Planet India Tours

Transfer to your downtown hotel. Welcome ceremony by girls dressed in traditional Indian dresses. Check into rooms. Rest and relax till 0900 hrs. (most flights arrive into Delhi around or past midnight and rooms will be held from the previous day as extra night). Full day city sightseeing tour to include Rastrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Humayun’s Tomb, Bahai temple and Qutab Minar.

(Optional lunch : At the interesting rooftop Bistro restaurant at Hauz Khas overlooking the ruins and the lake. Local musicians will be in attendance). Post lunch tour of Old Delhi to include Rajghat, Jama Masjid and a cycle rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk (the silver street). Son-et-lumiere at the Red Fort. Later Gala welcome cocktails and dinner in the rose gardens at the 150-year-old elite Delhi Gymkhana club. Army pipes and drums in full ceremonial dresses will be in attendance.

Overnight Delhi.

Day 02 Delhi-Mandawa

Drive at 0800 hrs arriving Mandawa by lunch. Check into Castle Mandawa/Mandawa Desert Resort. Evening explore the various painted havelies and frescoes of the Shekhawati. Often called the open-air art gallery of Rajasthan, this region has many frescoes painted on cenotaphs, walls, forts and temples dating back to the 17th century. The themes encompass traditional mythology, local legend and folklore.

Overnight Mandawa.

Day 03 Mandawa - Bikaner

After breakfast at 0800 hrs drive to Bikaner arriving by lunch. Check into the fascinating Lallgarh Palace hotel. 500 years ago, a desert chieftain established his kingdom here, and over the centuries it has grown into an impressive town. Its central fort offered the occupants safety from invaders, while inside, the rulers designed some beautiful apartments that carried echoes of opulence and in rain starved Bikaner, the images of monsoon clouds. Nearby is Deshnoke, where in a marble fronted temple rats are offered sanctuary for they are considered sacred. Post lunch tour of Junagarh fort, which has several exquisite Palaces and is carved out of red sandstone. Also visit the Ganga garden jubilee museum.

Overnight in Bikaner.

Day 04 Bikaner - Jaisalmer

In the morning visit the camel breeding farm, the only of its kind in Asia and drive to Jaisalmer arriving by lunch. Check into the Narayan Niwas Palace hotel located within the fort. Jaisalmer is one of the last princely bastions in the region founded n what was the cross roads of lucrative trade routes, this remote settlement came to be celebrated for the valour of its rulers and for the aesthetic sense represented by their palaces and havelies. The rich merchants engaged stone craftsmen who worked with great delicacy on the sandstone mansions they built, filling up facades with sculptural filigree, screen windows, delicate pavilions and beautiful balconies. Today these veritable art museums are still inhabited and their colorful celebrations and festivals have placed Jaisalmer firmly on the world tourism map. Post lunch free for independent activity or explore the bazaars within the fort complex.

Overnight Jaisalmer.

Day 05 : Jaisalmer

Half day guided tour of the 12th and the 15th century Jain temples, the Patwon Ki Haveli and Salim Singh Haveli. In the evening drive Sam Sand dunes, 45 kms for camel rides at Sun set that presents a spectacular view.

Overnight Jaisalmer.

Day 06 Jaisalmer-Sardar Sammand (Jodhpur)

After breakfast drive across the Desert National Park to Sardar Sammand arriving by lunch. Check into the lake resort, a former hunting lodge of the royal family of Jodhpur. The Palace is situated on a hill overlooking the huge Sardar Sammand Lake. The rooms are tastefully done in the 1930’s style.

Among Rajasthan’s many princely settlements, Jodhpur is one of the most distinctive. This 500-year-old settlement was the headquarters of the Rathore Rajput’s celebrations for their tales of valour. Located in the Thar Desert, Jodhpur is known for its impressive fortified bastions, especially those of Mehrangarh, which have been witness to many battles and were associated closely with the history of the regions.

Overnight Sardar Sammand.

Day 07 Sardar Sammand (Jodhpur)

Day free to explore the nearby Bishno Villages or enjoy boating and angling on the lake. Sunset gala bonfire and Bar-be-que lakeside dinner.

Morning excursion to Jodhpur for sightseeing tour of the grand Umaid Bhawan Palace and the Mehrangarh fort built in 1459. Lunch at the Ajeet Bhawan Palace. Post lunch drive to Roopangarh arriving by evening. Check into the Roopangarh Fort Palace hotel.

Overnight Roopangarh

Day 09 Roopangarh – Samode

Morning free to explore the palace and the famous paintings of Kishangarh. After lunch drive to Samode arriving by 1700 hrs. At the village gate transfer to camel carts for an interesting 45 minutes ride through the cobbled village streets. On arrival at the palace the group will be welcomed by traditionally attired girls showering rose petals. After checking into the fairy tale palace the group will be hosted by the royal family over cocktails followed by a gala dinner and dance show at the Durbar Hall. Seating will be on cushioned mattresses on the floor simulating the scenes exactly as the kings witnessed these shows.

Breakfast at leisure. Later explore the palace and the fort. Drive to Jaipur, 40 kms away. Check into your palace hotel. Jaipur – the city capital in the tone of an autumnal Sunset, literally blushed pink when Prince Albert, the consort of queen Victoria, stepped on its soil in 1883. Interspersing the plan of red and pink were white borders and motifs, painstakingly outlining the architectural highlights of Jaipur’s buildings. This is the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions of the universe through nine rectangular sectors subdividing it. The palaces and forts of yesteryears that were witness to royal processions and splendour are now living monuments, accepted quite naturally into the lifestyles of the people of the Pink city. Post lunch tour of the City Palace, the Palace of Winds and the Observatory. In the evening view a puppet show at the hotel.

Morning tour of Amer fort on elephants back. You ride up on elephants to the former capital of the royals set to the backdrop of wooded hills. Also visit the Jaigarh and the Nalagarh fort full of history of the states martial past. Later explore the bazaars. Also view tie and dye fabric printing process and also the making of blue pottery at the Sanganer crafts village.

Overnight in Jaipur.

Day 12 Jaipur-Agra

Drive to Agra after breakfast enroute stopping to see the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri. Arrive by lunch. Check into your hotel. Agra, in terms of ambience is still associated with the Mughal period. With it’s laid back lifestyle and its immense wealth of architecture, handicrafts and jewellery, is amongst the most remarkable cities of the world. In the evening visit the mausoleum built by Shah Jehan for his beloved wife-Empress Mumtaz- The Taj Mahal. Also visit the fort on the sands of the river Yamuna. Various styles of architecture are evident within the fort. In the evening enjoy a magic show at the poolside at dinner.

Overnight at Agra.

Day 13 Agra-Delhi

Drive to Delhi arriving by lunch. Evening at leisure. Later transfer to the airport for return flight.

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