After breakfast, we attend Programme Orientation (45mins+15mins). A short break for tea/coffee, followed by a classroom session: Creative milestones in India’s History (60mins). After lunch, drive past with our guide-lecturer by ac coach the three ancient cities of Delhi - Purana Qila (16th century) where we stop and visit Folk Art Museum to see full-scale models of rural dwellings as well as examples of regional and tribal folk crafts from different parts of India used by villagers to enliven objects of everyday use. See also craftsmen from various parts of India exercising their trade at the open marketplace on the Museum premises. Drive past Ferozshah Kotla (15th century), and Red Fort (17th century). We also visit CAPITAL COMPLEX built during the British Raj to see India Gate – a memorial to the Indian soldiers who died in the 1st World War; Rashtrapati Bhawan – once the Viceroy’s 350 room palace, now residence to the President of India – flanked by the cupolas of pink & buff Secretariat buildings, and Parliament House of the world’s largest democracy. Finally we visit the Visual Arts Gallery at INDIA HABITAT CENTRE cultural complex to see its currently ongoing art & sculpture exhibitions. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, attend a classroom session: Aesthetes Extraordinaires: The Great Mughals followed by visit with our guide-lecturer to Humayun’s Tomb – magnificent mausoleum of the 2nd Great Mughal and said to be the forerunner of the Taj Mahal – with an hour free for photography, on-site sketching, or just to exploring the monument and its Mughal style gardens. After lunch, we visit the 12th century QUTUB COMPLEX to see the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque – the finest example of early Indo-Afghan architecture in India – and Qutub Minar – for centuries, the tallest structure in Delhi’s environs. We round off our tour with a visit to The National Museum containing sculptures, paintings, costumes, weapons & artifacts from almost every era of Indian history. On to visit the Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, attend a classroom session: India’s religious art: Temples of the Hindus, Buddhists & Jains. After the lecture we check-out and drive to Agra – The City of The Taj Mahal, having our lunch at a Midway Motel. En route, visit Sikandra – the mausoleum of Akbar The Great, the 3rd Mughal, and an early example of Pietra Durra work. Continue to Agra and check in at Hotel for dinner & overnight.

After breakfast, we visit with our guide-lecturer the magnificent Agra Fort – the stronghold of the Great Mughals - built over the reigns of three Mughal emperors on the banks of River Yamuna. On to see the 1st Mughal tomb in marble, Itmad-ud-Daulah also known as The Baby Taj, holding the remains of the father-in-law of the 4th Mughal. After lunch at the hotel we attend a Demonstration of Miniature Painting – done in the Mughal style often with a single hair-brush. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Early morning we visit with our guide The Taj Mahal to see it by sunrise. Return to the hotel for breakfast. See a Demonstration of Pietra Dura - inlay work such as was used to embellish the The Taj Mahal and other Mughal monuments. Here we see samples of the inlay process at its various stages, and learn about the materials and semi-precious stones used. Return to the hotel for lunch. Afternoon free for independent activities. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we check out and drive by ac coach to Jaipur – The Pink City (250Kms/5.5hrs approx), Capital of the state of Rajasthan. En route, with our guide-lecturer, we visit Fatehpur Sikri – a 16th century Mughal capital, its state of preservation almost suggesting a ‘ghost city’ with time free for sketching or exploring the complex on your own. Proceed to Jaipur with lunch en route. At Jaipur we check in at the Hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we take a full day excursion to Sanganer, to visit a workshop to see a Demonstration of Rajasthani Hand Block Printing and learn about the traditional sources of motifs, dyes and blocks used, as well as try our hand at printing a piece! After lunch at a restaurant, visit a Handmade Paper Workshop to see the various stages in the process of its manufacture. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we visit with our guide-lecturer the 16th century Fortress Palace of Amber – the ancient capital of Jaipur perched spectacularly atop a hill, where we RIDE AN ELEPHANT up to the gates of the fort. Lunch at an ethnic restaurant in an old Rajasthani haveli – a mansion once owned by a nobleman of Jaipur’s court - and stroll through its unique TURBANS MUSEUM displaying more than 85 traditional ways of tying a turban in Rajasthan. Time free to shop for souvenir as Jaipur is the place to shop-till-one-drops e.g. for hand knotted carpets, wooden hand block printed linen, gemstones (Jaipur is the world’s biggest gem cutting center). Dinner & overnight at the hotel.

We check out early morning and transfer to the airport to connect flight to Udaipur – The most romantic city in Rajasthan, where we transfer to the Hotel for check-in. After freshening up, we visit with our guide-lecturer Udaipur’s City Palace + Museum towering over Lake Pichola, home to the world’s 2nd oldest living dynasty. Return to the hotel for lunch. In the evening enjoy a boat cruise on the Royal Barge with Tea at Jagmandir Island. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, we take a full day excursion with our guide to the Ranakpur Jain Temples built in 15th century of white marble – profusely decorated with exquisite marble filigrees and a riot of 1,444 richly carved columns, no two alike. After lunch at Maharani Bagh Orchard belonging to the Maharaja of Jodhpur, we visit Molela Potters’ Village – a source of unique handmade terracotta figurines usually seen at local village fairs in Rajasthan. Return to the hotel for dinner & overnight.

After breakfast, we check out and with our guide visit the Folk Art Museum to see its fascinating collection of tribal jewellery, masks, paintings, musical instruments, puppets and dolls. After an early lunch at a restaurant, we transfer directly to the airport to connect flight for Aurangabad, where we transfer to the Hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we proceed with our guide by ac coach for a full day excursion to visit the world heritage site listed Buddhist Caves of Ajanta (105 kms / 3hrs approx) carved during 2nd cent. BC to 7th century AD out of the living rock of the hillside and lovingly decorated with glowing frescoes, sculptures and carvings. Packed lunch on the coach. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel.

After breakfast, we visit with our guide-lecturer by ac coach the Ellora Cave Temples carved between the 5th to 8th cent. AD by Buddhists, Hindus and Jains; we see the 8th century Kailash Temple, the world’s largest monolithic sculpture, created by cutting away 20 million tons of rock out of the hillside. Return to the hotel for lunch and transfer to the airport to connect flight for Mumbai. Here we transfer to International airport to connect flight home.