New Delhi
Day: 1-2
Upon arrival at Delhi International Airport T-3, you will be met by a Travel Scope representative, who will assist in your transfer to the hotel and check-in.
After breakfast at the hotel, head down Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, partly by rickshaw, partly on foot, to palpably experience the sacred yet secular way of life that is so typical of India. The trail takes you past several monuments dedicated to different faiths, spanning a few centuries. You could then visit the majestic Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, with its eye-catching golden dome glistening in the sun. A holy place for Sikhs across the world, the Gurudwara grounds include a community temple, a community kitchen, a school, a library and an art gallery.
Recommended Accommodations
The Claridges
Luxury Boutique
The Claridges hotel offers its guests a relaxing stay in its beautiful beige accommodations, and has been a landmark in Lutyens’ Delhi since the 1950s. Located amidst lush and tranquil surroundings in the heart of the city, the hotel is within close proximity of the shopping and cultural centers and historical landmark.
The Imperial
Luxury Boutique
The Imperial hotel offers the best in luxury as well as comfort with its regal interiors, as elaborate as the backdrop of The Great Gatsby, and an impeccably trained staff. The hotel offers rooms in varying sizes and cost, yet the promised comfort and amenities are in no way compromised upon. The hotel houses museum-worthy artefacts as well as an art gallery among its many corridors. The in-house restaurants are brimming with elegance and reflect the hotel’s art-deco ambience. However, it is The Spice Route, which is its major attraction; an intricately designed restaurant that features exquisite carvings.
Karauli
Day: 3
This morning you will be transferred to the Nizammuddin Railway Station to board your train to Gangapur, and upon arrival, you will drive on to Karauli.
Upon arrival, you will be met by a Travel Scope representative who will assist in your hotel check-in.
After lunch, take your cycles out for a spin in the afternoon to explore the surroundings. Later, head off to the City Palace to discover, followed by a wine tasting and snacks.
Ramathra
Day: 4-5
After breakfast this morning, you will drive to the Kaila Devi Sanctuary from where the first phase of your cycling adventure begins. Stop off en route for a picnic lunch, before cycling on to the Kaila Devi Temple located at the heart of the sanctuary.
From the temple, continue cycling through beautiful countryscapes towards the imposing Ramathra Fort. Stop off at the Ramathra Village and trek up to the fort for a warm welcome at your overnight accommodation, Ramathra Fort.
This morning you will proceed on one of the most interesting and experiential walks through Ramathra’s rustic landscape. Glimpse the lifestyle of the villagefolk before heading back to the fort for a leisurely lunch, followed by some rest and recreation.
At sunset, enjoy a boat ride on the lake with a folk music performance around a bonfire on a private lake island.
Recommended Accommodations
Ramathra Fort
Remote Experiential
The fort, the lake and the spectacular countryside are the main attractions of Ramathra, however the proximity to two of India’s well-known wildlife reserves at Bharatpur and Ranthambore are a part of its attraction. Within the overwhelming walls that make up the fort’s perimeter stands a beautiful palace with guest accommodations of luxury suites and six stylishly designed tents set against the fort ramparts. Bird watching, boating, kayaking, nature walks and temple visits are among the popular activities at the fort.
Ranthambore
Day: 6-7
Today, start off with a two-hour drive to the Chambal riverbed; you may chose to cross the river using 4 wheel drive jeeps. (Subject to season of travel and depend on the level of water in the Chambal river).
After a picnic lunch, begin cycling towards Sawai Madhopur through backlanes that wind their way through the desert terrain.
Upon arrival at Ranthambore, you will be met by a Travel Scope representative and assisted with your hotel check-in.
Ranthambore’s sweeping hunting grounds of watering holes and ruins is best explored by jeep, a perfect vantage point to see wildlife in its natural environs. Start the day early, with a morning Jeep Safari through Ranthambore, once the private hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Apart from the famed royal Bengal tiger, Ranthambore is also home to the common leopard, nilgai or blue bull antelope, wild boar, sambar, hyena, sloth bear, gray langur, rhesus macaque and chital, among others. The numerous watering holes also support a rich birdlife, and reptiles. Keep an eye out for one of the largest banyan trees in the country!
