In homage to author Elizabeth Gilbert's soul-searching travels throughout Italy, India, and Bali, we've highlighted ways of eating, drinking, and cooking like an Italian.
Now for this week's Smart Deal, we turn our sights to India, the land of many temples, religions, sacred sites, and rituals. This "Dreams of India" tour comes from Foreign Independent Tours (tel. 800/ 248-3487; www.fittours.com). This trip has been customized for Frommer's readers with the addition of three temples to the eight-night itinerary.
This jam-packed trip is loaded with stops in special places. You start in Delhi, where you'll visit Jama Masjid (the largest mosque in India) and Lal Mandir (the oldest Jain Temple). Other highlights include a New Delhi sightseeing tour and visits to India Gate, Parliament House, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Birla Mandir (a Hindu temple), and Bangla Sahib Gurdwara (a Sikh temple). The tour also covers trips to Jaipur, Agra (home of the Taj Mahal), the temples in Khajuraho, and Buddhist sites. You'll spend time in Varanasi, a pilgrimage site for Hindus on the River Ganges, before ending up in Delhi again.
Trip Type: Air-inclusive; escorted
What the Quoted Price Gets You: Round-trip airfare from New York-JFK to Delhi; meeting and transfers upon arrival and departure; eight nights in five-star hotels; 17 meals (breakfast and dinner daily); entrances fees for sites and monuments; transportation in an air-conditioned coach or car; domestic flights and transportation; a yoga center visit; the services of an English-speaking guide; and fuel surcharges.
What Else You'll Have to Pay: Airport fees and taxes ranging up to about $230; lunch; optional tours ($15-$40).
Book By: As soon as possible to ensure availability
When: May 5, 2011; other departures are available September 2010 through September 2011 at higher price points.
Other Details: If you don't want to wait until spring to travel, fall departures start at $2,899 for Sept. 28 and range $3,399-$3,599 for departures thereafter, through Dec. 1, 2010.
All prices are per person and, if lodging is a component of the package, based upon two people traveling together (unless otherwise noted). The prices listed are general starting rates; see "What Else You'll Have to Pay" for details about associated taxes and fees. Base-prices, taxes, and fees can vary based on point of departure and time of travel. Blackout dates may apply. Trip add-ons like sightseeing tours and meal plans may also increase the price. Check with the tour operator for additional gateways and any single supplements, which is the extra cost that a solo traveler would pay to book the deal.
Talk with fellow Frommer's travelers on our India Forum
.