Flight: WY245 Muscat - Delhi 09.00 - 13.35

Meet & greet: Welcome to India! You will be met on arrival in Delhi by a local representative, and introduced to your private driver. Together they will take you to your city hotel to check in.

Time to recover: Once arrived in, you have the remainder of the day at leisure to recuperate from your long flight. Please note you will usually be able to access your room on arrival, but an early check-in is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Haveli Dharampura (Jharokha Room)

Salaam Baalak Trust City Walk: The Salaam Baalak Trust City Walk is a guided tour of around 2 hours, conducted through the streets around Paharganj and the New Delhi station area. The tour will be led by a former street child, once living and working on the streets until coming under the care of the Salaam Baalak Trust. The guides are all around adolescent age and have been fully trained and have a reasonable level of English. Through the tour they are aiming to improve their language and communication skills. The tour will enable you to see the city through their eyes, hear more about their experiences, and see a side of the city far removed from the principal tourist attractions. Since the Trust's development thousands have taken this guided walk and thus empowered a huge number of children. The city walk is a fine example of how a volunteer's creativity can translate into a unique and enduring programme, which is both popular and economically viable. 

Afternoon tour of Old Delhi: Start at Jama Masjid which is the largest mosque in India, with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. Its construction started in 1644 and it ended up the final act of architectural extravagance of legendary ruler Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who also built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. Head outside the mosque and into the surrounding bazaars (closed on Sundays), which can be explored on foot or by rickshaw. Here you can witness centuries-old arts and crafts, where present owners may be of the 6th or 7th generation to ply the family trade. There are many typical and fascinating businesses here, including a marvellous old-fashioned shop where you can test Indian perfume (attar) from cut-glass bottles. You may also saunter through the main bridal street of Old Delhi, Kinari Bazaar, with its dazzling display of embroidered silk wedding sarees, beautiful bangles and colourful turbans for the bridegroom. Move on to the Khari Baoli, which is all about spices, and where dealers of rice, dal, dry fruits, nuts, and saffron have traded for more than 150 years. The smell of the spices will remain with you even after you have left the market.

Continue to visit Humayun’s Tomb and Lodhi Gardens. Humayun’s Tomb is another magnificent Mughal building built in 1565-66 and set in a square enclosed garden. This finely proportioned structure in red sandstone and marble served later as a model for the Taj Mahal. The Lodhi Garden is dotted with monuments of the Sayyid and Lodhi Periods, which include tombs, mosques, and bridges. The tombs of Muhammad Shah and Sikandar Lodhi are some of the finest examples of octagonal tombs. Shish and Bara Gumbad are square tombs with imposing domes, turrets and facades giving the false impression of being double storeyed.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Haveli Dharampura (Jharokha Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey to Shekhawati: After breakfast, you will be picked up by your driver/guide, and set off on the drive to Shekhawati. This journey will take around 5-6 hours, including stops for rest and lunch. You will arrive in the mid-afternoon and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Malji Ka Kamra (Haveli Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour around Shekhawati: After breakfast, you will meet a local guide, and together you will head out for a tour of the Shekhawati region. Although some of the enclaves have lost their allure, one can still get a sense of former opulence whilst touring the glamourous painted havelis which have seen Shekhawati dubbed ‘the open air gallery of Rajasthan’. The buildings mostly date from between the 18th and 20th centuries, constructed originally as family homes for prosperous local merchants. Unassuming from the outside, the interior courtyards are richly decorated with murals depicting mythology, folklore, religious epics, and even cross over into modernity with depictions of trains, telephones, and European traders. Most of the havelis remain owned, if not inhabited by, family descendants and are generally occupied by a sole caretaker who will help show you around. Going from home to home one finds differing levels of restoration – some are very well maintained, while others lie in semi-ruin – which all adds to the charm and intrigue.

