Magic of Rajasthan
Rajasthan Known for its sun kissed desert and rich culture and tradition makes Rajasthan a fantastic tourist destination. It is the most colorful state in India, filled with amazing history, art and culture, the land of amazing legends of romance and heroism like in fairytales. It is a unique experience traveling in Rajasthan where everything is breathtakingly beautiful, fascinating and impressive, here hospitality is a tradition, which makes it a paradise for travelers.
The Magic of Rajasthan is a journey that touches the heart when it comes to culture, tradition, heritage, wildlife and also the beloved camels in the Thar Desert. You will visit some of the magnificent forts and palaces filled with legends and tales, some of them the greatest in India’s history, and see how the past is still alive in the present. This can be understood when we walk in areas less touched by tourism, in the alleys of the old cities, which is like visiting a vast open air museum of interesting things to discover. One can find many forms of craftsmanship done in exactly the same way they were done centuries ago, craft which has been passed down from generation to generation and is still celebrated in India today.
Art and craft is often manifested in tales and legends of the many gods and kings which is seen everywhere in India in many forms. Faith and devotion are naturally present here and this can be seen and felt everywhere. Not only art and craft but most important the way of life, this is a journey where you will be able to see the world’s oldest religion still so alive and practiced both in temples and in homes, some rituals and ceremonies a couple of thousand years old.
You will stay in one of the most fascinating heritage palaces which was once a powerful seat amongst the ruling families of Rajasthan, at a time when kings and queens ruled the land.
After a heavenly experience at Deogarh Palace it is time to travel to Bera Village and spend a night in rural Rajasthan. A place famous for its leopards and its colorful people, here the families take part in conservation efforts and it is fascinating to take a leopard safari and visit the families of Bera.
A journey to Rajasthan wouldn’t be complete without a desert experience with a camel safari and overnight stay. It is an extraordinary life experience to visit the desert; the way of life, even the sound of the desert and to see the light from the stars at night will amaze you forever.
Come and experience the Magic of Rajasthan
Traditional welcome at the airport by our Rajasthani tour escort who will accompany you by car or minibus to Jaipur.
The journey will take approximately 5 to 6 hrs and although it sounds like a very long, tiring journey, we assure you time will pass very quickly. This route gives you a glimse into India’s industrial sector with many manufacturing companies and showrooms, lots of new construction taking place and India’s famous IT PARKS, together with India’s beloved holy cows and bulls standing peacefully in the middle of the national highway.
The closer you come to Jaipur, the scenery becomes more colorful as you pass through charming rajasthani towns and villages with their beautiful people, camels, horses and elephants making it a very interesting route.
The colorful and vibrant Rajasthan is so rich in its heritage and has a very interesting culture. It offers exciting desert safaris, an amazing variety of wildlife and lush forests. It is often portrayed as a vvast open air museum, with relics so well preserved that it delights so much our travelers that they return again and again.
Following check-in at your hotel, located near the Pink City of Jaipur, you will have some time to relax before leaving around sunset to attend the evening ceremony at Govindaji Temple. Located in the City Palace complex in Jaipur, the Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and every day thousands of people visit to attend the daily ceremony of worship. The devotional atmosphere in this temple is incredible. Maharaja Sawai Jai 11 (founder of Pink City) brought the deity to the temple in 1728 which was built in order that the king could view it from his Chandra Mahal Palace. Legend say that the statue of Lord Krishna is 5000 years old.
Dinner and overnight stay in the Hotel.
Jaipur, the glorious pink city, was built by King Sawai Jai Singh in 1727. It sets hearts a flutter with visions of grandeur and tales of valour and bravery, romance and beauty. The city’s inherent historical charm has always been a major attraction for tourists. Visitors have praised its rich heritage with it’s numerous architectural wonder including the City’s Jantar Mantar (observatory) and Amber Fort which have been recognized by UNESCO.
Jaipur was ruled by the Kachchwahas, a Rajput clan. Rajputs belong to the warrior caste famous for its glorious history and royal heritage. The Rajput kingdoms in the subcontinent rose to prominence during the 6th to 12th centuries and up until the 20th century Rajputs still ruled in the vast majority of the princely states of the British Raj.
We will visit Amber Fort located in the Aravalli Hills, a drive of about 9 kilometers. Jaipur’s history dates back to the 12th century when the Kachchwaha clan of Rajputs arrived, who ruled during the establishment of the Pink City in 1727 and up to India’s independence in 1947.
Following Amber sightseeing we will visit Jantar Mantar observatory in the City Palace complex in Jaipur. It is a very interesting observatory used by astrologers to this day as the instruments are still intact. Our Jantar Mantar expert will explain the magic of these instruments.
In the afternoon, we will take you on a walking tour around the back lanes of the Pink City, away from the usual tourist areas, to see another side of Jaipur. We will visit a very interesting area of craft production, which largely takes place in the homes of local families. It resembles a museum with a treasure trove of things to see where small shops sell all kinds of handicrafts, made locally in Jaipur and the surrounding villages, where you can see families working with all types of ancient traditional crafts. Jaipur has become famous as a ‘world craft center’, here you can find beautiful handicrafts, jewellery and hand block printed textiles etc.
In the evening we are invited for dinner with our local friends at their home and will taste delicious and healthy traditional Rajasthani cuisine.
