16 Days in India and Myanmar Heritage Tour

About the destination: Located on the banks of river Yamuna and in the northern part of the country, Delhi is India's capital city and the home of the Government. Delhi is a huge chaotic city, full of contrasts. While Delhi is in many ways the essence of modern India, because of its long history, it has many ancient and medieval monuments, archaeological sites and important remains and it is considered one of the oldest existing city in the world. Delhi is divided between the narrow, overcrowded alleys of Old Delhi, including its main street Chandni Chowk, where not much has changed in recent times, and the wide, clean tree-lined streets of New Delhi. The government and its offices reside in New Delhi, the official capital, while most of its historic neighborhoods and monuments lie in Old Delhi. Delhi inherited an astonishing number of splendid monuments from various architectural periods and it is just a joy to wander around this fascinating metropolis. Nonetheless, the main touristic sights not to be missed are the Red Fort, the Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub complex, the National Museum, the largest mosque in India Jama Masjid, the India Gate, Gandhi Smriti, Lodi Gardens and the Lotus Temple. Mysterious and magical, Delhi is today a bustling cosmopolitan metropolis with trendy lounge bars, theme restaurants, nice shops and everything there is to expect of a modern capital city. Delhi is a city of the present and future, but it is deeply steeped in history and has a lot to show for it.

About the destination: Varanasi is a North Indian city on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, India south-east of the state capital. Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The spiritual capital of India, it is the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. Varanasi grew as an important industrial centre, famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - Manikarnika Ghat. - Dasaswamedh Ghat. - Rana Ghat. - Kedar Ghat. - Harishchandra Ghat. - Hanuman Ghat.

About the destination: Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, is the capital of West Bengal and the second largest city in India after Mumbai. Abject poverty mix inexplicably with crumbling British Raj-era gems, sprawling gardens and historical colleges. Long known as the cultural capital of India, Kolkata continues to spawn generations of poets, writers, film producers and Nobel Prize winners. The city sprawls along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, a tributary of the Ganges, which divides it from Howrah on the western bank. For travelers, the most relevant parts of Kolkata are south of the Howrah Bridge in the areas around BBD Bagh and Chowringhee. Kolkata is a huge city with a lot to see but some of the main attractions are the Eden Gardens, Fort William, Victoria Memorial, Nakhoda Mosque, the largest mosque in Kolkata, Shobhabajar Rajbari, Parashnath Jain Temple and the Birla Temple, the largest in Kolkata and worth a visit. If Bangalore is the Seattle of India, than Kolkata is the sub-continent’s London. It is an 'in your face' city that shocks and charms the unsuspecting visitor. If your trip only allows for a visit of one or two of India's metropolitan cities, than definitely consider placing Kolkata on your itinerary. Love it or hate it, you definitely won't forget the city on the Hooghly.

About the destination: Yangon, formerly Rangoon, was the capital of Myanmar until it was superseded by Naypyidaw in November 2005. Today, with a population of over 5 million people, it remains the largest city and main economic hub of Myanmar. The city is an amalgamation of British, Burmese, Chinese and Indian influences, and is known for its colonial architecture, which although decaying, remains an almost unique example of a 19th-century British colonial capital. The Shwedagon Pagoda or Paya is the single most important religious site in all of Myanmar and is an interesting place for tourists. The Shwedagon captures the essence of both the informal nature as well as the strong ties that signify the relationship that the Burmese have with their Buddhism. There is no other pagoda like it in Burma and there is no other place like the Shwedagon Pagoda in the world. Yangon has been a cosmopolitan city with a polyglot mixture of peoples from its early days and has a friendly and welcoming attitude towards strangers.

About the destination: Bagan is an ancient city located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar. During the kingdom's height between the 11th and 13th centuries, over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plains alone, of which the remains of over 2,200 temples and pagodas still survive to the present day. The Bagan Archaeological Zone is a main attraction for the country's nascent tourism industry. It is seen by many as equal in attraction to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

About the destination: Mandalay is the second largest city in Burma, and a former capital of Myanmar. The city is the economic and religious hub of upper Myanmar and is centered on the Royal Palace. It has wide lanes filled with bicycles and motorcycles and is known for its cultural diversity. The Mandalay Palace is a golden city within a city and was King Mindon’s centre of glory. Today is a truly magnificent palace complex. One thousand seven hundred steps uphill will give you a bird’s-eye view of the city, the outlying areas of the Ayeyarwady plains and the misty Shan hills- a spectacular sight Fascinating and interesting sights along the way include colorful souvenir stalls, the Pershewar Relics, possibly the world’s only authentic bones of Buddha and the gold-plated Shweyattaw Buddha of immense size. The Kuthodaw Pagoda was built by King Mindon in 1857. Within its premises may be found what is popularly known as "The World’s Largest Book" - the complete Buddhist Scriptures inscribed on 729 upright stone slabs surrounding the pagoda.