The golden triangle and the deserts of Rajasthan
ABOUT THE ITINERARY 14 Days If you are planning to visit India for the first time, there is no better option than this trip that will bring you at the discovery of the Golden Triangle, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, and the most famous cities of Rajasthan with its deserts. At the same time you will have also the chance to discover the real Rajasthan through visit of rural villages and off-beaten destinations, immersing yourself in ancient, thriving cultures and marvel at Rajasthan s characters. We provide also opportunities for travelers to engage with local communities in rural village while discovering the most attractive and famous tourist destinations of India. The tour starts in the Indian capital of Delhi, where you will have the opportunity to discover the old enchanting streets of the inner city of Paharganj thanks to the help of young guides trained by a local NGO working in favour of street children. On the way to Rajasthan you will visit the famous building of Taj Mahal, an UNESCO world heritage site, which was originally built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, in the loving memory of his wife. The tour will bring you to discover some of the most beautiful Rajasthani cities such as the pink city of Jaipur, the royal fortified city of Bikaner, the golden city of Jaisalmer, the blue city of Jodhpur and finally the lake city of Udaipur. You will attend puppetry and pottery workshop as to learn and create your own puppets and pots that you can carry home as souvenirs. This will give you the opportunity to discover the source of a community s culture and celebrate the ancient, living traditions that miraculously continue to thrive. During this tour you will have the chance to enter the charming Rajasthan deserts so to discover the beautiful sand dunes of the Thar Desert, the amazing camel rides of Jaisalmer and the mouth-watering delicacies of Bikaner. Before the tour ends in the most romantic lake city of Udaipur you will visit the Jain Temple at Ranakpur, which is believed to be the most spectacular of all Jain temples in India.
ACTIVITIES Explore the Indian capital Of New Delhi, through the eyes of young guides trained by Salaam Balak Trust, visit one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Taj Mahal, the epitome of Mughal art, discover the pink city of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, visit the Anokhi museum and understand how handicrafts are made, explore the traditional village of Nawalgarh with its wonderful havelis, and experience local initiatives, like camel cart rides, cycling, jeep rides, horse rides visit the majestic Junagarh Fort and National Research Centre on Camel in Bikaner, discover the Golden City Jaisalmer, the most western desert town of India, experience the Khuri Sand dunes for camel ride and see the sun setting over the desert landscape, visit the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort and the bazaar of the Blue city of Jodhpur, enjoy the changing landscapes of Aravallis on the way to Udaipur, discover the Lake city of Udaipur, also called the Venice of the East, go for an evening boat ride on Pichola lake to admire a beautiful sunset, cultural performances and activities, historical and archaeological sites sightseen.
SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Rajasthan is truly a state with contradictions. From Havelis to rich home-stays to heritage palaces to luxury hotels, Rajasthan is also one of the poorest states in the country. All the itinerary has been designed in order to promote direct or indirect benefits for local communities, environmental conservation and protection of cultural heritages. When possible we have selected traditional accommodations sensible to social and environmental issues, following general principles and practices of responsible tourism. One of the main principle on which we have selected the infrastructures where you will be host during this tour is based on the protection and safeguard of local traditional architecture. In this way we intend to use the cash flow coming from the tourism to value the protection of historical and traditional buildings, using some of these renovated building as hotels during your trip. Thanks to the economic impact of tourism it has been possible to renovate and preserve some important traditional palaces, forts and buildings of Rajasthan, which otherwise would have been destroyed or abandoned. This trip covers some popular destinations, but we have tried to include places like Nawalgarh and Mandore which gets lesser tourist traffic in Rajasthan. By including less popular destinations, we hope to equalise the tourist cash flow to some