Colors of Rajasthan

Day 1: Departure

Arrival in Delhi (by flight)

Upon arrival at Delhi, you will meet and greet by our representive of VASCO TRAVEL and later transfer to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2

Delhi

After Breakfast. Complete day visit of Old Delhi and New Delhi:

We will start our visit to the magical country of India, we will start our tour from New Delhi and its main monuments, among others

Qutub Minar, a monument begun in 1193, marks the first place where the first Muslim kingdom was established in North India. This five-seater tower of victory was started by Qutbuddin Aibak and completed by his successor Iltutmish. It was built to symbolize the supremacy of Islam; Humayun’s Tomb, built by the eldest of his widows and mother of Emperor Akbar. This is the earliest example of Mughal architecture in India. It is believed that this mausoleum was what inspired Shah Jahan to build the Taj Mahal. New Delhi shines with its splendor, like a lone sentinel guarding the outpost of a bygone empire. It is a wealthy city, with ceremonious gardens, the magnificent Parliament Building and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the official residence of the President of India.

Later we will visit the India Gate, originally called the All Indian Wars Memorial is a monument built by architect Edwin Lutyens to commemorate Indian soldiers who died in World War I and the 1919 Afghan Wars. It was laid on February 10, 1921 by the Duke of Connaught. The names of the soldiers who died in these wars are inscribed on the walls of the monument. Its construction was completed in 1931.

Since 1971, an eternal flame, known as Amar Jawan Jyoti (the flame of the immortal warrior), has been under the monument since 1971, marking the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” and is dedicated to honoring the unknown soldiers killed in the clashes between India and Pakistan that took place that same year.

Old Delhi came into prominence when Shah Jahan moved his capital from Agra to Delhi. We will visit the 300 year old Chandni Chowk Market which is a maze of alleyways lined with shops selling an extraordinary variety of items, food, noise and crowds are an essential part of any Indian market. We will travel through this market by cycle rickshaw.

From here we will continue to the Jama Masjid or Friday Mosque. This is the largest mosque in India designed by Shah Jahan, and it was his last architectural legacy, it was originally called Masjid-i-Jahanuma, which means “commanding a world view mosque”.

In complete contrast to the noise and The Raj ghat (royal courtyard) is a memorial to the Hindu Mahatma Gandhi, the main architect of India’s independence.

Later Passing through the Red Fort, built in the mid 17th century, also by Shah Jahan, which was sacked by Nadir Shah’s marauding army and later by British soldiers. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3

Delhi – Udaipur  ( by flight).

After Breakfast.  Transfer to airport catch flight to Udaipur.

By flight : UK-627

Sale a las 1320 horas – Llegada a las 1445 horas.

Upon arrival trasnfer to hotel.   Udaipur – Known the City of the lakes, and  Overnight at hotel.

Day 4

Udaipur

After Breakfast. In the morning you will drive 22 km northeast of Udaipur to visit the Eklingji and Nagda temples. These temples are dedicated to the Lord Shiva. The walled complex includes an elaborately painted hall under a huge pyramidal roof with a black marble image of a four-headed Shiva. Nagda, a complex of three temples, now in ruins, was the scene of frequent Muslim invasions.

In the afternoon visit the City tour. We surround the two lakes to visit the City Palace Museum, and the delicious Garden of the Maidens, Saheliyon ki Bari, Suraj Gokhada, Badi Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Bhim Vilas, Mor Chown (the courtyard turkey), the Jagdish temple. We will continue with boat on Lake Pichola. Overnight at hotel

Day 5

Udaipur – Ranakpur- Jodhpur ( 278 kms. / 5 hrs.).

After Breakfast. Drive by road to Jodhpur  en-route visit Ranakpur.

You will visit Ranakpur in the Aravali Hills, famous for its 500-years-old Jain temples housing intricate sculptures. The central temple called Chaumukha has 29 marble halls supported by 1,444 pillars.

After visit Ranakpur temple drive to Jodhpur.  Upon arrival trasnfer to the hotel.  Jodhpur-city known for Blue city.  Overnight at hotel.

Day 6:

Jodhpur – Pushkar ( 198 kms. / 3 hrs.).

After Breakfast.  Visit Jodhpur city.

You will visit the Meherangarh Fort, on top of a hill. It is one of the best preserved and impressive Forts in Rajasthan. Inside the Fort is the Moti Mahal Palace. They will continue the visit with the royal white marble crematorium of Jashwan Thada. Then visit Girdikot (Sardar) Bazaar.

After visit drive to Pushkar.  Overnight at hotel.

Day 7:

Pushkar – Jaipur( 135 kms. / 2 hrs.)

After Breakfast. Visit most religious city of Pushkar.

The locality of Pushkar is situated 14 km north-west of Ajmer and is one of the five dhams (holy places of pilgrimage for Hindu devotees). A Pushkar is also known as Tirtha Rash (‘the king of the places of peregrination’) and is a place frequented by foreign tourists.

Pushkar is one of the oldest cities in India. Sitting on the shores of Lake Pushkar, the date of its foundation is unknown, but the legend associates Brahma with its creation. In the Puranas (texts sacred to Hinduism) it is said that the gods Brahma did penitence during 60 000 years in order to be able to briefly contemplate Radha Krishna (the Hindu God).

The temple most famous of all is the Temple of Brahma, which dates from the century XIV. There exist very few temples in the world in honor of Brahma, among which it is worth mentioning, besides the Pushkar, the Besakih Temple in Bali, 1 Bithoor in Uttar Pradesh, India,

in the locality of Asotra near the city of Balotra in the District of Barmer in Rajasthan, and Prambanan in Indonesia. The lake of Pushkar has 52 ghats where the pilgrims dive into the lake to bathe in the holy waters. Pushkar is also known by the Annual Camel Fair..

The natural environment of Pushkar and the sacred lake has been deteriorating in the last decades mainly due to the uncontrolled growth of places to accommodate tourists and due to the deforestation of the area.

It is considered that Pushkar is one of the oldest cities of the country. Its date of foundation is unknown, but the legend associates Brahma with its creation. It is said that in this place Brahma did penitence during 60 000 years in order to be able to briefly contemplate Radha and Krishna (the divine pair of gods).

The Ramayana (the last centuries of the 1st millennium AD) mentions a prayer and says that the wise Vishwa Mitra practiced their tapas. It can also be read that the Apsara Menaka was a Pushkar to bathe in its sacred waters.

After visit drive to Jaipur.  Overnight at hotel.

Day 8:

Jaipur – Amber Fort – Jaipur

After Breakfast. At 0700 hours you will be picked up from the hotel to visit Amber Fort (you will go up  and down in a Jeep).

Climb to the top of the hill where the Amber fort and its walls are located. From there you will appreciate the historic city of the kings of Amber next to Maota Lake, we are sure that this place will be one of the many great experiences of your trip to India, the place contains all the secrets of the life of the Mahrajas. The majestic Amber Fort (pronounced “Amer”), a wonderful example of Rajput architecture, looms high above a rocky mountainside located about 11 km north of Jaipur. Amber was once the capital of the state of Jaipur. The construction of the fort was started in 1592 by Maharaja Man Singh, the Raput commander of the army of Akbar, the Mongol emperor. Later it was enlarged by the Jai Singh (I and II) before moving the capital to Jaipur.

En route you will have a brief stop to take the traditional photograph of Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). The five-storey palace was built in 1799 and is one of the best examples of Rajput artistic talent, who built it so that the ladies of the court could entertain themselves by watching the bustle of the city. Today it is still an excellent place to observe the bustle of the city. From the rooftop you can admire stunning views of the jantar Mantar and the city palace on one side, and the siredeori bazaar on the other. Its construction was commissioned by Maharaja Sawaj Pratap Singh, and it is part of the city palace complex.

In the afternoon, visit the City palace of Jaipur. The Maharaj’s Palace (also known as the City Palace), an old royal residence converted into a museum, a small portion is still used by the royal family of Jaipur.

One of its main attractions is the Armoria, with an impressive variety of weapons – pistols, swords, daggers and fusiles etc. Which the Real Family of Jaipur sometime used through the history. On the first floor is the Textile Museum, which is a good example of the fabrics and costumes from all over India. The palace covers almost the seventh part in the area of ​​the city. The main entrance leads to the central patio, which is the Mubarak Mahal.

We will continue visit to the Jantar Mantar, which is the world’s largest observatory, built in stone and marble by Jai Singh from 1728 to 1734. Situated near the city gate, the observatory has 17 large instruments, many of which They are still in perfect operating conditions.

Later enjoy a ride on a Rickshaw by the local market before returning to our hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9:

Jaipur – Abhaneri – Fatehpur Sikri –  Agra  (245 kilometres / 6 hours)

After Breakfast. Drive by road to Agra en-route visit Abhaneri and Fathepur Sikri .

Abhaneri is a small village in the district of Dausa in the north of Rajasthan; which is located 131 km from Fatehpur Sikri. The actual name of the villa, ‘Abhaneri’, is thought to be a mispronunciation of “Abha Nagri” or the “city of brightness”. Harshat Mata temple. Visit Abhaneri pueblo, Chand Baori Chand Baori, decorated on all sides, is one of the largest stairwells in India. Another attraction is the Harshat Mata temple symbolizing the architecture of the 10th century.

Fatehpur Sikri, is located 40 km from Agra, was erected by the emperor Akbar between 1571 and 1585 in honor of the saint Sufi Shaikh Salim Chisti who bowed to Akbar and the birth of three sons. Its architecture, fusion of Hindu and Islamic styles, reflects the secular vision of Akbar and his way of governing. The scarcity of water was the factor in the abandonment of This ghost town, where the elegant buildings speak of the beauty and splendor of the Mogul empire.

After visit continue drive to Agra. On arrival transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 10:

Agra – Delhi – Onwards destination. (220 kilometres / 4 hours)

After breakfast we will visit the Taj Mahal (Closed on Friday) and Agra Fort

The incomparable Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal who died in 1631. This majestic mausoleum cost combining elements of Islamic, Persian, Indian and even Turkish architecture. It is estimated that they worked in the around 20,000 workers, from Persia, Turkey, France and Italy and it took 17 years to complete this Poem of Love in Marble.

Later we will visit the Agra Fort, built by the emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573, revealing the talent of the Mughals to combine defensive architecture with beauty and design. This fortress palace was started by Akbar as a purely defensive citadel and was later completed by the two succeeding generations, adding delicate marble mosaics and magnificent palaces. It is strong in the history of Mughal agriculture and offers a magical view of the Taj Mahal.

After visit drive to New Delhi international airport catch flight to your owards destination.

END THE TRAVEL.