*EXPIRED* India & Nepal - Journeys Rediscovered Ladies Immersion Small Group Journey


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Journeys Rediscovered Unique Ladies Small Group Journey

India & Nepal - Journeys Rediscovered Ladies Immersion Small Group Journey

9 Days/8 Nights in India and 12 Days/11 Nights in Nepal
Experience the heart & soul of these stunning destinations - Join a Small group of no more than 12 ladies. Immerse yourself in the colour, sights and spirituality of these destinations, relax with wellness experiences and give back to the local communities with volunteering opportunities and NGO visits.

Join us for the entire trip or choose India or Nepal portion

REGISTER now for our 2021 Small Group Journey

Contact Journeys Rediscovered on 0477002235 for exact Tour Dates and further details.

India 

9 Days/8 Nights 

  • 2 nights accommodation in Delhi - Claridge's Hotel
  • 1 night accommodation in Varanasi - The Gateway Ganges
  • 1 night accommodation in Agra - Trident Hotel
  • 2 nights accommodation in Ramathra - Ramanthra Fort - Luxury Tent
  • 2 nights accommodation in Jaipur - Trident Hotel
  • Breakfast daily at hotels
  • Many lunches and dinners included at specially selected restaurants
  • All private transfers and private transportation between cities
  • Domestic flights - quoted as additional cost below
  • Entrance fees
  • Sightseeing and touring with a local English speaking guide 

Additional Cost -Domestic Flights within India $520 AUD per person
Joining us for both trips - Jaipur - Kathmandu Airfare Additional $200 AUD

Nepal

12 Days/11 Nights From $4979 USD Per Person Twin Share

  • 2 nights accommodation in Kathmandu - Dwarika's Hotel
  • 2 nights accommodation in Gorkha - Gorkha Gaun Resort
  • 2 nights accommodation in Pokhara - Fishtail Lodge
  • 3 nights accommodation in Chitwan - Barahi Jungle Lodge
  • 2 nights accommodation in Dhulikhel - Dwarika's Resort
  • Breakfast daily at hotels
  • Many lunches and dinners included at specially selected restaurants
  • All private transfers and private transportation between cities
  • Domestic airfares Pokhara - Bharatpur and Bharatpur - Kathmandu
  • Entrance fees
  • Sightseeing and touring with a local English speaking guide 
Contact Journeys Rediscovered for pricing to suit your preferred departure dates as a private itinerary or to REGISTER for one of our 2021 Small Group Journeys (no more the 12 ladies).
Boutique 4 - 5 star accommodation twin share. Single Supplements available.

More Information

Contact Journeys Rediscovered for pricing to suit your preferred departure dates as a private itinerary or to REGISTER for our 2021 Small Group Journeys.

Boutique 4-5 star accommodation

INDIA

Day 1 - Delhi: Welcome to India! Your flight will land at Delhi International airport at (TBA), local time. As you disembark from the aircraft, our airport representative will meet you at the end of the aerobridge. You will be fast-tracked you through Immigration and Customs. In the arrival lounge, you will be introduced you to our colleague who will escort you to the hotel and help you check in.

Day 2- Delhi: After breakfast, you will start your day with a special walk conducted by the Salaam Balak Trust, which works with street children in Delhi providing them with a secure environment as well as health and education. The Trust has developed an inner city walk, and your guide will be a young person who has been rescued and knows the area intimately. While introducing you to the heritage and the life in the backstreets of Delhi, he will also share with you stories of his life. (This is not a slum tour as the walk does not take you into the slums and photography is not allowed in certain sections of the walk. The tour is “seeing the life in the city through the eyes of your young guide”.)  

Your next stop will be Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the temple for the followers of the Sikh religion. The highlight of this visit is the Langar Khana or communal kitchen a 24-hour “soup kitchen” where members of the Sikh community come at all hours of the day and night and lend a helping hand making thousands of roti and curry to feed the needy of all communities.  

After lunch, you will visit one of the architectural triumphs of the Mughal Empire – Humayun’s Tomb. Humayun’s tomb is the earliest example of Mughal architecture in India.  Recently renovated with the gardens restored to their former splendour and the fountains to working condition, it is a very attractive site. Architecturally, the mausoleum drew its inspiration from the styles prevalent in Samarkand, and the design of the Taj Mahal is based on this tomb. You will return to your hotel via Rajpath, where you drive past modern India's iconic buildings like the President's Palace and our War Memorial - India Gate. Tonight, a “welcome dinner” will be served at the hotel.  

