| Starts | Delhi, India |
|---|---|
| Ends | Delhi, India |
| Region | India |
| Duration | 15 days |
| Tour Operator | Peregrine |
Itinerary
Day 1 - Starting: New Delhi & Finishing: New Delhi
Welcome to India. On arrival at the airport you’ll be met and transferred to the hotel. There will be a Welcome Meeting in the hotel at 6pm on Day 1 outlining the itinerary and covering many aspects of travelling in India. Please bring your passport, travel insurance documents and next of kin information to this meeting. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. You can use any free time before the meeting to explore this excitingly chaotic capital city. Filled with historical sites from different eras, museums and galleries, shops and endless bazaars, there’s much to see and you will be briefed on sightseeing options.
Day 2 - Starting: Agra & Finishing: Agra
Early this morning you will leave Delhi behind and drive to Agra, home to India's most famous site - the spectacular Taj Mahal. Best known as a monument to love and loss, the 17th century Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his second wife and is a beautiful example of Mughal architecture surrounded by trimmed English gardens. Agra is also home to one of the finest looking forts in India. Stop at the nearby Agra Fort, a fortress, palace and prison built of red sandstone by Akbar in 1565 and partially converted into a palace during the time of Shah Jahan. (The total driving time today is approximately 5 hours).
Day 3 - Starting: Fatehpur Sikri/Karauli & Finishing: Fatehpur Sikri/Karauli
From Agra Head east and pass the Kos Minar medieval milestones on the road to the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri (approximately 2 hours), deserted after only a few years in the 16th century because there wasn’t enough water. The incredibly well preserved royal complex is a haven of courtyards, pavilions, ornamental gardens and home to the intricately carved Rumi Sultana palace. Then continue on to Karauli (approximately 4 hours), a 600-year-old city founded by Yaduvanshi Rajput kings, where you will arrive mid-afternoon. Here you will take a walk around the village, visiting the temple of Madan Mohan Ji and exploring the nearby organic farm and dairy. You may also have the chance to visit the City Palace (optional), an amazing structure featuring impressive archways and interconnecting rooms, many of them colourfully painted with frescoes, and soak up the atmosphere in a part of the country that sees very few tourists. Everthing seems to have a greater air of authenticity about it here as you join in with the local people going about their daily life. This evening will be spent at a sprawling palace belonging to the family that once ruled Karauli. Bhanwar Vilas Palace was built as a royal residence in 1938, designed in a colonial style and furnished in the Art Deco fashion.
Day 4 - Starting: Ranthambhore National Park & Finishing: Ranthambhore National Park
This morning drive (approximately 4 hours) to the town of Ranthambore. Ranthambore National Park is one of the original Project Tiger reserves, a place where nature has reclaimed ancient fortresses and temples, and that is teeming with wildlife. In 4WD safari vehicles take game drives to search for animals and the majestic tigers which stalk through the jungle. You'll also have the chance to explore the 1,000 year old Ranthambore Fort, where two pavilions that have survived the ravages of war and time - Badal Mahal and Hammirs Court - give an idea of its old grandeur. PLEASE NOTE: between 1st July - 30th September all wildlife zones of Ranthambhore National Park will be closed to visitors. This means that no wildlife safaris in the area are permitted, including in Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary which is our usual alternative for when the main zones of the park are closed annually at this time. The reasons for the closure have not been formally announced, however we believe they have been made in the interest of tiger protection during the wet season. Due to the time of year there are no other opportunities to replace our visit to Ranthambhore with an alternative national park, however we have added the following activities and inclusions to tours that are scheduled to be in Ranthambhore from 1st July - 30th September: Day 4 – Rathambhore Fort Excursion. The fort lies within the boundaries of the park and on the way accesses some parts of the jungle. Wildlife spotting opportunities along the way include monkeys, crocodiles, peacocks, a variety of bird species and deer. On occasion tigers have also been sighted here. Day 6 – Jeep Safari & Dinner at Castle Bijaipur Day 7 or 8 – Lake Pichola Boat Trip in Udaipur Your leader will be able to provide you with further information about these activities at the group welcome meeting.
Day 5 - Starting: Bundi & Finishing: Bundi
In the morning you will drive to Bundi (approximately 4 hours), a small town founded in the 12th century. Famous as the place that inspired Rudyard Kipling to write his novel, ‘Kim’, Bundi today is known for its series of step-wells ('baoris'), old houses, narrow streets, and the remarkable Taragarh Fort. Visit the wells and the 17th-century Bundi Palace, which looms large over the town and provides a magnificent view when driving into the town. This evening you will stay in a comfortable tented camp that feels like stepping back in time, full of historic ambiance.
Day 6 - Starting: Bijaipur & Finishing: Bijaipur
Today you will drive towards Bijaipur (approximately 5 hours), stopping en route at Menal, a temple complex that has been referred to as a ‘mini Khajuraho’ dut to its elaborate erotic carvings. The name Menal is derived from Maha Nal or Great Gorge. The temple complex is located on both sides of a waterfall and is a favourite spot for local families to picnic. When you arrive in Bijaipur you will stay in the 16th-century Castle Bijaipur, now a heritage hotel with attractive dome, arched windows and doorways, all within the original fortified walls. Enjoy the palace’s blend of colonial and Mughal architecture as you relax by the pool or in the gardens, pampered by the Mewar hospitality of the hotel’s owners. Notes: Because of the limited number of rooms at Castle Bijaipur, on occasions you may instead stay overnight in deluxe tented camp nearby, which is under the same ownership and is equally opulent.
