Rajasthan is a land of striking diversity where every day is a celebration and people enjoy life to the hilt.
Every
day here is a celebration and every celebration centers on the rituals
of prayer, seeking the benevolence of the gods, cleaning and decorating
houses, colorful clothing, music and dance. This trip is especially
designed to ensure you are at the right place at the right time to
enjoy some of the numerous fairs and festivals that are celebrated
here.
Where are you going?
Day 1: Arrive
Delhi and transfer to hotel. Morning sightseeing takes in the
highlights of New Delhi and in the afternoon visit the largest mosque
in Asia, Jama Masjid, the Red Fort and the Gandhi Memorial.
Day 2: Morning
drive to the open-air art gallery of Rajasthan: the Shekahawati region.
Visit the Havelis of Indian businessmen, richly decorated with high
quality frescoes.
Day 3: The fortified town of Bikaner, deep in the Thar Desert, has spectacular
city walls, an impressive fort, palace and an intriguing rat temple.
Once an important staging post on the great caravan routes, the bazaars
are still contained within impressive city walls.
Day 4: In Khimsar there is the opportunity to take a camel safari to Bishnoi village and enjoy the sunset on the sand dunes.
Day 5: Busy and chaotic, Jodhpur is home to the impressive Meherangarh Fort,
symbol of the glorious history of the Maharajas of Marwar Kingdom. You
also visit the nearby pure white marble cenotaph of the Maharajas of
Jodhpur and within the city’s winding streets there are some excellent
antique shops.
Day 6: Rawala Narlai, which was the hunting lodge of Maharaja. Take in the
spiritual energy from the fresh air descending down from the Shiva
Temple, deep in a primal cave.
Days 7 & 8: Rolling
hills, white marble palaces and lakes all combine to give Udaipur a
very special appeal, living up to its reputation as India's most
romantic city. It is a center for artisans and tribal jewelry with
miniature paintings a specialty. Take a boat to the famous Lake Palace,
stroll the city and relax at one of the many rooftop cafes.
Day 9: With
India's only Brahma temple and a holy lake, Pushkar is a major
destination for pilgrims and Saddhus from all over India. The
atmosphere is friendly and mellow, there is hardly any traffic and the
town is small enough to walk around. Spend time exploring the many
bazaars - some great shopping to be done here – and walk around the
lake with its ghats and temples
Days 10 & 11: Jaipur, the 'Pink City', is a fascinating place with bazaars filled
with jewelry, textiles and folk crafts. It is home to the famous Palace
of the Winds, India's most photographed building after the Taj Mahal.
Nearby, the palace complex of the old capital of Amber sits
majestically on a ridge.
Day 12: In Bhandarej we stay in the Bhadrawati Palace. A blend of Mughal and
Rajputana architecture, it has courtyards, arched windows,
traditionally painted verandahs and front lawns. The nearby Bhangarh
village with its temples and historical sites has a history, which
dates back to 11th century.
Day 13: En-route to Agra stop at the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary. Originally used
by the Maharajah of Bharatpur and his guests for duck shooting, it has
more than 400 species of local and migratory birds and is renowned as
one of the world's finest bird sanctuaries. Akbar's magnificent Red
Fort dominates central Agra. After exploring it, visit Itmad-ud-daula
or also known as Baby Taj on the other side of river Yamuna.
Day 14: The
Taj Mahal is a spectacular monument; built by Emperor Shahjahan in pure
white marble in memory of his beloved Mumtaz. Afternoon return to Delhi
and transfer to the airport.
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