Rajasthan Royals

Day 1 Fly overnight from your chosen airport to Mumbai.

Day 2 On arrival, transfer to the 5-star Taj Mahal Palace, India’s oldest and most famous hotel, for an overnight stay in the Heritage Wing; and enjoy a ‘heritage tour’ of this iconic landmark. Later, visit the arty Kala Ghoda district, where Indie exhibitions and pavement art stalls are juxtaposed with prominent galleries; followed by a welcome dinner. (D)

Day 3 A city tour includes the Marine Drive promenade, curving around the bay to the British-built Gateway of India at its southern tip; the UNESCO listed, Raj era, Victoria Terminus railway station; the Dhobi Ghat, billed as the biggest open-air laundry in the world, and handling half a million items a day; and the Prince of Wales Museum, the stately building housing collections of ancient art and artefacts. Fly to Udaipur, ‘the romance of Rajasthan’, for two nights at the historic Fateh Prakash Palace, owned by the royal family and set on the shore of Lake Pichola. (B)

Day 4 Tour Udaipur, with lotus pools, fountains and statuary in a series of serene gardens, sailing to the City Palace, gracing the shoreline with its gloriously grand façade; and to Jagmandir Island, where a golden sandstone palace rises from the water’s edge. This evening, dine overlooking the lake. (B, D)

Day 5 Travel through the scenic Aravalli hills to Ranakpur to visit the astonishingly intricate Jain temple complex, as sacred as it is architecturally splendid, and said to have taken 50 years to build. Continue (3hrs) to the timeless village of Rohet for two nights at the charming Rohet Garh, a 16^th-century former fort, set in lovely gardens. (B, D)

Day 6 See the simplicity of rural Rajasthan on a Bishnoi village ‘safari’, known for its reed-roofed cottages, cattle sun shelters, and absence of mod cons. Afternoon at leisure in Rohet, where migratory birds visit the local lake. (B, D)

Day 7 Drive to the ‘Blue City’ of Jodhpur, its old-town buildings painted in indigo hues, creating the illusion of a sea amid the sands, where we visit the 19^th-century marble memorial, Jaswant Thada; the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum; and the 15^th-century Mehrangarh Fort, covering 1,200 acres of a rocky clifftop, 122m above the town. Continue to Khimsar, for sunset at Khimsar Dunes Village, and an overnight stay at the heritage Khimsar Fort. (B, D)

Day 8 Travel into the Thar desert to Bikaner and take a tuk-tuk tour of the city, founded in the 15^th century, and famed, in its heyday, for its Rajput temples, palaces and forts; and continue to Gajner for two nights at the lakeside Gajner Palace, a former hunting lodge, secluded in a 6000-acre wildlife sanctuary. Dine in the hotel’s historic restaurant. (B, D)

Day 9 Visit the halls and courtyards of the huge Junagarh Fort complex; continue to a camel breeding farm; and, in the early evening, travel by jeep to the Raisar desert camp, where brilliant sunsets paint the sands red, for a gala dinner and dance performance. (B, D)

Day 10 Travel (6hrs) to Jaipur; experience an evening cooking demo with a local family and stay three nights at the Taj group’s 5-star heritage hotel Jai Mahal Palace, centrally positioned and set in Mughal gardens. (B, D)

Day 11 Visit the pink-walled City Palace, its temples and pavilions spread between courtyards and gardens; and the 18^th-century Jantar Mantar Observatory, UNESCO listed as India’s most significant site for observation of astronomical positions. Enjoy a historic walk and a drink at the Rambagh Palace; and perhaps take tonight’s optional Sound & Light at Amber Fort (£25, bookable locally). (B)

Day 12 Begin the day with an optional balloon ride over the Pink City (£225, bookable locally, weather dependent). View the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) its wall of windows allowing the women to observe the city, unseen; and visit the Amber Fort, overlooking Maota Lake and known for its huge, gated ramparts; the gleaming marble Birla Temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu; and the Albert Hall Museum, the oldest in Rajasthan. This evening, a historic tour is followed by a cocktail and dinner at the Raj Mahal Palace. (B, D)

Day 13 Drive to the village of Samode for overnight at the heritage hotel Samode Bagh, the retreat of the Samode royal family, and renowned for its equally regal grounds, which featured in Monty Don’s ‘Paradise Gardens’. Dine at nearby Samode Palace. (B, D)

Day 14 Travel (7hrs) to Dholpur. Founded in 780AD, and re-established, 10km away, in 1050, Dholpur was recognised for its beautiful rural setting from very early times, and still is today. Enjoy a welcome drink and two nights at the heritage hotel Raj Niwas Palace, staying in a garden cottage. (B, D)

Day 15 A back-to-nature day begins with a boat safari in Chambai Sanctuary, home to abundant birdlife, gharial crocodiles, and rare river dolphins; and continues by jeep safari to view the sandstone Shergarh Fort. (B, D)

Day 16 Journey by road to Agra to visit the magnificent Taj Mahal, lauded by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the world’s heritage; and continue by train to Delhi, telling its history in its architecture, from ancient monuments to colonial buildings. Two nights at the 5-star Taj Mahal hotel, one of Delhi’s most distinguished addresses. (B)

Day 17 A tour of Old Delhi passes the stately India Gate arch, the Parliament and President’s residence; and takes you to the Qutab Minar, a 12^th-century, 73m-tall ‘tower of victory’, now a UNESCO World Heritage site; and to the 16^th-century mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Humayun, UNESCO listed as the first garden-tomb in India. Enjoy your final evening with dinner and a cocktail making experience at a local restaurant near Khan market. (B, D)

Day 18 Transfer to Delhi airport for the return flight. (B)

• Key
• B - Breakfast
• L - Lunch
• D - Dinner