Day 7 - Starting: Chittorgarh/Udaipur & Finishing: Chittorgarh/Udaipur
Today's drive to Udaipur (approximately 4 hours) is broken up with a visit to Chittorgarh, probably India's greatest medieval fort, perched in a dramatic setting overlooking the town. Also known as Chittor, Chittaur, or Chittaurgarh, this colossal hilltop fort was the ancient capital of Mewar state, ruled by the Sisodia Rajputs. Three times in its long history powerful enemy forces sacked Chittorgarh. On each occasion the men rode out from the fort to certain death, while the women committed 'johar' by throwing themselves and their children on to a huge funeral pyre; and so the immense stretch of Chittorgarh's walls and ruined palaces tell the stories of innumerable sieges and heroism. You will then continue your journey towards on of the most romantic cities in India - Udaipur, also known as the “Venice of East”.
Day 8 - Starting: Udaipur & Finishing: Udaipur
Spend the day touring the sights of Udaipur, the beauitful city built around the shores of Lake Pichola and full of fascinating temples, ornate palaces and impressive 'havelis' (merchant homes). Wind through narrow streets to the City Palace complex, the largest in Rajasthan, on the banks of Lake Pichola. Witness the devotion to Lord Wishnu at the impressive Jagdish Temple and, if time allows, perhaps visit the rose gardens of the Gulab Bagh, take a boat trip across Lake Pichola or participate in a Sitar lesson.
Day 9 - Starting: Khairwa & Finishing: Khairwa
After leaving Udaipur and on the road towards Jodhpur (approximately 5 hours), stop to spend the night in the unique surrounds of Dera Khairwa, a 15th century fort-palace located in the village of Khairwa in the Pali District. The rulers of Dera Khairwa belong to the noble clan of Jodha-Rathores, who are related to the founders of the city of Jodhpur. During your time here you can imagine what it must have been like to be part of the ruling class in the India of yesteryear, surrounded by elegance and opulence.
Day 10 - Starting: Jodhpur & Finishing: Jodhpur
Today you will discover Rajasthan's second-largest city, the busy and chaotic Jodhpur (approximately 4 hours). Established in the 15th century on the edge of the Great Thar Desert, Jodhpur was an important trading centre. Historically many of the buildings were painted blue as a sign that it was the home of a high caste Brahmin; today most of the city is blue as other castes have followed suit. While in Jodhpur you will have the opportunity to explore the colossal Mehrangarh Fort, which sits atop a sheer rocky ridge in the middle of town. You will also explore the many palaces and courtyards contained within the fort, as well as the clock tower and the bustling Sadar Market, located at the foot of the hill. This market is a great place to stroll around at leisure, with several alleyways leading off to various bazaars selling all sorts of fruits, vegetables, spices, textiles, handicrafts and, allegedly, the best lassi in India.
Day 11 - Starting: Jodhpur & Finishing: Jodhpur
In the morning you will travel by jeep though some of the surrounding countryside, to visit and learn more about the various different caste villages. These are home to people such as the Bishnois, the protectors of trees and animals, and the Meghwals, who are skilled weavers and potters.
Day 12 - Starting: Jaipur & Finishing: Jaipur
After breakfast you will leave Jodhpur and travel by road to Jaipir. The colourful capital of the state of Rajasthan, surrounded by a wall dripping in an earthy red colour in the style of the Mughal sandstone cities, is known as the 'Pink City' due to the vibrant colour of its buildings. Today’s drive is the longest on the trip taking approximately 7 hours with tea, lunch and toilet stops, passing by lots of small traditional villages of Rajasthan. This evening is then free for you to explore.
Day 13 - Starting: Jaipur & Finishing: Jaipur
Drifting high over the pink city while it’s bathed in early morning sunlight is a highlight for many visitors to Jaipur, and so there’s the option to take a hot air balloon experience this morning. For additional information please see the important notes section of your trip notes. Today you will visit one of India’s finest palaces - Jaipur's Royal City Palace - an amazing complex with various colourful courtyard gates, fascinating museums displaying royal costumes and weaponry, and impressively moustachioed palace guards. The palace continues to be a royal residence even after the Jaipur kingdom merged with the Indian Union in 1949. After continuing on to the Old Bazaar you will then make a stop at one of India's most impressive and photographed buildings, the Hawa Mahal, or 'Palace of the Wind'. This five-storey façade with its pink, honeycombed sandstone windows is one of Jaipur's best-known landmarks. Later in the day you will drive out to the opulent Amber Fort (approximately 1 hour), the legacy of a fallen empire filled with elaborate rooms of lavish murals, frescoed arches and delicate jali work. Several hours are needed to explore this huge fortification.
Day 14 - Starting: New Delhi & Finishing: New Delhi
After breakfast you return to Delhi (approximately 6 hours), arriving around lunch time. You will enjoy an orientation drive around the city that takes you to India Gate and past the President's House (Rashtrapati Bhavan) and Parliament House (Sansad Bhavan), before taking the chance to do some last-minute shopping at the colourful Janpath Bazaar. You will then have the opportunity to enjoy pre-dinner drinks before heading out to one of Delhi's great restaurants for an optional dinner to commemorate the end of our tour.
Day 15 - Starting: New Delhi & Finishing: New Delhi
Your journey comes to an end after breakfast. There are no other activities planned for the day and you can leave the accommodation at any time. For those who wish to stay on in Delhi to further explore the city, we are happy to help in booking accommodation (subject to availability). Perhaps pre-book an Urban Adventure and let a local show you around this mega city.
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