Rajasthan with the Thar Desert Safari
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Introduction
Trek Grade: Easy
Far Horizon offers, along with a visit to the historical city of Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra and the forts and palaces of Jaipur, a deeper journey into the desert and its people. Meet the simple yet colorful tribal people of this land, living simple lives in their mud huts with thatched roofs and practicing their arts and crafts. This, along with a visit to the colorful desert festivals, with its gathering of animals for trading, religious processions and pilgrimages to holy temples, completes the journey through glorious Rajasthan.
Tour Highlights
- 14 days tour with visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites including the iconic Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Qutab Minar
- Home hosted dinner with the local family
- Visit of Royal Grand Palaces and Forts of Rajasthan in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Rajasthan
- Thrill of seeing the Royal Bengal Tiger in the Ranthambore National Park and the large flocks of Damosiele Cranes at Jamba
- Interaction with the Bishnoi tribal people in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan at Jamba
- Visit Elephanta Caves in Mumbai
- Prices on request
Destinations Covered
Delhi
The City of GloryDelhi is said to be one of the oldest existing cities in the world, along with Jerusalem and Varanasi. It is the Capital Territory of India and a modern-day citadel that's dotted with ancient monuments.
History and Culture
Legend estimates it to be over 5,000 years old. Over the millennia, Delhi is said to have been built and destroyed 11 times. The oldest alleged incarnation of the city shows up in the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata as Indraprastha.
Agra
The Majesty of the TajAgra is the city of the Taj Mahal, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Agra has three UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort in the city and Fatehpur Sikri on the outskirts of Agra. There are also many other buildings and tombs from Agra's days of glory as the capital of the Mughal Empire.
Ranthambore
The Great Wildlife Adventure
Jaipur
The Pink CityJaipur is the largest city in Rajasthan and was built in the eighteenth century by Sawai Jai Singh as India's first planned city. Jaipur is a major tourist attraction amongst Indian as well as international travellers. Jaipur is often called the Pink City in reference to its distinctly colored buildings, which were originally painted this color to imitate the red sandstone architecture of Mughal cities. The present earthy red color originates from repainting of the buildings undertaken for a visit by the Prince of Wales in 1876.
Jodhpur
A Rhapsody in BlueLocated on the foothills of a sandstone hillock, the city of Jodhpur seems like an oasis in the vast desert. The city is known by three names as the "Sun City" for the bright, sunny weather it enjoys all year. It is also referred to as the "Blue City" due to the vivid blue-painted houses around the Mehrangarh Fort.
Jamba, Thar Desert
The Serene Desert LandscapeIn the distant reaches and vast expanse of the Thar Desert, far off the beaten tourist trail is the unique village called Jamba. It is located in Phalodi Tehsil of Jodhpur district in Rajasthan, India. This is a perfect place to get away from the big cities and enjoy the solitude of the desert life.
Mumbai
The City of DreamsIndia’s largest port, its commercial and industrial center, as well as fashion capital and heart of Bollywood (India’s thriving movie industry), Mumbai is an endlessly fascinating hive of activity. A jumble of captivating contradictions, grand colonial architecture rubs shoulders with chaotic bazaars, trendy restaurants, exclusive boutiques, slums and shanty towns, all interspersed with beautiful, tropical palm trees. A shopper’s haven, this bustling cosmopolitan metropolis offers anything from pavement stalls and ancient markets to glitzy malls and designer outlets.
Detailed Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive Delhi
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Day 2
Delhi
Delhi
Today morning proceed to explore Old Delhi.
On the tour of “Old Delhi,” you will head out to explore this exotic locale with its narrow dirt roads, myriads of people and inexpensive and colorful bazaars that keep alive the traditional workmanship for which Delhi has always been famous. Drive past the Red Fort, and visit the Jama Masjid, one of the largest Muslim mosques in India.
A bicycle rickshaw would take you into the heart of Chandini Chowk (the silver square - so named because of the silver merchants).
Drive past India Gate, a 42-metre archway built in memory of Indian soldiers killed during the First World War and Rashtrapati Bhawan, built in the early 20th century as the Imperial residence of the Viceroy. Today, it is the official residence of the President of India.
We then drive to the outskirts of New Delhi to visit the Qutub Minar, on the way our guide will point out the Raj-era architecture in the city center, including the renowned India Gate and Edwin Landseer Lutyens’ and Herbert Baker’s monumental governmental building on Raisina Hill.
Visit the Qutub Minar, a victory minaret built by the first invading Persian, Qutab-ud-din, a millennium ago in South Delhi. One of Delhi’s most visited and striking monuments, the 72-meter (230 feet) high tower which majestically over the wide plains of Delhi. It is a victory tower built by the slave king Qutub-ud-din Aibak and later completed by his successor Iltutmish. Beautiful calligraphy adorns the magnificent tower, which is covered with intricate carvings and deeply inscribed verses from the Koran. The first three stories are made of red sandstone, the fourth and fifth of marble and sandstone.
Overnight at the hotel (B)
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Day 3
Delhi – Agra (approx. 4 hours’ drive)
Agra
After breakfast, check-out and take a drive to Agra.
On arrival, check-in to the hotel.
This evening, savour a travel highlight as you embark on a tour of the Taj Mahal, the magnificent tomb of white marble built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz, who had implored her husband to build a monument symbolizing their undying love for each other. Some 20,000 laborers and artisans from around the world spent 22 years constructing what became Mumtaz’s mausoleum, which was begun in 1632. Along with its exquisite symmetry, the Taj features striking examples of pietra dura, a decorative art in which craftsmen embed precisely cut semi-precious stones in marble to form dazzling patterns.
Overnight at the hotel (B)
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Day 4
Agra – Ranthambore (Train from Bharatpur at 1550/1802 hrs.)
