Tour Duration: 11 nights/12 days

Places Covered:  Indore, Mandu, Ujjain, Bhopal, Sanchi, Pachmarhi, Kanha & Kawardha.

Day 01: Delhi-Indore
Afternoon transfer to the airport for the flight to Indore. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 02: Indore-Mandu (95 kms)-Indore
After an early breakfast take a excursion tour of Mandu, the “city of joy” situated on an isolated outcrop. Founded in the 10th century by Raja Bhoj, it has a chequered and varied history. Of particular interest are Jahaz Mahal (ship palace), the magnificent harem built by Ghiyas-ud-Din, Hindola Mahal (swing palace) and the Champa Baoli, an interesting building, with subterranean levels featuring cool wells and baths. The Jami Masjid, built in 1454 AD, dominates Mandu. It is patterned on the great mosque in Damascus, Syria and is claimed to be the finest and largest example of Afghan architecture in India. Behind the mosque is the imposing marble tomb of Hohang Shah. Shah Jahan is said to have sent his architects to Mandu to study this tomb before they embarked upon the design of the Taj Mahal. Return to Indore for overnight stay.

Day 03: Indore-Ujjain (55 kms)-Indore
After breakfast take a excursion tour of Ujjain. This is one of the holy cities for Hindus and site of the Kumbh Mela. It was an important city in the kingdom rules by Ashoka’s father, when it was known as Avanti. Later it was also attractive to Chandragupta II (380-414 AD), one of the Gupta kings, who ruled from here, rather than his actual capital, Patliputra. His court supported the ‘nine gems’ of Hindu literature, including the important poet Kalidasa.

Ujjain abounds in temples - the Mahakala Temple, which stands near the palace of Maharaja Scindia, the Bridh Kaleshwar temple, the marble-spired Gopal Mandir, built by Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur and the Temple of Nine Planets. Also of interest is the Jantar Mantar an ancient stone observatory constructed by Maharaja Jai Singh, and Kaliadah, the water palace of the Mandu Sultans, which stands on an island in the Sipra river. Return to Indore for overnight stay at HOTEL TAJ RESIDENCY.

Day 04: Indore-Bhopal (187 kms)
In the morning after breakfast depart drive to Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. Known as the "lakeside city", Bhopal is a fairyland half hidden among seven high hills, nestling in rich foliage. It was built in the 11th century when the legendary Raja Bhoj, fond of lakeside views, created a lake around which grew the beautiful sprawling city named after him. Soon more lakes and gardens, parks and ponds appeared, turning Bhopal into one of the most beautiful cities in India.

Succeeding battalions of invaders seemed determined to erase it from the face of the earth and Bhopal went into oblivion. However, with the coming of the extravagant Mughals in the 14th century, the city was reborn. The Mughals made it a city of artists and musicians, monuments and mausoleums. The Jama Masjid, built by Qudsia Begum, has tall dark minarets crowned with glittering golden spikes. The Moti Masjid is patterned on Delhi's Jama Masjid. Among more recent constructions of note is the Tah-ul-Masjid, started by Begum Shah Jahan and completed in 1982. It has an impressive main hall, inter-arched roof, broad facade and wide courtyard with a shopping arcade - Taj Market - around its boundary walls Bharat Bhavan, a multi-arts centre without parallel in India, was designed by one of India's leading architects - Charles Correa. Another outstanding feature of Bhopal is its two picturesque lakes. An overbridge divides one lake into two - Upper Lake and Lower Lake. A large expanse of water, the Upper Lake is over 2 sq. km in area. From the two high points of Idgah and Shamla, you get a fabulous view of the sunset on the lakes and of the twinkling city lights in the distance. Overnight at HOTEL NUR-US-SABAH.

Day 05: Bhopal-Sanchi (72 kms)-Bhopal
After an early breakfast depart on the 72-km drive to Sanchi, the bastion of Buddhism. The first things you notice are the huge stupas standing on a tranquil hill overlooking rich forests. These stupas are funeral mounds where the holy relics of the Buddha and other sages were interred. Emperor Ashoka built as many as eight stupas at Sanchi. Today only three survive but they are unparalleled for their stonecraft. The most magnificent Great Stupa is 37 meters in diameter and 16 meters high. The ground balustrade circumscribing the Great Stupa has four toranas or gateways, providing access from the four directions. These exquisitely carved gateways depict Buddhist legends and the main events in the Buddha's life. Close to the South gateway lie the ruins of the Ashoka Pillar. Other interesting monuments include the 15-meter high Stupa # 3 and the new vihara or monastery where the relics of the Buddha have been enshrined in a glass casket in the inner sanctum. The 7-meter high Stupa # 2 is noted for its chaitya hall or shrine. The museum displays a number of sculptures found in the area.

