DELHI-MANDAWA-GAJNER-JAISALMER-JODHPUR-LUNI-UDAIPUR-DEOGARH-KHAJRELA-PUSHKAR-
JAIPUR-AGRA-DELHI
Day
01 : Abroad / Delhi
Arrive
late night at New Delhi International airport. On
arrival the guest will be met by our representative
and transferred to hotel. Upon arrival at hotel
the guests will be provided with the traditional
Indian welcome. Consisting of aarti-tikka
and garlands.
Overnight at hotel.
Day
02 : Delhi
Morning
sightseeing tour of Old Delhi. This morning you
will be taken to visit Old Delhi - Former centre
of Moghul Power, Old Delhi offers ancient monuments,
narrow streets and bustling bazaars. Visit the vast
Red Fort, built in 1648, the Jama
Masjid, the greatest mosque in India and
completed in 1658 by Shah Jahan who also built the
Taj Mahal, and the Raj Ghat, the
simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
Afternoon
sightseeing tour of New Delhi.
New
Delhi
- drive past the stately government buildings of
the British Era designed by Lutyens, including the
India Gate & the Presidential
Palace. Continue onto the beautiful Humayuns
Tomb of the Mughal era & predecessor
of the world famous Taj Mahal. End the tour at the
towering minaret of Qutab Minar.
Overnight at hotel.
Day
03 : Delhi - Mandawa
After
breakfast drive to Mandawa.
Upon arrival
check in at Hotel Castle Mandawa. Late afternoon
visit the Shekhawati region. Walk through the Shekhawati
region, which was the stronghold of Kayamkhani Nawabs
till 1730. Besides the cenotaphs, wells, forts and
temples the majority of frescoes are painted on
the walls and gateways of Havelis. The havelis are
mansion of a unique residential architectural style
that evolved around courtyards to serve the purpose
of family security, privacy for the women as also
protecting the inhabitants from the long, harsh
summers. The enormous Havelis with fascinating murals
built by the wealthy Rajasthani merchants ("Marwaris")
in the 19th century.
Overnight at Castle.
Day
04 : Mandawa - Bikaner - Gajner
After
breakfast drive to Bikaner.
Upon arrival
in Bikaner lunch at one of the hotels followed by
city tour.
City sightseeing tour of Bikaner, this desert town
in the north of the state was founded in 1488 by
Roa Bikaji, a descendant of the founder of Jodhpur,
Jodhaji. Visit the Junagarh Fort constructed
between 1588 and 1593 by Raja Jai Singh, a general
in the Moghul Emperor Akbar's army.
After sightseeing
drive to Gajner Palace.
Upon arrival
check in at Gajner Palace.
Overnight at Gajner Palace.
Day
05 : Gajner - Jaisalmer
In
the morning enjoy the surrounding of Ganjer Palace.
After
breakfast, drive to Jaisalmer.
Upon arrival
check-in at hotel.
Jaisalmer
- is India's most exotic and unusual town - a medieval
looking place, straight out of the 'Tales of the
Arabian Nights'. This beautiful city is situated
inside a huge mud fort and grew as a result of its
strategic position on the trading route between
India and Central Asia bringing great wealth to
the city. Jaisalmer is a tiny jewel in the heart
of the Thar Desert - once the capital of the Bhatti
Rajputs. Jaisalmer started as an important caravan
center and remnants of caravan sarais still exist.
Late in the
evening visit the Sam dunes where you will witness
sunset while enjoying the camel ride. Overnight
at hotel.
Day
06 : Jaisalmer
After
breakfast, visit this perfect Rajput walled desert
city which is like a golden jewel shimmering above
the hard sand. Visit the palaces, the Jain temples
and magnificent Havelis or merchant's houses, each
richly decorated and carved from golden yellow sandstone
- Patwon-ki-haveli (House of the
Brocade Merchants) is the largest and most elaborate
of the famous havelis of Jaisalmer. The
Nathmalji-ki-haveli (The Mansion of Nathmalji),
the last of the great havelis was built in the late
19th century. End the morning with a visit to Gadisar
Lake - the large natural oasis that attracted
Rawal Jaisal to this site.
sAfternoon, visit the Royal Cenotaphs of
the Rawals in Barra bagh where the rural
were cremated. This is also the best place from
which to watch the spectacular desert sunset, and
photograph the fort. Overnight at hotel.