extent. Moreover, the selection of traditional heritage palaces will allow us to promote a real immersion into the traditional culture of Rajasthan, trying to foster a real cultural encounter with local communities. However, beyond the dominant culture of Rajputs, the royal caste, we rely also on the work of local NGOs or voluntary organizations as to learn about their activities, having the opportunity to discover reality and glimpses of social and cultural alternatives. You will have the opportunity to visit the chaotic Delhi with different eyes, visiting the most remote and unusual parts of the old city with the help of marginalized young people trained as tour guides by the NGO Salaam Baalak. Through the helps of these young guides you will have the chance to learn about their life experience as street children. This NGO has been working for several years in the slums and poor neighborhoods of the capital, creating several accommodations for street children and promoting their education and access to work. During the two-hour guided tour in the areas of Paraghanj, you will have the opportunity to visit these shelter homes and understand the projects undertaken by this NGO. All the itinerary is created in collaboration with the Kalakar Vikas Samiti, a small group of traditional artists who make a living out of art and handicrafts. Most of the hotels and restaurants showcase Rajasthani artists and except for a visual contact, there is real no connection with the artist. Our itinerary will give you an opportunity to understand where they come from, their art and culture. You can visit them in their houses and villages during the trip. This ensures that they don t compromise on their dignity and perform just for the sake of making a living. Our involvement with the community ensures their capacity building, training on social skills and building networks of artists in different parts of the Rajasthan so that the benefits of Responsible Tourism is spread across the state and not restricted to certain tourist places. We organise workshops that provides an opportunity to not only learn their craft but also understand their social environment. One of the off shoots of these workshops is responsible shopping where travellers can purchase products directly without paying middle men who make unreasonable profits at the expense of the real artists. We promote responsible shopping in Rajasthan - buying local handicrafts directly from the artists, thereby ensuring that the artist gets his worth. We promote home stays so that the benefits go directly to local people. At Mandore/ Jodhpur you will get an opportunity to work closely with the local NGO Mewar Medical and Relief Society. The volunteers are actively involved with and support projects that are secular and have an education-related component to them apart from health care, environment, socio-economic aspects and women s issues i.e. Women in Difficult Circumstances. It also includes activities directed toward meeting the needs of the poor and needy - distribution of food, clothing or medicine; provision of housing for handicapped animals etc. Moreover, your contribution of 70 euros will support development projects in favour of one of the most marginalized tribal communities of India. Tribal communities are still at the margin of Indian society and for this reason two are the main projects financed: 1) to conserve biological and cultural diversity 2) to promote the formal education of children belonging to Kattunaickan community of the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
PROGRAM DETAILS DAY 1: DELHI Arrive into Delhi airport. Meet our representative outside the terminal and transfer to the Hotel. In the afternoon go on a guided tour of the Lutyens New Delhi, drive past the Parliament House, Presidents House and India gate. Visit the famous Humayun s Tomb, an architectural marvel. Terminate your Delhi city tour at the Qutb Complex -visit the five story Qutb Minar, marvel at the Iron Pillar and return back to Hotel. Overnight in Delhi. DAY 2: DELHI AGRA In the morning (10 am) you will visit the slums of Paraghanj (old Delhi) with the help of young guides trained by the NGO Salaam Balaak Trust. City Walk aims to make the story of the children of the street heard and to give us a view of their world through their eyes. Participants of City Walk get to go on a journey through the enchanting streets of the inner city of Paharganj and the area around New Delhi railway station, led by a child who was once living and working on the streets. This walk takes you on a journey through the backstreets of Delhi with a child who has been fully trained as a local guide. It s a unique way of providing an insight into the lives of these children and an opportunity for them to improve their communication and speaking skills. Afternoon drive to Agra (approx. 