JEWEL IN THE CROWN
The magical land set amidst the desolate desert beauty.
The land synonymous with romance and chivalry. Immensely rich in culture,
history and natural beauty. That's Rajasthan…
Everything about Rajasthan fascinates from miles of golden stretches of sand
to the kaleidoscope of magnificent forts, opulent palaces and marvelous
havelis, each a splendid architectural creation having a legend of its own.
The beautifully laid out gardens and lakes contrasting perfectly with the
hilly ranges are a sight to gladden your eyes.
The cities of
Rajasthan still remain the medieval flavour keeping alive the timeless
traditions in their rich art & crafts, colourful bazars and vibrant
people wearing multi-hued costumes and a bright smile. Camels, oxen and
elephants are among the common modes of transport besides buses and cars - a
true blend of modernity and tradition!
The land comes alive with
exuberant folk dances and music, ballads and spectacular festivities that
are an inseparable part of Rajasthan's culture. Especially enchanting are
the evenings here, when melodious tunes echoing through the solitude of
shimmering sands, fill the air.
Rajasthan is also renowned for
exquisite paintings and frescos, not forgetting the incredibly fabulous
Rajasthani fabrics and jewellery along with a wide range of beautiful
handicrafts.
DURATION : 15 DAYS
ROUTE AT A
GLANCE : Delhi - Jaislamer - Jodhpur - Udaipur - Kishangarh - Jaipur -
Bharatpur - Agra - Mathura - Delhi.
FOCUS : Monuments, Forts,
People, Culture, Camel ride, Wildlife & Temples.
BEST TIME :
October to April
DAY 01 DELHI Arrive
Delhi from your home country by midnight. Garland welcome, assistance and
transfer to hotel. O/n Hotel.
DAY 02 DELHI TO
JAISALMER After late breakfast drive to Old Delhi Tour (half day) :
Shah Jahan founded the city of Shahjanabad, now referred to as Old Delhi, in
1648. The famous Red Fort in the heart of Old Delhi was once the most
opulent fort of the Mughal Empire and it boasts the Diwan-I-Am, Hall of
Private Audience. Opposite the fort is the Jama Masjid, one of the largest
mosques in the world, built by Shah Jahan to dominate his city. Sightseeing
to Red Fort & Jama Masjid Mosque. Afternoon transfer to railway station
to board express train to Jaisalmer at 18.00hrs. O/n Train.
DAY
03 JAISALMER TO JAISALMER Arrive Jaislamer at 12.45hrs and transfer
to hotel. Rest of the day free to relax or evening stroll around the nearby
avenues of this desert city. O/n Hotel.
DAY 04
JAISALMER After breakfast sightseeing of Jaisalmer, a medieval city
of elaborately carved mansions (havelis) in yellow sandstone, built by rich
merchants at a time when the city was a key stopping place on the caravan
routes from the Middle East. Visit to Jaislamer Fort, often referred as the
golden fort because of the colour of the sandstone, Jaisalmer's Fort seems
to emerge from the desert sands. The fort is still home to many of the
town's people who live in tiny but beautifully decorated houses or havelis.
Jaisalmer has been described as an open-air museum, and to enter its narrow
cobbled lanes is to step into a bygone age. Evening we drive to Khuri (about
01 hr), a small picturesque desert village of decorated mud thatched
buildings and shifting sand dunes. Ride a camel on the dunes and gear
yourself up for an unforgettable experience of watching the sunset over the
desert. Back to Jaisalmer. O/n Hotel.
DAY 05
JAISALMER TO JODHPUR After an early breakfast drive to historic
Jodhpur second city of Rajasthan, check into the hotel and relax. O/n Hotel.
DAY 06 JODHPUR TO UDAIPUR
After breakfast visit the massive Mehrangarh Fort looms over the city and
the Red sandstone Palaces within the fort form one of the most impressive
complexes in Rajasthan. Its museum contains sections which house armoury,
palanquins, howdahs and headgear from all the communities of Rajasthan. Life
in the city revolves around the Clock Tower area, a haven for shoppers,
selling everything from the leather mojris (shoes) to ornamental swords
fashioned after designs seen in the fort museum. Afternoon drive to Udaipur
(about 275kms/06hrs), check into the hotel. Rest of the day free to relax.
O/n Hotel.
