Delhi. Your first day is free for you to arrive in Delhi. The Pre Departure Meeting will be held in the joining hotel at 6pm. This gives you a chance to meet your fellow passengers, and go through the itinerary in more detail with your Local Guide or Tour Leader. After the meeting we will have dinner.  (D)

Agra - Sunrise Visit to the Taj Mahal.  In the past Agra was a capital city but it is most famed and most visited for one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World - the Taj Mahal.

We start our day with a sunrise visit to the amazing Taj Mahal. It is the tomb of Shajahan’s favourite wife Mumtaz-Mahal. The marble walls of the Taj Mahal change colour with the time of day - at dawn it is pale pink, at noon it is blindingly white and at sunset it is golden. The gardens, with their dark green cypresses and water channels are an integral part of the artistry of this romantic building. You can also visit the mosque at the west of the Taj and the guest pavilion at the east to get different views. And finally, walk to the rear of the Taj, which overlooks the Yamuna River and gives views back to the Agra Fort.

After breakfast we visit the Agra Fort, a World Heritage Monument. Its red sandstone bulk dominates a bend in the Yamuna River and offers a spectacular view of the Taj. 

Finally we visit Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, also known as the Baby Taj. 

The remainder of the day is free for you to explore Agra.  (B)

Jaipur. After breakfast we have a photo stop at the Palace of Winds - the Hawa Mahal. This is a five-storey building for the Maharajah’s royal ladies to watch festive processions and other special events without being seen themselves.

Next is a visit to the beautiful Amber Fort situated at the top of a cobbled road. We take a jeep to the fort, which is built overlooking a gorge in the dry hilly Rajput landscape. From here you have a magnificent view of Jaipur and the fort itself is a feast of interesting buildings. You will find the silver-door Temple of Kali; the highly coloured Audience Chamber with its vaulted ceilings of mirrors, and the Hall of Pleasure.

In the afternoon we take a bicycle rickshaw ride through the market in Jaipur, and take a tour of the City Palace. The City Palace has seven courtyards and seven floors, and is a magnificent sight. This is the present home of the Maharajah of Jaipur, and contains some fantastic museums. Next to the City Palace is the the Astronomical Observatory of Jantar Mantar, home to the largest sundial in the world.

One option for your free time in Jaipur is a visit to the Rajmandir, a famous Art-Deco theatre used for watching the latest Bollywood movies.  (B)

Kuchaman to Pushkar. After breakfast, we transfer from Kuchaman to the town of Pushkar. The holy lake of Pushkar is believed to have been created by Lord Brahma himself. Devout Hindus believe that it is essential to visit Pushkar at least once in their lifetime. No pilgrimage is considered complete without a dip in the holy Pushkar lake. Pushkar has as many as 400 temples and ghats and the only temple in the country that is dedicated to Brahama is to be found here. While Pushkar is a heaven for the religiously inclined, it is also the venue of one of the country's most colourful fairs - the Pushkar Camel Fair, held annually in November.

In the afternoon we have a guided walk through Pushkar, visiting the Sacred Lake and Brahma Temple, and some free time for exploring later on. One recommendation for your free time is go on a fairly easy hike through the city to the temple called Savitri. This temple is situated on a hill and provides excellent views of the town, and is very popular at sunset.  (B)

Khejarla to Jodphur.  After breakfast, we set off for Jodhpur. Set at the edge of the Thar desert, the imperial city of Jodhpur echoes with tales of antiquity in the emptiness of the desert. The city is encompassed by a high wall, 10 km long with 8 gates and innumerable bastions.

We include a visit to the massive 15th century A.D. Meherangarh Fort. The 5 km long majestic fort on a 125 metre high hill is one of the most impressive and formidable structures. Although invincible from the outside, the fort has four gates approached by a winding road. Within the fort are some magnificent palaces with marvelously carved panels, latticed windows and evocative names. But one of the most exciting things about the fort is the view it gives you of Jodphur itself.

Jodphur is known as the ‘Blue City’ and you will see why - the walls are colour washed in blue, which looks amazing in the desert light. Then we go into Jodphur and make a visit to the bustling market under the tall clock tower. Spices, flowers and beautiful textiles are on sale here and barbers work under the nearby banyan trees – so you can stop off for a quick haircut in the street. The market area is considered to be one of the most interesting and fascinating sights in Jodhpur.  (B)

Ranakpur to Udaipur. After a night in Ranakpur, we continue our journey to Udaipur via Kumbalgarh. 

On arrival into Kumbhalgarh, we visit to Kumbhalgarh Fort. This is a massive fortress built in the 15th Century, with walls 33 kilometres long, and 25 metres wide in some parts, and containing many beautiful temples. 

We continue to Udaipur where we check into our hotel. If time allows, we will include a boat trip on Lake Pichola today.  (B)

Delhi.  The tour ends on arrival into Delhi. Accommodation is not included today.

Please note that the train is scheduled to arrive into Delhi at aprox 0630hrs. Please ensure you allow sufficent time to transfer to the airport and check in, if you are flying out today.

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs as smoothly as possible.

Be flexible, you will enjoy your tour much more. Kumuka makes a point of visiting the indigenous populations of each country you visit, in order to give a true reflection of the country; please treat the local people and their customs with respect.

This itinerary will be followed as closely as possible. However there may be times when it is necessary to change the route according to local conditions. There will be times travelling long hours as there will be days where we have to cover great distances. Weather patterns can change dramatically - high altitudes tend to be a lot cooler.

You are free not to participate in any of the included excursions. However, please note that there will be no refund for any excursions not taken.

Lastly, your tour leader is always conscious of everybody's views, but sometimes he/she will have to make an unpopular decision and your understanding will be appreciated in these circumstances.

