Places
Covered : Delhi - Jaipur -
Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Chittaurgarh -
Udaipur - Bharatpur - Agra - Delhi
Duration : 7 Nights / 8 Days
Detailed Itinerary
Times have changed
and winds have shifted, but the Palace
On Wheels cruises along in its unique
style, the kind only the Maharajas of
yesteryears could have perpetuated and
enjoyed. Today, of course, each traveller
on board is treated like royalty in
his or her own right.
The exquisite &
exclusive Palace on Wheels has luxurious
cabins, wall-to-wall carpeting, a well
stocked bar, two dining cars, and a
very personalised service. Infact everything
that could comprise of heaven on earth
for a whole week.
The festive fervor
of Christmas catches up even amidst
the sandy and earthy terrain of Rajasthan
while you are aboard the Palace-On-Wheels.
All passengers sing dance and make merry
within the comfortable confines of the
train. When the music is pulsating and
spirits soaring, it is difficult to
keep in control and you tend to go with
the flow.
Day 01: Wednesday
Delhi - Journey of A Lifetime Begins
.........
1645 Hours: Report Delhi Cantonment
Railway Station and board on Palace
On Wheels, The Maharaja train tour.
1800 Hours: Departure for a Week in
Wonderland Tour.
2000 Hours: Dinner on board
The journey of a lifetime
begins at the Delhi cantonment station
where the guests are accorded a warm,
traditional welcome before the palace-on-wheels
pull out into the night. For a week
long luxury cruise through fascinating
Rajasthan.
Day 02 : Thursday
Attraction - Jaipur
0000 Hours: Arrival in Jaipur.
0730 Hours: Breakfast on Board.
0830 Hours: Sightseeing.
1300 hours: Lunch at the Rambagh Palace
Hotel.
When you reached at
Jaipur, a gala reception awaits you
at the Pink City. With traditional Indian
music of the shehnai, playing in the
background, you will be welcomed like
a Royal Celebrity. And why not.... this
is the first stop of the Palace on Wheels
in the land of Maharajas, magnificent
Palaces and impressive forts. And this
is just the start; from this time on,
every moment that you spend on the Palace
On Wheels will leave memories that will
last for a lifetime.
To explore the city,
an air-conditioned coach takes you to
Hawa Mahal or the palace of winds, which
is a remarkable five storeyed building
along the main street of the old city
in pink splendor with semi octagonal
and delicate honey combed sandstone
windows. This is followed by a visit
to Amber Fort, 8-km away, where rides
on caparisoned elephants add to the
ambience.
And yes, how can you
miss the shopping in your Jaipur tour.
Jaipur is the place to shop until you
drop ! It has a plethora of handicrafts
ranging from grimacing papier-mache
puppets to exquisitely carved furniture,
jewellery, handicrafts, carpets, blue
pottery and textiles. The luxury coaches
will take you back to palace on wheels
around 6.30 pm. Dinner on board.
1900 Hours: Departure
for Jaisalmer.
2000 Hours: Dinner on Board.
Day 03 :Friday
Attraction - Jaisalmer
0615 Hours: Arrival in Jaisalmer.
0730 Hours: Breakfast on Board.
0830 Hours: Sightseeing.
Welcome to Heart of
Thar Desert - Jaisalmer. Founded by
Rawal Jaisal in 1156. Sharply etched
against the sky, Jaisalmer is a splendid
sight with its yellow sand stone walls
and bastions that seem to rise from
the golden sands. Visit the intricately
latticed havelis with their elaborate
facades. The superb craftsmanship of
the stone carved is illustrated in Nathmalji-ki-haveli,
Patwon-ki-haveli and Salim Singh-ki-haveli.
After a sumptuous lunch, experience
the exhilaration of a camel ride on
the golden sand dunes at Sam, the most
picturesque dunes. No trip to Jaisalmer
is complete without a visit to these
fascinating dunes which is followed
by evening tea. The Palace on Wheels
departs for Jodhpur at night.
1300 Hours: Lunch on
board and rest.
1700 Hours: Visit the sand dunes and
experience the thrill of a camel safari.
1930 Hours: Dine while enjoying a cultural
programme.
2300 Hours: Departure for Jodhpur.
Day 04 : Saturday
Attraction - Jodhpur
0730 Hours: Breakfast on Board.
0800 Hours: Arrival in Jodhpur.
0830 Hours: Sightseeing.
1300 Hours: Lunch at the Umaid Bhawan
Palace.
Welcome to the Blue
City - Jodhpur founded in 1459 AD and
is the second largest City in Rajasthan.
It was also on the ancient Silk route.
