Rajasthan holiday, explorer

country:	India
location:	Rajasthan, The Golden Triangle
departures:	Departs every other Saturday, July - April
price:	From £499 (16 days) excluding flights, plus local payment of US $150. Pushkar fair £55 (selected November departures)

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India holidays

Rajasthan holidays

Cultural holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

Travel to some of India's most enchanting cities in the colourful state of Rajasthan.

In the walled desert city of Jaisalmer you’ll have ample time to explore the traffic free streets (almost unique in India) and take a camel safari into the desert.

There’s also time to relax in the laid-back oasis town of Pushkar and visit the fantastic Meherangarh Fort in Jodhpur, one of the most impressive in India.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Arrive Delhi.
Day 2:	Agra. Early morning express train to Agra and transfer to hotel. Afternoon guided tour of the Taj Mahal, reputedly the most beautiful building in the world.
Day 3:	Jaipur. Drive to Jaipur via the former Moghul capital of Fatehpur Sikri.
Day 4:	Jaipur. Morning orientation tour of Jaipur. In the afternoon we visit the magnificent Amber Fort, perched on a hilltop outside town.
Day 5:	Pushkar. Drive to Pushkar, a desert oasis on a holy lake. Afternoon at leisure to explore the lakeside with its many holy men, pilgrims and temples.
Day 6:	Khejarla Travel to Fort Khejarla, residence of the former ruling family who will be your hosts.
Day 7:	Chandelao. Drive to the small heritage hotel of Chandelao Garh. Afternoon optional jeep safari to the villages near Chandelao where you will see local craftsmen at work.
Day 8:	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.
Day 9:	Jaisalmer. Cross the desert to the fortress city of Jaisalmer. Within the fortress walls the cobbled streets are strewn with palaces, mansions of rich merchants (havelis), and Jain temples that were built between the 12th and 15th centuries.
Day 10:	Jaisalmer. A free day to explore this amazing city with its medieval atmosphere.
Day 11:	Jodhpur. Continue to Jodhpur. Afternoon visit to the impressive Meherangarh Fort, with fantastic views across this blue city.
Day 12:	Udaipur. Drive via the magnificent Jain temples of Ranakpur to the beautiful lake city of Udaipur.
Day 13:	Udaipur. Morning tour of Udaipur. Afternoon at leisure to seek out a bargain in the markets or relax in a friendly cafe overlooking the lake.
Day 14:	Ahmedabad. We travel to Ahmedabad, a city with ancient monuments displaying a unique mix of Hindu and Muslim architecture.
Day 15:	Mumbai (Bombay). Express train to Mumbai. Remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 16:	Mumbai (Bombay). Tour ends.

travellers' tales

There were many memorable moments. The Taj Mahal of course, the rickshaw race we had coming back from our meal out in Jaipur... We were also touched by the warm welcome from children (who were fascinated by us taking their photo). (more)

small group adventure holiday

Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

highly commended

This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.

how this holiday makes a difference

Across Rajasthan our hotels are always local, transport often public and the unique one-to-one style interactions with real people are endless. We overnight in many small family run hotels, operate a policy of fair tipping (administered through a tipping kitty), use local guides with whom our relationships are longstanding and employ a mix of foreign and local tour leaders who all receive the SAME wages for the same job.

Throughout India, and especially in the small religious town of Pushkar, our tour leaders brief the group on appropriate behaviour and respect for religious issues. In Jaisalmer we have made a long standing commitment to a local company who operate camel safaris. Their camel men are employed on good terms and paid a very fair wage and tips are paid directly to these men. In addition to the camel men, local cooks and camp helpers are employed to set up camp overnight.

In Jaipur we support Balika Sadan, a girl's orphanage, which has around 30 young residents. Donations from travellers are matched by the Imaginative Traveller and presented to the orphanage on an annual basis. Travellers are given information about the home and encouraged to donate left over currency and those who wish can take vital supplies and equipment for the girls.

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