Itinerary Expand all Delhi to Delhi Depart London. Flights usually depart London in the evening. Day 1 Start Delhi; free time For those who are on the flight inclusive package we land in Delhi and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free. Land only please make your way to our start hotel. Your leader will leave details of your welcome meeting time in the hotel reception. (Delhi sightseeing is on day 12) Standard Hotel Start Delhi; free time For those who are on the flight inclusive package we land in Delhi and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free. Your leader will leave details of your welcome meeting time in the hotel reception. (Delhi sightseeing is on day 12) Standard Hotel Day 2 Transfer to Agra; afternoon visit the Red Fort. Today we will transfer to Agra (approx. 5 hrs drive) and in the afternoon visit the imposing Red Fort of Akbar, whose mighty sandstone walls enclose the beautiful white marble Pearl Mosque and the palaces, halls, courtyards and fountains of his sons and successors, Jehangir and Shah Jahan.Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Sunrise at the Taj Mahal; to Ranthambore N.P. via Fatehpur Sikri. A very early start to see the incredible spectacle of the sunrise over the Taj Mahal. The Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631, built the beautiful white marble Taj Mahal. The Taj is serenely beautiful and never fails to amaze a first time visitor; the white marble exterior changes colour according to the position of the sun during the day and is matched by the rich interior detail. After our visit it's time to leave Agra and drive to Ranthambore National Park. On the way we visit Fatehpur Sikri which is the Emperor Akbar's deserted royal city. This impressive and well-preserved citadel became his capital in 1571, after the blessing of a local Moslem holy man correctly predicted the birth of a longed-for son, his successor the Emperor Jehangir. The mosque, designed to hold ten thousand worshippers, the palaces, residences and halls of audience are all made of decorative red sandstone. But this magnificence only lasted 14 years, as in 1584 Akbar left Fatehpur Sikri to secure his outlying territories, leaving this city much as we see it today - in perfect condition. This is another very full but rewarding day (approx. 7/8 hrs drive).Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Morning and evening game drives. Today is more relaxed as we take two game drives into Ranthambore National Park. The reserve was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 became part of Project Tiger. Sadly, after initial success, poaching has drastically reduced the tiger population. However, Ranthambore is still considered one of the best places to spot tigers in the wild and many Exodus groups over the last few years have seen the elusive predator. Tiger aside, Ranthambore is also home to a great variety of wildlife such as several species of monkey, deer, crocodile, birdlife, and together with the scenery, make the visit well worth it.Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 To Bundi nestled within the beautiful Aravalli Hills, with its picturesque hillside lake; visit Bundi Fort. Today we leave Ranthambore and drive to Bundi. Bundi is a delightful town, with a rustic setting, that stands on the foothills of the Azavali Mountains. Bundi is especially famous for its palaces and the beautifully decorated stepwells that back in the 15th and 18th century were used to collect water during the monsoon season. In the afternoon we visit the Bundi Fort, arguably one of the most beautiful palaces in India, home to outstanding miniature paintings portraying the history of the palace and its royal family. The fort is set high on a hill overlooking Bundi and its Krishna blue stonewashed houses. (Approx. 4 hrs drive)Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 To Udaipur. Today we set off on our 145 mile journey to Udaipur. Known as 'The Pearl of Rajasthan', the 'City of Sunrise' and 'Venice of the East', Udaipur is a beautiful place regarded by both Indians and travellers as the most romantic city in India. (Approx. 5 hrs drive)Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Full day to explore Udaipur including visiting the City Palace and Jagdish Temple. Situated on the east side of Lake Pichola, the main palace commands an unsurpassed view across the shimmering lake to the dusty Aravalli Hills with the luxurious Lake Palace hotel adding to the scene. Lake Pichola has two islands, each with a palace to rival that on the mainland; Jag Mandir and Jag Nivas (the latter is now the Lake Palace Hotel) rise out of their own reflections in the waters of the lake. Udaipur is surrounded by a massive bastion with five gates and dominating the town is the City Palace of the Maharana. The sumptuous apartments are decorated with multi-coloured mosaics, elaborate mirror work and inlaid tiles; half of these can be visited as the current Maharaja still occupies the rest of the palace. We spend the morning visiting the City Palace and Jagdish Temple, with a huge black stone image of Jagannath, an aspect of Lord Vishnu. If time allows it may be possible to visit the gardens of Gulab Bag or take a boat trip on the lake. The afternoon is free to enjoy this evocative city.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 To the Hindu pilgrimage town of Pushkar. Today we have an early start and head to Pushkar, pilgrimage town and home to the annual Pushkar Camel Fair. Steeped in mysticism and surrounded by the desert this little town is a holy site on the fringes of a lake. This is a great place to relax and soak up the atmosphere. The drive will be approx. 6-7 hrs in total.Full-service camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9 Pushkar Camel Fair. Full day to enjoy the colourful spectacle of one of Asia's most vibrant festivals. The normally peaceful oasis is transformed into a bustling meeting place when the tranquil desert becomes a colourful blanket of camels, fires and tents with stall holders, musicians and comedians plying their wears amid the high-spirited festivities. Full-service camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 10 Morning sightseeing; afternoon drive to Jaipur. In the morning we do some sightseeing; in the centre of town is holy Pushkar lake surrounded by a number of temples including the famous Bramha temple said to be the only temple in the world dedicated to this deity. A dip in the waters of Pushkar Lake and worship at Bramha temple ensure salvation. In the afternoon we drive to Jaipur. (Approx. 