Palaces and Paintings

The tour begins in Delhi on Day 1.

We recommend that you fly to Delhi on the following flights, from London Heathrow.

Air India flight AI166, departs LHR 2145, arrives Delhi 1035 (next day)

Virgin Atlantic VS300, departs LHR 2005, arrives Delhi 0930 (next day).

If you are travelling from another airport, or taking other flights, please ensure they arrive by 1030 on Day 1 of the tour.

Note that international flights are not included in the tour price.

Arrive in Delhi at 0930 hrs by flight VS300 or by AI166 at 1035 hrs, where, you’ll be met by our representative and the group will transfer to your hotel.

After lunch, meet Dr. Richard Williams, your expert tour leader at your hotel. After introductions, we shall start our tour with a visit to the National Museum to get an introduction to the painting schools of Rajasthan. Explore the museum’s large collection and dip your toes into India’s arts and history.

This evening, enjoy a welcome group dinner with Dr. Richard Williams.

After breakfast full day guided tour of Old & New Delhi

Marvel at the glory days of Mughals in Old Delhi (Shahjahanbad), starting with visit to Jama Masjid, the grand mosque. Climb one of the minarets of the mosque for a truly spectacular bird’s eye view (if open to public).

Enjoy a rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of the Chandni Chowk markets, where the street food has something for everyone – lip-smacking kebabs, paranthas and mithais.

Visit Rajghat and drive through imperial New Delhi, with its British Raj monuments like the India Gate, Viceroy’s House (now the Indian President’s residence) and administrative buildings. Visit the elegant Connaught Place and have lunch at one fo the many restaurants here.

After lunch, visit a pair of World Heritage sites – two of the best architectural monuments of Delhi: Qutub Minar, and Humayun’s Tomb.

After breakfast, drive to Jaipur (250 kms / 05 hours). Arrive Jaipur and check in at your hotel.

In the evening, walk to the walled city of Jaipur and visit the Birla Temple.

After breakfast, visit Amber Fort and explore its beautiful pavilions and palaces.

After a brief photo stop outside Hawa Mahal, have lunch at Choubara Restaurant.

Visit City Palace on a special tour that not only takes in all the public spaces and galleries, but also gives us special access to private royal sections that are not open to the public like Sri Niwas, Chavi Niwas, Shobha Niwas, Pritam Niwas & Sarvato Roof.

Enjoy evening tea and snacks at the City Palace to end your special trip.

After breakfast drive to Kishangarh (105 kms / 02 hours).

The Kishangarh school of art is notable for its elongated style, with “arched eyebrows, lotus-like elongated eyes and pointed chin” a highly idealized facial form reminiscent of Indian sculpture art. Kishangarh paintings depict lush vegetation, dramatic night skies, vivid movement and use side-profile portraits, with meticulous details, rich colours and fine technique.

Visit the Kishangarh School of Arts, Studio Kishangarh and the Kishangarh Fort. Enjoy lunch at the Phool Mahal Palace, perched on the edge of a peaceful lake.

After lunch, drive onwards to Jodhpur (230 kms / 4 hours), and check into your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

After breakfast, enjoy a full day tour of Jodhpur.

Begin at the majestic and imposing Mehrangarh Fort and its museum. Later, visit Jaswant Thada, the royal cenotaphs, followed by some of Jodhpur’s old Havelis (mansions). End your day with a walk around the old Clock Tower market.

Tonight, enjoy dinner at the opulent Umaid Bhawan Palace, part of which is now a grand luxury hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Jojawar (125 kms / 3 hours), stopping at tribal villages enroute where the Bhil and other tribes still retain their old ways in rural Rajasthan.

Arrive in Jojawar around 4pm and check into your rooms to relax for the evening.

After breakfast drive to Marwar Junction and board the Valley Queen Heritage Train, to follow in Rudyard Kipling’s footsteps and take a local train through the rolling green hills of the Khamli Ghats.

