences of the past? Drive to Margao and explore the colourful city market. Buy souvenirs or just click pictures and get an idea of what India is all about. Proceed to Chandor. There you are with locals mingle with ever smiling and laid back people. Visit the Menezes Braganza House As you wind up do not get a trance seeing the great countryside all along the track.
Later a hospitable host awaits you in Quepem to guide you through his home, the PALACIO DO DEAO, which is 218 years old. PALACIO DO DEAO was built by the Portuguese noble man who was the Dean of the church and the founder of Quepem town. It is built in an unusual style of architecture, blending Hindu and Portuguese culture. Also outstanding are its lush gardens that have managed to preserve their historical features and have since old times, been known as the most beautiful pleasure gardens in Goa. Enjoy a delicious Goan lunch (cooked by the family) in this unique atmosphere before you drive back to the hotel.
Full day excursion to Sravanabelagola, Belur and Halebid. At Sravanabelagola, hewn out of a single rock and visible from a distance of 25 Kms, is the statue of Lord Gomteshwara which is bathed with milk and honey once every 12 years. The Channekeshava temple of Belur built 900 years ago is an exquisite example of Hoysala art. Halebid's 12th century Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples are masterpieces of Hindu art with elaborate and ornate carving of deites and scenes from the epics.
While you’re in Goa, why not grab the chance to see the Taj Mahal? One of the Seven Wonders of the World, this glorious 17th century tomb is jaw-dropping. Your trip starts with a flight to Delhi and drive to Agra, home to the Taj and many fine monuments from India’s Mughal era. After a good night’s sleep at your hotel, your sightseeing extravaganza beings with a dawn visit to the Taj. Commissioned by emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his late queen, it’s a poem in white marble. Tiptoe around its spectacular interior, marvelling at its intricate inlaid stonework. And capture its beauty on camera from its magical gardens. After a trip to Agra Fort, your day ends at Fatehpur Sikri. This deserted 16th-century city is crammed with long-abandoned but still exquisite mosques, palaces and tombs. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Tigers, elephants, lions - this three-day adventure gives you an unmissable taste of India's wildlife. You'll take a train through Goa's fascinating countryside to Udupi, where you'll check into your hotel. Then there's time to explore the town's Hindu temples before dinner and an early night in preparation for tomorrow's adventures. Leaving early the next morning, keep your camera handy as you drive the ‘ghat' mountain roads of Karnataka. These British-built roads are riddled with hairpin bends and command jaw-dropping views over the valleys below. Next you'll visit an elephant centre to meet some of these incredible animals, before continuing to the Thavarekhoppa wild tiger and lion rehabilitation reserve. Here board a coach for a thrilling safari drive, watching for the tigers, lions and deer that roam its jungle. After that and lunch, it's back to your hotel to freshen up before dinner. The next day, reboard your train, chugging through lush countryside to Magao and your transfer to your resort. Simply spectacular.
Flying Fox Jodhpur is an exhilarating and interactive 1 hour guided tour of the Chokelao Garden and Rao Jodha Ecological Park at Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur. Soar along 6 different ziplines - discreetly installed, ultra-strong cables which participants fly along in a harness and pulley - for an entirely new perspective of Mehrangarh.
With trained instructors from the UK and India to tell you about the flora and fauna of the landscape and breathtaking views of the Fort and it's hidden lakes and step-well. Conforming to international standards of construction and operation safety, and using equipment imported from France, Flying Fox is India's only British-managed adventure tourism company.
A visit to Udaipur is incomplete without a boat cruise in Lake Pichola the historic 14th century lake made by a local banjara (gypsy) that was extended in the 16th century by Rana Udai Singh II to establish Udaipur- “the city of lakes”. The picturesque boat ride on Lake Pichola not only provides the best scenic view of the lake and the mountains in the city, but also presents some of the most important historical monuments dotted along the lakeside or submerged within the lake.
Beginning with the monumental lakeside facade of the City Palace Complex, the boat ride moves to the picturesque ghats with their distinctive steps, still used by the locals. The lake-side is lined with the havelis of the nobles, most prominent being the Bagore ki Haveli. Beyond the lakeside history and the beautiful island palaces, the boat ride provides a fantastic view of the distant monsoon palace perched on the hills. Sajjangarh was the palace built by Maharana Sajjan Singh in the late 19th century to enjoy the beautiful monsoon season of the lake city of Udaipur.
Goa has much to offer history wise, from grand cathedrals to colonial monuments. This tour takes you to its two atmospheric capitals - the current one, Panjim and the former, abandoned city of Old Goa. In the Middle Ages, the latter was called the ‘Rome of the East' and boasts vast churches and museums testifying to its past glory. Visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus, where the missionary St. Francis Xavier is buried, before seeing the Se Cathedral, with its Golden Bell - Asia's largest bell. Then it's on to Panjim, where you'll make a shopping stop at the swish new 'Calculo Mall'. After a buffet lunch at the Goa Marriott, you'll board a rickshaw for a ride around the small squares and lanes of the city's old quarter, winding up at the daily market, before returning to your hotel.
Start the tour by visiting Itmad-ud-daulah also known as Baby Taj. This exquisite marble tomb was made by Emperor Jahangir's queen, Nurjahan, in the memory of her father Mirza Ghias Beg during 1622-1628 A.D. Built entirely in white marble and inlaid with semi-precious stones, this mausoleum exhibits a strong Persian influence. Continue to Chini ka Rauza - the tomb of Afzal Khan, a famous scholar and poet who later became the prime minister of the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan.
End your tour with a visit to Aram Bagh which is now known as Ram Bagh. This Garden was originally founded by Babur, the Founder of the Mughal Dynasty in India. He laid it out, in 1526, on the persian Terraced and Char Bagh (Four Quartered) Plan. This garden was made in three descending terraces and the water was drawn from the river Yamuna by a series of water-wheels and it flowed into a network of canals, cascades and tanks descending from one terrace to the other. Each cascade has stairs on both sides and ends in a pond, all built of red stone.
This offers a great glimpse into Goa's colonial and religious gems, with the focus falling on its time as a Portuguese colony. You'll start at Margao, the state's bustling commercial capital, with time to explore its market and snap up souvenirs and photos of its colourful stalls. Your last and perhaps most interesting port of call is the Palacio do Deao in Quepem. Facing the Kushavati River, this 200-year old house is a superb blend of Hindu and Portuguese architecture. Enjoy a guided tour of its airy, colonial interiors and exquisite gardens, before having lunch in its restaurant and heading home.
Choose between two options: half day or full day tour.
Half day tour: The city sightseeing tour includes drive past the Secretariat, High Court, Library, Assembly Chambers. An important site in the city is the Rock Garden followed by visit to beautiful Sukhna lake.
Full day tour: The city sightseeing tour includes drive past the Secretariat, High Court, Library, Assembly Chambers and the University. An important site in the city is the Rock Garden. The Government Museum and the Art Gallery display ancient stone sculptures. Also visit the Rose Garden, Botanical Garden and beautiful Sukhna lake.