Your Delhi, Rajasthan and North India Specialist
Beauty of India Tours
ROYAL RAJASTHAN TOUR
“If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the
very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India!” - Romaine Rolland
Royal rajasthan by private car & driver
14 days | 13 nights | from $3,199 USD pax
TOUR OVERVIEW
Explore Rajasthan "The Land of the Rajputs" and experience the diversity of culture, climate and people during our most popular tour.
INTINERARY
Day 1 and 2 Delhi
Begin your tour through the Land of The Rajputs in Delhi with a 2 day/2 night city visit of the famous monuments. In the afternoon we’ll travel to our hotel in Mandawa approximately 4.5 hours west.
Check-in to your hotel and dinner at your leisure.
Day 3 Mandawa
Architecturally important for its wealth of Havelis, Mandawa lies in the Shekhawati region of North Rajasthan. Walk through the town and admire the beautiful frescoes decorating the walls and doorways of the mansions. The bazaar, many restaurants and beautiful Mandawa Fort (now The Castle Mandawa Heritage Hotel) make this pretty town perfect for travellers.
Dinner at your leisure.
Day 4 Bikaner
Our next stop is the desert town of Bikaner, lying amid the golden dunes of north-west Rajasthan. Less touristy than neighbouring Jaisalmer, this vibrant city is home to camel safaris, temples and the impressive Junagarh Fort. The fort, built by Raja Rai Singh in the 1590’s, is the centrepiece in this dust swept area. Later Maharajah’s added halls and private suites beautifully embellished with gold, sandalwood, ivory and murals. The stunning Anup Mahal has wonderful lacquered walls while the Cloud Palace is painted with blue cloud images – illuminated with red and gold lighting.
Dinner at our local restaurant.
Day 5 Jaisalmer
India’s exotic “Golden City” sits in the heart of the Thar Desert, close to the Pakistan border. Overlooked by the massive Jaisalmer Fort, the yellow sandstone city has been a hub of trade for Silk Route merchants since medieval times. Finely sculpted homes and intricately carved stone Jain temples make this World Heritage Site a must see for travellers.
Authentic Indian buffet dinner.
Day 6 Jodhpur
“The Blue City” is the second largest in the Indian state of Rajasthan and just as well known for the magnificent Meherangarh Fort as its lovely blue houses. Walk around the medieval old city and wander the pretty streets and bazaars – everything is for sale from incense to handicrafts. Nearby the Sardar Market is Ghanta Ghar – the old Clock Tower. Built a century ago, it still dominates the city centre. There are temples and palaces too. Jaswant Thada – the beautiful memorial to Maharajah Jaswant Singh II is a quiet place of respite after the busy city and perhaps one can catch a glimpse of royalty – Gaj Singh II still lives in part of the Umaid Bhawan Palace.
Dinner at your leisure.
Day 7 Ranakpur
Ranakpur, home of India’s biggest and most artistic Jain temple, sits in the Pali district among the green, wooded valleys of the Aravalli Hills. Constructed over 50 years in the 15th century, the white marble temple is exquisitely carved and exudes a sense of calm within the 29 halls. 1,444 individually engraved pillars set under a complex of 80 domes make this marvellous temple a must see when visiting Rajasthan.
Dinner at your leisure.
Day 8 Udaipur
Romantic Udaipur, with it’s interconnected lakes, has a wealth of lavish palaces and scenic views to enchant the visitor.
Once the capital of Mewar, the 15th century Rajput kingdom founded by Udai Singh II, The dazzling City Palace, overlooking Lake Pichola, contains 11 palaces and museums filled with fabulous art – including the stunning restored Peacock Courtyard. We’ll have a panoramic view of the Palace from our tour boat as we visit another royal mansion – the smaller, but elegant palace on Jagmandir Island.
Dinner and Rajasthani Folk Dancing evening following your day tour.
Day 9 Pushkar
Located in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan, the holy city of Pushkar is famous for its sacred lake with 52 ghats and over 400 temples-including one of the world’s few Brahma temples. Encircling the lake, a huge bazaar throbs with the sounds of intermingled Pujas, drums and chanting amid the incense filled stalls. In November, the Pushkar Camel Fair swells the population by 200,000 and the Hindu pilgrims, traders, tourists and mystics envelope the small town in epic celebration.
Dinner at our local restaurant.
Day 10 and 11 Jaipur
Day 10 and 11 we will be in Jaipur, “The Pink City”. The grand Amber Fort, built by Raja Man Singh in the 1600’s awaits our morning arrival. Nearby is the Tiger, or
Nahargarh Fort, standing on the edgeof the Aravalli Hills overlooking
sprawling Jaipur below.
Although smaller, the palace has wonderful views and impressive frescoes throughout.
We will visit Galtaji (The Monkey Temple) on our way to Jantar Mantar - a Unesco World Heritage Site. The site is a collection of stone, brass and masonry instruments that were used for astronomy and built following ancient Hindu Sanskrit texts. It also has the world's largest stone sundial. That will conclude our afternoon with free time back at our hotel. Dinner at our local restaurant.
Day 11 includes visits to the fabulous City Palace, Water Palace and Hawa Mahal – The Palace of the Winds. We’ll also have a chance for browsing the many shops and craftspeople en route or stopping at the Elephant Orphanage. Also on the way is the small town of Abhaneri, famous for the deepest step well in the world-Chand Baori at 100 feet deep.
Buffet dinner at your hotel.
Day 12 and 13 Agra
Leaving Jaipur in the morning, we will stop at Fatehpur Sikri, the city Akbar built in 1234 and abandoned 10 years later. In the afternoon we’ll arrive at our hotel in Agra.
In the early morning we'll watch the sunrise across the Jumana River illuminate the beautiful Taj Mahal. We'll take in the view from the Moon Garden or Mehtab Bagh at the riverfront. Then back to your hotel for breakfast before we see more of Agra.
We'll start with the lesser known, but still impressive, tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, called the “Baby Taj”. The buildings are smaller but wonderfully decorated with painted and raised plaster designs.
We return to Taj Mahal by midday - the stunning monument to Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s beloved wife. Designed and built over 22 years by Persian architect Ustad Isa, it stands forever as a testament to the heart-broken Shah’s undying love.
Tea stop and light lunch en route to our next famous monument - the Agra Fort. This was the summer palace of Shan Jahan and from the high terrace you can view the Taj Mahal in the distance. Built of intricately embellished red sandstone it provides a distinct contrast to the marble palaces within.
Day 14 Delhi
After breakfast we will finish our tour in Agra and head back to Delhi for early evening and a farewell Indian dinner.
Accommodation is available on request for this night in Delhi.
Please book any onward travel for the 15th day to avoid disappointment or delay.
