Northern India holiday, tailor made
| country: | India |
| location: | Rajasthan |
| departures: | This itinerary is an example only and can be tailor made all year. This suggested itinerary can be modified entirely to your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used and how long you spend in each destination |
| price: | From £3050 per person (18 days) including flights from the UK. One night is spent on flight |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
introduction to Northern India holiday, tailor made
This is a cultural tour of Rajasthan's rural properties with the chance to explore some of its most famous cities.
Rajasthan is famous for its cities with their towering forts, ornate palaces and hectic streets but this route explores the quieter side of this incredible area of India. From tiny village hunting lodges to ancient palaces converted into fantastic hotels, you will stay in family-run properties that have strong links with the local community. Most hotels draw their staff from the local villages and support schools, hospitals and the environment, so by staying in them your money is going straight to the people who need it most.
Beginning right in the south of Rajasthan, Dungarpur is a wonderful palace on the banks of the lake, still lived in by the owner, and you can wander up the road to the old palace which is filled with ornately decorated rooms. Udaipur is close by and you can take your time to explore this famous city. Further into Rajasthan you will visit Jodhpur and Jaipur, each time staying outside the city in smaller hotels and giving you the opportunity to see a different, but no less colourful, way of life.
Ranthambhore National Park is one of the foremost places in India for tiger conservation and for seeing these majestic creatures. By staying in a property owned by a family who run the village school, are involved in the hospital and are passionate about conservation, you will get an insight into the way that communities in this area work and the conservation difficulties in India.
Agra is a must to see the iconic Taj Mahal and the route ends in Delhi, full of history reaching back hundreds of years. Here you stay with a local family who know and love Delhi and can show you its hidden corners and local specialities. This itinerary gives you the change to see the highlights of Rajasthan that every tourist sees from a local perspective, allowing you to meet families and see at first hand the positive effects that tourism can have.
There are advantages to be gained by travelling off-season - particularly in Rajasthan which is largely dry - as hotels are better value and monuments are quieter. The western ranges of the Indian Himalaya are also generally best visited during this time to escape the heat and rains on the plains. Between October and March the daytime temperature ranges between 25C – 30C, falling in the evening and overnight to between 18C– 22C. After the monsoon, the air is dry, making the heat more bearable and reducing the humidity.
Rajasthan is famous for its cities with their towering forts, ornate palaces and hectic streets but this route explores the quieter side of this incredible area of India. From tiny village hunting lodges to ancient palaces converted into fantastic hotels, you will stay in family-run properties that have strong links with the local community. Most hotels draw their staff from the local villages and support schools, hospitals and the environment, so by staying in them your money is going straight to the people who need it most.
Beginning right in the south of Rajasthan, Dungarpur is a wonderful palace on the banks of the lake, still lived in by the owner, and you can wander up the road to the old palace which is filled with ornately decorated rooms. Udaipur is close by and you can take your time to explore this famous city. Further into Rajasthan you will visit Jodhpur and Jaipur, each time staying outside the city in smaller hotels and giving you the opportunity to see a different, but no less colourful, way of life.
Ranthambhore National Park is one of the foremost places in India for tiger conservation and for seeing these majestic creatures. By staying in a property owned by a family who run the village school, are involved in the hospital and are passionate about conservation, you will get an insight into the way that communities in this area work and the conservation difficulties in India.
Agra is a must to see the iconic Taj Mahal and the route ends in Delhi, full of history reaching back hundreds of years. Here you stay with a local family who know and love Delhi and can show you its hidden corners and local specialities. This itinerary gives you the change to see the highlights of Rajasthan that every tourist sees from a local perspective, allowing you to meet families and see at first hand the positive effects that tourism can have.
