itinerary
Day 1 - Saturday, October 18 Arrive DELHI (D)
Namaste! The group will be met at the airport and after immigration and custom formalities, transferred to our hotel in Delhi. After a short rest, we'll enjoy a welcome dinner and orientation. Overnight: Connaught Hotel in Delhi. (3 nights)

Day 2 - Sunday, October 19 DELHI (B/L/D)
After breakfast we transfer to cooking school for our 1st class - 9.30 - 12.30. After orientation & introduction to Indian foods and people we'll begin our class with instructor Jyoti Agarwal.
And then enjoy a lunch of the dishes we've cooked. Following lunch Jyoti will take us to the food and spice market. Tonight we'll enjoy South Indian food for dinner at Swagath and then return to the hotel for overnight.

Day 3 - Monday, October 20: DELHI (B/L/D)
After breakfast we'll transfer to cooking school for our 2nd class and lunch.
This afternoon we'll take a guided tour of Old & New Delhi visiting Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat, Humayun's Tomb, Government Buildings and Qutub Minar.
Tonight we'll savour Mughlai foods at Alpha Spice Restaurant

Day 4- Tuesday, October 21 Delhi/AGRA - Drive 200 Kms/ 4 hours (B/L)
After an early breakfast we depart for Agra, enroute, we'll visit Sikandra the tomb of Akbar The Great. We arrive Agra and after enjoying lunch at 'The Only' restaurant, we check in to our hotel. Later we visit historic monument Taj Mahal, best described as 'poetry in marble' because of its beauty, grace and exquisite workmanship, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Johan in 1630 as a memorial to his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Surely it is the greatest monument of love, and THE wonder of the world. Next we visit Agra Fort, where Shah Jehan, in the later years of life, was imprisoned by his son to prevent him from spending the family fortunes on a black echo of the Taj Mahal. Dinner tonight on your own. Overnight - Holiday Inn, AGRA (1 night)

Day 5- Wednesday, October 22 - Drive 225 kms/5 hrs JAIPUR (B/L/D)
After breakfast we depart for Jaipur, enroute visiting Fatehpur Sikri, the beautiful capital built in 1640 by the Mughal King, Akbar the Great. The city was later abandoned for lack of water. A superb example of Mughal architecture, it stands perfectly preserved in the desert. We also visit the artistically designed mausoleum of Salim Chisty who is reputed to have prayed for a son for Akbar leading to the birth of Salim Jehangir, Father of builder of the Taj. On arrival in Jaipur we'll visit to Food Market before checking into our hotel - the Shahpura Haveli. Dinner tonight at the hotel Shahpura Haveli, Jaipur (4 nights)

Day 6 - Thursday, October 23 JAIPUR (B/L/D)
After breakfast we'll transfer to the cooking school for 3rd class. During our next two classes with instructor, Bela Saxsena, we'll learn to prepare a number of vegetarian dishes. We'll enjoy the foods we prepared during class and then have the afternoon at leisure.
Dinner: To be advised.

Day 7- Friday, October 24 Jaipur/Ajmer-Pushkar/JAIPUR - Drive 140 Kms/4 hours one way. (B/L/D)
Today after enjoying breakfast at hotel we drive to Ajmer. Ajmer, situated in the green oasis wrapped in the barren hills has been a witness to an interesting past. The city was founded by Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan in the 7th Century A.D. and continued to be a major center of the Chauhan power until 1193 A.D. Today, Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage centre for the Hindus as well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khawaja Muin-ud-din Chisti, which is equally revered by the Hindus and Muslims. On arrival in Ajmer we visit the Dargah of Sufi Saint Khawaja Muin-ud-din Chisti. The Dargah is situated in India's most important pilgrimage centre for people of all faiths. After visiting the Dargah, we enjoy lunch at Hotel Man Singh Palace and then we drive to Pushkar. Afternoon city tour of Pushkar - another important pilgrimage site. Pushkar boasts many temples, a number of which were deserted by Aurangzeb and subsequently rebuilt. The most famous is the Brahma Temple, said to be one of the few temples in the world dedicated to this deity. It's marked by red spire, and over the entrance gateway is the Hans, or goose symbol, of Brahma, who is said to have personally chosen Pushkar as its site. In the evening we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 8 -Saturday, October 25 JAIPUR (B/L)
After breakfast we'll transfer to the cooking school for our 4th class, again with a focus on vegetarian dishes. We enjoy lunch of what we cook at School.
Rest of day at leisure. Dinner on your own

