About This Tour
Overview
This 19-night odyssey is Rajasthan in its fullest expression — a grand anti-clockwise circuit from the imperial capital to the Thar Desert, the lake cities, the tiger jungles and back. Begin in Delhi with its seven-empire landmarks and cycle-rickshaw lanes. Head into the Shekhawati region for Mandawa, the open-air art gallery of painted havelis. Push into the desert for Bikaner — Junagarh Fort and the camel-breeding farm — then deep into the Thar for Jaisalmer, the golden city carved of honey-coloured sandstone, with a desert campfire at the Sam Sand Dunes. Return through the blue city of Jodhpur, where the mighty Mehrangarh Fort towers over the old town, and continue to Udaipur, the City of Lakes, for the City Palace and a sunset cruise on Lake Pichola. Drive east via the epic citadel of Chittorgarh to Kota, then enter tiger country at Ranthambore National Park for dawn and dusk safaris. Finish with the rose-pink Jaipur, the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri, the Taj Mahal at Agra, and a return to Delhi for departure.
Duration
19 Nights / 20 Days
Tour Type
Heritage · Desert · Wildlife · Lakes · Private
Region
North India · Shekhawati · Thar · Rajasthan
UNESCO Sites
Jantar Mantar · Chittorgarh · Taj · Fatehpur Sikri · Agra Fort
Wildlife & Desert
Ranthambore Tigers · Sam Dunes · Camel Farm
Languages
Hindi, English, Rajasthani, Marwari
Top Experiences
Highlights
Golden City Jaisalmer
The honey-hued Jaisalmer Fort, ornate havelis of the merchant princes, and a desert campfire beneath the Sam Sand Dunes
Blue City Jodhpur
The towering Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada's marble cenotaph, and the indigo lanes of the old city
City of Lakes, Udaipur
The white marble City Palace, a sunset cruise on Lake Pichola, and the romantic floating Lake Palace
Ranthambore Tiger Safaris
Dawn and dusk jeep safaris among ruined temples and lakes — among India's best odds of seeing a wild Bengal tiger
Pink City & Havelis
Mandawa's painted havelis, Amber Fort's elephant gate, Hawa Mahal, and the Jantar Mantar observatory
Taj Mahal & Fatehpur Sikri
The marble wonder at golden hour, the Agra Fort, and Akbar's ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri on the road home
Visual Journey
The Rajput Heartland at a Glance
What's Covered
Includes / Excludes
✓ Included
- Accommodation on twin sharing basis as per the itinerary
- Daily breakfast at all hotels
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- 2 jeep safaris in Ranthambore National Park with park entrance fees
- Entry tickets — Jaisalmer Fort & havelis, Mehrangarh Fort, City Palace Udaipur, Chittorgarh Fort, Amber Fort, City Palace Jaipur, Jantar Mantar, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri
- Desert campfire with cultural folk dance at the Sam Sand Dunes
- Sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola, Udaipur & camel ride at Bikaner camel farm
- Cycle-rickshaw ride in Old Delhi & local guides in Delhi, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaipur & Agra
- Airport transfers (Delhi arrival & departure)
✕ Not Included
- International flights to & from India
- India e-visa / visa fees
- Lunches & dinners (unless specified)
- Travel insurance
- Camera / video permits at monuments
- Personal expenses, gratuities & tips
- Optional activities (hot-air balloon, extra safaris, camel treks) not listed
Day by Day
Itinerary
Day01
Arrive Delhi
Arrival · Transfer & leisure
Delhi
- Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Meet our representative and transfer to your hotel.
- Evening at leisure — an optional first walk through Connaught Place or a welcome dinner of North Indian delicacies.
- Overnight stay in Delhi.
Day02
Delhi — Old & New
Full-day city tour
Old Delhi · New Delhi
- Old Delhi: cycle-rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, past the Red Fort (exterior), the great Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat.
- New Delhi: drive along Rajpath past India Gate, the Presidential Palace and Parliament House.
- Afternoon visits to Humayun's Tomb (UNESCO), the 13th-century Qutub Minar (UNESCO) and the Lotus Temple.
- Overnight stay in Delhi.
Day03
Delhi – Mandawa
230 km / 05 hrs
Mandawa · Shekhawati
- Drive into the Shekhawati region — the 'open-air art gallery of Rajasthan'.
- Evening walk through Mandawa's painted havelis: frescoed facades of gods, trains and Englishmen on merchant mansions.
- Overnight stay in a restored Mandawa haveli heritage hotel.
