Tour Destination : Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur, Pushkar, Ranakpur, Udaipur
Namaste! - We welcome you with folded hands
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Rajasthan, ‘The Land Of Kings” is India at its exotic and colourful best. The destinations suggested below take us through a time machine a few hundreds of years back in time. We find ourselves in extremely remote tribal areas of Rajasthan where life is as primitive as primitive can be. This enables us to capture images of tribal life at its best - in all its traditional colours and innocent hospitality...The highlight of the tour is stays in royal palaces, forts & castles - imposing buildings replete with luxury, character and Old World charm. Life outside these amazing buildings is a contrast. Life is very primitive and traditional; typical homes with mud plastered or cow dung plastered walls and hay thatched roofs; narrow lanes or trails broad enough only for camel carts or donkey carts; traditional costumes of men & women; primitive agricultural techniques of plough being drawn by men or bulls; traditional occupations of wood carving, block printing, pottery etc. For most people here, their world ends where the village ends. The village itself is self-sufficient; they have their local bazaar and a village temple with a village deity in it. - the deity is supreme and responsible for anything and everything that effect the day to day life of the natives. The only other God that comes a close second to their village deity are members of the royal family who inhabit the palaces, forts and castles that dominate their village. The feudal respect for the rulers has been retained over several generations. Time seems to have come to a standstill here. The experience is like traveling through a living museum. The Tour is a photographer’s paradise offering innumerable opportunities to capture virgin lifestyle images unchanged for centuries. Finally, the distances between destinations are very small. This not only cuts out the travel time, but encourages people to have time in hand to explore the country side on the way at their own pace. You would have an opportunity to interact with the locals, visit villages and tribal homes etc. You could do all this and more without worrying about loosing time on journeys. Also, we believe that the sights and experiences that come up on way to a destination are more fascinating and natural compared to the destination itself.
Of Course the crowning Glory of the tour is the Taj Mahal – the most photographed monument in the world…A fitting climax to our back street adventures in Rajasthan
04th Nov 2022 (Thu): Arrival / Delhi
Welcome to India, or as we say ‘atithi devo bhava’ (the guest is an incarnation of God). Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you!
Late night arrival, Meeting and assistance upon arrival as well as traditional welcome with garlands Transfer to your hotel with your relationship executive who would also help you check in and deliver a tour briefing besides handing over a welcome pack containing your travel documents.
Whilst the room keys and check-in is organized, our representative would introduce the tour to you and hand over the documents to you.
Overnight at Hotel Jaypee Siddharth (Deluxe Room)
05th Nov (Fri): Delhi
After breakfast, embark on a city tour of New Delhi. Our tour includes a visit to the Qutab Minar - 72 meters high and one of the most perfect towers in the Persian world. The Iron Pillar which has survived the vagaries of weather for over 1500 years.
Then, we will continue our expedition with a drive to the Lutyens Delhi which is considered to be the corridors of power and serenity. Our tour also includes a drive pass through the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House as well a stop at India Gate.
We will be also visiting the Safdarjung Tomb. Then, we will make our way to the Agrasen Ki Baoli (Beautifully Sculpted Step Well) - a water reservoir or a step well that is known for its heritage value. Indeed, the builders were way ahead of time when creating this architectural marvel that dealt with sorting out the water problem.
Next, we will continue our journey with a visit to the Humayun’s Tomb (1586), built by the Emperor’s widow Hamida Banu Begam, also known as Haji Begam, and commenced the construction of his tomb in 1569, fourteen years after his death. Our tour also includes a visit to the Isa Khan’s Tomb complex located adjacent to Humayun’s Tomb and is the resting place of Isa Khan Niyazi, a noble of influence at the court of Sher Shah Suri.
Later, we cross the city and into the walled gates of the Old city with visits to the Jamma Mosque (1650) and drive through the fabled area of Chandni Chowk (aptly translates to Moonlight Square) where the throngs of shoppers and vendors meet in the oldest area of Delhi. Visit the Raj Ghat and nearby ghats where the founder of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi and thereafter Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were cremated.
The highlight of this tour would be a ride on cycle rickshaws. Now these are 3-wheel cycles with a sofa seat at the back. The Rickshawala (Rickshaw driver) sits on a small cushion in the front and two passengers on the sofa seat behind. This is a remarkable way to explore and picture the hustle and bustle as well as the color of the narrow winding streets bursting with people and pavement shops selling wares of all description - including a laughing set of dentures. The ride would be accompanied by peals of laughter both from the passengers as well as the onlookers.