You will then return to the hotel for a brunch and time to relax before embarking on your afternoon drive into the park.
Recommended Activities
Ranthambore Jeep Safari
Wildlife & Wilderness
Ranthambore’s sweeping hunting grounds of watering holes and ruins is best explored by jeep, a perfect vantage point to see wildlife in its natural environs. Apart from the famed royal Bengal tiger, Ranthambore is also home to the common leopard, nilgai or blue bull antelope, wild boar, sambar, hyena, sloth bear, gray langur, rhesus macaque and chital, among others. The numerous watering holes also support a rich birdlife, and reptiles. Keep an eye out for one of the largest banyan trees in the country!
Recommended Accommodations
The Oberoi Vanyavilas
Wildlife Lodges
Spread across twenty acres of lush, landscaped gardens, The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambhore is rich with indigenous plants and birds - offering an unparalleled stay in the heart of tiger country. Guests can stroll around the torch-lit pathways in the evening and delight in the melodious chorus of frogs singing in the lily ponds. From the top of the property’s observation tower, guests can admire panoramic views of the bordering jungle, spot wildlife at the nearby watering hole and sip champagne at sundown.
SUJÁN Sher Bagh
Wildlife Lodges
Set amidst trees on a private estate overlooking a valley, Sher Bagh is an eco-friendly, luxury camp with well-appointed tents, each with its own veranda. The spacious, airy main lodge has a sitting area and an excellent library-bar on the upper level, ideal for a beer or a Bloody Mary after jungle drives.
Khem Villas
Wildlife Lodges
Khem Villas is a luxury jungle camp located on the outskirts of Ranthambhore National Park and covers ten acres of indigenous trees, open grasslands and small water bodies. The air-conditioned cottages are equipped with glass doors overlooking the surrounding dense jungle and water bodies. The camp also offers private tents and four bedrooms in the main building.
Shahpura
Day: 8-9
After breakfast, a three hours drive from Ranthambore will bring you to the little town of Deoli. From Deoli, set off on your cycles to Jahazpur, passing pasturelands and farms along the way. Stop off en route for a picnic lunch before continuing on to Shahpura, your overnight halt.
After a leisurely breakfast this morning, explore the nearby Shahpura village on foot. From there, you can cycle to a private farm for picnic lunch and head back by car Shahpura Bagh.
Recommended Activities
Discover Shahpura
Popular Culture
Spend your time here at the heated pool or discover the countryside on picnics, fishing and boating trips, followed by sundowners by the lakeside. Explore the nearby forts and ruins to trace the history of the region or capture wetland biodiversity through your lens. Set off on a walking exploration of the vibrant markets and farming hamlets of Shahpura. End your day with a candlelight dinner at the ancient Dhikola Fort ruins on the outskirts of Shahpura Bagh. Image Credits: Shahpura Bagh
Phad miniature paintings
Arts, Crafts & Textiles
For the artsy, we can organise a one-on-one session with local miniature Phad painting artists. Phad is a scroll painting done on long cloth panels depicts folk and historic stories in a narrative style. The Mughal miniatures depict mythology, court scenes, hunting scenes, and nature, among other motifs - and evolved into different styles across the different desert kingdoms of Rajasthan. Learn the intricacies of these different art forms - and the rich narrative behind them and their depictions. Image credits: Nomu 420, CC-BY-SA
Recommended Accommodations
Shahpura Bagh
Luxury Boutique
Shahpura Bagh is a luxury homestay set upon 45-acres of thickly wooded land, surrounded by lakes. Run by a family known for its warmth and hospitality, Shahpura Bagh offers an unhurried glimpse into the lives and rhythms of rustic Rajasthan. Antique paintings and photographs belonging to the family for generations line the property walls and a temperature-controlled pool with views over the scrub valleys bring together the best of the past and the present. Spend your time here with picnics, fishing and boating trips, followed by sundowners by the lakeside. Explore the nearby forts and ruins to trace the history..