Day04
Mandawa – Bikaner
260 km / 05 hrs
Bikaner
- Drive deeper into the desert to Bikaner, the 'camel country' of Rajasthan.
- Afternoon tour of the red sandstone Junagarh Fort — never conquered in its 400-year history.
- Visit the National Camel Breeding Farm and take a short camel ride at sunset.
- Overnight stay in Bikaner.
Day05
Bikaner – Jaisalmer
330 km / 06–07 hrs
Jaisalmer
- Long desert drive south-west to Jaisalmer, the golden city of the Thar.
- Evening arrival; first glimpse of the honey-coloured Jaisalmer Fort glowing at dusk.
- Overnight stay in Jaisalmer.
Day06
Jaisalmer & the Sam Sand Dunes
Desert campfire · Dunes
Jaisalmer
- Morning tour of the living Jaisalmer Fort and the carved facades of Patwon Ki Haveli and Salim Singh Ki Haveli.
- Afternoon excursion to the Sam Sand Dunes — camel ride and jeep across rolling Thar sands.
- Evening desert campfire with Rajasthani folk music and dance beneath the stars.
- Overnight stay in Jaisalmer.
Day07
Jaisalmer – Jodhpur
285 km / 05 hrs
Jaisalmer · Jodhpur
- Drive south to Jodhpur, the blue city of Rajasthan.
- Evening arrival and check-in; a sunset view over the old city's indigo rooftops.
- Overnight stay in Jodhpur.
Day08
Jodhpur — Blue City
Mehrangarh Fort & old city
Jodhpur
- Morning tour of the mighty Mehrangarh Fort — among the largest forts in India, with its galleries and rampart views over the blue city.
- Visit the marble cenotaphs of Jaswant Thada and walk the indigo lanes of the old town and Sardar Market.
- Optional afternoon visit to Umaid Bhawan Palace and its museum.
- Overnight stay in Jodhpur.
Day09
Jodhpur – Udaipur
260 km / 05 hrs
Jodhpur · Udaipur
- Drive south through the Aravalli hills to Udaipur, the 'City of Lakes' and Venice of the East.
- Afternoon arrival; check in with views over Lake Pichola.
- Evening at leisure along the lake promenade.
- Overnight stay in Udaipur.
Day10
Udaipur — City of Lakes
City Palace & Lake Pichola
Udaipur
- Morning tour of the City Palace (UNESCO) — the largest royal complex in Rajasthan overlooking Lake Pichola.
- Visit the Jagdish Temple and the fountains and courtyards of Saheliyon Ki Bari.
- Sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola past the floating Lake Palace and Jag Mandir.
- Overnight stay in Udaipur.
Day11
Udaipur — Leisure
Optional excursions
Udaipur
- Day at leisure in the lake city — optional excursions to the Kumbhalgarh Fort (the Great Wall of India) or the village of Shilpgram.
- Or an optional ayurvedic spa at your heritage hotel.
- Overnight stay in Udaipur.
Day12
Udaipur – Chittorgarh – Kota
280 km / 06 hrs
Chittorgarh · Kota
- Drive east to the epic citadel of Chittorgarh (UNESCO) — the largest fort in India, scene of legendary sieges, with the Vijay Stambh and Rani Padmini's palace.
- Continue to Kota, the industrial city on the Chambal River.
- Evening arrival; overnight stay in Kota.
Day13
Kota – Ranthambore
220 km / 04–05 hrs
Kota · Ranthambore
- Drive to Sawai Madhopur, gateway to Ranthambore National Park.
- Afternoon arrival and check-in at your jungle lodge; naturalist briefing before tomorrow's safaris.
- Overnight stay near Ranthambore.
Day14
Ranthambore — Tiger Safaris
Dawn & dusk jeep safaris
Ranthambore
- Dawn jeep safari into the park — tigers, leopards, sloth bears and crocodiles around the lakes.
- Midday break; visit the 10th-century Ranthambore Fort (UNESCO) with its Ganesh and Shiva temples.
- Afternoon safari through a different zone for the best chance of a big cat sighting.
- Overnight stay near Ranthambore.
Day15
Ranthambore – Jaipur
180 km / 03–04 hrs
Ranthambore · Jaipur
- Morning at leisure after the safaris, then drive to Jaipur, the rose-pink capital of Rajasthan.
- En route, stop at the hill-top Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri — a geometric marvel of 3,500 steps.
- Evening arrival and check-in; a first glimpse of the illuminated Hawa Mahal from your car.
- Overnight stay in Jaipur.
