New Delhi, capital Indian Republic, welcomes you with open arms oozing out perennial cultural ethos of "Atithi Devo Bhav' Optima India Tourism representative will greet you at Indira Gandhi International Airport and take you to the pre-booked hotel of Delhi. As the international flights land around mid night, you will have enough time to sleep, relax and refresh. Have leisurely breakfast in the hotel and early noon, the Delhi tour guide and chauffeur will meet you at the lobby of your hotel and take you on Old Delhi sightseeing tour. The Old Delhi tour is special as it introduces you with the bygone era of medieval India. The Old Delhi tour is highlighted by the visit of Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat. But the topping on the ice will be manual rickshaw ride through the alleys of Kinari Bazaar of Chandni Chowk. If you are touring India to experience older and less European India, the first day of Golden Triangle with Varanasi Tour will be a treat to eyes and senses. After Old Delhi sightseeing, return to Delhi hotel for overnight stay.

The second day of Golden Triangle with Varanasi Tour is scheduled for sightseeing of New Delhi. After having delicious breakfast in Delhi hotel, proceed for New Delhi sightseeing tour along with Delhi tour guide. Although exceeded in population and surpassed in economic importance by both Kolkata and Mumbai, Delhi is now, as it has been for the larger part of a thousand years, the heart and nerve centre of India. In case of Delhi, happily, the rulers did not build their new cities on top of old ones, as so often has happened in the past, but chose instead sites a few miles apart. Delhi, thus, offers to the visitor monuments of Hindu, Islamic and British origin, dating from 12th to 20th centuries.

The two chief monuments are Parliament (formerly the Secretariat) and the Presidential Palace (formerly the Viceroy's House). There is a wide avenue known as Rajpath that runs from India Gate to the Presidential Palace, where New Delhi is at its most splendid.

Qutub Minar is also a major tourist destination of Delhi, as well as India. Construction of Qutub Minar, a tower, begun in 1199 by the first sultan, completed by his successor and partially restored in the fourteenth century. Standing 238 feet high, it is built of subtly graded sandstone and marble, the colours ranging from dark red at the base, through shades of pink, to glowing orange at the summit. At the foot of the tower stands India's first mosque, erected over the foundations of a Hindu temple. Two sixteenth century structures that have survived the years are the mausoleum of Humayun, erected in his memory by his widow, and the Purana Qila, a massive fort (occupying the site of prehistoric Delhi) that contains both a mosque and a library. Post independence structures of Lotus Temple (belonging to Bahai faith) and Akshardham Temple (belonging to Swaminarayan sect of Hindu religion) are highly visited cultural centres with exquisite architectural specimens. After visiting New Delhi, return to Delhi hotel for overnight stay.

Golden Triangle with Varanasi Tour is today taking you into the realm of Rajputs, the rulers of various princely kingdoms in Rajasthan. After having relished delicious breakfast in Delhi hotel, depart for Jaipur. It takes about 5 hours to traverse the distance between Delhi and Jaipur. By the time one reaches near Jaipur, it's time for lunch as well. Optima India Tourism has thus planned a halt at Samode, 45 kms before Jaipur. Samode is famous for its immaculately preserved fort-palace amidst rural backdrop. The fort palace of Samode has been converted into a high-end luxurious heritage hotel. Visit Samode Palace and have lunch there. The fine palace, exquisitely painted walls and ceilings, mirror and glass work and pleasant ambience fill the visitor with joy.

After lunch and leisurely sightseeing, move ahead for Jaipur. On arrival at Jaipur, our representative will receive you and ensure your smooth check in at the hotel. Late afternoon, along with Jaipur tour guide, you will move to visit Albert Hall museum. Having visited the museum, late in the afternoon, you will be taken by Jaipur tour guide to Govind Dev Ji temple where you will be attending Aarti ceremony. It will be definitely an unforgettable lifetime experience. Overnight stay has been scheduled in the hotel.

