Rajasthan – Mewar

At present, the nearest airport is in Jaipur, 170 km away.
On Arrival in Jaipur Airport / Sawai Madhopur Railway station. You will be received by a member of our local team. Or an appointed driver who will take care of your transfer and check-in at the hotel. Later in the afternoon visit Ranthambore Fort and enjoy a jungle safari in the National Park. Overnight at the Resort. The Ranthambhor National Park certainly is one of the most picturesque game reserves in the world – the entire forest being dominated by the silent, ruined battlements of the Ranthambhor Fort, which is inside the sanctuary. Another interesting feature of the park is a huge banyan tree – supposedly one of the world’s largest – near the graceful Jogi Mahal Water Palace. Incidentally, Jogi Mahal still does not have electricity. Covered under Project Tiger (one of Asia’s most important conservation efforts), Ranthambhor is the favourite haunt of wildlife buffs and professional wildlife photographers from around the world. Apart from tigers, other animals include panthers, caracal, hyena, jackal, jungle cat, marsh crocodiles, wild boar, bears and various species of deer. The Park has a rich birdlife as well including The Great Indian horned owl.

Stay: Ranthambore

Proceed for Jaipur by Jaipur Exp. at 1030 hrs from Sawai Madhopur. Arrival at Jaipur by 1300 hrs. Transfer and check into the hotel. After lunch relaxes for a while and then visit the City Palace complex which includes the Sawai Mansingh Museum with its excellent collections of rare manuscripts and miniature paintings, Mubarak Mahal and the Armoury. Next stop will be for the centuries-old world’s largest sundial at Jantar Mantar. Evening back to the hotel.

In the morning, visit Amber Fort-Palace, stopping en route for a few moments at Jal Mahal (Water Palace) and the recently restored Kanak Vrindavan Temple with its manicured gardens. At Amber Fort-Palace, you can hire an elephant to take you up to the sprawling fort-palace complex. The main attractions are the Sukh Mandir (Temple of Contentment – an aptly named pleasure chamber, cooled by a stunning water cascade) and the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace). On the way back to the city, we take a look at the intricately carved Jagat Shiromani Temple. This evening climb up the seven-story high Isarlat and have a broad overview of the remarkably well planned Jai Singh’s city of Jaipur. Spend rest of the evening browsing through the streets of Jaipur seeing the craftsmen working on marble statues in Khazaane-Walon ka Rasta and making bangles in Maniharon ka Rasta. You can enjoy dinner at Chokhi Dhani, an ethenic village resort.

Stay: Jaipur.

After breakfast check out and drive to Ajmer . On arrival check into the hotel. In the afternoon we visit the holy town of Pushkar [11 kms] well known for the holy lake and the only temple in the country that is dedicated to Lord Brahma. Pushkar has as many as 400 temples and 52 ghats. In the evening return to Ajmer to visit the Sufi Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti – probably the most important Muslim shrine in the Indian sub-continent. It’s really amazing that the holiest pilgrimage centers of Muslims and Hindus are just 11 kms separate.

After breakfast check out and depart for Bijaipur via Chittaurgarh. On arrival transfer to the Castle (Hotel). The evening is free to relax and unwind Or one can visit a tribal village nearby and the Menal Waterfalls.

After breakfast check out and drive to Chittaurgarh Fort, India’s largest fort and the ultimate symbol of Rajput chivalry and pride. Hundreds and thousands of soldiers laid down their lives for this fort and as many women committed Jauhar (mass self-immolation in a sacred fire to escape dishonor from the enemies). An outstanding feature of the fort is the Vijaysthambha (Tower of Victory). Profusely carved with images of gods and goddesses, this nine-storied architectural masterpiece is visible from the plains below for miles around. But the most outstanding feature is the fort itself. The stark no-frills palaces stand out in sharp contrast to the opulence of Jaipur’s Amber Palace, for generations of Chittaur’s rulers spent all their money in preparing for the next battle. Afternoon departure for Udaipur, en-route you can have darshan at Nathdwara Temple. Evening arrival and check into the hotel.

We start the day with a visit to the extensive and opulent City Palace complex which also houses a museum and a hotel. The building has a couple of Sheesh Mahals with elaborate mirrors and coloured glass on the ceiling, walls and even the floor (Thank God, it took my weight!). Another celebrated feature of the building is the grand Mor Chowk (Peacock Courtyard), with its walls covered with a dramatic glass mosaic relief of dancing peacocks. From the City Palace, we visit the Jagdish Temple with its impressive archway. After lunch, we visit Lake Fateh Sagar before taking a stroll at the Pratap Smarak. It’s a lovely park on a hill with Maharana Pratap’s imposing black statue on top and offers a lovely view. Next stop is the beautiful garden Saheliyon ki, Bari, with its lotus pools and delicate marble cupolas and fountains. This evening, we visit the magnificent Lake Palace in the middle of Lake Pichhola. The white-marbled Lake Palace seems to float fairy-tale-like in the waters of the lake. Next stop. Shilpagram, an interesting “living ethnographic museum” that gives a superb insight into rural Rajasthan. Spread out on a hillock, it has village huts of various regions furnished with traditional household items. One can also sit and watch how different craft items are made.

Stay: Udaipur.

Full day excursion Kumbhalgarh Fort & Ranakpur
The majestic and impregnable Kumbhalgarh Fort [110 km ] situated in the middle of a wild-life sanctuary The massive ramparts of the fort run for two-and-a-half miles along the rugged Aravalli hillsides and are wide enough for eight horsemen to ride abreast on top of them. Ranakpur Some 56 miles north of Udaipur, on the curve of a boulder-strewn river deep in the forested Aravalli hills, lies the huge 15th-century Adinath Jain Temple at Ranakpur. With an area of nearly 4,500 square yards, it is not only the largest Jain temple in India but also one of the most beautiful. The profuse and intricate carving on marble resembles lace-work rather than stone-carving. It’s akin to Mt. Abu’s Dilwara Temple, but on a much, much larger and complex scale. The architectural genius is simply overwhelming – One of the remarkable things about the temple is the wonderful play of shadow and light on the nearly 1,500 pillars, Each of which, interestingly displays a different decorative design. As the sun’s rays shift through the day, the pillars’ colour from gold to pale blue.

Stay: Udaipur.

Check out and drive to Mt. Abu. On arrival check into the hotel. After lunch rest of the day free to relax and unwind or a leisurely walk around the pretty Nakki Lake.

After breakfast depart for Dilwara Jain Temples. You must have heard a lot about these profusely carved marble temples, but no words can describe the breathtaking beauty of the Dilwara temples, which have been carved with such delicate intricacy that the effect is not of marble but of frilly paper cuttings. At places, the marble has been so finely shaved that it is actually translucent! The workmanship is much, much superior to the more famous Taj Mahal or any other monument in India… or for that matter the world. The only other place which comes close to it is Ranakpur. It is said that this astonishing delicacy of carving was achieved by offering the artisans the weight of their marble shavings in gold… the more finely they carved, the more they earned. Afternoon visit to Om Shanti Bhavan and the Achalgarh Fort with its superb view of the surrounding plains. In the evening we went to Sunset Point, with its lovely view of the surrounding hills.

Stay: Mt. Abu.

After leisurely breakfast check out & proceed to airport/railway station for your return journey to home town.