4 hrs. drive) via the expressway. Arrive into Agra and visit the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays), one of the most famous and visited monument of all over India, a real epitome of love and romance The Taj Mahal, is a UNESCO world heritage site, which was originally built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, in the loving memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is built in white marble as a mausoleum for his queen Mumtaz Mahal. It is now a universal symbol of love, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Taj Mahal was built in the year 1653, which is symbolized by the fact that there are 16 gardens and 53 fountains. It took 16 years for this symbol of love to be completed, and thousands of artisans contributed in the making this monument. (we will visit the Taj Mahal in case next day is Friday). Overnight in Agra. (B) DAY 3: AGRA-JAIPUR Morning visit the Taj Mahal. After the visit transfer to Jaipur (4 hrs drive), the largest city of Rajasthan and an epitome of magnificence and vibrancy. This city was established in 1727 by Jai Singh II, and is India s first planned city. Jaipur was the capital of former Kachwaha rulers and it so presents itself as a versatile tourist destination. Overnight in Jaipur.(B) DAY 4: JAIPUR After breakfast visit the Hawa Mahal on way to Amber fort. Jeep ride to the ramparts of Fort. After lunch visit the Anokhi museum and understand how handicrafts plays such a big role in rural India s economy. In the afternoon visit the Royal palace and the ancient city. This royal place is rich in heritage, culture and architecture. With splendid fortresses, majestic palaces, tranquil temples and beautiful havelis; Jaipur turns out to be an ideal tourist destination. It is not just the royal buildings and palaces that this city offers. Other than these captivating attractions, Jaipur displays exquisite handicrafts and spectacular jewelry. These intricate works of art add life and color to this Pink City s uniqueness. Also, the sereni-
ty of lush gardens and floral array acts as the cherry on the cake of fabulous landscapes. All this make a picturesque view that tends to enthrall any visitor. Walk around the uniquely constructed city, observatory,bazaar and understand the history of the place. Overnight in Jaipur.(B) DAY 5: JAIPUR-NAWALGARH Drive to Nawalgarh in the Sekhawatiregion of Rajasthan (approx. 3 hrs. drive), where you can go on village walks and visit old palatial mansions. There are more than 200 old havelis in Nawalgarh. Fresco work at these havelis create an amazing art work. Overnight at Nawalgarh.(B) DAY 6: NAWALGARH Today explore Nawalgarh with some of the local initiatives, like camel cart rides, Cycling, Jeep rides, Horse rides etc (Available at extra costs) Overnight in Nawalgarh (B). Optional: on request we can organize desert experience gala evening with traditional folk music and campfire!! Overnight in Jaisalmer (B). DAY 9: JAISALMER Morning explore the city with a guided tour of the Golden Fort, Jain Temple, Gadisar tank and Havelis. Afternoon free time to relax or discover the city on your own. Overnight in Jaisalmer (B). DAY 7: NAWALGARH-BIKANER After breakfast drive for Bikaner (3.5 hrs drive), the desert city, the most arid part of Rajasthan. The royal fortified city with a timeless appeal.lying in the north of the desert state, the city is dotted with many sand dunes. Bikaner retains the medieval splendour that pervades the city s lifestyle. Chek- into the Hotel. After lunch visit the majestic Junagarh Fort and National Research Centre on Camel (Camel breeding farm). Overnight in Bikaner (B) DAY 10: JAISALMER-JODHPUR After breakfast drive to Jodhpur (5.5 hrs drive), en route visit Pokaran and visit Shikarpura village in Luni tehsil, famous for its terracotta pottery. Later drive to Mandore near Jodhpur. Arrive in Mandore and proceed to Mandore Guest House. Mandore guest house provides great opportunity to work with volunteers of the NGO supported by the family. If you could let us know about any particular skills you would want to make use of during your travel, we can connect you with the local partner who will match the skills, provided there is a need for such voluntary engagement. The volunteers are actively involved with and support projects that are secular and have an education-related component to them apart from health care, environment, socio-economic aspects and women s issues i.e. Women in Difficult Circumstances. It also includes activities directed toward meeting the needs of the poor and needy - distribution of food, clothing or medicine; provision of housing for handicapped animals etc. Overnight in Jodhpur (B) DAY 8: BIKANER-JAISALMER After breakfast drive to Jaisalmer (5hrs drive). The most western desert town of India. The Golden City!! Check in hotel near the Fort. Late afternoon: Visit the Khuri Sand dunes for camel ride and see the sun setting over the desert landscape. DAY 11: JODHPUR In the morning visit the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada (Cenotaph) and the clock tower and explore the bazaars in the narrow lanes of Jodhpur. When you finish exploring the blue city return to Mandore guest house where various activities are possible
