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Rajasthan Unfurls

DESTINATION : 13 Nights / 14 Days
DURATION : Delhi / Mandawa / Fatehpur / Bikaner / Jaisalmer / Pokaran / Jodhpur / Luni / Ranakpur / Udaipur / Jaipur / Fatehpur Sikri / Agra / Delhi

Day 01 Arrive Delhi
Meet and assist by our representative upon your arrival at the airport. Then drive to your hotel with your driver and car. Night in hotel.

Day 02 Delhi
In the morning after breakfast a city tour of this imperial British capital of the 20th century introduces us to the Qutub Minar - the tallest free standing minaret in stone in the world; then onto Humayun’s tomb - the first Mughal construction in India from 1565 AD. Also see the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the India Gate built in the earlier half of the 20th century. Drive through the old city past the Red Fort and visit the Jama Masjid - the biggest of its kind in India. Here take a rickshaw through the winding streets of the old city to see the life of the people in this part of the world. A perfect introduction of your tour. The rickshaw puller pulls you through the imperial avenue the Chandni Chowk where you will find each and every small business under the sky. Finally, reach Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, where your chauffeur is waiting for you to take you to your next stop the Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple in activity.

Day 03 Delhi - Mandawa
After breakfast leave Delhi for Mandawa enroute visiting Mahensar. Upon arrival in Mandawa check into your hotel.

Day 04 Mandawa - Bikaner 180km
In the morning see this beautiful village of Shekhawati that used to be an important caravanserai of the yesteryears. See the many havelis of this quaint little town built by the rich and the famous merchants of the 18th and 19th centuries. These havelis have been painted with activities of daily life and of deities to break the monotony of the desert life.

Then proceed towards Bikaner. Visit the Junagarh fort museum today withy its rich and splendid collection from the royal family.

Day 05 Bikaner - Pokaran - Jaisalmer 330km
After breakfast we set towards our journey across the Thar Desert to reach Pokaran for lunch. Visit the 15th century fortress where the 3rd Mughal emperor, Akbar the Great, was born in 1543. The bazaar in the middle of this village is very colourful and full of local flavours. After lunch continue towards Jaisalmer and arrive by evening to witness the sunset over the desert with the most imposing edifice of the town behind you.

Day 06 Jaisalmer
Morning an exclusive visit of the Jain temples inside the Sonar Kila.. The Jains are a community that respects life and are pure vegetarians by religion. Visit the citadel’s palace that houses a museum with a huge collection of robes and artifacts from the royal family of Jaisalmer. Visit the Patwaon ki haveli with intricately designed latticed windows used by the ladies to view the external world. Also see the Gadisar Lake.

Later, we go to Sam or Khuri village. Here we have loads of excitement in store for you. Upon arrival in the village you will be taken to the nearby sunset point on the dunes to see the sunset by camel carts. After sunset listen to the haunted tunes of the local music and return to your hotel. A lifetime experience.

Day 07 Jaisalmer - Luni 320km
Today we reach Jodhpur the blue city by early afternoon and drive up to the majestic Mehrangarh fort, the stronghold of the Rathore princes from 1453AD. We see the superb collection of paintings and arms and ammunitions. The view of the city from the rampart walls is breath taking.

Post lunch session introduces you to the fabulous spice market of Jodhpur the 2nd largest city in Rajasthan. Walk along the market to feel the odours of the spices filling the air around you

Then go to Mandore gardens the then capital of Marwar to view some of the fabulous cenotaphs and the hall of local heroes of the wars. Drive back to Jodhpur and see the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the present residence of the king of Jodhpur. Later an hours drive brings us to the world of animals - Luni, the palace amidst the more rustic life of Rajasthan. Retire to your hotel and relax.

Jour 08 Luni - Ranakpur - Udaipur 290km
After breakfast we take you on a safari to discover the hidden beauty of the jungle life. Here you would be visiting the Bishnoi villages. Bishnois are a tribe that respects life in every form - animals trees and even dead branches. They are vegetarians and even in the villages they protect the animal life and don’t let anybody practice hunting in the vicinity of their villages. They live in a joint family system where the oldest member is generally the head of the family.

Then we would like you to witness the opium ceremony with the Patels - a rich tribe. It is a ceremony prevelant in this part of Rajasthan where the youth offers opium to drink mixed with water to the elders of the family when they come back from work in the fields.

Leave Luni and reach Ranakpur a big pilgrimage centre for the Jains. Just four hours drive from Luni is the eternal Jain pilgrimage centre of Ranakpur. Admire the workmanship from the 16th century. The temples are built out of marble and the main shrine of Adinath with 1444 columns is awe inspiring and none of these are similar. Also see the sun temple and the other temples in the campus. Proceed towards Udaipur and on the way stop by the fields to see the local way of farming and irrigation. Walk into the villages to mingle with the locals around to know more about their lifestyle.

