Mysteries of India

DAY 1 DELHI

Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting

The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour.

Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

 

DAY 2 DELHI/MANDĀWA

Enjoy a youth-led morning walk through Delhi. Continue on to Colonial New Delhi for an orientation tour then drive to Mandawa village.

Explore the streets of Delhi with a youth-led tour guide, your local guide will have a unique perspective on the city and can provide more information on the life of a child in India.

The guided tour helps support the guide's college or university tuition. Please note that City Walk is closed on Sundays and holidays and this activity will not run on those days.

Colonial New Delhi Orientation Tour, Get a glimpse of the wide boulevards and splendid architecture of the British Raj in this guided tour of colonial New Delhi then take a private Vehicle to Mandāwa

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 3 MANDĀWA/BĪKĀNER

Start the day with a walking tour of Mandawa then drive to Bikaner and stay in a heritage hotel, once the residence of nobility. Visit the town's colourful markets and havelis.

Option to visit a camel breeding centre.

Mandawa Walking Tour, take a tour of the markets, havelis, and other top spots in this charming town. 

We then venture on in a private vehicle to Bīkāner, settle in and scan the scenery.

Havelis of Shekhawati Guided Tour, Walk through these glorious, elaborate, old world mansions and admire their intricately carved exteriors in this walking tour.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 4 BĪKĀNER

Explore traditional markets in the old city of Bikaner with a local expert. Learn about the age-old traditions of bartering and trading tea and spices and how modern business practices are still influenced by the old caravan routes. Later, visit Junagarh Fort and the infamous Karni Mata (rat temple).

Today visit the well-maintained 16th-century Junagarh Fort. Drive down to the small town of Deshnoke (about half an hour away) to visit Karni Mata, where rats are revered by the locals.

Don't have a liking for rats? (Really, it's ok if you don't.) Opt to stay out and enjoy the beautifully carved doorway and the small market nearby.

Explore the Caravan Route, explore traditional markets in the old city of Bikaner with a local expert. Learn about the age-old traditions of bartering and trading in tea and spices through the traditional seats of Kolkata, Kochi, and Bikaner. Even today all the business centres of India, Nepal, and Assam are influenced by these the old caravan routes combining ancient practices with modern business.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle to Junagarh Fort.

This elaborately-carved fort was built between 1589 an 1593 and is one of the oldest forts in India, and is owned by the Bikaner royal family. Check out the intricate screens and balconies inside.

Deshnoke Rat Temple Visit, rats may be considered a menace by most people in India (and around the world), but locals believe that rats are sacred and care for them.

Keep an eye out for a white rat as it's said to be auspicious. There are approximately 20,000 rats at this temple, so if you're squeamish, admire it from outside.

Optional Activities - Day 4Hide

Camel Breeding Centre Visit

50INR per person

Learn about these magnificent creatures known as the "desert horse." The babies are pretty cute, and sometimes ice-cream made out of camel's milk is available for purchase.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 5 BĪKĀNER/JODHPUR

Arrive at the "Blue City" and visit Mehrangarh Fort in the afternoon, built in the 15th century and well-known for its iconic Clock Tower.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle to Jodhpur.

Mehrangarh Fort,visit this breathtakingly beautiful fort located at the top of a cliff, which offers a stunning view of the "Blue City" of Jodhpur below.

Learn about the many battles fought there and get a sense of what it was like to be Rajasthani royalty by visiting its well-stocked museum.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 6 JODHPUR/CHANDELAO

Take a Jeep excursion into the countryside to visit tribal hamlets of Bishnois and Prajapats. Continue on to Chandelao Garh and explore the village and local markets.

Jeep Safari in Jodhpur jump in a Jeep and get ready for a couple of hours of exploring the countryside. Visit with the Bishnoi tribe, Meghawas ceramists (pick up a few pieces of their pottery if you like), and the Prajapat dhurrie carpet weavers. 

Chandelao Garh Village Stay get a taste of life in this village by staying with some locals. Enjoy this unique opportunity to learn about Rajasthani culture.

Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner

 

DAY 7 CHANDELAO

Enjoy Chandelao Garh and explore the village and local markets. Meet with the village elders and teachers to discuss various aspects of daily life, economy, and culture in rural areas.

Also visit the Sunder Rang Project at Chandelao which is striving to help village women become more economically independent by training them in traditional crafts.

Discover Village Life meet with elders and teachers of Chandelao village and discuss various aspects of daily life, economy, and culture in rural areas.

