Immersive culture tour of Pune by private car with guide and local lunch
Description
A full day Pune city tour is a great way to experience the Queen of the Deccan. In this guided tour we visit Pune’s most famous temple – Dagdu Sheth Ganesh, one of the world’s largest one man collection at Kelkar museum, seat of the powerful Peshwas of the great Maratha empire at Shaniwarwada, a unique biographical museum on Sadhu Vaswani, and the magnificent Aga Khan Palace which has its place in India’s freedom struggle.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The day begins at Dagdu Sheth, a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh and arguably the most famous one in Pune. This temple was built in 1892 by a sweet maker who lost his son to the plague. The temple played a crucial role in inspiring Lokmanya Tilak to organise the annual Ganesh festival to unite Indians to fight for freedom from the British.
History comes alive during this Pune city tour at the Raja Dinkar Kelkar museum which is one of the largest one-man collections in the world. Dinkar Kelkar toured some of the remotest parts of India and collected artifacts including embroidered textiles, sculptures, antique vessels and swords of the Marathas. Guests will be fascinated with Mastani Mahal, a room recreated from the ruins of the original Palace which was a symbol of the royal romance between Baji Rao the legendary prime minister of Maratha Empire and Mastani, his lady love.
Our next destination in the Pune ctiy tour is Shaniwar Wada, the seat of power of the Peshwas or Prime Ministers of the powerful Maratha Empire which was a dominant power in India between the 17th and 19th centuries. This Palace was built in 1730 in honor of Peshwa Bajirao Ballal Balaji Bhat for services rendered to the Maratha Empire. Shaniwarwada is considered as the most haunted place in Pune! Our guide will tell you the stories of how the Palace witnessed an early and unfortunate death, a betrayal, a tragic love story and treachery. As per local legends, even today Shaniwarwada is dreaded for supernatural activities on the full-moon night! People believe that the fort is haunted by the ghost of Bajirao’s grandson Narayanrao, who was murdered by his family.
The Darshan museum is a unique biographical museum dedicated to the Life and teaching of Sadhu Vaswani, a spiritual leader. Sadhu Vaswani professed the need for love and reverence for the betterment of humanity. It is a modern museum that uses multi media technology to tell the story of Sadhu Vaswani and his teachings. Upliftment of women and animal rights were 2 causes very close to his heart. In fact Novermber 25, Sadhu Vaswani’s birth date, is celebrated as the International Meatless and Animal Rights Day.
The Aga Khan Palace which is a national monument of India’s freedom movement is our last destination in the Pune city tour. Built in 1892 by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III, the Palace witnessed some remarkable events that define India’s freedom movement against the British. Gandhiji, his wife Kasturba Gandhi and his secretary Mahadevbhai Desai were imprisoned here during the Quit India movement in 1942. During the guided tour, guests will realize why the Aga Khan Palace is a memorial to Gandhiji and his simple life.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up from all hotels in Pune city
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(40)
Fabulous tour, great insights and information, well worth the money
This is the ideal tour to book if you are looking for a way to discover what is special about Pune. Dhruv was my guide and his grasp of the English language was excellent, which helped me learn even more than I may have otherwise. From the moment he arrived, I felt well taken care of and I learned so much about Pune that I would likely have never learned on my own. His professionalism was first class but he still felt like he was a very intelligent local friend showing me his city. Every stop on the tour and every experience along the way was seamlessly handled as well. This tour didn't just meet my expectations, it exceeded my expectations. Do yourself a favor and book this tour (and try to request Dhruv as well) if you would to learn about Pune's cultural significance in India in professional yet entertaining way.
Must do well rounded trip in Pune! With our guide Ajit, we went to multiple places with very thorough learning of Pune historical importance in Freedom struggle and in social education aspect in India. We also visited many temples, including Pataleshwar Cave Temple which is my favorite one by far. We ended the day with lunch and Aga Khan palace before heading home. Happy for spending whole day with this program and company!
Hello. I am glad you enjoyed the Pune tour with Ajit. Thank you for taking the time for this review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
I had a fantastic day out with Ajit of 5 Senses tours. We explored tye best heritage sites of Pune and it was a memorable experience. The shaniwarwada fort and Agha Khan Palace were tye highlights of the day. The service was impeccable with comfortable car, safe driver and a friendly and knowledgeable guide. Very highly recommended.
Hello. I am glad you enjoyed the Pune tour with Ajit. Thank you for taking the time for this review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
My tour of Pune was excellent. My guide was knowledgeable, spoke good English, and answered my many questions about the history, culture, religion, and people of India. The locations of the tour were ideal and places that I could never have found or understood on my own. My driver and tour guide were polite and attentive and I felt safe navigating the markets and backstreets of Pune, places that I would not have ventured into by myself. The lunch was at a traditional family-style Indian restaurant frequented by many Indian families. The waiter continuously brought food and I experienced the great foods of India. I would highly recommend this tour.
Hello. I am glad you enjoyed the Pune tour with Ajit. Thank you for taking the time for this review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
It’s my first time ever in Pune and we are so glad we picked the right service. Eventhough we had to cut short due to some personal unexpected event, our tour guide tried to organized and took us to 5 different locations and still managed to have lunch so it felt worth the money we spent. Nice clean car, polite friendly experienced tour guide, lots of information and delicious food ☺️
Hello. I am glad you enjoyed our Pune tour. Thank you for taking the time for this review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
Ajit was a wonderful tour guide. I enjoyed all of the stops we made and appreciated that some of them were lesser known so I truly got to see sights I wouldn’t have found on my own. Ajit knows so much about the history of Pune and stories of the gods. Lunch was also absolutely delicious. I highly recommend this tour and Ajit.
Hello. I am glad you enjoyed the Pune tour with Ajit. Thank you for taking the time for this review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
It was a great tour. I visited several monuments in Pune, had lunch, and drove around the city. Ajit was very interesting, explorative, and helpful. I learnt a lot about Indian Culture, traditions, and food.
Hello. I am delighted you enjoyed the Pune tour with Ajit. Thank you for taking the time for this review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
Ajit was an incredible guide for our Pune city tour. We had a great time visiting colourful temples, a majestic Palace, Museum and market. it was a great Introduction to India! I would highly recommend this tour .
Hello. I am glad you enjoyed the Pune tour with Ajit. Thank you for taking the time for this review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
It was a Magical day out in Pune. Ajit was fantastic and ensured we were involved in the experience through the day. We visited magnificent monuments, mesmerizing temples and spectacular palaces The local lunch was the highlight of the day. It was an unforgettable day. Very highly recommended.
I am glad you enjoyed the Pune tour with Ajit. Thank you for taking the time for this insightful review. Your feedback is invaluable to us. It was our pleasure hosting you.