Having relished tasty and healthy breakfast in Jaipur hotel, drive for full day sightseeing of Jaipur. Jaipur is pleasantly touristic and intrinsically charming. The Jaipur sightseeing tour will commence with visiting Amber Fort Palace complex. Seven miles from Jaipur, at the mouth of a deep gorge, is Amber, which for six centuries was the capital of this region of Rajasthan. Little remains of it now but the great palace, which was begun by Man Singh in 1600. The upper part of the palace, said to have been designed by Jai Singh I, who is more usually known by his title of Mirza Raja, constituted the princely living quarters; they are of fairy-tale-beauty, with fabulous inlaid and sculptured decoration. On the roof of the palace is a kind of belvedere from which there is a fine view of the lovely mountain lake below and of the great defensive wall built in the tenth century against infiltration from the desert. The visit of Amber Fort becomes more fascinating due to a maharaja like ride on a caparisoned elephant from foothill to the main gate of Amber Fort at the hill top.

The chief sight of Jaipur is the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), so called because its windows are screened with stone filigree through which cooling breezes might pass. Five stories high, of pink sandstone, it stands roughly in the centre of the old city. Fanciful and delicate, imaginatively playful, it looks not unlike the kind of palace one might have expected to hear about. It is not only the chief sight of Jaipur, it is one of the great sights of India. The interior, as one might expect, is extremely complex, with narrow wandering corridors and steep spiral stairways.

Other famous monuments of Jaipur included City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Birla Temple. After visiting major tourist sites of Jaipur, explore bustling market of Jaipur. Jaipur is famous for its jewellery, handicraft articles, carpets, durries, marble products etc. Later in the evening, return to Jaipur hotel for overnight stay.

Having taken sumptuous breakfast at Jaipur hotel, you will be driven to Agra. For Abhaneri, you have to take a detour of 7 kms about 95 kms from Jaipur. The sleepy village of Abhaneri is famous for ancient temple of a goddess. The temple of Abhaneri displays ruins and pieces of sculpture of a high degree of craftsmanship. But, now-a-days, the prime tourist attraction is 10th century Baoris (step-well) which is the most fascinating one in Rajasthan. The well is an innovative and indigenous invention of the local people to collect and harvest rainwater. Abhaneri step-well has 13 levels and is fortified with flights of steps on the three sides. It is an interesting piece of architecture.

Having seen Abhaneri, continue to drive for Agra. On the way to Agra, about 40 kms before Agra, there is a deserted town of Fatehpur Sikri, now a derelict village. Fatehpur Sikri was the first attempt by the Mughal to build a planned township. Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar as twin city of Agra but with structured layout. Fatehpur Sikri is home to large palatial buildings like Jama Masjid, shrine of Salim Chishti, Buland Darwaja, Jodhabai Mahal, Panch Mahal etc.

After visiting Fatehpur Sikri, proceed for Agra. There had been a settlement in Agra long before Babur made it his capital. It was Akbar who built the Agra Fort (which is still known as Akbarabad). On arrival at Agra, you will be received by our representative and taken to Agra hotel for leisurely overnight stay.

Agra, though erstwhile capital of Mughal India, is known for being seat of world famous Taj Mahal. Agra is a district of Uttar Pradesh. The long cherished visit to Taj Mahal is scheduled today. Taj Mahal looks most stunning at the time of sunrise. The Agra tour guide will collect you from the Agra hotel's lobby and take you to the monument known as 'epitome of love'-the Taj Mahal. You will be taken to the Taj Mahal on 'tonga'- a medieval mode of transportation. With Agra tour guide, your Taj Mahal viewing will be an informed visit. Built by Shah Jahan in memory of Mumtaj Mahal, the tomb of Taj Mahal is constructed of white marble of Makrana and took almost 18 years to come up in the present form.

After watching the unparalleled beauty of Taj Mahal, return to Agra hotel for getting refreshed and relaxed. Have delicious breakfast in Agra hotel and move for visiting Agra Fort, Tomb of It-Mad-ud-Daula and Sikandara. Agra Fort has evidences of successive developments. Earlier, the site was known as Badalgarh and a brick fort, built by the Rajputs was situated here. The reign of Babur and Humayun remained inconspicuous in terms of architectural development. It was Akbar who constructed Agra Fort anew on the banks of river Yamuna with red sandstone. But most impressive buildings within the fort are again the creation of indefatigable builder Shah Jahan. Probably the most splendid single sight in Agra Fort is Shah Jahan's richly inlaid throne room in the Diwan-i-Aam, the hall of public audience. Shah Jahan also built within the Agra Fort a hall for private audience, where he received ambassadors and other important personages, and an octagonal tower for the pleasure of his wife (that wife- Arjumand Bano Begum for whom he was later to build the world's most sumptuous tomb- Taj Mahal).