Picnic lunch at Prem Sarovar: After ample time to explore, you will be taken to Prem Sarovar, a reservoir some 8km from town. This is a beautiful spot for relaxing and enjoying the landscape, and lucky visitors may even spot the occasional deer coming down to the water. A delicious lunch of northern Rajasthani delights will be served in this most memorable of settings, after which you will be returned to the hotel to relax. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Accomodation: Stay tonight at the Malji Ka Kamra (Haveli Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road journey to Nagaur: After a leisurely breakfast, you will depart Shekhawati and continue by road to Nagaur, a small city right in the centre of Rajasthan. The drive will take around 4 hours. On arrival, the rest of the day is free to relax and explore the Fort.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Ranvas (Queen Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey to Jaisalmer: In the morning, you will leave the Fort behind and return to the road, heading west towards Jaisalmer. This will be a longish journey of around 6 hours. Check in at your hotel on arrival, after which you are free to relax or explore the city independently.

Accommodation:Stay tonight at The Gulaal (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour of Jaisalmer: This morning, you will meet a local guide and embark on a guided tour of the Golden City, mainly focusing on its attractive fort, and inner havelis and temples. Rising to height of some 100m above the city, the exquisite Jaisalmer Fort is rightly considered among the most striking in India. The fort walls are linked by some 99 bastions, ring-fencing a busy and bustling commercial and residential area which continues to thrive today. Many of the havelis within the Fort date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, largely covered in intricate carvings and filigrees, still resided in by generations-old families. Intrigue and attraction lies at every corner, but we especially recommend taking in the Salim Singh Ki, Patwon-Ki, and Nathmalji-Ki havelis. At the centre of Fort, lies the Palace of Rawal Jaisal – father of the city – with seven stories of opulence spilling through halls, corridors, and balconies.

Later in the afternoon, you will be taken outside of the city to visit the abandoned village of Kuldhara. Kuldhara is located around 20km to the west of the city, out amongst the desert scrub, and for seven centuries was home to the prosperous Paliwal Brahmins. Now completely abandoned and lying in resplendent ruins, the village has a tall tale to tell. The story goes that in early 19th century the Salim Singh, the Diwan of Jaisalmer (a prime minister to the King of Jaisalmer, and known for his lecherousness and debauchery) cast his eye upon the beautiful daughter of Kuldhara's village chief. The villagers were left with two options: surrender the daughter, or face harassment at the hands of the Diwan. The villagers chose the former, packing up their belongs and abandoning the village overnight. Allegedly, no-one saw the villagers leave and they were never seen again, but rumours of a curse left behind persist to this day: anyone who tries to inhabit the village will face certain downfall. After time to explore you will return to your hotel in the city and spend the rest of the day relaxing.

Accomodation: Stay tonight at The Gulaal (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey to the Thar Desert:  After breakfast, you will leave the honeycomb city of Jaisalmer behind. You will be embarking on a drive of around 3 hours, heading north into the heart of the Thar Desert. Arrive early afternoon and settle in to your camp.

Evening camel ride: After some time to unwind, you will be taken for an early evening camel ride. This ride will head out further into the desert, where you can get to grips with the dramatic scenery and enjoy a fine sunset. Return to the camp for dinner.

Accommodation: Stay tonight in a Samsara Desert Camp (Tent)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Morning desert jeep drive: This morning, you will be taken out for a jeep safari to explore the villages and the rustic barren trail of Thar Desert. The journey gives you a peek into life in the desert: as you drive through far and distant villages you will observe daily life style villages, stopping to walking through the villages of mud huts and narrow lanes. There may also be opportunities to spot wildlife such as antelopes, deer, and desert fox. At points your driver will also take you across the dunes - enjoy the adrenaline buzz as you roll up the dunes and plunge down the dips!

Road journey to Jodhpur: After your jeep drive, you will leave Jaisalmer and drive to Jodhpur, a journey of around 2.5 hours.

