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Through the rain drenched forests
of the south, choose to float down a river, drive through in a jeep
or ride atop an Elephant, to capture the most exotic wildlife on
film.
Through the rain drenched forests
of the south, choose to float down a river, drive through in a jeep
or ride atop an Elephant, to capture
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Travel to India
Duration: 18 Nights / 19 Days
Destinations: Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Alsisar - Bikaner - Jaisalmer
- Jodhpur - Ranakpur - Udaipur - Delhi
Day 1: Delhi
Welcome to India and the start of your holiday! Arrive Delhi airport, transfer to hotel. Overnight - Delhi.
Day 2: Delhi
Breakfast. This morning, our Welcome Meeting takes place. Then we will enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Delhi, taking in the impressive Red Fort, Jama Masjid India’s oldest and largest mosque, Raj Ghat site of Gandhi’s cremation and more.
Tonight, we enjoy a Namaste Dinner at a restaurant specialising in classic Indian cuisine. Namaste Dinner & overnight - Delhi.
Day 3: Agra
Delhi - Agra - breakfast. Today, we journey to Agra, once capital of India under the Mughals. We take an exotic horsecart or rickshaw ride to the legendary Taj Mahal. Built entirely of white marble it has no peers. We visit Agra Fort, which has some of the finest Mughal buildings in India behind it’s walls. We also visit a marble craftshop. Overnight - Agra.
Day 4: Jaipur
Agra - Jaipur - breakfast. En route to Jaipur we visit the stunning former Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri - Emperor Akbar’s vision in red sandstone. We also enjoy lunch at Chandra Mahal Haveli in Peharsar. In Jaipur, we visit a cotton trading/tailor shop where you can get clothing tailored for delivery to your hotel before we leave Jaipur! Lunch and overnight - Jaipur.
Day 5: Jaipur
Breakfast. This morning, we travel beyond Jaipur to the 16th century Amber Fort. An exotic elephant ride* transports us to the lofty fort, where we’ll enjoy a tour of this Rajput extravaganza. Later in the afternoon we tour the City Palace, which boasts an interesting museum of regal attire and Jantar Mantar, an ancient astronomical observatory. Overnight - Jaipur.
Day 6 : Alsisar
Jaipur - Alsisar (Shekhawati region) - breakfast. Today, we drive to the semi-desert Shekhawati region. The small towns in this region became important trading posts, a lasting legacy of which are the beautiful painted havelis (mansions) constructed by wealthy merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries. Afternoon village walk. Dinner and overnight - Alsisar.
Day 7: Bikaner
Alsisar (Shekhawati region) – Bikaner - breakfast. Travelling west, our next stop is the 14th century desert town of Bikaner.
Once an important staging post on the great caravan routes, much of the atmospheric old town which we will explore is still encircled by massive fortified walls. Within these walls are havelis, artisan shops and people going about their daily lives. We also visit the spectacular Junagarh Fort & museum, built between 1587 & 1593 during the rule of Rai Singh. Overnight - Bikaner.
Days 8 & 9: Jaisalmer
Bikaner - Jaisalmer – breakfast. Driving through the Rajasthani Thar desert we arrive at the medieval caravan outpost of Jaisalmer, one of the jewels in India’s crown. Exquisite wood and sandstone buildings dot the town and within Jaisalmer Fort are homes, hotels and shops hidden in ancient lane ways. During our stay in this stunning Rajasthani fortress town we’ll enjoy some touring plus a desert camel safari on the rolling Sam sand dunes. Overnight (2) – Jaisalmer.
Day 10: Jodhpur
Jaisalmer - Jodhpur – breakfast. An interesting drive through increasingly varied scenery takes us to Jodhpur, a town at the edge of the mighty Thar Desert. Dominated by Meherangarh Fort which sits majestically atop a hill, Jodhpur is known as the Blue City. This is because of the coloured houses in the old town, painted indigo. We’ll enjoy some touring in this colourful Rajasthani city, taking in the mighty fort and bazaars of the old city which are gathered around the city’s tall clock tower. Overnight – Jodhpur.
Day 11: Ranakpur
Jodhpur - Ranakpur - breakfast. Leaving Jodhpur, we drive to Ranakpur, a small town tucked away in a remote valley and famed for its beautiful 14th century Jain temples. We’ll enjoy some exploration here and time to relax at our hotel. Overnight - Ranakpur.
Days 12 & 13: Udaipur
Ranakpur - Udaipur – breakfast. Continuing south, we arrive at Udaipur. An oasis of cool, with its massive lake and Venetian-like appearance, Udaipur is one of the most romantic towns in Rajasthan. A favourite amongst travellers, Udaipur is crammed full of palaces and temples. During our stay we’ll enjoy a cruise on Lake Pichola, plus touring of the imposing City Palace, not to mention free time to explore and perhaps shop for colourful Rajasthani souvenirs and Indian spices. Overnight (2) – Udaipur.
Day 14: Delhi
Udaipur – Delhi - breakfast. Departure transfer to the airport to board a morning flight to Delhi. Option to travel onward to Mumbai, see adjacent note box. The afternoon is free for you to relax at the hotel or to head out and further explore Delhi. Overnight - Delhi.
Day 15: Delhi
Breakfast. Saying goodbye to our new found friends, our tour ends, hotel check-out and included onward transfer to airport.
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