This delightful tour explores the lesser-known North-East regions of India. The itinerary has been designed by Chris Caldicott, combining stays at handpicked hotels with an exploration of the outstanding historic cultural sites, spectacular scenery and countless culinary delights of this area.
Please complete the form below or give us a call on 02031951543
Suggested flights (not included in the cost of the tour) with Emirates via Dubai departing London Heathrow at 13.40 hrs.
Arrive in Kolkata at 07.40 hrs. Transfer to the Glenburn Penthouse Hotel where three nights are spent. An elegant residence located in the heart of historic Kolkata, this colonial-inspired hotel has a rooftop terrace and infinity pool with spectacular views of the iconic Victoria Memorial, Maidan Park and Eden Gardens. Lunch at the hotel. Time at leisure and afternoon tea. Late afternoon, walk through Maiden Park to visit the famous white marble Victoria Memorial, designed by Sir William Emerson in 1921. It has an excellent display on the history of the city and a gallery of pictures by British artists, such as Zoffany, who came to India. Continue to the surreal Park Street Cemetery, an amazing assembly of neo-classical funerary monuments. Dinner at the hotel.
Leave on a walking tour of the heart of British Kolkata, Dalhousie Square taking in the classical Post Office, site of the notorious Black Hole, past the Writers’ Building built in 1780 and resurfaced in 1880 and St. Andrew’s Kirk. Move on to view the exterior of Government House, seat of the Viceroys, a building based on Kedleston Hall, and past the old Town Hall. Visit St. John’s Church modelled on St. Martin’s in the Fields and designed by James Agg stuffed with fascinating tombs both within and without.
Lunch at a local Bengali restaurant. Visit Kalighat, an impressive Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. Kalighat is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of the Indian Subcontinent, where it is believed various parts of Sati’s body are said to have fallen, during Shiva’s Rudra Tandava. Private sunset river cruise on the Hooghly River. Dinner under own arrangements.
Morning visit to the Howrath Bridge, considered the busiest bridge in the world, and eastern India’s largest Flower Market with approximately 2000 flower growers. Continue to Nilhat House and to the Armenian Church of the Holy Nazareth, known to be the oldest Christian church in Kolkata. Visit the ornate Nakhoda Mosque and palatial Marble Palace, a neoclassical house built in 1835 by a wealthy Bengali with a passion for collecting art. Continue to College Street, known for having the world’s largest second-hand book market.
Lunch at the Indian Coffee House, a renowned meeting place for students and intellectuals. Explore Kumartuli, a potters quarter in North Kolkata famous for sculpting Indian Gods and Goddesses out of clay for different festivals in West Bengal throughout the year. Time at leisure for shopping or optional visit to Mother Teresa’s orphanage. Return to the hotel for dinner.
Morning departure for Azimganj stopping at the old trading posts of Serampore and Belur Math on the way. Visit the Hindu temple at Belur Math, located on the edge of the River Ganges, which is the is the heart of the Ramakrishna movement. Visit the Danish Museum in Serampore, located in the old Danish Government House, before walking around Sermapore College which was established by the Danish in 1818 and is one of the oldest colleges in the country. Lunch in a local restaurant. Continue to Azimganj. Check-in to the Bari Kothi Heritage Hotel where four nights are spent. Located on the edge of the River Ganges, the beautifully restored 18th century Bari Kothi (which literally means palace of the elders) is located near Murshidabad, once the seat of the Nawabs and the last capital city of independent Bengal. Enjoy an introductory talk on the region. Dinner at the hotel.
Enjoy an early morning heritage walk. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Visit the Hazarduari Palace, considered one of the seven wonders of India. Built in 1839, it is known as the ‘palace of the thousand doors’. Proceed to Imambara, a historic congregation hall built in 1847. See Footi Maszid, a grand mosque believed to have been built in a single day by Nawab Sarfaraz Khan in 1740 AD. Continue to Wasif Manzil and Katra Masjid, a former caravanserai, mosque and the tomb of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan built during the 18th century when Bengal was a major trade hub.
Return to the hotel for lunch. Time at leisure. Enjoy a boat trip and afternoon tea on the River Ganges. Dinner at the hotel.
