Royal Rajasthan - Pushkar Fair route-map

Trip Details at-a-Glance

Cost From: $8995   see pricing
Length: 13 days
Arrive: Delhi, India
Depart: Delhi, India
Lodging: 7 nights luxury hotels, 3 nights rail travel, 2 nights deluxe tented camp describe
Meals: All meals included
Activity: Walking, Cultural Adventures
Trip Level: Overland travel with walking tours, cultural explorations
2 explain

Highlights

  • Attend the Pushkar fair, an exuberant celebration of nomadic life
  • Palace on Wheels, a luxury train with stylish staterooms
  • Princely accommodations in former maharajas’ palaces
  • Sunrise visit to the legendary Taj Mahal
  • Romantic city of Udaipur, the walled city of Jaipur


A wonderful collection of the luxurious and the romantic!Peter F.—Cambria, CA

Choosing the Right Trip

We work hard to help you choose the right trip for you, paying attention to your individual interests, abilities, and needs. If you have questions about the level of comfort or any of the activities described in this itinerary, please contact us.
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References

We are proud to have an exceptionally high rate of repeat travelers. For more information, we would be happy to put you in touch with a client who has traveled with us.

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Departure Notes

Once you have signed up on the trip, we send a complete packing list, relevant health information, and required travel documents.

Resources

Princely fortresses rising out of golden desert sands are the lure of Rajasthan, an exotic land best described by its colors—the brilliant reds and bold yellows of tribal dress, the soft pinks of airy marble palaces, the tawny tones of the desert. Our journey features three nights aboard the Palace on Wheels, an elegant train that carries us back in time to the opulent world of the maharajas, and a special visit to an annual gathering of tribes in the desert outposts of Pushkar or Nagaur, complete with spectacular camel races! Each departure varies slightly but all include memorable overnights in splendid maharajas’ palaces and fascinating wildlife viewing, including the World Heritage Site of Keoladeo. We end our journey with a sunrise pilgrimage to the legendary Taj Mahal.

Itinerary at a Glance

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

Days 1-2
Delhi / Palace on Wheels (November 13-25, 2012, Departure)

We explore the fascinating sights of New Delhi, including the exquisitely detailed Humayan’s Tomb, a precursor to the Taj Mahal. In the afternoon of Day 2, we board the Palace on Wheels and settle into our en suite air-conditioned staterooms.

Days 3-4
Jaipur / Ranthambore / Palace on Wheels

The Palace on Wheels brings us to the “pink city” of Jaipur, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II and a superb testament to the craftsmanship of the old masters. After we explore Jaipur’s remarkable fortresses of pink sandstone, the train carries us to Ranthambore National Park, haunt of tiger, leopard, and sloth bear, for wonderful wildlife viewing.

Days 5-6
Udaipur

In Udaipur, one of the most romantic cities in the world, we explore traditional havelis (mansions), fortresses, and temples, with overnights at the unforgettable Lake Palace, the marvelous 250-year-old former summer palace of the Maharaja of Udaipur, a grand vision set in the middle of Lake Pichola.

Days 7-8
Pushkar Camel Fair

Pushkar is famous for its enormously colorful annual gathering of India’s desert nomads. We enjoy two full days at the fair, which features exhilarating camel and horse races as well as traditional singers, musicians, and acrobats. Our deluxe tented camp provides superb comfort.

Days 9-10
Jaipur / Bharatpur

After a magnificent overnight at Jaipur’s resplendent Rambagh Palace, former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, we continue to Bharatpur and Keoladeo National Park, a birder’s paradise and one of India’s most renowned nature reserves.

Days 11-13
Fatehpur Sikri / Taj Mahal

We visit the ancient Mughal site of Fatehpur Sikri, then head to Agra for sunrise and sunset visits to the ethereal Taj Mahal, “an emperor’s love wrought in living stones.” Continue to Delhi for flights home on Day 13.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

Optional Extensions

If you would like to continue your adventure, we offer the following extensions:

What the Trip is Like

This trip is Level 2, Easy to Moderate. It is a comfortable, vehicle-based sightseeing trip. Accommodations include comfortable, modern hotels reflecting the traditional architecture of Rajasthan as well as former palaces and royal residences that have been converted into luxurious heritage hotels. At our tented camp at the Pushkar Fair, we sleep in Rajasthani-style air-conditioned tents furnished with cots and en suite facilities. Accommodations aboard the Palace on Wheels train are in air-conditioned twin staterooms with en suite facilities (toilet and shower).  There are some long days of driving on rough, bumpy roads.

An optional early morning camel ride is offered at the Pushkar fair for an interesting “above the crowd” view of the activities as the day begins. Anyone participating in this optional activity must acknowledge the inherent dangers in riding and agree to accept any and all risks.

Please remember that travel in India is an intense experience. The essential requirements are flexibility, a sense of humor, curiosity, enthusiasm about new peoples and places, and an openness to the unexpected.