Udaipur
Day: 10-11
The following day, start off early from Shahpura and cycle upto the Dhikola Fort - which offers sweeping views of the countrysides. Unwind over a picnic breakfast and a photo shoot amidst the fort ruins. After breakfast, cycle on past lakes and small villages towards the outskirts of Bhilwara, another town en route where you can load your cycles onto vehicles and drive on to Udaipur.
A three hour drive would bring you to Udaipur, an oasis nestled in the lap of the Aravalli Mountain range and has a tranquil serenity that belies its tumultuous past. Udaipur, originally a thriving caravanserai later became a capital of local, royal clans. Udaipur’s serene lakes, beautiful gardens and magnificent palaces lend it a nostalgia that has often earned it the acclaim of being one of the most romantic places in the world. Apart from a place in history, Udaipur has been immortalized in contemporary culture in iconic films from Jewel in the Crown, James Bond’s Octopussy to Gandhi.
Spend the day, discovering the city of Udaipur. Start off with the City Palace, with its blend of stern Rajput military architecture and lavish Mughal-inspired decorative art. This is Rajasthan’s largest palace sprawled out over an area of five acres, built between the 16th and 20th centuries. Continue on to the Jagdish Temple, a three-storied wonder of architecture comprising of an intricately sculpted spire, beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings and painted walls dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the sustainer in Hindu mythology.
Recommended Activities
Sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola
Popular Culture
Jag Mandir is a fantasy like palace in the middle of Lake Pichola (not to be confused with Jag Niwas or the Lake Palace). Built in the 1600s it is elaborately designed with eight stone elephants to guard its entrances and beautiful stone inlay adorns its walls. Shahjahan, the Mughal Emperor, sought refuge here when he was a young prince and it is said to have inspired many of the decorative details that were later incorporated into the building of the Taj Mahal. Enjoy a tranquil ride on the Lake Pichola listening to the lapping of the water alongside your..
Crystal Gallery
Arts, Crafts & Textiles
Discover the Crystal Gallery, fittingly housed in a palace, one of the single largest private crystal collections in the world that includes a bewildering number of objets d'art, dinner sets, perfume bottles, decanters, glasses, washing bowls, furniture and also the only crystal bed in the world! Beyond the artefacts, the Crystal Gallery’s history is just as fascinating: in 1877, the Maharana Sajjan Singh ordered a custom-made shipment from the crystal craftsmen, FC Osler & co. His vision was to build several crystal-studded palaces across Rajasthan, with designs inspired by India, rather than of Western origin. Yet the news of the..
Vintage Car Museum
Popular Culture
The Vintage and Classic Car Collection in Udaipur owned by the once-royal Mewar family is an assortment of grand limousines, Rolls Royces, Cadillac convertibles, rare Mercedes models, old Vauxhall and Opel models housed in the Palace Garage. To top it off, there still stands an old Burmah Shell petrol pump which is in working condition! Image credits: Rafatalam100, CC-BY-SA
City Palace & Jagdish Temple
Art & Architecture
Explore the City Palace, with its blend of stern Rajput military architecture and lavish Mughal-inspired decorative art. This is the largest palace in Rajasthan sprawled out over an area of 5 acres, built between the 16th and 20th centuries. Then continue on to the Jagdish Temple, a three-storied wonder of architecture comprising of an intricately sculpted spire, beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings and painted walls dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the sustainer in Hindu mythology.
Recommended Accommodations
The Oberoi Udaivilas
Luxury Boutique
This hotel is a traditional Indian palace, which showcases the rich heritage of the Mewar region of Rajasthan in its sprawling courtyards, gently rippling fountains, reflecting pools and verdant gardens. Grand architecture inspired by the palaces of Rajasthan presents a majestic setting for your holiday, with pavilions and domes that lend it an ambience of royalty.
