Splendours of Rajasthan

Duration: 13 days

Highlights: Delhi, Mandawa, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Deogarh, Pushkar, Jaipur

Explore the fascinating history of regal Rajasthan.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive Delhi

Upon arrival at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport, you will be met by our representative and escorted to your hotel by private vehicle, where you will be assisted with check-in.

Meals: D

Overnight: Delhi

Day 2 - Delhi

Enjoy a full day guided tour of Delhi.

The city consists of two parts - Old and New Delhi. Old Delhi was the capital of Mughal India and has a prodigious collection of mosques, monuments and forts.

Begin your Day in Old Delhi. Visit Jama Masjid, the Royal Mosque, which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656. Enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes followed by a short walk in Chandni Chowk, the colourful shopping bazaar known. Drive past Red Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Continue to Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi.

In the afternoon, visit New Delhi - the imperial city created by the British as the capital of India. In 1911, Edwin Lutyens, the most renowned English architect of the Day, was chosen to design New Delhi. Drive through the majestic boulevards, proceed towards Rashtrapati Bhawan, where the Viceroy once lived and is now the official residence of the President of India. See India Gate, a war memorial arch built in honour of 90,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Visit Humayun’s Tomb (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the first great example of Mughal architecture in India. The Day’s tour ends at Qutab Minar (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) - a soaring tower of victory which is 72.5 metres high and has five distinct storeys.

Meals: B

Overnight: Delhi

Day 3 - Delhi - Mandawa

This morning drive to Mandawa. The town was founded and inhabited by Shekhawati Rajputs in the 18th century and is popularly known as the open art gallery of Rajasthan due to magnificent murals and frescoes from mythology.

Arrive in Mandawa and check-in at your hotel.

Later in the afternoon, explore the beautiful town of Mandawa. See the hand painted havelis that are some of the splendid examples depicting the regional folklore. Walk and maze through the streets, bazaars and observe colorfully dressed locals and their day to day activities.

Meals: B

Overnight: Mandawa

Day 4 - Mandawa - Bikaner

This morning drive to Bikaner which exists in magnificent isolation in the northern Rajasthan desert, a fortified town founded by Bika, son of the Rathore king Rao Jodha (who built Jodhpur), in the late 15th century as a stop in the trading route between the Punjab and the plains.

On arrival, check-in at your hotel.

Later, enjoy a city orientation tour of Bikaner.

Visit Junagarh Fort, one of the most interesting forts in Rajasthan with beautifully decorated interiors. It was built in 1588 by Raja Rai Singh. Also visit the National Research Centre on Camels located about 10 kilometres from Bikaner.

Meals: B

Overnight: Bikaner

[Optional Extension- Nagaur]

Day 1: This morning drive to Nagaur – another fortified city amidst Thar Desert. Nagaur is the venue of India’s largest Cattle Fair. The town comes alive during the seven-Day festival, when cows, bullocks, horses, oxen, and camels throng the region accompanied by turbaned sellers and eager buyers. Cock and bull fights, camel races, folk dances and music make the fair a major tourist attraction.

Meals: B

Overnight: Nagaur

Day 2 - Nagaur Cattle Fair: In the Nagaur Fair (February), enjoy Rajasthani folk music and dances, tug of war, camel races, turban tying competitions and many other activities. Approximately 80,000 cattle owners participate in this festival with more than 200,000 cattle being traded.

Meals: B, L, D

Overnight: Nagaur

Day 5 - Bikaner – Jaisalmer

This morning drive to Jaisalmer.

Arrive in Jaisalmer and check-in at your hotel. Remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure.

Meals: B

Day 6 - Jaisalmer

This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Jaisalmer. Visit Jaisalmer Fort, the main attraction of this picturesque desert city. Built in 1156, it is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan.

Visit the intricately carved havelis or mansions, like Salim Singh ki Haveli and Patwon ki Haveli.

Late afternoon, drive to the sand dunes. The ripples on the wind-caressed dunes creating an enchanting mirage are surely a delight. Enjoy a camel ride on the dunes and a lively folk performance.

Meals: B

[Optional Desert Festival]

Day 7 - Jaisalmer – Jodhpur

This morning drive to Jodhpur, once the capital of the former princely state of Marwar. It was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha and is now the second largest city of Rajasthan. The graceful palaces, forts and temples bring alive the city’s historic grandeur, while the exquisite handicrafts, folk dances, music and the brightly attired locals lend a romantic aura to the city.

Arrive and check-in at your hotel.

Late afternoon, enjoy a short orientation tour of Jodhpur city. Visit the magnificent Mehrangarh, one of Rajasthan's finest forts. This 5,000-metre-long fort is an impressive and formidable structure with seven gates, that lead into the fort, and a series of courtyards and palaces inside. Make a brief stop at Jaswant Thada, a white marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, located at a short distance from the fort.

Later, enjoy a walking tour through the medieval blue town where there will be opportunity to explore the narrow winding lanes, ending at the Old Clock Tower vegetable and spice market.

