Blackbucks prancing in the desert, the veiled smiles of village belles, the inscrutable lined face of a tribal chief; the vast expanses of wilderness; miles of golden sands, loping along on camel back – romance rides with you. This is where cities with splendid palaces and royal mansions evoke their princely past, where forts dominate the barren surrounds, where temples with exquisite carvings unexpectedly appear, where folk music emanating from the lute of a wandering bard haunts the darkening evenings.... this is Rajasthan, the Land of Kings. We present a two weeks' tour for the first time visitor, including the tree-lined boulevards of Delhi and the serene Taj Mahal on the banks of a river.
Day 01 - Flight
Fly to Delhi
Days 2 & 3 - Delhi
Arrive into Delhi, transfer to a well-run guest house for two nights (or stay at Haveli Dharampura, in the heart of the Old City); sightseeing of Delhi; optional visits to the Arts or Railways Museums; maybe take a "Food Walk" with one of our culinary experts.
Days 4 & 5 - Jaisalmer
Fly to Jaisalmer, stay at a heritage hotel overlooking the looming Fort; visit the sights including Kuldhara, the uninhabited ghost village, ride a camel on the sand dunes; option of a safari with camping in the desert - dine around a campfire to the accompaniment of local folk songs.
Days 6 & 7 - Jodhpur
Drive to Jodhpur, stay at a family run heritage hotel; see the Meherangarh Fort; walk in the old town and its bazaars.
Days 8 & 9 - Udaipur
Drive to Udaipur visiting Ranakpur en route; stay at a heritage hotel on the lake (or Fatehgarh/Lake Palace); visit the City Palace, see the Crystal Gallery; ride a boat on Lake Pichola; walk through the narrow bazaars; a cooking demonstration of Rajasthani cuisine can be arranged with a local family.
Day 10 - Village Stay
A short drive to a local village where you stay with the village-head for a day; spend time exploring the village to get a feel of rural Rajasthan.
Days 11 & 12 - Jaipur
Drive to Jaipur, stay at one of the well run havelis; visit the sights including Amber Fort; optional hike in the Aravalis or a visit to a batik-printing village where you can create your own batik print.
Days 13 & 14 - Agra
Drive to Agra visiting Fatehpur Sikri on the way (optional halt at Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary); stay at a family home for two days. Visit the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Baby Taj. Also visit Mehtab Bagh to see the sunset over the Taj Mahal from across the river.
Day 15 - Delhi
Return to Delhi for a short stay at an airport hotel.
The India Travel Company London Ltd
138, The Bramblings, Little Chalfont,
Amersham, HP6 6FP (LONDON- U.K.)
Tel: +44 20 7096 1211
Email: info@titclondon.co.uk
Registered in England Number - 08949864
VAT Registration Number - 222 1225 68
For Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice, refer to www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo