Delhi: Gateway to Rajasthan

Have rickshaw, will travel. As the easiest and most authentic way to get around Delhi’s bustling streets, we took a whistle stop cycle rickshaw tour through the capital’s tourist hotspots with a visit to Old Delhi. Challo, challo! (Come on, let’s go!)

The smells! The sights! The colours! The sounds! What better way to experience the ‘essence’ of Delhi than a visit to Chadni Chowk, one of the oldest and busiest markets in Delhi. This is the spice of Indian life. Literally. Wandering around the market, chatting to traders and having our first chai tea.

To avoid ‘Fort Fatigue’ (it really is a thing when travelling India), we walked past (but didn’t enter) the Mughal era Red Fort which straddles the eastern edges of Chandni Chowk, preserving our energy for…

…the Jama Masjid Mosque. The scale and magnificence of the interiors here are awe-inspiring, and also a welcome escape from first day, yet-to-acclimatise Delhi heat. Covering up shoulders isn’t just a mark of respect but essential here. Amazingly, the staff found adequate clothing to cover even the most vertically imposing family. Impressive!

Jodhpur: Blue, bustling and breathtaking

Thirty years ago, the bus journey from Delhi to Jodhpur, the second largest city in Rajasthan after Jaipur, took 12 hours. Now, it’s less than a one-and-a-half-hour flight, meaning you’ve loads of energy and enthusiasm to explore The Blue City’s most famous site: the absolutely stunning Mehrangarh Fort. From this vantage point, the views are second-to-none.

After a morning walk through the narrow, bustling streets of Jodhpur, we headed out to the desert park on the city outskirts to get the best views. From here, you can see just how many hues of the blue city there are: indigo, cobalt, turquoise, sky and pale blue. Interestingly, there are several theories but no unifying reason as to why the city is painted this way.

Narlai: Wildlife rambles and a little bit of magic

Even the most die-hard Indiaphiles are unlikely to have heard of this quiet, rural town in Rajasthan, but that’s how we like it. Here you’ll enjoy your first slice of Rajasthani rural life without any other tourists, or many other people at all. We watched sunrise from Elephant Rock, starting the day with chai and biscuits for breakfast thanks to our guide. Note: the teen is conspicuous by her 5am absence…

Inspired by the ubiquitous red turbans worn by local shepherds and goat herders you’ll see everywhere in rural Rajasthan, my sister tried the look. Who wears it better? You decide!

Rajasthan can make even the most recalcitrant teenager come out of their shell, as this picture taken at a Maharaja’s hunting lodge, now heritage hotel, proves. The teen, meanwhile, also loved the pool.

The countryside surrounding Narlai is also home to a local leopard population, which, like us, you may be lucky enough to spot on a ‘rural ramble’ (jeep drive) around the area. We confess, it was our guide that took this photo of the leopard – you might snap one just as good, though!

We were also taken on an evening cart ride through the jet-black countryside, where the night stars shone brightly…

As did the candles once we arrived at our destination; a step well used by the family for centuries to alleviate desert drought conditions. Who would have thought something so utilitarian could be so beautiful and atmospheric?

Camels are everywhere in rural Rajasthan, the state which is also known for the world’s largest camel fair in Pushkar. Here’s just some we saw passing en-route to our next destination, a small village deep in the countryside.

Rural summer palace: Royal comfort, local welcome

Live like a Maharajah in another converted Maharaja’s summer residence, now a stunning boutique hotel, with (sadly tortoise-free) pool. We could get used to this!

Meeting local people in Rajasthan was a highlight for us all, even if it meant tearing ourselves away from Maharajan splendour. We were taken to a local village where we learned how locals make a living, such as cotton picking (pictured), rice threshing and artisan pottery making.

And this, right here, is what a family holiday to India is all about. Rajasthan is peppered with derelict, usually out of bounds local forts. As heritage hotel guests, though, we were able to enjoy sunset from this beautiful fort, bonding, reflecting on our holiday and enjoying afternoon tea and sundowner G & Ts.

Nimaj: From dawn to dusk by the water

You didn’t have to be a budding ornithologist to enjoy the peace and quiet of this huge lake where we stayed in gorgeous shoreline glamping pods. Bursting with colourful birdlife including cranes, pelicans, ducks and birds of prey, ‘we’ kayaked on millpond-still waters and took an evening boat ride watching the sunset.

Seeing the sun rise over the lake the morning after was almost a spiritual experience. Note: conspicuous lack of teenager at dawn. Again. Probably still getting over all the kayaking.

Jaipur: Cool mornings, busy bazaars and tiger-spotting

As the largest city in Rajasthan, the Pink City of Jaipur is a must-visit. We started the morning early with a family bike ride around this atmospheric city. *Shock alert*, the teen deigned to join us. Starting early meant we enjoyed the cool and watched the city come to life as locals began their day. Later we also visited Padma, an aged elephant who we fed and bathed much to her visible joy.

The Hawa Mahal, or ‘Palace of the Winds’ is one of Rajasthan’s most iconic and enchanting attractions. Built out of pink sandstone, this honeycomb-like façade with over 900 windows (jharokas) didn’t just allow for better ventilation of the city palace but allowed resident ladies to look out onto the city without being seen (unlike the girl pictured here).

Unsurprisingly, the teen was ALL OVER the shopping, demonstrating an uncanny knack for haggling – there’s nothing like a small budget to ensure the best bargains. The lovely ladies didn’t just sell my daughter a second-hand sari but showed her how to get dressed in one, whilst gently suggesting she should probably have a husband and baby by now. With Vinted a distant memory, how’s that for a souvenir haul?

Here’s my daughter, literally ‘milking it’ at a gorgeous farm stay just outside Jaipur. As well as being somewhere lovely to stay, complete with exquisite rooms and pool, guests of every age are encouraged to get involved in farm activities, from milking goats, to feeding fish and camels, to tractor driving.

Wildlife lovers will know that Rajasthan is home to one of the country’s most famous wildlife parks, Ranthambore. We far prefer the far less crowded Sariska National Park, which had entirely lost its tiger population but in a remarkable turnaround, now has nearly 70 tigers. This means a really good chance of spotting one, but without the crowds you find at Ranthambore.

Karauli: A quiet and captivating town

What an undiscovered gem (and we’re keeping it that way!). Karauli City Palace is so beautiful, both inside and out, that it easily rivals the majestic Amber Fort in Jaipur. Accessed through numerous, architecturally stunning gateways, we know you’ll be as stunned as we were (and you’ll have the place pretty much entirely to yourselves).

Agra: The famous grand finale

No visit to India would be complete without a visit to its most iconic building, The Taj Mahal, located in Agra. You’ll probably know that this magnificent marble monument is a mausoleum built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a testament to his enduring love for his wife. What you may not know is that whilst many people put stock in visiting either at (teen horror) sunrise or sunset, we visited at midday and loved it. Yes, there are many people here, but the site is so vast, the crowds immediately dissipate after entry.

Plan your family trip to Rajasthan

Inspired by what you’ve seen? Together, our travel experts have more than 60 years of experience in arranging family holidays, and they’ll shape a Rajasthan itinerary around your family: your children’s ages, whether grandparents are joining, and how much you want to see. Call us on 01728 752 751 or send us an enquiry, and we’ll help you choose the right places to stay and answer any questions along the way.