from Bird watching and cycling to nearby village to see the rural projects. Jeep Safari to Bishnoi village is also offered by the hosts at Mandore Guest House (on direct payment). Overnight in Jodhpur (B) DAY 12: JODHPUR-UDAIPUR The Aravallis welcome your entry into Udaipur via Ranakpur temples (180km, approx. 6hrs drive) and enjoy the changing landscapes on the way. Ranakpur is one of the five most important pilgrimage sites of Jainism. It is home to an exceptionally beautiful temple complex in the Aravali ranges and a must visit for the tourists coming to this region. After the visit drive to Udaipur. Stroll along the lakes and the narrow lanes, each with a unique character. Udaipur apart from its history, culture, and scenic locations, it is also known for its Rajput-era palaces. The Lake Palace, for instance, covers an entire island in the Pichola Lake. Many of the palaces have been converted into luxury hotels. It is often called the Venice of the East, and is also nicknamed the Lake City. Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar and Swaroop Sagar in this city are considered some of the most beautiful lakes in the state. In the evening go for a boat ride on lake Pichola and see the setting sun. Late evening attend the sound and light show at the City Palace-gives one a huge understanding of the worlds longest royal living dynasty (600 AD until 1947 and beyond). Overnight in Udaipu.(B) DAY 13: UDAIPUR Spend a day in Rajasthan s most romantic city, Udaipur. From authentic jewelry to colorful clothes and wooden toys. Go on a guided tour visiting City palace, Saheliyon Ki bari and Jagdish Temple. In the evening go for a boat ride on Lake Pichola and see the setting sun. Overnight in Udaipur.(B) DAY 14: UDAIPUR-DELHI Transfer to Udaipur airport and depart for your international flight.
TIPS BEFORE DEPARTURE Rajasthan is certainly the famous tourist destination in India, drawing tourists from all parts of India and the world. However, it is advised that you following carefully a code conduct which respects local culture to avoid any hassles or unwanted troubles along your journey. In particular, avoid to show affection in public places, such as hugging, kissing etc., as this behaviour is not appreciated by local people. You are also advised to follow a certain dress code. There are basically two reasons why it is recommended to be careful about what clothes you wear while traveling to India. The first reason is to prevent you from hurting the sentiments of the local people and second, to protect you from the varied weather conditions prevailing in seasons. One more thing to keep in mind is mosquitoes...it is advised to keep your arms and legs covered because it provides protection (however, don t forget to bring with you mosquito nets and repellents, especially for backwaters cruises). India s time zone is GMT/UTC +5.30, so chances of jet lag cannot be ignored. It is advised that you get onto India s time zone as soon as you leave home and try to eat and sleep on Indian time. Also, if you reach India early in the day, try to stay awake this will help the body s internal clock to reset. A conscious approach to travel requires a considerable capacity and willingness to adapt and adjust to the local environment and culture. If you wish to travel with us we request you to be open enough to experience local culture, religious and traditions without bias and pre-conceived ideas you might have before the departure and which belong to our Western cultural way of thinking. Exploring with fresh eyes, with patience and openness, you will be able to access the real essence of Rajasthan cultural heritage through the places and people you are going to meet; if you are ready to do this effort you will really enjoy the beauty of a completely different cultural tradition, the extraordinary of the nature, the solemnity of temples and palaces, the holiness of the waters of countless rivers and oceans that flow through this magic land CONSCIOUS JOURNEYS PVT. LTD. 7/8 b, Bijoygarh, Kolkata, West Bengal, India info@consciousjourneys.it www.consciousjourneys.eu