Dates: Monday November 12 - Saturday December 1, 2007 (tour begins and ends in Delhi on these dates).
Tour Highlights
The 2007 tour will journey from the desert towns in Rajasthan to the holy city of Varanasi. We will visit the fairy-tale town of Jailasmar, the blue city of Jodhpur, the holy city of Pushkar (where both a camel fair and an auspicious bathing day will be taking place) and spend our final days on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi, the most holy city in India.
We will be staying 3-4 days in most destinations and there will be plenty of time to explore on your own as well as with the group. Staying this amount of time will allow for a more leisurely pace and as well as a fuller immersion into Indian life and culture. Accommodations will range from simple guesthouses to heritage hotels and most are near or within the hisorical part of town.
Our Destinations Include:
Jaisalmer is a breath-taking sight in the middle of a barren desert. No place better evokes ancient desert splendor and exotic trade routes. The old city, contained within a fort of 99 towering bastions, is full of narrow alleys, elaborately carved houses, splendid temples and gateways, and a splendid palace. All buildings are carved out of the same gleaming golden sandstone. This is the perfect place to both rest from our travels and begin our tour of India.
Jodhpur. Known as the Blue City because of the plethora of blue painted houses, Jodhpur sits on the edge of the Great Thar Desert. Meherangarh Fort towers above the city and contains an otherworldly palace within its walls. The old city is surrounded by a 7 mile long 16th century wall and is a tangle of winding streets full of all manner of shops.
On one day, we'll take a jeep safari to nearby villages; there we’ll get a taste of local desert life as well as visit traditional crafts villages famous for their pottery and weaving.
Nimaj is a small feudal town and a half way stop on our drive from Jodhpur to Pushkar. We’ll relive the medieval era by staying at the Nimaj Palace - one of the oldest Heritage hotels of India, Over the centuries the Thakurs of Nimaj refurbished the palace which even today evokes a feeling of awe and reverence. The palace facade carved in red sand stone makes it a distinctive landmark in the architectural history of India and the imposing gates are reminiscent of more chivalrous days.
Pushkar is an important Hindu pilgrimage center that is built around a sacred lake. Temples and ghats (steps) surround the lake and every morning, holy men bath in its sacred waters. The town also contains a rare Brahma Temple and was one of the favorite destinations during my 2004 tour. This year, we will be arriving during the final days of the popular Pushkar Camel Fair where traders and artisans come from all over Rajasthan. Our last night is on the full moon when devotees float thousands of lights on the lake.
Varanasi: considered the most holy city in India. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and is bursting with character. It is my favorite destination in India and I’m delighted to be able to return once again. We’ll be staying in the old part of town at a simple hotel overlooking the Ganges. We’ll have plenty of time to explore this fascinating city full of bathing history, holy men and labrynths of narrow, winding alleys.
2007 Itinerary
12 November - DELHI
Group rendezvous in Delhi. Rest and overnight at hotel.
13 November - DELHI - JAISALMER
Fly from Delhi to Jodhpur (1.5 hr) then drive to Jaisalmer (5 hrs)
14 November- JAISALMER
Free day to explore Jaisalmer. Options include Jaisalmer Fort, Jain temples, Laxminath (Hindu) temple, Havelis (fine sculptured sandstone mansions), museums and camel safaris.
15 November 2007 JAISALMER
Free day to explore Jaisalmer. Options include Jaisalmer Fort, Jain temples, Laxminath (Hindu) temple, Havelis (fine sculptured sandstone mansions), museums and camel safaris.
16 November 2007 JAISALMER
Free day to explore Jaisalmer. Options include Jaisalmer Fort, Jain temples, Laxminath (Hindu) temple, Havelis (fine sculptured sandstone mansions), museums and camel safaris.
17 November JAISALMER - JODHPUR
Drive to Jodhpur (approx 5 hours)
18 November - JODHPUR
Free day to explore Jodhpur. Options include: Meherangarh Fort, Sadar Market, and the windy streets of the old city.
19 November- JODHPUR
Jeep safari to the crafts villages around Rohetgarh and Manwar.
20 November JODHPUR - NIMAJ (66 miles)
Drive to Nimaj
21 November NIMAJ - PUSHKAR (63 miles)
Drive to Pushkar
22 November - PUSHKAR
Free day to explore Pushkar. Options include: the Camel Fair, visiting ashrams and temples around the lake, hiking to the Savitri Temple, hanging out at the Sunset Cafe.
23 November - PUSHKAR
Free day to explore Pushkar. Options include: the Camel Fair, visiting ashrams and temples around the lake, hiking to the Savitri Temple, hanging out at the Sunset Cafe.
24 November - PUSHKAR
Free day to explore Pushkar. Options include: the Camel Fair, visiting ashrams and temples around the lake, hiking to the Savitri Temple, hanging out at the Sunset Cafe.
25 November
Overnight train to Varanasi (18 hours)
26 November 2007 - VARANASI
Arrive Varanasi in the afternoon.
27 November - VARANASI
Free day to explore Varanasi. Options include Ganges Boat rides, visting ashrams / temples / holy men, walking along the Ganges and witnessing ritual bathing, visiting Alamgir Mosque, witnessing the activities at the cremation grounds, shopping for silk, wandering through the windy alleys, taking an excursion to Sarnath where Buddha first lectured.
28 November - VARANASI
Options include Ganges Boat rides, visting ashrams / temples / holy men, walking along the Ganges and witnessing ritual bathing, visiting Alamgir Mosque, witnessing the activities at the cremation grounds, shopping for silk, wandering through the windy alleys, taking an excursion to Sarnath where Buddha first lectured.
29 November - VARANASI
Options include Ganges Boat rides, visting ashrams / temples / holy men, walking along the Ganges and witnessing ritual bathing, visiting Alamgir Mosque, witnessing the activities at the cremation grounds, shopping for silk, wandering through the windy alleys, taking an excursion to Sarnath where Buddha first lectured.
30 November 2007 VARANASI - DELHI
Overnight train to Delhi (12 hours)
01 December - DELHI
Tour ends. Rest in Delhi before flights out.
