| RAJASTHAN ESSENCE
AREA: Rajasthan
DURATION : 12 days
SEASON : Mid-September - April.
A trip that takes you visiting the old warrior clans and seeing how they are preserving and maintaining their heritage. You get to travel in a camel caravan, camp out in the desert and imagine yourself either going to lay siege on some faraway fort or being part of a trade party discovering new destinations. Next you enjoy the luxury at a beautiful old palace Fort, to continue on to a hunting camp on the banks of a reservoir. The luxury of the camp gives you a taste of how comfortable and sybaritic a ‘hunting trip' could be. With all this you see the architectural splendours of the great forts of Jodhpur and the Pink city of Jaipur. The must see Taj Mahal. Culture, architecture, history, romance and of course the shopping make for a wonderful trip.
Places of Interest:
Jodhpur:
Set at the edge of the Thar desert, this imperial city was once the capital of the Marwar state, it was founded in 1459 A.D. by Rao Jodha-chief of the Rathore clan of Rajputs. The massive 15th century A.D.
Mehrangarh Fort looms on the top of a rocky hill, soaring 125 Mts. Above the plains. The city is encompassed by a high wall -10 km long with 8 gates and innumerable bastions. A major trade centre of the 16th century A.D. the fortress-city of Jodhpur is now the second largest city of Rajasthan. It was from here that the horse riding trousers - 'Jodhpurs', took their name. The usual Rajasthani handicraft are available here, but Jodhpur specializes in antiques.
Jaipur:
A bustle of energy with rickshaws, tuk tuks and people dashing in every direction. The old city was painted pink by the ruling Maharaja of 1876 in welcome to the Prince of Wales, which is why Jaipur is referred to as the “Pink City.” Pink means hospitality which, together with noise and chaos, abounds in Jaipur.
City Palace: The City Palace comprises a welcome palace, museum (which houses a fascinating collection of royal costumes), armoury (which houses an awesome collection of the most bizarre weaponry), a hall of intriguing manuscripts, carpet flooring and solid silver royal litters and portraits – and more – all quite fascinating.
Jantar Mantar: Next to the City Palace, the Jantar Mantar is one of 5 observatories constructed by the “1 1/4 brained” (because he was so smart) Maharajah Jai Singh in 1728. Astrology and astronomy were Jai Singh's passion and he sent scholars all over the world to collect and update his knowledge, which was then turned into observatories for ongoing research and data collection.
• Precious and semi-precious stones, textiles, handicrafts, blue pottery, handicrafts are available to purchase in the city bazaar.
Agra:
Fatehpur Sikri: Between 1570 and 1586, during the reign of the Emperor Akbar, the capital of the Moghul Empire was situated here, 40 km west of Agra. It is now an abandoned city with a very special romance to it.
The Taj Mahal was constructed by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the ‘lady of the Taj'. It has been described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love.
Wildlife Option: Trip to Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh
Season: The Camp is open from 1st November to mid May
Kipling Camp was established in 1982 by Bob and Anne Wright (conservationist, who started Project Tiger), since the passing of Bob Wright in 2005, the camp is now run by Anne her daughter Belinda (also an active conservationist). On the edge of Kanha Tiger Reserve in Central India, the camp is open to naturalists, conservationists and those who wish to relax in idyllic surroundings. It is also the home of TARA, the much-loved elephant who starred in Mark Shand's best selling epic "My Travels on an Elephant". Kipling Camp is a simple and comfortable Resort with an excellent cuisine.
The focal point of the camp is the Shamiana , where guests enjoy indoor and outdoor dining. It is an ideal place for guests to mingle with fellow wildlife enthusiasts or simply pick up a book and relax. There are no fences or barriers segregating Kipling Camp from its environment, and spotted deer and langur monkeys constantly visit the Camp, enjoying a quick drink at the water holes. Jackals, wolves and even leopards occasionally pad by. Kipling Camp's naturalists have an extensive knowledge of the wildlife of Kanha, and a naturalist accompanies guests on each safari drive. Selected volunteers from abroad are annually given the opportunity to learn about Indian wildlife, while helping management staff to look after guests.
In order to ensure good sightings of tiger and other wildlife, a stay of at least 3 nights is recommended. Open four-wheel drive vehicles to see and photograph wildlife at dawn take out visitors and in the afternoon picnics and bird walks are arranged. Indian wildlife is more difficult to see than the animals of the plains of Africa, but the Kanha meadows offer amazing opportunities for the photographer and in the thick jungle there is always the thrill of an unexpected encounter. If a tiger is in the vicinity there is every possibility of being able to track the Lord of the Jungle on elephant back and get a photograph at close quarters. You could at times ride TARA in the buffer zone or - most popular of all - bathe her in the river. Sitting around the campfire at Kipling Camp, listening to the noises of the jungle, is the perfect end to an exciting day.
>> click here for the Itinerary
Note: Costs depend on season and final itinerary |
