Remote Rajasthan, Tigers and the Taj Mahal

DAY 1 DEPART THE UK

Depart and fly to Udaipur.

 Day 2 Arrive Udaipur

Arrive and transfer to your hotel in lovely Udaipur, on the banks of Lake Pichola. After settling in, you’ll enjoy an evening boat trip across the lake to view the famous Taj Palace Lake Hotel (you can stay here too if you wish, of course).

Day 3 Udaipur

A full day exploring the sights and sounds of Udaipur, including the City Palace complex and exploring the markets and bazaars of the old city. There are many unmissable sites in Udaipur, and we’ll include some unusual twists with our ‘signature’ experiences. Contact us for more details.

Day 4 Udaipur to Bhainsrorgarh

A long 5-hour journey today to get deep into rural southern Rajasthan, an area yet to be discovered and so, for now, it remains unexplored and unexploited. Check-in at your hotel, a renovated former fort perched on a cliff with sweeping views of the Chambal River.  

Day 5 Bhainsrorgarh

During your time at Bhainsrorgarh, members of the family in residence will act as your host; they'll tell you stories from their family history as well as about life in India today. The pretty gardens, replete with bougainvillea, are the perfect resting spot, and the calm river is beautiful to explore by boat at dawn and dusk. The arranged walks with picnics are second to none, and exploring the surrounding village is like being in a time warp.

Day 6 Bundi

A 3-hour drive today takes you to the little-visited but lovely fort town of Bundi. Your hotel is in the heart of the small and pleasant old town and your afternoon is free to look around at leisure. The main attraction is the imposing Garh Palace, previously the home of the former Maharaja. It is an architectural marvel with 300-year-old paintings and murals. You may also be interested in the famous Baoris, which are terraced stone step wells, once used to store rainwater during the long dry season

Day 7 Ranthambore

A 4-hour journey today, will take you to Ranthambore, the safari park, famous for its tiger sightings. On arrival, check into your comfortable jungle camp and take a safari into the park to try and spot tigers and much of the other wildlife living within this large park.  

Day 8 Ranthambore

An early morning safari will give you a different perspective on this park. Very keen wildlife spotters might like to return in the afternoon, or there is much else to explore locally, and your chauffeur will happily oblige in taking you further afield. The safari camp itself is a pleasant place to relax.

Day 9 & 10 Ramathra

Your drive today will take you to Ramathra Fort, your base for the next few days. It’s a superb hotel offering both suites and luxury tents inside the fort, all beautifully decorated, with lovely gardens, a bar, and fantastic food. There are walking trails locally, bird watching, villages to explore, and boating on the nearby lake.

Day 11 Agra

A 4-hour drive this morning will take you to Agra, the gateway city to the magnificent and timelessly beautiful Taj Mahal, set on a bend of the holy Yamuna River.

Day 12 Agra and the Taj Mahal

You will rise early this morning to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The pink and purple hues of the early morning sky make a dramatic backdrop to the Taj Mahal, and the site is less crowded, making for a more peaceful experience of the majestic building. The first rays of sunlight glittering off the marble of the building are truly spellbinding. Later today, you depart Agra for the short journey to Delhi. On route, there is a chance to explore Agra Fort.

DAY 13 Delhi

This morning there is the chance to explore locally with one of the ex-street kid guides from the Salaam Baalak Trust, as they give you a brilliant and fun tour of the streets where they grew up, tell you eye-popping stories and give a fantastic insight into another side of Delhi. The cost of this tour goes directly to the trust and towards their work, helping other street kids.

After lunch, you will see both sides of Delhi – the historic city and its modern face. Old Delhi is the ancient walled city, capital of the Mughal Empire. Explore by cycle rickshaw and see the formidable Red Fort. Make your way through Chandni Chowk, filled with twisting lanes and crowded bazaars. Return to New Delhi by the very modern Delhi Metro system, a marvel of advanced engineering in a desnly populated part of India. In the evening we can suggest some superb restaurants for you to try for yourself.

 DAY 14 fly home (or stay!)

After breakfast, your chauffeur will arrive to drive you to the airport for your onward flight.