Himalayas And Ancient Temple

Duration: 11Days / 10Nights
Places Covered:Delhi – Rishikesh – Rudraprayag – Kausani – Almora – Corbett National Park – Delhi

Day 1:Arrive Delhi
You will be assisted on arrival and transferred to your hotel. Morning is at leisure. In the afternoon, drive to visit Humayun's Tomb built in the Indo Persian style and a predecessor to The Taj Mahal in Agra, the tomb of the second Mugal emperor then also houses the graves of his wives; India Gate - A War Memorial Arch built in the honour of 90,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Below it burns the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the eternal flame in tribute to all martyred soldiers of India. Also drive past the President's House called Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, Government Secretariat buildings and Connaught Place - the heart of New Delhi and a busy shopping center.
Overnight stay in your hotel.

Day 2:Delhi - Rishikesh (340 M / 1,122 Ft) - By Surface / 230 Km / Approx 6 ½ Hrs
Your sojourn in to Uttaranchal driving through the Garhwal & Kumaon hills begins with a drive from Delhi to Rishikesh. You will arrive at Rishikesh by mid-day & on arrival you check in to your hotel.
In the afternoon visit the Laxman Jhoola, and some of the Ashrams that line the riverbank.
Later in the evening you will witness the Arti at Parmath Ashram situated across the Ram Jhoola suspension bridge. Parmath Niketan lies right on the holy banks of mother Ganga, nestled in the lap of lush, towering Himalayas. Additionally the Ashram runs schools, hospitals, ecological programmes and disaster relief projects and played a major role during the Tsunami in the South of India.
Overnight stay in your hotel.

Day 3:In Rishikesh
A day for Meditation and Yoga at an Ashram in Rishikesh.
Overnight stay in your Hotel

Day 4:In Rishikesh
A day for Meditation and Yoga at an Ashram in Rishikesh.
Overnight stay in your Hotel

Day 5:Rishikesh - Rudraprayag (610 M 2,013 Ft) - By Surface / 139 Km / Approx 4 Hrs
Setting out from Rishikesh after breakfast you drive to Rudraprayag. En-route you will stop at Devprayag -situated at the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi rivers, to visit a Ram temple. Near the town there are two suspension bridges, one each on the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda.
Continue your to drive to Rudraprayag named after the Lord Shiva (Rudra), the entire region of Rudraprayag is blessed with immense natural beauty, lakes and glaciers, as well as important Hindu temples. This small town, Rudraprayag, is situated at the holy confluence of River Alaknanda and River Mandakini. The presence of two separate routes for Badrinath and Kedarnath Dham from Rudraprayag render great importance to the place. There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in district itself; the most important one is Kedarnath.
Overnight stay in a Hotel.

Day 6:Rudraprayag - Via Baijnath - Kausani (1,890 M / 6,237 Ft) -- By Surface / 132 Km / Approx 6 Hrs
Your drive from Rudraprayag takes you through Garur and Baijnath on the banks of Gomti River in a flat valley. Perched at an altitude of 1126 m below Kausani is the famous temple complex of Baijnath in the Garur valley of Katyur. A group of ancient temples dating back to the 12th and 13th century line the banks of the river, presenting a beautiful sight. The temples are remarked upon, for its carvings, stonework and heritage. Built by Katyuri Rulers, these have over the time become synonymous with India's rich mythology. The main 10th century temple houses a beautiful idol of Goddess Parvati. Innumerable tales of Lord Shiva and Parvati make these temples a fascinating experience. The Katyur Dynasty is believed to take their name from Kartikeya the mythical son of Shiva and Parvati.
After visiting the temple complex you continue your drive to Kausani, nestling amongst thick, dense pine forests. From here there are excellent 300 km wide views of the Nanda Devi group of mountains, which look spectacular especially during sunrise. The view of the snow covered Trishul and Nanda Devi is so clear that one gets a feeling of the snow within touching distance. Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, spent almost a fortnight here during which time he wrote his commentary on the Gita-Anashakti Yoga.
Overnight stay in a Mountain Villa.

