The Royal Glimpses of Rajasthan 🐪 and the Magnificent Taj Mahal 🕌 with a Local TripLeader 🇮🇳

Day 1️⃣ : Jaipur📍 : Jaipur is the capital of India’s Rajasthan state. It evokes the royal family that once ruled the region and that, in 1727, founded what is now called the Old City, or “Pink City” 🌸. On our first day at the Royal state of Rajasthan 👑 we meet in the morning ☀️and check in to our hotel followed by the royal adventures the city has to offer. Our first destination in Jaipur is ‘The City Palace’. City Palace Museum🏯 : It is a royal residence and former administrative headquarters of the rulers of the Jaipur. Construction🔨 started soon after the establishment of the city of Jaipur under the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who moved his court to Jaipur from Amber, in 1727. Jaipur remained the capital of the kingdom until 1949—when it became the capital of the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan-with the City Palace functioning as the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur🤴. The construction of the Palace was completed in 1732 and it was also the location of religious and cultural events, as well as a patron of arts, commerce, and industry. It was constructed according to the rules of vastushastra☯️, combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. It now houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, and continues to be the home of the Jaipur royal family🤴👸🫅. The royal family has around 500 personal servants. The palace complex has several buildings, various courtyards, galleries, restaurants, and offices of the Museum Trust. After visiting the royal city palace we move towards beautiful ‘Hawa mahal’ as our next destination. Hawa mahal🏩 : It is a palace in the city of Jaipur. The structure was built in 1799 by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of the city of Jhunjhunu in the state of Rajasthan. Built from red ❤️and pink💖 sandstone, it is on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the Zenana or women's chambers. After taking a few snaps📸 at the very photogenic Hawa Mahal we take our lunch break🍽 at a renowned restaurant in the city which serves some of the finest Indian and continental dishes🍛. After a wonderful feast we head out to the local markets for a shopping spree where you can buy unique souvenirs, traditional wears, jewellery,etc.. Local markets 🛍🛒: 1. Johari Bazaar 💎: This is one of the numero uno market in Jaipur for shopping, offering arguably the biggest collection of jewelry💍 in the country. This is a market that is extremely popular for its collections of jewelry and apparel along with precious stones. The handmade and delicate jewelry products will naturally get you hooked in a trice! You can buy jewelry, precious gemstones and handcrafted necklaces📿 here at great rates. 2 Chandpole Bazaar🌙 : This bazaar is one of Jaipur’s most traditional markets for shopping and you will love browsing through the vibrant handicrafts🪆 here along with marble carvings and a wealth of other products🏮. The Khazanewalon ka Rasta is where you can snap up top picks like handicrafts, shoes👞 , stone and wooden sculptures, turbans, carpets and more! 3. Nehru Bazaar : Nehru Bazaar is one of the most intriguing and colorful 🎉places in Jaipur for shopping that you will fall in love with! This is where you can discover some of the most alluring garments and textiles👗🥻that you’ve ever seen while the jootis (shoes 🥿) are the traditional tourist favorite here! Get yourself one in a vibrant and multicolored hue for special occasions. These jootis are best purchased after some enjoyable bouts of bargaining🤑with the vendors (even they enjoy it as much as you do!) and you can get some great deals indeed. After shopping🛍 we get back to our hotel 🏨 take some rest and get ready for a memorable evening where we are going to visit a place filled with cultural shows👯‍♀️, games, camel rides🐪, traditional dances💃 and much more followed by a royal Rajasthani dinner served with utmost grace and hospitality which makes you nonetheless feel like a king🤴 or queen 👸 . Day 2️⃣ : Jaipur (Amer) : Amer is a town with an area of 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur. Today we have breakfast at hotel, do our packing🧳 and checkout from our hotel by noon 🕛 and move towards ‘Amer fort’. Amber Fort/Amer Fort 🏰 : It was built in 1592 by Man Singh I, a UNESCO world🌎 heritage site. Located high on a hill, it is the principal tourist attraction. Amer Fort is known for its artistic style elements. With its large ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake🐟, which is the main source of water for the Amer Palace. After visiting the magnificent Amer palace we stop by the ‘Hand printing museum’ located near the fort. Hand printing museum🪬 : The creation of the 💮Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing🐾was the initiative of Rachel Bracken-Singh and her husband Pritam Singh. Pritam’s father, John Singh, purchased the dilapidated 16th century Chanwar Palkiwalon ki Haveli mansion in the late 1970s and began a 3 year renovation project in 1989. With the guidance of architects📐, the building was restored to its original grandeur. By demonstrating the feasibility of using indigenous materials, time-honoured construction methods and skilled local craftsmen, the preservation project earned a UNESCO award🏆for ‘Cultural Heritage Conservation’ in 2000. After visiting the ✋🏻hand printing museum, we have our lunch break at a popular 🌈multi cuisine restaurant in Amer. Followed by which we head over to the railway station🚉 in the evening and catch an 🌠overnight train to Jaisalmer