3 hrs drive)Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 11 Sightseeing in and around Jaipur; including the Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, the Observatory and City Palace. A day of sightseeing. The 'Pink City' of Jaipur is one of the most attractive and colourful cities in India. Rajah Jai Singh decided to abandon his nearby fortress and palace at Amber in 1727 and laid out a planned city of broad avenues, built of sandstone and painted pink at a later stage. In the centre of Jaipur is the City Palace, formerly the residence of the Maharaja, it is now a fine museum containing rare manuscripts, paintings, royal garments and weapons. Close to the palace is one of the most intriguing sights of India, the observatory of Jai Singh. This is an assembly of immense astronomical instruments made of marble and brass set in a pleasant garden. We will also see Jaipur's impressive landmark, the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds. A few miles from the main city is the splendid Amber Palace, rising above a lake. The imposing hilltop fort contains large courtyards and interiors with fine decorations including inlaid alabaster panels and a Chamber of Mirrors. Jaipur is a centre of many handicrafts, such as durries (woven rugs), carpets, printed cloth, semi-precious stones, leatherwear etc.; it will be difficult to leave a workshop without buying anything!Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 12 Train Jaipur to Delhi; city sightseeing Today we take an early morning express train back to Delhi. (approx. 4 ½ hours) In the afternoon we visit the walled city of Old Delhi; crowded, full of activities and still influenced by the great Mughals who once ruled from the ramparts of the majestic Red Fort. We visit Jama Mosque - built in 17th century and the largest mosque in India and Rajghat - the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. We will also see India Gate and the vast colonial buildings as we navigate around the city. Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 13 End Delhi. Those on the flight inclusive package will depart for London this morning for the daytime flight back to London; Land Only arrangements will finish after check-out from the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast Fly to London. Those on the flight inclusive package will depart for London this morning for the daytime flight back to London; Land Only arrangements will finish after check-out from the hotel. Meals included: Breakfast
India Visas are required if you are British and for most other nationalities. For UK residents full details of the visa process can be found here. Other nationalities should check with their travel agent or the relevant embassies. If your trip visits Ladakh, in the very north of India, or Sikkim in the northeast, do not mention this on your Indian visa application. This can sometimes slow down or even cause the embassy to reject your visa. When you reach immigration, you are required to pick up an immigration form. If you have an e-visa, ensure you stand in the correct queue - please follow the signs to the e-visa booth (in Delhi this is at the back of the immigration hall). You will need to fill out an additional form at the booth - please make sure that you have the details of your start hotel ready (these details can be found on your Final Joining Instructions).
India There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approx. 2000m, there is low to no risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips going to altitudes of over 3000m there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the TRIP NOTES for further information.
Hotels & Swiss Cottage Tents During this trip you will spend 10 nights in hotels, all with en suite facilities. Accommodation for the 2 nights in Pushkar will be provided in en suite Swiss Cottage Tents with attached bathrooms.
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Reviewed November 2018 Graham Cliff Trip: Colours of Rajasthan - Puskhar Festival Fantastic India A very good trip seeing many wonderful sights and experiencing some of the culture of the country. It involves a great deal of travelling on indifferent quality roads and in the towns and cities chaotic and noisy traffic and people everwhere. We saw quite a lot of poverty. The forts and palaces are awesome and the serene beauly of the Taj Mahal is an unforgettable experience. We saw 2 tigers in Ranthambore but the park would be worthy of a visit for its landscapes alone without that bonus. The camel fair was rather disappointing as most of the camels there were just to give rides to tourists rather than for trading and the whole thing is really a huge street market and funfair. The travel times in the trip notes were inaccurate as journeys often took significantly longer and we ended up having almost no free time to do any shopping. The one day we could have had a little spare time was in Jaipur but the local guide then took us on a pointless visit to a carpet/textile emporium which I believe the whole group considered to be a waste of time. The hotels were gernerally of an adequate standard although some were in need of a little tlc particularly in the plumbing department with leaks and loose taps. Staff were unfailingly helpful. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were many wonderful experiences but of these I would say seeing the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, the beautiful city of Udaipur with its lake, temples and palace and being lucky enough to see tigers in Ranthambore will probable live in my memory the longest. What did you think of your group leader? Our leader, Naveen was truly excellent. I have regularly been on trips of this nature for 30 years and can honestly say that he was up there with the very best leaders I have travelled with in that time. He was always helpful, always retained his good humour, was a mine of information and totally organised. He showed us things and gave us experiences that were not part of the itinerary such as taking us to a local school and introducing us to some of the street foods. He took us to some really excellent restaurants and also to where the locals eat. He really made the trip an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared for an awful lot of bus travel and very limited free time for shopping etc but you will see many majestic sights and experience a very different culture. Be prepared for crowded streets with constant noise, to see poverty and to adapt to not having the personal space we have in the West. In Ranthambore, on the advice of someone who had previously visited, we asked Exodus to book a jeep for our party rather than the standard canter as they are more flexible. It is thanks to this that we saw tigers as the rest of the group, travelling in a canter, did not. Is there anything else you would like to add? I feel that Exodus should consider changing the bus we travelled in as it was showing its age with uncomfortable seats, some seat belts not working and fans dangerously situated just above head position.
