Rajasthan Tour Package 6 Nights 7 Days

Amber: Go early. The fort dates to 1592 and the ramp up fills with visitors and elephants by ten. The Sheesh Mahal inside is inlaid with mirror work that lights the whole chamber from a single candle.

Jaigarh: Above Amber, holding Jaivana - once the largest wheeled cannon in the world, and never fired in battle.

Jal Mahal: Photographed from the causeway; the palace sits in Man Sagar lake and is not open to visitors.

Nahargarh: Sunset over the whole city from the ridge.

• Top Places to Cover: Amber Fort, Sheesh Mahal, Jaigarh Fort, Jaivana cannon, Jal Mahal, Nahargarh Fort.
• Importance of Each Place: Amber, Jaigarh and Nahargarh are connected by fortified walls and were designed as a single defensive system for the Kachwaha rulers.
• Things to Know: Elephant rides at Amber are limited daily and ethically contested; jeeps run the same route. Amber opens at 8 am and the first hour is the best.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Jaipur

To Pushkar: About 145 km west. The lake has 52 ghats and the Brahma temple here is one of very few dedicated to Brahma anywhere in India.

The Town: Pushkar is strictly vegetarian and alcohol-free by local rule, and the main bazaar around the lake is one of the better places in Rajasthan for textiles and silver.

On to Jodhpur: Another 190 km, arriving in the evening.

• Top Places to Cover: Pushkar Lake, Brahma temple, the 52 ghats, Pushkar bazaar, Savitri temple.
• Importance of Each Place: Pushkar hosts one of the largest camel fairs in the world each November, when the town population multiplies several times over.
• Things to Know: Shoes and leather must be removed before approaching the ghats. Self-appointed priests will offer a puja and then demand a fixed donation - decline politely if you do not want it.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Jodhpur

Mehrangarh: Standing 400 ft above the city on a sandstone bluff, begun in 1459 by Rao Jodha. It is among the best-preserved and best-curated forts in India, and the museum inside is genuinely worth the time rather than an afterthought.

Jaswant Thada: A marble cenotaph from 1899 a short walk on, built for Maharaja Jaswant Singh II.

The Blue City: The old town below the walls, where indigo-washed houses give Jodhpur its name. The colour was traditionally associated with Brahmin households.

Evening: The clock tower and Sardar Market for spices and textiles.

• Top Places to Cover: Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, the blue city lanes, Clock Tower, Sardar Market, Toorji ka Jhalra stepwell.
• Importance of Each Place: Mehrangarh has never been taken by force. The cannonball marks on the second gate are from a Jaipur army attack that failed.
• Things to Know: The fort audio guide is included with entry and is among the best in India - take it. Sardar Market vendors quote high; expect to negotiate.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Jodhpur

The Drive: About 250 km and five hours south.

Ranakpur: A 15th-century Jain temple to Adinatha, supported by 1,444 marble pillars, no two carved alike. The light moves through it differently through the day, which is why the timing of your visit changes what you see.

Arrival: Reach Udaipur by evening.

• Top Places to Cover: Ranakpur Jain temple, Kumbhalgarh (optional detour), Udaipur.
• Importance of Each Place: Ranakpur is one of the five principal pilgrimage sites of Jainism and the pillar carving is among the finest marble work in India.
• Things to Know: Leather items including belts and wallets are not permitted inside. Non-Jain visitors are admitted only between set hours, usually from noon.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Udaipur

City Palace: The largest palace complex in Rajasthan, built over four centuries on the eastern shore of Lake Pichola.

On the Water: A boat to Jag Mandir island, passing the Lake Palace - now a hotel, and familiar to anyone who has seen Octopussy, which was filmed here in 1983.

Saheliyon ki Bari: A fountain garden built for the ladies of the court, with fountains that run on water pressure alone and no pump.

Sajjangarh: The monsoon palace on the ridge, for sunset over the lakes.

• Top Places to Cover: City Palace, Lake Pichola, Jag Mandir, Saheliyon ki Bari, Sajjangarh, Jagdish temple.
• Importance of Each Place: Udaipur was founded in 1559 after Chittorgarh fell, and was chosen for the lakes, which made it defensible in a way the old capital was not.
• Things to Know: Boat tickets to Jag Mandir are separate from palace entry and sell out at sunset. Sajjangarh requires a forest department vehicle for the last stretch.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Udaipur

Last Morning: Breakfast, then transfer to Maharana Pratap Airport or Udaipur City station.

• Top Places to Cover: Udaipur airport, Udaipur City station, Shilpgram (optional).
• Things to Know: Udaipur airport is 22 km out; allow an hour. Shilpgram crafts village is a reasonable stop if your flight is late.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Journey ends