Rajasthan Tour 7 Nights / 8 Days from Delhi – Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner & Mandawa

Pickup from Delhi airport, railway station or your hotel and drive to Jaipur on the Delhi – Jaipur highway, with a tea break near Neemrana. Check in, and in the evening visit the Birla Mandir and the old-city bazaars:

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  Neemrana · On the Delhi – Jaipur highway
  Small town with the 15th-century Neemrana fort-palace – tea break on the way.
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  Birla Mandir Jaipur · Laxmi Narayan Temple
  White marble temple at the foot of Moti Dungri, lovely in the evening lights.
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  Johari & Bapu Bazaar · Pink City markets
  Old-city bazaars for jewellery, block-print textiles, mojari shoes and handicrafts.

🌙 Overnight stay at hotel in Jaipur

A full day in the Pink City. Start with the Amber Fort above Maota lake, photo stop at the Jal Mahal and the Hawa Mahal, then the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar observatory. Watch the sunset from Nahargarh Fort and end the day with a Rajasthani village evening and dinner at Chokhi Dhani (ticket at your own cost):

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  Amber Fort · UNESCO · Amer
  Hill-top fort-palace of the Kachhwaha kings with the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace) above Maota lake.
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  Jal Mahal · Water Palace · Man Sagar Lake
  Palace standing in the middle of Man Sagar lake – photo stop on the Amer road.
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  Hawa Mahal · Palace of Winds
  Pink honeycomb façade with 953 small windows, built so royal ladies could watch the street below.
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  City Palace Jaipur · Royal residence
  Palace complex of the Jaipur royal family with museums, the Peacock Gate and Mubarak Mahal.
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  Jantar Mantar · UNESCO · observatory
  Giant stone astronomical instruments of 1734, including the world’s largest sundial.
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  Albert Hall Museum · Ram Niwas Garden
  Indo-Saracenic museum building, beautifully lit in the evening.
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  Nahargarh Fort · Sunset over Jaipur
  Fort on the Aravalli ridge with the best sunset view over the Pink City.
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  Chokhi Dhani · Rajasthani village resort · Tonk Road
  Ethnic village with folk dance, puppet show, camel & bullock-cart rides, mehndi, magic and a traditional Rajasthani dinner served on the floor – evening entry ticket includes dinner (own cost).

🌙 Overnight stay at hotel in Jaipur

After breakfast, drive west past Ajmer to Jodhpur, the Blue City at the edge of the Thar desert. Evening at the Clock Tower market below the Mehrangarh Fort:

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  Clock Tower Market · Sardar Market
  Busy old market around the Ghanta Ghar – spices, textiles and bandhej.

🌙 Overnight stay at hotel in Jodhpur

Morning visit to the Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada and the Umaid Bhawan Palace museum. Then drive across the Thar desert via Pokaran to Jaisalmer, the Golden City:

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  Mehrangarh Fort · Jodhpur · Blue City view
  One of India’s largest forts, 120 m above the blue houses of Jodhpur, with a fine museum.
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  Jaswant Thada · Marble cenotaph
  White marble memorial of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, near Mehrangarh.
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  Umaid Bhawan Palace · Palace & museum
  Art-deco palace of 1943 – part royal residence, part hotel and part museum.
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  Pokaran · On the Jaisalmer road
  Desert town with a red sandstone fort – tea stop between Jodhpur / Bikaner and Jaisalmer.

🌙 Overnight stay at hotel in Jaisalmer

Morning in the living Jaisalmer Fort, the carved Patwon ki Haveli and the Gadisar lake. After lunch, drive to the Sam sand dunes via the abandoned village of Kuldhara, ride a camel or a jeep over the dunes at sunset and spend the night in a Swiss tent with folk music, dance and dinner:

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  Jaisalmer Fort · Sonar Qila · living fort
  Golden sandstone fort where people still live, with Jain temples, havelis and shops inside.
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  Patwon ki Haveli · Five carved havelis
  Cluster of finely carved merchant havelis of the 19th century.
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  Gadisar Lake · Jaisalmer
  Old water reservoir with temples, ghats and a carved gateway – lovely in the morning.
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  Kuldhara · Abandoned village
  Mysterious village of the Paliwal Brahmins, deserted overnight about 200 years ago.
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  Camel Safari · ₹500 per person · about 1 hour
  Sunset camel ride on the dunes – add it in the price calculator.
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  Jeep Safari · ₹2,500 per jeep (up to 6)
  Thrilling dune-bashing ride in an open jeep – add it in the price calculator.
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  Desert Camp & Folk Dance · Swiss tent · bonfire
  Rajasthani folk music and Kalbelia dance by the bonfire, with dinner under the stars.

🌙 Overnight stay in a Swiss tent at the desert camp, Sam sand dunes (dinner with folk music & dance)

Watch the sunrise over the dunes, then drive back through Jaisalmer and across the desert via Pokaran and Phalodi to Bikaner:

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  Pokaran · On the Jaisalmer road
  Desert town with a red sandstone fort – tea stop between Jodhpur / Bikaner and Jaisalmer.

🌙 Overnight stay at hotel in Bikaner

Morning visit to the Junagarh Fort and the famous Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke. Drive on to Mandawa in the Shekhawati region and walk among its painted havelis in the evening:

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  Junagarh Fort · Bikaner
  Fort never conquered by an enemy, with richly painted palaces and a big armoury.
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  Karni Mata Temple · Deshnoke · rat temple
  Famous temple where thousands of holy rats (kabbas) are fed and protected.
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  Painted Havelis of Mandawa · Shekhawati open-air gallery
  Merchant havelis covered with colourful frescoes of the 18th–19th century.

🌙 Overnight stay at hotel in Mandawa

Morning walk among the frescoed havelis of Mandawa, then drive back to Delhi for your drop at the airport, railway station or hotel:

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  Painted Havelis of Mandawa · Shekhawati open-air gallery
  Merchant havelis covered with colourful frescoes of the 18th–19th century.

Tour ends with happy memories.