“I had an incredible adventure with Rang Travels in Northern India earlier this year! The tour was jam packed. I loved the beautiful forts and buildings we visited, the markets, as well as the stunning World Heritage hotels. This tour gave me a real taste for India, and I felt very comfortable for my first time visiting! Mamlesh took very good care of our entire group, meeting our many demands as travelling dancers… we had lots of laughs alongside our exciting travels!”
Royal Rajasthan & Sacred India
with the Taj Mahal and Varanasi
16 days · 15 nights 12 halts October to MarchHeritage, Spiritual, Desert, UNESCO
from₹2,85,000per person · indicative
Enquire
Udaipur and Lake Pichola at dusk, palaces lit along the waterSixteen days from the lakes of Udaipur to the ghats of Varanasi: forts, painted havelis, the Thar at sunset, the Taj at sunrise, and the Ganga Aarti at the end of it all.
This is the long India — the one that takes a fortnight to do properly. It begins in Old Delhi with a rickshaw through Chandni Chowk, flies to the lakes of Udaipur, and then drives west through the marble temples of Ranakpur to the blue city of Jodhpur and the golden fort of Jaisalmer, where a camel takes you into the dunes for sunset.
From the desert the road turns east: Bikaner's caravan-city fort, Jaipur's Amber and Hawa Mahal, the stepwell at Abhaneri and the abandoned Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri, and then the Taj Mahal at first light. Central India follows — Gwalior's hilltop fort, Orchha's river cenotaphs, the carved temples of Khajuraho — before a short flight to Varanasi for a sunrise boat on the Ganga, the evening Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, and Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught.
Highlights
- Sunrise at the Taj Mahal, before the crowds
- Camel ride to the Khuri dunes for a desert sunset
- Ranakpur's 1,444 carved marble pillars — no two alike
- The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Six UNESCO World Heritage sites in one journey
- Private car and driver throughout, flights Delhi–Udaipur and Khajuraho–Varanasi
The route
- Delhi
- Udaipur2 nights
- Ranakpur
- Jodhpur1 night
- Jaisalmer2 nights
- Bikaner1 night
- Jaipur2 nights
- Agra1 night
- Gwalior1 night
- Orchha1 night
- Khajuraho1 night
- Varanasi2 nights
- Delhi
- Delhi
- Udaipur2 nights
- Ranakpurpass through
- Jodhpur1 night
- Jaisalmer2 nights
- Bikaner1 night
- Jaipur2 nights
- Agra1 night
- Gwalior1 night
- Orchha1 night
- Khajuraho1 night
- Varanasi2 nights
- Delhi
Day by day
The page changes colour as you travel — scroll and watch it follow the route.
Now in Delhi
Day 01Overnight DelhiGateway to India
A Rang Travels representative meets you at Indira Gandhi International Airport and takes you to your hotel. After some rest, the journey begins in Old Delhi, the historic heart of the city.
A traditional rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk — one of India's oldest and busiest markets, alive with spice stalls and Mughal-era façades — then the Jama Masjid, among the largest mosques in India, and Raj Ghat, the quiet memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
Day 02Overnight UdaipurFlight Delhi – UdaipurThe City of Lakes
After breakfast, fly to Udaipur, the most romantic of Rajasthan's cities. Your local representative meets you and transfers you to the hotel; the rest of the day is yours.
Walk the lakeside markets or simply sit with the view — white marble palaces, narrow lanes, and a sunset over Lake Pichola make a first impression that lasts.
Day 03Overnight UdaipurPalaces, temples & royal heritage
A guided morning at the City Palace, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan, above the waters of Lake Pichola — mirrored halls, marble balconies, painted courtyards. Then the carved Jagdish Temple and Saheliyon Ki Bari, the garden built for the royal ladies, with its fountains and lotus pools.
In the afternoon, drive out to Eklingji and the 9th-century temple ruins at Nagda before returning to the hotel.
Day 04Overnight Jodhpur280 km · about 6 hrsRanakpur's marble temples, on to the Blue City
Drive north through the Aravalli hills to the 15th-century Jain temples at Ranakpur — 1,444 uniquely carved marble pillars, and famously no two the same. It is one of the quietest, most beautiful places in Rajasthan.
Continue through villages and farmland to Jodhpur, the Blue City, and check in.
Day 05Overnight JaisalmerJodhpur – Jaisalmer by roadMehrangarh, then the golden city
Mehrangarh Fort, built in 1457, rises over the blue houses of Jodhpur — palaces, museums, cannons, and one of the great views in India. Then the white marble memorial of Jaswant Thada.
In the afternoon, drive west into the Thar to Jaisalmer, the sandstone city that glows at the end of the day.
Day 06Overnight JaisalmerForts, havelis & the dunes
Jaisalmer Fort — Sonar Quila, a living fort with temples, shops and homes inside its walls — then the sandstone façades of Patwon Ki Haveli and Nathmal Ki Haveli.
In the afternoon, an excursion to the Khuri sand dunes on the edge of the Thar: a camel ride through the dunes and a desert sunset.
Day 07Overnight Bikaner330 km · about 6 hrsBikaner & the Karni Mata temple
Drive to Bikaner, once a stop on the caravan routes between India and Central Asia. Junagarh Fort — built on the plain rather than a hilltop — blends Rajput, Mughal and European hands.
Then the famous Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke, where thousands of sacred rats are cared for by devotees. Unusual, and unforgettable.
