North India: Himalayas and Punjab

This trip to India: Himalayas and the Taj Mahal is a multicultural trip that makes you discover a mosaic of regions and customs: The Himalayas and the Taj Mahal!

From the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, on the edge of the border with Pakistan, to the splendor of the Taj Mahal, this trip to India is an extraordinary natural and multicultural discovery tour . Also a unique human experience, constantly gaining height. Also, the Himalayas, in this strange and silent world, are conducive to meditation .

It is a tour trip with private driver AND local guides. Departure confirmed from 2 people. Optional Atypic Travel guide.

The Himalayas:

In the Himalayas, you cross regions preserved from tourism, with grandiose, breathtaking landscapes and welcoming and smiling people. You meet the exiled Buddhists of Tibet, admire the extraordinary monasteries. You cross the Kinnaur Valley which is an admirable place where Western tourists are rare. The cultures are multiple and the colors stretch to the blue of the sky. On your way, monasteries, Hindu temples, tea plantations.

Amritsar and the Golden Temple:

At the Pakistani border, in Punjab, in Amritsar, you are amazed by the splendor of the Golden Temple and discover the Sik traditions .

Delhi and the Taj Mahal:

In Delhi and Agra ( Taj Mahal ), you are in awe of the splendor of Hindu and Muslim culture.

Itinerary 16 days/15 nights: Delhi – Chandigarh – Shimla – Sangla – Chitkul – Kalpa – Shoja – Manali – Dharamshala – Amritsar – Delhi – Agra

Brief Descriptions:

Shimla is the former summer capital of the English. Formerly called Shyamala (one of the names of the goddess Kali), the town is perched on a ridge at 2205 meters and surrounded by hills and pine forests.

Kalpa and its temples, the most important in the region, are finely carved in wood and house many statues and paintings of deities, Hindus and Buddhists.

The small town of Sangla culminates at 2680 meters, on a vertiginous slope, and is dominated by the immense Kinnaur Kailash culminating at 6660 meters. It is from there that you will leave for the village of Chitkul and its glacier.

Manali is a small mountain town with its hot springs, gateway to the lands of Ladakh.

Dharamshala with theTibetan government in exilesince 1960. Since then, several thousandTibetan refugeeshave settled in the city, including the Dalai Lama. Most of them reside in upper Dharamsala (McLeod Ganj), where they established monasteries, temples and schools.

Amritsar is home to the Golden Temple , the informal name of the Harmandir Sahib , the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religious community .

At the end of the circuit:

Delhi: Delhi’s culture has long been influenced by its longhistoryand being the capital ofIndia. This is amply illustrated by the many monuments scattered around the city. The Archaeological Inspectorate of India recognizes 175 monuments in Delhi as national heritage. The old city is the site where Mughalgovernorsand Turkish sultans built several architectural marvels like the largestmosquein India:Jama Masjidand theRed Fort. Three World Heritagesitesare located in Delhi: they are theQutub Minar, aminaretin brick, the tomb of Humâyûn and the Gateway of India .

The Taj Mahal inAgrais amarblemausoleum. It was built by theMuslimMughalShâh Jahânin memory of his wifeArjumand Bânu Begam, also known asMumtaz Mahal, which inPersian  “the light of the palace”. The Taj Mahal is considered a gem ofMughal architecture, a style that combines architectural elements fromIslamic,Iranian,OttomanandIndian