After visiting Agra Fort and having delicious lunch in a city restaurant, move on for visiting tomb of It-Mad-ud-Daula (known as Baby Taj) and tomb of Akbar at Sikandara. Later in the evening, you will be transferred to Agra railway station to board train for Varanasi.

After overnight train journey from Agra, you will arrive at Varanasi in the morning. Our representative will receive you and take you to the Varanasi hotel. Relax, refresh and have delicious breakfast in Varanasi hotel. Varanasi, situated on the banks of holy river Ganga, is spiritual capital of India. Varanasi is often called as the "city of light (Kashi)". The light is symbolic of knowledge. Varanasi has been since centuries been a prominent seat of ancient learning. Though Varanasi is very pious to the Hindus, it (Sarnath) also is an important pilgrimage of the Buddhists. The 07th day of Golden Triangle with Varanasi (Ganges) Tour will ensure your visit of Sarnath where you will see remnants of Buddhist monastery, various stupas, well-kept museum and Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Sarnath is a shrine as holy to the Buddhist as Varanasi is to Hindus, for it was here that the Buddha preached his first sermon, expounding the eight-fold path that must lead ultimately to enlightenment and nirvana.

It was only recently that the treasures of Sarnath were unearthed, although it had always been known to be the site of the famous Deer Park, where the Buddha preached that first, world-shaking sermon and where, in the seventh century, the Chinese pilgrim Hsuan-tsang recorded that there was a monastery large enough to house fifteen hundred monks. However, after the twelfth century, Sarnath was ravaged and plundered by Muslim invaders with religiously imbued hatred. Sarnath's degradation was complete and remained so until the mid-nineteenth century, when excavation was begun and continued, under the impetus of Lord Curzon, in the twentieth. Now there is a splendid museum to house the Sarnath finds, which comprise some of India's greatest treasures, including the famous lion capital that became the symbol of independence.

After sightseeing tour of Sarnath, you will be driven to the ghats of Varanasi, stepped embankments on the western bank of river Ganga. Every evening a mesmerizingly enchanting "Ganga Aarti" (Worship Ceremony of the Ganges) takes place with religious piousness. The worship ceremony of the Ganges is depiction of inveterate reverence of the Hindus for river Ganga, treated as mother. Watch and experience the exotic aspects of Indian culture. After viewing Ganges worship ceremony at the ghat, return to Varanasi hotel for overnight stay.

The morning in Varanasi will unfold numerous exotic aspects of India and more particularly Varanasi. To acquaint you with the traditional and perennial Varanasi, you will be taken to the Varanasi ghat in the dawn-hours. A long boat-ride alongside the various ghats of the Ganges will be carried out. Early in the morning, proceed for viewing the panoramic view of ghats on boat. Ghats, embankments of long flights of wide stone steps on river Ganges, add a divine charm to Varanasi due to various activities like bathing, cremating, religious rituals, worshipping, commercial activities, ablution to work-out, astrologers under their palm leaf parasols etc are performed. Viewing the Ghats from a boat on the Ganges, especially at sunrise, is an unforgettable experience!

After visiting ghats, return to your Varanasi hotel. Get refreshed, relax and have delicious breakfast. Thereafter, proceed to visit famous temples of Varanasi. Though the temples of Varanasi are very famous and garner unfathomable faith but their antiquity is not as old as is claimed. Though the city of Varanasi is one of the oldest living city of the world but the temples are not as old. The ancient temples were razed by the Muslim invaders out of religious zeal and hatred, so the existing temples can be considered as of newer origin. The holy temples of Varanasi are amongst the most visited temples in India. Situated on the banks of holy river Ganges, Varanasi temples add to the religious value to Ganges.

The famous temples of Varanasi are Kashi Vishwanath temple, Durga temple, Sankat Mochan temple, Tulsi Manas temple and New Vishwanath temple. Also visit Benares Hindu University (B.H.U.). Tulsi Manas temple, built in 1964, stands adjacent to Durga Temple. The Tulsi Manas temple, dedicated to Lord Rama, is situated at the place where great poet and seer Tulsidas lived and wrote the great epic "Shri Ram Charit Manas".

After completing the sightseeing tour of Varanasi, drive to Varanasi airport to board flight for Delhi. On arrival at Delhi airport, internally change the terminal to board international flight for your onward destination.