Rural Rajasthan tour
A journey through ancestral India, the one that does not change, or changes very slowly, the one where most city dwellers come from, the one that takes you back to the roots. If you prefer the contact with the local population but want to keep the 'must-dos' of a Rajasthan trip, you have the opportunity to do so with this rural Rajasthan tour via the villages.
You will be welcomed by the Rajput people, worthy descendants of kings and warriors, and enjoy an off-the-beaten track tour where the focus is on rural life. Another discovery among many possible ones. This is your special trip to Rajasthan.
Villages of Rajasthan tour
19 days / 18 nights
Stopovers at Delhi - Samode - Bikaner - Jaisalmer
Jodhpur - Rohet - Ranakpur - Udaipur - Dungarpur Bijaipur - Bundi - Barli - Jaipur - Agra
Day 1 • New Delhi
In the evening, you land at New Delhi international airport. We greet you and transfer you to your hotel.
Day 2 • New Delhi - Samode
Mid-morning, you will drive towards a picturesque little village called Samode. Its streets are lined with decorated havelis and its palace is one of the most beautiful of Rajasthan. After check-in at the hotel, rest of the day free to stroll in the narrow streets.
Day 3 • Samode - Shekhawati
Morning drive towards the Shekhawati. Nearly forgotten, this province was once prosperous thanks to the dynamism of its merchants, the Marwaris. It is now famous for the frescoes that decorate the walls of the havelis and the mansions of the merchants of yesteryear. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel and explore the village by walk.
Day 4 • Shekhawati - Bikaner
In the morning, you will drive on to Bikaner, which was founded in the 15th century by a prince of Jodhpur on the edge of the Thar Desert. En route, you will explore some other beautiful havelis in Fatehpur.
Upon arrival in Bikaner, you will go to Deshnoke to visit a unique site in India: the temple of rats. Thereafter, you will return to the old town to discover the austere yet typical havelis of Bikaner, made of red sandstone.
Day 5 • Bikaner - Jaisalmer
In the morning you will visit Junagarh Fort, built in the 16th century and renowned for the well-preserved rich decorations of its palaces. After the visit, you will take the long desert road towards Jaisalmer. Upon arrival, you will check-in at the hotel and go to the royal cenotaphs to see the sun set.
Day 6 • Jaisalmer
Full day will be dedicated to the visit of the yellow city, including the fort, a former key stop-off on the caravan route and which houses the old palace and the finely-carved havelis that were built during the 19th century by merchants and bankers.
In the late afternoon, you will take the road to the desert to watch the sunset from the sand dunes before coming back to the hotel in the early evening.
Day 7 • Jaisalmer - Jodhpur
Morning drive to the blue city of Jodhpur. On the way, visit the richly carved Jain and Hindu temples of Osian. Arrival and check-in at the hotel and then, stroll through the colourful alleys of Sardar Bazar around the Clock Tower.
Day 8 • Jodhpur - Rohet
In the morning, you will explore Mehrangarh Fort, a luxurious palace now turned into a museum. You will also stop at Jaswant Thada, the white marble memorial of Jaswant Singh II. You will then drive further South, up to the village of Rohet. Located out of the beaten track, Rohet is the opportunity to visit the neighbouring tribal villages by jeep and get a glimpse of rural life.
Day 9 • Rohet - Ranakpur
Mid-morning departure towards Ranakpur. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel and in the afternoon, visit the beautiful Jain temples built in the 15th century. Among those, the dome of the temple of Adinath is supported by some 1440 pillars of which only one is inclined! Late afternoon will be free for you to rest by the pool.
Day 10 • Ranakpur - Udaipur
In the morning, you will continue your journey towards the white city of Udaipur.
On the way, you will explore the second largest fortress of Rajasthan, Kumbhalgarh, which has been listed as a Unesco World Heritage site since 2013. Located in the heart of the Aravalli hills, its ramparts are strangely reminiscent of those of the Great Wall of China.
Upon arrival in Udaipur, check-in at the hotel and rest of the day at leisure.
