Rajasthan experience holiday
Late availability on these dates: 19 Dec, 31 Dec, 09 Jan, 23 Jan, 06 Feb, 20 Feb, 05 Mar
Description of Rajasthan experience holiday
This two week Rajasthan experience is a holiday that combines the colourful and the exotic, the desert with the dramatic. We begin our break in New Delhi and Agra, so that you can take in Delhi’s stunning three UNESCO World Heritage Sites but also the inimitable grandeur of the Taj Mahal.
You might think that anything after the Taj Mahal might be an anti climax, but Rajasthan is the Princely state that is a whole other world onto its own. We visit the unique and almost fairytale like cities of this desert region, such as the rose city of Jaipur and blue city of Jodhpur, as well as the stunning waterways of Uidapur, known as the Venice of the East.
For real immersion in the Thar Desert which dominates this incredible northern state, we also visit the beautiful fortified town of Bikaner and the even more extraordinary Jaisalmer Fort, one of the largest fully preserved fortified cities in the world. We take a camel safari out into the desert, and have the chance to sleep under the stars in this great, arid terrain. In contrast, as well as spending all other nights in hotels on this trip, four of these are in Rajasthan’s famous heritage hotels which range from beautifully restored forts to palaces.
This trip, unlike many Rajasthan holidays, also takes us north to the fascinating Shekhawati region. Once home to aristocrats between 17-19th centuries, there is still an array of grand houses here known as havelis. With painted courtyards, colonnades and signs of obvious opulence, the glamour has now faded, but historically they are of great interest to visitors. Rajasthan is like that everywhere really, with great towns, forts or palaces appearing out of the desert like mirages, yet all fantastically real.
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Reviews
1 Reviews of Rajasthan experience holiday
Reviewed on 26 Jan 2014 by Bernadine Ryan
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Obviously the sight of the Taj Mahal will stay with me forever but I really enjoyed the horseriding at Castle Bijaipur.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you are there over Christmas/New Year make sure you have enough warm clothes!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. We were very much involved with the local people on a daily basis. I did enjoy the interaction.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Most enjoyable. It was good to be based in one place for a reasonable length of time to get to know the local environment and people instead of moving on nearly every day.
Responsible Travel
Planet
It’s not only the humans in India that need support. Our Company is constantly monitoring the manner in which the elephants at Amber Palace in Jaipur are treated. With the help of a local organisation, Help in Suffering, and the information gathered from our leaders and passengers, we have decided to not include the elephant ride up to the palace due to the inhumane manner in which these animals are maintained. On the Agra-Jaipur highway, there are numerous sloth bears being used to entertain tourists and they are badly abused and beaten. Through our Foundation, we support the efforts of an organisation called Wildlife SOS in their setting up a sanctuary to care for these tortured bears. In voluntarily giving up the bears to the project, the owners are re-educated and re-skilled and are compensated with motorized rickshaws or welding tools.At the end of our journey travellers may donate any unwanted clothing, medicines and bandages, which are distributed to a group called Goonj. This organisation is a nationwide movement that provides help to remote villages in Assam, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Uttaranchal and wherever the demand arises or disaster forces people to look for support.
People
One of the major organisations we support in India is Deepalaya. Through Deepalaya, our Company are currently sponsoring a number of children in the slums of South Delhi to complete their schooling, an opportunity they would otherwise not be able to afford. Since 1990, the support of this organisation has enabled thousands of children to receive quality education and become professionally qualified in such jobs as teachers and technicians.In a country where so many ethnic communities live together, it’s important to respect individual religious beliefs. Our Company wants to promote this understanding through insight into religious and cultural practices. Our leaders will take you into temples, mosques, shrines and gurudwaras where appropriate, and are able to teach the group about the etiquette and customs specific to the place visited, enabling a deeper understanding for the group of the communities and cultures encountered in India.
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