Rajasthan with Pushkar Fair Tour

Welcome to India! On arrival in New Dellhi - Indira Gandhi International Airport - one of our representatives will welcome you outside the customs gate and take you to the nearest parking lot. The representative will accompany you till the transfer to the pre-booked hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. Overnight stay is scheduled in Delhi hotel.

Soon after buffet breakfast, proceed on guided sightseeing tour of New Delhi, the national capital of India. The Sikh temple Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, located in the very heart of the city, will be the first halt. Learn about Sikkhism, their beliefs, rituals and views about society and mankind. The next stop will be old Delhi, mentioned in Mughal literature as Shahjahanabad and home to few grand historical monuments like Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandani Chowk etc. In Old Delhi visit the Jama Masjid, the royal mosque built by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1656. This mosque is one of the largest in the world - the main hall can hold about 20,000 people! Try a cycle tour rickshaw through the narrow streets of Chandni Chowk, the backbone of Old Delhi that houses the spice and jewelery market. Red Fort was also built by Shah Jahan. Nearby old Delhi is Raj Ghat. Visit Raj Ghat, monument dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi (father of the Nation). Visit to Akshardham Temple(remains closed on Monday) will be a mesmerizing experience of lifetime. It will introduce you with conventional & traditional north Indian temple architecture called Nagar style. Hereinafter drive towards Mehrauli in Delhi to see Qutub Minar. On the way, pass through Raj Path watching India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan and Parliament from a distance. Later in the evening, return to hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, depart for Agra. At the very outskirt of the city is located a Mughal era monument Baby Taj (tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah. Visit of the tomb of It Mad-ud-Daula, father of Queen Nur Jehan – a two storey tomb built of mosaics set with semi-precious gems. Thereafter, check in at the hotel. Post-lunch, visit the Agra Fort - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An imposing structure, with red sandstone walls, almost two miles long, houses palaces, rooms used in the past for public audiences and mosques. The fortress has showcases blend of Islamic and Hindu architectural styles. It was built by the third Mughal ruler, Akbar. Subsequent additions have been made to the fort by his son Jahangir and his nephew Shahjahan.

At the time of sunset, you will be taken to Mehtab Bagh, a Mughal Garden across River Yamuna. Mehtab Bagh is the best view-point to observe Taj Mahal at the time of sunset. Photography freaks never miss an opportunity to capture beautiful pictures of Taj Mahal. Later in the evening, return to hotel for overnight stay.

Visitors acknowledge that the Taj Mahal looks stunningly enchanting at the time of sunrise. Agra tour guide will take you to the Taj Mahal in the morning. Admire the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The Taj Mahal is often called 'poetry in stone'. If so, the mausoleum is a poem of love, built by the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years to complete and was designed by the Persian architect Ustad Isa. Please note: Taj Mahal is closed on Friday. After spending about a couple of hours in Taj Mahal, return to hotel, refresh, have breakfast and depart for Jaipur.

En route, stop at Fatehpur Sikri - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city of red sandstone was built by Akbar as its capital and the palace as a residence in the late 16th century. It is a real fairytale city, still in excellent condition. It is not difficult to imagine what the court life must have been in the days of his rule.

After visiting Fatehpur Sikri, continue your drive to Jaipur, "The City of Victory". Maharaja Jai Singh II - a warrior, astronomer and politician who reigned between 1699 and 1743- commissioned the city. It was medieval India’s first planned city, based on the tenets of Hindu Vastushastra. Today, it is also known as the pink city of Rajasthan. On arrival, check in at the hotel to spend evening in leisure and have overnight stay.

Today start the day with a visit to the magnificent Amber Fort, arriving on the back of an elephant. Amber Fort is known for its unique and breathtaking artistic style, masterfully blending Hindu and Muslim (Mughal) elements. Visit the rooms and corridors of the building, famous for the excellence of its design. Inside the complex is Ganesh Pol, the imposing entrance entirely painted with images of the elephant-headed god, Ganesh. The fully perforated windows offer views from different points and shimmering mirrors are set within the walls of Sheesh Mahal. The city tour continues with a stop at Jal Mahal for photography. Return to Jaipur city center to visit three iconic monuments of Jaipur –Hawa Mahal(palace of wind), City Palace and Jantar Mantar. Hawa Mahal’s facade is probably the most photographed in Jaipur, with its richly carved windows, designed so that the ladies of the building could look out into the streets remaining unnoticed by the masses. Continue on to the City Palace Museum, which has a valuable collection of antiques, costumes and armor of the Rajputs, including swords of different shapes and sizes with preciously chiseled handles. Adjacent to City Palace is Jantar Mantar, a solar observatory and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a stone-built astronomical and astrological observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th century.

