This is Rajasthan with the doors open: a fifteen-day journey staying in family-run havelis, fort-homes and farms rather than hotels. You dine on ramparts at Ramathra, learn recipes at family tables and walk villages where guests are still news. Between stays, the icons of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur appear on cue. As ever, everything is private and shaped around you. In short, this is the Rajasthan most visitors never meet.
Hotels show you Rajasthan; homestays introduce you to it. So your hosts are often the families who built these forts and farms generations ago. Conversation, not a concierge desk, shapes each day. Meanwhile, the comfort levels remain genuinely high. As a result, the welcome becomes the holiday’s heart.
First, begin at Dharampura Haveli, a lovingly restored mansion deep in Old Delhi. Arrive on a Thursday and you may catch Sufi Qawwali singing under the courtyard stars. The next day, ride a cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk to the Jama Masjid. Then, by contrast, see Lutyens’ grand New Delhi. The capital’s two worlds set the tone.
Next, the Gatimaan Express whisks you to Agra for the Fort, the Baby Taj and a hidden village view of the Taj Mahal. Then comes Chambal Safari Lodge, ninety minutes on. Here a camel safari reaches the ruins at Ater. On the river, meanwhile, a boat finds gharial, muggers and turtles. Afterwards, the haveli village of Holipura, whose people trace their roots to Alexander’s army, welcomes you for tea.
From the rivers, drive to Ramathra Fort, home to the same family for centuries. So afternoons bring village walks among cattle herders, and evenings bring sunset boats on the lake. A wilderness drive reaches Gujar hamlets, a dramatic gorge and a cave temple. With luck, the Daang plateau shows wolf, hyena or even leopard. Few stays anywhere feel this storied.
Then Jaipur offers the city chapter, from the artisan quarters to the City Palace and Hawa Mahal, with the Amber Fort close by. You stay at Khas Bagh, a charming father-and-son homestay with a superb cookery demonstration. From there, rural Shahpura Bagh brings farm visits and a hike to a hilltop tribal temple where wishes famously come true. Finally, dinner on the ramparts of the family’s ancestral fort, Dhikhola, crowns the stay.
Next comes Deogarh and the delightful Dev Shree. One morning, ride the little metre-gauge train through the Aravalli Hills. That afternoon, an artisan walk meets the potter, the henna painter, the miniature artist and the silversmith, with chai along the way. Afterwards, finish at Bujera Fort outside Udaipur, the City of Lakes. The journey ends as personally as it began.
The travelling itself stays gentle. So drives run three to five hours, broken by villages, forts and chai stalls. Your own car and driver carry you door to door. Meanwhile, each host hands you on like a family friend. As a result, fifteen days pass in a heartbeat.
Expect Rajasthan’s best home cooking. So laal maas, garden vegetables and grandmother’s recipes appear nightly. Cookery demonstrations are offered at several stays. Equally, dietary needs are handled with easy grace. You will eat better than in any palace.
This journey suits the curious. So returning India hands love its depth, while adventurous first-timers thrive on it. Photographers and food lovers, in particular, are spoiled. After all, people are the subject here. Box-tickers should look to the classics instead.
Plan for the cooler months, from October to March. So village walks, camel rides and rampart dinners all happen in kind weather. Festival dates add colour, from Diwali lamps to Holi powder. Meanwhile, winter evenings by the fire suit the fort-homes perfectly. We will time it all for you.
The homestay spirit travels well. So pair this route with the icons on our Classic Rajasthan, or go deeper still with Hidden Rajasthan. Equally, a beach finale in Kerala or the Maldives lands softly after the desert. Just tell us where to point the car.
These families are our friends, not listings. So the right rooms, the right seasons and the right introductions are all arranged. Our partners on the ground are on call throughout your trip. As a result, doors open that money alone cannot. That is the whole magic of this route.
In the end, it is the people you remember. So the host who walked you to the temple and the cook who shared her secrets stay vivid for years. Many travellers keep in touch with their hosts long after. Meanwhile, the forts and farms wait for a return visit. One journey here is rarely the last.
Very. These are heritage homes with proper bathrooms and lovely rooms. So character comes with comfort, not instead of it.
October to March is ideal, with festivals adding sparkle. By contrast, summer is fierce. We will advise on your dates.
Entirely. Every itinerary is private and shaped around you. Simply share your dates and interests, and we will craft the rest.
| £4500P.P |
|---|
| Days | Location | Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1-2 | Delhi | Dharampura Haveli |
| Day 3-4 | Chambal | Chambal Safari |
| Day 5-6 | Sapotara | Ramathra Fort |
| Day 7-8 | Jaipur | Khas Bagh |
| Day 9-10 | Shahpura | Shahpura Bagh |
| Day 11-12 | Deogarh | Dev Shree |
| Day 13-14 | Udaipur | Bujera Fort |
First, arrive in Delhi, where we meet you and transfer to Dharampura Haveli. This beautiful haveli sits in the heart of Old Delhi. If you arrive on a Thursday, you might catch the Sufi Qawwali singing. Otherwise, we suggest a gentle first day. Later, take a stroll through Old Delhi to get your bearings.
