North India Travel
--» Explore Rajasthan Tours
Explore Rajasthan Tours
DURATION : 20 Days / 19 Nights
DESTINATIONS COVERED : Delhi - Mandawa - Bikaner - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur
- Mt. Abu - Udaipur - Pushkar - Kota - Ranthambore - Jaipur - Agra - Delhi
DAY
01 : ARRIVE DELHI
Arrive Delhi in the evening. Upon arrival, you shall met & assisted
with your baggages at the airport by our executive and transferred to prebooked
hotel.
Delhi : India’s
capital & a major gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi
is a bustling metropolis which successfully combines in its fold the ancient
& the modern. Its strategic location was one of the prime reasons why successive
dynasties chose it as their seat of power. New Delhi
also reflects the legacy the British left behind . The division between New
& Old Delhi is the distinction between the capitals of the British &
the Moghuls respectively. So, wherever the visitor goes, he will invariably
confront the citys’ past.
DAY 02 : DELHI
After breakfast, half day city tour of Old Delhi. Visit Jama Masjid, the
largest mosque in India.
Built by Shah Jahan, the construction was started in 1844 and was not completed
until 1658; Red Fort, which was also built by Shah Jehan. This massive fort
was built from 1638 to 1648; Chandni Chowk and Rajghat - the cremation site
of Mahatma Gandhi.
Afternoon, city tour of New Delhi.
Visit Humayuns Tomb : built in mid 16th century this is an early example of
Mughal architecture; Qutab Minar, drive past India Gate, President House, Connaught
Place. The tour ends with a visit to Laxmi
NarayanTemple
DAY
03 : DELHI - MANDAWA
After breakfast, leave for Mandawa. Arrive Mandawa and check-in at prebooked
hotel.
Afternoon, visit Mandawa (Shekawati region). This region came into prominence
in the 14th century when a number of Muslim clans moved into the area and the
towns of this region developed into important trading posts on the caravan routes
emanating from the ports of Gujarat. This region is famous
for painted havelis (houses) most of which date back from the 18th century.
The major towns of interest are Mandawa, Fatehpur, Nawalgarh. Visit the havelis
in Mandawa and other villages of Shekhawati region
DAY 04 : MANDAWA - BIKANER
Morning, leave for Bikaner. Arrive
Bikaner and check-in at prebooked
hotel.
Afternoon, city tour of Bikaner
- a desert town founded in 1488 by Rao Bikaji, a descendant of the founder of
Jodhpur, Jodhaji. Visit the Junagarh
Fort which was contructed between 1588 and 1593 by a general in the army of
the Mughal Emperor, Akbar. The fort has a 986m long wall with 37 bastions and
two entrances; Camel Breeding Farm, managed by goverment this camel breeding
station is probably unique in Asia and has thousands of camels.
DAY 05 : BIKANER
- JAISALMER
Morning, excursion to Karni MataTemple, Deshnoke
Afternoon, leave for Jaisalmer. Arrive Jaisalmer and check-in at prebooked hotel.
DAY
06 : JAISALMER
After breakfast, city tour of Jaisalmer. Visit the the citadel – the Fort
built by Rawal Jaisal where a fourth of the population lives. The fort also
houses Jain temples of the 12th to 15th centuries, Patwon Ki Haveli – a five
storey mansion with carved pillars & murals of Salim Singh. Also visit Gadsisar,
which had once supplied water to the city ; the temples & archways around
it have been built by a courtesan.
Afternoon, excursion to Sam – 45 km away, is known for its sand dunes &
is the venue for the Desert festival. Get the actual feel of the desert by enjoying
a camel ride on the sand dunes and witness a magnificent sunset on the sand
dunes. Return to Jaisalmer for overnight stay.
DAY 07 : JAISALMER - JODHPUR
After breakfast, leave for Jodhpur.
On arrival in Jodhpur, check-in
at prebooked hotel.
In the afternoon, city tour of Jodhpur
: Visit the Mehrangarh Fort which literally means “Majestic Fort”, located at
the very centre of the city. There are ,in all , three gates , each built to
commemorate a particular victory, as well as to reinforce the fort. It has a
collection of musical instruments, palanquins, furniture & cannons on the
forts’ ramparts are well preserved. Jaswant Thada : Close to the fort complex
lies this white marble cenotaph, built in 1899, in commemoration of Maharaja
Jaswant Singh II. Rare portraits of Jodhpur's
rulers are, also, to be seen at Jaswant Thada.
DAY 08 : JODHPUR
- MOUNT ABU
After breakfast, leave forMount Abu.
On arrival check-in at prebooked hotel
Afternoon, city tour ofMount Abu which is the only hill station in the state
of Rajasthan. Visit the Dilwara Jain temple, which are the main attraction inMt.
