A Journey through Rural Rajasthan

Fly from London to Delhi via Dubai.

On arrival, transfer to the 5-star hotel The Claridges for a two-night stay. This afternoon, enjoy a guided visit to the tomb of Mughal Emperor Humayun, UNESCO listed as the first garden-tomb in India; and the adjacent Sunder Nursery Heritage Park, dating from the 16th century, and home to six garden-tombs.

A city sightseeing tour views the Red Fort, the stately India Gate arch, the Viceroy’s House, and the UNESCO listed, 73m tall, Qutab Minar ‘tower of victory’, as you drive to visit the 17th-century, Jama Masjid (‘Friday mosque’), the second-largest mosque on the Indian sub-continent, facing Mecca, and raised thirty steps above the street; and the Ghandi Smriti, a museum dedicated to Mahatma Ghandi, who spent the last few months of his life in this building.
(B)

Travel by road (5hrs) to Dholpur, stopping enroute in Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. With acres of print and galleries of pictures of this romantic icon, it needs no introduction, yet a first sight of it still thrills. Dholpur was founded in 780AD, re-established, 10km away, in 1050, and recognised for its beautiful rural setting from very early times. It still is today. Dinner and overnight stay at the heritage hotel Raj Niwas.
(B, D)

A back-to-nature day begins with a boat safari on the Chambal River. Within the National Chambal Sanctuary, it is home to abundant birdlife, gharial crocodiles, and rare river dolphins. This afternoon, drive (4½ hrs) to Jaipur, the regal, yet chaotic, capital of Rajasthan, for two nights at the 5-star Taj Devi Ratn.
(B)

A city tour visits the pink-walled City Palace, its temples and pavilions spread between courtyards and gardens; the 18th-century Jantar Mantar Observatory, UNESCO listed as India’s most significant site for observation of astronomical positions; and the Amber Fort, overlooking Maota Lake and known for its huge, gated ramparts; and views the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), its wall of windows allowing the women to observe the city, unseen.
(B)

Drive (7hrs) to the Thar Desert city of Bikaner, founded in the 15th century, and famed in its heyday for its Rajput temples, palaces, and forts. Two nights at the heritage hotel Narendra Bhawan.
(B)

A morning tour takes you to the halls and courtyards of the huge Junagarh Fort complex, then changes tone and tempo with a visit to a camel breeding farm. Your afternoon is at leisure in Bikaner, perhaps to take a tuk-tuk tour of the town.
(B)

Travel by road (7hrs) to Manvar, for an overnight stay at the Manvar Desert Resort, an oasis of luxury and greenery in the midst of a desert. Experience a magical evening under the stars, dining in the sand dunes, with delicious traditional Rajasthani cuisine.
(B, D)

Enjoy the calm and contemporary facilities of the camp in a morning at leisure, before driving (2½ hrs) to the ‘Blue City’ of Jodhpur, its old-town buildings painted in indigo hues, creating the illusion of a sea amid the sands. Visit the 15th-century Mehrangarh (‘Fort of the Sun’), covering 1,200 acres of a rocky clifftop, 122m above the town; and the 19th-century marble memorial, Jaswant Thada. Continue (1½hrs) to the timeless village of Rohet, for two nights at the lovingly restored, heritage hotel Rohetgarh, a 16th-century former fort, set in serene gardens.
(B, D)

See the simplicity of rural Rajasthan on a morning jeep ‘safari’ to Bishnoi Village, known for its reed-roofed cottages, cattle sun shelters, and absence of mod cons. A walk through the unique village shows you its crafts and culture, as a hub of weavers and potters, and a Hindu place of pilgrimage. Return to Rohet for an afternoon at leisure, maybe to birdwatch for migratory species at the local lake.
(B, D)

Drive (2hrs) to Narlai, an idyllic village, nestled in beautiful landscapes, and huddled around the huge Elephant Rock. An afternoon jeep safari takes you into the forested hills of Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, encircling its namesake fort and covering 610sq.km with the habitats of birdlife, leopards and golden jackals, sambhar and four-horned antelopes, sloth bears and Indian hares. An optional event this evening is an enchanting dining experience in Narlai’s 16th-century stepwell, lit-up by hundreds of lamps (pre-bookable).Overnight at the Heritage hotel Rawla Narlai, a restored, 17th-century royal retreat.
(B)

Travel by road (3hrs) to Udaipur, stopping enroute to visit the exquisite Ranakpur temple complex, its domes crowning columned halls, its boast that, among the 1,444 intricately carved pillars, no two are alike. Continue to Udaipur, with the scenic Aravalli hills rising around the city; lotus pools, fountains, and statuary in a series of tranquil gardens; and many Rajput-era monuments. Two nights at 4-star hotel Shikarbadi.
(B)

On a tour of Udaipur, visit the three-tiered Jagdish Temple at the heart of the city, a Hindu place of worship in continuous use since its 17th-century construction; and the City Palace and Museum, with its gloriously grand façade and heady views of the lake from its raised setting; and see the city from the water as you sail on Lake Pichola to Jagmandir Island, where a golden sandstone palace rises from the water’s edge.
(B)

Transfer to Udaipur airport for a flight to Delhi, and an overnight stay in New Delhi, at the 5-star Vivanta by Taj.
(B)

Transfer to Delhi airport for your return flight to London via Dubai.
(B)