ITINERARY India - 15 Day Colourful Rajasthan Tour Day 1: Arrival in Delhi Your journey begins in Delhi, one of the world s great cities - with a colourful mix of history, culture and modernisation, Delhi is a fantastic place to discover. On arrival in Delhi you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for check in. If your arrival is during the day, your guide will hand over all your documents including hotel vouchers, flight and train tickets, discuss the whole tour with you, answer any questions you may have and arrange the meeting time for the next day. If your arrival is late we give you a chance to rest first and go through the handover the next day followed by your first sightseeing tour. Overnight in Delhi: Hotel Pluto's or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); The Oberoi Maidens/Hotel Met/ Sheraton or similar (Deluxe) Meals included: Dinner Day 2: Discover Delhi - the heart of India A special opportunity to soak in the sounds and aromas of Delhi and discover why it is known as the heart of India. In the morning you will be met at the hotel by your professional English speaking guide, then driven to Old Delhi where you can explore the heritage and narrow lanes of Old Delhi. Following a rickshaw ride your guide will take you to one of the largest spice markets in India where you can learn about a variety of spices. Later enjoy a visit to Sikh Gurdwara, Jama Masjid - one of the largest mosques in India and iconic of Delhi, Raj Ghat - Mahatma Gandhi's monument and the Lotus Temple. Your driver and guide will take you to India Gate, the President's House and Lutyen's buildings and you will also have the opportunity to shop at some local markets and soak in the sounds and surrounds of Delhi. Overnight in Delhi: Hotel Pluto's or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); The Oberoi Maidens/Hotel Met/ Sheraton or similar (Deluxe) Meals included: Breakfast and lunch or dinner 1 of 6
Day 3: Travel to Pushkar and Chandelao Garh Early morning your driver will collect you from your hotel and take you to the train station for your Express train ride to Ajmer. (Shatabdi Express, Air Conditioned Chair Car. The train departs at 06:05am and arrive in Ajmer at 12:45pm). Enjoy lunch at a nice restaurant and experience a short cooking demonstration. Later enjoy a sightseeing tour of Pushkar, see the famous Brahma Temple and Pushkar Lake and continue on to Chandelao Garh. Overnight in Chandelao Garh: Hotel Chandelao Garh - Deluxe room (Standard and Deluxe) Meals included: Breakfast and lunch Day 4: Enjoy Chandelao Garh - a traditional Rajasthani village Enjoy your stay at this lovely boutique heritage hotel and the tranquility of traditional Rajasthani village life. The converted hotel is the ancestral home of the local landlords. Enjoy a village walk where you will observe and experience rural India and see the day to day life in a Rajasthani village. Try your hand at pottery and also visit a local craft centre. There are many other activities such as a cooking demonstration with the family, a Jeep safari to enjoy bird watching or camel rides which can be arranged upon request and at your own expense. Overnight in Chanelao Garh: Hotel Chandelao Garh - Deluxe room (Standard and Deluxe) Day 5: The blue and sunny city of Jodhpur After breakfast you will be collected for the drive to Jodhpur (around 45 minutes). Jodhpur is known as the Blue city - you'll see why when you get here! Visit the majestic Mehrangarh Fort and the beautiful Jaswant Thada. Enjoy an early lunch before your drive to Jaisalmer (around 5 hours drive). The remote desert location of Jaisalmer meant it remained almost untouched for many years. The mix of harsh climate and beautiful culture are a memorable experience. Overnight in Jaisalmer: Golden Haveli or similar - Standard room (Standard); Golden Tuilp - Standard room (Deluxe) Meals included: Breakfast and lunch 2 of 6
Day 6: Explore the Golden city of Jaisalmer Today is a day for exploring and experiencing the wonders of Jaisalmer. Visit the Jaisalmer Fort, one of the largest forts in the world and a spectacular sight emerging from the golden sands. Visit one of the most elaborate Havelis - Patwon ki Haveli followed by the beautifully carved temples Jain Temples. In the evening enjoy a sunset camel ride on the Sam Sand dunes followed by dinner with local folk music and dance under the stars. Overnight in Jaisalmer: Golden Haveli or similar - Standard room (Standard); Golden Tuilp - Standard room (Deluxe) Day 7: Travel to Sardar Samand After a leisurely breakfast you driver will collect your for the drive to Sadar Samand. The drive takes around 6 hours. Along the way visit Bishnoi Village. The Bishnoi people are known for their love of animal and plant life and protecting all forms of life is part of their religion. Overnight in Sadar Samand: Sadar Samand Lake Palace - Deluxe room (Standard & Deluxe) Day 8: The temples of Ranakpur and Udaipur Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before your drive to Udaipur. En- route visit the intricate Jain Temples of Ranakpur - some of the most important temples in India. In the remote and peaceful valley of the Aravalli mountain ranges, the main temple is Chaumukha temple. A beautifully crafted marble temple, it is supported by 1,444 pillars of which no two are the same. Within the temples complex there are two other temples - Neminath and Parasvanath. Overnight in Udaipur: Atulya Niwas or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); Hotel Mewargarh or similar - Deluxe room (Deluxe) 3 of 6
