From Kolkata To Mumbai Cuisine Tour The Tastes of India [17 Days]

On your arrival at Kolkata airport you shall be greeted and will be transfer to your hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast visit places such as Victoria Memorial Hall, Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, Mother House, Park Street, etc. Shop around New Market Kolkata and city center mall. See a side of Kolkata and its people that’s far off the tourist circuit. You will experience a short ride in local trams of Kolkata.

Kolkata tram is held in high respect and chosen to be the 'Life line of the Kolkata City'. It is one of the few historic treasures without which the first capital of India 'Calcutta' cannot be imagined.

By evening, you will enjoy a special cooking presentation and access to a local home during this authentic Bengali food experience. Bengali cookery is different, and your food-loving hosts will teach you all about the flavors, techniques, and secrets behind regional specialisms. Enjoy a meal afterwards with the family, including various curries, rice, and a sweet.

Morning after breakfast we will go to visit European cities look alike as Chandannagar & Serampore

Chandannagar is a tiny town located along the bank of river Hooghly. This small town for over a period of 300 years has an exceptional blend of culture and heritage which is incomparable in history. Chandannagar still has a lot of French heritage and was a French colony till 1950. Till today French is taught as a third language in many of Chandannagar's schools. Explore famous monuments as Durgacharan Rakshit Ghat on the Strand is an exciting mix of Indo - French architecture. Also on the Strand is the Duplex's Museum, housing a French Museum. Just off The Strand, is the Sacred Heart Church, one of the prime attractions of Chandannagar.

Carry on your drive to Serampore.

In the early 17th century, India’s wealth and riches, starting from the varied spices to its silk, to pottery and jewelry fascinated the Europeans to create bases settled in the little towns by river Ganges within the 80 km stretch from Kolkata. The first European colony to get permission to set up trading outposts in Bandel was the Portuguese trailed by the Dutch in Chinsurah, Danish in Serampore, French in Chandannagar and lastly the British in Kolkata.
Discovering the colonial heritage of Bengal is a once in a lifetime kind of experience that remnants its roots to legacies that have withstood the ravages of time, and a day excursion trips at each of these pre-colonial cities crouched in history digs deep emphasising the growth and the downfall of the European colonization in this subcontinent. Visit some memorials such as
Serampore College – An iconic institute with historical importance and beautiful colonial architecture.
Serampore Ramakrishna Mission – A serene divine centre with attractive architecture and serene surroundings and many more monuments.

Kolkata Street Food Excursion
In evening time return back to Kolkata for street food tour. In this private food tour, you'll get to sample some of its tastiest offerings. Along with a guide, you'll get the options to sample everything from spicy chai tea to jumbo prawns, as well as curried fish mousse steamed in banana leaves, onion bhajis (fritters), and the conventional sweets for which Kolkata is known across India. Visit plentiful culinary hotspots Try over a dozen different traditional food items. Enjoy a special experience on this private tasting tour A local food-loving guide will be with you every step of the way
Night stay is in Kolkata.

Morning checkout and drive to Kolkata airport to board your flight for Patna. On arrival at Patna you will be driven away to Bodh Gaya. On arrival check in at your hotel. Evening is free for relaxation.
Bodhgaya is a place in the Gaya which is known for the Buddha. Bodhgaya is also pilgrimage place for both Buddhists and Hindus. Various sculptures are found in this area which are showing the site that was used by the Buddhists during the Mauryan time. Night stay is in Bodhgaya

After breakfast we will be exploring some historic sites as
Mahabodhi temple: In the Mahabodhi temple the diamond throne and the bodhi tree are found. The tree which is found here is just like a sapling of the tree which is found in Sri Lanka. It cultivated on its own but it was alleged primarily that it was the sapling of the original tree. Great empire Ashoka also visited Bodhgaya with a great aspiration for a monastery in that area. The temple is made from the marbles and bricks which are still such from the Gupta period.

Bodhi tree: The bodhi tree is measured as another part of Bodhgaya tourism. This tree is easily visible and noticed as this tree is having a heart-shaped leaf. In this place, a huge festival is celebrated to pay homage to his presence of him.
Later your personnel guide will take you to enjoy some local delicacies of Bodhgaya. Enjoy some famous dishes of Bihar as Litti Chokha, Thilkut, Enarsa, typical Bihari Sweets and some South Asian countries treats and starters.

Night stay is in Bodhgaya.

Morning checkout and drive to Bodhgaya railway station to board your train for Varanasi. You will reach Varanasi in near afternoon and will be transferred to your hotel. Relax and then in evening time
join a memorable aarti ceremony on the banks of the river. The stunning ceremony comprises rituals accomplished by numerous priests, to the sound of bells, drums, cymbals, and Sanskrit mantras. Your opinion on Hinduism and the worship of the River Ganges will be much richer after the ritual and it is not to be ignored.
At dinner time you will be taken for dinner in good local restaurant where you will get a pure vegetarian Varanasi unlimited thali [platter] with more than hundreds of dishes. The important feature is that the entire cuisine without Onion and Garlic.
Overnight stay is in Varanasi

A spectacular early morning boat ride along the holy Ganges past some of the numerous ghats that line the banks, involving some that are used exclusively for public cremations.

