Welcome to your 'Heartland of Rajasthan' tour! On arrival at the airport / railway station in Jaipur, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this vibrant colorful city.
Overnight in Jaipur. ( Meals on your own)
After breakfast, proceed on a sightseeing tour of Jaipur visiting the fabulous Amer Fort, City Palace and Jantar Mantar.
The Amer fort is also known as the Amber fort. The construction of Amber fort was started by Raja Mansingh in the 16th century and was completed by Sawai Jai Singh in the 18th Century. The palace here has been wonderfully built and has an intelligent design. The palace has a four storied layout and each level has its own courtyard. It consists of the Diwan-e-Aam, or "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas, or "Hall of Private Audience", the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), or Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas where a cool climate is artificially created by winds that blow over a water cascade within the palace.
A jeep will take you to the fort and once on top, stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls. Many of the rooms have beautiful wall paintings, with precious stones and mirrors inlaid in the walls.
Later visit the City Palace. The City Palace, which includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal palaces and other buildings, is a palace complex in Jaipur. It was the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the head of the Kachwaha Rajput clan. The Chandra Mahal palace now houses a museum but the greatest part is that it is still a royal residence. It is a seven-storeyed building and each floor has been given a specific name. Mubarak Mahal, meaning the Auspicious Palace, was built with a fusion of the Islamic, Rajput and European architectural styles.
Walk to the adjacent Jantar Mantar or Astronomical Observatory, which is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Sawai Jai Singh, as he was particularly interested in learning about astronomy.
Later, return to your hotel.
The rest of the day is at leisure for independent activities.
Overnight in Jaipur.(B)
Today, enjoy a drive from the lush green Aravalli plains to the rugged desert city of Bikaner.
On arrival, check-in to the hotel in Bikaner
The rest of the day is at leisure to relax or explore the bustling local markets
Overnight in Bikaner. (B)
After breakfast, proceed on a city tour of Bikaner visiting the magnificent Junagarh Fort and the famous Karni Mata Temple.
Junagarh Fort in is in the Bikaner city of Rajasthan. Originally it was called Chintamani and in the early 20th century it was renamed Junagarh or the Old Fort, when the ruling family shifted to Lalgarh Palace. It is one of the few major forts, which is not built on a hilltop.
Karni Mata or Karniji was a female Hindu sage born in the Charan caste. Her most famous temple is in the small town of Deshnoke, near Bikaner. It was built after her mysterious disappearance from her home. The temple is famous for its black rats. They are treated as sacred and given protection in the temple
The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this city.
Overnight in Bikaner.(B)
Today after breakfast, proceed to the golden city of Rajasthan - Jaisalmer, which is a home to one of the largest forts in the world. On arrival, check-in to the hotel in Jaisalmer..
The rest of the day is at leisure for independent activities.
Overnight in Jaisalmer. (B)
Post breakfast, proceed on a sightseeing tour of Jaisalmer visiting places like Jaisalmer Fort, Nathmalji ki Haveli, Patwon ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli and Gadsisar Lake.
Built in the year 1156, the Jaisalmer Fort is named after its creator, Rawal Jaisal, and hence the city is also called Jaisalmer. Also nicknamed the Sonar Quilla, the fort stands in the middle of the desert and has seen innumerable battles, besides being witness to the famous Rajput valor.
One of the true treasures of the topography of Rajashtani is the Nathmal Ji Ki Haveli. The haveli used to be a residence of Diwan Mohata Nathmal. Its construction was started by Mahrawal Beri Sal who installed two huge, life-sized elephant replicas in stone. They were erected at the gate of the palace, appearing to guard it like two sentinels. Made from yellow stone, these elephants are extremely well crafted.
The Patwon Ki Haveli is among the most famous palaces of Rajasthan. Several books including ones penned by various foreign writers have sung praises of the architecture of this haveli. Constructed in 1805 by Guman Chand Patwa, Patwon Ki haveli is the grandest palace in the area. The gateways, arches, and old paintings in the haveli truly make one nostalgic about the majesty of Rajasthan.
Salim Singh ki haveli bears a very distinct architectural style. The haveli has been uniquely designed with its top portion resembling a peacock head and the bottom looking like a marine vessel. It was built by Salim Singh and hence was eponymously named
The Gadsisar Lake is literally an oasis in the city of Jaisalmer. The lake may be artificially developed but is as splendid as they come. It was made in the 15th century by the Maharaja Gadsi Singh, and was built in order to solve the problem of water scarcity in the area. There are numerous shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu that have been built on the banks of the lake as well.
The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this desert city.
Overnight in Jaisalmer. (B)
Today, proceed to Marwar, the capital city of Jodhpur. Jodhpur is the second largest city in Rajasthan. This city is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar Desert. On arrival, check-in to the hotel in Jodhpur.
The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the textile and antique markets.
Overnight in Jodhpur. (B)
After breakfast, proceed on a sightseeing tour of Jodhpur, visiting places like the Mehrangarh Fort and Jaswant Thada.
The Mehrangarh Fort is the most magnificent and one of the largest forts in Rajasthan, situated on a 150 m high hill. It was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459. There are seven gates, which one has to cross before reaching the fort. These gates still bear the marks of the various battles fought in the past. On the wall, adjacent to the Lahapol or 'Iron Gate' are 15 handprints, the sati marks of the widows of Maharaja Man Singh who threw themselves upon his funeral pyre in 1843.
To the left of the Mehrangarh Fort complex is the Jaswant Thada, built by Maharaja Sardar Singh in commemoration of his father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II in 1899. The Jaswant Thada is a white marble memorial, built out of intricately carved sheets of marble. The sheets are extremely thin and polished so that they excrete a warm glow when illuminated by the sun.
The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this fortress city.
Overnight in Jodhpur. (B)