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RAJASTHAN, land of a people who are brave and chivalrous, is a land of superlatives-every thing herein is breathtakingly beautiful, impressive and fascinating. It is packed with history, art and culture that goes back several centuries. Rajasthan has a total area of 343,000 sq. km and the most striking feature of this land is its division by the majestic Aravalli range which runs from north east to south-west for about 688 km. Northwest of the Aravallis are the Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner regions, it is the home of arid plains and the shifting sand dunes of the great Thar Desert. The other side of the hills is a land of rich in vegetation - Aravalli.
Rajasthan Luxury Tour
Day 01
Depart UK – Overnight Flight
Day 02 – New Delhi
Delhi
After resting on arrival in Delhi, the Chandni Chowk bazaar is
the place to go for the full-on Indian experience of crowded,
twisting alleys and tiny shops. The brilliant red sandstone Red
Fort (Lal Qila) was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as
his ruling palace in 1648. Opposite is the Jama Masjid, the largest
mosque in India.
Humayun's Tomb is one of Delhi's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In South Delhi is the astonishing Qutub Minar a 72.5m minaret
that was the tallest "skyscraper" in the world when
built (1193-1368).
Rajpath is the main parade route that leads to the President's residence
(Rashtrapati Bhavan) and the splendid India Gate, a nice place for
an evening walk when the buildings are lit, and the vendors come
out to supply snacks and bites.
Day 03 – Agra
Taj Mahal
The principal reason to visit Agra is of course to lay eyes on
the impressive Taj Mahal, a mausoleum for the wife of Emperor
Shah Jahan. As one of the world’s great wonders, the fabulous
beauty of the building never fails to disappoint. Its white marble
is ornamented with precious, semi-precious stones and texts.
The Red Fort Of Agra
Agra also contains the most important fort in India, The Red Fort,
which can be more accurately described as a walled palatial city.
The great Mughal Emperors all lived and governed the Empire from
here.
The Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience)
once housed the famous Peacock Throne. The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of
Private Audience) was used to receive kings and dignitaries, and
features the black throne of Jehangir. The Sheesh Mahal (Glass Palace)
is a royal dressing room featuring tiny mirror-like glass-mosaic
decorations on the walls.
Day 04 – Day 05 Jaipur
Jaipur
The 'Pink City' of Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan and is a glorious
introduction to the history of the Rajputs.
The City Palace
The City Palace is a delightful blend of Mughal and traditional
Rajasthani architecture, sprawling over one-seventh of the area
in the walled city. The complex is divided into a series of courtyards,
gardens and buildings including the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II
Museum which contains collection of royal costumes. The Hawa Mahal
(1799) or Palace Of Winds, is a five story building that was originally
built to enable the women of the royal household to watch the
everyDay life and the processions of the city. The Jantar Mantar
was an astronomical observatory, created by Maharaja Sawai Jai
Singh II.
The Old City
Beyond the ramparts, the old city, has a wonderfully medieval flavour,
and a walk through the rambling lanes will reap rich rewards for
the curious, with markets selling cotton fabrics, carpets, jutties
(slippers with the unique upturned toes) and ittars
(traditional perfume).
Amber Fort
Amber is set atop the Aravalli Hills north of Jaipur. Within its
forbidding walls lies a palace with a beautifully decorated interior.
Approached from a steep ramp, visitors ride up on elephant back,
entering through the grand Singh Pol Gateway. The palace at Amber
offers a highly romantic insight into the medieval lifestyles
of Rajput princes.
Samode Heritage Hotels
Samode is famous for the beautiful Samode Haveli and the splendid
Samode Palace, now both converted into First Class heritage properties.
The Durbar Hall at Samode Palace has one of the most beautifully
painted chambers in Rajasthan.
Day 06 – Shekhawati
The Painted Havelis Of Shekhawati
The small towns located in the semi-desert region of Shekhawati
are famous for a plethora of painted havelis, or splendidly frescoed
mansions constructed by prosperous merchants.
Day 07 – Bikaner
Bikaner
Once a major trading centre on the caravan route linking Central
Asia with North India, Bikaner is dotted with many sand dunes,
and the city is renowned for the best riding camels in the world.
Junagarh Fort
Junagarh Fort (1588) would have to be one of Rajasthan's most
impressive fort complexes. The fort has a 986m-long wall with
37 bastions, a moat and two entrances.
The palaces within the fort make a picturesque ensemble of courtyards,
balconies, kiosks, towers and windows. A major feature of its
fort and palaces is the superb quality of stone carving.
Day 08 – Day 09 Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is the golden desert city of Rajasthan and it still
bears the look of a quaint medieval town. Jaisalmer Fort, towers
over the city and is often referred to as the 'golden fort' due
to the colour of its sandstone walls
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer Fort (1156), merges with the golden hues of the desert
and the setting sun gives it a fairy tale look. This is actually
a living fort, with one quarter of the old city's population residing
in it. The fort has 99 bastions around its circumference and is
protected by three walls and is magically lit up at night. It
is fascinating to wander around the fort packed with houses, temples,
handicraft shops and honeycombed with narrow, winding lanes paved
in stone. The fort walls provide superb views over the old city
and surrounding desert. The fort contains a group of beautifully
carved Jain Temples that were built between the 12th and 15th
century.
