INDIA 85 INDIA & HIMALAYAS Varanasi Extension Imaginative Facts Tour code: HTVX • Non- Group Tour: For individuals only • Activities: Guided tour / boat ride on the Ganges, excursion to Sarnath • Accommodation: 2 nights tourist class hotels on twin share basis, 2 nights air- conditioned sleeper train • Transport: Sleeper trains • Fully Escorted: Services of Imaginative Traveller representatives DAY 1: DELHI - VARANASI - Transfer to Delhi railway station to board the air-conditioned sleeper Shiv Ganga Express train to Varanasi. DAY 2: VARANASI- On arrival in Varanasi you are met and transferred to your hotel which is located right on the banks of the River Ganges and has a rooftop restaurant. The holy city of Varanasi is the most important place of pilgrimage for Hindus. The principal attraction is the long string of bathing ghats ( wide steps), which line the west bank of the Ganges, right in front of the hotel. DAY 3: VARANASI- Pilgrims come to the Ganges to make their sin- cleansing dip in the holy river. Daily ceremonies take place and bodies are also cremated here. You will take a boat ride on the Ganges at dawn and in the afternoon you visit Sarnath where Gautama the Buddha preached his first sermon 2,500 years ago. ( B) DAY 4: VARANASI- A free morning to explore the colourful bazaars of Varanasi. You will see many shops offering beautiful brocades and exquisite lengths of handloom silk. Afternoon departure transfer to take the sleeper Shiv Ganga Express train back to Delhi. ( B) DAY 5: DELHI- Tour ends on arrival at Delhi. Note: This extension can be applied to most tours in India. A popular and highly recommended add- on to our tours in India • Visit the incredible holy city of Varanasion the banks of the River Ganges • Experience the lively atmosphere of the narrow alleyways and bazaars • Witness the pilgrims' ceremoniesalong the ghats on a dawn boat ride A Taste of India Imaginative Facts Tour code: HSTI • Activities: Walking, cooking demonstrations • Accommodation: 8 nights tourist class hotels, 4 nights heritage hotels, 1 night homestay, 2 nights overnight train • Transport: Private air- conditioned coach, train • Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of local guides • Imaginative Traveller Suggests: Add our ' Goa Beach Extension' DAY 1: DELHI- Arrive and transfer to hotel. In the afternoon take a tour of Old Delhi. DAY 2: AGRA- We board our early morning express train to Agra, home to one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Taj Mahal. Tonight we stay with a local family, where the lady of the house will give us a private cooking demonstration. ( BD) DAYS 3 & 4: MADHOGARH- After visiting the abandoned Moghul capital of Fatehpur Sikri, we carry on to Fort Madhogarh, fabulously situated on top of a lone hill. Madhogarh is a typical small Rajasthani town, where communities of potters, carpenters, cobblers and carpet makers ply their trade in a manner that has continued unchanged for centuries. On Day 4 we have a unique opportunity to see a demonstration of Rajput cooking given by the young princess of this area. ( Day 3 - B, Day 4 - BD) DAYS 5- 7: JAIPUR- Leave for Jaipur, the captivating ' Pink City'. We visit the nearby fabulous Amber Fort and walk the steep paths leading to a magnificent complex of palaces, halls, pavilions, gardens and temples. On Day 6 we visit some of the city's stunning palaces, observatories and parks. That evening, we eat in a typical Rajasthani restaurant, designed to resemble a traditional village. The vegetarian food is served to us as if we were the guests at a traditional wedding feast. On Day 7 there is a full day to explore the markets and shops before boarding our overnight sleeper train to Udaipur. ( Days 5 & 7 - B, Day 6 - BD) DAYS 8 & 9: UDAIPUR- We arrive in the stunning ' White City' of Udaipur, the most romantic city in Rajasthan, with beautiful lakeside palaces and mansions. This evening we can dine at Ambrai, a restaurant with fabulous views over the lake. The next day we visit the City Palace, carved out of yellow sandstone on