Bhopal along with Khajuraho & Panna National Park

Bhopal to Sanchi: 48 Kms. Sanchi to Udaigiri Caves: 08 Kms.

Arrival Bhopal Railway Station/ Airport, Meet and greet by our Company representative, Pick up from Airport/ Railway Station and transfer to Hotel. Relax for some time and drive to Sanchi, on the way visit Islamnagar, 11 km away on the Bhopal- Berasia road, Islamnagar was the palace of Bhopal's Afghan rulers and was built by Dost Mohammed Khan. Formal gardens surround the palace and the pavilion. The latter a synthesis of Hindu and Islamic decorative art, has columns lavishly embellished with floral motifs. Other monuments to see are the Hamam of the Chaman Mahal and the double-storied Rani Mahal.

Drive to Sanchi, Arrival Sanchi after 1-1 hours, Move to visit Sanchi visit local places like  the World renowned Stupas, Monasteries, temples and pillars which was built in the reign of Mughal Emperor Ashoka in 300 BC. It is a excavated site which was rediscovered by British India officer General Taylor in 1818 but actual restoration work was initiated from 1912 to 1919 under the supervision of Sir John Marshall. Till year 1881, many amateur archaeologists and treasure hunters ravaged the site. It has been declared as UNESCO World Heritage site in year 1989. Amongst the many Stupas the most renowned is the Great Stupa 1 that was built by the Great Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Ashoka built a total of eight stupas at Sanchi in the 3 B.C. though today only three of the Stupas remain. These Stupas have the relics of Buddha like His teeth, hair and the shoulder bones. The Great Stupa 1 is a major attraction here.

It is counted among must visit tourist attractions of Madhya Pradesh state in Central India. These monuments record the genesis, efflorescence and decay of Buddhist art and architecture over a period of 1300 years.

The Udayagiri Caves, The caves are twenty rock-cut caves near Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh from the early years of the 5th century CE. They contain some of the oldest surviving Hindu temples and iconography in India. They are the only site that can be verifiably associated with a Gupta period monarch from its inscriptions. One of India's most important archaeological sites, the Udayagiri hills and its caves are protected monuments managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Udayagiri caves contain iconography of Vaishnavism (Vishnu), Shaktism (Durga and Matrikas) and Shaivism (Shiva). They are notable for the ancient monumental relief sculpture of Vishnu in his incarnation as the man-boar Varaha, rescuing the earth symbolically represented by Bhudevi clinging to the boar's tusk as described in Hindu mythology. The site has important inscriptions of the Gupta dynasty belonging to the reigns of Chandragupta II (c. 375-415) and Kumaragupta I (c. 415-55). In addition to these, Udayagiri has a series of rock-shelters and petroglyphs, ruined buildings, inscriptions, water systems, fortifications and habitation mounds, all of which remain a subject of continuing archaeological studies. The Udayagiri Caves complex consists of twenty caves, of which one is dedicated to Jainism and all others to Hinduism. The Jain cave is notable for one of the oldest known Jaina inscriptions from 425 CE, while the Hindu Caves feature inscriptions from 401 CE.

Gyraspur, 41 km north-east of Sanchi, Gyraspur was a place of considerable importance in the medieval period. Here, in the ruins called Athakhambe (eight pillars) and Chaukhambe (four pillars) are what remains of the columned halls of two temples belonging to the 9th and 10th centuries AD. The faceted shafts of Athakhambe with their extreme delicacy of carving testify to the high degree of craftsmanship during the period. Other monuments of note at Gyraspur are of the early 10th century: Bajra Math and Mala Devi Temple, the latter distinguished by its carved pillars with foliated motifs, representatives of the richest post-Gupta style. The town's name is derived from the big fair which used to be held here in the 11th month, sometimes known as Gyaras.

Late evening return to Hotel for a night stay

Early morning after breakfast at 06:15 AM check out and transfer to Bhopal Railway Station, Board on train to Khajuraho, Arrival Khajuraho at 01:30 PM, on arrival meet and greet by our representative, transfer to hotel. Check in Hotel, relax for some time at Hotel drive to explore Khajuraho.

Half day tour followed by Sound & Light Show: The Light and Sound show on the Western Group of temples complex the reminds the life and times of the great Chandela Kings and mark out the story of the exclusive temples from the 10th Century to the present day. The 50-minute fascinating show is held in every evening and it runs in Hindi and in English.

This fascinating light & sound spectacle evokes the life and times of the great Chandela Kings and traces the story of the unique temples from the 10th Century to the present day.

HOURS

English 6.30pm Oct-Feb, 7.30pm Mar-Sep

Hindi 7.40pm Oct-Feb, 8.40pm Mar-Sep

Return to Hotel Night stay.

Morning after breakfast visit for local sightseeing of places in Western Group,  Chaunset Yogini temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, the Mahadev temple, Chitragupta or Bharatji temple with lovely image of 11 headed Vishnu, Vishwanath & Nandi temples, Lakshmana temple, Visha temple dedicated to Shiva, which is the largest & most typical of temples., Eastern Group, Parsvanath, Ghantai temple, Adinath temple etc. In the evening return back to the hotel for dinner and night stay.

Today early morning at 06 AM drive for Jungle Safari at Panna National Park, Arrival Panna National after 01 Hour.