The cluster of Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar & City Palace is located amidst a large colorful bazaar. Explore the market. Late evening, attend devotionally charged aarti in Govind Dev Ji Temple. Overnight stay is planned in Jaipur hotel.

This morning, after breakfast, leave for Pushkar, a Hindu pilgrimage. It’s a small town but pulsating with cultural energy. Home to Pushkar Lake and Lord Brahma’s Temple, Pushkar is popular among Hindu people as a holy place but turns out to be a major attraction among foreign tourists. On arrival at Pushkar, check in at the hotel. Relax for a while and, thereafter, sally out to explore Pushkar during the world famous camel fair. Overnight stay is scheduled in Pushkar hotel.

The whole day is meant for thorough exploration of Pushkar and true enjoyment of celebration of Pushkar Camel Fair. Participate in various games, enjoy folklores and dances, observe cultural vibrancy, shop handicraft products and ride on camel carts. At the same time, do watch exotic religious rituals of the Hindus on the banks of Pushkar Lake. Overnight stay is scheduled in Pushkar hotel.

After leisurely breakfast, depart for Jodhpur. It is also known as ‘Blue City of Rajasthan’. On arrival at Jodhpur, first check in at the hotel. Relaxing a bit, proceed on a guided sightseeing tour of Jodhpur that comprises visits to Mehrangarh Fort and Jaswant Thada, in in addition to exploration of colorful market. The "Blue City" is an important tourist destination thanks to historical temples and palaces, as well as majestic Mehrangarh Fort that dominates from a height of 130 meters. Also known as the ‘sun city’, the ideal way to visit it is to walk the winding streets of the old city, stocking up on perfumes, folkloric clothes and intoxicating spices. Among the many attractions of Jodhpur, Mehrangarh, the most striking & impressive fort, is still run by the maharaja of Jodhpur. This building extends over a hill. In order to visit it, one passes through seven gates, some of which still bear the traces of bombs shelled on the fort during wars. The interior of the fort consists of a dense network of courtyards and palaces, splendid examples of Rajput architecture. One of the buildings also houses an interesting museum on the ornaments of Indian royalty.

Another famous tourist attraction in Jodhpur is Jaswant Thada. This memorial is dedicated to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II with special white marble domes. The cenotaph was erected in 1899. Later, the area turned out to be a royal crematorium. Nearby are built other three cenotaphs. Jaswant Thada, a richly decorated piece of architecture with refined marble artistry, also offers a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Later, in the evening, return to hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, depart for Udaipur. During the trip, on the way to Udaipur, stop to visit Ranakpur Jain Temple. The magnificent Jain temple carved in white marble is one of the five most sacred places for the Jain faithful. The temple is an extraordinary example of the architectural genius that amazes and leaves one speechless. Being a very popular place among the Jains, one can meet many pilgrims of this religion who receive blessings from the "monks" of the temple. Having seen Ranakpur temple, drive for Udaipur.

Udaipur, a city located in the northeastern part of Rajasthan, is undoubtedly the most romantic city in the whole state, also called the ‘City of Lakes’. The city was founded in 1567 AD by Maharana Udai Singh, tired of the repeated attacks on Chittorgarh, the old capital of Mewar. A saint suggested ‘maharana’ to build a new capital on the shores of Lake Pichola. He made prognosis that this city, named after Maharana Udai Singh, would never be conquered. Udaipur is home to several historical monuments.

On arrival at Udaipur, check in at the hotel to spend evening in leisure and have overnight stay.

After breakfast, leisurely explore Udaipur, the “Romantic City of Rajasthan’, on a guided sightseeing tour. The prime-most tourist attraction of Udaipur is City Palace, the largest residential complex in Rajasthan and stands on Lake Pichhola, a true concentration of romantic architectural masterpieces. It houses important museums. Within the complex is a courtyard known as Mor Chowk with its beautiful mosaics depicting the peacock, the most loved bird of the state. Another place to visit is Sahelion-ki-Bari, garden of maids of royal ladies. Sahelion-ki-Bari with its numerous fountains is embellished with delicately chiseled elephant kiosks. In the evening, take a romantic boat ride on Lake Pichola (if water level permits) and view Jag Niwas (Lake Palace) from a distance. Spend rest of the day in leisure and have overnight stay in Udaipur hotel.

After breakfast, you will be in-time transferred to Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur to board flight for New Delhi. On arrival at New Delhi, board flight for your onward destination.