the banks of Lake Pichola. The rest of the day can be spent wandering the city's bazaars. ( Day 9 - B) DAY 10: AHMEDABAD- Continue to Ahmedabad, the cultural centre of the state of Gujarat. A culinary tour of India would not be complete without tasting a famous Gujarati thali, the traditional meal in which you use pieces of chapati to eat curry and vegetable dishes from small bowls. ( BD) DAYS 11 & 12: MUMBAI- Mumbai has its own distinct street food culture. The first residents of Mumbai, the local fishing community, were followed by settlers from other coastal parts of Maharashtra, and their delicious traditional cuisine consists of a mixture of seafood and meat dishes. We visit a restaurant that serves this ' original' Bombay food. On the evening of Day 12 we take an overnight train to Goa, on the Konkan railway. DAYS 13- 15: GOA- The former Portuguese colony of Goa boasts amazing scenery, with some of the world's most beautiful beaches, lush paddy fields and mango groves. Our hotel is located close to Candolim beach. On Day 14 we visit the home of a typical Goan family and learn to make prawn balchao. Then we experience a vindaloo curry, in all its spicy glory. Our dessert will be a coconut pancake, the perfect combination of western and Indian cuisines. The night bazaars here also offer a fantastic selection of dishes, from crisp fried calamari, to hand- rolled plum sushi. There is plenty of time to relax on the gorgeous sandy beaches. ( Day 14 - L) DAY 16: GOA- Tour ends. A feast of a tour through the culinary delights of Delhi down to Goa Discover the many facets of Indian cuisine. Travel through the amazing towns and palaces of Rajasthan to tranquil Goa's beautiful beaches. We will enjoy unique opportunities to sample a wealth of traditional delicacies, from the sublime vegetarian cuisineof Jaipur to the spicy seafood of the coast. A journey through many different regions, cultures and cuisines. • Seasonal Supplement £ 90 Single Supplement £ 345 ( optional) Voluntary Carbon Offset £ 16.53 * Price includes tour price of £ 810and local payment of INR10,000All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 935pp Land Only * Solo Traveller Supplement £ 150 ( compulsory if you are travelling alone) All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 249pp Land Only traveller special interest Tour duration 16 days Tour duration 5 days Starts SatEnds Sun DelhiGoa 2009 10- Jan- 0925- Jan- 09 31- Jan- 0915- Feb- 09 21- Feb- 0908- Mar- 09 14- Mar- 0929- Mar- 09 26- Sep- 0911- Oct- 09 19- Dec- 0903- Jan- 10 • Starts SatEnds Sun DelhiGoa 2010 09- Jan- 1024- Jan- 10 30- Jan- 1014- Feb- 10 20- Feb- 1007- Mar- 10 13- Mar- 1028- Mar- 10 25- Sep- 1010- Oct- 10 18- Dec- 1002- Jan- 11 • • X- Mas & New Year Supplement Save up to 15% on your tour - see page 243

INDIA & HIMALAYASINDIA 86 " Loved the heritage hotels and the small family- owned places. The tour more than met my expectations. " Wendy Burger india & himalayas Imaginative Facts Tour code: HTSR • Activities: Boat trip on Lake Pichola, leopard safari in Bhenswara, camel ride in Osian, village safari in Chandelao • Accommodation: 13 nights heritage hotels, 7 nights tourist class hotels, 1 night deluxe tented camp • Transport: Private air- conditioned coach, trains • Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of local guides • Imaginative Traveller Suggests: Add our ' Varanasi Extension' DAY 1: DELHI - Transfer to your hotel. DAY 2: STAY IN A 300- YEAR OLD FORT-Take the train to Jaipur and drive to the picturesque village of Pachewar. Our home is the impressive 300- year old Pachewar Fort. ( B) DAY 3: EXPLORE RAJASTHANI LIFE-Take a walk through the village for a good insight into rural life. ( B) DAY 4: VISIT THE OLD TOWN OF BUNDI-Bundi is situated in a beautiful narrow valley, dominated by the imposing 14th Century Taragarh Fort. ( B) DAY 5: STAY IN CASTLE BIJAIPUR-Bijaipur is a quaint village whose elegant 200- year old palace is now the idyllic Hotel Bijaipur. Explore the village, lakeside and nearby forts by cycle, horse or jeep or trek in