best time to go
India has five seasons; spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter. The monsoon hits different regions at different times as it sweeps from the Indian Ocean to the Himalaya, affecting north and central India from May to September. In the south the monsoon generally lingers into October. There are advantages to be gained by travelling off-season - particularly in Rajasthan which is largely dry - as hotels are better value and monuments are quieter. The western ranges of the Indian Himalaya are also generally best visited during this time to escape the heat and rains on the plains. Between October and March the daytime temperature ranges between 25C – 30C, falling in the evening and overnight to between 18C– 22C. After the monsoon, the air is dry, making the heat more bearable and reducing the humidity.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart the UK on the services of your selected scheduled carrier. Depending on the carrier this flight will either fly during the day or overnight. Overnight flight. |
| Day 2: | Dungarpur. On arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to Dungarpur, south of Udaipur. You will have the afternoon at leisure to explore Udai Bilas Palace at your own pace. Stay at Udai Bilas Palace, Dungarpur. |
| Day 3: | A day at leisure in Dungarpur. You can visit Juna Mahal, the old palace which has some fantastic painted interiors, cycle, walk or go boating on the lake. Stay at Udai Bilas Palace, Dungarpur. |
| Day 4: | Narlai. Drive from Dungarpur to Narlai via Udaipur, where you will stop for a tour of the city palace and lunch overlooking the lake. Rawla Narlai is a tiny and beautifully converted fort in a small village that is dotted with numerous temples. Stay at Rawla Narlai. |
| Day 5: | A day at leisure at Rawla Narlai where you can walk through the village or climb to the top of the rock that towers over the hotel. Travelling by bullock cart to the amazing local step well, which will be lit by hundreds of candles, you will have a traditional Rajasthani dinner cooked for you. The step well dinner is great fun and very special. Stay at Rawla Narlai. |
| Day 6: | Drive from Narlai to Rohet, a small hotel outside Jodhpur. The drive is not long (2 hours) and you can go for an afternoon horse ride if you would like to see a bit of the local countryside. Stay at Rohet. |
| Day 7: | Drive from Rohet to Chhatra Sagar, a tented camp that sits on top of a dam, via Jodhpur. You will stop in Jodhpur for a tour of Meherangarh Fort and some lunch. The fort towers over Jodhpur and is filled with fantastic painting, glass work and possessions of the maharajas that have lived there. You will also have the chance to explore the local markets in the town. Stay at Chhatra Sagar. |
| Day 8: | Day at leisure at Chhatra Sagar, the birdlife here is extraordinary and you will be taken on a tour of the local farm and village. The food is some of the best in Rajasthan! Stay at Chhatra Sagar. |
| Day 9: | Drive from Chhatra Sagar to Samode, just outside Jaipur, where you will stay in a converted palace. You will have the afternoon free to explore Samode at your own pace. Stay at Samode Palace, Samode. |
| Day 10: | Day trip to Jaipur including Amber Fort and Palace, high on the hill above Jaipur, and the City Palace and observatory. It's worth visiting Amber Village where there is a small block printing museum, some lovely temples and a fabulous step well. Stay at Samode Palace, Samode. |
| Day 11: | Day at leisure in Samode to explore the village. You will also have access to Samode Bagh where you can enjoy the facilities that this partner hotel has to offer including the beautiful gardens. Stay at Samode Palace, Samode. |
| Day 12: | Drive from Samode to Ramathra, a restored fort with luxury tents tucked inside the rampart walls. Stay at Ramathra Fort. |
| Day 13: | Day at leisure at Ramathra where you can walk, go boating on the lake and explore the local countryside. Stay at Ramathra Fort. |
| Day 14: | Drive from Ramathra to Ranthambhore National Park, arriving in time for an afternoon game drive and a chance to see the wildlife in the park. Stay at Khem Villas, Ranthambhore. |
| Day 15: | Morning and afternoon games drives and chances to see the wide range of wildlife inside the park. Stay at Khem Villas, Ranthambhore. |
| Day 16: | Train from Ranthambhore to Bharatpur and drive from Bharatpur to Agra, via Fatehpur Sikri. This abandoned Mughal city is wonderful and has weathered well in the 400 years since it was built and is absoluetly spectacular. You will arrive in Agra in time to visit the Taj Mahal at sunset. Stay at the Gateway Hotel Fatehabad Road. |
| Day 17: | Sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal and an afternoon tour of the city sights including the Red Fort and ‘Baby Taj’. Evening express train to Delhi. Stay at Saubhag Bed & Breakfast. |
| Day 18: | Depart. Fly from Delhi to the UK. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Community:
Travelling responsibly can take many forms and need not comply solely with the expected norm and focus only on the preservation of wildlife. Simply by visiting an area the traveller can benefit the locality and this positive impact can be greatly enhanced by operating in a sustainable and considerate manner. On this suggested itinerary your qualified guide, local in each place, will ensure that you learn a great deal about the culture, history and wildlife of the region but they will also encourage you to buy in local shops, try local restaurants or pick up the odd souvenir in a market. This spending will not only help support the local economy but will sustain local trades and crafts. All the guides used on this tour are locally qualified and they will offer you first rate service. By employing only local Indian guides travellers are providing both a valuable source of employment as well as generating income for the local community. On this trip all but two hotels are owned by local families who rely upon tourism for the upkeep of the ancient buildings and land that have been in their families for generations. Your money does stay within the community as all of the hotels hire their staff from local villages and towns, training them up to the high standard that tourists expect, including teaching them English. In general this itinerary does take you away for the usual tourist path and this really does mean that your money helps develops these regions at ground level. A good example is Ramathra Fort, which just a couple of years ago was a complete ruin but is now slowly and carefully being rebuilt with local materials and methods and is staffed by young men and women from the tiny villages in the area. The owners of Khem Villas are actively involved in the local school, hospital and welfare centre as well as various environmental projects in and around Ranthambhore National Park. Most other hotels on this route work in a similar manner, and by staying in these smaller, family-run properties, you really are helping the local communities. Staying in homestays such as Saubhag Bed & Breakfast in Delhi mean that you can get a real feel for how Indian families live and the owner will take you out into Delhi, away from the main tourist sights, to her favourite local restaurants and shops, so again you're spending your money somewhere that most other tourists don't. By using small family run local hotels you can not only be sure that your money is going straight to the people who need it most but have the chance to see a side of India that the majority of tourists miss. Environment: Transport on this itinerary is generally by car, though there are a few train journeys. Domestic flights are avoided as much as possible and the opportunity to offset carbon emissions with a reputable company is always offered. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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