ESCORTED TOURS INDIA DESTINATIONS LEFT:


Ranthambore National Park


RIGHT:


Agents at Amber Fort


Venturing out on a morning


drive on a canter (a jeep- style, open-top bus) gave us serene views over the lunar-like landscapes, and as we bumped our way along the rocky tracks I felt like I was in the African savannah – all spindly trees, golden sand, patches of green and, at the centre, a huge lake glistening pink and orange under a burning sunrise. Sadly we weren’t lucky enough to spot a tiger. Warn clients there’s no guarantee, although Newmarket includes two outings on its full tour to maximise chances. However, we did manage to catch bright blue peacocks and a host of other exotic birds alongside Sambar antelopes, spotted deer, crocodiles waiting in the water and langur monkeys bounding around and playing tricks on passers-by.


◗ JAIPUR From here we returned to city life in Jaipur. Though still hectic in places, the city, on the whole, is calmer than Delhi, and it holds an intriguing heritage. Every building in the historic centre was painted terracotta pink to impress Prince Albert when he visited in 1876, and it’s remained so to this day thanks to a law passed in 1877. The city is home to a number of heritage sites, including palatial hotels like Shahpura House, where we stayed. Decked


I had a go at making a chapati myself; it ended in a mass of half-burnt, half- uncooked dough


out with splashes of red and gold with archways and walls covered in ornate patterns, it’s a throwback to the era of the maharajas, and it makes a good selling point for clients after something a little special. The real highlight here, though,


was a trip to Amber Fort, just outside the city. Set on a hillside overlooking a sparkling emerald lake, this sprawling complex of yellow and pink sandstone was built as the imperial capital of the Mughal dynasty and can be explored by 4x4, elephant or on foot. Visitors can browse its giant courtyard and rooms such as the ‘mirror palace’, where walls are covered in a mosaic of tiny glass pieces. It was topped only by a cultural


evening where we twisted and spun around to traditional Rajasthani music in glorious, vast gardens before tucking into an indulgent buffet of authentic, home-cooked food with a local family – think sweet chutneys, spicy dhal and rich, aromatic


31 August 2017 travelweekly.co.uk 57


curries with smoky chapatis cooked on an open fire. I even had a go at making a chapati myself; it ended in a mass of half- burnt, half-uncooked dough that didn’t look entirely edible, which gives me an excuse to go back. That’s fine by me, for I don’t think I’m quite done with India yet.


Book it: Newmarket Holidays’ 10-day India – Tigers and the Taj Mahal tour costs from £1,199 per person, including accommodation, some meals, services of a tour guide and flights, departing May 22, 2018, from Heathrow. newmarketholidays.co.uk


Tried & Tested VANAASHRYA TENTED CAMP


Newmarket Holidays scatters unusual accommodation options through its itineraries. My favourite was Vanaashrya, a tented camp in a remote, secluded spot at the foot of the Aravalli mountains, where ‘tents’ were full-on hotel rooms complete with double beds and


en suite bathrooms. It was utterly peaceful – silent except for the cooing of birds in the morning and the swooping of bats in the evening. It’s also incredibly scenic, surrounded by vast, arid desert and a layer of mountains in the distance. Truly memorable. vanaashrya.com


PICTURES: SOUMYA MUKHERJI; SHUTTERSTOCK; NEWMARKET HOLIDAYS


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