North India Tours
Royal Rajasthan Tour
The Royal Rajasthan Tour is our unhurried 10-day loop through the heart of India's desert kingdom, tracing a grand arc from the lake city of Udaipur through Mount Abu, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Khimsar, Ajmer and Pushkar before finishing in Jaipur. It gathers Rajasthan's greatest forts, palaces, havelis and sacred sites into one continuous private journey, and after 25 years of running it we have paced it so the long desert drives always end at a place worth arriving to.
Tour overview
Rajasthan is a land of former princely states, and this itinerary is deliberately built to show you their variety rather than a single postcard. You move from the soft, romantic Udaipur of lakes and palaces to the blue city of Jodhpur beneath its colossal Mehrangarh Fort, on to the golden sandstone island-fort of Jaisalmer in the deep Thar, and finally to the pink-washed capital of Jaipur. Between them lie the hill station of Mount Abu with its extraordinary Dilwara Jain temples, the rural fort-village of Khimsar, and the twin pilgrimage towns of Ajmer and Pushkar.
We operate the whole journey as a fully private, chauffeur-driven tour. Nothing is shared: you travel in your own air-conditioned car with an experienced driver, and we hand-pick hotels in every category from comfortable 3-star to genuine heritage palaces and fort-hotels where the walls themselves are the sightseeing. The day-by-day plan below is our recommended flow, but distances in Rajasthan are real — several driving days run six to seven hours — so we are happy to lengthen the trip, add a night, or swap a heritage stay to suit how you like to travel.
Sleep inside living forts
From the fort-hotel and dunes village at Khimsar to heritage palaces in Udaipur and Jodhpur, we place you inside Rajasthan's history rather than beside it.
The Thar Desert at Jaisalmer
Golden-city ramparts, the ornate Patwon ki Haveli and a camel safari over the Sam Sand Dunes at sunset — the deep desert at its most cinematic.
Sacred Ajmer and Pushkar
Pay respects at the revered Dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, then visit one of the world's only temples to Lord Brahma beside Pushkar's holy lake.
Day-by-day itinerary
10 daysYou are met on arrival at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport and transferred to Udaipur, the "Venice of the East" and City of Lakes. Most travellers prefer the short flight or an overnight train to save the long road day, and we will advise the easiest connection. After settling in you begin sightseeing with a first look at shimmering Lake Pichola and the vast City Palace complex. Overnight in Udaipur.
- Lake Pichola
- — The 1362-era lake at the birthplace of Udaipur, dotted with island palaces.
- Udaipur City Palace
- — A centuries-old blend of Rajput and Mughal styles, home to generations of Maharanas.
A fuller day among Udaipur's lakes and monuments. You visit the island Jag Mandir on Lake Pichola, a Rajput-and-Mughal garden palace once used as a royal summer retreat, and take in the wider city. Time permitting we include the mighty Kumbhalgarh Fort out in the Aravalli hills, whose ramparts are among the longest walls in the world and enclose more than 350 temples. Overnight in Udaipur.
- Jag Mandir
- — Island palace on Lake Pichola, a former royal summer resort.
- Kumbhalgarh Fort
- — Great Aravalli hill-fort with vast walls and 350-plus temples (a day excursion).
We climb into the Aravallis to Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan and a cool green escape from the desert plains. After checking in you visit the 15th-century Achalgarh Fort and the sacred, story-wreathed Nakki Lake. In the afternoon come the celebrated Dilwara Jain temples, whose 11th–13th-century marble carving is some of the finest in India. Overnight in Mount Abu.
- Dilwara Jain Temples
- — Five marble temples renowned for astonishingly intricate 11th–13th-century carving.
- Nakki Lake
- — Sacred hill lake wrapped in local legend, the heart of Mount Abu.
- Achalgarh Fort
- — A 1452 fort ringed by temples with fine sculpture in wood, metal and stone.
We descend to Jodhpur, the "Blue City" and one of Rajasthan's largest, dominated by its clifftop fort. After some rest you tour the immense Mehrangarh Fort, its walls still marked by old cannon fire, and the serene white-marble Jaswant Thada, a royal cenotaph hung with portraits of Jodhpur's maharajas. Overnight in Jodhpur.
- Mehrangarh Fort
- — Towering hill-fort of carved palaces reached through seven historic gates.
- Jaswant Thada
- — White-marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, built by his son.
A long, atmospheric drive west into the Thar brings you to Jaisalmer, the "Golden City" and a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the afternoon you explore the yellow-sandstone Patwon ki Haveli, the living Jaisalmer Fort — Sonar Quila, one of the world's few still-inhabited forts — and head out to the Sam Sand Dunes for a camel ride and sunset over the desert. Overnight in Jaisalmer.
- Jaisalmer Fort (Sonar Quila)
- — A golden living fort rising straight from the desert, still home to residents.