Taj Lake Palace
Luxury Boutique
This hotel is a dream of white marble and mosaic that burns bright in the day and glistens in the moonlight, offering a striking 360 degree panoramic view of the majestic Aravali Hills on one side and the lofty palaces on the other. Over the years the royal mystique of the palace has been maintained in the elaborately carved wood furniture, richly colored murals and lavish silks that decorate the interiors. It was built in 1754 in the middle of Lake Pichola spread over a 4-acre site complete with ponds for courtesans to frolic in.
Raas Devigarh
Luxury Boutique
Surrounded by the rolling Aravalis, the Fort of Devigarh towers over Delwara and catches the best of sun at all times. Everything about Devigarh is a first and unique among the existing Heritage Hotels of Rajasthan. The contrasts and colors, ambience and setting, their staff and service all add up to a unique Devigarh boutique experience.
Jawai
Day: 12-13
After an early breakfast, drive from Udaipur to Iswal village, a forty minute commute. From Iswal, start your day’s cycling along dusty footpaths through farms and hamlets, towards the dominating hilltop fort of Kumbhalgarh. Kumbhalgarh fort, a massive 15th century fortress was once considered impregnable and even today, it has a forbidding façade with seven spiked gateways. En route, you might chance upon the many antelope, wild boar, chinkara, jungle cats or leopards that inhabit this area, as also many species of birds.
Enjoy lunch at the Mountbatten Lodge and drive on to the Ranakpur temple, set in a secluded, wooded valley of the Aravalli Hills. The 15th-century Ranakpur Temple’s grand scale, architectural complexity and sculptural ornamentation rank it among the finest examples of temple architecture. The main temple is dedicated to the founder of the Jainism and Ranakpur is one among five holy places for the Jain followers.
After visiting the temples, drive on to the village of Jawai. Jawai’s earth is etched with deep gorges, where nomadic Rabari herdsmen are as much a part of the earth's tales as the mysterious felines that grace these hills and vanish at will into their folds, where pastoral fields meet and merge with wild grasslands and the swells of the Jawai Bandh's waters lap at the toes of mighty granite formations.
On this day, you can explore the unique countryside of granite cliffs and open pastures around Jawai. Set off on foot or by jeep, to the nearby pastoral villages - where you can encounter the Rabari herdsmen, one of the world’s vanishing tribes.
Head back to the camp for lunch. Spend the afternoon combing the countryside for signs of leopards, or in soaking up the sunshine, and head back to your lodge at sunset.
Recommended Activities
Ranakpur Temples
Art & Architecture
Set off on a half day excursion to the Ranakpur – a 15th Century multi-spired temple set in a secluded, wooded valley of the Aravalli Hills. With over 1444 elaborately carved pillars to support the majestic cupolas, the sheer scale, architectural complexity and sculptural ornamentation rank Ranakpur’s temples among the finest examples of temple architecture in India. The temple has intriguing mystical symbolism that would bewilder even the most learned scholar, yet its beauty is unparalleled and can be appreciated by all. The main temple with four sides, represents the conquest of the four cardinal directions or the cosmos by..
Leopard Safari with Rabari herdsmen
Wildlife & Wilderness
Jawai’s landscape of towering granite formations, caves, kopjes and winding sand riverbeds has always been home to leopards and the vibrant Rabari herdsmen. Despite the complications of raising sheep in leopard territory, the tribe has a balanced view towards the leopards - and are stoic when some of ttheir livestock is lost every year. Explore the wilderness with a Rabari shepherd, and learn of the eternal link between local tribes, their land and its biodiversity.
Visit to Rabari settlement
Popular Culture
A landscape is made up of as many natural elements as human and Jawai’s wilderness is inextricably shaped by its Rabari shepherds. Tour through a Rabari settlement for a glimpse into the lives of these resilient desert folk. Watch them set out across the pasturelands to graze their cattle and learn about their co-existence with the leopards. Tap into the routines and rhythms of the potters, bangle-makers, weavers, ironsmiths and musicians, as they ply their craft. For a more religious experience, explore some of Jawai’s 300 temples and shrines scattered across the countryside, each with a compelling history, dedicated to..
