Rajasthan or the “land of kings”…
Welcome to Rajasthan , the land of the sumptuous palaces of maharajas, impregnable citadels with golden stones patinated by time and colorful Rajasthani folklore … Welcome to these places steeped in history that you will discover during our visits with emblematic sites like Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shekawati region and many more! It is surely the most famous region of India thanks to its beautiful photos displayed in all the catalogs of the world. It is also the favorite destination of of the tourists… In this circuit.
“GRAND TOUR of RAJASTHAN”: guided tour of 16 days / 15 nights
India Mausoleum in pink sandstone
India Sandstone mausoleum with 4 minarets
Taj Mahal and its water basin on the front
India Taj Mahal white marble mausoleum
Rajasthan Citadel ocher in the hours of a mountain
Palace on a lake after dark
India bell tower with domes
India Rajsthan city of Pushkar reflected in a lake
India white turret sir sunset with man sitting
Rajasthan citadel reflecting in a lake
Chittogarh citadel on a basin on top of a hill
Rajasthan aerial view of a citadel on a hill
Rajasthan Udaipur lake with white hotel in the middle
Udaipur seen from the top of the palace on the lake
Rajasthan palace of Udaipur at sunset
Rajasthan cupola chiseled in white marble
Rajasthan district of blue houses in Jodhpur
Jodhpur View from the bottom of the citadel
India Rajasthan young woman in sari posing under a carved door
India Jaisalmer inhabited stronghold
Rajasthan domes in ocher stones at the edge of a lake
Jaisalmer promontory on a lake with flight of birds
India patio of a palace in red sandstone
India sunset behind a dome
India house painted with figures
Day 1
Arrival in New Delhi
Reception at the airport and installation at the hotel. We recommend an arrival at the airport between 6 am and 2 pm. Depending on your time of arrival in Indian territory, we may visit the site of Humayun’s Tomb . This famous mausoleum dating from the 16th century is sublime in its green setting. The legend says that he would have inspired the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for the construction of the Taj Mahal and it is true that the two buildings are very similar… The second site that we may have time to discover is the religious complex Sikh: Gurudwara Sis Ganj Huge temple where we will stroll among the Indians practicing this religion before going through the kitchen building. There, about 30,000 peopleevery day (yes you read that right! ), come for free for lunch with a dish of rice in sauce and a chapati. Everyone can lend a hand in the preparation of meals (which allows you to donate yourself or money), to make chapatis on the line or to turn a gigantic wooden spoon, in pots as big as your kitchen! After this first glimpse of New Delhi, return to the hotel for dinner.
Day 2
New Delhi – Agra, city of the Taj Mahal (4 hour drive)
After a good night to recover from your flight and the first visits of the day before, we leave in the morning for Agra, south of New Delhi . Arriving in Agra, Installation at the hotel. We then leave to visit the magnificent site of Sikandra where we will come across monkeys, deer and peacocks roaming free . At the end of the day, we will head towards the gardens of Mehtab Bargh where we will finally see the Taj Mahal, nestled in a loop of the Yamuna River. From my point of view, it is from this garden that we have the most beautiful view of the site and allows us to take the most beautiful photos. With a bit of luck, a ray of the setting sun will perhaps fall on the white marble domes
Day 3
Agra – Abhaneri – Jaipur (5h00 drive in total)
This morning we are going to visit the Taj Mahal … After passing under the majestic red sandstone port, the mausoleum is offered to us! Souvenir photos (yes, we were there!) and we begin to approach… We will have to put on our overshoes (given at the entrance) to go up on the terrace and thus not dirty the white marble. We will admire the floral motifs on the walls set with semi-precious stones: lapis lazuli, black marble, onyx, agates, quartz . On the way, discovery of two identical buildings on each side of the mausoleum, one being the mosque of the Tal Mahal and the other only serving to “balance” the view for the most beautiful effect… Lunch in town then visit the ‘Afternoon of the Red Fort (The Red Fort) dating from 1565 and serving asresidence to the Mughal Emperors . A row of palaces and gardens maintained to the line. It is in a part of this fort, that Shah Jahan (builder of the Taj Mahal) was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. During his last 8 years of life, he tried to see in the mists, the distant tomb of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal
Then depart for the city of Jaipur. Arrival in the evening, installation and dinner at the hotel.
Day 4
Jaipur
We will start the visits with the sublime fortress of Ambert Fort a few kilometers north of the city for an immersion and not the least, in the world of maharajas and ancient Rajput warriors. The citadel is a real labyrinth of rooms and corridors that will take us from the top of the ramparts with a sublime view of the surroundings, to the private spaces of the maharajas where beauty, luxury, calm and voluptuousness will be offered to our gaze. After lunch, we will continue with a visit to the “City Palace”, the royal palace where the royal family of Jaipur still resides. We will discover the beautiful ” peacock gates ” and several rooms that will tell us about the life of the last maharajas of Jaipur:room of weapons, palanquins, costumes and numerous family paintings . We will end our day in front of the famous “palace of winds”
Day 5
Jaipur – Pushkar (3h00 drive)
Departure for the religious Pushkar, a small holy town located on the edge of a sacred lake. Pushkar is also well known in India for an annual camel fair (special quote for this period). No “exceptional monument” to visit in Pushkar but an “atmosphere” that will not leave you indifferent and that you will remember for a long time … Between “still cool babas” and mysticism, between greedy cows and families of mischievous monkeys, we will stroll around the lake for a welcome Zen break. After having taken “full eyesight”, we will share an exceptional moment in the setting sun in the middle of religious songs, at the edges of the sacred ghats.
