The India of the Maharajas (15 days / 13 nights)
Itinerary: Delhi-Mandawa-Nawalgarh (Shekhawati)-Bikaner Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Ranakpur-Udaipur-Pushkar-Jaipur-Agra
Day 1 France / Delhi
Depart France with a flight to Delhi. Arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Typical welcome with a flower necklace. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 2 Delhi / Nawalgarh
After breakfast, departure for Nawalgarh in the heart of rural Shekhawati. Lunch en route. Arrive in Nawalgarh and check into hotel. Free time to rest or visit the village. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 Nawalgarh / Mandawa / Nawalgarh
After breakfast, departure for Mandawa for a day exploring the very picturesque Shekhawati region and its villages. You will discover Nawalgarh and Mandawa, where the beautiful mansions of the rich merchants (Havelis) are adorned with remarkable paintings. Lunch in a local restaurant. This day will be full of encounters, allowing you to discover the daily life of the villagers and share unique moments with them. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 Nawalgarh / Bikaner
After breakfast departure for Bikaner. Arrival in Bikaner, check-in at your hotel and lunch. Afternoon devoted to visiting the town and the Junagarh fort, an imposing 16th-century edifice housing an interesting collection of weapons. At the end of the afternoon, departure for Deshnok and its intriguing Rat Temple. This curious and mysterious place will give you sensations that will remain engraved in your memory. Dinner and overnight at the hotel
Day 5 Bikaner/ Jaisalmer
After breakfast, you will head for Jaisalmer, the "city of gold", through the Thar desert. En route, stop at Ramdeora, a major Hindu pilgrimage site. Lunch en route. Arrive in the afternoon and check into your hotel. At the end of the day, visit the chattris (cenotaphs) of the Brahmins, from where you can watch the sunset: a splendid view of the city and fortress. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 6 Jaisalmer
After breakfast, visit Jaisalmer, a fascinating city in the middle of the desert. Surrounded by walls and with its impressive fortress, Jaisalmer will transport you back to the time of medieval India under the great Rajput princes. Here you will discover Jain temples and ancient merchants' houses decorated and carved in stone. Lunch during the visits. At the end of the day, you will visit Bada Bagh, home to the shrines of the princes of Jaisalmer. From here you can watch a magnificent sunset. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 7 Jaisalmer/ Osian /Jodhpur
After breakfast departure for Jodhpur. On the way stop at Osian and visit the Osian temples. You will then continue on to Jodhpur, known as the Blue City. Arrive in Jodhpur and check into your hotel. Lunch at your hotel. You will then set off to discover the city of Jodhpur. Situated on the edge of the Thar Desert, Jodhpur is the second largest city in the state of Rajasthan. The old city is surrounded by an imposing red sandstone wall. You will visit the Mehrangarh fort and the Jaswant Thada. At the end of the day, you will visit the city and its bustling market. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 8 Jodhpur / Ranakpur / Udaipur
After breakfast departure for Udaipur. On the way visit Ranakpur. You will discover the impressive Jain temples of Ranakpur. They were built in the 12th and 15th centuries and are dedicated to Rikhabdev and Sambhavanth. There are 1444 columns on the site, all of which are different. Lunch. Then drive back to Udaipur. Arrive in Udaipur and check into hotel. Then visit the Udaipur market. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 9 Udaipur
After breakfast you will set off to visit Udaipur. Udaipur offers a fascinating mix of sights, smells and experiences. The city is a true source of inspiration for poets, painters and writers. You will cross the tranquil waters of Lake Pichola, from where you can admire the island as well as the Jag Mandir Palace, from which, according to legend, the Mughal emperor Shah Jehan drew inspiration for the construction of the Taj Mahal. Lunch in the city. You will then visit the City Palace, which is also a museum displaying the finest treasures of Rajasthan. Lunch during the visits. Then on to the Gardens of the Maidens, Sahelion ki Bari, where Maharaná Sangram Sigh had a garden complex with a multitude of fountains built for his daughter. The rest of the day is free. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 Udaipur/ Eklingi / Nagda/ Pushkar
After breakfast, departure for the incredible city of Pushkar. On the way visit the temples of Eklingi and Nagda. Lunch at the hotel. Arrive Pushkar and check into your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 11 Pushkar/ Jaipur
After breakfast, you will visit the town of Pushkar. Here you will find the world's only Brahma temple. This city has been a place of pilgrimage since time immemorial. It boasts no fewer than 500 temples and Ghats. Pushkar has an incredible architectural heritage. You can admire the 52 Ghats on the banks of the lake. You can also visit the incredible Rose Garden, whose essence is very famous and exported all over the world. Then lunch. Then departure for Jaipur. Arrival in Jaipur, the capital of the state of Rajasthan and known as the Pink City. In the afternoon, take a rickshaw ride through the incredible bazaars and discover part of the city. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 12 Jaipur / Amber / Jaipur
After breakfast, you will set off to discover the impressive Amber Fortress outside the city. At the foot of the hill, you will begin a slow but leisurely elephant ride up to the main gate. You will then visit this magnificent site, built in the 12th century. Return to Jaipur and lunch in town. In the afternoon you will visit the key monuments of the Pink City. You will discover the City Palace, which is still the home of the Maharaja, which is why some areas are not open to the public. However, you will visit the most interesting ones. You will also visit its museum, which exhibits many antiques that belonged to the ruling family. Then you will discover Hawa Mahal, better known as the Palace of the Winds, which is the most famous in Jaipur. Finally, you will discover Jantar Mantar, Jaipur's great astronomical observatory. You will be impressed by the size of its astronomical instruments. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 13 Jaipur/ Fatehpur Sikri/ Agra
After breakfast, departure for Agra. On the way, visit to Fatehpur Sikri. Fatehpur Sikri is a ghost town. Built of red stone by the Mughal emperor Akbar, it was the capital of his empire in the 16th century. You will also visit the great gate of Bulund Darwaza. At 54m high, it is the tallest gate in the world. It has inspired many other monuments. Lunch en route. You will then continue your journey to Agra. Arrive in Agra and check into your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 14 Agra/ Delhi / France
After breakfast and very early in the morning, visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The Taj Mahal is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. This white marble memorial was built by Cha Jahan for his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years to build. There is a lot to be said about the Taj Mahal, not least its perfectly symmetrical architecture. You will then visit the Red Fort. This is the largest in the whole of India. It was built in 1573 and took 8 years to complete. Then departure for Delhi. Lunch en route. Arrival in Delhi and panoramic tour of New Delhi, which will allow you to discover the Raj Ghat where the memorial to Gandhi, the father of the nation, is located. You will be able to contemplate the Qutub Minar, also known as the Victory Tower, which remains the tallest tower in India and the third tallest in the world. Finally, you'll head to the Connaught district, which is characterised by its lively, modern feel. Here you can see the Presidential Palace, Parliament and the country's other institutions. At the end of the day, and depending on your flight schedule, transfer to the airport to catch your international flight to France. End of our services.
Day 15 France
Arrival in France.
