Rajasthan
Itinerary in brief
A detailed hard-copy will be sent on request.
Day 1
Arrive New Delhi.
Transfer to
hotel. What happens then depends on flight arrival time.
Day 2
Delhi – Sightseeing
(India’s National Day)
Today is for fun and getting used to
the culture shock some people experience in Delhi. There
will be a half-day guided tour to acquaint people with both
Old and New Delhi.
Day 3
Delhi – Neemrana (120kms)
After a practice ride in the safety of the hotel car park, we head out onto the
road a gentle pace is set to allow you to come to terms with the bikes and
Indian traffic. We soon enter Rajasthan heading for our hotel, the 15th century Neemrana
Fort Palace with its stunning garden setting and facilities.
Day 4
Neemrana – Mahansar (160kms)
The
peacock is the state emblem of Rajasthan and many can be
spotted roaming freely in the rural areas as we make our
way to the Shekhawati region. Our stop for tonight is Mahansar and
a mediaeval castle – rather dilapidated, but completely charming.
Day 5
Mahansar – Bikaner (210kms)
Today
sees us heading directly west through arid wastelands, approaching
the Great Thar Desert which constitutes
much of Rajasthan. Our destination today is Bikaner,
once an important staging post on the great caravan trading
routes of the middle-ages. Our accommodation here is in one
of the impressive palace hotels.
Day 6
Bikaner – Pokaran (200kms)
Our
ride today takes us through progressively sparser vegetation
and population, to the remote outpost of Pokaran,
a charming little village. Our hostelry tonight is the old Pokaran
Fort Palace Hotel..
Day 7
Pokaran – Jaisalmer (110kms)
Today’s journey takes us right into the heart of the desert and the stunning
fortress city of Jaisalmer, the Golden City.
With its incredible array of bastions, battlements and ramparts it looks like
something straight out of Arabian Nights. A feature of Jaisalmer is
the abundance of splendid havelis (mansions) with their intricate
carvings and works of art.
Day 8
Jaisalmer (Rest Day)
There’s time
today to explore more of the walled city before we take a
trip out into the desert in the late afternoon for a camel
safari to the top of the dunes to watch the sunset. A very
surreal experience.
Day 9
Jaisalmer – Manvar (180kms)
Our ride today is not a long one, but if we leave early enough we’ll arrive at
our destination, Manvar Desert Resort in time to
enjoy many of its facilities and activities.
Day 10
Manvar – Jodhpur (110kms)
Ride followed by sightseeing and leisure.
This morning we head
the last 110kms in the ‘Blue City’ of Jodhpur.
Although not appearing blue from ground level, the view from
the huge fortress of Meherangarh Fort over the town
shows a true spectacle as all the blue-washed Brahmin houses
shimmer in the sunlight.
Day 11
Jodhpur (Rest
Day)
A day of leisure with time to explore on your
own or simply relax in the grounds of the hotel. Jodhpur is
famed for its old markets, spices, antique reproductions, furniture
manufacture, silverware, architectural fixtures and handicrafts.
Day 12
Jodhpur – Mount Abu (220kms)
An early start to ride to Mount Abu, Rajasthan’s only
hill station and major pilgrimage centre. The Dilwara temples in Mount
Abu are reputedly the best Jain temples in the country and few descriptions can
do justice to their intricate beauty.
Day 13
Mount Abu – Udaipur (184kms)
It’s a lovely ride today, first down from Mt Abu, then a blast across the plains
before heading up a winding road through the hills to Udaipur famous
for the beautiful white Maharaja’s palace in the middle of Lake
Pichola and the settings for many scenes in Octopussy and Jewel
in the Crown.
Day 14
Udaipur (Sightseeing and leisure)
A rest day, but we will spend time visiting the many special places of interest
in Udaipur, such as the City Palace and
Museum and the Ladies Garden, Sahelion Ki Bari, with its beautiful
fountains.
Day 15
Udaipur – Bassi (120kms)
This morning
sees us heading out of Udaipur to the little village of Bassi, where we stay the night.
En route we will visit the huge Chittorgarh Fort,
which runs for 12kms along a ridge overlooking the plains.
Day 16
Bassi – Pushkar (150kms)
Pushkar It is a picturesque little
town with its beautiful lake a pilgrimage site for devout Hindus
who come to bathe in its waters. Weather permitting, en route
we will have the extraordinary experience of riding across
the vast, flat expanse of a salt lake.
Day 17
Pushkar (Rest Day)
If you rise
early you can catch the dawn bathing and prayer rituals (‘puja’) and watch the town come to life. For those
with the energy and inclination, there’s a one-hour trek up to
the Savitri Temple perched on a hilltop overlooking
the lake. The bazaar areas are full of colourful souvenirs, trinkets
and inexpensive clothing.
Day 18
Pushkar – Jaipur (140kms)
We ride to the Rajasthan capital of Jaipur, the Pink
City. Pink is the traditional Rajput colour of hospitality and many of the
homes in the Old City are this colour. The Hawa Mahal, or Palace of
the Winds, in the centre of the old town is a fine example of Rajput craftsmanship.
Day 19
Jaipur (Sightseeing & Leisure)
If you haven’t done any shopping yet, now is the time to do it! Jaipur is world
famous for its textile industries and is the place to buy gem stones
and jewellery, furnishing fabrics, fine muslin, block prints, tie-dye and exquisite
embroidered material. If it’s a rejuvenating massage you want, a one-hour herbal
or ayuvedic session in local premises costs a measly $AUD8 to $15
(more in the hotel).
Day 20
Jaipur – Fatepur Sikri – Agra (140kms)
We hit the road early for the ride to visit the incredible, deserted city of Fatehpur
Sikri, once the capital of the Moghul Empire. From Fatepur
Sikri we ride the last 40kms to Agra home of the
world’s greatest symbol of love – that most famous of all Indian monuments –
the Taj Mahal.
Day 21
Agra – New Delhi (200kms)
For those who wish to rise early, you can make a second, pilgrimage to the Taj
Mahal at sunrise to see the amazing colour changes on the brilliant white
marble. We then head off on the last leg of our tour to cover the 200km between
Agra and Delhi, arriving mid-afternoon in time for
rest before our farewell dinner.
Day 22
Delhi – Fly Home
Last day for cramming in some sightseeing
and shopping before transferring to the airport for late evening
departures to Bangkok or Singapore.
Should you wish to extend your visit to India, this office can arrange accommodation and transport for you.
Click here for General Information about Rajasthan
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