Day 1 - Mumbai
Welcome to India and the start of your holiday! Arrive Mumbai, transfer to hotel.
Day 2 - Mumbai
Mumbai or Bombay, as it was formerly known - remains India’s city of dreams. We enjoy a full day city tour including the Gateway of India monument, the Prince of Wales museum, Marine Drive, Mani Bhawan Jain temple and the Elephanta Caves.
On day 3 we take a guided Heritage Walk in the morning
before visiting the Afghani Church and holy Banganga
Temple and water tank in the afternoon. Tonight we enjoy
a scenic horse and buggy ride along Marine drive toward
Chowpatty Beach.
Day 4 - Porbandar
Mumbai - Porbandar. Morning flight to Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, born in 1869. Afternoon city tour to Kirti Mandir, the memorial erected to Gandhi and his wife, in the 1950s and Gandhi’s birthplace, a 3-story 300-year-old house, with time to stop at the Chowpatty seafront and shop in the local bazaar.
Day 5 - Rajkot
Porbander - Rajkot - Ahmedabad. Travelling north east, we arrive at Rajkot. Mahatma Gandhi moved to Rajkot in 1881, he attended school here and was popularly known as Mahatma (Sanskrit for ‘great soul’). On day 6, we visit the old city and ‘Kaba Gandhi No Delo’, the house where Gandhi grew up, which now holds a small exhibition of Gandhi artifacts and photographs. Rajkot is also famous for its Bandhani saris, mirror-work, patchwork, beadwork, and silk embroidery. On day 7 we travel to Ahmedabad.
Day 8 - Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad is a mix of medieval and modern, along with the coexistence of Hindu, Muslim and Jain communities, a compelling place to explore. Our city tour leads us to the old city, to view the finest blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural style known as Indo-Saracenic. We also visit the site of Gandhi’s ashram and the place where he launched his celebrated march against the Salt Law.
On day 9, we can wander through the vibrant bazaars of Ahmedabad and visit Jami Masjid, built in the 15th century. Also worth seeing are the tombs of Ahmedabad’s Muslim rulers plus Hindu and Jain temples. The afternoon is free, so perhaps a stop at the Calico Museum of Textiles with its excellent collection of antique and modern textiles. Of course, no visit to Ahmedabad would be complete without a textile purchase. Patola silk saris and Ahmedabad block-prints are prized.
Day 10 - Surat
Ahmedabad - Baroda - Surat. Travelling south to Baroda, we arrive mid-afternoon. Perhaps stroll through Sayaji Bagh, a large green park housing a number of museums and planetarium. On day 11 we continue south to Surat on the banks of the River Tapti and visit to the Sultan of Gujarat castle built in 1546.
Day 12 - Dandi
Surat/Dandi. Its a short drive to Dandi where we arrive at the most famous scene of Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha (Salt March). Mahatma Gandhi, along with several thousand of his followers walked from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi on the Gujarati coast. Today we follow this same path down to the waters edge.
Day 13 - Mumbai
Surat - Mumbai. Arrival to Mumbai and hotel check in. The later part of the day remains free for you to do as you please.
Day 14 - Mumbai
Hotel check-out and included onward transfer to airport.