During this module, you’ll visit the most famous cities in Rajasthan and explore the colourful state in an unusual way. Rajasthan is a large state with an extensive desert. The brightly coloured saris and turbans are a startling contrast to the barren landscape and the many camels, mules and vultures give the region a touch of the exotic. It is impossible not to be impressed by the many majestic Mughal forts and Rajput palaces that dominate the cities. Travelling from place to place by private car, you’ll get a real feel for the Indian countryside. You’ll sleep in a special mix of accommodation, ranging from palaces to decorated havelis to a genuine fort.

Today, you’ll leave Jaipur and head for Pushkar, standing sleepily on the banks of a beautiful lake. You’ll spend tonight in a grand palace where almost all of the rooms have stunning lake views. The palace is fantastic with a completely unique atmosphere. It has an exotic inner garden and a palm terrace providing magnificent views over the glassy lake. On the opposite bank of the lake, you’ll see pilgrims bathing and, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear them singing.

Pushkar is a picturesque holy town in the desert, with pastel-coloured buildings lining narrow streets. There are dozens of rooftop cafes looking out over the city towards the lake- perfect places to linger over coffee or lunch. Pushkar has been attracting long-term hippie-style visitors for many years, and they gather next to the palace every evening to watch the sunset over the lake. Wander through the twisting alleys of the old centre and take a look at the Ghats (stone staircases that lead into the water) where the pilgrims perform ritual bathing. You can take part in this ceremony too, but watch out for saddhus (priests) offering to become your spiritual guide in return for hefty sums of money. During the famous Camel Fair, usually held in November, over 25,000 camels will plod into the town to be traded by their owners, and huge crowds of pilgrims in a rainbow of colours will arrive. This is a wonderful sight to behold.

Today, you’ll travel to Udaipur, the most romantic town in Rajasthan. Elegant Udaipur is surrounded by green hills, a brilliant contrast to the sparkling white palaces and the blue waters of Lake Pichola. The legendary Lake Palace floats on an island in the centre of the lake, giving the town a fairy-tale feel. This palace was the winter residence of the Maharaja and featured in the James Bond film Octopussy.

You'll spend two nights in Udaipur, staying in a traditional haveli which looks out across Lake Pichola and the old city.

You’ll spend today exploring Udaipur - after all, you’ve come a long way to get here. In the morning, you’ll take a city tour, visiting the City Palace with its impressive murals and mosaics and its collection of Delft Blue ware. After this, you’ll visit the Jagdish Temple, where you can admire the famous Lake Palace from a distance. Once the city tour has finished, you’ll be free to explore Udaipur on your own. Wander through the old town, packed with tiny shops of fabrics and handicrafts, and try your hand at haggling in the market. Take a peek into one of the many mysterious little temples and havelis. In the evening, Udaipur has a magical atmosphere, so try some delicious local food in a rooftop restaurant and watch the lake shimmer in the darkness.

Today, you’ll set off in the direction of Jodhpur, The Blue City, a journey of about 6 hours. On the way, you visit the striking Jain temple of Ranakpur, situated in a beautiful green valley. The enormous temple complex has 1444 pillars, with stunning decorations carved from stone. Incredibly, none of the pillars are the same. Each has been decorated in its own unique way. Jainism is a religion that originated in northeast India about the same time as Buddhism (around 400BC) and it is still popular across the country today.

In the afternoon, you’ll continue on to Jodhpur. This city is the home of Mehrangarh Fort, one of the most dramatic Moghal forts in India. Here, you can wander through the narrow alleyways of the city, where rope-makers colour their warps, spice-sellers display their aromatic wares, and hairdressing salons barely stretch to the size of one square metre. The shopping hotspots are the Sojati Gate, the Tripolia Bazaar, the Mochi-ki-Gali and the Lakhara Bazaar. If you’re looking for hand-woven material, head for Rajasthan Khadi Sangh. The central bell tower is a good orientation point, as you’ll always manage to find your way back. You’ll stay in the old part of Jodhpur at the foot of the mighty fort.

After breakfast, you’ll climb up above the city to Meherangarh Fort and enjoy the views from the massive walls over the town. The houses are all painted Brahmin blue, giving Jodhpur its nickname of The Blue City. Initially, the colour was used to signify the homes of the Brahmin caste, but now it is a trademark of the town. When the golden sunlight falls obliquely over the houses, they’ll take on an enchanting indigo glow.

After visiting Meherangarh Fort, you’ll cross the desert to reach the remote desert town of Jaisalmer. The journey will take around 5 hours. As you approach the town, its contours will begin to appear on the desert horizon like an amazing mirage. This sense of magic will continue to grow as you are dropped at the gates of the old fortress town, with its dozens of castellated towers. The Fort is built from sandstone, almost blending into its surrounding landscape and giving it a bewitching haziness. From the uppermost walls of the fort, you’ll have a magnificent view over the desolate Thar Desert that spreads dramatically from the foot of the castle. In the distance, you’ll see Sahara-style sand dunes. You can take spectacular camel safaris to the dunes, guided by a member of the camel drivers’ caste.

In the evenings, you can eat in one of the small restaurants in the fort or in one of the many rooftop restaurants outside the castle walls. You’ll sleep in style, staying in an authentic haveli gilded in gold.

After breakfast in the morning, you’ll take a guided walk into the old town of Jaisalmer, which lies entirely within the walls of the fort. The narrow streets are quite remarkable, with half-hidden havelis, three beautifully carved Jain temples, and five interconnected palaces. The module ends after the walking tour. If you have time to spare, you can explore enchanting Jaisalmer at your own pace, wandering around the havelis, Lake Gadi Sagar, or Jaisalmer Fort. The fort has four entrances: Akhaiya Pol, Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol and Hava Pol. You might even bump into a camel or two on your way or hear the sound of a sitar playing from inside a haveli.

After this trip, you can choose to stay in the area for our Jaisalmer camel safari or perhaps begin the nearby Desert forts and clay huts module. Alternatively, at the end of the day, you could take the night train to Jaipur or all the way back to Delhi.