India Royal Rajasthan Cultural Discovery Tour

Welcome to India! Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport in vibrant New Delhi, meet an MT Sobek representative outside customs, and transfer to your hotel. This evening, you will attend an orientation meeting with the Indian tour leader, followed by a welcome dinner.

Today, you will explore the capital of modern India, New Delhi, built by the British when they moved their capital here from Calcutta in 1911. Visit Qutub Minar and Humayun's Tomb, which pay homage to the mighty Afghan and Mughal empires. Drive past the President's Palace and visit India Gate in the Lutyens' Imperial City. Later, visit Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in the heart of the city. This is the most prominent Sikh house of worship; the pool inside the complex, known as the Sarovar, contains water considered to be holy by Sikhs.

Continue on to Old Delhi, with its narrow dirt roads, myriad people, and colorful bazaars that keep alive the traditional workmanship for which Delhi is known. Pass the Red Fort, then enjoy a history-themed walk in the heart of Chandini Chowk (silver square). Finish the day at the Jama Masjid, the largest Muslim mosque in India.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Jaisalmer. Upon your arrival, transfer to your hotel, then spend the late afternoon wandering the lanes and alleyways of the city, which was founded in 1156 by Bhatti Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal. Later, drive out to Bada Bagh, where royal family members were cremated, to watch and photograph the striking sunset from the yellow-sandstone Jaisalmer Fort.

Wander around the old town of Jaisalmer and Jaisalmer Fort, built in 1156. Perched on a 250-foot hill, the golden-hued fort stands like a sentinel in the barren desert landscape. It is the only "living fort" in India. Within its ramparts, find an enchanting maze of narrow lanes dotted with lovely havelis (mansions), palaces, and 12th-century Jain temples. Also see Patwon Ki Haveli, the most elaborate and magnificent of all the Jaisalmer havelis, with unsurpassed stone carvings. The afternoon is free to wander around the city's lanes and alleys. This evening, drive out into the desert and walk up through small hamlets to reach your special dinner location on the dunes.

After breakfast, drive to the Thar Desert, where you'll check in to your luxury camp. This is an ideal base from which to explore Indian desert life, culture, wildlife, and the breathtaking landscape. Take a late-afternoon 4WD jeep safari to get an up-close look at the desert (perhaps an Indian gazelle or rare desert fox). Walk through villages, meeting camel herders, shoemakers, weavers, potters, Meghwals, Rajputs, Jogis, and Brahmins. This evening, you'll be treated to a memorable music and dance performance under the stars.

Transfer to Jodhpur in the morning, the second-largest city in Rajasthan. Check into your hotel, then spend the afternoon visiting the ridge-top Mehrangarh (Majestic) Fort, one of India's most formidable structures. Walk back to the city from the fort and wander about the "Blue City" and its medieval market, and take a traditional auto-rickshaw ride.

Today, you'll drive to Ranakpur, where you'll find three Jain temples dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. The main marble temple took 65 years to complete! After visiting this magnificent temple, take a 5-mile walk through the nearby Kumbalgarh forest.

After breakfast, start the walk toward Kumbhalgarh Fort, located 3,000 feet above sea level in the Aravalli mountain range. Keep an eye out for the forest's myriad birdlife, including peacocks, doves, red spurfowl, parakeets, golden orioles, bulbuls, and white-breasted kingfishers. At the center of the forest, an animal reserve is home to deer, sloth bears, leopards, four-horned antelopes, monkeys, and more. After your hike, drive to Udaipur, where you'll check into your hotel for the night.

Today, you will have opportunity to discover Udaipur, full of lakes, gardens, temples and palaces - an oasis in the desert. Follow mazes of narrow, winding lanes flanked by houses decorated with Mewar folk art and stained glass, and marvel at massive havelis with large inner courtyards. Visit the City Palace on the banks of Lake Pichola, an impressive complex blending Rajput and Mughal influences; half is still occupied by the Royal family. Move on to the Jagdish Temple, with its stone elephants flanking the entrance, and the Sahelion-ki Bari, an ornamental garden from the 18th century. Take a tour of the city bazaars, then enjoy a sunset cruise on the lake, sailing past Jag Mandir island.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Jaipur. Check into your hotel, then spend the evening on a walking tour of the city.

Start the day with a half-day excursion to Amber Fort, making a photo stop along the way at the Hawa Mahal, "Palace of Winds." Located high in the Aravalli Hills, Amber Fort was the ancient capital of the Kachhawaha Rajputs until 1037. Hike to the top of the fort for the best views. Return to Jaipur to visit the City Palace, which houses the Royal residence and museums full of textiles, costumes, armory, manuscripts, and artwork. You'll have the opportunity to visit the Chandra Mahal, presently the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Stop at the Jantar Mantar, a collection of 19 astronomical instruments built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, Rajasthan. This evening, enjoy dinner with a local Rajput family in their home, discovering the secrets to Indian cooking.

After breakfast, drive to Agra, stopping in Abhaneri village along the way to see its 1,300-year-old baoris (step-wells) and temple. Take a camel cart ride or walk through the local villages around Abhaneri before continuing the drive to Agra. Check into your hotel, then meet back up for an evening drive to the other side of the river to enjoy your first views of the Taj Mahal from across the river at Mehtab Bag, before returning for a sumptuous farewell dinner.

Awake at dawn for your memorable sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, a World Heritage Site built by Emperor Shah Jahan over a period of 17 years in memory of his beloved late wife. After breakfast, continue to Agra Fort, a red sandstone fortress built by Akbar and later added onto by later generations of Mughal emperors. Notice the varying architectural styles within the fort, including the Jahangiri Palace, a blend of Islamic (Persian) and local Hindu influences. After your sightseeing tour of the fort, drive to Delhi, where you'll transfer to the Delhi International Airport in advance of your evening flight homeward or optionally check in to your hotel inside the airport for an early flight tomorrow.