Spend seven days in Rajasthan
Travel through Rajasthan for a taste of old-world India — pink-hued palaces, frenzied markets, deep-red sunsets and food spiced with centuries of tradition. Words: Charlotte Wigram-Evans
DAYS 1- 2 Jaipur
DO: Jaipur’s Old Town is Indian romance personifi ed: a maze of twisting streets, lined with market stalls and ensconced within scalloped terracotta walls. The City Palace is still home to royalty, and its beauty is spellbinding, from its complex of courtyards to antique artworks and walls painted in kaleidoscopic patterns. A private tour opens up areas normally off limits to visitors. While there, don’t miss admiring the Palace of the Winds, with its staggering 953 windows. Jaipur is also the heart of India’s textile industry and a tour takes travellers behind the scenes: meet the artisans, learn how to block print and wander among streams of colourful fabric strung up to dry in fi elds at the edge of the city. No visit would be complete without a guided trip around Amber Fort, built in 1592 and the ancient capital of the state. EAT: Dine at The Johri, a boutique hotel housed in an ancient haveli (traditional townhouse) and order truffl ed aloo tikki potato cakes with chilli cheese naan, or for excellent European food, head to Jaipur institution Bar Palladio. This ostentatious, ocean- blue restaurant has a large garden and extensive cocktail menu. STAY: Nowhere is more opulent than Rambagh Palace, the former residence of Jaipur’s maharajas. Views from the 33 suites stretch out over sprawling lawns, sprinkled with fountains and roamed by peacocks. Its fi ne-dining restaurant, Suvarna Mahal, presents meticulously prepared classics in a setting fi t for a king; think gilded mirrors, golden tableware and crystal chandeliers.
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NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL DAYS 3- 4 Udaipur
DO: A short fl ight from Jaipur is the Pink City’s calmer cousin, Udaipur, situated beside Lake Pichola and surrounded by the purple ridges of the Aravalli Hills. Take a private boat ride at sunset to watch the water turn fi ery red, and pause for a tour of the island palace, Jagmandir, built in 1620. Enormous stone elephants fl ank the entrance, while marble pavilions dot manicured grounds. A slow cycle around the lake passes pretty streets of whitewashed houses, children taking an afternoon dip and the steps of Gangaur Ghat, leading down to the water’s edge beside a beautifully restored haveli. Udaipur is also renowned for its miniature paintings, and an in-depth tour includes meeting local masters to learn the history behind this intricate artform. EAT: Have lunch on the tented lawns of Raaj Bagh, overlooking the lake and serving some of the best paneer in the city. Come evening, head to Jagat Niwas, a heritage hotel and a fine sunset spot. Tables sit artfully in jharokhas (stone windows) that jut out across the water, ceilings sport colourful frescoes and the menu includes Rajasthani classics, from dal to tandoori chicken. STAY: Udaipur’s Taj Lake Palace is a vision of white marble, sitting on a private island in the lake. Rooms feature hand- painted motifs, silk bolsters, swings and stained-glass windows aff ording views of the City Palace where, every evening, a light show illuminates the building in golden hues. The on-site restaurants, such as rooftop Bhairo, are reserved for guests.
Clockwise from top: two ladies outside Amber Fort, which was once the capital of the state; the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur; an artisan hand-paints traditional gifts at Rohet Garh, Jodhpur; fabric hanging up to dry Previous pages: Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal, also known as the Palace of the Winds
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