The formidable Mehrangarh fort, rising
as high as man's unflinching will, atop
a hill, dominates the city. Umaid Bhawan
also known as Chittaur Palace, is another
landmark of the region. It was conceived
as part of famine relief operations,
at the beginning of the century, by
Maharaja Umaid Singh. The palace took
16 years to build, and provided employment
to the famine stricken. A portion of
the palace has been converted into a
hotel.
After lunch at a Palace
hotel, return to the Palace-On-Wheels.
While in Jodhpur, shop for exquisite
handcrafted articles including the famous
breeches, embroidered shoes, metal curios,
silverware, paintings and tie and dye
fabrics.
1530 Hours: Departure
for Sawai Madhopur.
2000 Hours: Dinner on Board.
Day 05 : Sunday
Attraction - Sawai Madhopur
Morning: Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary
0615 Hours: Arrival
in Sawai Madhopur.
0630 Hours: Breakfast on Board.
0700 Hours: Visit the Ranthambhore National
Park
Excitement is in the
air as the Palace on Wheels touches
Sawai Madhopur, a city fortified in
1765 and named after its founder Maharaja
Sawai Madho Singh I. One can almost
sense a life of the wilderness here
. After breakfast a visit is arranged
to the Ranthambhor National Park, where
in are located the ruins of a 10th century
fort. This wildlife sanctuary is considered
to be the country’s best for observing
and photographing the activities of
the tiger. The park, covering an area
of 392-sq-kms is home to more than 300
species of birds. The Tiger, Hyena,
Ratel, Jackal and Fox are among those
constituting the carnivorous population
here.
Sawai Madhopur is also
known for its exclusive toys, ethnic
ornaments and costumes. Upon return
to the palace on wheels, you leave for
desert citadel Jaisalmer, when one gets
an opportunity to watch the colourful
countryside passing by the daylight.
Lunch and dinner are served on board.
Afternoon: Chittaurgarh
Fort
1100 Hours: Departure
for Chittaurgarh.
1300 Hours: Lunch on board.
1530 Hours: Arrival in Chittaurgarh.
1600 Hours: Sightseeing.
Day 06 : Monday
Attraction - Udaipur
0645 Hours: Breakfast on Board.
0730 Hours: Depart for Sightseeing.
1230 Hours: Lunch at the Lake Palace
Hotel.
Welcome to the 'City
of Lakes'. One of the most romantic
places in India, it is situated around
the shimmering clear blue water lakes,
which whisper the mood of a bygone era.
Udaipur was founded by Maharana Udai
Singh of Mewar, after the Sisodia dynasty
was driven away by the Mughals, in 1559
AD. Perhaps the two most beautiful sites
of Udaipur are the dream like marble
palaces the Jag Niwas (Lake Palace)
and the Jag Mandir, which appear to
rise from the blue waters of Lake Pichhola.
After lunch at Lake Palace Hotel, a
visit to the City Palace is exhilarating.
1800 Hours: Return
from Sightseeing.
2000 Hours: Departure for Bharatpur.
2000 Hours: Dinner on Board
Day 07 : Tuesday
Attraction - Bharatpur, Agra
Arrival - 6:00 AM.
Bharatpur
After bidding good-bye to Udaipur day
of its trip the Palace-on-Wheels arrives
at the beautiful Bharatpur. The city
of Bharatpur is an Avian paradise and
is renowned for the bird sanctuary.
So great is the pull of the Keoladeo
Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur, that
people spare not a thought for the state
that gave birth to it. This superb waterfowl
habitat, one of the finest in the world,
was actually created by a Maharaja.
Bharatpur, the nesting place for thousands
of Egrets, Siberian Cranes, migratory
Water Fowl and other species of birds.
Lunch : On Board
Afternoon - Agra (
Taj Mahal )
After a splendid visit to the Ghana
National Park, the Palace On Wheels
arrives at Agra. Where Fatehpur Sikri,
the red sandstone Mughal palatial complex.
Within the enclosure is a mosque built
by the Mughal emperor Akbar and dedicated
to Sheikh Salim Chishti, a museum Sufi
saint who blessed him with a son. After
lunch move on from the red fort and
arrive at the Taj Mahal, one of the
Seven Wonders of the World. A pristine
monument of undying love, it was built
by Emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his
beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Agra is
known for its splendid marble inlay
work like the ‘Pietra Dura’
work in the Taj, leather goods and jewellery.
Day 08 : Wednesday
Delhi - The Memories For A Lifetime
Begins ..............
Welcome back to Delhi Cantonment Railway
Station to step back from fantasy to
reality.
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