Classic Rajasthan India Tour

Meeting with the guide and transfer to the hotel.

During the afternoon visit the city: starting from Old Delhi, the historical part, surrounded by a wall. Passing the Red Fort, you can admire the most majestic among the Moghul Empire monuments, the Jama Masjid (closed on Friday), which is the largest mosque in India. Built between 1644 and 1658 during the reign of Shah Jahan, it is an imposing architectural work of red brick and white marble that extends for 40 meters in height, with 4 towers at the corners and 3 entries.

On the banks of Yamuna river you can also visit the Rajghat: the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated, after his assassination in 1948. After visiting the old part you will continue with New Delhi. The new part was conceived, designed and built in a majestic style by the British in the 20s of the XX century, a city with wide tree-lined streets, parks, gardens, great houses that host the Parliament, ministries, embassies, the Connaught Place area, the financial, shopping and business center.

The India Gate, which is the triumphal arch, brings with it the names of several thousand Indians who lost their lives during the First World War. In front of it is the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, the perfect combination of Western and Mughal architectural style. Surrounded by huge parks, its construction was completed in 1929. The Qutub Minar, 73mt. high, is a tower with a diameter of 15m. that narrows down to a minimum of 2m. and a half.

It spreads over five floors, each of which has a projecting balcony. The mausoleum of Humayun was built between 1564 and 1572 by Haji Begum, the widow of the second Mughal emperor. After nine years after the death of Humayun, it took eight years to complete its construction. Designed by the Persian Misak Ghiyaz Mirza, with a raised octagonal shape with two domes, eight arches, surrounded by a great wall, the mausoleum is an impressive structure. Return to the hotel and overnight.
 

Departure to Mandawa, arrival and check in to the hotel.

Visit the city, an ancient stop for carovans coming from the silk route, which has maintained its medieval charm. It's particularly famous for its havelis: houses of traders who had the walls of their homes covered in frescoes by local artist to show off their opulence.

Overnight at the hotel. 

Departure to Bikaner. Overnight at the hotel.

In the afternoon visit the city which lies on the threshold of Thar desert where once the caravans that came from Africa and Western Asia passed; you can also see the impressive fort, founded by Raja Rai Singh , with its long row of 37 halls and windows all tastefully decorated. A huge arch, then, leads to Jormal temple in a large courtyard. Finally you will visit the Tar Mandir which is the royal chapel where solemn ceremonies were celebrated. Overnight at the hotel.
 

After breakfast departure to Jaisalmer, travelling along a route which winds its way through Thar rocky desert, one of the most arid in the world. 

Accommodation and overnight in a hotel. 

After breakfast, city tour of Jaisalmer. Fortress built in the twelfth century, Jaisalmer is like a yellow sandstone architectural mirage with a golden color, emerging from Thar, desolate and silent. Perhaps what led Jaisal, a Bhatti prince, to settle right in the heart of the desert, was the incomparable beauty and the amazing magic of this place: a beauty and magic that even today, unchanged by time, can be seen in their entirety.

The city is also known for the magnificence of its buildings and its "havelis". The imposing golden fort guards -with its 80mt. in height- the endless desert that extends to its feet, encompassing an entire city from its ramparts. The citadel is characterized by a maze of narrow streets dotted with some beautiful "havelis".

Patwon-Ki-Haveli, is the best known and admired; the Salim Singh Ki-Haveli is instead characterized by a blue dome and a splendid jutting balcon and Nathmalji-Ki-Haveli, with its finely worked stone, is reflected by its subtle web of grid windows. The three Jain temples, beautifully sculpted, date back to the XII - XV century A.D.

The famous Parswanath temple, with its inner sanctum carved with human figures and animals is the oldest and most beautiful Jain temple in the world. Outside the walls, there is the Gadisar lake, once water reserve of the city, surrounded by shrines and temples. In winter, a variety of water birds nest in this area. In the afternoon excursion to Sam Desert: Located 45 km west from the city, it is the desert that is closest to that of the Sahara where you can admire the typical images sculpted by the wind on the sand dunes (a delight for photographers), and safaris on camels.

Cultural tours are also organized. Return to the hotel and overnight.
 

After breakfast, drive to Jodhpur. Overnight at the hotel.

In the afternoon visit the city, known as the "Blue City" , the ancient capital of the Rathor kingdom. A high stone wall 10 km long protects the well fortified cit . Inside a majestic fort stands on a low group of sandstone hills, dominating the surrounding plains.

Visit Mehrangarh Fort, founded in 1459 A.D. by Rao Jodha, adorned with long carved panels and timber-framed windows with exquisite designs in red sandstone. You will end the day with a visit to Jaswant Thada, dedicated to Maharaja Jaswant Singh, an imposing white marble memorial to commemorate the deeds and generosity of the rulers of the nineteenth century. Return to the hotel and overnight.
 

After breakfast drive to Udaipur and along the way stop in Ranakpur to visit the imposing Ranakpur Jain temple, built in the fifteenth century during the reign of the liberal monarch Ranna Kumbha Rajput .

It has four chapels, pillars and domes supported by 1444 columns, all finely carved in wood, in a unique way: nymphs playing the flute in a harmonic and dreamy dance at 14m height. In the meeting room, two huge bells of 108 kg give off echoes in the entire hotel. The main Jain temple is Chaumukha temple, or Temple of the Four Faces dedicated to Adinath.