Guided tour of Jodhpur: On arrival in Jodhpur, you will be taken for lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, you will join a local guide who will take you for a tour of the city. Begin, where else, with a comprehensive tour of Mehrangarh: the icon of Jodhpur, among the largest forts in India, unsurpassed in beauty and grandeur. Within the walls of the fort are packed innumerable palaces, sprawling courtyards, look-out points, galleries, and intricate stonework. There are also well-kept collections of weapons, instruments, palanquins, costumes and furniture. After ample time to explore the Fort you will drop down to visit the 19th Century royal cenotaph Jaswant Thada.

Road journey to Chandelao: After the tour, you will continue an hour east to Chandelao Garh, the ancestral home of the major landowners in that area. After checking in, the rest of the day is at leisure to relax or explore the area independently. A range of activities and excursions can be arranged by the hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Chandelao Garh (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast 

Day at leisure – activities from Chandelao: Today is at leisure to relax by the pool or organise one of the many activities through your hotel. There are many activities on offer at Chandelao Garh, including jeep safaris to surrounding villages, bird-watching, and culinary workshops. Your engaging hosts will be very happy to discuss ideas.

We particularly recommend a visit to Sunder Rang, a co-operative of Chandelao women involved in producing traditional Rajasthani handicrafts. Sunder Rang aims to maintain and support local craft skills by developing high quality products with unique Rajasthani designs, thus creating a sustainable source of income for the women in Chandelao village. Around 20 women are employed at the village centre, producing traditional textiles and handicrafts for both local and export markets. The project is run on a ‘fair trade’ basis - paying the artisans a good daily wage for their work, using environmentally sound resources, and empowering local women.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Chandelao Garh (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast 

Road journey to Kumbhalgarh: After breakfast, you meet up with your private driver. Together you will go up into the Aravalli Hills a drive of around an 4.5 hours. On arrival, you will check into your hotel to relax. 

Afternoon tour of Kumbhalgarh: Later in the afternoon, you will be taken to explore Kumbhalgarh Fort. After Chittorgarh (found around 150km to the east, on the other side of the Aravallis), Kumbhalgarh is thought to be the second-most important citadel in the Mewar region, and is rightly recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built in the mid-1400s by Rana Kumbha, who ruled during the peak of Mewar powers. Its impressive fortification is matched by its remote, imposing location: little surprise then, that Kumbhalgarh was only conquered once in its entire history. The thick walls of the fort are equally robust, lacing around 36km around the surrounding hills, wide enough in parts to for 8 horses to ride abreast, and second only to the Great Wall of China.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at The Aodhi (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Road journey to Foota Deval: Depart Kumbhalgarh after breakfast this morning. A short drive will bring you to the tiny hamlet of Foota Deval, from where you will begin your trek down to Ranakpur.

Trek to Ranakpur: At Foota Deval, you will be joined by an accompanying trekking guide, and together you will set off on the trek down to the Ranakpur temples. This downhill route will take you through the forested hills, sticking to a marked track all the way, and can be covered in a comfortable 4 hours. There will be a stop en route to visit the ancient cave temples of Parsuram, and there may also be sightings of rare birdlife. You will come out of the trek at Ranakpur and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

Guided tour of Ranakpur: After lunch, you will explore the Ranakpur Jain temples with your guide. Built in the 15th century, these well-preserved temples are one of the most holy places for Jain followers. The complex dates back to 1439, and enjoys a peaceful setting in a valley on the edge of the Aravalli Hills. The main temple is ‘Chaumukha’ - the ‘four-faced temple’ - and is dedicated to Adinath, the first of the Jain teachers. The grand, beautiful structures are covered in intricate carvings: some 29 halls are supported by 1,444 carved pillars, of which none are alike. There will also be time to explore Neminath and Parasnath, the other two temples in the complex, before it is time to continue your journey.

