Empower Girls in India : A Trip with the Kiran Anjali Project

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Much more than a traditional tour operator, Global Family Travels’ mission is to “Learn, Serve and Immerse” through community-based travel programs.  In partnership with non-profit organizations and schools, we offer family-friendly and sustainable travel experiences in support of education, gender equality, access to clean water, preservation of local cultures, conservation and economic growth, all of which foster cross-cultural understanding and global citizens.  

Our trips include a unique mix of cultural and educational activities, home-stays and participation in local service projects aimed at improving the lives of people in the communities we visit.    
 
Expect to expand your family circle when you embark on a Global Family Travels trip!  Visit our website for more information: Global Family Travels

The Kiran Anjali Project is a nonprofit with a mission to provide guidance and financial support to institutions providing education to disadvantaged children, especially girls, in India. The project was named in honor of the founder’s daughters in order to help other children in India. The Hindi meaning of Kiran is ray of light and Anjali means gift. The Kiran Anjali Project wants to shine the gift of a quality education on disadvantaged children in India.

Creative Journeys was founded in 1990 and specializes in custom family vacations, groups and incentives.  Trips are tailor-made to clients' specific vision of a perfect vacation, with sensitivity to their interest and budget.  From family reunions to 6-month round-the-world sabbaticals, we can arrange a unique itinerary with castle stays and palace tours, cultural exchange with local families, and privately chauffeured sight-seeing.

The Event Management division of Creative Journeys focuses on creating ever-lasting memories for each event.  From choosing the venue, menu, and color theme, to invitations, center pieces, wedding favors - we do it all!  Effortless Efficient Expertise.

Rechristened as ‘Bangalore’, it is the capital of the State of Karnataka. It enjoys a salubrious climate throughout the year. The city boasts of spacious gardens, parks, tree-lined avenues, a profusion of flowering trees and lakes, earning it the sobriquet of "Garden City." The once-sedate cantonment settlement of the British has now spread way beyond the mud fort and the four towers constructed by Kempegowda in 1537. With its booming economy and lifestyle, the capital of Karnataka has metamorphosed from a sleepy Garden City into one of India's fastest growing City.

It is a city that bridges two different worlds. Old Delhi, once the capital of Islamic India, is a labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with crumbling havelis and formidable mosques. In contrast, the imperial city of New Delhi created by the British Raj is composed of spacious, tree-lined avenues and imposing government buildings. Delhi has been the seat of power for several rulers and many empires for about a millennium. Many a times the city was built, destroyed and then rebuilt here. Interestingly, a number of Delhi's rulers played a dual role, first as destroyers and then as creators.

Humayun's Tomb is probably one of the most innovative and experimental monuments of its time, incorporating within it Indo-Islamic architectural styles. This magnificent garden tomb is the first substantial example of Mughal architecture in India. It was built in 1565 A.D. nine years after the death of Humayun, by his senior widow Bega Begam. Inside the walled enclosure the most notable features are the garden squares (Charbagh) with pathways water channels, centrally located well proportional mausoleum topped by double dome.

The name Hyderabad literally means ‘city of Hyder’ since it was named after Queen Hyder Mahal, the wife of Muhammad Quli Qutab Shah, the fifth sovereign of the Qutab Shahi dynasty, who founded Hyderabad on the banks of River Musi in the year 1591. With the help of Iranian architects, Hyderabad was erected in a grid format. The city was modeled on the city of Isfahan of Iran. Hyderabad is today the capital city of the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India. Located on the Deccan Plateau, Hyderabad is the fifth largest city of India. 

The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is vivid reminder of the opulence of the legendary Mughal Empire. While its significance as a political center ended with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jahan, its architectural wealth has secured its place on the international map. A pleasant town with a comparatively slow pace, Agra is known for its superb inlay work on marble and soapstone by craftsmen who are descendants of those who worked under the Mughals.

Taj Mahal or Crown of Palaces is a white marble mausoleum, built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. A world-renowned wonder, Taj Mahal looks the same from all the four sides and is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". The Taj Mahal is phenomenal not in the beauty alone but in the deep planning and design that went into its making. This enchanting mausoleum started in 1631 and it took 22 years to complete with the help of an estimated 20000 workers. (It remains closed on Fridays).

The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra Fort in 1666, A.D. although additions were made till the time of his grandson Shahjahan. The forbidding exteriors of this fort hide an inner paradise. There are a number of exquisite buildings like Moti Masjid - a white marble mosque akin to a perfect pearl; Diwan-I-Am, Diwan-I-Khaas, Musamman Burj - where Shahjahan died in 1666 A.D. Jahangir's Palace; Khaas Mahal and Shish Mahal. The massive Agra fort is 2.5 km long and is considered as the predecessor of the Delhi Red fort.

• Arrive at Bangalore. On arrival, you will be greeted and assisted by our representative and transferred to the hotel. (Rooms will be available from 1400 hrs) ​​​​
• BANGALORE - Rechristened as ‘Bangalore’, it is the capital of the State of Karnataka.
• On arrival in Bangalore, transfer to the hotel.
• Enjoy Lunch at the hotel. Later enjoy visit of Bangalore. 
• Lalbagh Botanical Garden - The gardens are said to be laid out by Haidar Ali and his son Tipu Sultan as a summer garden in the 18th century.
• Bull Temple - The Bull Temple, located in Basavanagudi is one of the oldest temples in Bangalore.
• Drive past the Vidhan Sabha - Vidhana Sabha is a noble building built exclusively of Bangalore granite.

Overnight at the hotel: Vivanta by Taj - Yeshwantpur (L)

• After breakfast enjoy visit  on of KAP's project, the F.A.T Lab (http://fat-net.org/) 
• After visit, enjoy the sightseeing of Delhi including following:
• Raj Ghat - Raj Ghat is a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. 
• Rickshaw Ride - Rickshaw ride (Paddy cab) around Jama Masjid 
• Enjoy visit to the spice market called Khari Baoli. (Khari Baoli is known as the largest wholesale spice market in Asia )

Overnight at the hotel: Taj Palace, New Delhi ​​​​​​(B,L)