Day 3- Delhi/Varanasi: After breakfast, you will be escorted to the domestic airport for your flight to Varanasi. Varanasi is India's most spiritual city and also it’s holiest and is a ‘must visit’ for all Hindus at least once in their lifetime. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to Sarnath before check-in to your hotel. Sarnath, which lies a short distance from the main city and is the place where the Buddha came in 500 BC to give his first sermon after gaining enlightenment. After the tour, you will return to the city and check-in to your hotel.

Early in the evening, you will drive to the banks of the Holy Ganges where a boatman will be waiting for you. You will sail on the river and arrive at Dashashwamedh Ghat in time to see the evening aarti ceremony. We will also organize a private aarti ceremony with a local priest.

Day 4 - Varanasi/Agra: Sunrise and sunset are the most auspicious times in the Hindu faith. In the morning you will once again visit the river. This time the rituals you will see are in complete contrast to the ceremony from the previous evening. There is certain timelessness to this experience that is extraordinary. You will return to your hotel for breakfast. Later you will transfer to the domestic airport for your flight to Agra. You will proceed directly to Taj Mahal timing your viewing with sunset. This stunning mausoleum immortalized Shah Jahan’s last wife Mumtaz Mahal. Post the visit you will check-in to your hotel and the rest of the evening is at leisure. 

Day 5 - Agra/Ramathra: Visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise. After breakfast at the hotel, you will visit Agra Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), which highlights the Mughals’ ability to blend defensive and decorative architecture. You next visit Mother Teresa’s centre for children to spend about an hour visiting the Missionaries of Charity home, which cares for a group of orphaned or less fortunate children, as well as some adults. The mission is solely reliant on private donations to support its cause. After lunch, you will drive to Ramathra approximately 4 hours, excluding stops.  

Ramathra Fort your residence for the next two days is 350 years old and has been restored by local artisans using local materials, ensuring that the restoration is totally in harmony with tradition. The Fort is situated on a hill that has suffered severe deforestation over the past years. The owning family has reforested the hill and all the recycled grey water from the fort is used to irrigate this area. As a result, the forest is returning with rapid tree growth. Wild animals are also returning in abundance. What distinguishes Ramathra Fort from many other heritage homes is its closeness to nature. Until recently, tigers roamed the area, as did notorious bandits. Today, tigers are rare and the bandits only legendary, but visitors regularly see several varieties of deer, blue bulls, wolves jackals, hyenas and, if lucky, a wild boar, bear or leopard.    

Day 6 - Ramathra: You will spend the entire morning volunteering at the village school Aganwadi, meaning “Courtyard shelter”, an initiative started by the government to combat child hunger and malnutrition.   In the afternoon you will go on a walking tour of Ramathra village. 

In 1645 AD, the Maharaja of Karauli granted Ramathra as a fiefdom to his son. The area is dominated by Ramathra Fort, which is dedicated to Lord Ram who is believed to have camped here while on his epic journey to Lanka. The Fort lies between two of India’s internationally famous wildlife reserves, Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur and Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur. The closest wilderness area, Kailadevi National Park, is just 15 km away.

Day 7 - Ramathra/Jaipur: After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and drive to Jaipur. The history of the Kingdom of Jaipur can be traced to the 12th century and was originally known as Amber, which was also the name of the capital city. Amber came into prominence when the Mughal Emperor Akbar married one of the princesses of Amber in a shrewd matrimonial alliance between the Mughals and the Rajputs. In the 18th century Raja Sawai Jai Singh, perhaps one of the most brilliant rulers of this period moved the capital from Amber to Jaipur. In the afternoon you visit the sprawling City Palace a superb marriage of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. Your guide will take you to the private areas of the City Palace, not normally accessible where you will be served sparkling wine and soft drinks in the royal living room. From the City Palace, you enter the extraordinary “Jantar Mantar”, the astronomical observatory built by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1827. You will next drive past the iconic Hawa Mahal with its ornate pink façade. You will end the tour with a walk through the markets of the Old City.  

