Forts, Palaces, Tigers & Leopards of India – A Rajasthan Journey

On arrival at Delhi International Airport you are met by our representative and transferred in a private vehicle to your hotel. Today is deliberately kept flexible so you can recover from the flight and ease into India at your own pace. After checking in, choose to rest, enjoy the hotel facilities or take a gentle walk in the surrounding neighbourhood. If energy permits, your escort can suggest a nearby café or viewpoint for a first glimpse of the city. This unhurried beginning sets a relaxed tone for your Rajasthan journey and helps you settle comfortably into the experience ahead.

After breakfast you begin exploring Delhi, the northern gateway to Golden Triangle India. Start in Old Delhi with a visit to Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, before driving past the iconic Red Fort. Climb into a cycle rickshaw to weave through Chandni Chowk’s bustling market lanes filled with spices, textiles and street food. In the afternoon, discover New Delhi’s grand boulevards, colonial-era government buildings and leafy roundabouts, perhaps stopping at India Gate or a contemporary café. Throughout the day your guide shares stories that connect ancient empires, British rule and modern India, giving context for the rest of your journey.

After breakfast you leave Delhi by road for Agra, a key stop on the Golden Triangle India route, driving for around four hours through fields and small towns. On arrival you check in and take a short break before visiting Sheroes Hangout, a remarkable café and advocacy space run by women survivors of acid attacks. Later in the afternoon, join a guided Agra street food walk, sampling favourites such as bedhai kachori, chaats, jalebi and the city’s famous petha. As you taste and talk, you gain a richer sense of Agra’s everyday life beyond its Mughal monuments.

Rise before dawn to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise, when its marble shifts gently from soft pink to glowing white as the light changes. Your guide explains the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal and the extraordinary craftsmanship behind this monument. After returning to the hotel for breakfast you depart by road for Ranthambore, driving five to six hours through rural Rajasthan. On arrival you check in at your lodge, unwind and perhaps enjoy a drink around the fire, listening to night sounds from the surrounding forest before dinner.

Today is devoted to exploring Ranthambore’s forested valleys, lakes and rocky plateaus on morning and afternoon game drives. At first light you head into the park with an expert naturalist, scanning for tigers, leopards, sloth bears, deer, langurs and countless birds amid palace ruins and banyan trees. Return to the lodge for breakfast, rest and lunch before venturing out again as the afternoon cools. Each drive reveals different moods and wildlife, and even without a tiger sighting the sense of place, history and wilderness makes time here deeply memorable. Evening brings dinner and relaxed conversation back at the lodge.

After a relaxed breakfast you leave Ranthambore and drive towards Jaipur, a journey of about four hours through villages, farmland and low rocky hills. Along the way you may stop briefly for tea or photographs as everyday Rajasthan unfolds outside the window. Arriving in Jaipur around midday or early afternoon, you check into your hotel and have time to rest or enjoy the pool. Later, if you wish, your escort can lead a short orientation walk near the old city walls, giving a first glimpse of Jaipur’s markets and distinctive terracotta buildings before an evening at leisure.

Today you dive into Jaipur’s royal and culinary traditions. Begin at Amber Fort, exploring its courtyards, gateways and glittering Sheesh Mahal with sweeping views over the hills. Continue to City Palace to see courtyards, museums and artefacts from Jaipur’s ruling family. In the afternoon, stroll through colourful bazaars where jewellers, textile merchants and spice sellers keep traditional crafts and flavours alive.Late evening, visit a welcoming local home for a hands-on cooking lesson and dinner with a Rajasthani family, learning how everyday dishes are prepared and shared.It is a day rich in both palace grandeur and intimate home hospitality.

After breakfast you depart Jaipur and travel towards Bundi, driving for roughly two to three hours through countryside dotted with fields, hamlets and temple spires. On arrival you check into your characterful heritage hotel and have some time to freshen up. In the afternoon, explore Garh Palace and Taragarh Fort, admiring fading murals, gateways and wide views over the town. Later, visit one of Bundi’s historic stepwells to appreciate the stone carving and ingenious water architecture. Evening is free to wander the quiet streets or relax back at the property enjoying the slower pace.

Today you journey from Bundi to Udaipur, a longer but engaging drive of around five to six hours through farmland, villages and wooded hills in the Aravalli range. There are opportunities to pause for tea, photographs and leg-stretches along the way. Arriving in Udaipur by afternoon, you check into your hotel and take time to refresh. Later, enjoy a shared boat ride on Lake Pichola to visit Jag Mandir, an island palace with arcades, gardens and lake views, before returning to the city as lights begin to glow across the water.

After breakfast you explore the City Palace complex, wandering through its courtyards, halls and former royal apartments decorated with tiles, glasswork and miniature paintings. From balconies and terraces you enjoy views of Lake Pichola and the surrounding city. Continue to Jagdish Temple, an active place of worship known for intricate stone carvings and devotional music. In the afternoon, take a guided walk through the old city’s lanes, meeting artisans who work with painting, jewellery or textiles and pausing for chai or small-scale shopping at family-run stalls. The day captures both Udaipur’s royal heritage and its everyday creative life.

After breakfast you depart Udaipur for Jawai Rajasthan, driving around two to three hours through rolling countryside, small villages and grazing lands. On arrival at your wilderness camp or lodge you check in, enjoy lunch and settle into the peaceful surroundings. In the late afternoon, set out on your first leopard safari Jawai Rajasthan experience by open 4WD with an expert local naturalist. You explore granite outcrops, valleys and reservoir edges, scanning for leopards on rocks and watching for crocodiles and birdlife before returning for dinner under a star-filled sky.

Today is dedicated to Jawai’s wild granite hills and cultural landscape. At first light you head out on a morning jeep safari, searching for leopards returning to caves after night-time roaming and watching the sky fill with birds. After breakfast back at camp the late morning and early afternoon are free to rest, swim or read, or join an optional visit to a Rabari village to learn about herding traditions. In the afternoon, another game drive offers fresh chances to see wildlife in changing light, followed by a relaxed evening around the campfire.

After a final relaxed breakfast at Jawai you bid farewell to the camp staff and depart by road for Jodhpur, a drive of roughly two and a half to three and a half hours depending on the route. The journey passes grazing flocks, farms and gradually busier settlements as you approach the city. On arrival you check into your heritage hotel and have time to rest or enjoy rooftop views of Mehrangarh Fort. Later you might choose a gentle stroll near the clock tower and Sardar Market before an evening at leisure.

This morning you visit Mehrangarh Fort, entering through massive gates to explore courtyards, galleries and former royal apartments decorated with paintings, textiles and carved stone. From the ramparts you enjoy sweeping views over Jodhpur’s blue houses and desert horizon. Later, descend to the old city to wander markets where stalls overflow with spices, fabrics, bangles and everyday goods. Your guide helps you navigate lanes, meet local vendors and shop thoughtfully before returning to the hotel to relax and savour your final evening in Rajasthan. The combination of fort, market and skyline leaves a lasting final impression.