The Indentured Trail

Day-Wise Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Delhi — Welcome to India

Met on arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport and transferred to your hotel. The evening is kept free for rest after long-haul travel. Welcome briefing and introduction to your guide over dinner. Overnight: Delhi.

Day 2 — Delhi Sightseeing — The Imperial Capitals

A full day covering Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk, Raj Ghat, India Gate and Kartavya Path, Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar, with optional visits to Akshardham or Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Overnight: Delhi.

Day 3 — Delhi → Mathura → Vrindavan → Agra — The Land of Krishna

Depart after breakfast for Mathura, birthplace of Lord Krishna — Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and Vishram Ghat on the Yamuna. Lunch at Mathura, then on to Vrindavan for Banke Bihari Temple, Prem Mandir and ISKCON. Continue to Agra. Overnight: Agra.

Day 4 — Agra → Lucknow — The Taj and the Road to Awadh

Sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, entering by the East Gate. Closed on Fridays. Breakfast and check-out, then departure for Lucknow via the Agra–Lucknow Expressway, arriving late afternoon for the Bara Imambara and Rumi Darwaza, and an Awadhi dinner. Overnight: Lucknow.

Day 5 — Lucknow → Ayodhya — The City of Ram

Morning departure for Ayodhya. Full-day darshan covering Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Nageshwarnath Temple and Ram Ki Paidi, concluding with the evening Saryu Aarti. Darshan passes are arranged in advance; entry is subject to prevailing temple regulations. Overnight: Ayodhya.

Day 6 — Ayodhya → Prayagraj — Where Three Rivers Meet

Depart after breakfast for Prayagraj. Visit the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, with a boat trip out to the Sangam. Bade Hanuman Ji Mandir and Anand Bhawan as time permits, concluding with the evening Ganga Aarti. Overnight: Prayagraj.

Day 7 — Prayagraj → Varanasi — The Ghats of Kashi

Morning departure for Varanasi. Afternoon visit to Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Vishwanath Corridor, followed by a boat ride on the Ganga at dusk and the evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Optional sunrise boat ride or a visit to Sarnath. Overnight: Varanasi.

Day 8 — Varanasi → Buxar → Ara → Patna — Into the Landscape of Girmitya Memory

Early departure into Bihar. At Buxar, time at Ramrekha Ghat on the Ganga — the river down which recruits from these districts were carried to Calcutta and the waiting ships. Continue to Ara, in the Bhojpuri heartland, for a traditional village meal of dal-roti, chana dal paratha, dal pithi and chokha in mustard oil, with suji halwa, laddu and pera, hosted alongside local families who will sit and talk with guests in Bhojpuri, and accompanied by folk singers. Overnight: Patna.

Day 9 — Patna → Chapra → Patna — Language, Music, Food & Living Heritage

Cross the Ganga towards Chapra and the Saran region, continuing to Siwan as time permits. Spend time in the villages, hearing Bhojpuri spoken in its homeland. The highlight is a specially arranged cultural evening of traditional song with dholak and jhaal — sohar, birha and bideshia, the song of the man who went away. Guests may recognise words and melodies preserved within Girmitya communities overseas, and are warmly encouraged to share their own songs in return. A final Bhojpuri meal. Overnight: Patna.

Kolkata — The Port of Departure

Day 10 — Patna → Kolkata by air — The City They Sailed From

Morning flight from Patna to Kolkata and transfer to your hotel. Afternoon sightseeing across the city that was the capital of British India and the port through which almost every Girmitya family passed: the Victoria Memorial, the Hooghly riverfront and Howrah Bridge, and the Indian Museum or Kalighat as time and interest allow. Overnight: Kolkata.

Day 11 — The Memorials — Suriname Ghat, Mai-Baap & the Kolkata Memorial

A pre-dawn departure for the Suriname Memorial at Balu Ghat, Metiabruz. Here stands the Mai-Baap statue — a plainly dressed man and woman carrying a potli, unveiled in 2015 and a replica of the Baba and Mai monument in Paramaribo. This is the ghat from which the Lalla Rookh sailed in 1873 with the first Indians bound for Suriname. The site sits within a working power station compound with early-morning access only. Later, the Indentured Indian Labourers Memorial and Clock Tower at Kidderpore Dock, honouring those who left for Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica. The memorial stands inside the Port Trust estate and is closed to general visitors; access is arranged through our partnership with the Kolkata Port Trust. Overnight: Kolkata.

Day 12 — Kolkata → Delhi by air — Onward Journey

A relaxed morning with time for shopping or a final visit, followed by assisted check-out and transfer to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport for the flight to Delhi, where the journey concludes or connects with your international departure.

Package Includes

• 12 Days / 11 Nights private AC vehicle with driver
• 11 nights in 3-star air-conditioned hotels, with breakfast and dinner
• Monument and site entry tickets throughout
• Boat rides at Prayagraj and Varanasi
• Professional, experienced driver
• Airport pickup and drop
• Licensed English-speaking guide
• Complete Delhi – Uttar Pradesh – Bihar – Kolkata transportation
• Traditional Bhojpuri meals at Ara and Chapra
• Village visits and folk cultural programmes
• Privileged access to the Kolkata Memorial, arranged with the Kolkata Port Trust
• Assistance with temple darshan arrangements
• Toll taxes, state taxes, parking, driver allowance and fuel

Package Excludes

• International flights
• Domestic flights (Patna–Kolkata, Kolkata–Delhi) — arranged on request
• Visa fees and travel insurance
• Lunch, other than the Bhojpuri meals in the village districts
• Ancestral village research service (quoted separately)
• Personal expenses and shopping
• Tips and gratuities
• Any activity not mentioned in the itinerary