Vrindavan Holi Festival Tour

Today after breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to Vrindavan. The distance from Delhi to Vrindavan is about 3.5 hours. On arrival, check into the hotel and later in the afternoon head to Barsana where you will witness the most vibrant festival of colour. Scores of people from all corners of India visit Vrindavan and Mathura to be a part of this occasion. The festival begins with Lathmar Holi which is played in Barsana, a quaint village in Mathura. It usually begins a week before the main festival and during the celebrations, women from Barsana gather with wooden sticks in their hands and welcome men from Nandgaon with the stick and beat them. This ritual is part of the old tradition of Hindu Mythology. Enjoy watching the ritual or even be a part of it. By evening return back to your hotel for overnight stay.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and depart for Nandgaon. It is said that Lord Krishna spent his childhood here at this place. As the legend goes and it is believed that Radha with her friends would come to this village and take revenge on Krishna and his friends by splashing colours on them. Men and transgenders dressed as women from Barsana visit Nandgaon to celebrate this auspicious festival. These men are welcomed with water and colour and are very unique as the menfolk play Holi with women. The festival is celebrated in the courtyard of the temple at Nandgaon and people from both the villages sit across each other dancing and singing. Enjoy the vibrant feel of the festival and later return back to the hotel for overnight stay.

Munch in your breakfast at the hotel and proceed to Banke-Bihari Temple that hosts long week celebrations during Holi. During the festivities, Bihariji-Krishna’s popular name in Braj is dressed up in white clothes and the priests in the temple sprinkle colours on everyone. With lively music (bhajans) in the background and people dancing to the tunes is surreal to watch. After experiencing the festivities, return back to your hotel for overnight stay.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and proceed for a day trip to Agra where you will be visiting popular attractions like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Itmad-ud Daulah’s Tomb, Akbar’s Tomb, Jahangir’s Palace, Sikandra Fort. Later by evening drive back to Vrindavan for overnight stay.

After breakfast, get ready to celebrate the Holi festival with the widows. The widows in India is believed to have had a difficult life and they are often banished from their homes and sent off to live in far off ashrams in places like Varanasi and Vrindavan. These women are allowed to wear white clothes and can never play or use colours. This norm was changed a couple of years ago when widows of Pagal Baba Widow Ashram decided to do away with this ritual and instead play with colours. It is a one of kind experience to be a part of this festivity and bring some cheer in the lives of the widows. Return back by evening and overnight stay at the hotel.

Have your breakfast and drive to Bharatpur National Park where you will be experiencing something different. This national park is a haven for bird lovers and offers a unique experience where you be able to see rare species of migratory birds. You can explore the park in a rickshaw or by a walk and spot the species that have been migrated from Siberia, Europe, Afghanistan and Central Asia. You will be then heading to Fatehpur Sikri that served as the short term capital of the Mughal Empire. By evening drive back to Vrindavan for overnight stay.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and head to Banke Bihari Temple where you will see priests throwing colours and holy water at the crows as they chant madly in unison. It is a unique experience to be a part of this event as till the temple doors are shut at the lunchtime. By afternoon, leave for Mathura where you will participate in the Holi procession that starts at Vishram Ghat. In the procession, you will be seeing ten vehicles that are decked up with flowers. Later by evening, participate in Holika Dahan which is burning of an effigy of Holika the devil. Return back for an overnight stay at the hotel.

Today, get ready to be a part of the biggest event that will take place at Dwarkadheesh Temple in Mathura. During the festival, there is a tradition of making bhang which is an edible preparation of cannabis and drinking it. You will head to Vishramghat where you will catch the process of making bhang by the priests. The temple opens at 10 am and you will be able to see a big crowd outside the gates playing and throwing colour at each other. Enjoy the celebration by taking part in the festivities. Return back after all the fun and frolic and overnight stay at the hotel.

Have your breakfast at the hotel and leave for Delhi. On arrival, check into the hotel and rest of the day is for leisure. Overnight stay at Delhi.

Today after breakfast, your tour will come to an end and you will be transferred to the airport for your onward journey.