Mansions & Havelis of Rajasthan Tours

Arrival at Delhi airport, welcome by our correspondent and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day is free. Depending on your arrival time, you can rest after your international flight or explore the city at your own pace.

If you have the opportunity and you decide to walk by yourself, Delhi will be your first contact with India. Crossed by the river Yamuna, the city is divided into five municipal administrations, including New Delhi, the capital of India. Delhi is full of ancient vestiges testifying to a continuous human presence since the 6th century BC. When one travels through the city, one discovers its past which offers glimpses of one of the some ancient-most Hindu cities. Several monuments of the time of the sultanate of Delhi, former major center of Sufism, are also preserved to date. One goes back in time circulating through the exceptional monuments dating from the Mughal Empire. One plunges into the atmosphere of the colonial era of the British rule in India. Finally, one visits modern India, became independent in 1947, a country in full expansion and constantly changing. Delhi is the economic center of North India, the capital with the densest road network of India, a city of more than 20 million inhabitants. Delhi is a gigantic agglomeration where business districts rub shoulders with popular dwellings and where upscale shops share the street with traditional markets. Evening is free for leisure and overnight stay in Delhi hotel.

Departure to the city of Jaipur by road. You reach the city after about 6 hours drive. A stop is provided for your lunch at a local restaurant. Arrival in Jaipur during the day. Capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is known as the "Pink City" in reference to the color of its palaces, havelis, market complex and forts constructed of pink sandstone. Jaipur, meaning "the city of victory", was built in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh-II. Surrounded by steep hills on three sides, the whole of the city is surrounded by a fortified enclosure, guarded by seven gates. The rest of your day is left free for you to rest. The evening is recommended for leisure and overnight stay will be in Jaipur hotel.

After breakfast at hotel, drive to the immediate vicinity of Jaipur to explore the Amber Fort. This sumptuous fortified palace is made up of courtyards and rooms, most of which are painted with frescoes or encrusted with semi-precious stones and mirrors. More fascinating is the Sheesh Mahal where the illumination of the room of mirrors is done by the reflection of a single lamp in the game of mirrors. At Amber Fort, you will be enjoying a Maharaja like elephant ride from foot hills to top of the hill where the main gate of the fort palace complex lies. Return to Jaipur for your free lunch at a local restaurant. Post lunch, visit City Palace of Jaipur, still in possession of erstwhile royal family and has been converted into a decent museum. Your day continues by visiting the major highlights of the Hawa Mahal, the famous Palace of Winds. It shelters behind a five-storey red sandstone facade, adorned with 593 windows and balconies finely chiseled and openwork, making the construction much more important than it actually is. It was used as a screen for ladies of the royal family who sheltered there to attend the street show without being seen by passers-by. Your day ends with a walk in the Jantar Mantar, solar observatory. Originally it is called Yantra Mandir. Built at the beginning of the 18th century, it is the most famous of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh in India. He was a patron and a great admirer of advances in research in the fields of science and technology. The precision of the instruments astonishes and arouses admiration, like the gigantic sundial whose main room is 27 meters high. Later, return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Your morning leads you through the road to Mandawa. Your journey takes about 4 hours, you arrive in town for your free lunch in a local restaurant. Located in the ancient kingdom of Shekawati, Mandawa is renowned for its treasures of architecture. It gathers superb havelis (mansions) with finely worked facades. This style, typical of Rajasthan, was intended to testify to the wealth and prosperity of the owners of each of these mansions. During afternoon, you will go on a walk to explore the most beautiful havelis of the city. You then visit one of them, to better observe its frescoes and sculptures. This house, converted into a museum, is one of the best preserved merchant houses. Return to the hotel at the end of the day for overnight stay.

You leave Mandawa in the morning to reach Nawalgarh. Just an hour's drive away, this city is also home to superb 18th century havelis. These havelis have 4 to 6 floors and consist of several courtyards. The design and architecture of these havelis serve twin purposes: security & privacy to the occupants, and a cozy refuge during the heat of summer. The unique architecture of these houses is characterized by the finesse of the sculptures and the precision of the colorful frescoes adorning their walls. After lunch in a local restaurant, drive to Bikaner. You arrive in the late afternoon in town. Bikaner, which is to this day the administrative headquarters of the region, was once the capital of a princely state. The city, founded by Rao Bika in 1488, is the fourth largest city in Rajasthan. It is surrounded by a crenellated rampart and was once an important stop on the route of the caravans. On arrival at Bikaner, check-in at the hotel.

This morning you discover Bikaner. Proceed to visit the main sites of the city - havelis, fort and temples. The fort of Junagarh is an impressive citadel that overlooks the city. This fort was built between 1588 and 1593. It is encircled by a rampart with about 37 bastions and measuring nearly a kilometer in length. The interior of the Fort of Junagarh is reached by passing through the Surajpol, which means the "door of the Sun". The fort contains many palaces and temples forming courtyards, balconies and kiosks. Have lunch in a local restaurant and drive to Jaisalmer. The road is relatively long, almost 7 hours will be needed to reach this famous city of the Thar desert. On arrival at Jaisalmer, check in at the hotel in the evening.

After breakfast in Jaisalmer hotel, move on for a full day sightseeing of Jaisalmer. It will begin with visiting the citadel of the city which is surrounded by a 5 km rampart with 99 bastions and corner towers. This majestic fortified city owes its historical importance and its richness to its past of caravan camp on the road between India and Persia, Arabia and the West. The city is famous for its havelis, erected from the eighteenth century by members of the caste of merchants, called Bâniya. Your discovery continues in the direction of a Jain temple and then of its bazaar. At the end of the day, take part in a camel ride to the Sam dunes to watch the sunset over the Thar Desert. In the evening you will join a camp set up in the dunes. Dinner will be served while you are attending a traditional dance show. Later, return to hotel for overnight stay.

