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SUGGESTED ITINERARY IN RAJASTHAN |
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RAJASTHAN: TRAVEL GUIDE, TIPS AND THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING |
WHY GO TO RAJASTHAN?Rajasthan is probably the most visited federal state of India by tourists and is generally the ideal destination for the first trip to India. The reason for this interest from visitors is certainly well justified by the vast variety of attractions that Rajasthan offers, from art to architecture, from culture to traditions, without forgetting also nature and landscapes. So if you've never been in India and are looking for the ideal route for your first trip to the country, but even if you are a returning visitor, Rajasthan is certainly the main destination to consider. In addition to the countless things to see, Rajasthan is also convenient for the wide range of tours available, it is a comfortable holiday with overnights in hotels of a good standard, it is not an expensive destination and Rajasthan is a safe place without significant issues. WHAT TO SEE IN RAJASTHAN?The list of things to see in Rajasthan is long and includes numerous locations among every corner of this state. Let's see which are at least the main things to see in Rajasthan, which should not be missed from any travel itinerary:
These are only the main attractions in Rajasthan, which should not be missed when visiting this part of India: there are however an infinity of additional things to see in Rajasthan, to be definitely included in the itinerary if you have at least three weeks available. CAN I VISIT THE TAJ MAHAL ON A TOUR TO RAJASTHAN?Well, you have just decided to go to Rajasthan, but you have noticed that the Taj Mahal, one of the most famous and impressive monuments in the world, is not found in this federated state of India. So you may wonder how you could visit the Taj Mahal as well. Is it possible to visit the Taj Mahal as an extension of a trip to Rajasthan? The answer is: absolutely yes! Not only is it possible to visit the Taj Mahal as an extension of a trip to Rajasthan, but it is also easy, cheap and requires only one or two more nights to be added to the travel itinerary. In fact, the Taj Mahal is not far from the border with Rajasthan, along one of the many roads connecting Jaipur to Delhi: therefore to visit the Taj Mahal it is sufficient to travel between Delhi and Jaipur by car or train, instead of by plane, adding at least an overnight stay in Agra. Such itinerary allows also to visit the ancient city of Fatehpur Sikri, the Red Fort of Agra and the magnificent stepwell of Abhaneri. By adding an overnight stay in Delhi, visitors will have the opportunity to visit also the capital of India, which is not only a chaotic metropolis, but which offers many interesting attractions. CAN I VISIT VARANASI ON A TOUR TO RAJASTHAN?If visiting the Taj Mahal during a trip to Rajasthan is practical and convenient, unfortunately for Varanasi it's a little different matter. Varanasi is probably one of the most famous places in India after the Taj Mahal, for the many ghats along Ganges river, where faithfuls make ablutions, pray and spell magic formulas. All among hundreds of temples, in an almost surreal scenario. However, Varanasi is rather out of way from Rajasthan and can be reached only by a long journey by train from Agra, or by plane from Delhi. Visiting Varanasi as an extension of a trip to Rajasthan is therefore only possible if you have 3 or 4 more days available (we consider not convenient to make your trip to Rajasthan shorter, only to gain additional days for Varanasi, but we recommend to keep Varanasi for another tour in India). HOW TO GET TO RAJASTHAN?Although the major cities in Rajasthan (Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer) have daily flights onto Delhi, Mumbai and other main hubs in India, we recommend to fly from your country to Delhi and to start the tour from this city, by car or train. In fact, reaching Rajasthan by plane, you miss the opportunity to visit the attractions along the way, such as the Taj Mahal, and it becomes impractical to visit Mandawa. We therefore advise to land in Delhi, visit the city, then leave for Mandawa following a circular, anti-clockwise itinerary in Rajasthan, ending with Jaipur, Taj Mahal, and finally returning to Delhi from where you can fly back to your country. The anti-clockwise itinerary is the one with the best in terms of time optimization and leaves the amazement of being in front of the Taj Mahal on the last day of the trip. HOW TO MOVE AROUND IN RAJASTHAN?Although India has one of the most extensive railway networks in the world and there are also numerous tours where groups move around by bus, we recommend to travel in Rajasthan by car with driver. With this type of tour, tourists will get own car for the whole trip and the price includes also meals and accommodations for the driver. The price is usually so affordable for western standards, even if you travel alone, that it's really useless to consider any other type of tour or way to move around. The itinerary will be fully customizable and you can start the tour on any day of the year, since the trip will not be shared with other people on fixed a schedule and program. A travel package based on a car with driver in India, may also include under request all the hotels of price range you prefer, while licensed guides are available at major spots (this is quite important if you would like to learn more about the attractions you are visiting). Generally, the car with driver formula, does not include meals (except breakfast), so you are free to choose where to have lunch and dinner, while tickets to enter the various attractions are not always included (as you decide what to see) . The travel agencies that offer car-with-driver options are many and some have agreements also with major worldwide tour operators. The trip presented in this travelogue has been organized through Tusk Travel. HOW ARE THE ROADS IN RAJASTHAN?When planning a trip to Rajasthan, it must be kept in mind that the roads are not always in good conditions and that the traffic, the potholes and the animals crossing suddenly, require to keep a rather low average speed. Considering that the various cities of Rajasthan are not really close to each other, it means that a lot of time will be spent in the car. Sometimes travel agencies tend to compact the itinerary too much (obviously to be able to take even customers who have less time available and less budget), therefore it is necessary check carefully if the intended route and schedule gives sufficient time to visit the various attractions in the city. As general rule, I have seen that the ideal schedule is to stay 2 nights in each city: the first day is usually spent more or less on the road to get to the city, while the whole second day can be spent to actually visit the city. This gives also enough time to rest and to see other attractions normally not included, avoiding early morning departures to get the next destination as soon as possible. WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT RAJASTHAN?A trip to Rajasthan assumes several hours a day spent outside to get to and to visit the various attractions, so you may be wondering what is the best season to go to Rajasthan, which has less rain and more pleasant temperatures. India is subject to a strongly monsoon climate and Rajasthan is no exception, moreover the summer can be characterized by particularly high and uncomfortable hot temperatures. Therefore, what is actually the best period to go to Rajasthan? The best season to visit Rajasthan is winter, approximately from October to March, with further details to consider:
WHERE TO STAY IN RAJASTHAN?In Rajasthan there are hotels and luxury resorts offering service of western standards most of times. Particularly interesting are the so-called "heritage hotels" or "traditional hotels", which are old houses, palaces or even castles, restored to their original splendor and converted to hotels. If you travel in India by car with driver, the travel agency may book all the accommodations on your behalf, as a part of a complete travel package: just communicate your preference and your budget. OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE GOING TO RAJASTHAN
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RAJASTHAN: COMPLETE TRAVELOGUE WITH PHOTOS |
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