Day 8 - Jaipur: Today you will spend the morning volunteering at a residential school run by an NGO. Before returning to the hotel you will stop at a local but popular restaurant for lunch. Your afternoon will start with a visit to the fort palace at Amber, one of the finest examples of a fort palace, built similar in style to the surrounding richly decorated Mughal courts. From Amber, you visit the excellent Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. The museum chronicles the regeneration of hand block printing techniques in Rajasthan using traditional methods.

From here you will drive another 15 minutes to a private farmhouse abutting the forest. Here you will meet your ride for the next 30 minutes - Elephants. You will ride these gentle giants with a mahout through the countryside and arrive at a private venue where you will partake of a home cooked Rajasthani feast your Farewell Dinner. You will have an opportunity to get your hands painted “Heena” before Dinner.

Day 9 - Jaipur: This morning is at leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities. Later in the afternoon, you will be escorted to the airport for your flight home OR to Kathmandu to join us for the Nepal portion of the trip

NEPAL

Day 1 - Kathmandu: Your flight will land at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport after you pass through Immigration and Customs, you will be met by our guide, who will escort you to your hotel. The colophons of ancient manuscripts, dated as late as the 20th century, refer to Kathmandu (1400m/4600ft) as Kasthamandap Mahanagar in Nepal Mandala. Mahanagar means “great city”. The city is called “Kasthamandap” in a vow that Buddhist priests still recite to this day. During medieval times, the city was sometimes called Kantipur. This name is derived from two Sanskrit words – Kanti and pur. “Kanti” is one of the names of the Goddess Lakshmi, and “pur” means place. Thus, Kathmandu is known as Kasthamandap. Towards evening, we will visit the famous Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), which is Asia’s largest stupa. Tibetans believe that the Stupa contains the bone relics of the past Buddha. This makes it revered by both Tibetan and Newar Buddhists. Tonight, you will have a Welcome Dinner at Krishnaarpan restaurant.  

Day 2 - Kathmandu: After breakfast, you will drive to Bungamati village and will explore the village by walk. Later, proceed to Patan, also known as ‘Lalitpur’ or ‘beautiful town’.   Patan is considered to be the Valley’s second largest city and is separated from Kathmandu by the Bagmati River. Patan has long been considered an important centre of Newari Buddhism. Similar to the capital (Kathmandu), the town grew around the Durbar Square, which is the most traditional and lively area of the city. Patan Durbar Square (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is full of ancient palaces, temples, and shrines noted for their exquisite carvings. The Museum inside the Durbar Square specialises in bronze statues and religious objects. It is considered to be one of the best museums in Asia. From here, you will drive to 1905 restaurant & Suites for cooking demo followed by lunch (Nepali Cuisine).  

After lunch, visit one of the NGO’s as listed below:  

(SASANE): Samrakshak Samuha Nepal -www.sasane.org.np. An organization that helps women survivors of human trafficking, SASANE helps by promoting paralegal training, small business development, school awareness, and community outreach among those it helps to help rehabilitate them effectively into society.    

Maiti Nepal: This organization prevents and helps the victims of sex trafficking. – www.maitinepal.org The above mentioned NGO’s visit is to focus on how these organizations function rather than do actual volunteering work due to the limited time available. Moreover, the government of Nepal had strict formalities before granting permission for any volunteer work and normally does not encourage short-term volunteer work. From here, you will visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) where you will take a “walking tour”. Regarded by many to be the spiritual and cultural heart of Kathmandu, the three squares have an astonishing collection of religious and regal art, the oldest monument dating back as far as 800 years. You will also visit the Asan Tole market, located in the busiest square in the city. Asan has been described as one of the fine Newari examples of a traditional Asian bazaar. Six streets converge on Asan giving the square a perpetual bustle.   Thereafter, you will proceed to Thamel. Thamel is distinguished by its narrow alleys crowded with various shops and vendors. 