Depart for the Kathgola Palace, an ancient Jain Palace surrounded by picturesque gardens. Continue to see the House of Jagat Seth, an influential wealthy merchant during the time of the Nawabs of Bengal. Visit Nashipur Rajbati, the Palace of the Nashipur Royal Family. Visit Namak Haram Deori before exploring Tantipara (Weaver’s Village) to see the traditional method of hand-weaving pure silk saris which the region is famous for.
Return to the hotel for lunch at the hotel. Time at leisure. Late afternoon, explore the 100 feet long Bari Kothi ghat. Dinner at the hotel.
Early morning village walk. Depart to see Kirteshwari, the oldest temple in Murshidabad. Considered to be more than 1000 years old, it is one of the 51 shrines of the Goddess Kali. Proceed to the mosque of Roshnibagh and Khoshbagh, the garden cemetery of the Nawabs. Finish the morning with a visit to Chaar Bangla, the famous 250-year-old terracotta temple which contains intricate designs in burnt clay. Return to the hotel for lunch. Time at leisure. Enjoy a local cultural evening and royal Sheherwali dinner at the hotel.
Transfer to Azimganj Station for a train to Kolkata.
Packed lunch on the train. On arrival in Kolkata, transfer to Bawali and check-in to the Rajbari Hotel, where two nights are spent. Located just south of Kolkata, this hotel is a beautifully restored 300-year-old neo-classical palace which was abandoned after independence. Sitting on the edge of a lake and surrounded by farmland, the rooms contain an eclectic mix of antique furniture, spacious bathrooms and state of the art modern amenities. Time at leisure to relax at the hotel. Enjoy sundowners on the River Ganges. Dinner at the hotel.
Enjoy a morning village walk for an insight into rural Bengali life. Return to the hotel.
Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon cooking class to learn how to make traditional Bengali recipes. Dinner at the hotel.
Transfer to Kolkata Airport for a late morning domestic flight to Varanasi.
Lunch under own arrangements. Check-in to the Brijrama Palace Hotel, where two nights are spent. One of the oldest man-made structures in Varanasi, this imposing heritage hotel overlooking the sacred River Ganges has panoramic views from its rooftop terrace where you can sit and watch the religious ceremonies on the river below. The rooms celebrate Banarasi design, with hand-painted ceiling artwork, silk furnishings, antique furniture and gold and silver touches. Afternoon at leisure. Early evening, watch the Aarti, a magnificent religious ceremony performed every evening along the Ghats of the Ganges River when offerings are made to the Goddess Ganga. Dinner at the hotel.
Proceed for a walking tour of the city’s Ghats including the Manikarnika Ghat, the main burning ghat which is the most auspicious place for a Hindu to be cremated. Dead bodies are handled by outcasts known as doms and are carried through the alleyways of the old town to the holy Ganges on a bamboo stretcher, swathed in cloth. The corpse is doused in the Ganges prior to cremation. See the Assi Ghat, near where the River Assi meets the Ganges and pilgrims come to worship a Shiva lingam beneath a peepul tree. Visit the Dashashwamedh Ghat, one of the liveliest and most colourful ghats in the city.
Lunch in the hotel. Afternoon visit to the Alamgir Mosque, a small mosque which dominates the Panchganga Ghat. Continue to see the Ramnagar Fort, a crumbling 17th century fort and palace, on the eastern bank of the Ganges opposite the Tulsi Ghat. Visit the fort’s eccentric museum, located in the former Durbar Hall, with its vintage American cars, jewel-encrusted sedan chairs, a superb weaponry section and an extremely unusual astrological clock. Dinner under own arrangements.
Morning visit to Varanasi University, established in 1916. The wide, tree-lined streets and parkland of the 5-sq-km campus offer a peaceful atmosphere a world away from the city outside. On campus is Bharat Kala Bhavan, a roomy museum with a wonderful collection of miniature paintings, as well as 12th century palm-leaf manuscripts and sculptures. Transfer to Varanasi Airport.
Lunch under own arrangements at the airport. Mid-afternoon flight to Delhi. On arrival, transfer to the 5-star JW Marriot Hotel near the airport, where one night is spent. Dinner at the hotel.
Transfer to Delhi Airport for suggested flight (not included) Emirates flight via Dubai departing Delhi at 10.35 hrs arriving London Heathrow at 20.00 hrs.