Day 9: The enchanting city of Udaipur Udiapur has been labelled 'the most romantic spot on the continent of India'. A sightseeing tour will take you to the City Palace with its various internal palaces such as the Sheesh Mahal, Moti Mahal and the Palace of Krishna. Saheliyon Ki Bari, the Garden of Maids of Honour is a delightful garden with lotus pools, fountains, black marble kiosks and colourful bougainvilleas. Also visit the famous Jagdish Temple. Spend the rest of the day at leisure exploring the wonderful city with it's palaces, temples and colourful streets located on the shore of Lake Pichola - a delight to explore. Overnight in Udaipur: Atulya Niwas or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); Hotel Mewargarh or similar - Deluxe room (Deluxe) Day 10: Travel to Chittorgarh Today you will drive to Chittorgarh (2-3 hours drive). Once the capital of Mewar, it has a rich history and was once sought after by many rulers including the Mughal dynasties of which the most famed one was Allauddin Khilji. Khilji waged wars on this city hoping to win the love of Rani Padmini. To avoid being abducted and dishonoured, she along- with other ladies committed Jauhar (act of self- immolation). Chittorgarh holds a very special place in the hearts of Rajputs, as it was a bastion of the clan at a time when every other stronghold had succumbed to invasion. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the pride of the Rajasthan State, the Chittorgarh Fort. Overnight in Chittorgarh: Lake Nahargarh Palace or Castle Bjaipur - Deluxe Room (Standard and Deluxe) Day 11: Travel to Jaipur, the colourful capital of Rajasthan After breakfast, you will be collected for your drive to Jaipur (around 5 hours drive). This bustling and fascinating city has some of the finest examples of Rajasthani architecture and whilst it is a growing city with a modern outlook, camels can be found wandering the streets and rickshaws blend in with the traffic. You will be driven to your hotel on arrival and you can spend the rest of the day at leisure. In the evening visit a lovely but simple cafe located in Naharagarh Palace, perched on top of a hill, it offers a superb bird s eye view of the city. Enjoy watching the sun going down over the city. 4 of 6
Overnight in Jaipur: Hotel Park Regis or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); Shahpura House or Four Points Sheraton - Deluxe room (Deluxe) Day 12: Explore Amber Fort, Sheesh Mahal and more After breakfast you will be met and taken to the ancient palace of Amber Fort*. The fort, which is exquisite in many ways size, scale, craftsmanship, history sits on a hilltop overlooking the lake with stunning views. One of the most spectacular buildings contained in the fort is the Sheesh Mahal (Hall of Mirrors), with its walls completely covered by tiny mirrors. It has been designed so that even if a single ray of light is to enter the hall, this light is reflected in all the mirrors and the entire hall lights up. It really is an incredible sight! Later visit the key sights and wonders of the Pink City in the heart of Jaipur. Visit the City Palace, Jantar Mantar - an ancient observatory and Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds (viewed from the outside only). Built of red and pink sandstone it is said to resemble the honeycomb structure of a bee s nest. It was called the Palace of Winds as in original design it had a clever cooling system that once spread gentle breezes throughout the Palace very welcome in the hot Rajasthani summers. It is said to have been built as an observatory where the women of the Maharaja's City Palace could observe the outside world whilst remaining inside the palace. The bustling bazaars of the old city are a great place to shop and explore and are some of the most vibrant in Asia Rajasthan is after all known for it s colour! *You have the option to take an elephant ride to Amber Fort. The cost of this is AUD15 per person (2 people on an elephant) or AUD30 (one person atop an elephant). There are strict regulations in place to limit the total number of journeys each elephant can do in a day, and they are only allowed to carry 2 passengers at a time to prevent any over working of elephants. Overnight in Jaipur: Hotel Park Regis or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); Shahpura House or Four Points Sheraton - Deluxe room (Deluxe) 5 of 6
Day 13: Travel to Agra via the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri After breakfast you will be collected for the drive to Agra (around 5 hours). On the way visit the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri. Walk through the city with your guide hearing the intriguing story behind the abandoning of the city and learn about its great architecture. Visit a local school (subject to the school being open) and village to enjoy interaction with children and villagers. In the evening you have the option to visit the famous Taj Mahal at sunset (this evening visit is optional and the entrance fee is at your own expense - approximately AUD$22.) Tomorrow morning there is a scheduled visit to the Taj Mahal. Overnight in Agra: Hotel Seven Hill Tower or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); Hotel Howard Park Plaza - Deluxe room (Deluxe) Meals included: Breakfast and lunch or dinner Day 14: The Taj Mahal Visiting the Taj Mahal in the early morning is something not to be missed. Watch as the marble changes colour as the sun rises, follow this by wandering the grounds of the Taj Mahal with your guide and marvelling at its wonder. Your driver will then take you back to your hotel for breakfast. Later in the morning, visit the majestic Agra Fort and take yourself back in time to an era of great palaces and grand forts. The fort itself is magnificent, and you also get great views of the Taj Mahal in the distance. Later your driver will take you to visit a Marble factory where you see the fascinating inlay work of local artisans whose forefathers built Taj Mahal. Later in the afternoon you will be driven back to Delhi (around 4 hours). Overnight in Delhi: Hotel Pluto's or similar - Deluxe room (Standard); Hotel Park Inn / Hotel Pride or similar (Deluxe) Day 15: Time to go home or onto your next adventure Today the tour ends. You will be taken to the international airport in Delhi in time for your flight home or onto your next adventure. Meals included: Breakfast 6 of 6