- Patwon ki Haveli
- — The first and grandest of Jaisalmer's ornately carved merchant mansions.
- Sam Sand Dunes
- — Rolling desert dunes made for camel safaris and sunset.
We drive back east to the rural fort-village of Khimsar, deep in the countryside of Marwar. The battle-scarred Khimsar Fort — now a heritage hotel — and its nearby dunes village give a quieter, more pastoral taste of desert Rajasthan, with the option of a short camel ride among the sands. Overnight at the fort in Khimsar.
- Khimsar Fort
- — A 16th-century fort in rural Marwar, its turrets and walls telling of a martial past.
We continue to Ajmer, a city of Mughal-era monuments and craft. Here you visit the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the revered shrine of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, which draws pilgrims of every faith throughout the year. Overnight in Ajmer.
- Ajmer Sharif Dargah
- — The deeply venerated tomb-shrine of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti.
A short drive over the hill takes you to Pushkar, one of Hinduism's oldest pilgrimage towns and famous for its holy lake ringed by bathing ghats. You visit the sacred Pushkar Lake and the Brahma Temple — one of the very few temples anywhere dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator. Overnight back in Ajmer.
- Pushkar Lake
- — A sacred lake said to be blessed by Brahma, ringed with ghats and temples.
- Brahma Temple
- — A rare temple to Lord Brahma, tied by legend to the lake beside it.
A quick expressway run brings you to Jaipur, the "Pink City" and capital of Rajasthan. After settling in you begin the city's highlights — the hilltop Nahargarh Fort overlooking the whole of Jaipur, and the lake-set Jal Mahal appearing to float on Man Sagar. Overnight in Jaipur.
- Nahargarh Fort
- — A two-century-old fort on the Aravalli ridge with sweeping views over Jaipur.
- Jal Mahal
- — The "Water Palace" seemingly floating in the middle of Man Sagar Lake.
A final morning among Jaipur's icons — the honeycombed Hawa Mahal, the grand City Palace, the UNESCO-listed Jantar Mantar observatory, and, if time allows, the hilltop Amber Fort. We then drive back to Delhi in time for your onward flight, or you can extend the journey with us to Agra and the Taj Mahal, or beyond. Tour ends.
- Amber Fort
- — Hilltop fort-palace with the mirrored Sheesh Mahal and lake below.
- Hawa Mahal
- — The five-storey "Palace of Winds" with its 953 latticed windows.
- City Palace & Jantar Mantar
- — Royal residence and the UNESCO-listed 18th-century stone observatory.
This itinerary is a suggested flow and is fully customisable — hotels, pace and sightseeing are tailored to you. Ask us to adjust it →
Places on this tour
What's included
- Accommodation on twin-sharing basis in your chosen hotel category (5/4/3-star and heritage)
- Daily breakfast (meal plan as per itinerary)
- Private air-conditioned car with an experienced driver throughout
- All arrival and departure transfers
- All applicable taxes on the services quoted
Not included
- Monument entry fees, camera/video charges and activities such as camel safaris and boat rides
- Lunches, dinners and drinks unless specified
- Any airfare, train fare, visa or travel insurance
- Local guide service unless requested
- Tips, gratuities and personal expenses
- Single-room supplement for single occupancy
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Ideal for: Couples, culture and heritage lovers, photographers and travellers wanting the full sweep of Rajasthan.
FAQ
Royal Rajasthan Tour — your questions answered
Around 10 days lets you see Rajasthan properly without rushing. This tour uses that time to link Udaipur, Mount Abu, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Ajmer, Pushkar and Jaipur, so you experience lake palaces, blue and golden cities, the Thar Desert and the Pink City rather than just one or two forts.
October to March is the best time for Rajasthan. The desert days are pleasantly cool and the nights crisp, which makes the forts, camel safaris and long drives comfortable. April to June is extremely hot in the Thar, and July to September brings some monsoon rain, so those months are quieter but harder going.
Some days are long, and we plan around that honestly. Jodhpur to Jaisalmer and Jaisalmer to Khimsar each run about seven hours by road, because the desert cities are genuinely far apart. We break the journeys well, and where it helps we can add a night or use a flight — for example flying into Udaipur — to soften the longest legs.
Yes, staying in heritage properties is one of the highlights of this route. Rajasthan has some of the finest fort and palace hotels in India, including the fort-hotel and dunes village at Khimsar, and we can build your stays around them in Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Jaipur to match your budget.
This is a fully private, tailor-made tour. You travel with your own car, driver and hand-picked hotels, and the pace, nights and sightseeing are arranged around you — it is not a fixed group coach tour, and everything can be customised before you travel.
Yes, it combines very naturally with Agra and the Taj Mahal. Because the tour begins and ends near Delhi, we can add Agra at the end to fold in the Taj Mahal and the Golden Triangle, or extend into Udaipur's surroundings and Ranthambore for tigers — tell us your total days and we will design it.