The Pre-Departure meeting is held at 6pm THE DAY of the scheduled departure date. The pre-departure meeting is held to discuss the tour itinerary in more detail, meet your crew and fellow passengers.

In each departure city we have named a joining hotel from where the tour will leave. It is your responsibility to make your way to this hotel. Your Tour Leader will leave a notice at reception on the first day of departure with information as to where he/she can be contacted and you should inform him/her that you have arrived.

PLEASE ADVISE KUMUKA OR YOUR AGENT IF YOU WILL BE ARRIVING LATE AND ARE THEREFORE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE PRE-DEPARTURE MEETING.

In addition the crew will check that all passengers have the necessary travel documents, insurance and immunization certificates for the tour. It is IMPORTANT that you attend this meeting. Please advise KUMUKA or your AGENT if you CANNOT attend this meeting.

All passengers MUST bring:
1. Passport.
2. Vaccination Certificate.
3. Travel Voucher.
4. Travel Insurance Policy.

In most of the hotels in Asia you may be required to deposit your passport at Reception. This is a perfectly normal practice and nothing to be concerned about. Just make sure that you retrieve it before when you check out of the hotel.

Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise extreme care in keeping it safe. We recommend that you keep your passport on you at all times, preferably in a money belt that is worn under your clothing. We advise that you take copies of relevant pages in your passport and any visas that you may purchase in case of loss or damage. Your tour leader will require your passport details at the pre-departure meeting. Again, we recommend that you have a photocopy of all passport details, kept separate. Your passport must be valid for six months after the END of your tour, and must have one blank page for each country to be visited.

Departure taxes are generally included in the airline tickets, and no longer payable at Delhi International Airport.

Please note that these taxes are subject to change.

For detailed climate information see www.kumuka.com.   

Tip: Always bring a lightweight, waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella even during the height of summer - this should prepare you for anything!Due to its size and varied topography, India experiences great extremes of climate.

Most of India has three seasons:

Cool – October to April (north India), November to March (south India) The most pleasant time to travel IN Sub Himalayan India. Generally warm clear sunny days and cool nights.

Hot – April to June Hot and Humid by days and night.

Wet - July to September (north India) July to October (south India) Humid and Wet

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs.  Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe.

Dress discretely, especially if you are visiting religious sites. For women this means skirts or long pants with T-shirt. For men, this means long shorts or trousers with a T-shirt. Always take your shoes off when entering temples or any religious site.

Care should be taken to respect the conventions of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and other religious and ethnic groups, particularly in respect of clothing and footwear.

We suggest that you take into account the time of year you will be travelling, and pack accordingly to the season. Quick drying clothes are recommended, and at many hotels there are laundry facilities. Your tour leader will advise where laundry facilities are available.

Personal Effects:
Camera & film, Spare passport photos, Water bottle, Money belt, Torch, Sewing kit, Sunhat/ Sunglasses, Music cassettes /CDs, Books, Wet Ones, Soap to wash clothes, Writing materials, Swiss Army knife, Calculator, Personal toiletries, including tampons, Contraceptives, Insect Repellent, Sunscreen.

NOTE: If you wear glasses, it is advisable to bring a spare pair since opticians are uncommon. If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

English will be spoken in the larger cities. You might like to take the time before your trip to read up on the country you will be visiting and perhaps learn a few words of the language. Your effort will always be welcomed and will make your trip all the more enjoyable.

One of the great myths about travelling in India is that the food is poor. We are delighted to inform you that on our trips this is definitely not the case. Indeed many people find the delicious food to be one of the highlights of a visit to India. Another myth is that Indian food is always hot. In fact North India food, whilst often very rich in flavour, usually does not contain very many spices. These are found more in Southern Indian food. South Indian food is also predominately vegetarian whereas North Indian food is more often based around meat, although there are always vegetarian options available even here. A further surprise is that many of the dishes familiar to you from Indian restaurants at home cannot be found in India (there is no such thing as a Madras) as they have been created to cater to foreign tastes. Finally there is no such thing as curry. This term is rarely, if ever, used in India as each dish is made with different individual spices. As these have to be mixed specifically for each order you should expect to have to wait at least 30 minutes for a-la-carte food orders in India.

In major cities there will usually be a number of excellent restaurants available serving a wide variety of dishes to order. In more remote places hotels often prepare an evening buffet, again with a wide range of food, much of it vegetarian.

Vegetarians or those with special dietary needs can also be catered for, however in some countries the type of food may be limited. Please let the Reservations team know your special requirements as soon as possible so we can do all possible to assist your needs.

The variety of food will differ, as you will be visiting a number of different areas. We try to ensure that you get the most experience from your Kumuka trip and one of the ways to do this is by trying local cuisine.

Pre-booked transfers - If you have booked an arrival transfer, please look for our representative who will be holding a sign with your name or Kumuka once you have cleared Customs and Immigration.

Making Your Own Way - The Meeting Point for your tour is advised at the beginning of this dossier. If you have not arranged for us to meet and transfer you on arrival and are therefore making your own way to the Meeting Point it is best upon arrival at to take a metered taxi. Drivers may want to negotiate a price before leaving the airport. Do not agree to this, insist that they switch on the meters and pay the amount that it displays when you arrive at your destination.

Kumuka endeavors to advertise a compliment of optional activities available locally during tours with selected ground handlers to make your tour more enjoyable. These ground handlers and activity partners are selected for their standards in quality, professional ability and reputation. Although Kumuka has developed a travel insurance policy to cover all activities offered during your journey, Kumuka cannot be held responsible for injuries or claims arising from adventurous activities by a third party.

Details and prices of optional activities will be advised by your tour leader.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

KUMUKA WORLDWIDE

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