Also visit the Sunder Rang Project at Chandelao which is striving to help village women become more economically independent by training them in traditional crafts.

Chandelao Garh Village Stay Get a taste of life in this village by staying with some locals. Enjoy this unique opportunity to learn about Rajasthani culture.

Free time Chandelao full Day. Enjoy some free time exploring this charming Rajasthani village that gives you a taste of the "real" India.

Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner

 

DAY 8 CHANDELAO/UDAIPUR

Drive to Udaipur, visiting the stunning Ranakpur Jain temples en route. This afternoon, take an orientation walk with your CEO in Udaipur.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Ranakpur Jain Temples, Enjoy a visit to this magnificent white marble temple devoted to Adinath, a god in the Jain religion. Jains believe in "ahimsa," non-violence to all living beings. Built in the 15th century, the temple has 1444 individually carved pillars.

Udaipur go on a guided orientation walk and get to know local markets and key places.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 9 UDAIPUR

Explore the City Palace museum, see Pichola Lake by boat, and visit the Jagdish Temple. For lunch, enjoy a cooking demonstration at the home of a local family.

City Palace, visit Rajasthan's largest palace to get a sense of how royalty lived. Take in the view from one of its many intricately-decorated balconies, with one side facing the stunning Lake Palace.

Pichola Lake Boat sit back and relax on this amazing boat tour on Pichola Lake. The views of the city and gorgeous palaces, including City Palace, cannot be beat.

Jagdish Temple, Visit the intricately-carved Jagdish Temple, which pays homage to Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation. Make sure to take a peek at the black stoned image of Vishnu that's housed inside the shrine.

Enjoy a cooking demonstration and lunch in Udaipur at the home of a local family. Experience a warm welcome with a garland and gain deeper insight into family life and customs of India’s middle class.

Watch a cooking demonstration of traditional Rajasthani curries and then sit down together for lunch, marvelling at incredible tastes and embracing this memorable cultural immersion.

Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch

 

DAY 10 UDAIPUR/JOJAWAR

Stay at a heritage home in Jojawar village and take a train safari through the picturesque Aravali mountains.

Train Safari Jojawar1h-2h

Enjoy a small train safari with the local villagers through the picturesque mountains of the Aravali Range.

Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner

 

DAY 11 JOJAWAR/JAIPUR

Drive to Jaipur, the capital of the state of Rajasthan.

After breakfast, drive to Jaipur, the capital of the state of Rajasthan. Jaipur is known as the "Pink City" after the rusty colour that many of the houses are painted. With beautiful palaces, forts, gardens, temples, and unending market streets, it's a city with a lot to offer.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 12 JAIPUR

Visit the 15th century Amber Fort which was the former capital of the region. Take a photo stop at the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) and visit the City Palace Museum and Jantar Mantar Observatory.

Amber Fort, Explore this magnificent fort overlooking an artificial lake, famous for its unique mixture of Hindu and Muslim architecture.

City Palace Visit Jaipur 1h

Explore the courtyards, gardens, and buildings that make up the City Palace. Located in the heart of the Old City, it is a striking blend of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture.

Visit the palace's museum to look at ancient carriages and the former maharaja's gold-embroidered wedding outfit.

Visit the Jantar Mantar observatory to see how people looked at the stars and planets in ancient India. Explore the collection of astronomical instruments housed there, some dating back to 1727.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 13 JAIPUR/ĀGRA

Drive to Agra, stopping to visit the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, built by Mughal Emperor Akbar. In Agra, visit the famed Agra Fort.

Fatehpur Sīkri, Explore the magnificent red sandstone fort city that was once the capital of India's Mughal Empire and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Keep an eye out for elements of different religions, as King Akbar built three palaces for each of his favorite wives—a Hindu, a Muslim, and a Christian—in the city.

Enjoy your visit to this impressive Mughal fort made of red sandstone and white marble.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 14 ĀGRA/DELHI

Rise early to visit the world-famous Taj Mahal and enjoy the stunning sunrise views. Continue to Delhi.

Tāj Mahal – Āgra

Cross one off your bucket list as you visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Explore the gorgeous white marble mausoleum, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a testament of his love for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Free Time Delhi Evening

Take this opportunity to explore the rich colonial architecture, Mughal ruins, or wonderful shops of this capital city.

Meals included: Breakfast

 

DAY 15 DELHI

Depart at any time.