Day 3️⃣ : Jaisalmer : Jaisalmer🏜is a former medieval trading center and a princely state in Rajasthan, in the heart of the 🐪Thar desert . Known as the "Golden City," it's distinguished by its yellow sandstone architecture. We arrive early in the morning and check in to our hotel rooms. Take a little rest & get ready for the local breakfast🧇 . After having some tasty local breakfast we take our next steps👣 towards ‘Jaisalmer Fort’. Jaisalmer fort 🏰 : Jaisalmer Fort is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan, built in 1156 AD by the Rawal (ruler) Jaisal and stood at the crossroads of important trade routes (including the ancient Silk route). It is believed to be one of the very few "living forts"in the world (such as Carcassonne, France🇫🇷 ), as nearly one fourth of the old city's population still resides within the fort. For the better part of its 860-year history, the fort itself was the whole city of Jaisalmer. The first settlements outside the fort walls, to accommodate the growing population of Jaisalmer🏜, are said to have come up in the 17th century. After exploring the majestic Fort we move futher towards 'War museum & memorial'. War museum & memorial ⚔️: It was conceived by Lieutenant👮‍♂️ General Bobby Mathews, General Officer Commanding, Desert Corps and constructed by the Desert Corps of the Indian Army. The Museum displays war exhibits which include vehicles🚛 and equipment🔫 captured during the course of operations in 1965 and 1971. After a salute 🫡 to the real heroes we take our Lunch break for the day at a fancy restaurant🍽 situated inside the mighty Jaisalmer Fort. After lunch we continue our tour to 'Patwao ki haveli'. Patwao ki Haveli🏯 : In the city of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan a classical architectural marvel stands, known as the Patwon ki Haveli. Situated near the Patwa valley, this haveli comprises of 5 different palaces, and is also known as the house of the brocade merchants, because it was built by a wealthy brocade merchant and jeweler💎. The 5 mansions are meant for 5 Patwa brothers. Inside the mansion, there is a museum and shop for antique furniture. The mansion is made of yellow sandstone with brown gateway. The walls are adorned with exquisite mirror works and beautiful paintings🖼. Also, each of its arches is created with a distinctly unique style. Series of early-1800s palaces, now a museum featuring intricate carvings, furniture & artwork. After the excursion of these beautifully designed mansions we move towards 'Gadisar Lake', where we can enjoy the lake on a self driven pedal boats. Gadisar lake🛶 : It was built by the founder of Jaisalmer, King Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD and later rebuilt by Gadsi Singh Bhati around 1367 AD. This lake is an artificial lake. The lake is located about 1.5 km from Jaisalmer Fort. The lake sits just outside the city walls and was once the sole reservoir💦 that controlled the entire supply of water to the arid city of Jasialmer. Day 4️⃣ : Jaisalmer 🐪 : On our second day at Jaisalmer, we have breakfast at hotel and checkout from our rooms by noon. Its gong to be an exciting day where we will be spending our time adventuring through the desert safari camp. Our first destination for the day is a 9th century Temple🛕 located in the ruins of Lodhruva. Jain Temple 🪬: It was established as the capital by Rawal Deoraj, the Bhati clan, in 8th−9th century CE. The temple🛕 was constructed in the 9th century along with city of Lodhruva. Rawal Jaisal, a famous prince of the Bhati clan🗡, moved his capital from Lodhruva to Jaisalmer in 1156 CE. The temple was also plundered by Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad of Ghor🤺. This led to temple being destroyed in 1152 CE. In 1615 CE, the temples undergone repairs and renovations⚒️. The temple remains the only standing structure in the ruined city of Lodhruva. After visiting the temple we check in to our camp where we have our 🎪luxury tented rooms waiting for us to arrive & enjoy their hospitality & events. Desert safari camp activities 🏜🏕🔥 : This camp has some of the best luxury tents in Jaisalmer, complete with all the amenities you need for a comfortable stay. At the camp, you will get authentic Indian dinner, along with continental and Indian breakfast. Another major attraction is the camel ride that takes you to the sand dunes where you can watch a spectacular sunset. In the evening, there are Rajasthani folk dancing and music performances that let you experience the rich culture of Rajasthan. The camp crew is quite hospitable and they will light a fire for you and prepare tea and snacks as refreshments. After checking in to the camp we have our lunch at the designated restaurant and go out venturing into the ‘desert national park’ on a jeep safari 🛻. Desert national park🌵 : It is situated near the towns of Jaisalmer and Barmer. This is one of the largest national parks, covering an area of 3162 km². The Desert National Park is an excellent example of the ecosystem 🦎🐍of the Thar Desert🐫. Sand dunes form around 44% of the Park. The major landform consists of craggy rocks🪨 and compact salt lake bottoms, intermedial areas and fixed dunes. After the jeep safari of the national park we head back to our camp where a chain of events is waiting for us. Our dinner🥘 is hosted at the camp. We spend the night partying and dancing💃 🕺🏻 around the bonfire🔥 and attending different local dance & music performances by local artists.

