Delhi

Arrive Delhi. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel (Room foreseen from 1200 hrs) Overnight at the hotel in Delhi

In Delhi

Breakfast at the hotel Morning visit of Old Delhi-the 300-year-old walled city built by Emperor Shah Jehan in 1648 as his capital and named after him. Drive past the Red Fort (Closed on Monday) built of red sandstone. Opposite the fort are the black and white onion dome and minarets of the Jama Masjid, the most elegant mosque in India. Drive past Kotla Firoze Shah, ruins of an old fort of the 14th century and the Ashokan Pillar of 3rd BC. Then visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948. Drive through the old city subject to traffic restrictions. Evening visit of New Delhi-the new capital designed by Sir Edward Lutyens. Drive past the Presidential Palace, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the secretariat buildings - the centre of all government activity and down the main avenue, the impressive Rajpath to the World War I memorial arch, the India Gate, the High Court Building and the Old Fort. Visit Humayun’s Tomb built in 1565 AD by his grieving widow Haji Begum, the Qutub Minar, 72 metres high and the ruins of Quwat-ul-Eslam (Light of Islam) Mosque. See Delhi’s most curious antique, the uncorroded Iron Pillar, which dates back to the 4th century AD. Overnight at the hotel in Delhi

Delhi / Udaipur by flight

Breakfast at the hotel. In time transfer to airport to board the flight for Udaipur. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon city tour- Udaipur is one of the most charming cities of Rajasthan. It nestles like a gem in a valley surrounded by the green Aravalli hills, reflected smooth and white in the clear blue of Lake Pichola. Old dwellings, temples and palaces speak of an aristocratic past. Visit the City Palace, once the home of Mewar’s rulers, is today a museum. It consists of several flawlessly integrated palaces which overlook the clear blue of Lake Pichola. Visit Sahelion-ki-bari (Garden of the Maids of Honour) the scene of royal parties for centuries. Drive around Fateh Sagar Lake excavated in the late 17th century by Maharana Feteh Singh and past the Puppet Museum (Lok Kala Mandal) and the statue of Maharana Pratap (Moti Magri). Overnight at the hotel.

Udaipur / Ranakpur / Jodhpur (294 Kms/ 6-7 hours including visits)

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning proceed by surface for Jodhpur. On the way we will visit the famous temples of Ranakpur, fifteenth century. The set is located in a beautiful valley between green hills (Aravalis) and the main temple is made entirely of marble with 1444 columns carved each with different motifs. Lunch in the Maharani Bagh we continue by road towards Jodhpur On arrival check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel

Jodhpur / Manvar (120 Kms/ 2-2½ hours)

Breakfast at the hotel Morning visit city tour for Jodhpur - founded in 1485 by Maharaja Jodha- the powerful fortress built on the cusp of a large rock, 120 meters high, is the most important monument in the city, from its walls a beautiful panorama of the city is contemplated and inside it artistic medieval halls are visited. Afternoon drive to Manvar and on arrival check in at the hotel Later in the afternoon safari in the dunes followed by visit of Bishnoi village and camel safari Dinner and overnight at the resort

Manvar / Pohkaran/ Jaiaslmer (203 Kms/ 5-6 hours including visits)

Breakfast at the hotel Morning proceed for Jaisalmer enroute visit of Pokhran fort. After the visit proceed onward for Jaisalmer and on arrival check in at hotel. Overnight at the hotel

Jaisalmer

Breakfast at the hotel Morning city tour- Jaisalmer- Set in a sea of golden tinged sand, Sonar Kila, a golden fort rises out of a rock of topaz. The entire living area of Jaisalmer lies within the gigantic citadel walls. Visit the silent 12th century Fort built by Prince Jaisal and the Palace which stands at the highest point (100 metres) above the marketplace. Also visit the Jain Temples (12th-15th century) which lie within the fort complex. Some of them have quaint but impressive figures of Jain saints of white marble and of red and black stone. Others have beautiful images of Hindu deities which indicate the remarkable religious tolerance of that age. The famous art of the stone carvers of Jaisalmer is evident in the elaborate facades of the yellow sandstone desert havelis (mansions) which glow softly in honey tones. Visit Salim Singh ki Haveli, (Salim Singh was the tyrannical Prime Minister of Jaisalmer in the 18th century), Patwon ki Haveli (House of the Brocade Merchants) the largest and most elaborate of the famous havelis of Jaisalmer. Patwas are merchants trading in rich brocades, gold and silver embroidery, sequins and ribbons. This family expanded their business to include opium, banking and revenue collecting. Visit Nathmal ki Haveli the last of the great havelis. Also visit Gadi-sar an artificial lake that was an important source of water in the past. A natural decline was enlarged to catch every drop of rain and, in a season of drought, Gadi-sar was the mainstay of Jaisalmer. Overnight at the hotel

Jaisalmer / Bikaner (333 Kms/ 5- 6 Hours)

Breakfast at the hotel Morning proceed for Bikaner and on arrival check in at the hotel. Afternoon city tour- the mesmerising music of the desert is echoed in Bikaner, a medieval flavoured city set along the old caravan route which linked Central Asia & North India with the Gujarat seaports. Charming havelis (mansions) stand in the old part of this walled city and a leisurely lifestyle still prevails in this sublimely picturesque place surrounded by harsh desert. Visit the Fort, one of the finest of Rajput monuments. Thirty-seven palaces, pavilions and temples built by different kings are all connected by paved courtyards, narrow staircases and terraces in this Rathor stronghold. The oldest existing structures in Bikaner are the 14th-century Jain temples built by two merchant brothers, Sandeshwar and Bhandeshwar. The Bandeshwar Temple has carved wooden columns with dancing figures, surrounding a dark sanctuary with checkered gold design and a mandap with astonishly well-preserved frescoes. The Sandeshwar Temple’s chief features are enamel and gold leaf wall paintings and a vaulted and arched ornamental ceiling. The two marble altars are lined with rows of white marble statues of Jain saints. Overnight at the hotel

Bikaner / Jaipur (333 Kms/ 5- 6 Hours)

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast proceed for Jaipur and on arrival check in at the hotel Rest of the day at leisure Overnight at the hotel

Jaipur / Amber /Jaipur

Breakfast at the hotel Morning visit Amber Fort- just 7 miles north of Jaipur is Amber with its a honey-coloured fortress-palace in the Aravalli Hills which can be mounted by elephant. It has been described as “the sleeping beauty of Rajasthan”. The sombre exterior belies the richness of the royal apartments which open on to striking views of the gorge. It also possesses a Chamber of Mirrors. The Hall of Victory presents a galaxy of decorative art - panels of alabaster with fine inlay work of the tenderest hues Afternoon city tour of Jaipur- It is the city which has the “tone of the autumn sunset” photo stop at Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) an elaborate building encrusted with delicate honeycomb screens and carved balconies from which the royal ladies, confined to their quarters, could view the world outside. Jai Singh’s Observatory built in the 17th century by the founder of Jaipur who, besides being a prince was also soldier, astronomer and builder. City Palace now a museum contains fine Rajput and Moghul paintings, rare manuscripts and an armoury. Overnight at the Hotel

Jaipur / Fatehpur Sikri / Agra (237 Kms/ 6-7 Hours including visits)

Breakfast at the hotel Morning proceed for Agra en rotue visit of Fatehpur Sikri- 37 kms west of Agra lies the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri- an epic poem in red sandstone, built by Emperor Akbar the Great in 1569 and deserted 14 years later because its water supply failed. Its glorious courtyards and palaces conjure up dreams of the mysterious past. The Panch Mahal, a strange building which resembles a Buddhist Temple, a cloistered courtyard which was the Hall of Public audience, and the Pachchisi paved with black and white where the Emperor played chess using slave girls as figurines. After visit proceed for Agra and on arrival check-in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Agra

Agra / Delhi (220 Kms/ 3-3½ Hours)

Breakfast at the hotel Morning visit of Taj Mahal (Closed on Friday)- the greatest love story ever told. On the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, in wild extravagance, Shahjehan built her this memorial. 20,000 men laboured for over 17 years to build this wealth of white marble and precious stone. Later visit of Agra Fort-behind its forbidding red sandstone battlements lie palaces that tell the story of the Moghul Empire. The most impressive part of the Fort are the Dewan-e-Am, where the Emperor sat on his throne to dispense to his subjects, and the Dewan-e-Khas where he received foreign dignitaries. After visit drive to Delhi. On arrival transfer to the airport to board the flight for Portugal

Leave Delhi