India Safari: Royal Rajasthan

Welcome to India! As you arrive at Delhi’s International Airport you will be met and transferred to The Imperial Hotel for two nights.

After breakfast this morning you will be taken for a guided sightseeing tour of Old Delhi, starting with rickshaw ride in Chandni Chowk. You will then visit the Jama Masjid, Lutyen’s Delhi, driving past Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate and the Old Secretariat. You will also see the Qutub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb.

Your day begins with a drive to Agra (approximately 3 ½ hours). On arrival you will check in to the Oberoi Amarvilas Hotel. The hotel is located just 600 meters from the magnificent Taj Mahal. After you have settled into your hotel you will visit the red sandstone Agra Fort, renovated and converted into a palace during Shah Jahan’s time, and reworked extensively with marble and pietra dura inlay.

Late in the afternoon when the light is perfect for photography, you will visit the Taj Mahal. Considered to be one of the most elegant and harmonious buildings in the world, the Taj Mahal is the manifestation of the wealth and luxury of Mughal art as seen in its architecture, garden design, painting, and calligraphy.

This morning you will have an opportunity to see the exquisite Taj Mahal at sunrise. You will then return to the hotel for breakfast and then embark on a unique adventure – a 5-hour car journey on Indian roads to Jaipur stopping at the ancient abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri for a quick visit. Upon arriving in Jaipur you will check into the Taj Rambagh Palace, which was once home to generations of royals. In the finest tradition of Rajput hospitality, the Rambagh Palace offers its guests a taste of the luxurious and extravagant royal living. Its elegantly appointed rooms, marbled corridors and majestic gardens echo with history and every corner has a story to tell.

This morning after breakfast you will be met and taken for a guided sightseeing tour of Amber Fort. The stunning Amber Fort was built all in white marble and red sandstone and was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber, before the capital was shifted to present day Jaipur.

Later you will drive to Dera Amer to enjoy an elephant ride followed by lunch.

In the afternoon you will be taken for a guided sightseeing tour of the City Palace, Observatory Tower and Hawa Mahal.

This morning after breakfast, you will be met and transferred by road (4 hours) to Shahpura Bagh. The man-made lakes surrounding the property form the heart of a rich wetland refuge that forms a haven for local birdlife.

This morning you depart to Udaipur (an approximate 4-hour drive). Delicate, feminine and elegant, Udaipur is known by many names – City of Sunrise, Jewel of Mewar and City of Lakes. Although it is one of Rajasthan’s largest cities, modern Udaipur manages to retain a charming small town vibe.

You will check into the Oberoi Udaivilas Hotel on the banks of Lake Pichola. The Oberoi Udaivilas captures all the romance and splendor of a royal era.

Today you will enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Udaipur starting with the City Palace and the Crystal Gallery. You will then drive 45 minutes north of Udaipur to Eklingji. It is a complex of 108 ancient temples. These architectural marvels are incised out of sandstone and marble.

This evening back in Udaipur you will take a boat tour of Lake Pichola which is fringed with temples and ghats (steps).

This morning you will continue your journey with a 6-hour drive to Jodhpur (approximately 6 hour drive). A dazzling blaze of blue on the eastern edge of the Thar Desert, Jodhpur is dominated by the imposing fortress that towers above the city on a sandstone ridge.

Upon arrival at Jodhpur you will check in at Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace, one of the largest residences in the world. Set amidst 26 acres of lush gardens, the palace is part museum, part royal residence and part hotel. The Umaid Bhawan Palace, with its ornate, art deco design, offers fascinating insight into the lives of the royals, with visitors even given the possibility of an enticing glimpse of the current maharaja, who still maintains a home within the palace complex.

Today you will enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Jodhpur. Your first stop will be Mehrangarh Fort. The majestic fort keeps watch over a maze of rooftops from its perch on a rocky mountaintop. Bathed in yellow light at night, this imposing stronghold has the reputation of being the best maintained fort in Rajasthan; and the palace complex, with its network of courtyards, is well worth exploring.

You will then visit Jaswant Thada, a beautiful marble crematorium constructed for the maharajahs in the 19th century. Later in the afternoon you will explore the Spice Market.

After breakfast you will be transferred to the Jodhpur airport for your fight to Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi you will be met and transferred to the Hotel Oberoi Gurgaon for one night.

Today you will be transferred to the Delhi International Airport for your departure flights.