Loading
Phone1800 960 693AustraliaMonday to Friday 8am - 9pm (AEDT)
Travel Agent Login

10-Day Heart of India

  • view trip mapView Trip Map
  • downloadDownload
  • shareShare

Overview

This ten-day tour revolves around the central part of India – Madhya Pradesh, also known as Heart of India. Though this region is famous for its vivid culture, historical places, religious and spiritual sites, hill stations and rich wildlife experiences, this holiday to India will be focused around the sacred Narmada River and Ahilya Fort.

Besides this, you will be taken to the architecturally and historically rich cities of Mandu and Bhopal to explore mosques, local markets and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Palaeolithic paintings. You will also pass through Ujjain, one of Hindu’s seven sacred cities and also one of the four cities that hosts the Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious and cultural human gathering every 12 years.

The adventure will start and end with India’s financial capital, Mumbai, which itself is rich in historical monuments, open-air laundry and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Culture & Arts
Sightseeing

Itinerary

Day 1

Welcome to Mumbai!

Hide details accordion
Welcome to Mumbai!

Today, you'll arrive in Mumbai (formally known as Bombay), India’s financial powerhouse, fashion epicentre and city of Bollywood. You'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the city. The rest of the day will then be free for you to spend as you wish; you may want to relax after your long journey or head out into the city on your own to explore.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Trident Hotel Nariman Point Mumbai5 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Mumbai

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport to Mumbai

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Mumbai

Day 2

Mumbai City Tour

Hide details accordion
Mumbai City Tour

With your guide, you'll begin your day by visiting Mumbai’s most famous monument, Gateway of India. You'll then visit the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Crawford Market which is more than a century old. Afterwards, you'll visit the open-air laundry “Dhobi Ghat”, Mahatma Gandhi's residence in Mumbai “Mani Bhavan”, Haji Ali Dargah, Malabar Hill and take a drive around Marine Drive also known as “Queens Necklace”.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Trident Hotel Nariman Point Mumbai5 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Mumbai City Tour

    Gateway Of India Mumbai

    Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

    Dhobi Ghat

    Mani Bhavan

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Mumbai

    Maharashtra

Day 3

Fly to Indore & Travel to Maheshwar

Hide details accordion
Fly to Indore & Travel to Maheshwar

This morning, you'll say goodbye to Mumbai and transfer to the airport for your flight to Indore. On arrival, you'll travel 2.5 hours to Maheshwar, situated on the banks of sacred river Narmada, to your hotel, Ahilya Fort Hotel. Originally built on the banks of the river by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar who ruled Maheshwar from 1765 to 1796 to act as his personal residences, Ahilya Fort was converted into a hotel in 2000 by Prince Richard Holkar, the son of the last Maharaja of Indore.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Ahilya Fort4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Mumbai to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

    Plane from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport to Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore

    Private Driver from Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore to Maheshwar

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Mumbai

    Maheshwar

Day 4

The Ancient Fort City of Mandu

Hide details accordion
The Ancient Fort City of Mandu

Today, you'll head off on a day trip to the ruins of the 15th-century fortified city of Mandu. These ruins are some of India’s finest examples of Afghan architecture as well as baobab trees, brought here on ancient trade routes from Africa. This picturesque and romantic Mandu is full of World Heritage-listed palaces, tombs, monuments and mosques. Some of the monuments worth visiting include Jahaz Mahal, Hindola Mahal, Gateways, Mandu Fort, Jami Masjid, Hoshang Shah’s Tom and Roopmati Pavilion.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Ahilya Fort4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Mandu

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Maheshwar

    Mandav

Day 5

Free Day at Ahilya Fort

Hide details accordion
Free Day at Ahilya Fort

Today, you have the day free to relax at Ahilya Fort or explore Maheshwar. You could start your day with a daily puja by 11 Brahmins dating from the time of Queen Ahilya Bai. Later, you could visit a Rehwa Society, an NGO (closed on Tuesdays) which was started by the Holkars to revive the craft of Maheshwar and to give employment to women. You could also take a village walk to the two villages of Naodatodi and Bothu, both accessible by a 20-minute boat ride across the Narmada river.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Ahilya Fort4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Free Day at Ahilya Fort

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Maheshwar

Day 6

Travel to Indore via Omkareshwar

Hide details accordion
Travel to Indore via Omkareshwar

You'll drive to Indore with a stop en route at Omkareshwar, an island shaped like Om in the holy Narmada river. Om is the holiest symbol of Hinduism. Serene Omkareshwar is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines in India, a large number of pilgrims visit the shrine every year to take blessings of Lord Shiva. After witnessing this devotion in this sacred town, you'll continue on to Indore.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Radisson Blu Hotel Indore5 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Omkareshwar