the surrounding hills. ( B) DAY 6: HISTORY IN CHITTAURGARH-Visit the colossal hilltop fort of Chittaurgarh, home to various sagas of innumerable sieges and heroism. ( B) DAY 7: THE WHITE CITY OF UDAIPUR-Udaipur is surely Rajasthan's most picturesque city. We visit the grand City Palace and take a relaxed sunset boat ride past the ethereal ' floating' Lake Palace. ( B) DAY 8: EXPLORE TRIBAL VILLAGES-Travel to Jojawar. Enjoy a village walk in the nearby tribal settlements and perhaps take part in an archery competition! ( B) DAY 9: TRAIN THROUGH THE ARAVALLIS - Take a short train safari through the picturesque Aravalli hills, an area of dunes, peaks and dramatic ravines. ( B) DAY 10: KUMBHALGARH & RANAKPUR - Kumbhalgarh is famous for its huge 15th Century fort and game sanctuary. Visit Ranakpur for its important Jain temples. ( B) DAY 11: LEOPARD SAFARI- Drive to south west Rajasthan to a lovely heritage hotel for an interesting evening leopard drive. ( B) DAYS 12 & 13: GOLDEN JAISALMER-Cross the Thar Desert to the unique trading city of Jaisalmer. The mesmerising golden sandstone buildings have an unforgettable appearance rising from the desert like a vision from the Arabian Nights. Within the bastions of Jaisalmer Fort is a complete township of cobbled streets strewn with exquisitely carved temples and palaces. ( B) DAY 14: THE THAR DESERT BY CAMEL-Commence our camel safari. Traversing a starkly beautiful wilderness of dunes and scrubland, we may spot herds of antelope. Overnight at a fabulous tented camp. ( BD) DAY 15: THE BLUE CITY OF JODHPUR-We continue to Jodhpur where we visit the massive Meherangarh Fort and wander the fascinating narrow lanes. ( B) DAY 16: VILLAGE LIFE IN CHANDELAO-Chandelao village offers a great chance to interact with the local community. ( B) DAY 17: PUSHKAR OASIS- Pushkar clings to the side of a Hindu holy lake around which hundreds of small temples are built. ( B) DAYS 18 & 19: THE PINK CITY OF JAIPUR-Jaipur is one of the most interesting cities in India with a fascinating stone observatory and exuberant 18th and 19th century palaces including the famous façade of ' Palace of Winds' and Amber Fort. ( B) DAY 20: FATEHPUR SIKRI- We drive from Jaipur to Agra, stopping en route to visit the evocative empty city of Fatehpur Sikri. ( B) DAY 21: AGRA, CITY OF THE TAJ MAHAL-Visit the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful monuments of the world. Return to Delhi. ( B) DAY 22: DELHI- The tour ends. ( B) Escorted by our highly acclaimed specialist guide Sameer Rathore • A specially designed tourtailored around Sameer's personal knowledge • Explore the iconic cities of Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer • Experience traditional rural life in tribal villagesinteracting with the locals • Take a jeep safari in search of leopardsand a camel ride into the Thar Desert • Stay in exquisite former palaces, heritage hotels and a deluxe tented camp Sameer's Rajasthan India Sameer's Rajasthan Agra JaisalmerJaipur Leopard Safari Pachewar Bundi Bijaipur Chittaurgarh Udaipur Ranakpur Jojawar Jodhpur Pushkar Delhi Chandelao India Agra Varanasi Jaipur Pushkar Jojawar Chandelao Udaipur Ranakpur Bhenswara Jodhpur JaisalmerDelhi Rajasthan Safari Deserts, Forts & Palaces • Seasonal Supplement £ 65 * Pushkar Fair Supplement £ 90 Single Supplement £ 795 ( optional) Voluntary Carbon Offset £ 15.46 * Price includes tour price of £ 1299and local payment of INR18,000All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 1525pp Land Only * traveller Tour duration 22 days © Imaginative Traveller © Imaginative Traveller Starts TueEnds Tue DelhiDelhi 2009 06- Oct- 0927- Oct- 09 03- Nov- 0924- Nov- 09 01- Dec- 0922- Dec- 09 * Pushkar Fair departure • Seasonal supplement applies Starts TueEnds Tue DelhiDelhi 2010 05- Jan- 1026- Jan- 10 16- Feb- 1009- Mar- 10 16- Mar- 1006- Apr- 10 • 05- Oct- 1026- Oct- 10 02- Nov- 1023- Nov- 10 * 30- Nov- 1021- Dec- 10 new tour for 2009 We can also offer Extra Accommodation, Adventure Travel Insurance& Flights Save up to 15% on your tour - see page 243