Recommended Accommodations
Bera Safari Lodge
Remote Experiential
Between Udaipur and Jodhpur, Jawai’s rocky wilderness is an unexpected haven for leopards. Bera Safari Lodge with large, private cottages, each with their own verandas, is the perfect vantage point to explore the countryside. Beyond offering a luxurious retreat in a setting where Rabari sheep herders live in harmony with the leopards, Bera Safari Lodge also offers safaris with an expert leopard tracker, Shatrunjay Pratap - who has played a significant role in the conservation of the leopards in this habitat.
SUJÁN Jawai
Wildlife Lodges
At the heart of an untrammeled wilderness, where leopards roam wild and free, is SUJÁN Jawai. Designed by the owners, Anjali and Jaisal Singh, it represents a style that combines subtle opulence with abundant adventure. Staying true to the goals for conservation without compromising comfort, the camp has 10 luxurious tents including one double family suite, each with oodles of space and privacy that rest encapsulated in a landscape of towering granite formations, caves, kopjes, Anogeissus scrub and winding sand riverbeds. The vibrant Rabari herdsmen who have shared this land with wildlife for centuries endorse the organic and continuing link..
Chanod
Day: 14
Spend the following morning at leisure. Late morning, drive out to Chanoud Garh - a palace converted into a heritage stay. Sections of a family-owned palace have been painstakingly restored, and every detail to comfort and aesthetics has been considered, with each suite unique in its design.
Spend the day exploring the countryside on foot, or visit the nearby villages to understand the socio-cultural tapestry of the region. At sunset, make excursions by jeep to the expansive salt pans - the life support systems of the desert biodiversity.
Head back to Chanoud Garh at nightfall, for a dinner under the stars.
Recommended Activities
Chanod Village Walk
Popular Culture
The charm of living in remote places like Chanoud Garh lies in being able to glimpse into the lives and rhythms of the villagefolk. Set off on a morning walk with a village elder through the Chanod settlement. Trail past the village school, the colourful, bustling marketplaces, tradesmen alleys, the mud-and-brick houses, and the Chanod Fort on the banks of a waterbody with its cenotaphs of royal family members. For the shutterbugs and the culturally curious, this walk promises an unhurried, intimate insight into the people of Rajasthan. Image credits: Chanoud Garh
Birdwatching at Chanod
Wildlife & Wilderness
Most people associate deserts with barren, lifeless landscapes, yet Rajasthan’s desert is a far cry from this. The desert stretches are interspersed with pinkish-white salt pans - a nutritional resource that migrating flocks rely on during their southward winter flight. Chanod village is surrounded by such salt pans - and through the year, it hosts a variety of resident birds and the winter migrants. Set off on birdwatching trails at Chanod for a glimpse of the incredible diversity of desert life.
Recommended Accommodations
Chanoud Garh
Heritage Homes/Mansions
Chanoud Garh is an ancestral palace converted into a heritage stay. Sections of a family-owned palace have been painstakingly restored, and every detail to comfort and aesthetics has been considered, with each suite unique in its design. Spend the day exploring the countryside on foot, or visit the nearby villages to understand the socio-cultural tapestry of the region. At sunset, make excursions by jeep to the expansive salt pans - the life support systems of the desert biodiversity.
Jodhpur
Day: 15-16
Set off from Chanoud on cycles after a quick breakfast. Your guide will help you navigate your cycles through the bylanes to reach the Rohet - Jalore highway. Hop into the waiting vehicles, and drive further on to Jodhpur.
Epitomizing the romance and feudal splendor of Rajasthan with the majestic Mehrangarh Fort towering over it, the city of Jodhpur was once a flourishing trade centre for opium, silk and copper. Painted a brilliant shade of blue, Jodhpur is the last bastion of fort ramparts, colourful bazaars, animated people with their storytelling traditions before the desert sands and dunes stretch away towards the horizon.
Spend the rest of the day unwinding in Jodhpur.
