Ahmedabad to Bhopal Heritage Cities and Temples

Arrive AhmedabadOn arrival at Ahmedabad airport assistance and transfer to hotel (hotel check in / out time 1200hr afternoon early check in subject to rooms availability).

Later city tour visit Bhadra fort a beautiful monument that is famous for its intricate carvings, pattern works and beautiful frescos suits. Arches at the entry gate, has some inscriptions that represents the history of the fort. Jama Mosque there are different entrances to the mosque. Near the eastern entrance, stands the tomb of the Sultan Ahmed Shah, which houses the graveyard of three great rulers, namely Ahmed Shah, his son, Mohammed Shah and his grandson, Qutub-Ud-Din Ahmed Shah. Shaking Minarets one of the most unique monuments & Siddi Bashir's Mosque near the Sarangpur gate. Sabarmati Ashram on his return from South Africa, Gandhi’s first Ashram in India was established in the Kochrab area of Ahmedabad on 25 May 1915. The Ashram was then shifted on 17 June 1917 to a piece of open land on the banks of the river Sabarmati. Reasons for this shift included he wanted to do some experiments in living, farming, animal husbandry, cow breeding, Khadi and related constructive activities. Hatheesing Jain Temple established in 1850 by Seth Hatheesing, a rich Jain merchant. This temple is dedicated to the 15th 'Jain Tirthankar', known as Dharamnath. Later visit few several interesting museums. Many of Ahmedabad buildings bear the signatures of world-renowned architects like Le Corbusier, Louis Khan, Doshi and Correa. Visit Kite Museum, Vishala vichar museum.Overnight at hotel.

AhmedabadBreakfast at hotel full day excursion to visit Adalaj Stepwell, Rani ki Vav & Modhera Sun temple.

Adalaj Stepwell - The Adalaj Wav Step Well is located 18 kilometers north of Ahmedabad in the Gandhinagar district. It was built during the reign of Queen Rudabai, a muslim ruler. Though now dry, the well once provided water to weary travellers and pilgrims along the roads outside of Ahmedabad. The four-level well is dug directly into the water table, exposing fresh water that rose and fell according the seasons and the amount of rainfall. Its deep interior provided cool relief from the harsh Indian sun.Rani ki Vav - a stepwell situated in the town of Patan in Gujarat state of India. It is located on the banks of Saraswati river. Its construction is attributed to Udayamati, daughter of Khengara of Saurashtra, queen of the 11th-century Chaulukya dynasty and spouse of Bhima I. Silted over, it was rediscovered in 1940s and restored in 1980s by the Archaeological Survey of India. It has been listed as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites since 2014.Modhera Sun Temple - a Hindu temple dedicated to the solar deity Surya located at Modhera village, situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati. It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chaulukya dynasty. No worship is offered now and is protected monument maintained by Archaeological Survey of India. The temple complex has three components: Gudhamandapa, the shrine hall; Sabhamandapa, the assembly hall and Kunda, the reservoir. The halls have intricately carved exterior and pillars. The reservoir has steps to reach the bottom and numerous small shrines.

After sightseeing back to Ahmedabad.Overnight at hotel

Ahmedabad - Vadodara - Statue of Unity (200km/ 4hr drive)Breakfast at hotel drive to Statue of Unity, en-route visit;

Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara - reputed to have been the largest private dwelling built till date and four times the size of Buckingham Palace. At the time of construction, it boasted the most modern amenities such as elevators and the interior is reminiscent of a large European country house. It remains the residence of the royal family, who continue to be held in high esteem by the residents of Baroda. The Palace compound is of over 500 acres and houses a number of buildings, particularly the LVP Banquets & Conventions, Moti Bagh Palace and the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum building.Further drive to visit The Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in the Panchmahal district. Centred around the city of Champaner or Muhammadabad built by Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat, it’s an important place historically and culturally. This place is the only complete unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city. Also deemed to be of mythological significance, a more significant part of Champaner-Pavagarh is still unexcavated. It includes 11 different types of heritage monuments that are- Mosques, Temples, Tombs, Gateways, Fortresses and walls, Palaces and Pavilion, Helical Wells, Custom house all belonging to the 16th century. One can observe a transition from the previous Hindu forms of architecture to the Muslim culture and styles of architecture. The park also houses some of the ancient Chalcolithic Indian Sites, from the Stone Age era.Continue drive to Sardar Sarovar Dam, Kevadia, check in at Tent City or hotel near Statue of Unity.

Evening Laser Show - A Light and Sound show using laser technology projected on the Statue of Unity takes place every evening except Monday. The colourful laser lighting system is accompanied by an excellent narration of the history and life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to the Independence Movement and the unification of India as one nation. Dinner at the Dining Area along with Live Music.Overnight in Tent/ Hotel.

Statue of Unity - Maheshwar (265km/ 6hr drive)Breakfast at hotel visit Statue of Unity world’s tallest statue with a height of 182 metres. A huge exhibition hall covering an area of 4,647 square metres has been set up in the pedestal of the Statue of Unity. The hall showcases the life of Sardar Patel, his contributions to the Freedom Movement against British rule and his role in the merger of princely states. The high-speed elevators will take you to a height of about 400 feet through the core of the statue where you can get panoramic view of the surroundings. Later visit Sardar Sarovar Dam, Selfie Point and Valley of Flowers.Overnight at hotel.

