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Umaid Bhawan Palace
Jaipur

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India Independent Travel Idea

Forts And Palaces Adventure

15 days

Experience the Land of the Maharajas in the most authentic way while enjoying a very high quality of accommodation. You stay where possible at the original homes of the Maharajas which have now been converted to deluxe hotels but still retain the traditional atmosphere and charm. The places visited are exciting and colourful in way that only India can provide. A very different and unique vacation awaits.

Forts and Palaces mapDay 1. Arrive Delhi. You will be met by Goway's representative and transferred to your hotel. India's capital, Delhi blends the old with the new providing an interesting combination. The remainder of the day is at leisure. D

Day 2. Delhi sightseeing. Start our day off with a tour of New Delhi where you will visit the Presidential Palace, the Secretariat Buildings, the impressive Rajpath, India Gate, and Old Fort. Also visit Humayun's Tomb and Delhi's most curious antique, the Iron Pillar dating back to the 4th century AD. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. BD

Day 3. More Delhi. Enjoy a morning tour of Old Delhi, the 300 year old walled city built by Emperor Shah Jehan in 1648. Also visit the magnificent Red Fort built of red sandstone and the Jama Masjid, the most elegant mosque in India.

Later visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. In the evening, experience a sumptuous dinner at the Buhkara Restaurant which has been voted the best Indian restaurant in the World by "Restaurant Magazine" of the UK. BD

Day 4. Delhi to Udaipur. Fly today to Udaipur, arguably the most beautiful city in India. After check-in to your hotel, you will have an afternoon tour of Udaipur which will include a visit to the City Palace, which stands, on a ridge overlooking Lake Pichola. It is an imposing structure and the largest Palace in Rajasthan. You will see sumptuous apartments, fine paintings and visit roof gardens with spectacular views. Continue to the Jagdish Temple, an Indo-Aryan temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and also visit the Folk Art M with its collection of dresses, dolls, masks, musical instruments, paintings and puppets BD

Day 5. Udaipur. After breakfast, undertake an excursion to Nathdwara and learn about the art of Pichwai Paintings traditionally done in a variety of media - brocaded, block printed, embroidered or worked in gold. There are 24 iconographic renderings of the Krishna Legend traditionally portrayed in the Nathdwara Pichwais. Afternoon at leisure BD

Day 6. Udaipur to Jodhpur. Commence today with a drive to Ranakpur where you will have lunch at the Fateh Bagh Palace which consists of 65,000 pieces of lovingly rebuilt stone from another 200 year old palace. After lunch, visit the Ranakpur Jain Temples complex, one of the most important cluster of Jain temples in India. Built of marble, the temple has 29 halls supported by more than 1400 pillars, no two of which are alike. Later, continue to Jodhpur and check in to your hotel for overnight. BLD

Day 7. Jodhpur. After breakfast, visit the Mehrangarh Fort. Unsurpassed in beauty & grandeur, it is one of the largest forts in India. Innumerable palaces in the fort are interspersed with sprawling courtyards. Jaswanthada, the 19th century Royal Cenotaph and museum are located in the Umaid public garden which you will visit. . In the afternoon return to your hotel where you can visit the Umaid Bhawan Museum. A portion of the Umaid Bhawan Palace has been converted into a museum. The architectural splendors of these remnants will enthrall you. Afternoon at leisure. BD

Day 8. Jodhpur to Jaisalmer. After breakfast drive to Jaisalmer, the Citadel City. On the way pass camel carts, vibrant and colorful Rajasthani women carrying produce to the market and men sporting brightly colored turbans. On arrival, check into your hotel. Evening free to relax. BD

Day 9. Jaisalmer. An exciting day awaits. Almost 900 years old, Jaisalmer was a major post on the trade route across the forbidding Thar Desert, and still today, one's first glimpse of the honey colored walls of the fort, rising out of the hot and barren desert is magical, untouched by time, Jaisalmer, with its golden crenellated walls and narrow streets lined with exquisite havelies, has a medieval ambience. The havelies in both the fort and the town are exceptional. Similar in style to the homes of Venetian merchants, the havelies were the mansions of wealthy traders. The houses are decorated with beautifully carved facades, jali screens and oriel windows, each with an inner courtyard surrounded by richly decorated apartments.

In the late afternoon you will experience a Sunset Camel ride on the Sam Sand Dunes. A trip to Jaisalmer is in incomplete without this visit to the panoramic Dunes of Sam where the wind is unceasingly carving out scenic patterns on this desert sand. By visiting the Sam Sand Dunes, it is possible to get an insight into desert life. Camel rides on the Sand Dunes are a thrilling experience as is the brilliant sunset. BD

Day 10. Jaisalmer to Bikaner. After breakfast, drive to Bikaner. Founded in 15th century by Rathore Prince Rao Bikaji, Bikaner is known for its good breed of riding camels which are among the best in the world. The city has many magnificent buildings made of reddish pink sandstone. and conveys the rich and vast culture of Rajasthan through its endless monuments such as Junagarh and Lalgarh Palace plus many more. Visit the Fort, one of the finest of Rajput monuments. Thirty-seven palaces, pavillions and temples, built by different kings, are all connected by paved courtyards, narrow staircases and terraces. BD

Day 11. Bikaner to Jaipur. Travel overland to Jaipur. On arrival, check into your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure. BD

Elephants in Jaipur, IndiaDay 12. Jaipur. After breakfast, enjoy a full day city tour including the "Palace of Winds," one of the major landmarks of Jaipur, This five-storey building overlooks the main street of the old city and is a stunning example of Rajput artistry with its pink sandstone windows. Also visit the Amber Fort, the Royal family's residence. The palaces and forts of yesteryear, once witness to royal processions, now shine amid the splendor of modern monuments, Ascend on elephant back up the hill on which the fort is situated.

Later, visit the City Palace located in the heart of the old city, a large complex of courtyards, buildings and gardens. Adjacent to the City Palace is the ancient astronomical observatory built by Raja Jai Singh, whose passion was astronomy. The remainder of the day is free for shopping. Explore the local markets shopping. Jaipur is famous for jewellery, precious stones, paintings and hand printed textiles. BD

Day 13. Jaipur to Agra. Travel by road to Agra via Fatehpur Sikri, the ghost city 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. Have lunch en route at a local restaurant after which arrive in Agra for overnight. BLD

Day 14. Agra to Delhi. Visit the Taj Mahal, the greatest love story ever told. On the death of his beloved wife, Shah Jehan built this memorial. 20,000 men laboured for over 17 years to build this wealth of white marble and precious stone. Also visit Agra Fort with its forbidding red sandstone battlements that tell the story of the Moghul Empire. In the afternoon, drive to Delhi for overnight. BD

Day 15. Delhi to Your Next Destination. Transfer to the airport for departure. B

DEPARTURES:

Any day except Saturdays.

PRICES:

Please request prices for the time you wish to travel.

PRICE INCLUDES:

Domestic flights within India, accommodation at First Class and Deluxe hotels with private facilities and air-conditioning, meals as shown as BLD, sightseeing by private car, driver and local guides, plus all transfers, taxes and entrance fees.

HOTELS:

Delhi: Imperial

Udaipur: Lake Palace

Jodhpur: Umaid Bhawan Palace

Jaisalmer: Gorbandh Palace

Bikaner: Lalgarh Palace

Jaipur: Rambagh Palace

Agra: Amar Vilas