Itinerary
For the detailed itinerary click here.
This trip is designed to be a fun and fulfilling trip. We will take part in a National Immunization Day (NID) to deliver the two drops of polio vaccine to children 5 years and younger. A vision camp is being organized by local Indian Rotarians and we will take part in the distribution of eye glasses to those in need. We will visit a number of Rotary projects in our tour and participants will be able to make connections with local Rotarians for future projects. And last but not least we will see the sights of India including the Taj Mahal, Delhi, Mumbai,ride an elephant, go on a tiger safari and more...
We have designed the trip to include the administration of Polio Vaccine on three possible National Immunization Day Sundays. The date has now been set for February 7, 2010. You will notice that we leave late on Thursday, February 4 and return early on Monday, February 22. It is possible to work most of Thursday and return to work on the Monday. For those that have the Canadian Family Day holiday or the American Presidents' Day holiday you may be able to use only two weeks of vacation time.
If you wish to add extra time to the end of the trip for other touring or if you are coming from another airport than Detroit (DTW) please contact Bob Gallagher to make arrangements. This is certainly possible and we do have people coming from different countries. Here is the itinerary.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
DELHI: At the time when Bombay and Madras were just being established, Delhi had already been the capital of an empire for 500 years past. No fewer than eight cities have been built side by side on this site over the centuries. The city as it stands today has been built by Hindu, Muslim and British builders, and in a few minutes you can be transported from the neo-classical architecture of the elegant garden city of New Delhi to the narrow, twisting lanes that surround Chandni-Chowk in the old city.
New Delhi: The buildings designed by Edward Lutyens, architect of modern Delhi, are truly majestic. The Presidential Palace, Parliament House and India Gate are all reminiscent of the British “Raj”. We drive through Delhi’s beautiful tree-lined avenues and the Diplomatic Enclave enroute to the 12th century, 234 ft. high fluted minaret of Qutab Minar.
Old Delhi: Explore the magnificent Red Fort, built at the zenith of the Mughal Empire in India. The
centuries-old international marketplace that sprawls at its feet is still one of Delhi’s most important commercial hubs: Chandni Chowk, or “Moonlight Square”. Later, we shall ride on cycle-rickshaws through the bustling silver market and the wholesale spice market. The sounds, smells and colors of the bazaar, and the throngs of people who animate it makes this an unforgettable spectacle. Our last stop in Old Delhi shall be the elegant Jumma Masjid, the largest mosque in Asia. Its mammoth spaces are suffused with an ambience of peace, tranquility and beauty. Some of us may want to climb the steep and narrow stairway to the top of one of its minarets. The view is breathtaking and charming: the amazingly busy streets and alleys of Old Delhi sprawled beneath us, with the high-rise structures of New Delhi looming on the horizon.
Standing on a steep front of the Aravali Hills, SOHNA looks out on a wide panoramic view of the plains below. The early morning sounds in Sohna are dominated by the call of peacocks and the ringing of the temple bells from the town below. At night, the lights of the town twinkle like a million stars. Sohna is famous for its sulfur springs, and a basic steam bath facility is available at the ancient temple built around the spring. A walk in the town presents a warm intermingling of the rich old heritage of India with the sometimes garish, sometimes impressive "New".
CHAHALKA is a poor Muslim village of about 500 families, barely 7 km from thriving Sohna, 50 km from the Imperial City of Delhi and 25 km from the glittering IT capital of Gurgaon. The struggle for water lies at the heart of these villagers' plight. Yet, Chahalka has remained beyond effective reach of most NGO’s / social welfare organizations, until the Rotary teams of 2007, 2008 and 2009 spent several weeks to establish clean water, a free computer education centre, and new toilet blocks for the village women.
SAMODE BAGH is a garden paradise situated 4 km from Samode Palace. Nestled
on 20 acres of beautiful grounds it combines warmth and luxury, 
an atmosphere
that is quiet, relaxed & elegant. It is a romantic hideaway where you
can be as active or contemplative as you wish. Built 150 years ago, the
Bagh is modeled on the geometric style of a Mughal garden. Members of the
Samode Royal family came here to enjoy rare moments of privacy. Victorian
and traditional Rajasthani décor echo life in a 16th century luxury camp.
The 44 dune colored "tented cottages" are luxuriously furnished
with every comfort, with carpeted floors, electric lights and heating,
each with their own ensuite marble bathroom with shower, hot and cold water.
SAMODE PALACE is a perfect jewel hidden away in deep ravines some twenty five miles (42 Km) from Jaipur, one of the few unspoiled preserves of the former maharajahs. The story of the palace dates back more than 400 years to the time of the illustrious Prithivraj Singh of Amber. Stately corridors, frescoed walls, and ethereal audience halls, harmoniously reflect the skill of master craftsmen in a perfect blend of the Rajput and Mogul styles of architecture.
JAIPUR has
a medieval atmosphere from its surrounding fortifications. The delicate
honey-comb design of the ‘Palace of Winds' glows in the light of the setting
sun. Quaint bazaars thrive around this edifice. Indeed, Jaipur embodies
all that you may have heard about the pomp and pageantry of India, its
Maharajahs and their fabulous palaces, and the marvelously colourful drama
of Life on its bustling streets. High above the city, the towers and domes
of the Amber Fort are reminiscent of scenes from some fairy tale. We shall
ascend to the fort atop gaily decorated elephants, as did the Maharajah’s
of old.
