Gourmet Tour Of India
Overview
Tour Description
Duration : 09 Nights & 10 Days
Destination : Delhi - Udaipur - Shahpurabagh - Jaipur - Agra - Delhi
Accommodation : Modern / Heritage / Palace hotels
Best Time to Visit : October to March
Journey Type : Group Journey
Embark on a remarkable gourmet tour with Royal India Holidays, exploring the ancient wonders of Varanasi, the vibrant heart of Delhi, the culinary gems of Lucknow, and the architectural splendors of Khajuraho. This tour is a delightful fusion of India's rich cultural heritage and its diverse culinary traditions. Start your day with revitalizing yoga sessions and enhance your culinary skills with expert-led cooking classes. Savor the exquisite flavors of traditional Indian cuisine, ranging from street food delights to opulent banquets, all while staying in luxurious hotels. If you're an enthusiast of luxurious gourmet adventures, this tour is tailor-made for you. Immerse yourself in the cultural tapestry of Varanasi, Delhi's vibrant spirit, Lucknow's royal cuisine, and the timeless beauty of Khajuraho. Royal India Holidays invites you to a journey that tantalizes your taste buds and enriches your understanding of India's rich heritage.
Itinerary
DAY 01 To 03 : Delhi
Our travel counselors will meet and assist you on arrival at Delhi international airport, and with the transfer to your hotel. You can spend the rest of the evening at leisure.
Delhi, known for it mouthwatering culinary delights has a lot to offer to the food lover. It offers cuisines for every palate, whether it is street food, Mughlai delicacies or Global food. Each street and lane of Delhi is imbued with a history of gastronomic glory, offering the flavors of heritage, tradition and a passion for food that has been shaped over eras, across borders, and in the hearts of the city's people.
We have the option of attending a morning Yoga session in the hotel garden area the following day before commencing our day of sightseeing. After breakfast, we will visit the colorful and bustling city of Delhi, a rich and historic city built on the banks of the River Yamuna. Delhi offers over a thousand monuments, old capital buildings including the present seat of the government, the Lok Sabha, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the British architect, and bustling bazaars. In contrast, it has some of India's most luxurious and modern hotels, markets, and restaurants.
During the sightseeing tour, we also visit the historic Karim's Restaurant, located in the streets of Old Delhi near the iconic Jama Masjid. Established in 1913, Karim's is known as the city's most famous culinary destination, famous for its mutton kebabs and curries.
Later, we will visit Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. Lunch will be arranged at a famous India Restaurant called "Chor Bizarre". Chor Bizarre, India's first theme restaurant captures the spirit of the 'chor bazaar' or thieves market. It serves authentic regional Indian cuisine in a unique atmosphere. India's first ISO-9002 certified restaurant, it was the first Indian outlet to open a branch in Mayfair, London in 1997.
In the evening, we arrange for a cooking session at one of Delhi's top chef's home or a speciality restaurant. Interested participants can join the group for cooking sessions. Others can opt to explore the markets and colourful streets of Delhi.
The next day, we will visit some of the famous and historical monuments of New Delhi - exploring the ancient Qutab Minar, a 12th century Tower of Victory, the Tomb of Humayun, white marble and red sandstone garden tomb, The India Gate and the Parliament House.
Lunch today will be arranged at a famous and international restaurant serving South Indian Cuisine. In the evening we will have a talk on the Indian spices and cuisines, and can even arrange a visit to one of the local spice markets for a unique experience.
We will leave for the airport, for our flight to Udaipur, after breakfast at the hotel. After arrival and check in we'll have a sumptuous lunch of street food at a special venue, post a small introduction to Indian street foods and restaurants. Local street food comprises of Dal baati, mirchi bada, and more common items like kachori and dabeli.
Udaipur, also known as 'city of lakes' is one of the most beautiful cities to visit in Rajasthan. Surrounded by the scenic Aravalli hills from all sides, Udaipur has an abundance of natural beauty, mesmerising temples and breathtaking palaces.
Udaipur cuisine comprises of mostly vegetarian dishes as the place is highly dominated by Jainism and Vaishnavism. Food is usually made from lots of vegetables and lentils. It is seasoned with a great variety of spices that are unique to the lands of Rajasthan. You can find various types of curries ranging from Lentil to yoghurt. Dried mango by the name of 'Ocra' and beans of 'sangri' is accompanied by many meals. Deep-fried breads and extensive use of chili makes the cuisine of Udaipur, a delicious one.
In the evening, we will attend a talk on Indian food and spices by the hotel chef, and get hands on experience of cooking some local dishes at the hotel's kitchen. For dinner, we will have the mouthwatering special Indian Rajasthani Thali.
The next morning those interested can attend yoga session in the hotel garden. After breakfast, we leave for an excursion to Udaipur visiting prominent sights such as City Palace, Lake Pichola and and the City Palace museum. Surmounted by balconies, towers and cupolas towering over the lake, the imposing City Palace is Rajasthan's largest palace, with a facade 244m long and 30.4m high. Lunch will be organised close to the lake during the sightseeing tour.
In the evening we will have another cooking session and interact with the chef. Participants can even have their own cooked cuisines for dinner along with the special Rajasthani Thali dinner.
After breakfast, we will drive 4 hrs to Shahpura and check into a boutique luxury hotel, a hidden gem located in rural Rajasthan in between Jaipur and Udaipur. A delicate heritage property, it consists of only 6 rooms.
Here we look beyond the beaten track amid the golden sands of Rajasthan and glimpse an oasis. This is timeless Rajasthan, untouched by the creeping fingers of 'modernity', unchanged in its unpretentious natural grandeur.
You can spend the afternoon exploring the surrounding countryside or go for the cultural tour of the fort.
We will drive 4 hrs to Jaipur, the capital city of the Royal State of Rajasthan, also known as pink city. On arrival at Jaipur check into your hotel. The remainder of this first day is yours to relax and to enjoy the picturesque surroundings
Jaipur is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. The bazaars teem with people, camels, horses and a multitude of varied vehicles, while around them are magnificent palaces and buildings
In the evening we will visit a family home for a Rajasthani cooking adventure and dinner with cocktails and local folk entertainment.
The next day, after breakfast we will go for an excursion to Amber Fort, ascending this majestic fort on an elephant back. Lunch will be arranged at a traditional Indian restaurant serving the local Rajasthani cuisine. Participants not interested in cooking sessions can opt for other sightseeing tours of Jaipur. Later in the afternoon we will visit the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, the state of the art Observatory and the stunning Palace of Winds, the Hawa Mahal.
This evening, enjoy a true welcome to Royal and culinary India. Enjoy the 2 hrs Elephant safari with barbeque dinner in the countryside close to Amber fort
Today after a relaxed breakfast, we drive to Agra enroute stopping at Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted city of Mughal Emperor Akbar and today a world heritage site. En route we will have lunch organised at Bharatpur at one of the hotels. On arrival in Agra check into your hotel for overnight stay. Bharatpur is famous for its wonderful Unesco-listed Keoladeo National Park, a wetland and significant bird sanctuary.
We begin the day with an early morning visit to the Taj Mahal at sunrise. This ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river was built in the 17th century by the Mughal king Shahjahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the wonders of the world and is called the "symbol of love". After breakfast, we visit the 16th century Mughal monument, the Agra Fort, known as the Red fort of Agra. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, before being shifted to Delhi. We will then drive 4 hrs to Delhi airport for our flight to onward destination.