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Maheshwar to Indore

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Maheshwar

    Omkareshwar

    Indore

Day 7

Indore to Bhopal via Ujjain

Hide details accordion
Indore to Bhopal via Ujjain

This morning, you'll travel to Bhopal with a stop en route at the ancient city of Ujjain beside the Kshipra river. One of Hinduism's seven sacred cities, Ujjain is also one of the four cities in the world that hosts the Kumbh Mela, the world's largest religious and cultural human gathering, which happens every 12 years. After exploring Ujjain and its cluster of grand temples, you'll continue onto Bhopal.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Jehan Numa Palace Hotel5 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Ujjain

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Indore to Ujjain

    Private Driver from Ujjain to Bhopal

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Indore

    Ujjain

    Bhopal

Day 8

Bhopal City Tour & Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

Hide details accordion
Bhopal City Tour & Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

This morning, you'll head out on a city tour of the fascinating city of Bhopal and its old city, which is an atmospheric mix of mosques and markets, narrow alleyways and grand Islamic architecture. The highlights of this city tour will include the Taj-ul-Masjid mosque, Moti Masjid and Shaukat Mahal. In the afternoon, you'll head to the UNESCO-listed Bhimbetka Rock Shelters to see the Palaeolithic paintings depicting hunting and stylised figures in yellow and red ochre dating back 30,000 years.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Jehan Numa Palace Hotel5 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Bhopal City Tour

    Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Bhopal to Bhimbetka rock shelters

    Private Driver from Bhimbetka rock shelters to Bhopal

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Bhopal

    Amchha Khurd

Day 9

Ancient City of Sanchi & Udayagiri Caves

Hide details accordion
Ancient City of Sanchi & Udayagiri Caves

In the morning, you'll drive to Sanchi to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Buddhist stupas and learn of their significance in the introduction of Buddhism to the country. You'll then continue to Udayagiri, one of India's most important archaeological sites consisting of 20 rock-cut caves that are protected monuments managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. In the afternoon, you'll return to Bhopal for some free time.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Jehan Numa Palace Hotel5 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Sanchi

    Udayagiri Caves

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Bhopal to Sanchi

    Private Driver from Sanchi to Udaigiri Caves

    Private Driver from Udaigiri Caves to Bhopal

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Bhopal

    Sanchi

    Madhya Pradesh

Day 10

Departure Day

Hide details accordion
Departure Day

Today, you'll say goodbye to Bhopal as you travel to the airport after breakfast and board your return flight to Mumbai. Once in Mumbai, your holiday to India will come to an end. If you are staying in the city for a few days longer, you can head in and spend the afternoon shopping. Alternatively, you can board a connecting flight home.

  • activities icon
    Activities

    MumbaiOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Bhopal to Raja Bhoj Airport

    Plane from Raja Bhoj Airport to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Bhopal

    Mumbai

Included in Price

  • 9 nights accommodation
  • 12 activities
  • 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners
  • Airport transfer
  • Domestic flights
  • Entrance fees
  • Ground transportation
  • Licensed English speaking guides

Not Included in Price

  • Alcohol beverages
  • Entry visas / airport departure tax
  • Gratuities
  • International flights
  • Laundry
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking permits
pdf icon

Want to Read This Later?

Download this trip itinerary as a PDF and start planning your next trip offline!

Why Choose Designer Journeys

access

Access Exclusive Experiences

Open your eyes to a world of exclusive experiences that will make your next trip extraordinary. Designer Journeys’ local travel designers are connected to unique experiences that are out of reach for most people – so you’ll return with some amazing stories to tell.

local expertise

Extraordinary Local Expertise

Using highly experienced local travel designers means you have access to your very own local expert. You'll find experiences you never knew existed, avoid some of the common pitfalls and, most of all, feel like you have an insider guiding you every step of the way.

support

Supported Every Step of the Way

Our in-destination local travel designers are the first line of support when you are travelling. They are in your time zone and have the local expertise and knowledge to solve any issue that may arise – making you feel more confident about your trip.

custom travel designed

Travel Designed For You

Designer Journeys style of travel is all about how you want to travel – its private travel designed exactly to your needs. Our local travel designers customise every trip to suit you, whether completely bespoke or based on one or more of our 2,000+ gallery of itineraries.

Image - Designer Journeys
Image - Designer Journeys
DESIGN YOUR EXTRAORDINARY

Why Travel with Designer Journeys

Smile icon
Your Trip. Your Version of Extraordinary.

At Designer Journeys, we know that we all travel differently. That's why you decide where you travel, how you travel and your travel experiences when you design your trip with us.

Message icon
Connect and Design With an Expert.

Our trusted Local Designers use their destination insight, local knowledge and travel planning expertise to build your extraordinary trip. Our dedicated Travel Concierge team will be there every step of the way to ensure your perfect trip becomes reality.

Trust icon
Book with Confidence. We are Trusted.

Secure payment platforms, multiple accreditations, rigorous Local Designer selection process, and decades of travel expertise means you are in safe hands with Designer Journeys.

As seen on
Partners