Day 6
Pushkar – Bundi (3 hour drive)
Early departure to reach the magnificent citadel of Bundi , one of my favorites in Rajasthan and often forgotten in classic tourist circuits. After tasting one of the best thali in India for lunch, we set off to attack the Garh Palace. Besides the beauty of this old citadel worn by time, the places contain national treasures: very old murals of great beauty in magnificent shades of blue. One last look from the belvedere and we’ll head back down to the lake to circle it. Beautiful pictures guaranteed of the citadel reflecting in the water of the lake. This little tour will take us through the streets of Bundi, in the middle of Indian life and we will take the opportunity to go to the “ Ranji-ki-Baori ” old well with stairs dating from the 17th century
Day 7
Bundi – Chittorgarh (3 hour drive)
We leave Bundi to head towards white Udaipur… Halfway, we stop at the citadel of Chittorgarh , a true architectural marvel of the 15th century perched on a cliff . We settle down and have lunch in our haveli and it is accompanied by a French-speaking guide that we will discover the site of Chittorgarh and its incredible history
Day 8
Chittorgarh – Udaipur (2h15 drive)
Installation at our hotel upon our arrival in Udaipur. After lunch we go to visit the immense and majestic “City Palace ” in which the royal family still lives. Our steps will then direct us to the pier to take a boat. A very nice little strolls on Lake Pichola around the famous Lake Palace hotel dear to James Bond. We will stop on the island of Jag Mandir and return to land to end our day in front of a magnificent sunset which will ignite the high walls of the royal palace with pink. If we have enough time and for those who wish, we can then attend the “Bagore Ki Haveli Museum” at a performance of Rajasthani dances (surcharge). Finally, we will dine on a terrace perched at the top of a hotel where we will have an incredible view of the lake and the lights of the city.. .
Day 9
Udaipur – Ranakpur – Jodhpur (5h00 drive)
This morning we leave for Jodhpur stopping in one of the most extraordinary temples in India: The Adinath Temple of Ranakpur . The followers of the Jain religion built this temple from 1496 over fifty years. The temple from the outside does not leave an extraordinary memory but as soon as you cross the threshold, emotion seizes you in front of the beauty of the architecture … Imagine a building that could be compared to a basilica, with gigantic domes and 1 444 white marble columns chiselled with a delicacy worthy of a lacemaker… The whole thing is incredibly light and the most moving thing is to think of the bare-handed builders of this gigantic building… Beauty, silence, different shades of white and blue (in the sun the marble turns blue) and the serenity of the place… How hard it is to leave! However, after a somewhat late lunch, we will take the road again to arrive at the end of the day in Jodhpur
Day 10
Jodhpur – Jodhpur – Jaisalmer (4h30 drive)
Before the sun is too strong, we will walk up to the gigantic fortress of Jodhpur. To do this, we will take the long street going west, which will take us through a district teeming with life between small shops, barbers and pastry chefs to plunge into the heart of Indian life. Then we will discover little by little the famous fortress of Mehrangarh which will impose itself on us, immense and majestic vessel of red sandstone. Visit of the places to immerse us in the time of the Maharaja and his faithful Rajput warriors . Beautiful photos in perspective because we will then overhang theblue city and the Clock Tower .
Departure to Jaisalmer the golden and its sublime ocher colors. We arrived at the gates of the Thar Desert in the far west of India, about a hundred kilometers from Pakistan. Installation and lunch at the hotel, then discovery of the alleys of the fortress . French-speaking Indians often compare it to “Carcassonne” because it is the only one in India that still includes houses and inhabitants. The first stone was laid in 1156 but the wall dates from the 15th century. Visit of the Rajmahal Palace , the former royal palace of 7 floors with a finely chiseled facade as is customary in Jaisalmer. Along the alleys we will admire the pretty ocher facades ofhavelis and visit the small Jain temples that will remind us of Ranakpur. At sunset, we will go to the “View Point” to admire the ramparts in the fading light
Day 11
JAISALMER – THE THAR
Camel safari in the thar desert Morning sunrise, you take the jeep to reach the village of Khuri where camel drivers and dromedaries await you. Passing by the necropolis of Barabagh, the Jain temple Amar Sagar and the ruins of the village of Kuldhara, abandoned to the wind, you are definitely charmed by this region. You have lunch in the small village and share a moment with its inhabitants of the desert. Then, savor the serenity of the desert, on the back of a camel, in the sand dunes. After a magnificent sunset out of time, you experience the night in a bivouac or in a tent in the heart of the desert which gives you new sensations. An unforgettable day!
Day 12
Jaisalmer – Bikaner (5h30 drive)
Departure after our breakfast for our next stop: Bikaner . Lunch en route. As soon as we arrive, visit the majestic Junagarh Fort , our last fortress in Rajasthan. Visit of the various rooms and royal apartments, one of which was reserved for fakirs… Also, magnificent murals and old photos where on one of them we will discover our dear Clémenceau visiting his friend the Maharaja for a hunt to the tiger! To finish the visit, we will go up to the small blue flag which will offer us a superb view of the whole city… Installation at the hotel, and if the weather conditions allow it, a “surprise” evening where stars will be discussed, dances and music…
Day 13
Bikaner – the Shekhawati region and the village of Nawalgarh (4h00 drive)
Early departure for Shekhawati and arrival at Nawalgarh . Installation in our ecolodge where we will have lunch of products grown on site. In the afternoon, we will leave to visit, accompanied by a local guide, the famous houses of former merchants who made their fortunes over the centuries, thanks to the passage of caravans between China and the West. The particularity of the houses of Shekhawati is their walls painted with magnificent frescoes which tell the history of the places and their evolution until our days
Day 14
Nawalgarh – New Delhi (5h30 drive)
Depart for the capital New Delhi with a stop en route for lunch. On our arrival and if we still have a little time and energy, visit one last site of the city before sunset
Day 15: New Delhi
Transfer day to the international airport for your return flight…
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