Day 1: ARRIVE IN DELHI

You are met upon your arrival in Delhi and escorted to your hotel.

Day 2: DELHI

Spend the morning recovering from jetlag before an afternoon guided tour of the city.

Day 3: DELHI TO AGRA TO DELHI

In the early morning, take the Shatabdi Express Train to Agra where you will be your personal guide. Take a tour of the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 as the new capital of his kingdom before being abandoned due to scarcity of water.  The tour includes some truly impressive buildings: the Jama Masjid, the Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal, and several Palaces.

After lunch, tour Agra Fort and the stunning Taj Mahal. The historic Agra Fort, built along the Yamuna River, offers a glimpse into the world of the 16th-century Mughals. Emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj, was imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb, at the Agra Fort in a room where he had a clear view of the building he had made in the memory of his wife. Shah Jahan is said to have eventually died in this room in the Agra Fort. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This stunning monument, designed by Persian architect Ustad Isa, is noted for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens, and some of the world’s most magnificent inlay work. Return to your hotel in Delhi by train.

Day 4: DELHI TO HARIDWAR TO SHIVPURI

In the morning, take the Dehradun Shatabdi Express train to Haridwar, then drive to your camp in Shivpuri. After lunch and a briefing by the camp manager, trek to a typical Garhwali village. Return to camp.

Day 5: CAMP AT SHIVPURI

Enjoy a yoga session before breakfast. Then have your first taste of rafting on the Ganges. After lunch in camp, take a walking tour of the fascinating town of Rishikesh, the spiritual birthplace of yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda.

Day 6: DEPART FOR RIVER EXPEDITION

After an early breakfast, drive to Srikot village near Srinagar to commence our day of paddling. We paddle past the town of Srinagar to reach Kirti Nagar, where we shall set up our camp for the day on an isolated beach by the river. This gentle section on the Alaknanda River has Class II rapids.

Day 6: ON THE RIVER 

After an early breakfast, we paddle down the Alaknanda River through a breathtaking gorge, where the river picks up in intensity. After crossing a small suspension foot-bridge over the river, we stop to inspect “Moutup’s Hattrick,” a series of three exciting rapids named after a rafter who fell out of the raft in all three rapids. Then we paddle for another hour through the gorge and we stop at the holy town of Devprayag. After exploring this vital city, we continue to paddle down the river for a few kilometers to set up our camp for the night on an isolated beach by the Ganges River.

Day 7: ON THE RIVER 

After breakfast, we paddle on a beautiful section of the Ganges till Mahadev Chatti. It is a short and easy day. We eat lunch at Mahadev Chatti followed by a walk through local temples. You can also choose to go on an optional hike to Chandpur, a quiet and quaint Himalayan village by the river. 

Day 8: ARRIVE AT CAMP IN SHIVPURI

After breakfast, we tackle some of the river’s most exhilarating Class III and Class IV rapids, “Daniel’s Dip” and “The Wall.” En route we stop at a small village of Malakhunti for lunch and to see the stalactites in a nearby cave. After lunch, we’ll paddle through “Three Blind Mice” and “Crossfire,” as well as enjoy some body surfing, before returning to camp.

Day 9: CAMP, HARIDWAR

We tackle three big rapids – “Return to Sender,” “Roller Coaster,” (Class III) and “Golf Course” (Class IV) – before we conclude our paddling at on an isolated beach near Rishikesh. After changing our wet clothes, we board the waiting vehicle and drive to camp Haridwar for lunch. The day ends with a sightseeing tour of Haridwar. This sacred town at the base of Shivalik hills marks where the River Ganges enters the plains. It is rife with history, legends, and holy places.

Day 10: HARIDWAR TO DELHI

Catch the early morning Dehradun Jan Shatabdi Express train back to Delhi, where you can change and rest at your hotel, then take the afternoon at your leisure before a late-evening flight home. 

Our partner in India has always taken an eco-sensible approach to tourism – “Leave nothing but foot prints, take nothing but photographs”. In fact, they are the first company to have organized the “Carbon -Positive Adventure Challenge”.  They also solely employ local guides and continue to improve the conditions for all people they encounter through participation in planning, developing and running our programs.