Reach Udaipur by late evening and check into your hotel

Day 09 Udaipur
Visit the City Palace the richest palace museum in the entire Rajasthan. See the peacock square and the miniature painting school inside the palace premises. Udaipur has the prestige of housing the best miniature schools in the country under the royal patronage of the king of Udaipur. Later see the temples of Nagda and Eklingji.

The temple at Eklingji is a temple that belongs to the Maharana of Mewar (royal family) and he is often there to pray. The temple complexe of Nagda is a group of temples of which only two remain intact and those are that of Saas and Bahu - two temples of Shiva and of Vishnu both from the 7th century.

Day 10 Udaipur - Jaipur (By flight)
Leave your hotel after breakfast for the domestic airport to catch the flight to the Pink City: Jaipur.

After lunch at your hotel visit the local bazaar and the gems cutting and polishing factory.

Day 11 Jaipur
Visit the Amber fort in the morning; included is an elephant ride at the Amber fort. See the marvelous Shish mahal built in the 17th century in a fusion style of Hindu and Islamic art. Also see the hall of public audiences and Maharaja Man Singh’s Palace who had twelve queens.

After lunch set off to see the Pink city visiting the observatory Jantar Mantar built in 1727 by Sawai Maharaja Jai Singh II who was a mathematician , an astronomer an astrologer and a great musician of his era. He built five observatories throughout India - Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura and Delhi but only the one at Jaipur is functional.

Then visit the City Palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur with a fabulous collection of robes and saris in cotton and silk with golden latticed work. The City Palace houses a collection of paintings also in the painting gallery and of course a collection of arms and ammunitions in the ammunition gallery.

Day 12 Jaipur -Fatehpur Sikri - Agra 230km
Leave Jaipur and reach Fatehpur Sikri by early afternoon. Visit this abandoned city built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the second half of the 16th century. Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar after his Hindu wife bore him the long awaited son who was born after the renowned sufi saint Salim Chisti blessed Jodhabai Akbar’s hindu wifewith a son. Also visit Jodhabai’s palace the biggest palace in Fatehpur Sikri even bigger than the emperor’s palace himself as this was the queen who bore him his heir to the throne.

Continue towards Agra and reach Agra by early evening. Relax at your hotel or go to the local bazaar to see the lifestyle of the people.

Day 13 Agra
Taj Mahal is awaiting your arrival today morning. A must see with the rising sun as the Taj Mahal is bathed in the golden rays of the morning sun. Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial that houses the tomb of his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design, balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of the best inlay work ever seen anywhere in the world.

Then see the Agra Fort built by Akbar where Shahjahan was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb.

Post lunch visit Itmad ud Daulah - it is the first mughal building built out completely of marble. In many contexts it is referred to being the predecessor of the Taj Mahal. Then visit Sikandara the tomb of the great emperor Akbar before continuing towards Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi transfer to a local restaurant for your farewell dinner and finally transfer to the international airport for your flight back home.

Day 14 Agra - Delhi
Leave Agra after a leisurely breakfast and reach Delhi by evening. After a brief wash and change you would be taken to a local restaurant for a farewell dinner.

Tour Ends

                PRICE PER PERSON ON TWIN SHARING           USD 777  

CITY	HOTEL	NIGHTS	CATEGORY
DELHI	GRAND SARTAJ	2	THREE STAR
MANDAWA	HERITAGE MANDAWA	1	HERITAGE
BIKANER	BASANT VIHAR PALACE	1	HERITAGE
JAISALMER	RANG MAHAL	2	HERITAGE
LUNI	FORTCHANWA	1	HERITAGE
UDAIPUR	INDIA	2	FOUR STAR
JAIPUR	PARK PLAZA	2	FOUR STAR
AGRA	PARK PLAZA	2	FOUR STAR

Included on this tour are:

1. Daily breakfasts

2. English speaking local guide (wherever required)

3. Elephant ride at Amber Fort in Jaipur

4. Overnight stay in the hotels mentioned

5. Air conditioned car with chauffeur

6. All applicable taxes

7. Rickshaw ride in the old city of Delhi

8. Desert and village safari in Luni

9. Opium ceremony in Luni

10. Visit to Bishnoi villages in Luni

11. Sunset cruise on Lake Pichhola in Udaipur

12. Airfare included for the sector Udaipur / Jaipur

13. Camel ride on the dunes in the desert

14. Farewell dinner on the last day in Delhi

15. Puppet show in Jaipur

16. Magic show in Jaipur

17. Local music and dance by local village artists on the dunes in Jaisalmer

18. Sunrise/ sunset visit of Taj Mahal in Agra

19. Battery bus / battery auto rickshaw ride in Agra