Day16
Jaipur — Pink City
Amber Fort & city tour
Jaipur
- Morning tour of the Amber Fort — ascend by elephant or jeep through the Sun Gate to the mirror-work Sheesh Mahal.
- Photograph the five-storey honeycomb facade of the Hawa Mahal, then visit the City Palace courtyards and museums.
- Explore the Jantar Mantar observatory (UNESCO) and shop for block prints and gemstones in the old city bazaars.
- Overnight stay in Jaipur.
Day17
Jaipur – Fatehpur Sikri – Agra
240 km / 05 hrs
Fatehpur Sikri · Agra
- Drive towards Agra, stopping at Fatehpur Sikri (UNESCO) — Akbar's red-sandstone capital with the Buland Darwaza and Panch Mahal.
- Continue to Agra; late afternoon visit to the Taj Mahal (UNESCO) at golden hour.
- Overnight stay in Agra.
Day18
Agra — Taj Sunrise & Agra Fort
Sunrise Taj · Fort
Agra
- Early morning visit to the Taj Mahal at sunrise — the marble glowing pink over the Yamuna.
- Mid-morning tour of the Agra Fort (UNESCO), from whose balconies Shah Jahan gazed at the Taj.
- Afternoon at leisure or optional visit to the Itmad-ud-Daulah 'Baby Taj'.
- Overnight stay in Agra.
Day19
Agra – Delhi
205 km / 04 hrs
Agra · Delhi
- Drive back to Delhi along the Yamuna Expressway.
- Afternoon arrival; the evening is free for final shopping at Dilli Haat or Khan Market.
- Overnight stay in Delhi.
Day20
Leave Delhi
Airport transfer
Departure
- Morning at leisure before your private transfer to Indira Gandhi International Airport.
- Fly onwards — phir milenge, and we look forward to hosting you on your next India journey.
Where You'll Stay
Hotels
Delhi
5★ Heritage Hotel — 2 Nights
Central location near Connaught Place
Central location near Connaught Place
Mandawa
Heritage Haveli Hotel — 1 Night
Restored 18th-century fortress haveli
Restored 18th-century fortress haveli
Bikaner
5★ Palace Hotel — 1 Night
Red sandstone heritage property
Red sandstone heritage property
Jaisalmer
5★ Desert Resort — 2 Nights
Golden-stone property near the fort
Golden-stone property near the fort
Jodhpur
5★ Boutique Hotel — 2 Nights
Blue-city boutique facing Mehrangarh
Blue-city boutique facing Mehrangarh
Udaipur
5★ Lakefront Palace — 3 Nights
Floating palace on Lake Pichola
Floating palace on Lake Pichola
Kota
Boutique Haveli Hotel — 1 Night
Boutique haveli on the Chambal
Boutique haveli on the Chambal
Ranthambore
Jungle Lodge — 2 Nights
Lodge at the park's edge
Lodge at the park's edge
Jaipur
5★ Palace Hotel — 2 Nights
Former Maharaja's residence
Former Maharaja's residence
Agra
5★ Heritage Hotel — 2 Nights
Taj Mahal views from every room
Taj Mahal views from every room
Delhi (Return)
5★ Heritage Hotel — 1 Night
Final night before departure
Final night before departure
We will arrange and confirm your hotel stays as per the trip and budget — hotel options are not fixed and can be customised to your preference. Contact us for details
Good to Know
FAQs
What is the best time for this odyssey?
- October to March is ideal — warm desert days, crisp nights, and clear skies across Rajasthan. February–May offers the best Ranthambore tiger sightings as the jungle dries out.
Do I need a visa for India?
- Yes — most nationalities can apply for an India e-Visa online (valid 30 days, double entry) well before travel. Our team can guide you through the application.
Are the desert drives comfortable?
- All drives are in a private air-conditioned vehicle with plenty of chai and photo stops. The longest day is Bikaner to Jaisalmer (~6–7 hrs) — broken by lunch and village viewpoints.
How likely am I to see a tiger at Ranthambore?
- Ranthambore has a resident population of around 70 tigers. With two safaris in different zones, sightings are very likely — and the ruined forts and lakes make every drive rewarding.
What should I pack?
- Light cottons for day, a warm layer for desert and winter nights, neutral colours for safari, comfortable walking shoes for forts, modest clothing for temples, sunscreen, a scarf for the dunes and a hat.
Can I extend this tour?
- Yes — popular add-ons include the Pushkar Camel Fair (November), a Ranthambore hot-air balloon, Jaisalmer's desert camping night, or a Mumbai & Elephanta finale. Just share your dates.
Full Route
Tour Map