The City Palace is still the residence of the Jaipur Royal Family, and
its museum displays a fabulous collection of paintings, carpets, jewelry
and arms. We will also visit the Jantar Mantar (Royal Observatory), and
the Hawa Mahal, or “Palace of the Winds”. This is a multi-storied, intricately
latticed facade of pink sandstone, designed for the pleasures of the ladies
of the royal court. From here they could look out upon the quaint bazaars
that still thrive around the palace, without exposing themselves to the
prying stares of the "commoners". Later, we shall explore the
same colorful bazaars on foot. Here we may have memorable encounters with
the descendants of those "commoners", many still living in their
ancestral “havelis” along the main market street. The sheer variety of
the items that are sold off the street is fascinating, ranging from the
mundane to the exotic, or even the simply baffling.
Jaipur is the site of the Jaipur Foot Clinic so well known to Rotarians around the world. Plans are being made for us to visit the clinic. The prothesis designed here is particularly suitable to a society where people often squat rather than always sit on western style chairs. It is one of Rotary’s must-see projects.
FATEHPUR SIKRI is a perfectly preserved "ghost town", built between 1570 and 1585. The original capital of the Mughal empire was situated here, but was later abandoned due to lack of an adequate water supply. The deserted city boasts several elegant palaces and mosques.
At AGRA, the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan presented the world it’s most magnificent
monument to conjugal love. A colossal, perfectly proportioned mass of marble,
the Taj Mahal is literally a jewel. It was fashioned over 17 years by 20,000
craftsmen & labourers. From a distance, it seems to float, like a fantastic
mirage, upon the banks of the River Yamuna.
MORADABAD is a town in Uttar Pradesh state of India. It was established in 1600 by Murad, the son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan; as a result the city came to known as Moradabad. It is situated at a distance of 167 km (104 miles) from the national capital, New Delhi, on the banks of River Ram Ganga (a tributary of the great Ganges). The city is famous for its huge export of brass handicrafts to North America and Europe, and is also thus called "Brass City" or Peetal Nagri (in the local language).It has close to four million citizens of various ethnicities and religions.
CORBETT WILDLIFE SANCTUARY lies in the area described by Jim Corbett in his famous book, “The Man-eaters of Kumaon”. Stretched across the foot hills of the central Himalayas, it provides a wide range of habitat. The Ramganga river and the 16 sq. mile Ramganga lake are the focal points of wildlife activity. Large numbers of migrant birds, two species of crocodiles, herds of majestic elephants and other smaller animals come here to drink. The mighty Mahseer river fish is a famous angler’s challenge. Over 50 mammal, 580 bird and 25 reptile species are listed at Corbett, including the healthy tiger population for which it is so famous.
MUMBAI (Bombay) is a bustling cosmopolitan city. The United Nations ranks
it the world’s fourth largest urban centre with a population of over 
nineteen
million people. It holds a curious fascination for the visitor as well
as its inhabitants, who have migrated from all areas of the Indian sub-continent
over the centuries. They have retained their distinct cultural identities,
yet merged into that unshakably faithful entity: Bombayites! We shall visit
the very British style Prince of Wales Museum, and then drive along the
`Queen’s Necklace’ (Marine drive), skirting the Back Bay to Chowpatty beach.
We will also see the Dhobi ghat (probably the world’s largest open-air
laundry), and will stop to explore the lively streets around Flora Fountain.
We are arranging to visit Rotary projects in Mumbai as well as the other areas we will visit in India.
Polio Vision 2010 - India is designed as a group adventure. Our travel and accommodation within India will be as a team. However, some free time will be built into the itinerary for shopping and other individual pursuits.
There are provisions for individual travel to and from India, if required, since some of our participants will be coming from different regions and countries while others will be using air miles to fund flights. We do encourage everyone to fly with us from Detroit or, if coming from other North America centres, to meet us in Newark for the flight to India. It will be the responsibility of those travelling on their own to meet the group’s flight at the Delhi airport or meet up with us at our designated hotel. Group transportation is provided from the airport as part of the package. If you will be joining us at the hotel you will be responsible for your extra baggage handling and ground transportation costs.
Our tour costs are based on the entire travel package. If a participant requires changes to the itinerary, such as leaving early, only the hard cost savings will be deducted from the package cost. For example, if we save a hotel night and meals those costs will be deducted, but the cost of the bus for that day will not be deducted. This is only fair to the people who are fully taking part in the team program.
Any participant whose travel plans differ from the group are responsible to providing their full itinerary in writing to the organizing committee at least 60 days prior to departure date. (This time requirement is subject to change upon consultation with our tour operator in India.)
This Itinerary is subject to change. Only those registered for the Polio Vision 2010 trip will be notified. Others will not necessarily be notified.
| City | Hotel | Category | No. of Nights |
| Delhi | The Connaught | Superior Tourist Class | 1 |
| Sohna | Suryansh Motel / Tourist Lodge | Tourist Class | 2 |
| Samode | Samode Bagh (Tented Cottages) | Superior Tourist Class, Heritage ambience | 1 |
| Jaipur | Alsisar Haveli | Superior Tourist Class, Heritage | 2 |
| Agra | Howard Park Plaza | Superior Tourist Class | 2 |
| Moradabad | Holiday Regency - Moradabad | First Class | 1 |
| Corbett | Hideaway River View Retreat | Superior Tourist Class Jungle Resort | 2 |
| Delhi | The Connaught | Superior Tourist Class | 1 |
| Mumbai | Ambassador | Superior Tourist Class/ First Class | 2 |
| Delhi | The Connaught | Superior Tourist Class | 1 |
These are the proposed hotels for the Polio Vision 2010 trip. They are subject to change without notice.
