Route: DELHI(1N)-MANDAWA(1N)–BIKANER(1N)–JAISALMER(2N)–JODHPUR(1N)–UDAIPUR(2N)–PUSHKAR(1N)–JAIPUR(2N)–AGRA(1N)–DELHI(1N)
Date: You decide (Between September and April)
Note: This itinerary is fully customizable as per your wish.
“Those who have not seen India with their eyes, but with their soul, will remain homesick for the country” (Hermann Hesse). It’s no wonder. This vast country, where women stroll in silk saris and men go about their business in bright turbans, fascinates with its vibrant traditions and everyday culture. India is also the birthplace of two of the world’s religions: Hinduism and Buddhism. Anyone travelling to India, however, needs to be prepared for the extremes: the glorious temples on one side, the slums of the metropolises on the other. This tour gives you an excellent overview of the cultural diversity of India’s heartland, Rajasthan. We visit sacred temples and fairytale palaces. We admire mighty forts and interesting natural monuments. You will also get to know the spiritual side of India, which does not allow you to distance yourself, but invites you to get involved.
Code: CAFIT2
Arrive Delhi, meeting and assistance upon arrival, transfer to hotel. Rooms are available from 14.00 hrs onwards.
Overnight stay in Delhi.
Welocme assistance on arrival and straightaway proceed to Mandawa (257 kms. / 6 Hrs.). Arrive & check In Hotel. Rest of the day free to walk around the beautiful village to enjoy the coulouful and vibrant rustic life.
Dinner and overnight.
Morning after breakfast visit Mandawa, which was founded in 1755 by Thakur Nawal Singh and is still the home of his descendants. Mandawa houses a collection of armories, costumes of ancestors, canons from 1820, ancient coins, numismatic collection and many other interesting items preserved in a museum. The whole area of Shekhavati has beautiful frescoes, havelis & mansions and is called the open.
After visting the beautiful Hawelis of MAndawa, enjoy a drive to Bikaner about 170 kilometers. Arrive in Bikaner and check-in at a pre-booked hotel for your overnight stay.
In the afternoon, proceed on a sightseeing tour of Bikaner. Explore the Junagarh Fort built in 1593 AD by Raja Rai Singh, a General in the army of Emperor Akbar. This fort is a formidable structure encircled by a moat and has some beautiful palaces within. These palaces, made in red sandstone and marble, make a picturesque ensemble of courtyards, balconies, kiosks and windows dotted all over the structure. The city of Bikaner is bolstered by imposing walls and has a 16th century fort housing old palaces, temples and a mosque founded by Raja Rai Singh. See the royal chapel where royal weddings and births were once celebrated. After seeing the historical landmarks of Bikaner, return to your hotel and spend the night.
Dinner and Overnight.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be taken to Jaisalmer, approx. 7-hour drive. Arrive in Jaisalmer and check-in at a pre-booked hotel. In the evening, proceed to view a magnificent sunset in the endless sand dunes of Jaisalmer. Follow it up with a camel ride. In the heart of Thar Desert, the Sam Sand Dunes is an intricately moulded wonderland of burnished sandstone. After an excursion on the dunes, return to your hotel and spend the night.
Dinner and Overnight.
After breakfast, continue on a sightseeing tour of Jaisalmer. Visit Sonar Fort, housing a fourth of the city’s residents. Also visit Patwon Ki Haveli, which is one of the most exquisite havelis (palace) with a beautifully latticed façade. Salim Singh Ki Haveli is just three centuries old and is still lived in. Then there is Nathmalji Ki Haveli that was built by
two architect brothers. In the afternoon, you are at leisure to do your own thing. Spend the night at your hotel.
Dinner and Overnight.
After breakfast, continue to the ‘blue city’ of Jodhpur about 290 kilometers from Jaisalmer. Arrive in Jodhpur. Proceed on a sightseeing tour of Jodhpur - the former capital of Marwar state founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha. Visit the Mehrangarh Fort spread over 5 kilometers on a steep hill and looking down 125 meters. The fort appears rugged and impenetrable from the outside, but houses some of the most intricately adorned palaces with exquisitely carved panels and latticed windows. Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal, Sheesh Mahal are some of the areas worth exploring. A collection of royal cenotaphs, built in while marble, lies very close to the fort. Built in 1899, the cenotaph also houses portraits of rulers of Jodhpur.
Overnight stay in Jodhpur.
Dinner and Overnight.
After breakfast at the hotel, You are at leisure for the rest of the day to explore on your own. This charming village brings alive the royal past of Rajasthan with many artisans still pursuing the ancestral profession of creating clay and wood structures, and carving metal among others.
Later on, drive to Udaipur via Ranakpur about 290 kilometers from Rohet. On arrival in Udaipur, check-in at a hotel for your overnight stay. You are at leisure for the rest of the day.