Meals: B

Overnight: Jodhpur

Day 8 - Jodhpur – Ranakpur – Udaipur

This morning drive to Udaipur. En route visit Ranakpur Temples, some of the most exquisite Jain temples in the country famous for their intricate friezes and sculptures, and is one of the holiest Jain sites in India.

Arrive in Udaipur late afternoon and check-in at your hotel.

Meals: B

Overnight: Udaipur

Day 9 - Udaipur

This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Udaipur.

Udaipur combines seamless beauty with a great and glorious past. It stands in a valley, amidst green hills on the banks of the wide, steel blue Lake Pichola. Visit City Palace, a conglomeration of buildings added by the ruling Maharanas through the ages. Despite this, the palace manages to retain a surprising uniformity of design. Visit the Crystal Gallery located at the City Palace which has a rare collection of Osler's crystal ordered from England by Maharana Sajjan Singh in 1877.

In the evening enjoy a boat cruise on the placid waters of Lake Pichola. From the boat, view the city of Udaipur rise majestically above the lake in the middle of the Rajasthan desert. Also visit the Jag Mandir Palace, an unforgettable sight on an island in Lake Pichola, built by Maharana Karan Singhji in 1622 as a pleasure palace for royal parties and functions.

Meals: B

Overnight: Udaipur

Day 10 - Udaipur – Deogarh

This morning drive to Deogarh. En route visit Eklinji and Nagda Temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Arrive in Deogarh and check-in at your hotel.

Late afternoon enjoy a Jeep safari to nearby villages. Drive into the rugged countryside and see a variety of exciting panoramas and the avian life. The drive through the countryside is bound with grazing cattles serenely and migratory birds dotting the lake. Visit the local weavers, potters and gypsy tribes in their local environment.

Meals: B

Overnight: Deogarh

[Optional Extension- Pushkar]

Day 1: This morning leave for Pushkar, a sacred place for Hindus. The temple town is home to the 8th century Brahma temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe. Surrounded by hills on three sides and sand dunes on the fourth, Pushkar forms a befitting backdrop for the annual religious and cattle fair. During the Days of the fair, the otherwise tranquil lake is engulfed with religious fervour. Thousands of devotees collect to take a dip and pray for salvation to the sound of verses from the Holy Scriptures which fill the air. The actual fair is held in the vast stretching desert surrounding the town.

Probably the world’s largest camel fair, camels are painted, beautified and raced to attract the best buyers. The turbaned heads of men, and the colourful veils and skirts of the women, bring alive the arid desertscape.

Arrive Pushkar and check-in to your camp. Remaining Day will be at leisure. Explore the site at your own as you will have ample opportunities to take as many pictures as possible.

Meals: B

Day 2 - Pushkar

Today you have an entire Day to enjoy the wonder, absurdity, chaos and incredible photographic opportunities at this fascinating fair. Rest on the private verandah of your tent in the early afternoon, or return to the fair.

Meals: B

Day 11 - Deogarh – Pushkar – Jaipur

This morning drive to Jaipur, named after the boy prince who commissioned it - Maharaja Jai Singh II. Jaipur today epitomises the spirit of Rajputana. In spite of growing into a bustling metropolis, it still retains its character and history, a beautiful fusion of yesteryears and modernity. The massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and lush gardens remind us of Jaipur’s glorious past.

En route, stop at Pushkar. Here, visit the beautiful Pushkar Lake. Then, proceed to Jagatpita Brahma Mandir, the oldest temple in India dedicated to Lord Brahma.

Arrive in Jaipur late afternoon and check-in at your hotel.

Remainder of the day will be at leisure for independent activities.

Meals: B

Overnight: Jaipur

Day 12 - Jaipur

This morning, enjoy an excursion to the magnificent Amber Fort. The fortified palace was the capital of the state of Jaipur until 1728. The fort is a blend of Mughal and Rajput style of architecture. Tour the chambers and hallways of the palace, which are famous for their unparalleled design and decoration, including the spectacular “Hall of Mirrors”.

Later enjoy an orientation tour of Jaipur. Visit City Palace and its museum which has a superb collection of Rajasthani costumes and armoury of the Mughals and Rajputs, including swords, antiques and artifacts. Proceed to Jantar Mantar, a stone-made astrological and astronomical observatory which was built by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th century. Enjoy a cycle-rickshaw ride in the colourful bazaars of the old city. Later, visit Hawa Mahal or the "Palace of the Winds". It is perhaps the most-photographed façade in Jaipur. Its ornately carved windows were designed so that the ladies of the palace could look out onto the streets unobserved. There is also time to shop for Jaipur blue pottery and block-printed cottons and linens.

Remainder of the Day will be at leisure for independent activities.

Meals: B

Overnight: Jaipur

Day 13 - Jaipur - Delhi

In the afternoon drive back to Delhi and transfer to International Airport for your flight to onward destination.

Meals: B