Day
07 : Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Luni
After
early breakfast, drive to Luni enroute visiting
Jodhpur city.
City
tour of Jodhpur - the largest city in Rajasthan
after Jaipur, Jodhpur stands at the edge of the
Thar Desert. It was founded by Rao Jodha. Chief
of the Rajput clan known as Rathores and the Rathore
kingdom was once known as Marwar - the Land of Death.
The tour includes Meherangarh Fort - one of the
most impressive & formidable in the whole of
fort-studded Rajasthan is situated on a high natural
rock bluff and from which you can look down on the
wonderful panorama of the bustling city below, Jaswant
Thada - the Royal Cenotaphs. Continue drive to Luni.
Day
08 : Luni - Udaipur
Early
morning visit the surrounding villages and witness
their daily lifestyle of living and enjoy cup of
tea / coffee with them.
Breakfast at hotel.
Later drive
to Udaipur.
Upon arrival
in Udaipur, check-in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day
09 : Udaipur
Morning,
city tour of Udaipur - the romantic Lake City in
Southern Rajasthan, famous for the stunning white
marble Palace built on an island in the Lake Pichola.
It was the former Palace of the Maharana and now
converted to one of the most glamorous hotels in
India. The tour will cover the magnificent City
Palace, the Jagdish temple,
the pleasure gardens and a drive around the other
nearby lakes.
The
magnificent City Palace, which
is simply enormous - an assemblance of not one but
four separate palaces covering some four acres of
area and exceeding all other palaces for colossal
grandeur. Here you will marvel at rooms with mirrored
walls and ivory doors, colored glass windows and
inlaid marble balconies; and the Peacock Courtyard.
Late
afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Pichola
at sunset visiting the Jagmandir Island
- in the middle of the Romantic Lake Pichola. It
commands a magnificent view of the City Palace,
Lake Palace and Sajjangarh Fort, on its own island,
and it is where Prince Khurram was given refuge
in the 17th century.
Overnight at hotel
Day
10 : Udaipur - Deogarh
After
breakfast drive to Deoagrh enroute visiting Ranakpur
Temples.
Ranakpur
temples :
A visit to the famous Jain Temple, dating back to
the 15th century. 200 pillars, none of which are
alike, support its 29 halls. The Temple abounds
with intricate friezes and sculptures. The tour
also includes visits to two more Jain temples and
the Temple of the Sun God with its erotic sculptures.
Lunch at Maharani Bagh.
Upon
arrival in Deogarh, check-in at hotel.
Deogarh Mahal - built in 1670 A.D.,
the Mahal stands at a height of 2100 ft. above sea
level with its bold battlements, domed turrets and
balconies offering a commanding view of the surrounding
Aravalli mountains and its rugged rock-strewn countryside
dotted by a number of lakes. Overnight at hotel.
Day
11 : Deogarh - Khajrela
After
breakfast drive to Khajrela.
Upon arrival
check in at hotel.
Khajrela
seems to rise out of the Narwar plains like a sentinel.
A sturdy fort, it is quite simple and uses very
little ornamentation to break the almost forbidding
exterior. The interiors too are simple and neat
where the guests can look forward to genuine Rajput
hospitality. In the surrounding area has several
interesting temples, cenotaphs and stepwells and
for the more adventurous - camels are available
to explore the countryside and visit Raika and Bisnoi
villages.
Overnight at hotel.
Day
12 : Khajrela - Pushkar
After
breakfast drive to Pushkar enroute visiting the
Dargah at Ajmer.
Ajmer,
is the most sacred of all Muslim places of pilgrimage
in India. Ajmer is a green oasis on the shore of
Ana Sagar Lake, hemmed in by barren hills. Historically,
Ajmer has always had great strategic importance.
It was founded in 7th century by Ajaipal Chauhan.
He named it Ajaimeru the 'invincible hill'. The
city's Muslim history began when Prithviraj Chau-han
lost Ajmer to Sultan Muhammad Ghori in 1193 A.D.