Late in the afternoon, you will join one of Varanasi’s local ‘foodies’ and explore the city’s famous and unpretentious street food.

On this tour, you will explore and savor the best street food that Varanasi has to offer - Malaiyo (a light, fluffy dessert made from milk in only Winter season ) , Tamatar Chaat (savory tomato and potato snack), Kalakand (Indian sweet made from solidied sweetened milk), Malai Toast (fried slices of bread topped with cream and sugar), Malpuas (Indian pancake), Golgappas (crispy-fried puffed ball that is filled with potato, chickpeas, onions, spices and flavored water), Banarasi Paan (betel leaf filled with condiments) and more.

You will also get an in-depth understanding of the local food culture and learn more about how the city’s rich heritage influenced the cuisine. This is a very typical Varanasi experience, yet one very few tourists explore.

Note: - We are careful to vet all the food outlets on the tour for quality and hygiene so you should have no problem. If you have a very sensitive stomach, please let your guide know.

Later visit the Buddhist places at Sarnath where Buddha conveyed his first sermon speech after getting enlightenment. Overnight stay is in Varanasi

Today you will enjoy again a scenic train journey which will end in Lucknow. . On arrival at Lucknow you will be transferred to your hotel. After some relaxation you will be experiencing cuisine tour of Lucknow

Note: This walk is of 1.5 hours to 02 hours. Operates all days except Sundays, Muslim holidays and on Holi festival of India.

Lucknow is very well known for its cuisine called Avadhi cuisine. Lucknow is the only city in India which has a colony of chefs called “Bawarchi Tola”. In this colony one may still find the chefs whose forefathers use to cook a special kind of dish to the royals of Avadh. There is also a street where one can find the best from Lucknow’s very own kitchen. We take you to evening cuisine tour to the narrow lanes and bylanes of Lucknow where one may find the authentic taste of the various traditional dishes of Lucknow.

This is a guided tour with our own set of cutlery and other necessary items like paper napkins, mineral water etc. there are several stops at different eateries like –Idris Biryani (Mutton Biryani). Rahim’s Pasanda kebab stop (thin meat taken from hind leg of a lamb / beef marinated with spices and yoghurt, set on a steak and baked on charcoal fire, served with sheermaal – a special baked bread with milk, saffron and orange colour as its main ingredients and the mixed with purified butter), Nihari gosht (lamb meat chunks served with curry with special bread known as Kulcha which is made of fine flour and baked in earthen ovens , Tundey Kebab stop (finely minced meat mixed with more than 150 secret Indian spices and fried on a special pan over charcoal fire. This preparation is served with special kind of bread) and at last Kulfi stop(thickened milk mixed with dry fruits, saffron and cardamom in small air tight tin cylinders put into a big round pitcher with crushed ice and shaken for long to freeze the mixture in a form of an ice cream. It is served as a sweet dish.

Return back to your hotel for overnight stay.

Day is at leisure. If you want then we can arrange some local sightseeing of Lucknow. Later in time we shall drive you to Lucknow airport to board your flight for New Delhi [The capital of India]. Evening is free for leisure and rest. Night stay is in New Delhi.

After breakfast around 0900 AM you will be picked up from your hotel and will be taken away to nearby Delhi metro station. This metro ride will be around 20 – 25 minutes which will straight land you at Old Delhi [Chandni Chowk] area.

From here the first day in Delhi will be the time to begin the food tour of Delhi from Old Delhi. This tour which is the top ranked culinary tour service in Delhi will serve as a great introduction to Indian food and culture and will help set the tone for rest of your trip to India

There will be roughly 16-18 different Indian food dishes from different Indian cuisines and you’ll visit up to 10 different food joints in Old Delhi area. All of the food junctions that you’ll visit have been in business for generations and are famous for their quality of food. The oldest place in the list is in business for 110 years and youngest for 40. You’ll sample treats like samosa, lassi, kulfi (Indian ice creams), melt in mouth kebabs and much more.

The Old Delhi part of the tour will take you through the old, narrow streets of medieval Delhi marked by old mansions, centuries old market and thousands of people milling about in their daily routine. Each lane in this area is a market for different commodity like invitation cards, spices, bicycles, cameras, utensils, vegetables, clothes , shoes, books and much more. The food tour will also include a stopover to Spice Market of Delhi in which the you will learn about various kinds of spices used in Indian cooking and spending a few minutes inside a temple which feeds more than 10000 people every day.

Later in the evening you will be returning to your hotel for overnight stay.

