India's Rajasthan – Grand Palace & Historic Fort Stays

Itinerary

• Day 1
  Board your overnight flight east for the journey to India.
• Day 2
  After your overnight flight, you’ll arrive in Delhi, meet your tour manager, and be transferred to the first heritage hotel of your stay, built in a palatial building dating back to 1903. You can spend the rest of the day unwinding, perhaps having a drink on the garden terrace or taking a dip in the outdoor pool, enclosed by manicured lawns. Dinner will be enjoyed at the hotel’s polished restaurant, serving international and Indian dishes.
• Day 3
  Following a restful night, you’ll have breakfast and set off on a morning excursion to Humayun’s Tomb, one of the best-preserved Mughal monuments and an inspiration for the construction of the Taj Mahal. The tour will also stop off at the striking Qutub Minar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a minaret and ‘victory tower’ that forms part of a complex. You’ll then drive past the impressive government buildings, including President House, Parliament House, and the India Gate War Memorial. In the afternoon, an informative guided tour of the city’s major historic highlights will commence, encompassing the Jama Masjid Mosque, one of the largest in India, Raj Ghat, Gandhi’s cremation site, Jama Mosque, and Agrasen-Ki Baoli, a centuries-old step well. An exhilarating rickshaw ride around Chandni Chowk, in the heart of Old Delhi, will serve as another memorable moment before the tour continues passing by the Red Fort, with its soaring, scarlet walls. When evening falls, you’ll journey on a culinary walking tour around Old Delhi while learning about how the city has preserved its cultural history and epicurean traditions. During the tour, you’ll call at foodie spots, which are considered landmarks on Delhi’s culinary map and favoured by locals while tasting recipes that have been passed down through generations. Afterwards, you’ll return home for dinner at the hotel and to relax.  
• Day 4
  Rise early this morning as a day of adventure awaits, beginning with a transfer to the railway station to board the train to Ajmer. You’ll travel through the countryside, with a packed breakfast and upon arrival, be picked up and transferred to Pushkar, one of the oldest cities in India. A transfer will then take you to your next old-world hotel, Pushkar Palace, which looks over Pushkar Lake and the surrounding hills. You can then unpack and choose to wander the winding lanes around the lake, a sacred body of water ringed by 52 ghats (flights of steps that provide access for bathing) and over 400 temples. In the evening, you’ll pay a visit to the Brahma Temple for which the city is known. It is the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe) in the world and a pilgrimage site visited by thousands of devotees every year. Here, you’ll get to witness arti (the Hindu ceremony of light), where worshipers circle a lamp three times in a clockwise direction while chanting a prayer or singing a hymn. You’ll then return to the hotel for dinner, perhaps with a view of the lake.  
• Day 5
  Enjoy breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer to Udaipur, the ‘City of Lakes’ set around artificial lakes and home to a collection of magnificent royal residences. Once arriving, you’ll check into Shikarbadi Hotel, housed in a former royal hunting lodge, and backed by the Aravali Hills. The rest of the day will be at your leisure, and you can choose to spend it in and around the hotel, perhaps following one of the nearby nature trails while keeping an eye out for spotted deer lurking amongst the trees. Alternatively, you can stroll the warren of streets at your own pace, and make your away around the serene Lake Pichola, bordered by palaces and temples. In the late afternoon, you can cool down in the pool before enjoying dinner at the hotel.
• Day 6
  Fuel up on breakfast and then venture out for a guided tour of Udaipur, stopping by the majestic City Palace, a grand structure of towers and balconies, and Rajasthan’s largest palace. The tour will also visit Jagdish Temple, a towering Hindu shrine and the beautiful gardens of Saheliyon-ki-Bari, the ‘Gardens of Maidens’, adorned with marble fountains and encompassing lush lawns. For lunch, you’ll visit a charming, local restaurant and sample authentic Mewari cuisine. You’ll then have the chance to visit a vintage car museum, which houses a collection of cars owned by the royal family of Udaipur. Later in the afternoon, you’ll board a boat for a scenic cruise across the waters of Lake Pichola – an ideal way to take in the shoreside attractions from a different angle. When night falls, you’ll join your fellow guests for a special dinner looking out over the palace and riverbanks. While dining, you can view the illuminated, glittering temples and fortresses in the distance.
• Day 7
  You’ll have breakfast, check out and then travel to desert-fringed Jodhpur, the ‘Blue City’, with its maze of medieval streets, sapphire-hued buildings, and lofty 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort. The coach will drop you at your palatial lake-front hotel, Rohet Garh, and you can unwind and get settled here, perhaps having a cocktail on the terrace. In the evening, you’ll be picked up in a Jeep and venture on a safari to Bishnoi Village. You’ll walk on foot around the village, gaining insights into the culture of the Marwar people and observing them go about their daily lives and occupations. The residents follow a 15th-century religious creed that includes a variety of instructions to preserve the environment – earning them the title of the world's first eco-warriors. Later, you’ll return for dinner at the hotel and to unwind.
• Day 8
  Today, after breakfast, you’ll embark on a guided tour of Jodhpur. You’ll begin by exploring Mehrangarh Fort, with its sandstone butte protecting a complex of ornate palaces, courtyards, and museum. You’ll then visit the white marbled Jaswant Thada memorial, with its assortment of domes and Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, positioned on Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodhpur. The rest of the day will be free, so you can explore at your own pace. Perhaps take a stroll around the old city, with the clock tower, Ghanta Ghar in the centre of it. Next to the tower, you’ll find the market, with its traditional bazaar-like atmosphere and assortment of handicrafts, spices, and tea.   In the evening, you’ll travel back to the hotel for dinner.
• Day 9
  Enjoy breakfast and then board the coach for Khimsar, a small village in Rajasthan, surrounded by a desert landscape. Here, you’ll check into the luxury heritage hotel, Khimsar Fort, a sprawling 16th-century property, positioned on the edge of the Great Thar Desert with a backdrop of sand dunes. After you’ve settled in and perhaps had a tipple at the poolside bar, you’ll be picked up and driven out to a Rajasthani village bounded by sand dunes. A special dinner of local dishes will be served under the stars and overlooking a lake with the accompaniment of a cultural performance featuring dancing and music.  Later in the evening, you’ll be driven back to the hotel.
• Day 10
  You’ll have breakfast at the hotel this morning, check out, and be driven to Jaipur, the ‘Pink City’, where another beautiful heritage hotel awaits. Housed in a former haveli, this property is a quiet oasis of calm close to the bustling city. The rest of the day will be at your leisure, and you can choose to take advantage of the facilities, like the spa and swimming pool, or head out to explore. As night falls, you can join your fellow travellers for dinner.