Abu and are amongst the finest examples of Jain architecture in India. The complex
included 02 temples, the older of which is the Vimal Visahi built in 1031 and
is dedicated to the first tirthankar, Adinath. The later Tejpal temple was built
in 1230 AD and is dedicated to Neminath - the 22nd tirthankar.
DAY
09 : MOUNT ABU - RANAKPUR - UDAIPUR
After breakfast, leave for Udaipur.
Enroute visiting the Jain temples at Ranakpur : The cluster of temples, made
of intricately sculpted white marble, come across as a marvellousfeat of architecture.
It would take anyone by surprise to learn that they were built in 1460, so well
preserved & sparkling is the marble. The main temple is supported on 1,444
pillars – none of which is similarly carved. After the visit, continue
drive to Udaipur.
Arrive Udaipur and check-in at prebooked
hotel. Rest of the day at leisure
DAY 10 : UDAIPUR
Morning, free for individual activities.
Afternoon, visit the romantic city of Udaipur.
Visit the
City Palace
which is the largest palace complex in Rajasthan;
Jagdish temple,
a fine Indo Aryan temple built in 1651;
Sahelion ki Bari
or Garden of the Maids of Honour, which is a small garden with its fountains,
kiosks, marble elephants & lotus pool.
In the evening, boat ride onLake
Pichola.
DAY 11 : UDAIPUR
- CHITTORGARH - PUSHKAR
After breakfast, leave for Pushkar, enroute visiting Chittorgarh. The hilltop
fortress of Chittorgarh epitomises the whole romantic ideal of Rajput chivalry.
The fort was sacked 3 times from 1303 to 1568 by a stronger enemy and
on each occasion, the end was "Jauhar". The men donned the saffron
robes of martyrdom and rode out from the fort to certain death and the women
and children immolated themselves on a huge funeral pyre.
After the visit, continue drive to Pushkar. Arrive Pushkar and check-in at prebooked
hotel.
Afternoon, Visit Pushkar - The holylake
of Pushkar is believed to have been
created by Lord Brahma himself. It is as important as Banaras
or Puri. Devout Hindus believe that it is essential to visit Pushkar at least
once in their lifetime. No pilgrimage is considered complete without a dip in
the holy Pushkar lake. Pushkar has as many as 400 temples and 52 ghats and the
only temple in the country that is dedicated to Brahma is to be found here.
While Pushkar is a heaven for the religiously inclined, it is also the venue
of one of the country's most colorful cattle fairs - the Pushkar Fair.
DAY
12 : PUSHKAR - KOTA
Morning, leave for Kota - Along the eastern bank of the Chambal River lies
Kota - an amazing juxtaposition of the majestic medieval age and modern industrialisation
temples its untouched wealth of impressive forts, opulent palaces and splendid
temples dating back over several centuries retain the past glory, the present
day edifices and heavy industries have made it the industrial heartland of Rajasthan.
The history of the city dates back to the 12th century A.D. when the Hada Chieftain,
Rao Deva, conquered the territory and founded Bundi and Hadoti. Later, in the
early 17th century AD during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, the ruler
of Bundi -Rao Ratan Singh, gave the smaller principality of Kota
to his son, Madho Singh. Since then Kota
became a hallmark of the Rajput gallantry and cultureThe commanding fort stands
overlooking the modern Chambal Valley Project with its many dams- Kota Barrage,Gandhi
Sagar,Rana Pratap Sagar and Jawahar Sagar. An old palace,dating back to the
time when Kota was under the control
of Hada Chieftaincy-Hadoti faces the Kota Barrage. The Durbar Hall is ornate
with beautiful mirror work and has ebony and ivory doors. Exquisite miniatures
of the Kota school are housed within
the Hall. Other noteworthy edifices of the bygone era are the Brij
Raj BhawanPalace,Jag
Mandir-and island Palace, a splendid haveli (mandion) with beautiful frescoes
and the royal cenotaphs. Upon arrival, check-in at prebooked hotel.
DAY 13 : KOTA
Morning, city tour of Kota.
Afternoon, excursion to Bundi - 36 km from Kota
is and is one of the unexplored cities with a rich historical wealth. Once a
part of Kota, it was ruled by the
Had Chauhans- an offshoots of the famous Chauhan clan who ruled Delhi
and Ajmer. In 1193 A.D. when
Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Sultan Mohammed Ghauri, some Chauhan nobles
seeked shelter in Mewar and became allies to the Rana while other young warriors
move towards the Chambal valley and overpowered the Meena and Bhil tribals-thus
establishing their ownkingdom of
Hadoti. Later, two branches of Hadas
formed two separates states of Kota
and Bundi, on either side of the river Chambal. Bundi is surrounded by the Aravalli
hills on the three sides and is circumscribed by a massive wall with four gateways.