Today is for exploring Delhi properly. Begin at the Red Fort. Then ride a cycle rickshaw through the colourful markets of Chandni Chowk, emerging at the Jama Masjid mosque. We usually start in Old Delhi, the historic Mughal capital. From there, continue on foot through the markets. Alternatively, drive down to New Delhi to see the magnificent architecture Edwin Lutyens created for the British Raj.
Rise early and board the Gatimaan Express to Agra, about an hour and a half in Executive Class of course. Your driver meets you beside the carriage. First, see the sights of Agra, such as Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-Daulah. Then walk through the villages across the Taj Mahal for a hidden view of the city. Afterwards, continue to Chambal, a superb homestay, about ninety minutes away. Finally, set out on an afternoon camel safari to the magnificent ruins at Ater.
This morning, take a boat on the Chambal River to spot gharials, muggers and turtles. Then drive into the country between the Chambal and Yamuna rivers, where blackbuck are common. On the way back, pause at the Bateshwar temples. Here some forty riverside shrines honour Shiva, their ghats much like those of Varanasi. Afterwards, continue to the small village of Holipura. Its people trace their roots to Alexander’s Greek army. A local villager then guides you among the old havelis, ending with tea in his home.
Drive on to Ramathra, about five hours, reaching the fort in time for lunch. In the afternoon, set out on a three-hour walk through Ramathra village, known for its cattle herders and timeless traditions. Afterwards, return for tea. Finally, head off on a sunset boat journey.
Today brings another day to explore. First, set off on a wilderness drive to Gujar hamlets, a dramatic gorge and a cave temple. Then return to Ramathra for a picnic lunch by the lake. Spend the afternoon at leisure. Alternatively, take a longer trip to the City Palace at Karauli and the temple of Madanmohanji. Karauli also has a lively bazaar, famous for bangle-making. For wildlife lovers, an evening drive crosses the Daang plateau towards the Chambal valley. Tigers once roamed here. Today, you may see deer, blue bull, wolf, jackal, hyena and fox, and, with luck, a boar, bear or leopard.
Next, drive to Jaipur, about five hours. We think the afternoon is best spent with your feet up beside the pool. If you fancy, Khas Bagh offers a superb cookery demonstration. For the more active, we can arrange a cycling trip through local villages. After all, Khas Bagh is a lovely homestay, run by a father-and-son team.
Spend the day in and around Jaipur. First, explore the city on foot, starting in the artisan quarters. Then visit the ornate City Palace, the Jantar Mantar observatory and the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds. Afterwards, you are close to the magnificent Amber Fort, seat of the old royal family.
Now you head back into rural Rajasthan. So drive about five hours to Shahpura, an area of stunning natural beauty. That afternoon, visit the family’s farm. As a result, this luxury homestay quickly feels like home.
Today you explore the village of Shahpura. First, see the temple at Ram Dwara and its lovely stepwell. Then hike up to a famous tribal temple on a wooded hill. At weekends, communities travel from up to fifty miles away to give thanks. Legend says wishes made at the top come true, and many climb barefoot. Afterwards, return for tea. Finally, head to the family’s ancestral fort, Dhikhola, for a dramatic dinner on the ramparts.
Then continue to Deogarh, about three hours. That afternoon, set off on the ‘Sundowner Rural Ramble’. So you pass through local villages and temples, then stop for a dramatic sunset. Meanwhile, this charming homestay is your home for the next two nights.
In the morning, take a wonderful train journey through the Aravalli Hills on a small metre-gauge line. It leaves Kamblighat around 10:30 and reaches Phulad by 12:15. Then return to Dev Shree for lunch. In the afternoon, set off on an artisan walk in Deogarh. First, meet the potter and try the wheel yourself. Along the way, you also meet the henna painter, flag maker, miniature artist, grocer and silversmith. Pause for tea at a local chai stall. Afterwards, return for a cookery workshop. For those wanting longer, we can add trekking, cycling or simply time with the family.
Drive south to Udaipur. If forts and temples appeal, take a short detour to the Jain temples at Ranakpur and the dramatic fort at Kumbhalgarh. Once in the city, you settle in at Bujera Fort.
This morning, set off on a short walking tour of Udaipur, taking in the City Palace en route. Afterwards, we suggest a relaxed afternoon. So put your feet up and enjoy the lakeside calm.
Finally, take a private transfer to the airport. Plenty of flights run to Delhi or Mumbai for your onward journey home. Of course, you can always extend your time in India.
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If you like to travel and leave no stone unturned, then this long itinerary might be one to base your ideas around. Take in all that Rajasthan has to offer seeing it from top to toe.
We arrange totally bespoke trips and design an itinerary that is designed around you. You may have seen a suggested itinerary that we can base your plans around, or we can start with a blank sheet and paper and design something from scratch. You can leave a phone number and suggest a time to call you back, and we can also arrange to do this during the evenings or at weekends if you are busy during the daytime. We can also meet up with you in you fancy a coffee and are based in and around London.