Travel time - Jaipur to Pushkar: approx 3 hours

Today, you’ll leave Jaipur and head for Pushkar, the first stop on your Rajasthan tour, built around a beautiful holy lake. You’ll spend the night in a palace style hotel where almost all of the rooms have great views over the glassy lake. On the ghats around the lake, you’ll see pilgrims bathing and making blessings, 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 plenty of rooftop cafes looking out over the city towards the lake - perfect places to linger over drink or lunch, but not a beer as this is a dry city. Wander through the twisting alleys of the old centre on your Rajasthan tour, and take a look at the Ghats (stone staircases that lead into the water) where the pilgrims perform ritual bathing. During the famous Camel Fair, usually held in October/November, over 25,000 camels will plod into the town and huge crowds of pilgrims in a rainbow of colours will arrive. During Camel Fair you'll stay just on the edge of town.

Travel time - Pushkar to Udaipur: approx 6 hours

On the second day of your India holiday, you’ll travel to Udaipur, one of the most romantic towns in India. 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 during your Rajasthan tour, staying in a traditional haveli with a charming roof terrace which looks out across Lake Pichola and the old city.

On the third day your Rajasthan tour, you'll explore the magical City of Udaipur. This morning, you’ll take a guided city tour, visiting the City Palace with its impressive murals and mosaics and its collection of Delft Blue ware. Next, your Rajasthan tour will take you to see 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. This evening in Udaipur, you can try some delicious local food in a rooftop restaurant whilst gazing upon the lake and soaking up the magical atmosphere.
 

Travel time - Udaipur to Jodhpur: approx 6 hours

On the fourth day of your India trip you’ll set off to the next stop of your Rajasthan tour, Jodhpur. Jodhpur, also known as 'The Blue City', is a journey of about 6 hours and on the way, your driver can stop off so that you can visit the striking Jain temple of Ranakpur, situated in a beautiful green valley.

The enormous temple complex has 1444 pillars, with beautiful and elaborate 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 North East India about the same time as Buddhism (around 400BC) and it is still popular across the country today.

In the afternoon, you’ll continue your Rajasthan tour as you travel on to Jodhpur, home of Mehrangarh Fort, one of the most dramatic Moghal forts in India perched high above the 'blue city'. Here, you can wander through the narrow alleyways of the city, where rope-makers colour their warps, spice-sellers display their aromatic wares, and tiny barbers shops and stall line the roadside. The shopping hotspots are the Sojati Gate, the Tripolia Bazaar, the Mochi-ki-Gali and the Lakhara Bazaar. If you’re looking to find hand-woven material during your India trip, 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 during this part of your Rajasthan tour.
 

Travel time - Jodhpur to Jaisalmer: approx 5-6 hours

After breakfast on day five of your Rajasthan tour, you’ll climb up above the city to Meherangarh Fort and enjoy the views over the town. The houses here 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 on your Rajasthan tour, 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 - a real highlight of your holiday in India. The 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 vast Thar Desert. In the distance, you’ll see Sahara-style sand dunes. During your India tirp, you can take spectacular camel safaris to the dunes, guided by a local camel driver.

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.
 

After breakfast on the last day of your Rajasthan tour, 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. This Rajasthan tour ends after the walking tour.

If you have time to spare during your India trip, you can explore the 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 India trip, you can choose to stay in the area for a Camel Safari on our India adventure or perhaps begin the nearby desert tour in Rajasthan to continue your North India tour. Alternatively, at the end of your stay, you can take the night train back to Jaipur. It is possible to take the night train all the way back to Delhi, but it is not recommended as it takes around 20 hours!