After the visit, continue to Udaipur. Upon arrival at the hotel, accommodation in assigned rooms and overnight.

After breakfast, excursion to Eklingji and Nagda.

Eklingji, about 23 km north-east of Udaipur, is the village of Kailashpuri, known for its 108 temples surrounded by a high fortified wall. The entire complex is known for the temple of Sri Eklingji, a sacred site associated with god Shiva since ancient times. The current structure, however, dates from the sixteenth century. Nagda, located near Kailashpuri and reachable through a country dirt road, it is believed to have been built by Nagaditya, the fourth Mewar king and descendant of Guhadatta, who was born in a cave on the Aravali mountains.

In this area there are also several temples dating back to long before the fourth century A.D. In the afternoon visit to Udaipur, beautiful and romantic city of lakes, palaces and fountains, nicknamed the "Venice of the East" for its charm and its atmosphere. In the shade of brown and green hills, there are the three Udaipur lakes: Pichola, Fateh Sagar and Udai Sagar, sparkling jewels with a glass surface from which magnificent white buildings rise.

Mahahrana Udai Singh sought refuge in these areas to escape the Mughal hordes, and made it a modern city in the silent valley. Visit the City Palace, grand, opulent and beautiful building with marble and granite, with an explosion of white balconies, windows, ornate arches and domes that rise from the octagonal towers. Not to be missed is the Jagdish temple that was erected in 1651 A.D., a clear tribute to the tenacity of its builders and the artistic traditions that are represented in it.

Then visit Sahelion Ki Bari, the spectacular garden, as well as the emblem of the style of life of real women who once lived in the building. In the evening cruise on Lake Pichola, the largest and most majestic lake in the area:  it is dominated by green hills, while buildings, homes, ghats, gardens and temples are located along its banks. Jag Niwas and Jag Mahal (Jag Mandir) are the two buildings that add a romantic note to this fantastic setting. Overnight at the hotel.
 

After breakfast departure to Jaipur. Free afternoon. Overnight in the hotel.

After breakfast, we will proceed to the Amber Fort. The ascent to the fort will be on elephant back.

Just 11 km from Jaipur, the Amber Fort is one of the wonderful examples of Rajput architecture that characterized the old capital during the Kachhawah empire. The original palace was built by Raja Man Singh and later completed by Sawai Jai Singh. Inside the palace there are the Diwan-e-Aam, the ''public auditorium "; the Diwan-e-Khas, or the '' private audtorium "and the Sukh Niws, where, in summer, a cool breeze blowing through the channels of water cools the air pleasantly. You can then observe the private rooms of the queens from the typical grates windows through which reigned in their intimacy, could observe the various vicissitudes of the royal court. Besides, you can visit the Jai Mandir, known as the "Temple of Victory", with its famous Sheesh Mahal, the brighting "Hall of Mirrors".

In the afternoon visiting of Jaipur: Hawa Mahal, the famous "Palace of Winds" was built in 1799. The Hawa Mahal is part of the City Palace, commissioned by Sawai Pratap Singh and designed for the women of the royal families, from which they could easily observe, in private, the road and its daily vicissitudes. Our visit will carry on with the Palace Museum: located in the heart of the old town and representing the old royal residence built with a mix of Rajasthan and Mughal styles. A part of the palace, nowadays has become a museum, but the rest of the building is used as a daily accommodation of the royal family of Jaipur. The building boasts an art gallery with an excellent collection of paintings, rugs, accessories and rare pieces of real astronomical works. Jantar Mantar, however, is the stone observatory erected by the great astronomer Jai Singh II, and it is located close to City Palace. It is the largest and best preserved observatory of the area, and thanks to the available tools, astronomers were able to measure the position of the stars and calculate eclipses.
 
Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast you'll leave for Agra. Along the way visit Fatehpur Sikri, a fascinating ghost town, lying just  past the small town in red sandstone of Agra. Built thanks to Emperor Akbar as his capital, Fatehpur Sikri was a true fairy-tale city and its ruins are still in excellent condition.

It is not hard to imagine how the court life could be during that time. Set like a jewel in a courtyard of pink sandstone is the marble tomb of Saint Salim Chisti, surrounded by finely carved marble. You will visit the Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal, the Jami Mosque, the Birbals Palace, the Sunhera Makan, the Jodha Bai 's palace, the Kahan -i - Khas, the Diwan -i - m. After the visit departure to Agra . Arrival, accommodation and overnight.
 

After breakfast, city tour. Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most photographed monument in the world. No matter how many pictures you have seen or no matter what kind of expectations a person has, the Taj Mahal never betrays.

The glory and unparalleled beauty of this building goes beyond all human expectation. At sunrise you will visit this spectacular monument built for love. With its perfect symmetry, the construction stands out for the high quality of the semi-precious stones and marble inlay work in hard stone style (closed on Friday). Visit to the Agra Fort, the imposing Mughal fort in red sandstone, which was built on the banks of the river Yumana by Emperor Akbar in 1565 and subsequently enriched.

The colossal double walls of the fort rise for over 20 meters in height and extend for 2.5 km in length. Inside a maze of superb halls, mosques, rooms and gardens form a small city within a city. You can also admire the Jahangir Place and the Khas Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas and two stunning mosques. Continue to Delhi. Arrival, accommodation and overnight stay in a hotel.
 

The tour is over, the day is free depending on the airport transfer.