alt="Bird Watching Tour India"
data-bgposition="center bottom"
data-bgfit="cover"
data-bgrepeat="no-repeat"
data-bgparallax="10"
class="rev-slidebg"
data-no-retina
/>
Luxury Train Rajasthan Tour
Overview
Tour Description
Duration : 07 Nights & 08 Days
Destination : Delhi - Jaipur - Sawai Madhopur - Chittor Fort - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Bharatpur - Agra
Accommodation : Modern / Heritage / Palace hotels
Best Time to Visit : October to june
Journey Type : Group & Private Journey
The Palace on Wheels India's first luxury train is the ultimate experience in luxury and culture. Launched by the Indian Railways to promote tourism in Rajasthan, it chugs along the majestic state of Rajasthan and Agra. In 8 days you traverse across some of the most enthralling destinations, soaking in the culture while being pampered onboard. You get, spacious deluxe cabins with attached bathrooms, a personal butler, amenities that include 2 restaurants, a lounge bar and a spa.
Itinerary
Delhi offers over a thousand monuments, old capital buildings including the present seat of the government, the Lok Sabha, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the British architect, and bustling bazaars. In contrast it has some of India's most luxurious and modern hotels, markets and restaurants.
We will spend the first half of the day exploring Delhi and visit popular sites like Humayun's Tomb, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple and India Gate. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will be transferred to the Delhi Cantt Railway Station where the guests are accorded a warm and traditional welcome before the Palace on Wheels pulls out into the night for a week-long luxury cruise through fascinating royal State of Rajasthan.
The first stop of Palace on Wheels is Jaipur, one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. The bazaars teem with people, camels, horses and a multitude of varied vehicles, while around them are magnificent palaces and buildings.
After breakfast, we will head out to tour Jaipur in a luxury coach. Visit Amber Fort, the ancient capital of Jaipur state in the morning. The afternoon city tour will take you to the City Palace whose museum has an extensive collection of art, carpets, enamel ware and weapons. We will also go to Jantar Mantar - the observatory built my Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728 and the facade of Hawa Mahal - the Palace of Winds. We will arrive back at the Palace on Wheels by 6.30 PM and have dinner on board.
The next stop is Sawai Madhopur, which is home to the Ranthambore National Park, one of the biggest wildlife reserves in Northern India. Considered to be the best place to see the Royal Indian Tiger in the wild the park is also home to a variety of fauna like the crocodiles, deer, leopards and blue bulls, and a large species of birds. You can opt for doing both the morning and evening safaris to increase your chances of spotting a tiger in this beautiful and serene forest.
The Palace on Wheels then leaves for Chittorgarh (Chittor Fort), where one gets an opportunity to watch the colourful countryside passing by in the daylight.
After lunch on board, we will deboard at the train and visit Chittor Fort. Chittor Fort, along with other hill forts of Rajasthan was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. Chittorgarh is regarded as the symbol of Rajput chivalry, resistance and bravery. One of the largest in India, it is situated on a 180 meter high hill that rises from the banks of river Berach. There are many palaces and temples within the fort.
Our next stop will be Jaiselmer. Deserts, camels, havelis with jharokas (balconies), sand-stone structures and stunning intricate architecture make Jaisalmer a favourite with not just tourists, but also Hollywood producers like Wes Anderson and Christopher Nolan, who have shot their popular films in the city.
We will visit the magnificent Fort of Jaisalmer, a massive sandcastle rising from the sands, giving us a glimpse of a bygone era and other havelis, visit local markets where you can shop for clothes and artifacts, enjoy local cuisine and stroll through narrow streets soaking in the culture. In the afternoon we will visit the glorious sand dunes on camel back.
Jodhpur is famous for the distinctive colour of its buildings, a reminder of the Brahmins, who used to paint their houses blue to deter insects and keep the dwellings cool during the summer. We will visit this old city encircled by an imposing wall and accessed through eight magnificent gates, which also is home to the majestic Mehrangarh Fort which has the reputation of being the most impressive Rajput fort in India. We will then have lunch at a palace hotel and then head back to the Palace on Wheels.
Palace on Wheels arrive early next morning at Bharatpur, the capital of Maharaja Suraj Mal. After breakfast we will visit the world famous bird sanctuary, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, the nesting place of thousands of Egrets, Siberian Cranes, migratory Water Fowl and other species of birds.
Our last stop is Agra. Here we will make a trip to Fatehpur Sikri, Emperor Akbar's magnificent erstwhile capital city. Constructed out of red sandstone, the fortified city has two different parts. Fatehpur is a religious place, with Jama Masjid (mosque) and the tomb of Sufi saint Salim Chishti located behind the towering Buland Darwaza (Gate of Magnificence). Sikri, the main attraction, houses the palace complex where Emperor Akbar, his three wives, and son lived.
After lunch we will visit the Taj Mahal, the ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river. It was built in the 17th century by the Mughal king Shahjahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the wonders of the world and is called the "symbol of love".
We'll return to the Palace on Wheels for dinner and a good night's sleep. We'll arrive backat the Delhi Cantt Station, New Delhi at 6.00 am the next morning.