Dinner and Overnight
After breakfast, proceed on a sightseeing tour of Udaipur. Drive around Fatehsagar Lake, built by Maharana Fateh Singh in 1754 AD. Visit Jagdish Temple, the largest and the most venerated temple of Udaipur. Further on, continue to Garden of Maidens – ‘Sahelion-Ki- Bari’, consisting of an ornamental pool with delicately carved ‘chhatries’ (umbrellas) of black and white marble and soft stone. Also, tour the Maharana's City Palace, an imposing edifice of granite and marble. In the evening, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Pichola, taking in the brilliant scenery of hills, temples and palaces surrounding it. After a memorable day of sightseeing, return to your hotel and spend the night. Dinner
and Overnight.
Morning after having breakfast drive to Pushkar holy city. On arrival check-in at your hotel. Later visit various temples and ghats and holy Pushkar Lake. There are more than 400 hundred temples in Pushkar but the main attraction being the temple of Lord Brahma, the only temple in India dedicated to Brahma. If it is the month of October/November then you are lucky to enjoy the world famous cattle fair of Pushkar. Rest of the time completely free to explore the Pushkar on your own. Over night in your hotel.
Dinner and Overnight.
In the morning drive to Jaipur. On your arrival to the charming Pink City of India check-in at your hotel. Time free for leisure. This is the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions of the universe through the nine rectangular sectors subdividing it. In the evening take a walking tour of the colorful streets and bazaars of Jaipur City. The beauty of Jaipur is that its unique architecture and town planning is visible at even the most common places such as its squares and lanes. Night stay in your hotel.
Dinner and Overnight.
After breakfast, proceed on a full-day sightseeing tour of Jaipur. Tour the Amber Fort - the capital of the state till 1728. Visit Jagmandir or the Hall of Victory that glitters with thousand mirrors, Jal Mahal and Temples of Kali. Enjoy an elephant ride on your ascent to Amber Fort and behold panoramic views of the city along the way.
In the afternoon, visit the Maharaja’s City Palace and Jantar Mantar, drive past Hawa Mahal or The Palace of Winds and past the rose-pink residential and business quarters of Jaipur. After a day of sightseeing and discovering the different colors of Jaipur, return to your hotel and spend the night.
Dinner and Overnight.
After breakfast, drive to the city of Taj, Agra.
We will stop at Fatehpur Sikri on the way to Jaipur. Fatehpur Sikri, located 40 km from Agra, is an abandoned city built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 to honor the great Saint Sheikh Salim Chisti. The saint blessed Akbar and prophesied the birth of three sons to the then childless emperor. Akbar used Fatehpur Sikri as his capital and the city was active for 14 years. Sadly, it eventually became deserted and ruined after Akbar left the city. Water scarcity caused this city to be abandoned. You can see the stunning, intact structures in the 'Ghost City' that embody the grandeur of the Mughal empire at its peak. These include the Jama Masjid, tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal Palace, and other palaces.
Afternoon go see the impressive Red Fort. Emperor Akbar laid the foundation of the fort in 1565 and the construction continued until the time of Shahjahan. The tall red stone structure extends for approximately 1.5 miles, commanding a turn in the river Yamuna to the northwest of the Taj Mahal. The building is noteworthy for its seamless fusion of Hindu and central Asian architectural designs.
You will be visiting the Taj Mahal at sunrise, built in 1630 by Shah Jahan to honor his queen Mumtaz Mahal. We will start at 6 am. This impressive building is a beautifully crafted work of art made from white marble. It shows the incredible ability of 20,000 craftsmen who came from Persia, Turkey, France, and Italy and worked together for 17 years to complete this "Love Poem in Marble." Return to the hotel for breakfast.
Drive to Delhi after breakfast.
Evening/night flight back home. In case your flight is on the next day, we will book a room in Delhi for you.
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Michaela Schaal-
2024-02-26 17:54:18Das ist das angenehme am Reisen, dass auch das Gewöhnliche durch Neuheit und Überraschung das Ansehen eines Abenteuers gewinnt
Wer nach Indien reisen will, muss zunächst Liebe zu Land und Leute mitbringen; zumindest keine Voreingenommenheit. Ich will ehrlich sein; wir hatten anfangs Bedenken, ob Manu‘s Vorschlag eine Individualreise zu zweit mit Fahrer und ortskundigem Guide in Betracht zu ziehen, „ Hand und Fuß“ hat. Die Vorurteile warfen wir rasch über Bord, denn der „ Kopf des Unternehmens “ überzeugte mit einer bis ins letzte Detail organisierten Reise. Wir hatten das Privileg mit aufmerksamen und hilfsbereiten Mitarbeitern von itb in Kontakt zu treten- dafür sind wir dankbar. Freu mich jetzt schon auf meine nächste Route, wohin auch immer sie mich führen wird. Namastè Michaela