The Manak Chowk is the main marketplace
outside the fort where one can walk through lanes where the famous
Carved Havelis Of Jaisalmer are to be found. The carvings in the
Jaisalmer Havelis are of a very superior quality.
Gadisar Lake is located outside the city walls, and surrounded
by small temples and shrines. A wide variety of waterfowl flock
here in winter.
Sam Sand Dunes
Sam Sand Dunes are 42 km from Jaisalmer on the edge of the Desert
National Park. A magical place, especially at sunrise or sunset
where it is possible to take Camel Rides into the lonely shifting
sand dunes of the Thar Desert.
Day 10 – Day 11 Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur is the second largest city of Rajasthan, and sits on the
edge of the great Thar Desert. The city is a great location for
exploring rural Rajasthan with a visit see Bishnoi villages or
even camp under the desert stars.
Mehrangarh Fort
The impressive and forbidding 15C Mehrangarh Fort is one of the
most stunning hill forts of Rajasthan. It offers some excellent
views of the old city. The fort itself, with its enormous gateways,
has a fairy-tale feel with palatial apartments that have been
built over five centuries of bristling history. On the way up
to the fort is the Jaswant Thada Jaswant Thada - a cenotaph on
the hill of Mehrangarh.
The Old City
The old city offers winding streets with colourful street markets
and blue painted Brahmin houses. The colorful Girdikot and Sadar
markets display a wide range of Rajasthani handicrafts. Tiny shops
line both sides of the narrow lanes in these markets. One can
find textiles, silver, handicrafts, aromatic spices, vegetables
and colorful Indian sweets in these shops.
The Umaid Bhawan Palace Heritage Hotel
Umaid Bhawan Palace (1929) is a beautiful edifice of marble and
pink sandstone. This immense palace is also known as the Chhittar
Palace and is now a grand and extravagant heritage hotel that
is one of the most luxurious in princely India.
Rural Rajasthan
The Bishnois are a simple village community who are strong lovers
of wild animals. Their passion for protecting trees and wildlife
has led to many tales of members of this community sacrificing
their lives in order to protect their environment. If this is
of interest, you can arrange locally to travel by jeep to visit
their villages and buy beautiful home made rugs and handicrafts.
Day 12 – Day 13 Udaipur
Ranakpur
Ranakpur has one of the one of the biggest and most important
Jain Temple complexes in India. The main Chaumukha Temple has
carvings of exceptional beauty.
The Maharani Bagh, or Queen's Garden, is beautifully located
at the foot of the thickly forested Aravalli Hills. It is a fruit
orchard with acres of mango, lime, pomegranate giving way to intimate
gardens in full bloom. There is a restaurant with a spectacular
view of the hills and a charming village courtyard complete with
thatched roofs and delicious Rajasthani cuisine.
Udaipur
Udaipur captures the imagination like few other places in the
world. Surrounded by gently undulating hills and set around peaceful
Pichola Lake, it is a city of impossible beauty. The location
is easily the most romantic in India with The Lake Palace on Jag
Niwas island in the middle of the lake complimented by the grand
City Palace on one bank with the Monsoon Palace on the hill above.
Udaipur is also a centre for performing arts, craft and famed
miniature paintings.
City Palace
The huge City Palace that towers over the lake, is the largest
palace complex in Rajasthan. It is a conglomeration of buildings
surmounted by balconies, towers and cupolas with wonderful views
over the lake and city. The main part of the palace is now preserved
as the City Palace Museum, housing an armoury and a large collection
of artifacts. The rooms of the museum are extravagantly decorated
with mirrors , tiles and paintings. The Mor Chowk (Peacock Square)
has beautiful mosaics of peacocks. The Saheliyon Ki Bari is an
ornamental garden built for the entertainment of the royal ladies.
Vintage Collection of Classic Cars
The Maharajah’s Car Collection within the grounds of the palace
include rare vintage vehicles as well as sleek and fast Cadillacs
and Chevrolets.
Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel
You can enjoy royal luxury at the Fateh Prakash Palace with lake
facing suites in the turrets that are suitably appointed with four
poster beds and period furniture, festooned with maroon velvet curtains
and delicate silk tassels. The Durbar Hall at the Fateh Prakash
Palace is undoubtedly the most lavish in India, and its sheer size
makes one gasp in awe. The Crystal Gallery also has a breath taking
collection of the finest crystals.
Jagdish Temple
Located near the City Palace, this fine Indo-Aryan temple dating
from 1651 is the largest and most splendid temple of Udaipur and
enshrines a black stone image of Vishnu Lord of the Universe.
Pichola Lake
The picturesque lake is surrounded by hills, palaces, temples,
bathing ghats and embankments. The lake encloses the Jag Niwas
and Jag Mandir islands. The City Palace extends along its eastern
banks.
The Lake Palace Hotel
The Lake Palace (1743) is a magical fairy tale property located
in the middle of the Pichola Lake on Jag Niwas Island. ToDay the
palace is one of the most famous and luxurious hotels in the whole
world, but visitors can book and turn up for evening dinner.
Bagore-Ki Haveli
A palace on the waterfront of Lake Pichola with a very interesting
display of costumes and modern art. It stages delightful evening
performance of Rajasthani traditional dance and music you can
enjoy with a lovely view of the lake.
Day 14 – Mumbai
Take an internal flight to Mumbai for a stopover night prior to
your departure from India.
Day
15
Depart Mumbai – Daytime Flight