DAY
07 UDAIPUR Set on the shores of Lake Pichola and surrounded by
hills, Udaipur grew in complete contrast to the harsh deserts of the rest of
Rajasthan.
After breakfast full day visit to City Palace - the
largest palace complex in Rajasthan, comprising many buildings added at
different time by various maharajas. Perhaps the most beautiful are the Moti
Mahal with its mirror inlay and the Chini ka Chitra Mahal's iridescent tile
work. At the nearby, Jagdish Temple, there is an impressively carved image
of Lord Vishnu, to whom the temple is dedicated. A boat ride around Lake
Pichola offers spectacular views of the city. The City Palace towers over
the lake and you will also see the merchant's havelis, temples, the royal
hunting lodge and the exquisite Gul Mahal Pavilion on Jag Mandir Island.
Having disembarked, you continue to the ornamental gardens of the Maids of
Honour or Sahelion ki Bari. O/n Hotel.
DAY 08
UDAIPUR TO KISHANGARH After an early breakfast we drive to
Kishangarh (340kms/09hrs), enroute visit Chittaurgarh Fort stands on a 152-m
high rocky hill, rising abruptly above the surrounding plain. Proceed to
Kishangarh, check into the Roopangarh Fort Hotel. Rest of the day free to
relax. O/n Hotel.
DAY 09 KISHANGARH
After breakfast free to relax or stroll around the village, a centre of
craft industries - leather embroidery, block printing, pottery and handloom
weaving can be seen. O/n Hotel.
DAY 10 KISHANGARH
TO JAIPUR After breakfast drive to Jaipur (about 125kms/03hrs),
check into the hotel. Afternoon free to relax or stroll around the colourful
bazaars in the Pink City. O/n Hotel.
DAY 11
JAIPUR Jaipur, built in 1727, was the dream of the brillian ruler
Jai Singh. It has retained its reputation as one of the formost cities in
India planned and executed in a manner that draws accolades from modern town
planners. Jaipur is known as the pink city, because many buildings are still
washed pink, the traditional colour of welcome, which was originally
introduced to honor the visit of the Prince Albert in 1856.
After
breakfast we visit Amber, ascending by elephant to see the 16th century
hilltop fortress - Palace and its richly decorated apartments. Afternoon
visit City Palace, still inhabited by Jai Singh's descendants is a superb
fusion of Rajput and Mughal architecture. A city within a city, it includes
the Govind Deo Temple, the Jantar Mantar astronomical observatory and the
Maharaja's museum with his personal collection of weaponry, miniature
paintings, royal attire and jewellery. On the periphery of the Palace stands
the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, an elaborate pink sandstone façade
behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in
the street below. Rest of the day at leisure. O/n Hotel.
DAY
12 JAIPUR TO BHARATPUR After breakfast drive to Bharatupur (about
180kms/04hrs), check into the hotel. Afternoon explore the Bharatpur or
Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary by rikshaw or foot, located on the confluence
of Gambhir and Banganga rivers and spread over 29 km of shallow lakes and
woodlands, Keoladeo National Park provides shelter to over 300 avian
species, particularly during winter when the resident numbers multiply as a
result of migrants. The freshwater swamp with the picturesque Kadam trees,
stands of Acacia and profuse aquatic vegetation, is a habitat of various
living organisms, which serve as food for the different species of animals.
O/n Hotel.
DAY 13 BHARATPUR TO AGRA TO MATHURA
After breakfast drive to Agra (about 60kms/02hrs) enroute visit Fatehpur
Sikri - palace complex built to commemorate the birth of Mughal Emperor
Akbar's first child. Proceed to Agra to visit India's most celebrated
monument the Taj Mahal (closed on Friday's), built as a monument of eternal
love by Shah Jahan to the bride Mumtaz, the Taj Mahal looks amazingly
graveful from almost any angle. Further our visit will be to Red Fort, and
evening drive to Mathura (about 50kms), check into the hotel. Rest of the
day free to relax. O/n Hotel.
DAY 14 MATHURA TO
DELHI After breakfast explore this small village which is a
birthplace of Lord Krishna. After visiting temples and Brindavan Garden, we
in the afternoon drive to Delhi (about 160kms/04hrs), check into the hotel
located near to the airport for day use. Late night transfer to int'l
airport to board flight to your home country.
DAY
15 DELHI Early morning board your flight.
India