India’s Golden Triangle & Rajasthan

Sightseeing Activities: Today’s trip will begin with a visit to the Raj Ghat, the cremation place of the father of India – Mahatma Gandhi. Then we will drive past the 400-year-old Red Fort, a majestic structure made of red sandstone that’s especially photogenic. Next, our guide will take you to the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India, which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1648. You will be impressed by the massive gate tower and the flocks of pigeons.

► Special Note: When visiting mosques and Buddhist temples in India, overly-revealing clothing for women and shorts for men are not allowed, so you’d better wear long dresses or trousers, otherwise you will have to pay extra to rent a long robe or apron on site. Visitors are required to remove their shoes when entering some halls. Although there is a paid shoe care service at the door, we recommend that you bring your own shoes to avoid the inconvenience of losing them.

After coming out of the Jama Masjid, we will specially arrange for you to take a rickshaw ride through the noisy alleys of Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest markets in Old Delhi with a history of more than 300 years. It will be fun to get up close and personal with the locals and immerse yourself in the Indian life atmosphere.

In the afternoon, the guide will lead you to visit the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a prominent pilgrimage place for the Sikhs. Our next stop will be the Humayun's Tomb, an imperial mausoleum of typical Persian architectural style. Later, we’ll head to the Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret in India, to appreciate its intricate carvings. The final stop of today will be the India Gate, a monument to the soldiers of the First World War. In the end, we will drive back to the hotel passing by the Parliament House, President’s House and other government secretarial buildings.

► Topic: Is India Safe for Solo Female Traveler?
Do you have safety concern when you are heading to India? The answer may be yes. The poverty and caste discrimination of some people have led to various crimes, including robbery, pickpocketing, and sexual harassment. Under this circumstance, we have some reminders for all solo travelers. Firstly, do not go outside alone at night. Secondly, dress properly and respectfully, which also matches the regulation of some temples you may visit. Moreover, say NO with a firm attitude if you are not happy with someone's approaching or overwarm. Last but not the least, call Uber or Ola if you need to take a taxi. And there is NO need to worry when travelling with us, as our drivers and guides will ensure your safety throughout the trip. Most importantly, the majority of locals are warm and kind.

Meals: Breakfast

Morning Flight to Udaipur: After breakfast, our private car with chauffeur will be ready to take you to the airport for a flight to Udaipur. After a 1.5-hour flight, you will arrive at the Udaipur Airport, where our local driver will greet you immediately and serve you with a private transfer to the hotel.

★ Privilege of Our Guests
Due to the changeable flight time, we leave the rest of the day free for you. But our driver will be available to serve you if you prefer to get familiar with this new destination. We are sure you will fall in love with Udaipur at a glance, with its lakes surrounded by mountains, floating palaces, various religious buildings, and criss-crossing alleys.

Safest Royal Palace in the Ancient World – Lake Palace
The world’s safest palace does not depend on the size of the area, or how many soldiers to guard, but on the full play of human wisdom. The Lake Palace is just such a palace and it only needs a few people to ensure its security, dubbed the most secure palace in the ancient world.

The Lake Palace, aka Jagniwas, was built in 1743 for the then royal family, but later the palace was transformed to a luxurious hotel, the Taj Lake Palace Hotel, welcoming celebrities from all over the world and Hollywood actors. The famous movie Octopussy of James Bond 007 was once filmed here in 1984, making it even more popular. When night falls, the lake palace looks dreamy in the sparkling water. If you are interested, our driver and guide will be glad to send you near here so that you can have a glimpse of the once glory of the Indian royal family on the bank of the lake.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: Today, our guide will take you on a comprehensive tour of Udaipur, a beautiful city built around a series of artificial lakes, known as the ‘Venice in the Desert’ and famous for its lavish royal residences. We’ll start with the City Palace, a white marble palace complex overlooking the Lake Pichola, built over the course of nearly 400 years by several rulers of the Mewar Dynasty. Then, we will visit the Jagdish Temple next to it, a large Hindu Temple featuring fine carvings. After that, we will drive around the Fatehsagar Lake to enjoy its tranquil scenery. In the afternoon, we will continue to visit the Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandir, a cultural heritage museum, to learn about Rajasthan folklore and folk art. Finally, we’ll go to the Sahelion-Ki-Bari (Garden of the Maidens), which was built in the 18th century by the king as a retreat for his queen and her 48 ladies-in-waiting.