Day 9- Sunday, October 26 Jaipur/GOA - (B/L/D)
After breakfast we'll transfer to the airport in Jaipur in time to Board our flight to Goa. On arrival in Goa we'll transfer to our Hotel. (Lunch on flight) Rest of the day free to relax on the beach. Dinner and Overnight - Goan Heritage Hotel, GOA (3 nights)

Day 10- Monday, October 27 GOA (B/L/D)
After breakfast we transfer to the Cooking School for our 5th class with well-known chef Judy Cardoza. We'll enjoy the foods we've cooked during our class.
This afternoon we'll visit the Churches of Old Goa and have time to relax before dinner at a Goan Restaurant.

Day 11- Tuesday, October 28 GOA (B/L)
After breakfast we transfer to Cooking School for our 6th class and lunch.
After lunch we'll take a spice garden tour, where we get first hand knowledge of spices such as - black pepper, nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Ginger, Turmeric, Curry Leaves etc.
Rest of afternoon at leisure Dinner on your own

Day 12- Wednesday, October 29 Goa/Cochin /THALLASSARY (B/L/D)
After an early breakfast, we'll transfer to airport in Goa for our flight to Cochin. On arrival in Cochin we are driven to Thallassary (about 2 hours) for our 3 night stay at Ayisha Manzil a Heritage House. Because the kitchen will accommodate a maximum of 8 people, the group here is divided in 2 parts for the cooking classes. Part 1 of the group will attend cooking class today and the 2nd part will relax and do some sightseeing.
Dinner and over night at Ayisha Manzil. (3 nights)

Day 13 - Thursday, October 30 THALLASSARY (B/L/D)
Part 2 of the Group will attend cooking classes and part 1 will relax and do some sightseeing. The dishes will be the same as those of Day 1.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at Hotel. Lunch will consist of the dishes we cook.

Day 14, Friday, October 31 THALLASSARY (B/LD)
Part 1 of the group will attend the 2nd cooking classes and part 2 will relax and sightsee.
Breakfast, Lunch and dinner at Hotel. Lunch consists of dishes we cook.

Day 15- Saturday, November 1 Thallasary/COCHIN - Drive (B/L/D)
Part 2 of the group will attend cooking classes and part 1 will relax. After lunch we drive to Cochin and on arrival we take a guided tour of the city visiting the oldest European Church in India "St. Francis Church". Today it is governed by the Church of South India (CSI). Vasco Da Gama was buried here before his remains were taken back to Portugal 14 years later. One can see the winding streets with mosques and 500 year old Portuguese houses, cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, a Jewish community with ancient roots, a 16th century synagogue, and a palace built by the Portuguese and given to the Raja of Cochin.
Later we check in to our Hotel. Dinner and overnight at Casino Hotel in Cochin (1 night)

Day 16 - Sunday, November 2 Cochin /HOME (B)
Today we transfer to airport in Cochin for our flight back home. Bon voyage

Program Includes:

• 15 nights accommodations, based on twin occupancy, private facilities
• 8 hands on cooking classes
• Meals as outlined on itinerary with local beer or wine with dinner
• (15 breakfasts, 15 lunches and 11 dinners)
• All ground transportation by private air-conditioned coaches
• All flights within India
• All scheduled excursions with English speaking guides
• All entry fees to museums and sites
• A Mediterranean Kitchens apron and booklet of all recipes

Not included:

• Items of a personal nature (e.g. laundry, telephone calls)
• Optional excursions
• Cancellation and Hospital / Medical insurance

Cost per person:
Cooking Participant: $4900. CDN (not including airfare to India)
Single Supplement: $1250 CDN
Group size: group is limited to 18 participants and will go with a minimum of 11 participants.
Led by: Lindan Toole

For more information about India go to: www.incredibleindia.org

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