Rajasthan Explorer - 15 days
This 15-day tour of Rajasthan explores one of India's most popular and interesting states, famous for its hilltop forts, camel fairs and colourful saris and stays in some lovely heritage hotels converted from old havelis and palaces. We start the trip by exploring the contrasting sides to India's capital with tours of both New and Old Delhi, before heading to Agra where the Taj Mahal is our next highlight. This monument to love is a spectacular building with a tragically romantic story behind its construction. We’ll visit it at sunrise, and also from an unusual vantage point on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River where we take a walk through farm fields and homesteads with a local village guide.
Next we'll spend a night in rural Rajasthan, staying in a converted palace in a small village close to the town of Hinduan.
We'll also have the opportunity to explore the Rajasthan's capital of Jaipur, before heading to Ranthambore National Park where we'll have two included game drives, staying on the lookout for the elusive Bengal Tiger.
As we head further in to Rajasthan, next on the agenda is the holy lakside town of Pushkar, home to the worlds only Brahman Temple. We'll spend time in Jodhpur which is a classic Rajasthani town, with a large fort dominating a hill overlooking the town, but it is especially famous for its blue painted houses and streets. We'll then head to Udaipur, stopping along the way to see the beautiful white marble Jain temples at Ranakhpur.
The last city we'll visit, before returning to Delhi is a real gem, the lakeside city of Udaipur, one of Rajasthan's most attractive cities. Here, we'll visit its top attractions, such as the city palace, gardens and a boat trip on Lake Pichola. Our time in India comes to an end with a sleeper train journey back to Delhi.
The accommodations used on this tour have been carefully selected and include a home-stay style hotel whilst in Delhi, a modern property in Agra and heritage hotels in Jaipur, Hinduan, Ranthambore, Pushkar, Jodhpur & Udaipur.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
USD 2,380