Day 5️⃣ : After finishing with the breakfast we checkout from the camp🏕 and catch a sleeper bus to Jodhpur. 🚞 Jodhpur 💙 : Jodhpur is a city in the Thar desert. Set on on a rocky outcrop, the fort overlooks the walled city, where many buildings are painted the city’s iconic shade of blue. We arrive Jodhpur from Jaisalmer and checkin to our hotel rooms , freshen up🛀 and start exploring the city. With our first destination being the grand ‘Mehrangarh fort’🏰. Mehrangarh Fort 🏰 : Mehrangarh Fort covers an area of 1,200 acres (486 hec). The complex is located on a hilltop around 122 metres above the surrounding plain,[1] and was constructed c. 1459 by Rajput ruler Rao Jodha🤴, though most of the existing structure is from the 17th century. Inside its boundaries there are several palaces known for their intricate carvings and expansive courtyards, as well as a museum housing various relics. A winding road leads to and from the city below. The imprints of the impact of cannonballs☄️ fired by attacking armies of Jaipur can still be seen on the second gate. After exploring the grand Fort we move towards the magnificent ‘Umaid Palace’. Umaid Bhawan Palace🏢🏦🏢 : It is one of the world's largest private residences. With its foundation laid in November 1929 by Maharaja Umaid Singh and the construction work completed in 1943. A part of the palace is managed by Taj Hotels🏨 . The palace has 347 rooms and is the principal residence of the former Jodhpur royal family🤴👸🫅. A part of the palace is a museum. After adoring the magnificent palace we take our lunch break🥫🫕 at a very famous restaurant serving variety of local dishes. After which we move to an ancient step well. Toorji’s step well : An ancient well, it holds water💧 300 feet deep, with steps descending to the well. Built in 1740 AD, by a queen👸 of Marwar – Raani Tawarji, consort of Maharaja Abhay Singh of Jodhpur, the stepwell resembles those from the queen’s home Kingdom in Patan, Gujarat. Carved with Jodhpur’s characteristic rose red🌹 sandstone, in Rajput architecture, the walls of the stepwell are engraved with carvings of dancing elephants🐘 , mediaeval lions🦁 & cows 🐄 ; and niches that hold sculptures of deities revered in those times. After touring Toorjis well we move to the local markets🛍 from where people source their inventories throughout Rajasthan. Followed by the shopping area we stop for a relishing dinner at a very famous restaurant🍴before finally heading back to our hotel🏨 Day 6️⃣ : Jodhpur 💙 : We wake up at our own convenience as the day is free at leisure, we can be relaxing, swimming🏊‍♂️ , shopping, playing games & trying different cuisines. We catch an overnight train🚊 to Agra to get the sight of the marvellous Taj 👑 Mahal.

Day 7️⃣ : Agra : Agra is the city to one of the most beautiful monuments in the world, “Taj Mahal”🕌. We arrive in Agra by morning, head over to one of my personal favourite breakfast place & check in to a hotel and head towards sighting the ‘Taj Mahal’ afterwards. Taj Mahal : The Taj Mahal 'Crown of the Palace')👑 is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna🏞 in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb🪦 of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens💐 bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall. After viewing the mystics of the Taj Mahal, we head over to a famous multicuisine restaurant in the city for our lunch. After lunch, we continue our excursion to ‘Agra Fort’. Agra Fort🏰 : It is a historical fort in the city of Agra, and also known as Agra's Red Fort🔺, spread across 94 acres. Mughal emperor Humayun was crowned at this fort. It was later renovated by the Mughal emperor Akbar from 1565 and the present-day structure was completed in 1573. It served as the main residence of the rulers of the Mughal dynasty 🤴 until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. It was also known as the "Lal-Qila" or "Qila-i-Akbari". Before capture by the British, the last Indian rulers to have occupied it were the Marathas. In 1983, the Agra fort was inscribed as a UNESCO 🌎World Heritage Site because of its importance during the Mughal Dynasty. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city. It was later renovated⚒️ by Shah Jahan. After completing the tour of Agra Fort🏰 we head back to the hotel get some rest & head over to the famous “eat street” of Agra for our dinner where you can find different kind of cuisines from all around the world🌎 . We check out after our breakfast the next day by noon 🕛 saying goodbye 👋🏻 to all the lovely friends we made on this Trip! You also have the option for joining or ending your trip at New Delhi.🙏🏻