Overnight at Hotel Jaypee Siddharth (Deluxe Room)
06th Nov (Sat): Delhi / Agra (205 Kms) (04 Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will drive to Agra along one of the India’s finest freeways
Upon arrival in Agra, check into Hotel Crystal Sarovar Premiere.
After rest & relaxation, we ride to the massive Agra Fort. The elegant buildings inside reflect an interesting synthesis of Hindu and Central Asian architectural styles. This fort was built by Emperor Akbar, the maze of the courtyards, mosques & private chambers of the fort echo the story of the Mughal Empire.
Evening, we will visit Mehtab Bagh. The Moonlight Garden was an extension of the Taj Mahal Garden - on the other side of the river. In 1652 Aurangzeb wrote to his father telling of a visit to 'the blessed tomb' and commenting that 'the Mahtab Garden was completely inundated and has lost its charm, but soon it will regain its verdancy. The octagonal pool and the pavilion around it are in splendid condition.' The Mahtab Bagh was lost under the mud but re-excavated in the 1990s. Originally, the garden was planted with fragrant flowers and used in the cool of the night as a place from which to view the Taj Mahal reflected in the octagonal pool and in the river.
Overnight at Hotel Crystal Sarovar Premiere (Deluxe Room)
07th Nov (Sun): Agra / Fatehpur Sikri / Jaipur (245 Kms) (05 ½ Hrs. Drive)
Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most photographed monument in the world. However, there is a degree of enigma about the Taj. Once you hear about a building so much and once you see so many pictures of a building your expectations are real high; and this is the enigma about the Taj Mahal. No matter how many pictures you have seen or no matter how high your expectations are the Taj never lets you down - the unparalleled glory and beauty of the building surpasses beyond all human imaginations. At sunrise we visit one of the greatest sights of one’s lifetime - Taj Mahal. A dawn visit to the fabled Taj Mahal to witness the magical effects caused by the reflections of the changing colours of the rising Sun on this brilliant white marble building. Later we return back to our hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast, we drive to Jaipur, stopping at deserted Capital City of Fatehpur Sikri. This abandoned capital of the Mughals is a perfectly preserved city at the height of the empire’s splendour. The city divided into religious and secular parts has interesting well-sculpted buildings. From here we continue our ride to Jaipur.
Upon arrival in Jaipur, check into Hotel Jasvilas.
Evening, guided walks along the lanes and bye-lanes of the old city. The city is best-explored on foot and only the inquisitive visitor willing to go into the rastaas (streets) and galis (lanes) will feel the spirit of the city. Jaipur’s colorful bazaars tantalize the eye with enameled blue pottery, exquisite gem-studded jewelry, engraved brass work traditional block-printed fabrics and brightly patterned dhurrie rugs together with traditional crafts and miniature painting.
Overnight at Hotel Jasvilas (Standard Room)
08th Nov (Mon): Jaipur
After breakfast, we shall visit the Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Winds, a five-storied structure of pink sandstone with semi-octagonal and delicately honeycombed windows overlooking the main street of the old city. It was built in 1799 so that veiled royal women could peer down unseen by the world through its 593 stone screens.
Later, we visit Amber Fort, the former capital of the royal Jaipur’s. Few fail to be moved by the dramatic Rajput grandeur of this hilltop fortress-palace 11 km north of Jaipur. Set on the dry wrinkled Aravali Hills, and surrounded by fortified battlements, the palace straddles two sepia-hued tundra hills overlooking Maota Lake, and its sprawling crenellated walls lattice the surrounding hills.
We will ride up to this hilltop palace on a Jeep. Our guide will elaborate on the history of this architectural masterpiece with its mirror-studded alcoves, dazzling mosaics and water-cooled swings that delight today’s visitors as they did their former royal residents.
Later, we also visit the Panna Meena ka Kund. This beautiful place was constructed during sixteenth century. The place was mainly utilized as a place of social meetings. People from nearby places come here for getting water, swimming or just to hang out with their loved ones. During ancient times, this place was utilized mainly as water protects pool. This beautiful Kund has a unique architecture and styling. This Kund was designed by a Brahmin and constructed by craftsmen and engineers
Then, we would also stop at Jal Mahal palace for photos. (From Outside Only)
Later in the afternoon, we proceed on a tour Of the City Palace & Observatory. The City Palace in the heart of the old city is a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. The palace lies in the heart of the city and occupies the whole central grid. The fortified wall has seven gates and was built for protection from invading armies and animals that lived in jungles, which surrounded the wall that time. Next, we visit the Solar Observatory - an astronomical treasure house, with solar device that give accurate predictions till date.
Overnight at Hotel Jasvilas (Standard Room)