Explanation of Trip Levels

 

Departures & Leaders

Nov 13-25, 2012  Devendra Basnet
Nov 14-26, 2012  Hashmat Singh

Tour Costs

Prices valid through Spring 2013
$8995 (14-16 members)
$9295 (10-13 members)
$9595 (6-9 members)
Single supplement: $3350
Forced single supplement: $3350
Internal airfare: $320 (November 14 departure only)
more on pricing

Extension Costs
South India Extension: The Malabar Coast
   from: $1925
Kanha National Park Extension
   from: $1895
Varanasi and Khajuraho Extension
   from: $1125

Tour Cost Includes:

  • Expert leadership of a Wilderness Travel Trip Leader and local guides
  • Accommodations
  • All meals included
  • Ground transportation
  • Airport transfers for passengers arriving on the evening of Day 1, departing evening of the last day of the trip or early morning (before 4am) the following day

Tour Cost Does Not Include:

International airfare, internal airfare, airport departure taxes, any meals not specified after each itinerary day in the Full Trip Brochure, optional tipping or gratuities to leaders or staff, hotels en route to or on return from Delhi or additional hotel nights that may be necessary due to airline schedule changes or other factors, individual arrival/departure airport transfers, visa fees, cost of medical immunizations (if any), travel insurance, and other expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.).

Trip Payment Schedule*

At time of reservation: $500
150 days prior to departure: 50%
90 days prior to departure: Balance

*Please note that this differs from our regular catalog departures.

Cancellation and Transfer Fee Schedule*

Minimum fee: $250
61-120 days prior to departure: 50% of tour cost
60 days or less: 100% of tour cost

*Please note that this differs from our regular catalog departures.

Taj Palace Hotel

Taj Palace Hotel

Day 1 (1 night), Delhi, India

The prestigious Taj Palace Hotel is the perfect place to unwind after a long flight or a day’s exploration of Delhi. We appreciate it for its ...
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Palace on Wheels

Palace on Wheels

Days 2 to 4 (3 nights), India

In years past, the rulers of Rajasthan’s princely states designed their own royal coaches to serve as “palaces on wheels” and ...
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Taj Lake Palace

Taj Lake Palace

Days 5 to 6 (2 nights), Udaipur, India

It’s not a stretch to say that the Lake Palace, the 250-year-old former summer palace of the Maharaja of Udaipur, is one of the world’s ...
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Camp Thar

Camp Thar

Days 7 to 8 (2 nights), Pushkar, India

Set in the Thar Desert near Pushkar, where one of India’s captivating traditional livestock fairs takes place each year, Camp Thar offers ...
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Taj Rambagh Palace

Taj Rambagh Palace

Day 9 (1 night), Jaipur, India

Experience one of life’s rare treats—a stay at the Rambagh Palace, an authentic royal residence and a treasure of India, with its ...
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The Bagh Resort

The Bagh Resort

Day 10 (1 night), Bharatpur, India

This country estate offers a serene setting and a historic ambience in its 21 rooms, located in five separate compounds. Gulmohar, the main ...
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Sheraton Mughal Agra

Sheraton Mughal Agra

Days 11 to 12 (2 nights), Agra, India

A traveler goes to Agra for one main reason: to see the ethereal Taj Mahal. That’s why we secure the sought-after Taj-view rooms for our stay ...
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Radisson Blu Airport Hotel

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel

Day 13 (1 night), Delhi, India

We use this stylish business hotel as a day room before departing on a late evening flight for home. It’s just a few miles from Delhi’s ...
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Extension Accommodations

If you would like to view the accommodations offered with our extensions options:

Note: Listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.

Our Trip Leaders

Here are the Trip Leaders scheduled for this journey (please note that leader assignments are subject to change).

Devendra Basnet

Departure Dates: November 13-25, 2012

Devendra Basnet was born in the foothills of the Himalayas in Darjeeling, India, and makes his home in Kathmandu, Nepal. He studied Zoology in college in India and began his guiding career as a naturalist guide in Nepal’s wildlife-rich Royal Chitwan National Park. His zoology background has ...
Click here for a full bio and list of all upcoming trips

Hashmat Singh

Departure Dates: November 14-26, 2012

Hashmat Singh has led over 100 journeys on three continents for us since 1990. He holds a BA in History from Delhi University and is a noted photographer. His book, Trekking in the Himalaya (Roli Books), features photographic essays from Ladakh to Bhutan. Born an army brat, Hashmat traveled ...
Click here for a full bio and list of all upcoming trips

Optional Extensions

If you would like to continue your adventure, we offer the following extensions:

India

Kanha National Park Extension

Gameviewing in one of India’s Great Wildlife Reserves

Wildlife & Natural History
5 days  -  Level 2

South India Extension: The Malabar Coast

Cochin and a Cruise Along the Backwaters of Kerala

Walking, Cultural Adventures
4 days

Varanasi and Khajuraho Extension

Holy City Along the Ganges, Magnificent World-Famous Temples

Cultural Adventures
4 days  -  Level 1

Client Comments

A wonderful collection of the luxurious and the romantic! Peter F., Cambria, CA
It was a splendid experience all around. I did not want to come home. Elizabeth P., Santa Fe, NM