Day 1
Arrival at New Delhi & Old Delhi sightseeing tour
Arrive from your country to New Delhi, the national capital of India. You will be welcomed, greeted &
assisted upon arrival by a representative of Optima India Tourism. You will be escorted to the New Delhi
hotel for smooth check in. As most of the international flights land in Delhi around mid-night, you will
have ample time to have sound sleep and proper relaxation, shedding jet-lag. Late morning, after having
lunch, get refreshed and prepared for Old Delhi sightseeing which includes Red Fort, Jama Masjid,
Chandni Chowk, Raj Ghat & Akshardham Temple.
Red Fort, a masterpiece planned and executed by Shah Jahan, came into its present form in 1647. Now-
a-days part of it is housed by Indian military. Prime Minister of India addresses the nation even today
from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day, August 15.
Built during 1644 and 1658, Jama Masjid emerges as an architectural gem out of a cluster that
comprises Red Fort, Chandni Chowk and Shahjahanabad. Built in red sandstone with inlay works of
marble, Jama Masjid is the last grand architectural creation of Shah Jahan. Being the largest mosque of
India and having a collection of Muhammad's relics - the Koran written on deerskin, a red beard-hair
of the prophet, his sandals and his footprints, implanted in a marble block, Jama Masjid of Delhi holds
prominence among other mosques.
Chandni Chowk of Delhi is a unique market place which is one of the most prominent wholesale and
retail markets of India. Chandni Chowk was conceptualized, designed and built by Jahanara, Shahjahan's
daughter. It was built about more than 350 years before when Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, in order to
consolidate his empire and quell frequent rebellions around Delhi, shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi.
The cluster comprising Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk was known as Shahjahanabad.
Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi is commemorated, lies a short distance to the south. International
leaders, including Eisenhower and Ho Chi Minh, have made pilgrimages to Raj Ghat and planted trees,
which are labeled with their names. It is an enclosed garden, created to mark where Mahatma Gandhi
was cremated and where his monument now stands. A simple, black marble platform indicates the
precise site of the cremation; it bears the single Hindi word Rama (God), and a flame burns continuously
in a lamp at its head. Every Friday, the day on which Gandhi was killed, a ceremony takes place here
during which offering (puja) is made to his memory,
Akshardham Temple of New Delhi, a depiction of more than 10,000 years old India’s legacy of entwining
beauty and spirituality in art and architectural creations, has been declared by the Guinness World
Record as the World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple. It is a must- see tourist attraction.
After visiting Old Delhi, exploring characteristic narrow alleys of Chandni Chowk while having rickshaw
ride, visiting Rajghat and Akshardham Temple, return to Delhi hotel for overnight stay.