Morning checkout and drive to Agra. On arrival check in to your hotel. Later visit the giant Agra Fort home to the magical Jahangir Palace. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Agra fort is profusely blessed with astounding array of palaces and mosques, whereas the marble grandeur of the Taj Mahal needs no summary.
Sunset visit of Taj Mahal. (Closed on Friday’s) at the time of sunset for stunning views and is also less crowded.
Constructed by Shah Jahan to honour the remembrance of his wife, Mumtaz, the Taj is one of the world’s most iconic buildings, taking over 20 years to build. We first stop over at the Taj Mahal which is the most fairy-tale and peaceful of times to understand the legendary beauty of this honor to love.

In the evening stroll in Sadar Bazar and Food street of Agra. Overnight in Agra.

After breakfast, you'll leave for Jaipur, the colorful capital of Rajasthan known as the "Pink City." En route, we will visit Fatehpur Sikri, a grand, deserted, Mughal royal city. The impressive and well-preserved citadel served as Akbar's political capital for 14 years until he abandoned it in 1585 following a drought.

Jaipur was the first planned city of its time, with imposing forts, dazzling palaces, and lush gardens. Today, Jaipur is the gateway to Rajasthan and still remains one of India's most important heritage sites, full of historic charm. On arrival check in at your hotel.

In the evening if you opt then we can arrange a short trip to local street food of Jaipur and enjoy the local delicacies which are fresh, tasty and yummy to eat. Here you can have Chole Bhaturas, Aalu Tikki, Pani puri, jalebi, pyaz ki kachori, samosa’s, South Indian, Thalis, poha, chaat’s, to Gulab Jamun’s, Ice cream, Falooda, Kairi Panna, authentic Rajasthani food, halwa, etc. This place has a lot to offer.
Night stay is in Jaipur

In the morning we shall meet you at your hotel and take you for an experience of the morning aarti or prayer chanting at the Govind Devji Temple at the City Palace where crowds chant songs to the deity. Receive the blessings at this 18th century Krishna temple where the deity, worshipped by the erstwhile royal family. From there, we’ll take you to the wholesale flower market near Hawa Mahal. Here you’ll see turbaned crowds trading sacks of roses and marigold.
There will be a short break of 10- 15 minutes, where we stop at a chaiwalla on Chaura raasta for some cardamom early morning tea in Kullad, which is one of the specialty in Rajasthan.
From there, we’ll take you back to your hotel for breakfast at last.
After relaxed breakfast you will spent sightseeing around the beautiful pink city of Jaipur. You will visit the Amber Fort with the Sheesh Mahal (all of mirrors),which is the hill-top citadel of the Rajput rulers, a rich combination of Hindu and Muslim design that proffer some impressive views out across the Aravalli Hills.
Later get ready for the stop today which is at the astonishing facade of the Hawa Mahal, the ‘Palace of the Winds’, erected as portion of the City Palace and aimed to allow the women of the harem to see the city lower without being seen.

In late afternoon visit the splendid City Palace, now a mesmerizing museum housing some of the treasures of Jaipur’s princely past.
Night stay is in Jaipur

Day is at leisure. In time get transferred to Jaipur railway station to board your train for Udaipur. You will reach Udaipur near 2230 hours. On arrival get check in to your hotel for overnight stay.

We start the day off by discovering the City Palace – a mesmerizing complex of buildings built by various Maharanas (Warrior Kings) after Udai Singh, completed in the year 1725. We enter through the entrance at the northern Tripolia Gate into the central courtyard, the perfect spot to view lattice worked balconies and ornate cupola-topped towers. We also stop at Jagdish temple, erected in the year 1651 by Maharana Jagat Singh. It is the biggest and most impressive temple of Udaipur.
In the afternoon, we continue on to Sahelion Ki Bari (Garden of Maids of Honour), an ornamental garden built by Maharana Sangram Singh for his daughter and the ladies of the Queen’s court. Stroll through the several foundations, pools, and carved pavilions.

Cooking Class in Udaipur
In the evening we have arranged a fantastic cooking class where you will learn Rajasthani and home style recipes including chai, chapattis, sweet and potato patatha, garlic naan, dal and eggplant curry from an experienced home cook.
Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

Morning checkout and board your sun-up flight for Mumbai. On arrival get transferred to your hotel. Later
Start your day with visit to Gateway of India and the very famous Taj Hotel. You can further proceed to the Prince of Wales Museum and en route to Mumbai High Court and University. You can go for the picturesque view of Marine Drive and Hanging Garden. Pay a visit to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station from outside to get the exquisite beauty of the monuments. Later, visit Tower of Silence from outside and Mani Bhavan (which tends to be the house of Mahatma Gandhi). Pay a visit to Jain Temple, World Trade Centre, and Jehangir Art Gallery. You can cover Nehru Planetarium and Haji Ali.

While exploring Mumbai our guide will take you to some street stalls where we will sample some of the most delicious snacks with the best view of Mumbai has to offer. You can enjoy delicious local stuff like Pav Bhaji, Bhel Puri, Pani Puri, Dahi Puri, Chicken Roll, Seekh Kabab, Jalebi and other daily street vendors loads which they offer at very reasonable prices.

Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

In time get transferred to Mumbai airport to board your flight for onwards journey. Tour Ends