Some 12 km north-west of Sanchi lies the ancient town of Vidisha, also known as Besnagar, sight of many relics of Mauryan civilization, including the Udayagiri Caves. The Khamb Baba is a monolithic pillar built in 90 BC by Heliodorus, an ambassador of the Greek king to the court of Vidisha. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The museum has a fine collection of the earliest antiquities from Besnagar, dating back to the 2nd century BC. Return to Bhopal for overnight stay at HOTEL NUR-US-SABAH.

Day 06: Bhopal-Panchmarhi (198 kms)
After breakfast drive to Pachmarhi.
En route visit Bhimbetka which has South Asia’s richest collection of prehistoric paintings and many other archeological discoveries. This is the setting for a thousand shelters, stretching for some 10 km. - over 500 of them contain prehistoric and later paintings and a smaller number have evidence of Stone Age habitation from the Lower Paleolithic period to the late Mesolithic.

Situated in the middle of a dense deciduous forest, there are over 30 species of trees with edible fruit, flower seeds and tubers - a vital food for tribal people even today. There is also a rich wildlife including several species of deer, wild boar, sloth bear, antelope, leopard, jackal, scaly anteater and a wide range of bird species.

Some 7 km south east of Bhimbetka, Barkhera is one of the richest open air stone Age sites in South Asia. On the south edge of the road one sees thousands of Acheulian tools scattered in the thick teak forest and the fields on the north side of the road are equally rich in tools. On arrival in Pachmarhi, check in at the hotel. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 07: Panchmarhi
With its tranquil forests of wild bamboo, sal, jamun, amla and gular trees, interspersed with deep pools fed by the streams that run across the red sandstone hills, the British developed Pachmarhi as a sanitarium and hot weather resort in the late 1800s. Today, their legacy remains in Madhya Pradesh’s only hill station.

There are several viewpoints, waterfalls, rock pools and hills to climb within easy reach. In the neighbouring Mahadeo Hills there is an astonishing wealth of rock paintings. Several have been found in Pachmarhi itself, and others at Tamia, Son Badra and Jalai. Recent studies suggest that the earliest may belong to the Mesolithic period. In the Upper Dorothy shelter is a scene of rare humour in which a monkey standing on its hind legs plays on a flute, while a man lying on a cot too small for his size has raised arms, as if to keep time with the flute. In the Bansia Beria and Dhuandhar cave shelters also offer interesting paintings - most of these have been dated between 500 and 80 AD, though the earliest are estimated to be some 10,000 years old. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 08: Panchmarhi-Kanha
After breakfast depart for Kanha. Considered by some to be India's greatest national park, the area is certainly an excellent place to see many species in their natural habitat. First declared as a small sanctuary in 1933, it was upgraded to a national park from 1955. Overnight at Resort/Hotel.

Day 09: Kanha
Early morning and late afternoon wildlife viewing drives in the park. The terrain consists of attractive forest with bamboo brakes, grassy plateaus and meadows in the valleys. The varied habitat is home to the highly endangered Royal Bengal Tiger, gaur (largest of the world's cattle), sambar (the largest of the Indian deer), chowsingha (the only four-horned antelope in the world), Nilgai (blue bull), sloth bear, leopard and a wide variety of birds. One of India’s great conservation success stories is from Kanha, where the barasingha (swamp deer) population was increased from about 66 in the late 1960s to over 450 by 1985. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 10: Kanha-Kawardha
After an early morning safari in the park, depart on the 95 km drive to Kawardha, a small town in the Chhattisgarh (“34 forts”) region. Kawardha is in the centre of the Bagia tribe who live on the forests surrounding the town. In this remote area, Maharaja Vishwaraj Singh has recently opened his palace to visitors. Overnight at Hotel/Resort.

Day 11: Kawardha
Post breakfast spend the day exploring the nearby Bagia tribal villages. The Radha Krishna family temple with underground rooms, the Holy Water tank and other 11th century temples in the immediate region are also worth visiting.

This tranquil place comes alive during the Dassera festival (usually in October) when the royal family, clad in its traditional regal finery, travels in a colourful procession from the palace to the family temple. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 12: Raipur-Delhi
After breakfast depart on the 117-km drive to Raipur in time to board the evening flight to Delhi.