Rajasthan Safari Tour

We visit the palaces and forts that give this desert state its remarkable diversity. Taking every opportunity to get off the beaten track we enjoy a camel safari in the Thar desert. We also visit delightful desert towns like Pushkar and Jaisalmer and stay in a beautifully restored Mahal in Deogarh and an old Haveli in Bhenswara.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Maximum Group Size: 15
Arrival Transfer: Airport transfer to hotel day 1
Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of safari crew & local guides
Transport: Private air-conditioned coach, train, camel, boat ride on Ganges
Activities: Desert camel safari, jeep safari in Chandelao
Accommodation: 13 nights tourist class hotels, 4 nights heritage hotels, 1 night tented camp, 3 nights sleeper train
Meals: As per itinerary. B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner
Entrance Fees: Included for all sites visited as part of the itinerary
Local Payment: Must be paid in cash on day 1 of your tour

PUSHKAR FAIR: An amended itinerary will operate for Pushkar Fair departures. See the trip dossier for details.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• 5 nights at fabulous heritage hotels
• Camel safari into the Thar Desert
• Desert City of Jaisalmer
• Lovely lakeside city of Udaipur
• Experience rural life in Chandelao village

BRIEF ITINERARY

Day 1, DELHI: Arrival transfer to hotel.

Day 2, DELHI: Tour of Delhi. Overnight sleeper train to Jodhpur. (B)

Day 3, CHANDELAO: Drive to the small heritage hotel of Chandelao Garh. Afternoon jeep safari to the surrounding villages.

Day 4, JODHPUR: Continue to Jodhpur. Afternoon visit to the Meherangarh Fort, one of India's most impressive. (B).

Day 5, CAMEL SAFARI: We drive into a remote part of the Thar Desert to start our camel safari. We spend the night in a beautiful tented camp. (BD)

Day 6, JAISALMER: Cross the desert to the walled medieval city of Jaisalmer. (B)

Day 7, JAISALMER: A free day to explore this amazing city with its medieval atmosphere. (B)

Day 8, BHENSWARA: Drive through rarely visited areas of Rajasthan to Bhenswara. Optional leopard safari in the evening. (B)

Day 9, RANAKPUR: Drive to the beautiful Jain temples of Ranakpur. (B)

Day 10, UDAIPUR: Drive via the formidable Kumbhalgarh Fort to the lake city of Udaipur, one of the most romantic cities in India. (B)

Day 11, UDAIPUR: Morning sightseeing tour of Udaipur. Free afternoon. (B)

Day 12, JOJAWAR: Drive from Udaipur to the attractive small village of Jojowar. We spend the night in the beautifully restored Rawla Jojawar, a heritage hotel. (B)

Day 13, PUSHKAR: Drive to Pushkar, a desert oasis on a holy lake. (B)

Day 14, PUSHKAR: Day at leisure in Pushkar with its many holy men, pilgrims and temples. You may also like to take a hike into the surrounding hills. (B)

Day 15, JAIPUR: Continue to Jaipur, the Pink City. Afternoon excursion to the Amber Fort. (B)

Day 16, JAIPUR: Morning Jaipur city tour. Free afternoon. (B)

Day 17, AGRA: Drive to Agra by coach via the ancient Moghul capital of Fatehpur Sikri. (B)

Day 18, AGRA: Visit the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Overnight sleeper train to Varanasi. (B)

Day 19, VARANASI: Arrive Varanasi. Afternoon excursion to Sarnath. This is where Buddha preached his first sermon, 2,500 years ago, and there are extensive ruins of Buddhist temples and stupas, set in a serene deer park.

Day 20, VARANASI: Sightseeing tour of Varanasi. Overnight sleeper train to Delhi. (B)

Day 21, DELHI: Arrive and free time.

Day 22, DELHI: Tour ends. (B)

DEPARTURE DATES

* Pushkar Fair departure

** X-mas & New Year Supplement

TRAVEL STYLE

You love the sometimes tough but ultimately rewarding nature of adventure travel and you want to spend more time enjoying every experience rather than wasting time on travel arrangements.

Maximum Group Size - 18: You love the whole concept of travel. Getting there is as much fun as being there and you love using public transport, local restaurants and small family run hotels where you get the best chance to really get under the skin of a destination. You love the sometimes tough but ultimately rewarding nature of adventure travel and you love spending more time enjoying every experience rather than wasting time on travel arrangements.
Included: All accommodation (usually twin share but occasionally multi share), transportation
Not included: Most meals, entrance fees
Single Supplement: Not available. [Read more about Imaginative Traveller travel styles]