Reviewed November 2018 Penny Bradbury Trip: Colours of Rajasthan - Puskhar Festival Colourful wonderful craziness! This was my first visit to India and the title says it all! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were so many highlights from which to choose but I think my favourite was the visit to the fort at Bundi. I had never heard of this town, but was blown away by the beauty and solitude of this abandoned palace with its pristine frescoes. And to have the place virtually to ourselves was amazing! Although not to everyone's taste, I also really enjoyed getting caught up in the chaotic crowds in the tail end of the religious procession in Pushkar; swiftly followed by the crush of a political rally further down the same road! We were enveloped in local life in all its chaotic colour. What did you think of your group leader? Navin was knowledgable, caring, well-organised and appears to know just about every chai seller in India ;). His skills go far beyond that of the standard tourist guide to encompass finding lost wallets in a strange town, fixing leaking toilets and removing ticks from guests' legs ;). Whenever there was any query or problem, Navin always had our backs and got it sorted pronto. Thank you, Navin! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't rely on laundry being done in the hotels, be prepared to handwash stuff instead if necessary. The drives between towns can be long and the roads are so bumpy it can be difficult to read. But there is so much to see outside the window of the van, you need never be bored! Take a warm layer to counteract the efficiency of the aircon in the van! Leave your presuppositions at home and throw yourself into the sights, colours, sounds, sensations of this fabulous place, you will never forget it.
Reviewed January 2016 Constance Adams Trip: Colours of Rajasthan - Puskhar Festival Colours of Rajasthan The trip was GREAT! Harish, our guide was fun and informative. I loved the small group of interesting people. My friend and I were the only Americans on the trip. There were 2 Australians, 1 Canadian, and the rest English for a total of 16. We chose Exodus because we didn't want to travel with only Americans. The itinerary was just right, too. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The two things I REALLY wanted to see on this trip were the Taj Mahal and a tiger in the wild. We got to see both! I had always thought that the Taj Mahal was the most beautiful thing man has ever made, and I still believe that after having the privilege of seeing it for myself. And the tiger is surely one of the most beautiful things God has ever made! What did you think of your group leader? Harish was great. He clearly loves his country, but didn't sugar coat it. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Travel with an open mind and an open heart.
Reviewed December 2015 Eileen Newman Trip: Colours of Rajasthan - Puskhar Festival colours of rajasthan An adventure a day..utterly brilliant. We saw a tiger at close quarters, walked at dawn to a Hindu Temple, queued early to see the Taj Mahal at its best..an endless variety, an insight into India, and fun besides What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Where do I begin ? Sitting just feet from a male tiger for almost an hour, a cultural show held in a Haveli, Pushkar Camel Fair, the inlaid stones of the Taj Mahal...being part of worship in Hindu Temple, a boat trip in Udaipur...I cannot isolate one episode. What did you think of your group leader? Having done perhaps a dozen Exodus trips, Harish our guide was probably the best. He was fun, passionate about his country, so caring and willing to adapt to our needs. He seemed to have endless ideas up his sleeve, offering us all sorts of possibilities. We loved the long journeys, so much to see and learn...especially about the wildlife. A first class leader who always went that extra mile.He even arranged a trip for us, as we arrived a day early,what more could you ask for ?? Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take few, loose clothes. Keep lots of 10 rupee notes handy for tips in the toilets. Imodium were a good idea, as well as hand gels.Just enjoy it all... There are quite a few opportunities to get laundry done,amazingly efficiently and cheaply. The roads are dusty, so a scarf might be handy at times. Is there anything else you would like to add? A tiring trip, but the trip notes informed us of this. There is little chance for activity, but endless variety.
Reviewed December 2015 Constance Adams Trip: Colours of Rajasthan - Puskhar Festival Colours of Rajasthan Thank you, Exodus, for a wonderful trip to India! My friend and I were the only two Americans on the trip, but it was wonderful to learn of the similarities and differences not only of us and our fellow travelers, but of the people of India as well. We are all people with many of the same dreams and needs. Life in India is very different from what I am used to, but that's why we travel, to broaden our knowledge of our world. This trip surely accomplished that. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were two--seeing the Taj Mahal, which I truly believe is the most beautiful thing man has ever built, and seeing a tiger in the wild, which is surely one of God's most beautiful creatures. What did you think of your group leader? Harish was a wonderful leader. I truly felt cared for and watched after. He was great at explaining the Indian way of life, which was invaluable. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Keep your mind and heart open.
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