Maheshwar & Mandu (40km/ 1hrs approx one way)Breakfast at hotel excursion to visit Mandu an ancient fort city surrounded by stone walls dotted with darwazas (gateways). The city of Mandu is adorned with spell-binding Afghan architecture surrounded by baobab trees, native to Africa. The grand palaces are still alive with royal romance while the gateways (darwazas) speak of a history of imperial conquests. Landmark buildings include Hoshang Shah’s Tomb, a domed marble mausoleum, the vast Jami Masjid mosque, with courtyards framed by colonnades and the imposing, centuries-old Jahaz. Floating over it's own reflection, the Jahaz Mahal looks like a ship that’s about to sail. However, for centuries this ship made of stone and mortar never did. Instead, it stood floating over the twin lakes, bearing a silent witness to Mandu's long, rich and varied history.

Return to your hotel by afternoon. Then after visit Fort of Maheshwar the best example of ancient Indian material construction,war tactics & defence policy. It provides security to 2 sq kms area and was built during 4th to 5th century. The present structure belongs to 17th to 18th century. Though it is in ruined state now but it's history is glorious due to its strategic importance. There are five main entrance & several rooms for watching soldiers. From the top of the fort worriers were kept ready with guns,canons & arrows to defeat enemy. It also has a five feet wide footpath to supervise the area around it. The monuments inside the fort are Rajbada (palace), Ahilyabai''s place of worship having golden jhula & Rajrajeshwar temple.Overnight at hotel.

Maheshwar - Omkareshwar - Indore (145kms/ 3hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel drive to visit Omkareshwar home to one of the 12 jyotirlinga temples in the world. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is nestled in the Omkar mountain, an island in the middle of River Narmada. The temple has a large sabha mandap (prayer hall) standing on 60 brown huge stone pillars. The five storeys of the temple have different deities each and three prayer services are conducted in the temple everyday. While the morning prayer is done by the temple trust, the other two prayer meetings are held by the priests of the Holkar and Scindia states. The temple draws pilgrims in large numbers who also visit the nearby Mamleshwar temple. Taking a dip in the Narmada river before going inside the temple is considered auspicious. The ancient shivling in the temple is barricaded by a glass box to avoid destruction.

After sightseeing drive to Indore check in at hotel.Overnight at Hotel

Indore - Mahakaleshwar - Bhopal (255kms/ 5hrs approx)Breakfast at hotel, drive to visit Mahakaleshwar Temple - one of the 12 jyotirlingas and among the most prominent temples in Ujjain, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The lingam (a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva) at Mahakaleshwar resides in a subterranean chamber and is believed to be swayambhu or self-manifested. The present temple is a five-storey structure and was constructed midway during the 18th century. Built in Bhumija, Chalukya and Maratha styles of architecture, the temple is an architectural marvel. Of note are its marble walkways that were restored in the latter half of the 19th century by the Scindias. Three floors of the building are occupied by lingams of Mahakalesvara, Omkaresvara and Nagachandresvara, respectively. The Nagachandresvara lingam is accessible for devotees only on the occasion of Naga Panchami. There is also a kunda (tank) in the premises called Koti Tirtha that has been built in the sarvatobhadra style. On the path from the stairs of the kunda to the temple you will come across several images of the original structure of the temple, reflecting its grandeur during the period of the Paramaras (9th and 14th centuries). Located near Rudra Sagar, the temple holds a special Bhasma Arti for which devotees gather here as early as 4 am. There is an enthusiastic vibe in the air and the lit diyas make for a stunning sight.

After sightseeing drive to Bhopal check in at hotel.Overnight at Hotel

Bhopal - Bhimbetka & Bhojpur (45kms/ 1hrs approx one way)Breakfast at hotel, excursion to vosit Bhimbetka (UNESCO World Heritage Site) & Bhojpur. The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site dating back to the Paleolithic age. They exhibit the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent, and show a gimps into the beginning of the South Asian during the Stone Age. Some of the shelters were inhabited by the homo erectus more than 100,000 years ago. Some of the stone age rock paintings found among the Bhimbetka rock shelters are roughly 30,000 years old.Next proceed to Bhojpur and see its famous temple that is dedicated to Shiva. The temple houses one of the largest lingas in India and it's crafted out a single rock.

On return city tour of Bhopal. You will visit two historic mosques - Jama Masjid and Moti Masjid, as well as Taj ul Masajid and the arts center in Bharat Bhawan. This unique all-day adventure highlights one of the nation's most stunning cities and is not to be missed. The Bhoj Wetland consists of two lakes located in the city of Bhopal. The two lakes are the Bhojtal and the Lower Lake are manmade reservoir. A total of more than 20,000 birds are observed annually. Bhoj Wetland was recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention of 1971 in 2002. The Upper Lake acts as the lifeline of the city supplying 40% of its potable water. White storks, black-necked storks, bar-headed geese, spoonbills, etc., that have been rare sightings in the past, have started appearing. A recent phenomenon is the gathering of 100-120 sarus cranes in the lake. The largest bird of India, the sarus crane (Grus antigone) is known for its size, majestic flight and lifetime pairing.Overnight at hotel.

Bhopal - Sanchi - Udayagiri - Bhopal (50kms/ 1hrs approx one way)Breakfast at hotel, excursion to visit Sanchi (UNESCO World Heritage Site) & Udayagiri Caves.

Sanchi is a serene hill crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD. Sanchi is an ancient place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and its uniqueness lies in the fact that Buddha is not represented through figures, but through symbols.Udayagiri Caves are early Hindu ritual site, they were extensively carved and reworked under the command of Chandragupta II, Emperor of the Gupta Empire, in the late 4th and 5th century AD. Udayagiri has a series of rock-shelters and petroglyphs, ruined buildings, inscriptions, water systems, fortifications and habitation mounds, all of which have been only partially excavated.

After sanchi drive back to Bhopal to board flight for onward destination.