Day 7:Kausani - Almora (1,650 M / 5,448 Ft) - By Surface / 50 Km Approx 1 ½ Hrs
You begin your day in Kausani by visiting the Mahatma Gandhi Ana Shakti Ashram where Mahatma Gandhi stayed here & wrote his commentary on the Gita. Thereafter you drive to Almora, the one time capitol of Kumaon. Perched on a 5 km long horse saddle shaped ridge, Almora is mentioned in the Skanda Purna as "a sacred mountain situated between the two rivers Kaushika (Koshi) and Shalmali (Suyal)."
On arrival at Almora you check in to a Mountain Resort & have the rest of the day to explore this idyllic hill station.
Take a downtown stroll to the bazaar that extends from Paltan Bazaar to Narayan Tewari Dewal, running almost parallel to the motor road & full of lane & by-lanes. The Nanda Devi Temple is approached through Lala Bazaar. The temple was an important meeting place during the freedom movement. Next to this is the Tripura Sundari Temple. Almora has a number of interesting temples, the Jama Masjid and some Churches. From the church near Adam's School, one comes to the Almora Jail, where many freedom fighters including Jawaharlal Nehru & Badshah Khan lived during their imprisonment. From here one can go to Narayan Tewari Dewal & Mohan Joshi Park. On the Pokharkhali - Ranidhara road is a 'Castle', where Gandhiji lived in 1929 during his Almora visit. During your stay in Almora you will get awesome and captivating mountain views of the Nanda Devi range. By the evening you return to the Himalayan Resort.
Overnight stay in a Himalayan Resort.
Day 8:In Almora - Excursion To Binsar & Jageshwar
In the morning you drive to Jageshwar, which is located in a serene narrow valley surrounded by magnificent Deodar Trees. It is famous for the 124 ornamented temples & hundreds of statues built by the Chand Rajas. The complex is famous not only for its exquisite craftsmanship but has one of the Swayambhu (Jyotirlinga) named Nagesh. Of the total Shrines, the three outstanding ones, in terms of sculpture, are dedicated to Jageshwar, Mrityunjaya and Pushtidevi. There is a small museum where statues of artistic value, removed from the various shrines, have been preserved by the archaeological department.
A 3 km walk from Jageshwar leads to Vriddha Jageshwar. This is regarded as the abode of Lord Shiva prior to his manifesting himself at Jageshwar. This site commands a magnificent view of the Himalayas. The lofty-tower type isolated shrine of Dandeshwar is a km short of the actual temple complex.
After lunch, proceed on a drive to Binsar. There is no town called Binsar, not even a settlement of huts or anything, it is just the forest reserve that has been given the name. The place affords wonderful views of the snowcapped Himalayan ranges, like the peaks of Nanda Devi, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Trishul, Panchchuli and Nanda Kot.
Binsar is located in the midst of dense forests 30 km from Almora. It derives its name from Binsar Deo or Shiva. The Shiva temple here was built by the Chandravanshi King Kalyan. Once the ancient capital of the Chand Raj kings who ruled in the 7th and 8th centuries Binsar is an epitome of solitude, quietness and natural beauty for today's traveler. Perched on top of Jhandi Dhar hills, Binsar is a notified forest reserve and bird sanctuary. The Binsar wildlife sanctuary home to many high-altitude animal and bird species. Mammals are leopard, Himalayan palm civet, serow, ghoral, yellow-throated Himalayan marten, yellow-bellied weasel, fox, Himalayan black bear & many more. By the evening you will return to Almora.
Overnight stay in a Himalayan Resort.

Day 9:Almora - Via Ranikhet - Corbet National Park - By Surface / 169 Km / Approx / 5 Hrs
Today's drive culminates in a wild life experience as you set out for Corbett National Park via Ranikhet. Ranikhet is cantonment town of immense charm; it was once the pet excursion ground of Padmini, queen of the Katyuri king, Sudhardev (1180 AD). You will arrive Corbett National Park by mid-day. On arrival you check in to a Wildlife Camp & will be served lunch.
After lunch you have the option to go for a guided nature walk in the environs of the Wildlife Camp or relax. Later in the evening take a jeep drive in to the Park for game viewing.
Overnight in a Wildlife Camp.

Day 10:In Corbett National Park
After a wake up call & cup of tea / coffee, you proceed for an elephant ride with your guide for tiger tracking and bird watching. The jungles of Bijrani & Jhirna in the Park comprise of mixed moist deciduous forests. Tiger tracking, animal viewing and birding are the main attractions within the park. Over 50 mammals, 580 birds & 25 reptile species have been listed in the Corbett National Park. On your return to the Wildlife Camp you can rest & relax for a while.
After lunch, you drive to Bijrani tourism zone. Jeep safaris will be through jungles for a Corbett wildlife adventure. You set a great opportunity for viewing wildlife, especially the tiger in its natural habitat. The Park offers different kinds of vegetation all along its varied topography that comprises hilly and riparian areas, temporary marshy depressions, plateaus and ravines. 110 species of trees, 51 species of shrubs and over 3 species of bamboo are found here. You have engrossing moments tiger spotting in this kind of vegetation.
Return to the Wildlife Camp for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11:Corbett National Park - Delhi - By Surface / 290 Km / Approx 5 ½ Hrs - Leave Delhi
Enjoy a morning elephant ride through the open chaurs (grasslands) and dense forests. This is the best mode of transport for wildlife viewing. The Park offers different kinds of vegetation all along its varied topography that comprises hilly and riparian areas, temporary marshy depressions, plateaus and ravines. 110 species of trees, 51 species of shrubs and over 3 species of bamboo are found here. You have engrossing moment's tiger spotting in this kind of vegetation. Return for breakfast. After breakfast drive back to Delhi.
You will arrive Delhi by the evening and transferred to the International Airport to board your flight for onward journey / home.