Travelling in Udaipur with Movies - Padmaavat
This movie Padmaavat is adapted from a 16th century epic Queen Padmawati, which mainly describes the queen Padmawati's story of fighting against foreign enemies for her nation, and unfortunately they failed and the queen set herself on fire to protect her reputation.

Chittorgarh Fort is the grandest ancient fort in Rajasthan, India. And the movie elaborates on the tragic history of this ancient building. The Rajput people were unable to stop the enemy's attacks three times. The warriors rushed out to resist enemies with red robes and fire ash smeared on their foreheads. While the women, led by the queen Padmawati, committed suicide by sacrificing themselves in the fire to show their loyalty to the nation after they did what they could. Until 1559, under the leadership of King Udai, the people retreated to the high mountains by Lake Pichhola and established a new city, which we now know as the White City - Udaipur.

A few days before releasing in 2017, Hindus were angry about the rumored romance between Hindu queen and Muslim ruler, they boycotted the release of the movie with suicide and self-immolation. At last, the director had to compromise and delete some content for the release of the movie. The entire movie has grand scenes and beautiful costumes, earning it the title of the Queen's version of King Baahubali. You can have a look to this movie if interested.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: After breakfast, we will start our road trip to Jodhpur. On the way we will make a stop at Ranakpur, where we will visit the wonderful 15th-century Jain Temple, the Chamukha Temple, hidden deep in the valley. This is the largest Jain temple in India, and you will marvel at the roof topped by a cluster of pagodas outside and the 1,444 different beautifully carved marble pillars that support the halls inside. After the visit, we will continue our drive to Jodhpur.

► The Collision of Two Perspectives:
Some people think the Chamukha Temple is in the shape of an ancient chariot. Legend has it that the designer of Chamukha Temple was a successful Jain businessman. One day, he dreamt of a flying chariot described in the Jain Bible, which inspirited him to build a temple in that shape. He made great contribution to it and even sought help from the king. With the efforts of the best craftsmen and a large number of workers, this miraculous temple was completed in 60 years. Finally, the field was illuminated by prophet's dream.

But some people believe that Chamukha Temple is a huge spaceship. From its appearance, the base is larger and sharper as it goes up, similar to the aerodynamic principles of modern rockets. The statue on the top with artifacts in hands that can serve as a receiver. So, what do you think of it? We welcome all of your different thoughts and we can have a further discussion with more tourists.

★ What makes us different: During the driving journey from Udaipur to Jodhpur, you will never get bored. The tour guide and the driver can stop the car at any scenic spots for photos, stretch or a cup of coffee. On the way, you may come across some villages and you can ask for a visit to the village if interested to get to know local people’s life, how they earn a living, how to cook, their daily routines, etc. You will definitely find a lifestyle which is totally different from yours.

Upon arrival, our driver will help you check in at the local hotel and the rest of the day is your free time. Strolling through this Blue City, where all the roofs are painted blue, is a favorite of many travelers.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: Today we will visit one of the best-preserved ancient fortresses in India, the Mehrangarh Fort, which stands on a 125-meter-high cliff and is surrounded by city walls. The solid yellow sandstone facade is integrated with the cliff, making the fort appear to have grown directly out of the rock. The guide will walk you through the seven gates built by different rulers at different times and explore the palaces and historical exhibits. The richly decorated Phool Mahal Palace (Palace of Flowers) is not to be missed.

★ What Makes Us Different:
1. In addition to the manual guide and explanation, we will also provide you with an audio guide device in the Mehrangarh Fort, so that you can learn more about the history of each palace and every corner.
2. Our guide will take you to the top of the fort to overlook the entire old city of Jodhpur. You’ll find a fairytale world with numerous blue roofs. The guide will show you the best place to take photos.
3. Our guide will show you the highlights of the fort, including the museum where displays the royal supplies and firearms.