The Persian saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti who came
with Muhammad Ghori from Persia in 1192 settled
here. Thus the place where he was buried is today
known as the Dargah Sharif. Construction of the
shrine was completed by Humayun and the gates were
added by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Later Shah Jahan
constructed a mosque of white marble, it has 11
arches and a Persian inscription running the full
length of the building.
Later check
in at hotel in Pushkar.
Pushkar
is a mellow, serene and bewitching little town which
attracts those in search of some respite from the
tumult of India. Pushkar is right on the edge of
the desert and is only 11 kms from Ajmer but separated
from it by Nag Pahar, the snake mountain
This
traveler-friendly town clings to the side of the
small Pushkar Lake with its many bathing ghats and
temples. For Hindus, Puhskar is a very important
pilgrimage centre and you'll see plenty of Sadhus
(individuals on a spiritual search).
Pushkar
boasts temples, though few are as ancient as you
might expect at such an important pilgrimage site,
since many were deserted by Aurangzeb and subsequently
rebuilt. The most famous is the Brahma Temple,
said to be one of the few temples in the world dedicated
to this deity. It's marked by red spire, and over
the entrance gateway is the hans, or goose symbol,
of Brahma, who is said to have personally chosen
Pushkar as its site.
Overnight at hotel.
Day
13 : Pushkar - Jaipur
After
breakfast drive to Jaipur.
Afternoon
tour of "Pink City" - Surrounded on three
sides by the rugged Aravali hills, Jaipur is the
picturesque capital of Rajasthan. It takes its name
from the prince, soldier and astronomer Jai Singh
II who moved his capital here in 1727. Jaipur is
notable for its distinctive pink-orange coloring.
The whole of the old city, including many fine palaces
and buildings, was constructed from solid blocks
of Sandstone or faced with the same stone. But it
was only in 1853 that it gained its famous title,
the "Pink City"- it was painted pink for
the first time in honour of a visit from Prince
Albert. You will visit the Hawa Mahal and the open
air Jantar Mantar Observatory enjoy a through the
colorful bazaar before returning to your hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day
14 : Jaipur
After
breakfast tour of Amber Fort.
Tour
of the impressive Amber Fort, situated
on a ridge just outside Jaipur City. At the foot
of the hill you will mount your caparisoned elephant
for the slow but steady climb up to the main gate,
making your entrance in the time honoured fashion.
The Fort, completed in the early 18th century, took
over 100 years to build and now, although deserted,
offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle
of the Moghul ruling families.
Afternoon,
enjoy a cycle rickshaw ride through the bustling
bazaars. Jaipur is renowned for textile block printing,
blue pottery, carpet weaving, semi-precious stones
and local crafts which still thrive from the day
of Maharaja Jai Singh's patronage when he designed
special areas in the city for the 'bandhanas', the
'cheepas' and the 'meenakari' workers.
Overnight at hotel.
Day
15 : Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra
After
breakfast drive to Agra enroute visiting Fatehpur
Sikri
Fatehpur
Sikri - the impressive sandstone fortress
was built in the 16th century and only occupied
for a few years before being abandoned, leaving
the buildings in virtually perfect conditions.
Continue
drive to Agra
Upon
arrival in Agra - check-in at the hotel.
Thereafter,
visit the Taj Mahal, the guests
will board the 'decorated tongas' (horse carriage)
which will take them to Taj Mahal……
Little needs to be said about this architectural
wonder which is always the soul raison-de-etre for
every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by Shah Jahan,
the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful
wife Mumtaz Mahal.
This
monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed
and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart
from it's stunning design balance and perfect symmetry,
the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant
domes, intricately carved screens and some of the
best inlay work ever seen.
The
guests will remain till late afternoon to witness
the pristine Taj Mahal at sunset, to see this true
Wonder of the world in gentle late afternoon light.
Overnight at hotel
Day
16 : Agra - Delhi
Breakfast
at hotel. Thereafter, visit the Red Fort.
Red
Fort- lies on the bend of the river Yamuna,
almost in the heart of the town. Akbar built it
as his citadel over the years 1563-73 in the finest
architectural style. It has imposing gates and walls
of red sandstone and a moat.
Afternoon,
drive to Delhi.
Upon arrival
the guests will be assisted and transferred to airport
for flight back home.
Day
17 : Delhi - Abroad
Depart
Delhi