Panna National Park is situated in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, at a distance of around 57 km from Khajuraho. The region, famous for its diamond industry, is also home to some of the best wildlife species in India and is one of the most famous Tiger Reserves in the country. The park is known worldwide for its wild cats, including tigers as well as deer and antelope. Due to its closeness to one of the best-known Indian tourist attractions in India, Khajuraho, the park is recognized as an exciting stop-over destination. 

By 10:30 AM after completing your safari drive back to Khajuraho, transfer to hotel have your breakfast and check out from the hotel and move to visit other places of Khajuarho.

The Southern group of Khajuraho temples consists of only - the Dhuladeo temple, and the Chaturbhuj temple. The former is dedicated to lord Shiva while the latter is dedicated to lord Vishnu. The southern groups of temples lies 5 km from the Khajuraho village. Compared to the other two groups, the western and the eastern groups of temples, this group lacks the sculptural refinement and polish of the earlier shrines. It is because of this reason that it is considered as the least important part of the Khajuraho complex. This group comprises just two temples. The Dhuladeo, located south of the Jain enclosure, was constructed well after the other temples. The Chaturbhuja temple, located much further south, is in a dilapidated condition but proudly sports a finely-rendered 9ft-high statue of Vishnu.

Dulhadeo Temple Built in circa AD 1100-1150, and dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Dulhadeo temple is situated south of the Khajuraho village. This Shaiva Temple, traditionally known as the temple of Duladeo or 'Kunwar Math', can be located about half a mile south of the Ghantai Temple and the same distance southwest of the Jain group of temples including the Parsvanath temple both of which belong to the eastern group of temples.
Chaturbhuj Temple.

The Chaturbhuj Temple belongs to the southern group of Khajuraho temple. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it has a massive 9ft high, intricately carved image of Lord Vishnu, in Chaturbhuja (four-armed) form: varada (boon-giving) with his now broken lower right hand, and abhaya with his upper right hand, holds a manuscript along with a lotus stalk in his upper left hand, and possibly a water pot or conch shell in his lower left hand.

Later evening at around 03:00 PM transfer to Khajuraho Railway Station. Late evening at 10:55 PM arrival Bhopal Railway Station., Meet and greet by our Company representative, Pick up from Airport/ Railway Station and transfer to Hotel.  Night stay.

Bhopal to Bhojpur 28 kms, Bhojpur to Bhimbetka 30 kms,

Morning after breakfast check out from the hotel and drive to visit largest shivilng and World Heritage site, Arrival at Bhojpur after 1 hours. Visit Shiv Mandir. This shiv Mandir have the biggest shivling in world.  It was founded by the Parmar king of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (1010-53) and was named after him which is about 28 km from Bhopal, Bhojpur is famous as an archeological site because of its magnificent remains of Shiva Temple and Cyclopean dam. The temple is a simple square with outside portion of 66 feet, there are no re-entrant angles usual domes, though it is incomplete but has a magnificent soaring strength of line and is supported by four pillars. Like dome the pillars are also massive but they retain a remarkable elegance due to their tapering form. Divided into three sections the lowest is an octagon with facets of 2.12 feet, from which springs a 24-faced section. The doorway is richly carved from above and from below it is plain throwing sharp relief against the two exquisitely sculpted figures that stand on the either side. The other three sides are balconies each supported by massive brackets and four intricately carved pillars. The lingam in the sanctum rises to an awe inspiring height of 7.5 feet with a circumference of 17.8 feet. Set upon a massive platform 21.5 feet square and made of three superimposed limestone blocks, the architectural harmony of lingam and platform creates a superb synthesis of solidity and lightness. Due to reason unknown the temple was not completed and the earthen ramp used to raise it to dome level still stands. The temple is one of the finest examples of temple architecture of the12th and 13th centuries.

After Bhojpur drive to Bhimbetika. which is around 35 K.M. from the Bhojpur. On the way have your lunch at some good restaurant. Bhimbetka is surrounded by the northern fringe of the Vindhya mountain range, Bhimbetka is also known as Bhima’s Lounge (Bhima was the second of the five Pandava princes in the Hindu epic Mahabharata). A pre-historic site, its giant rock formation must have provided ample shelter to the ancient tribes that dwelt here. Recently, about 760 rock shelters of the Neolithic age (circa 8,000 b.c.) were discovered here. These shelters are decorated with picture writings, depicting the life and times of pre-historic cave dwellers. Some of the drawings in white are reminiscent of the cave paintings in Pachmarhi, making the Bhimbetka group an archaeological treasure trove, an invaluable chronicle in the history of man. Evening return to Bhopal night stay.   

Today early morning at 09:00 AM after breakfast move out from the hotel and drive to visit few more places like Mahaveer Giri, Gohar Mahal, photo shoot stop over at Bada Lake, Taj ul Masjid, Tribal Museum and Manav Sangrahalaya.

Relax for some time and move visit Local Bhopal known as “city of Lakes”. Visit Lake View for boat cruise ride (Ferry) of 45 Minutes. Later evening visit Birla Mandir followed by Sair Sapata, transfer to Hotel for a night stay.

Today morning at 09:00 AM after breakfast check out from the hotel and time to say goodbye to Madhya Pradesh. Transfer to Bhopal Railway station for onward Journey. Tour Concludes.