Ranthambore
After relaxed breakfast, check-out and visit the imposing Red Fort of Agra (also known as Agra Fort). A creative, architectural, and strategic masterpiece, the Fort is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In a cruel twist, Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal and whose grandfather built the original Fort and who also assumed the throne himself, was imprisoned here at the end of his life by his own son – in a room looking out on the Taj Mahal across the river.
Thereafter, drive to Bharatpur Railway station (approx. 1 hour 30 min) to board the train to Ranthambore.
Arrive Ranthambore and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel (B, D)
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Day 5
Ranthambore
Ranthambore
On today’s morning and afternoon game drives, we’re sure to see more game (though tiger and leopard sightings are not guaranteed).
The park’s varied landscape of beautiful lakes, lush grasslands, deep ravines, wooded valleys, and open scrub also features picturesque ruins of old fortifications and the thousand-year-old Ranthambore Fort, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Overnight at the hotel (B, L, D)
- Day 6 Ranthambore – Jaipur (approx. 4 hours’ drive)
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Day 7
Jaipur
Jaipur
Full day sightseeing of Jaipur including a visit to the Amber Fort and a photo stop at the Palace of the Winds, the Hawa Mahal in the morning. Visit Amber Fort a UNESCO World Heritage site built by the Kachhawah Rajputs as their capital from 1037 to 1728 and considered the pinnacle of Rajput architecture. We tour the unoccupied citadel this morning, to admire the fresco-covered portal, the impressive room of mirrors, walls of jewel-encrusted marble, and the royal apartments offering beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding valleys.
We continue on to Jantar Mantar, the incredible open-air Royal Observatory (ca. 1728) housing oversized astronomical instruments and a UNESCO World Heritage site; and City Palace, former residence of the Maharajas of Jaipur, built in the shape of the city itself and now converted to a museum that houses the rulers’ magnificent art collections.
Overnight at the hotel (B)
- Day 8 Jaipur – Jodhpur (approx. 6 hours' drive)
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Day 9
Jodhpur – Jamba (approx. 3 hours’ drive)
Jamba, Thar Desert
Today you will explore the city’s beautiful palace Mehrangarh Fort which has been in existence since 1459 and is one of the most astounding constructions and architectural marvels. The towering building has extremely high walls and gates, and the closer it is explored, the smaller you begin to feel! Inside the fort is a network of courtyards and palaces, (including a museum that houses a splendid collection of items from the Maharajas), salvaged to display their long history of warding off attackers.
The Jaswant Thada is an absolutely calming and soothing building to lay your eyes upon. Constructed entirely of a milky-white marble, the whimsical essence of this memorial can be felt by all. The sheets of marble used to create this astounding marvel were all hand carved into fabulous walls and domes. A warm glow surrounds the polished rock, emitting a sunny and pleasant atmosphere.
Thereafter, we drive approximately for three hours and head into the hinterland to a region known as Jamba.
You will spend three nights at the Clement Dune Retreat. This is an exclusive property, set atop a 130' high sand dune with panoramic views of the Thar Desert. The Resort features exquisite examples of traditional Rajasthani architecture used throughout, with stonework and carvings using local design and sustainable materials and, most importantly, utilizing the skills of local craftsmen. It has individual deluxe cottages, a swimming pool and a beautiful restaurant.
This evening the musician and dancers from nearby villages will come to dance away the evening.
Overnight at the Clement Dune Retreat (B, D)
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Day 10
Jamba
Jamba, Thar Desert
After breakfast, go 4 wheeling cross-country on dirt and sand roads to continue your exploration of “Jamba-ji’s” land. These excursions introduce you to traditional Rajasthani hospitality, as well as giving you a chance to witness rural Rajasthani life up close. The villages are built with painted adobe walls, and village life continues unaffected by the big cities nearby.
Bishnoi villages are immaculate, scrubbed daily by brightly clad women who are weighed down by silver jewelry and festooned with bangles right up to the length of their arms. By contrast, their tall men dress entirely in white, their large turbans loosely swathed around dark skinned, weathered faces.
Return to the retreat for lunch.
Evening is at leisure.
Overnight at the Clement Dune Retreat (B, L, D)
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Day 11
Jamba
Jamba, Thar Desert
After breakfast, drive to the Khichan village to witness the perfect example of the bird and human relationship, where over 15000 demoiselle cranes come to the village during the months of winter and villagers feed them grains.
Return to the retreat for lunch.
Later in the afternoon, we will also have an opportunity to go on a camel cart safari.
Return to retreat in time to watch the setting sun light up the desert.
Overnight at the Clement Dune Retreat (B, L, D)
- Day 12 Jamba – Jodhpur & flight to Mumbai
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Day 13
Mumbai
Mumbai
After breakfast, we begin our sight-seeing at the waterfront Gateway of India, an impressive 85-feet high arch built by the British in 1924 to serve as a ceremonial entrance to the country. When India gained its independence in 1948, the last British battalion formally passed through the Gateway.
From here take a boat to visit the Elephanta caves (Closed on Monday) which are declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 6th century A.D. It was the Portuguese who named the caves after the statue of an elephant which is seen close to the landing area. These caves were carved out from a single rock. The most striking statue of Trimurti, Shiva in the three moods as the Creator, the Destroyer and the Preserver is a masterpiece by itself.
Return to the city and visit the Prince of Wales Museum (Closed on Monday). Founded in the early years of the 20th century, it houses approximately 50,000 exhibits of ancient Indian history as well as objects from foreign lands, categorized primarily into three sections: Art, Archaeology and Natural History. The Museum houses Indus Valley Civilization artefacts, and other relics from ancient India. (Closed on Mondays and national holidays)
Overnight at the hotel (B)
- Day 14 Departure