Travelling from Marwar to Phulad through rural Rajasthan a by meter gauge train on a 1930s British track. The track consists of 17 U-shape bridges and two tunnels with lots of monkeys popping up to watch you go by. The route of this train was used as a backdrop to Rudyard Kipling’s famous book and movie, “The Man Who Would Be King”.

This heritage train is a modern version, made to resemble the original steam engine that used to operate on the route, combining a hint of nostalgia with modern comforts of a 60-seat air-conditioned Vistadome coach with large viewings windows.

Arrive Kamlighat Junction and drive back to Jojawar.

Late afternoon, enjoy a special excursion to the nearby hills in classic vintage vehicles of Rawla Jojawar for sundowners.

After breakfast, drive to Udaipur (140 kms / 03 hours).

Visit Udaipur’s City Palace & crystal gallery. Reach Jagmandir Palace, located in the middle of the lake, on a short boat ride. Enjoy your lunch at the Jagmandir Palace.

After lunch visit the houses of Raagmala artists and see them paint.

Later, drive to Rawla Khempur (50 kms / 01 hours).

Ravla Khempur is a heritage hotel in the village of Khempur. Built in the 1620s, it gained fame as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel after being used as the filming location for the 2011 film and its 2015 sequel. The hotel is surrounded by a Marwari horse breeding stable and paddocks and caters to horse lovers.

Tonight, your dinner will be hosted by Mr. Hemant Singh Devel, the current head of Rawla Khempur’s noble family.

Spent the day in and around Rawla Khempur, visiting local villages and interacting with the villagers.

Visit the local 15th century Shiva Temple, which is not open to the general public. The temple’s walls are decorated with murals and paintings.

Tonight, your dinner will be hosted by Mr. Rohitshva Singh Devel, son of Mr. Hemant Singh Devel.

After breakfast, visit Akola Garh village to see cotton block printing process. These block prints are worn by local ladies in their colourful dresses.

Akola Garh, situated at the border of the erstwhile Mewar state, was the hub of opium cultivation & collection during bygone days of Maharanas. Forts & havelis were constructed by the Solanki rajputs, who had migrated to this region after the end of wars with the Mughals.

After breakfast (around 0900), drive to Chittorgarh Fort (75 kms / 01 hours) and explore this historic World Heritage site.

Enjoy your lunch either in Chittorgarh or enroute to Bundi. (150 kms / 03 hours).

Just before arriving in Bundi, a special evening treat awaits at the Jawahar Sagar, where you will enter a nature reserve and visit the small Garadia Mahadev Temple. The location provides a stunning view of the horseshoe bend on the Chambal River, reminiscent of the more famous horseshoe bend on the mighty Colorado in Arizona.

Tonight. your group dinner is hosted by Maharaj Saheb Vanshvardhan Singh, of Bundi’s royal family.

After breakfast enjoy a full day exploring Bundi.

Visit Bundi’s Garh Palace & Fort to see the Fresco Wall Paintings in Chhatra Mahal and Badal Mahal inside the Garh Palace. The Chitrashala, which is also known as the Ummed Mahal, is a part of the Garh Palace.

Kipling wrote parts of ‘Kim’ at the Sukh Mahal here.

Visit the Mayur Art Miniature School, run by local artist Soni Gopal. This small family business creates original handmade Bundi miniature paintings featuring animal or  religious motifs, on paper or silk. You may be able to observe them at work.

If time permits, the old city of Bundi has several sites of interest like Raniji ko baori, Dabhai Kund, Nagar Sagar Kund and Chaurasi Khambon ki Chattri, and the old town streets and market.

On the last day of your tour, drive to Kota’s Garh Palace and Rao Madho Singh Museum which has a splendid collection of Kota school of miniature paintings. This is a fitting last stop on our Palaces and Paintings tour.

Later, drive to Delhi’s International airport (460 kms / 07 hours), to bring the tour to an end.

We recommend that you fly back to London on the following early morning flights:

Air India flight AI161, departs Delhi 0245, arrives LHR 0730.

Virgin Atlantic VS303, departs Delhi 0205, arrives LHR 0720.

If you are flying on other flights, and require an extra night’s stay in a hotel, we can arrange the extension for you.