Day 3 - Kathmandu/Gorkha: OPTIONAL (at a supplementary cost) After a quick cup of tea/coffee early this morning, we will be escorted to the airport in time to board the Buddha Air Mountain flight at 6.30 am for an ‘Everest experience’. Everest Experience is a 50-minute close-encounter mountain flight-seeing tour with guaranteed window seat, in which we will indulge in the panorama and maybe, just maybe, we might realize what we have been missing, or find what we have been looking for, all this while. After all, a trip to Nepal would be incomplete without truly understanding what really makes it beautiful.   Nothing compares to the sheer beauty or awe, the Himalayas has to offer. (Take the mother of all mountain flights, the Everest Experience where we put you, one on one with Mt. Everest, so close that you can almost touch it.)  

After breakfast, we will drive to Gorkha (approximately 4 hours, excluding stops). En-route you may like to stop at Bisaltar –a small village (2-hour drive from Kathmandu). You will get an opportunity to interact with the villagers and get to know their lifestyle and day to day activities. Later, continue your drive and will then reach Gorkha before sunset to catch great views, and check-in to our resort. Gorkha (1135m/3735ft) maintains much of its centuries-old charm with the main Durbar Palace as the central attraction. Trekkers often depart from here on the great Manaslu circuit while also enjoying this classic and much loved cultural town. Gorkha is the foundation of Nepal. It is the home to the bravest-of-the-brave troops in the world, Gurkha. From the Gorkha only, the vision of present-day Nepal was sketched by the first king of modern Nepal. Before that, Nepal was divided into small kingdoms until when Prithvi Narayan Shah, the first king of (modern) Nepal had the vision to unite small kingdoms into a singular strength to build a wall against the rising force from the East, the East India Company. The evening will be free for leisurely walks.  

Day 4 - Gorkha: Volunteer services in Gorkha: Interact with the local community through organizations like Aama Samuha, a group promoting social equality that originally started off as a peace-promoting group of women whose husbands partook in the civil war. The Gorkha Gaun Resort itself is also involved in activities like post-earthquake construction, and plantations and harvesting programs to increase crop yields for the needy. In the afternoon, we will visit Gorkha Durbar (visit inside the Durbar is not allowed), Old town, Gorkha Museum (closed on every Monday after 2.30 pm), Temples et cetera. The Gorkha Durbar (Palace), which is built on the hilltop above the market below, is the finest example of architectural and war-strategy of the past. From the palace, one can see the 360-degree view of the Gorkha village, which makes the palace as a vantage point, for now, but it was a strategy to protect the royal families from the invading armies, in the past. Gorkha is mostly populated by the Gurung tribesmen, who have earned enough praise in the both World Wars, including Victoria Cross. However, despite their fierce attitude in the battlefield, they are friendly people with a tradition of genuine hospitality. Around Gorkha, one may hike to a jungle and enjoy watching hunters collecting wild honey. 

Day 5 - Gorkha/Pokhara: After breakfast, we will drive to Pokhara (approximately 4 hours, excluding stops). The views on the way are breathtaking. On arrival, we will check-in to our hotel/lodge. Pokhara’s (827-1740m/2713-5710ft) bewitching beauty has been the subject of many travel writers. Its pristine air, spectacular backdrop of snowy peaks, serene lakes and surrounding greenery make it ‘The jewel in the Himalaya’, a place of remarkable natural beauty. In the afternoon, we will visit the Tibetan Refugee Camp, Mountain Museum and take a boat ride on the lake to Talbarahi Temple, which sits in the centre of the lake.   Volunteer services in Pokhara: At Naulo Ghumti Nepal - www.ngn.org.np. An organization that helps with drug rehabilitation, and the welfare of HIV patients and female sex workers and their children and spouses as well as marginalised members of society. You can take part in the community meeting discussions and group therapy sessions.  

DAY 6 - Pokhara (Day Hike): After breakfast, we will drive to Kande (approximately 45 minutes). From here, we will trek to Dhampus via Australian Camp (approximately 4 hours). Volunteer service during Trek The Prithvi Narayan Secondary School is about an hour’s walk from the Australian Camp. As volunteers we can engage in different activities, ranging from teaching the students’ English classes to helping in cleaning up the school grounds, classrooms and playground. We may also provide stationery like exercise books, coloured pencils, crayons and the like to add some colour to their day. Later, we will relax at Dhampus. Thereafter, drive back to Pokhara (approximately 1.5 hours).