Day 08Overnight Jaipur330 km · about 7 hrsTo the Pink City
A long, easy drive east to Jaipur, India's first planned city, founded in 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II.
The rest of the day is free — the bazaars are famous for jewellery, gemstones, textiles and blue pottery.
Day 09Overnight JaipurAmber Fort & the royal landmarks
Morning at Amber Fort above Maota Lake — courtyards, royal chambers and the mirror-work halls of the Rajput court — with a stop at Jal Mahal, the palace floating in the lake, on the way back.
Then the City Palace, still home to Jaipur's royal family; Jantar Mantar, the 18th-century observatory; and the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds. The evening is free.
Day 10Overnight Agra250 km · about 6 hrsThe stepwell and the abandoned capital
Leave Jaipur for Agra with two stops on the way: the extraordinary Chand Baori stepwell at Abhaneri, one of India's oldest and deepest, and Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's red-sandstone capital, abandoned within a generation — the Buland Darwaza, the Panch Mahal, the tomb of Salim Chishti.
Arrive in Agra by evening and rest before tomorrow's early start.
Day 11Overnight Gwalior120 km · about 3 hrsThe Taj at sunrise, then Gwalior
The Taj Mahal at first light, when the marble changes colour minute by minute. Built by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal, it remains the most moving building in India.
Back to the hotel for breakfast, then Agra Fort, and the drive south to Gwalior.
Day 12Overnight OrchhaGwalior's fort, Orchha's palaces
Gwalior Fort on its sandstone hill — the 'Gibraltar of India' — with the blue-tiled Man Mandir Palace, the Gujari Mahal museum, the Sas-Bahu temples and the towering Teli Ka Mandir.
Then the drive to Orchha, the old Bundela capital on the Betwa river: palaces, temples and cenotaphs in a town that time left alone.
Day 13Overnight Khajuraho180 km · about 4 hrsOrchha to Khajuraho
Jahangir Mahal, built to receive a Mughal emperor; the murals of the Raja Mahal; the temple-fortress of Chaturbhuj; and a walk along the Betwa where the royal cenotaphs stand at the water's edge.
In the afternoon, drive to Khajuraho. The evening sound-and-light show at the temples is optional and worth it.
Day 14Overnight VaranasiFlight Khajuraho – Varanasi · about 1.5 hrsThe carved temples, then a flight to the Ganga
The Western Group of temples at Khajuraho — Lakshmana, Kandariya Mahadeva, Devi Jagadambi — a thousand years old and covered in sculpture of gods, dancers, musicians and ordinary life.
Fly to Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Day 15Overnight VaranasiSunrise on the river, Aarti at dusk
A boat on the Ganga at sunrise as pilgrims bathe and priests chant along the ghats. After breakfast, the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Tulsi Manas temple, Banaras Hindu University and the Bharat Mata temple with its marble map of India.
In the evening, the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — fire, bells, chant and the river.
Day 16Overnight DepartureFlight Varanasi – DelhiSarnath, and home
Drive to Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon — the Dhamek Stupa, the monastery ruins, and the museum that holds the Lion Capital of Ashoka, now India's national emblem.
Transfer to Varanasi airport for the flight to Delhi and your onward connection.
What the price covers
The commonest reason travellers abandon an enquiry is not knowing what is covered. Every Rang Travels quotation itemises it. This is the usual shape for this journey; the written quotation is what counts.
Included
- 15 nights in heritage and 4–5 star hotels, with breakfast
- Private air-conditioned car with driver for the whole route
- Flights Delhi–Udaipur and Khajuraho–Varanasi
- Local English-speaking guides at every city
- Camel ride at Khuri, boat on the Ganga, rickshaw in Old Delhi
- All transfers, tolls, parking and driver allowances
Not included
- International flights
- Monument entrance fees (payable locally or pre-arranged)
- Lunches and dinners unless stated
- Visa, insurance, tips
Before you go
The questions travellers ask about this journey, answered from the itinerary itself. Anything else — ask, and a curator replies.
How long are the drives?
The longest road days are Jaisalmer to Bikaner (about 330 km, six hours) and Bikaner to Jaipur (330 km, about seven hours), both with stops. Two legs are flown — Delhi to Udaipur and Khajuraho to Varanasi — so the sixteen days never feel like a road trip.
When is the best time to go?
October to March. Rajasthan is warm and dry, Varanasi is at its clearest, and the Taj at sunrise is worth the early start. April onwards the desert cities get hot.
Is the journey private?
Yes. Your own car and driver for the whole route, a local guide in each city, and one Rang Travels contact from the day you enquire to the day you fly home.
Can I change the itinerary?
Every journey is written to order. Swap Bikaner for a second night in Jaisalmer, add Ranthambore, shorten the Central India leg — the written itinerary is a starting point, and the price moves with it.
Do I need a visa?
Most nationalities can apply for an Indian e-Visa online before travelling; allow at least a week. Your quotation lists the documents to carry.
On the road
In their own words
Verbatim Google reviews — several in Italian, because Italy found us early. Read them all on Google and TripAdvisor.
Plan my journey
Tell us where your India begins. Within a day or two you will have a first itinerary — written day by day, with distances, drive times and a price — to change and make your own.
Shop No 12 A, Upper Ground Floor · Ansal Majestic Tower, Vikas Puri · New Delhi 110018, India