Day 11 • Udaipur
This full day is dedicated to the visit of Udaipur, starting with the City Palace, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Thereafter, visit of the nearby Jagdish Temple before taking a boat ride on Lake Pichola which will give you an excellent point of view on the city, especially the palaces and ghats bordering the lake. To end the day, you will go for a walk in the "Saheliyon-ki-Bari", the garden of the maidens.
Day 12 • Udaipur - Dungarpur
At the very south of the state is another one of Rajasthan's jewels: Dungarpur, whose former palace offers some of the finest frescoes in the state. You will spend the night in the Maharaja's palace.
Day 13 • Dungarpur - Bijaipur
In the morning, you will visit the jewel of Dungarpur: the ancient palace which is home to the most beautiful frescoes of Rajasthan. Thereafter, you will depart to the village of Bijaipur, making a stop on the way to visit the most important fortress of Rajasthan: Chittorgarh, surrounded by five kilometres of high ramparts. It is listed as a Unesco's World Heritage site since 2013. Upon arrival in Bijaipur, check-in at the hotel and walk into the village.
Day 14 • Bijaipur - Bundi
In the morning, you will drive on to Bundi which has retained all the charm of a 17th century city.
Upon arrival, you will visit Taragarh Fort which dominates the city. Inside, the Chitrasala has its walls covered with beautiful frescoes painted in the 18th century. Next visit will be at the baoli (step-well) built around 1700 and in which one descends by a huge staircase topped with an arch decorated with elephants. Check-in at the hotel at the end of the day.
Day 15 • Bundi - Barli
After breakfast you will go North towards the village of Barli. After check-in at the fort, visit of the village by walk.
Day 16 • Barli - Jaipur
Few activities will be proposed to you in Barli before leaving for the pink city and capital of Rajasthan: Jaipur. Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel and rest of the day at leisure to stroll through the many bazars of the city.
Day 17 • Jaipur
Full day sightseeing with, firstly, a stop in front of the astonishing Palace of Winds, a facade of pink sandstone behind which the ladies of the court used to hide when watching the parades in the street below. You will then go to Amber Fort, the ancestral home of the Maharajas of Jaipur perched on a hilltop. The palace is a fabulous maze of courtyards, interior gardens and rooms decorated with mirrors and mosaics. In the afternoon, you will visit the City Palace, a museum and the residence of today's royal family. Visits will end at Jantar Mantar, the amazing observatory built by Jai Singh.
Day 18 • Jaipur - Agra
Morning drive to Agra, the former capital of the Mughal emperors. On the way, you will explore Fatehpur Sikri, the capital of emperor Akbar that he built in the 16th century and abandoned 15 years after its completion. Five centuries later, this perfectly preserved city brings us back to the past glory of the Mughal Empire. Upon arrival in Agra, check-in at the hotel.
Day 19 • Agra - Delhi
Full day visit of Agra with a start at the jewel of the Mughal Empire: the Taj Mahal. Ranked one of the seven wonders of the modern world, it is a universally admired masterpiece. While visiting it, you will appreciate the genius of the architects and the work of the thousands of craftsmen who worked to build it over 16 years. Next visit will be Red Fort, whose interiors form like a city with palaces, mosques and gardens, offering various architectural styles. Finally, you will explore Itimad-ud-Daulah's mausoleum, the main interests of which are the frescoes and the marquetry of polychrome marbles on the walls. After the visits, you will drive back to Delhi that you will reach on time for your transfer to the international terminal for your onward journey.
This tour is only a suggested itinerary; it can be booked as is or used as a starting point to create your own tailor-made tour in India.
IDEAS FOR A CUSTOM-MADE RAJASTHAN TOUR
- Do the tour the other way round.
- Climb Amber Fort or participate in activities with the elephants.
- Try a cooking class
- Extend your stay at Varanasi, the holy city.
- The best time to go there: all year round with our preference for October-November and February-March.
OUR OFFER
Please contact us for a tailor-made quote, excluding international flights