Day 7 - Pokhara/Chitwan: After an early breakfast, we will be escorted to the airport in time to board our Buddha Air flight U4 641 to Bharatpur at 8.35 am (25 minutes). On arrival, we will be met by our colleague and escorted to your lodge at Chitwan National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site – approximately 50 minutes, excluding stops) en route visit Bishaltar village which is a walking distance from the highway between Pokhara and Chitwan. Chitwan National Park is the oldest, best known and most developed of Nepal’s national parks lying in the heart of the low lying terai (plain) region of Nepal. The park covers 932 sq kms and consists of swamp, tall elephant grass and dense forest. It is a natural habitat for big cats including the tiger and the leopard as well as the one-horned Indian rhinoceros. Sloth and wild bear are also found here along with a variety of deer.  The avian life is also extensive. Lunch will be served at the Jungle Lodge dining hall. After lunch, we will proceed to “River Safari” (45 minutes-1 hour). Dinner will be served at the Jungle Lodge dining hall.   

Day 8 - Chitwan: After a quick cup of tea/coffee early this morning, we will proceed on a “Jeep Safari” inside the Park (3-4 hours). A packed breakfast will be arranged from our lodge. After our return, we will relax in the lodge. Lunch will be served at the Jungle Lodge dining hall. Volunteer service during the village visit Helping the environment is just as important as helping the people who live in it. As volunteers in the Chitwan region, we can help in maintaining the living enclosure of the elephants by helping with their feeding and cleaning activates. We can also help clear the jungle trails for walking, and during the rainy season, help clear the excess garbage carried by the raging rivers off the riverbanks and surrounding areas. The indigenous people of the region, the Tharus, would also greatly appreciate additional hands on the fields while they plant and harvest their crops. Healthcare awareness programs are another option we can look into to help improve the quality of life of the locals. In the evening witness Tharu cultural program.  

Day 9 - Chitwan: After a quick cup of tea/coffee early this morning, we will proceed for “Nature Walk” and “Bird Watching” inside the Park. Thereafter, we will return to our lodge for breakfast. In the morning or afternoon, you can visit Sakriya Women’s Foundation - www.css.org.np. The CSS also helps in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and helps people who suffer from the disease by providing services as well as advocating for women’s rights and empowerment and raising awareness about the disease. We have been in touch with these organizations and they too are interested in working with volunteers. Dinner will be served at the Jungle Lodge dining hall.  

Day 10 - Chitwan - Bharatpur/Dhulikhel: After a quick cup of tea/coffee early this morning, we will proceed for “Nature Walk” and “Bird Watching” inside the Park.   Thereafter, we will return to our lodge for breakfast. Later, we will be escorted to the Bharatpur airport (50 minutes) in time to board our flight (TBA) to Kathmandu at 10.55 am. On your arrival in Kathmandu, you will be met by our representative and escorted to your waiting vehicle. From here you will drive to Dhulikhel. En route, you will visit Bhaktapur (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a charming town with an old-world ambience. The Durbar Square here has one of the finest collections of Newari architecture. On your arrival in Dhulikhel, you will check-in to your resort. The rest of the day will be at leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities. 

Day 11 - Dhulikhel: This morning you will go for a trek to Namobuddha. It will take approximately 04 hours. On arrival, you will visit the Monastery. Time permitting you can attend a prayer ceremony with monks. Later you will drive to your resort. It will take approximately 1 hour. Rest of the day will be at leisure. 

Day 12 - Kathmandu: After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport in time to board your international flight to Onward Destination.

Travel Dates

Valid for travel 01 Oct 2020 - until 31 Dec 2021.

Terms & Conditions

Contact Journeys Rediscovered for pricing to suit your preferred departure dates as a private itinerary or to REGISTER for our 2021 Small Group Journeys (no more the 12 ladies).

Tours will run with a minimum of 6 passengers.

Land-based itinerary including domestic flights are quoted separately.

International airfares are additional, please contact Journeys Rediscovered for international flight options & prices.

Travel insurance is strongly recommended and can be arranged for you for an additional cost.

For full pricing, terms and conditions, contact your MTA Travel Expert, Journeys Rediscovered on 0477002235 or journeysrediscovered@mtatravel.com.au 

 

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