This morning, you can discover Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort - one of the most majestic of Rajasthan’s forts, described by the author Rudyard Kipling as “the creation of angels, fairies and giants”. Its forbidding ramparts are in sharp contrast to the flamboyantly decorated palaces within. Founded in 1459, the sandstone fort was added to by later rulers between 17th and 19th centuries. Explore the massive fort complex and the exquisite museum collection. From coronation thrones to pleasure palaces and sunken gardens, the Mehrangarh Fort houses a citadel of immense grandeur.
Recommended Activities
Mehrangarh Fort
Art & Architecture
Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort is one of the most majestic of Rajasthan’s forts, described by the author Rudyard Kipling as “the creation of angels, fairies and giants”. Its forbidding ramparts are in sharp contrast to the flamboyantly decorated palaces within. Founded in 1459, the sandstone fort was added to by later rulers between 17th and 19th centuries. Explore the massive fort complex and the exquisite museum collection, from coronation thrones to pleasure palaces and sunken gardens, the Mehrangarh Fort houses a citadel of immense grandeur.
Blue City Indigenous Art Trail
Arts, Crafts & Textiles
Set off on a Blue City Walk, where numerous artisans live and work at a variety of indigenous art forms, executed on handspun textiles. Explore streets peopled with Rangrezz fabric dyers, Bandhej tie-and dyers and Chippa block printers, each community preserving a distinct art form passed down over the generations. The Blue city guards the secrets of techniques like gota-patti embroidery - needlework of flower-and-leaf motifs, zari embroidery that uses silver and gold filaments, and the danka ornate needlework of lavish embellishment.
Drive through Bishnoi settlements
Popular Culture
Set off on a jeep safari through the villages of the Bishnois, a sect found in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan who follow the tenets of a saint who preached that destroying nature is like harming mankind. Along the route, you will be welcomed into the houses of the Bishnoi elders, to partake in a quintessential ritual – drinking an infusion of poppy seeds grown on local farms! This is a great chance to learn about the Bishnoi tribe, a community of staunch vegetarians who has been pivotal in reviving the black buck antelope species from the brink of extinction...
Recommended Accommodations
Raas Jodhpur
Luxury Boutique
Raas is a boutique hotel and offering a seamless harmony of the authentically old-world and the contemporary comforts right in the heart of the walled city of Jodhpur with magnificent sights of Mehrangarh fort seen from most of the rooms and suites they offer and nearly every part of the hotel. Memorable dining experiences can be had at Darikhana - their specialty dining restaurant, and Baradari - an airy open pavilion for all day dining. The red sandstone unites the new with the old, even as modern designs and patterns in its dressing and carving add an exciting and fresh..
Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace
Luxury Boutique
Set amidst acres of lush gardens, the Umaid Bhawan Palace, a golden yellow sandstone monument is one of the largest residences in the world. Completed in 1943, it is the last of the great palaces of India. Still serving as the primary residence of the royal family of Jodhpur, the Palace also offers luxurious rooms and suites to other guests.
Rohet Garh
Remote Experiential
Generations of valiant noblemen have built this heritage home where, notwithstanding the inroads of modernity, aristocratic values are highly respected. Situated on the banks of a lake and set in the midst of rural surroundings, it is a haven of peace and tranquility. Rohet Garh is a top choice for those wishing to experience the true, unspoiled India, which is traditionally old and beautiful, in its honest simplicity. The village safari is the main highlight, where guests are taken into various communities living in the area and are invited into their homes to share and understand their world.
Mihir Garh
Wellness & Spa
Mihir Garh is built in 2009 AD, Mihir Garh literally ‘The Fort of the Sun’ is an indulgent initiative is a luxurious boutique hotel located in a desert wilderness, offering an unparalleled insight into Rajasthan’s vivid and colorful rural heritage. Its majestic location welcomes the discerning traveller, to shower him with the legendary hospitality and immerse him in the diverse flavours of the land.
New Delhi
Day: 17
Post breakfast, you will be transferred to Jodhpur airport for your flight to Delhi.
Upon arrival in Delhi you will be met and transferred to your hotel near the airport, where rooms will be reserved for wash and change.
As per your outbound flight, you will be transferred later in the day to the airport and assisted with check-in.