After early breakfast at the hotel, depart to Jodhpur nicknamed "the Blue City". It is located on the edge of the Thar Desert. Jodhpur is the largest city of Rajasthan after Jaipur. It was built in 1459 AD by the chief of the Rajput clan of the Rathores. It is surrounded by a 10 km long rampart and takes its name from the indigo color of the houses of the old town. The blue color, formerly reserved for the caste of the Brahmins, is nowadays used by all.

You will arrive at Jodhpur in the early afternoon. In the middle of the afternoon, proceed to visit Mehrangarh Fort. It is owned by the Maharaja of Jodhpur and certainly one of the most impressive fortresses of Rajasthan. Perched on top of a hill, 125 meters above sea level, the Mehrangarh Fort offers a sublime panorama of the old town, where you can see the Clock Tower which marks the entrance to the bazaar. It houses several successive palaces and courses as well as a sacred place, the Chamunda Devi Temple. From the fort you can see the Jaswant Thada, a white marble memorial dedicated to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Continue your journey, at the end of the day, to the town of Rohet. On arrival at Rohet, check in at a heritage hotel.

After early breakfast, board a 4x4 vehicle to visit a village inhabited by a Bishnoi community. This population lives mainly in Rajasthan. They are Hindus. The Bishnoi have adapted religion by assiduously following 29 fundamental principles. The term Bishnoi is also the literal translation of the number 29. The basic precepts that guide their culture are linked to vegetarianism, non-violence, respect for nature and certain precise clothing customs. Nowadays, some Bishnois live in the city. However, majority of these people still scrupulously respect their beliefs and live in isolated & lonely villages in the countryside. During your day, visit the village, meet the Bishnoi, discover their way of life and study all the precepts that condition their social organization.

Have lunch at a local restaurant and continue to Udaipur. Your journey takes about 6 hours. A few kilometers before reaching Udaipur, you make a stop near Ranakpur, located in the Aravalli mountains. In this region, the deep, wooded valleys hide a place of Jain pilgrimage, erected in the 15th century. Constructed entirely in white marble, its architecture is spectacular both for its dimensions and for the fine sculptures that cover it. The visit of this site is remarkable. The main building, the Chaumukha temple, consists of 29 rooms, presenting 80 cupolas and 1444 different pillars. (Photographs inside the building are not allowed). Continue on your way to Udaipur. On arrival in town, check-in at the hotel.

Your day is dedicated to discovering the city of Udaipur, located in Rajasthan, inhabited on the banks of Lake Pichola. Some see it as the most romantic city in Northwestern India. Former capital of the Mewar state, it was the only stronghold to defend its Hindu allegiance against the Muslim invasion. At the end of the 16th century, peace reignited the arts and encouraged the construction of palaces on the shores of the lake and in particular the City Palace, one of the largest palaces in the world. In the center of the lake stands the Lake Palace and the Jag Mandir. These symbols of Udaipur were the refuge of Mughal rebel Shah Jahan, who later built the incomparable Taj Mahal.

This day is dedicated to the discovery of the city. Depending on the organization of your visits, have lunch in a local restaurant. You begin your walk in the center by taking the direction of the City Palace, a majestic white palace overlooking the lake. Together fortified, its main entrance, erected in 1725, presents a triple arc called "Tripolia". You will also discover the Suraj Gokhada which is also of great interest. Continue towards the Saheliyon Bi Bari or the Garden of Bridesmaids. It has many fountains, multiple kiosks and a nice lotus pond. It was here that the ladies of the royal family strolled away from the prying eyes and tumults of the city. At the end of the day, and if the water level of Lake Pichola allows, you will go for a boat ride to take a closer look at the famous Lake Palace and the Jag Mandir. At the end of the day, you leave the city to reach Dungarpur, a 2-hour drive from Udaipur. Check-in at the hotel for overnight stay.

In the morning, you discover the Palace of Dungarpur, the Juna Mahal. The city is located at the foot of the Aravalli mountains. It was founded in the thirteenth century and is a less frequented place compared to the neighboring cities of Rajasthan. It is home to splendid historical monuments that are characterized by the use of green marble for their constructions. The Juna Mahal was erected at the foot of a hill called Dhanmata. Its foundations date from the thirteenth century, numerous developments there were carried out until the eighteenth century. Now, this building is considered a remarkable example of the Mewari style of architecture. It has superb frescoes. It is also renowned for the meticulousness used to produce glass inlays that adorn its interiors. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will be driven to Udaipur airport to board your flight to Delhi. On arrival at New Delhi, you will be transferred to New Delhi hotel for overnight stay.

Your trip to India ends with a visit to the capital and the municipalities of New Delhi and Old Delhi. You start your day at the foot of Qutub Minar, also called Victory Tower. This famous 73 m high minaret is the best preserved vestige of the earliest Muslim rule in India. Pass through the Royal Way, called Raj Path, and stop in front of India Gate. This war memorial was erected between 1921 and 1931 in memory of Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army who fell during the First World War and during the Afghan wars.

Pass through the presidential palace and the government buildings. Have lunch in the city and move for exploring old city of Delhi. Your walk will take you first to the foot of the Red Fort. Built in red sandstone, this imposing citadel of Shah Jahan stretches over 2 km. The fortified city is established to the east. The entrance is through the impressive Lahore Gate. It leads to the Chhatta Chowk, a shopping mall of handicrafts and antiques. You finally visit the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. It has 2 minarets 40 m high, its inner courtyard can hold up to 25000 people. Transfer to the airport at the end of the day.