RURAL PARADISE

 

A COMPREHENSIVE, THREE-WEEK TOUR OF RAJASTHAN EXPLORES ITS MANY FACETS.

 

DAY 1:

 

DRIVE FROM DELHI TO SAMODE, TO STAY AT ITS PALACE OR GARDEN RETREAT. THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT IS PICTURESQUE.

 

 

DAY 2:

 

DRIVE TO NAWALGARH IN THE HEART OF THE SHEKHAWATI REGION TO STAY AT ROOPANIWAS PALACE. AFTERNOON, EXPLORE SURROUNDING TOWNS AND VILLAGES WITH THEIR PAINTED HAVELIS AND TEMPLES.

 

 

DAY 3:

 

DRIVE TO KHIMSAR FORT. A CHARMING HERITAGE HOTEL, THE BASE OF SAND DUNES WHERE THERE ARE BLAKBUCK VISIBLE ON SHORT JEEP SAFARIS.

 

 

DAY4:

 

DRIVE TO JAISALMER, THJE CHARMING FORTIFIED SETTLEMENT IN THE HEART OF DESERT.

 

 

DAY 5:

 

EXPLORE JAISALMER ON FOOT. CUT OFF FROM CIVILISATION FOR CENTURIES, THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST KNOWN CITADELS WHERE THE 21^ST CENTURY HAS MADE FEW INTRUSIONS, AND A WIDE VARIETY OF CRAFTS ARE STILL PRACTICED. AFTERNOON, DRIVE TO POKARAN TO STAY AT ITS FORT. POTTERY, AND DECORATIONS FOR CMELS ARE MADE HERE.

 

 

DAY 6:

 

DRIVE TO JODHPUR, WITH SIGHTSEEING IN THE AFTERNOON.

 

 

DAY 7:

 

VISIT MANDORE, AND THEN CONTINUE TO ROHET WITH ITS CHARMING FORT WHERE YOU WILL STAY. IN AG=FTERNOON, A JEEP SAFARI TO THE SURROUNDING RABARI AND BISHNOI VILLAGES.

 

 

DAY 8:

 

DRIVE TO DASPAN VILLAGE WHERE THE FERTILE FIELDS GROW BOUNTIFUL CROPS, AND THE VILLAGE IS KNOWN FOR ITS EMBROIDERED SHOES. THERE ARE ALSO SOME FAMILIES THAT MAKE BOWS AND ARROWS IN THE BHIL STYLE. STAY AT DURJAN VIWAS CASTLE.

 

 

DAY 9:

 

CONTINUE INTO FARMING COUNTRY, TO SIYANA. STAY AT THAKUR GANPAT SINGH’ FARM WITH ITS STABLE LF MAWARI HORSES.

 

 

DAY 10:

 

ACROSS THE FLAT, IRRIGATED LANDS OF SIROHI, DRIVE TO LEOPARD’S LAIR AT BERA. THERE IS A LARGE SETTLEMENT OF RABARIS IN THE VICINITY. THESE MIGRANTS MOVE AROUND, BUT THIS PERMANENT SETTLEMENENT HAS WELL-KEPT, CLEAN HOMES.

 

 

DAY 11:

 

DRIVE TO RATANPUR WITHJ ITS 16^TH CENTURY TEMPLES. STAY AT MAHARANI BAGH IN THE MIDST OF AND ORCHARD, AND WITH GERASIA DANCERS PERFORMING IN THE EVENING.

 

DAY 12:

 

DRIVE TO DEVGARH TO STAY AT THE MAHAL OR PALACE. SPEND EVENING AT THE LAKESIDE FARMHOUSE OF A LOCAL CHIEFTAIN.

 

 

DAY 13:

 

DRIVE TO UDAIPUR, STAY AT A CHOICE OF DELUXE PALACE HOTELS. SIGHTSEEING.

 

 

DAY 14:

 

DRIVE DUNGARPUR WITH ITS BHIL VILLAGES ALL AROUND. STAY AT THE MAGNIFICENT UDAI VILAS PALACE.

 

 

DAY 15:

 

DRIVE VIA CHITTAURGARH FORT TO BIJAIPUR, THE BASE FOR THE MINA TRIBES. THE VILLAGE IS LOCATED BESIDE A LAKE.

 

 

DAY 16:

 

DRIVE TO KOTA, STAY AT UMED BHAWAN, BRIJRAJ BHAWAN OW SUKHDAM NIWA. LOCAL SIGHTSEEING.

 

 

DAY 17:

 

DRIVE TO BUNDI FOR SIGHTSEEING OF FORT, AND RANIJI KI BAORI STEPWELL. CONTINUE TO RAJMAHAL, A 300- YEAR-OLD PALACE WITH THE VILLAGE NAMED AFTER IT. THE PALACE OVERLOOKS THE RIVER BELOW.

 

 

DAY 18:

 

DRIVE TO PACHEWAR VILLAGE AND ITS RESTORED FORT OR GARH. FLOURISHING AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, TOY MAKERS AND A BLUE POTTERY KILN.

 

 

DAY 19:

 

DRIVE TO JAIPUR, AND SIGHTSEEING THERE. STAY AT A CHOICE OF PALACE AND HERITAGE HOTELS.

 

 

DAY 20:

 

DRIVE TO BHANDAREJAND STAY AT BHADRAWATI PALACE. THE VILLAGE HAS A LOVELY SETTING BESIDE A LAKE, AND MONA SETTLEMENTS AROUND IT.

 

 

DAY 21:

 

DRIVE TO KARAULI, KNOWN FOR ITS PINK STONE QUARRIES, AND THE KJAILA DEVI TEMPLE. STAY AT BHANWAR NIWAS PALACE.

 

 

DAY 22:

 

DRIVE TO BHARATPUR, STAY AT LAXMI VILAS PALACE. VISIT BIRD SANCTUARY, AND VISIT THE OLD FORT WITH ITS INCEREDIBLY INVINCIBLE MUD BASTIONS.

 

 

DAY 23:

 

DEPART FROM AGRA OR DELHI.