Other Tips When Visiting Mehrangarh Fort:
Many pigeons and bats live in the fort and you can find large number of their nests on the top of the building. Moreover, the local artists’ performance is very exotic, just take a stops and enjoy it. Visiting here will definitely bring you much more pleasure as the lively kids living in the fort always smile at you, and they are even happier if you take photos for them.

Afterwards, the guide will lead you to visit some of Jodhpur’s other quintessential attractions, including the Jaswant Thada, an elaborately carved white marble mausoleum honored as the Taj Mahal of Marwar, as well as the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum. Our last stop at Jodhpur is the clock tower area (Sardar Market), where you can get the vibe of a busy Indian bazaar.

Private Car Transfer to Jaipur: Finally, we will arrange for you to be escorted to Jaipur in a comfortable private car with a chauffeur. You will arrive in 6 hours and spend the night in our well-picked hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: Today, we will explore the Pink City of Jaipur. In the morning, the guide will first take you to the Amber Fort, an 11th-century fort representing a perfect combination of Hindu and Mughal architecture. Descending from the fort, we will take a photo stop at the Jal Mahal and then continue to the Maharaja City Palace to appreciate the splendid halls and royal relics on display. Next, we will move on to the nearby Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century observatory with the world’s biggest stone sundial. Later, we will view the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Breeze) from the outside to appreciate its pink honeycombed facade with nearly 1,000 small windows. Finally, we will end the day with a visit to the Birla Temple, a marble temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the goddess of wealth and luck.

Tip: Where Is the Best Spot to Capture Perfect Photos of the Hawa Mahal? 
Generally, there are two best ways to take beautiful pictures of the Hawa Mahal. The one is standing on the Hawa Mahal road to take a low-angle shot of the Palace of the Breeze. And the other is to find a location at cafés opposite the Hawa Mahal, and Wind View Café is most recommended to get a perfect angle. In addition, the morning can be the best time to take photos while photographing the night views when the sun goes down would also be great.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: We will leave for Agra after breakfast. After 4 hours of driving, near the western outskirts of Agra, we will visit the famous victory city Fatehpur Sikri, a grandiose palace with a mixture of Hindu and Muslim architectural features. From the well-preserved original buildings and spaces, you could imagine the scenes of the Mughal court life. After the visit, we’ll drive all the way to the hotel in Agra, and you can have a good rest after the long ride.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: Today we're going to start with the Taj Mahal, the most beautiful and stunning mausoleum in the world, a must-see for anyone visiting India. We will set off especially early to be among the first visitors to enter the Taj Mahal today and enjoy the magnificent mausoleum at sunrise.

★ Why should you visit the Taj Mahal?
1. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
2. Architecture: The mega project, gathering treasures from all over the world, took 20,000 craftsmen 22 years to build and cost $827 million.
3. Romance: The Taj Mahal is seen as a symbol of love because of the love story between the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Afterwards, the guide will lead you to visit the Agra Fort. Listed as a World Heritage site in 1983, it is one of the most exquisite forts during the strong Mughal Dynasty. If there is time left, our car and the driver will be available to drive you around downtown Agra to see where you want to go before returning to the hotel.

Who Built the Agra Fort?
In fact, the Agra Fort was built by three emperors of the Mughal Empire. In 1566, the third emperor of the empire, Akbar, moved the capital from Delhi to Agra and began to construct the spectacular fort. The fort has walls about 20 meters (66 ft.) high, and was built of red sandstone, hence the name Red Fort. After him, his son and grandson kept constructing the fort. His grandson, Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor who built the famous Taj Mahal, preferred white marble and constructed more white marble palaces in the fort, making it a key fortress of the empire. Today, most of the 500 buildings what you can see were built by Shah Jahan while the walls, the gate and the Jehangir's Palace were constructed by Akbar. Follow our professional guide to find the most significant parts of the fort, and to feel the past glory of the Mughal Empire.

Meals: Breakfast

Departure Note: After breakfast, we will arrange a chauffeur-driven private car to escort you to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, from which you can fly home or to your next destination. We hope you’ve enjoyed traveling with us!

Meals: Breakfast

► If you have the need to continue your adventure in India or travel to other countries, please let our travel consultants know, and our team is always at your service.