Road journey to Deogarh: After your temple visit, you will head on by road to Deogarh, a journey of around 3 hours. You will arrive in the late afternoon, with the rest of the day to relax.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Devshree (Suite)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Rural train ride: This morning, you will be taken a short train journey on an extremely rural and off-the-beaten-path route. You will be picked up at the homestay shortly after breakfast and taken you to the small and picturesque Kamblighat station. Your guide will purchase tickets and help you board the train, which should arrive around 10.30 am. This is a very 'local' service: seating will be on wooden pews and among local travellers who, depending on the day, could be a wedding party, pilgrims, daily travelers, children, or possibly even livestock! The train will cross the Aravalli range, traversing scrub jungle, hills, and forests, passing through tunnels and over bridges and viaducts. The train traverses the hills in one gradual giant right turn switchback, all the while gaining gently in elevation, offering fine views of a vast valley, small deep gorges and distant ridges. One popular halting point en route is at Goram Ghat Station, deep in the forest, where monkeys greet the arriving train in hoardes expecting treats of bananas or biscuits. Your journey on the train will run for around 2 hours; disembark at Phulad station where your car is waiting to receive you and bring you back to Dev Shree in time for lunch.

Evening jeep drive: As dusk falls, you will join the family in their vintage jeep for a pleasant drive in the surrounding countryside. This is an especially picturesque area of rural Rajasthan: well-tended farmland separated by low stone walls, punctuated by tiny hamlets, with low key rural life at every turn. The drive will culminate up on a nearby lakeside, where you will relax with light refreshments and then later head back to the home for dinner.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Devshree (Suite)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Road journey to Jaipur: This morning, you will be driven to Jaipur, a journey of around 4.5 hours with refreshment stops en route. On arrival, check into your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Samode Haveli (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Cycle to the Amber Fort: This morning, you will be met by your cycling guide and together you will cycle to Amber Fort. Amber Fort is one of the more fascinating of Indian forts. It was the ancient capital of the erstwhile Jaipur state. Its construction began in 16th century and was subsequently added on to by successive rulers. Inside the fort, the places worth visiting are the Palace of Mirrors, inlaid with millions of tiny glistening mirrors, the hall of Public Audience and the beautiful manicured gardens.

Afternoon city tour: Afterwards, return to the city for an afternoon tour of the principal sites. Start with a visit to the City Palace which is situated in the heart of the city. The whole complex is wonderfully laid out with large courtyards, balconies, cupolas, arched entrances and gardens, which are a combination of Rajput and Mughal architecture. The museum here displays the rich heritage of the Jaipur family in miniature paintings, textiles, garments, books & manuscripts, carpets, palanquins and weapons dating back to the 15th century. Leaving the City Palace behind you will move on to the Jantar Mantar (medieval observatory). Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II had a passion for astronomy which led him to build five astronomical observatories in India at Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura and Delhi. The observatory at Jaipur, built in 1728, is the largest and best preserved of them. The observatory has a curious collection of sculptures which enable the calculation of many astronomical and astrological events like eclipses etc. Each of these structures was built after relentless study of books, manuscripts and discussions with scholars from all over the world. Even today they are put to good use. Rejoin you driver to drive past Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). Built in 1799 Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Winds, is one of the landmarks of Jaipur although it is little more than a façade. It is a five-storey building in pink, built to enable the women of the harem to see the activities of the outside world without being seen themselves. A break for lunch (payable locally) will be taken and in the afternoon you will end the tour with a walking tour of Old Jaipur. The bazaars between the Badi (Large) and Chhoti (Small) Chaupar (Square) in the old city of Jaipur feature some of the best sights that the city has to offer. You will be taken through the labyrinth of colourful alleys where artisans make puppets, bangles, and other local handicrafts. You will visit the jewellery market or Johari Bazaar, explore architecturally interesting havelis (mansions), and stop by bangle shops in Maniharon ka Rasta and the flower sellers near Choti Chaupar. After the sightseeing return to your hotel to reflect on what you have seen.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Samode Haveli (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast