Colours of Rajasthan
Colours of Rajasthan
Colours of Rajasthan
13 Days Starting and ending in Delhi
Visiting: India
Tour operator:
Tour code:
AIK
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 16
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTour Overview
Immerse yourself in Rajasthan, known as the Land of Kings for its countless palaces, forts and monuments to warriors past. On this culture-packed adventure, we visit the imposing forts of Jodhpur and Jaipur, which bear testament to the battles that once raged here, visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise, and search Ranthambore National Park for another regal resident: the elusive Bengal tiger.
The departures starting in Delhi on 5 November 2024 and 26 October 2025 include a visit to the Pushkar Fair. See the itinerary here.
Join us to celebrate Exodus’ 50th anniversary! Select departures of this trip feature extra inclusions to mark the occasion: a sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola, Udaipur, followed with dinner by the lake, a local birthday celebration and a special edition Exodus kitbag. The selected departures on this trip start in Delhi on 13 October 2024 and 15 December 2024.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Delhi; Free Time
The adventure begins in Delhi. There is a welcome briefing in the evening – the time and location will be posted in the hotel lobby. The rest of the day has been left free, allowing you time to settle into the trip.
Accommodation: Bloom Hotel CR Park (or similar)
Day 2 : Morning Sightseeing In Delhi; Afternoon Transfer To Ranthambore
Meals Included: Breakfast
Visit the walled city of Old Delhi this morning. It’s crowded, full of activities and still influenced by the great Mughals who once ruled from the ramparts of the majestic Red Fort. Navigating the city, we visit the 17th-century Jama Mosque, the largest mosque in India; Rajghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi; India Gate; and vast colonial buildings. In the afternoon, we transfer (approximately six hours) to Ranthambore National Park.
Accommodation: Raj Palace Resort (or similar)
Day 3 : Morning And Evening Game Drives
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we take two game drives in Ranthambore National Park. The reserve was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 became part of Project Tiger. After initial success, poaching has drastically reduced the tiger population. However, Ranthambore is still considered one of the best places to spot wild tigers and many of our groups over the last few years have seen the elusive predator. Ranthambore is also home to a great variety of other wildlife, including several species of monkey, deer, crocodile and birdlife.
During the game drives, each vehicle is joined by a Forest Guard, a requirement by the local authorities. The Forest Guards are part of a national park initiative to generate employment for the nearby villages. They are skilled spotters and trackers so, though their English is sometimes very limited, they greatly improve the experience.
Accommodation: Raj Palace Resort (or similar)
Day 4 : To Bundi Within The Beautiful Aravalli Hills; Visit Bundi Fort
Meals Included: Breakfast
Leave Ranthambore and drive (approximately four hours) to Bundi, a delightful town on the Aravali foothills. It is best known for its palaces and the beautifully decorated stepwells that were used to collect water during the monsoon centuries ago. Visit Bundi Fort in the afternoon, one of the most beautiful palaces in India and home to outstanding miniature paintings portraying the history of the palace and its royal family. The fort is high on a hill overlooking Bundi and its Krishna blue stonewashed houses.
Accommodation: Ishwari Niwas Hotel (or similar)
Day 5 : To Udaipur
Meals Included: Breakfast
Set off on our five-hour (145mi/235km) journey to the lakeside city of 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 visitors as the most romantic city in India.
Accommodation: Paras Mahal Hotel (or similar)
Day 6 : Full Day To Explore Udaipur, Including Visiting The City Palace And Jagdish Temple
Meals Included: Breakfast
On the east side of Lake Pichola, the main palace commands an unsurpassed view across the shimmering lake to the dusty Aravalli Hills.
The lake 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 lake waters. 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. 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.
Accommodation: Paras Mahal Hotel (or similar)
Day 7 : To Jodhpur Via Ranakpur And A Visit To The Jain Temple
Meals Included: Breakfast
Taking the scenic road out of Udaipur, we head to Jodhpur. It’s a seven-hour drive, but to break up the journey we visit the 15th-century Jain temple at Ranakpur. The main temple, beautifully carved from marble, is dedicated to Adinath and has 29 halls supported by 1,444 pillars, each delicately carved with a different design.
Jodhpur was founded by the Rajput chief Roa Jodha and was formerly the capital of the state of Marwar. The city is surrounded by a wall almost 6mi (10km) in circumference and is dominated by the massive fort that stands on a rocky hill commanding the surrounding desert.
Accommodation: Shree Ram International Hotel (or similar)
Day 8 : To The Hindu Pilgrimage Town Of Pushkar
Meals Included: Breakfast
First thing in the morning, we visit the Meherangarh Fort for a great view of the blue houses, painted to distinguish them as those of Brahmins. The fort itself looks massive from the outside but inside there is an impressive collection of finely carved sandstone screens and lattice windows, and the palaces themselves are very finely decorated. We then head to Pushkar, pilgrimage town and home to the annual Pushkar Fair. Steeped in mysticism and surrounded by the desert, this little town is a holy site on the fringes of a lake and a great place to relax and soak up the atmosphere. Today’s total drive time is approximately six hours.
Accommodation: Hotel Dera Masuda (or similar)
Pushkar Fair departures: 5 November 2024 and 26 October 2025
The itinerary for these departures is slightly amended to spend two nights in Pushkar (days 8 and 9) and removing the night in Jodhpur, this is done to maximise time at the fair. Accommodation is provided in Swiss cottage tents (canvas tents designed to emulate Swiss cottages) with attached bathroom. The facilities are basic and hot water and electricity can be limited occasionally but your tour leader will assist with any issues if they occur. All meals will be included.
Day 9 : Morning Sightseeing; Afternoon Drive To Jaipur
Meals Included: Breakfast
Enjoy sightseeing this morning. In the centre of town is the holy Pushkar Lake surrounded by several temples, including a Bramha temple said to be the only temple in the world dedicated to this deity. A dip in the lake waters and worship at the Bramha temple ensure salvation. In the afternoon, we drive (approximately three hours) to Jaipur.
Accommodation: LilyPool – The Heritage Jal Mahal (or similar)
Holi Festival Departure: 14 March 2025
For the 2025 Holi Festival departure, you will be given the opportunity in Pushkar to join the colourful celebrations at your hotel and purchase the traditional white kurta outfit to look the part and avoid getting your own clothes covered in the coloured powders.
Day 10 : Sightseeing In And Around Jaipur, Including The Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, The Observatory And City Palace
Meals Included: Breakfast
Enjoy a day of sightseeing in the Pink City of Jaipur, one of the most attractive and colourful cities in India. Rajah Jai Singh abandoned 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 in 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 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. Additionally, Jaipur is a centre of many handicrafts, such as durries (woven rugs), carpets, printed cloth, semi-precious stones and leatherwear.
Accommodation: LilyPool – The Heritage Jal Mahal (or similar)
Day 11 : Drive To Agra Via Fatehpur Sikri; Afternoon Visit Agra Fort
Meals Included: Breakfast
Transfer to Agra (approximately 4hr 30min), visiting Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted royal city of Emperor Akbar, on the way. 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 Jehangir. The mosque, designed to hold 10,000 worshippers, the palaces, residences and halls of audience, are constructed of decorative red sandstone. But this magnificence only lasted 14 years; Akbar left Fatehpur Sikri in 1584 to secure his outlying territories, leaving this city much as we see it today.
This afternoon, we 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.
Accommodation: Avalon Palms (or similar)
Day 12 : Sunrise At The Taj Mahal; Train To Delhi
Meals Included: Breakfast
Wake very early start to see the incredible spectacle of the sun rising over the Taj Mahal. The Moghul emperor Shah Jahan built the beautiful white-marble building in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. This experience is often the highlight of the trip.
Later, we take the train from Agra to Delhi, arriving early afternoon or early evening, depending on the train schedule. It’s your last night together so the tour leader will help arrange a group for dinner if you would like to attend.
Accommodation: Bloom Hotel CR Park (or similar)
Day 13 : End Delhi
Meals Included: Breakfast
The adventure ends after breakfast and we begin our return journeys home. Alternatively, if you’d like to spend a bit more time exploring this magnificent city, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
What's Included
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All breakfasts included
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All accommodation
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All transport
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Entrances fees to monuments (as per itinerary)
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Jungle safari (as per itinerary)
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Tour leader throughout
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Free arrival and departure transfers for everyone
What's Not Included
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Travel insurance
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Visas and vaccinations
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Single supplement
Food
All breakfasts are included on this trip.
Where meals are not supplied, our tour leaders always encourage people to try local restaurants and street-food vendors - allow at least 1,400-2,400 Indian rupees (approximately US$20-US$35) per day for lunch and dinner. In Jaipur, Udaipur and Delhi, you can even see how food and drink, such as samosa (mashed potato snacks), jalebe (Indian doughnuts) and lassi (yoghurt drink), are made. In most towns, there is a good selection of restaurants and a choice between Indian and Western-style food. If you are vegetarian, India is probably one of the best destinations to visit. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large) bottle of beer is approximately 300-400 rupees (approximately US$4-US$5). Mineral water is available in the bus in large containers. Please bring a water bottle with you to refill. Please note, service in restaurants can be quite slow.
Accommodation
On this adventure through Rajasthan, we spend 12 nights in hotels. The accommodations typically used can be found on the day-to-day itinerary. However, below are a few of the notable hotels on this trip.
Delhi: Bloom Hotel CR Park (night 1 and 12)
In the affluent Chittaranjan Park neighborhood, Bloom Hotel CR Park provides a seamless stay in lively Delhi. Strategically situated in the south of the city, it has convenient access to the bustling business districts and cultural attractions.
Bundi: Ishwari Niwas Hotel (night 4)
Stay in a haveli (mansion) turned heritage hotel. It provides 24 rooms with traditional Bundi décor around an open courtyard with seating. There’s also a multi-cuisine restaurant, which specialises in Rajasthani dishes. The 100-year-old building, constructed during the reign of Maharao Raja Ishwari Singh, is close to the Bundi Palace and other historic attractions.
Udaipur: Paras Mahal Hotel (nights 5-6)
Relax in green gardens overlooking the Aravalli Hills when you stay at the Paras Mahal. Find further chilled moments at the Urvashi Bar, an ideal gathering spot for the group, or with a splash in the pool. It’s also close to the main attractions in Udaipur: the City Palace and Lake Pichola.
Jodhpur: Shree Ram International Hotel (night 7)
There’s plenty to recommend the Shree Ram, most notably a sprawling green garden with plenty of space to wander and relax. There’s also an outdoor pool for a quick dip plus a café-bar stocked with wines, cocktails and more. Elsewhere, there’s The Basil restaurant, serving a variety of cuisines.
Worth knowing
Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are really only a couple of months in the year when the weather can get rather cold. You can request more blankets or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter.
For 2025 departures, the Jaipur accommodation (days 9 & 10) will be 7 Apple Hotel - Jalmahal
Check out our Q&As
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Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?
We are happy to assist with pre and post tour accommodation. Please enquire for detailed information.
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Are flights included in this tour?
International flights are not included with this tour.
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
If you would like to be paired with a tour member of the same gender, there is no additional charge. A single supplement can be requested if you would like your own room.
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
The minimum age for this tour is 16 years old.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes, our local guides are English speaking.
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Who is Exodus Travels?
At Exodus Travels, we've been exploring the world for nearly 50 years. From Walking and Trekking, Cultural and Cycling, Responsible Wildlife, to Polar and our new Premium Adventures, we are proud to offer award-winning small group and self-guided tours to 100+ countries worldwide.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
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