Today you will start your Rajasthan travel by departing Jaipur and heading for Pushkar which stands sleepily on the banks of a beautiful lake. You’ll spend tonight in a grand palace where almost all of the rooms have stunning lake views. The palace is fantastic with a completely unique atmosphere and it provides a lovely start to your Rajasthan travel experience. It has an exotic inner garden and a palm terrace providing magnificent views over the glassy lake. On the opposite bank of the lake, you’ll see pilgrims bathing and, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear them singing.

**Travel time - Jaipur to Pushkar: approx 3 hours

 

Today you will continue your Rajasthan travel to Udaipur which is known by many as the most romantic town in India . Elegant Udaipur is surrounded by green hills, a brilliant contrast to the sparkling white palaces and the blue waters of Lake Pichola. The legendary Lake Palace floats on an island in the centre of the lake, giving the town a fairy-tale feel. This palace was the winter residence of the Maharaja and featured in the James Bond film Octopussy.

The accommodation we have selected for this part of your Rajasthan travel is in a traditional haveli which looks out across Lake Pichola and the old city.

**Travel time - Pushkar to Udaipur: approx 6 hours
 

On day 3 of your Rajasthan travel you have the whole day  to explore Udaipur - after all, you’ve come a long way to get here. In the morning we have included a Udaipur city tour visiting the City Palace with its impressive murals and mosaics and its collection of Delft Blue ware. After this, you’ll visit the Jagdish Temple, where you can admire the famous Lake Palace from a distance. Afterwards, you will take a one hour trip by boat around Lake Pichola including a visit to one of two island palaces, Jag Mandir. Jag Mandir, also known as "Lake Garden Palace", is a three story, yellow sandstone and marble palace and is famous for the Gul Mahal domed pavilion.

Once the city tour has finished you have the remainder of the day free to explore Udaipur on your own. As this Rajasthan travel experience is independent, you could wander through the old town packed with tiny shops of fabrics and handicrafts or try your hand at haggling in the market. You could also take a peek into one of the many mysterious little temples and havelis. In the evening Udaipur has a magical atmosphere so try some delicious local food in a rooftop restaurant and watch the lake shimmer in the darkness.

 

Today you will set off on your Rajasthan travel and continue in the direction of Jodhpur which is know as the Blue City and this is a journey of about 6 hours. On the way you stop off to visit the striking Jain temple of Ranakpur situated in a beautiful green valley. The enormous temple complex has 1444 pillars, with stunning decorations carved from stone. Incredibly none of the pillars are the same. Jainism is a religion that originated in northeast India about the same time as Buddhism (around 400BC) and it is still popular across the country today.

In the afternoon, your Rajasthan travel continues as your driver takes you the remaining way to Jodhpur (about 40km). Jodhpur has one of the most dramatic forts of India, the Mehrangarh Fort, which you can visit tomorrow but today you will head straight to your hotel. You'll stay in a converted haveli (merchant's house) near the bazaar, at the foot of the fort. At the bazaar you can wander past stalls selling herbs, jewellry, exotic fruits and colorful paint powder. The central tower can serve as a landmark, in one way or another you'll always come out.

**Travel time - Udaipur to Jodhpur: approx 6 hours


 

After breakfast you have the opportunity to climb up above the city to Meherangarh Fort and enjoy the views from the massive walls over the town. We find a guide here to be unnecessary because in the fort can get a very good audio tour (included if you buy your ticket).The houses are all painted Brahmin blue giving Jodhpur its nickname of The Blue City. Initially the colour was used to signify the homes of the Brahmin caste, but now it is a trademark of the town. When the golden sunlight falls obliquely over the houses, they’ll take on an enchanting indigo glow.

After visiting Meherangarh Fort your Rajasthan travel continues as you cross the desert to reach the remote desert town of Jaisalmer. The journey will take around 5 hours. As you approach the town its contours will begin to appear on the desert horizon like an amazing mirage. This sense of magic will continue to grow as you are dropped at the gates of the old fortress town with its dozens of castellated towers. The Fort is built from sandstone almost blending into its surrounding landscape and giving it a bewitching haziness. From the uppermost walls of the fort its has a magnificent view over the desolate Thar Desert that spreads dramatically from the foot of the castle. In the distance, you’ll see Sahara-style sand dunes. 

In the evenings you can eat in one of the small restaurants in the fort or in one of the many rooftop restaurants outside the castle walls. The accommodation we have selected in Jaisalmer on this Rajasthan travel experience is an authentic haveli gilded in gold.
 
**Travel time - Jodhpur to Jaisalmer: approx 5-6 hours

After breakfast your Camels and Castles trip comes to an end. After finishing your Rajasthan travel, you can choose to stay in the area for an overnight India Camel Safari or perhaps explore the nearby desert forts and clay huts with our Rajasthan holiday module. With this you can see the less visited areas where people live simply and time has stood still. Alternatively, at the end of the day, you could take the night train to Jaipur or all the way back to Delhi.