After breakfast we will proceed by car or minibus to Deogarh in Rajsamand district. It is a 4 to 5 hour journey and we will arrive at lunch time at Deogarh Palace.
Deogarh Mahal “castle of gods”, was built around 1670 and is one of the least known heritage hotels in Rajasthan. It is remote and most charming. We drive through small lanes, passing a charming colorful bazaar filled with little shops, temples, painted houses and a huge statue of the Hindu God Ganesh, the elephant God, until reaching a road leading into the courtyard of a 17th century castle which overlooks the town.
As soon as you see the castle one can understand that the ancestors of the family of Deogarh must have been great players amongst Rajasthan’s feuding nobles. History tells us that the Rawats, the local title equivalent to “Raja” or king, once ruled over the fourth largest area in whole of Rajasthan, at its most extensive, their territory comprised of 210 villages.
Deogarh Mahal was converted into a heritage hotel by the Deogarh family and a part of the mahal is still occupied by them. Rajasthan’s renowned hospitality is reflected at Deogarh where the ambiance offers you a unique experience.
In the afternoon we will visit the colorful small market and enjoy the ambience of Deogarh Mahal ”The castle of Gods”. www.deogarhmahal.com
We will start our journey after a lavish royal breakfast, it will take a little longer to reach our destination but, we assure you, it is definitely worth it. It is a very interesting route passing by smaller villages on an off beaten road in rural Rajasthan and will reach our destination, Bera village, at midday. It is a beautiful village in Pali district, famous for its leopards and other wildlife and it’s colorful people. Bera village is located near the Jawai Dam, renowned for its fantastic sightings of elusive leopard, and is home to a number of other mammals such as the bluebull, blackbuck, crocodile and hyena. You can also witness a vast array of the migratory birds that visit Bera during the winter.
We will go on an evening safari tour in jeeps to search for leopards and other wildlife. Bera is surrounded by forests and rocky hills adjoining the local villages, this area makes it an easy abode for the leopards where they roam freely.
We will return to our resort late evening and enjoy an open fire with stories about life in Bera. It is fascinating to learn more about the conservation efforts by people to protect the leopards initiated by Sriji Arvind Singh Mewar.
Early morning we will go with jeeps and visit the village, this enables you to feel the pulse of rural Rajasthan; the small traditional houses, the hospitality among the families, the turban clad man walking with his animals, camels, goats and lambs etc, beautiful colorful women dressed in traditional clothing, often with amazing embroidery with inlayed traditional mirror work and children busy playing and welcoming us with many questions, eagerly wishing to practice English.
It is a unique experience to visit rural Rajasthan, here genuine hospitality is a tradition.
We will proceed to Jodhpur after having lunch at the resort in Bera and will reach our hotel in the late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight stay at hotel in Jodhpur
We start our day visiting Meharanghar Fort. It is one of the most impressive and fascinating forts in all of India. Meharanghar fort stands majestically on a cliff 120 meters above the city of Jodhpur. The Meharanghar museum preserves priceless relics of Indian court life. It was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459, the chief of the Rathore Clan of Rajputs after whom the city was named.
Jodhpur marks the start of the THAR region, the great Indian desert and in olden times the silk route passed through this region resulting in a powerful kingdom of the great Hindu Kings of the Rathore clan. Their legacy can be seen in some of the most outstanding architectural wonders in India as well as a living colorful cultural heritage among the people. During the rule of the British Raj the merchants, or Marwaris in Jodphur, flourished endlessly and they came to occupy a dominant position in trade throughout India. Following independence, from the British in 1947, Jodhpur merged into the union of India and became the second city of Rajasthan.
After sightseeing at Meharanghar, we walk down the hill to reach Johdpur or the ‘Blue City’, as the old houses are painted in a bluish color. This is a heritage walk, leading the way to the famous clock market. The local guide will tell and show us about the amazing water harvesting and water cannel system which is still in perfect condition and used by local people. We will pass by many smaller beautifully decorated painted houses and handicraft shops, so it is also a great opportunity to do some shopping. We will also make sure to have a taste of Rajasthani food in a local restaurant.
We will travel up to Meharanghar Fort again to see the sunset on the horizon and here it is a moment of magic.
We will have dinner on a roof top in the Blue City from where we can see Meharanghar Fort.
Overnight stay in Jodhpur
After breakfast we will start our journey and travel to a tented camp in the midst of the Thar Desert. Located in a region of pristine beauty and tranquility, it is an ideal base to explore Indian desert life, culture and wildlife and offers an authentic desert experience.
In the afternoon we will spend our time camel back riding and enjoying the wilderness of the land. Here we can find the shy Chinkara, Indian Gazelle, and also smaller helmets, we will also ride by smaller settlements to see the way of life of the families living in the desert.
After a couple of hours camel ride, we will freshen up in our airy tents which have proper bedding and hot water in the adjoining bathroom tent. We will have our dinner around a campfire and here you can find the silence of the desert and see the beautiful sky full of stars.
After breakfast we will proceed back to Jodhpur and stop for an early lunch before we proceed directly to the airport in Jodhpur and catch our flight to Delhi. Our local representative will receive you at the airport in Delhi and accompany you to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay near Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Our local representative will accompany you from the hotel to Indira Gandhi International Airport and from here you will depart to your next destination.