Interesting monuments including impressive medieval forts, palaces, havelis,
temples with beautiful stone idols and chattris with carved pillars, along with
a picturesque lake in the heart of the town, add to its charm. Bundi is very
famous for its intricate carvings and murals. Interesting monuments including
impressive medieval forts, palaces, havelis, temples with beautiful stone idols
and chattris with carved pillars, along with a picturesque lake in the heart
of the town, add to its charm. Bundi is very famous for its intricate carvings
and murals.
DAY
14 : KOTA - RANTHAMBORE 220 KMS / 04-05 HRS
Afternoon,
leave for
Ranthambore
National Park. Located
at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill range, this is one of the finest
places to view animals, especially as they are used to being stared at here.The
park covers an area of Approximately 400 sq Km and if combined it with the area
of
sawai man singh sanctuary area, it is around 500 Sq. km. Ranthambore
national park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 it gained
the protection of
"Project Tiger". It got it's status
of a National Park in 1981. RanthamboreNational Park is dotted with structures
that remind you of bygone eras. There are many water bodies located all
over the park, which provide perfect relief during the extremely hot summer
months for the forest inhabitants. A huge fort, after which the park is named,
towers over the park atop a hill. There are many ruins of bygone eras scattered
all over the jungle, which give it a unique, wonderful and mixed flavour of
nature, history and wildlife. Tigers at RanthamboreNational park have been known to
even hunt in full view of human visitors. These tigers are famous for being
seen in the daytime too, due to their lack of fear of human presence in vehicles.
This lack of fear of humans is excellent for tourists, as they get to see the
tigers often. This National park is a wildlife enthusiast and photographer's
dream. It offers excellent accommodation and internal transportation facilities.
The park remains open every year from October to May. Famous for the exciting
and frequent tiger sightings captured dramatically in several books, this park
is today affected by ecological pressures and poaching. In Nutshell, RanthamboreNational park is a wildlife enthusiast
and photographer's dream.
Arrive Ranthambore and check-in at prebooked hotel.
DAY 15 : RANTHAMBORE
Morning and afternoon, Jungle Safari
DAY 16 : RANTHAMBORE - JAIPUR
190 KMS, 04-05 HRS
After breakfast, leave for Jaipur - The Pink City : Jaipur needed
a fresh coat of paint to welcome its distinguished guest the Prince of Wales
in 1905-6. The contractor inability to supply any other color in the required
quantity compelled the choice of pink shade for its walls. A contractor’s compulsion
famed Jaipur to Pinkcity. Since then the PINK color is associated with hospitality
in Rajput culture.
Arrive Jaipur and check-in at your prebooked hotel. Rest of the
day at leisure
DAY
17 : JAIPUR
After breakfast, excursion to Amber Fort. Elephant ride from the foothills of
the Aravallis to the fort entrance. Amber Fort : At a distance of 11 kms from
Jaipur, Amber was the ancient capital of Jaipur state. Construction of the fort
began in 1592 by Raja Man Singh, the Rajput commander of Akbar's army and is
a superb example of Rajput architecture.
Afternoon, city tour of Jaipur. Visit the
City Palace which has museum
having an extensive collection of art, carpets, enamel ware and weapons;
Jantar
Mantar - the observatory built my Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728 and the façade
of
Hawa Mahal.
DAY 18 : JAIPUR - FATEHPUR SIKRI - AGRA
After breakfast, leave for Agra.
Enroute visit the abandoned Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri
: built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, was the old capital of the Moghuls, which
was abandoned after 15 years due to scarcity of water. See the graceful buildings
including the Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Panch Mahal & other Palaces
which are still preserved in its original glory. Continue drive to Agra.
Arrive Agra in the evening and checkin
at prebooked hotel.
DAY 19 : AGRA -
DELHI
After breakfast, city tour of Agra.
Visit
Red fort, which was built by Emperor Akbar in 1565, and additions
were made up until the time of his grandson, Shah Jahan. It contains the hall
of public and private audiences amongst many other beautiful structues;
Itmad-ud-daulah,
which was contructed by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628 and is very similar
to the tomb she constructed for her husband, Jehangir, near Lahore in Pakistan;
the highlight of the day -
The Taj Mahal, which was constructed by Shah
Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Contruction of the Taj began in 1631
and was not completed until 1653.
Afternoon, leave for Delhi enroute
visit
Sikandra - Mughal Emperor Akbar's Mausoleum. Continue drive to
Delhi. Arrive Delhi
and check-in at prebooked hotel.
DAY 20 : DEPART DELHI
Transfer to the airport to board flight back home/onward destination.
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