Destinations Covered: Delhi – Ranthambore – Bundi – Kota – Barolo – Bhainsorgarh – Menal – Bijaipur – Chittorgarh – Deogarh – Todgarh – Kumbalgarh – Udaipur – Dungapur – Ahmedabad

Overview

IN TOD’S FOOTSTEPS – A JOURNEY THROUGH THE “ANNALS & ANTIQUITIES OF HADOTI, MEWAR-EASTERN RAJASTHAN & GUJARAT

This program takes you to the cross country across the annals of Rajput History into the Kingdom of Mewar and intends to retrace the journey undertaken by Captain James Tod.

Highlights of Tour

Enjoy Jungle Safaris in Ranthambore National Park

Explore the local Market of Bundi

Visit Kesar Bagh, Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatra, Raniji ki Baori

Enjoy a boat ride on the river Chambal.

jeep safari with visiting the tribal villages – Bhainsorgarh

Enjoy a walk to see the local Villages of Bijaipur

Explore the tiny village of Todgarh

Enjoy rural train ride – Phulad

Watch Sound & Light Show – Udaipur

Boat ride at  Udaipur

Day 01: Arrive at Delhi

Group will be met upon arrival at Delhi International airport and then transferred to your hotel Colonel’s retreat.

Day 02: Delhi – Ranthambore

After early breakfast transfer to New Delhi railway station to board the train to Sawai Madhopur

DEP: Delhi                                       0745 Hours         Golden Temple mail

ARR: Sawai Madhopur                 1305 Hours

Meet upon arrival at Sawai Madhopur Railway station and transfer by surface to Ranthambore (13 Kms/15 Minutes)

Check-in at Your Hotel Dev Vilas and Buffet Lunch at the hotel.

After lunch proceeds to Ranthambore Fort, trek up to Ranthambore Fort via a steep, serpentine ramp, massive gateways, and a long vaulted tunnel. Visit the interiors of the fort now lying in splendid ruin and enjoy the spectacular view from the battlements of the surrounding forests. One of the most mysterious and dramatic Jungle fort of Ranthambore. Set high on a rock cliff, 700 feet above the surrounding plain, its ruined battlements loom over the dense surrounding foliage. It is one of the finest examples of the ancient Hindu concept of a “: van durg”. Built-in AD 944, this fort has a bloody and complex history. After the defeat of the Chauhan kings in Delhi and Ajmer, it became the center of Chauhan’s resistance to the expanding  Sultanate of Delhi. Sultan Ala u din Khilji sacked the fort in AD 1301 but it was recaptured by the kingdom of Mewar, passing on to the Hada Rajputs of Bundi and eventually the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1559. The fortress passed to the Kachwaha Rajputs of Jaipur in the 17th century, and it remained part of Jaipur state until Indian Independence.

 Day 03: Ranthambore

Morning & evening game drives into Park.

Former hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur, Ranthambore became a national park in 1980, the park covers an area of 392 km², and it t lies at the edge of a plateau, bounded to the north by the Banas and to the south by the  Chambal River. There are several lakes in the park. There are many other wild animals like the  Leopard, Nilgai, Dhole, wild boar, sambar, Hyena, sloth bear and Chital.

Day 04: Ranthambore – Bundi

After breakfast check-out and drive to your next destination Bundi.

On arrival check-in at Hotel Hadoti palace

The afternoon will be free at leisure to explore the quaint medieval town on your own. You may explore the colorful local market of Bundi offering various silk & cotton textiles, stone crafts, Bundi paintings, Kota silk saris, and may more

Day 05: Bundi

After breakfast, visit the Palace, built in the traditional Rajput style of architecture, with its characteristic lotus flower spandrels, recurrent elephant motifs, richly ornamented brackets, and a profusion of drooping, actuated roofs, kiosks, and pavilions. Walk up a steep ramp through the Hazari and Hathi Pols. Visit the celebrated Chitra Mahal, “Palace of the Paintings” and the gallery “Chitrashala”, lavishly decorated in the finest ever murals, painted in the style of the Bundi school of miniatures.

Drive around the Sukh Sagar Lake in Budhi, Later you go with a guide to visit Kesar Bagh, the sixty -six cenotaphs of the Bundi royals, elegantly carved with marble ceilings, decorative friezes, and elephants. Followed by lunch at the Ummed Bagh overlooking the lake and the Sukh Niwas Palace, where Rudyard Kipling was inspired to write Kim in 1901.

This afternoon visits the “Chaurasi Khambon ki Chhatri”- cenotaph with 84 pillars, covered with beautiful sculptures, etchings, and paintings. Later walk through the winding, colorful lanes of the bazaars, even today, Bundi has a delightfully medieval flavor. Later we will explore the 165 ft deep stepwell, Called “Raniji ki Baori”

Day 06: Bundi – Kota

After breakfast drive to Kota (1 hour). On arrival in Kota check-in at your Hotel Ummed Bhawan Palace

Later visit the museum housed in the city palace, followed by lunch at the Umaid Bhawan Palace. This Palace exudes an aura distinctly it’s own.

Return to the hotel for buffet lunch.

Later walk through the winding, colorful lanes of the bazaars, even today, Bundi has a delightfully medieval flavor.

Late afternoon take a boat ride through the steep ravine of the river Chambal.

Day 07: Kota – Barolo – Bhainsorgarh

After breakfast head out of Kota city, we drive past the statue of Col James Tod’s horse, erected at the very spot it died. 55 km southwest of Kota, visit one of Rajasthan’s most beautiful temple 9th-century temple complexes at Baroli. Tod was so impressed by these temples that he devotes eleven pages to them in the “Annals & Antiquities of Rajasthan”-“To describe its stupendous and diversified architecture is impossible.

Boat Transfer – Welcome as they dis embark from the boat at panchdevla, where we have our ancestor’s Cenotaphs (Chris) and then they walk up to the property, which is a 10 minutes walk. Check-in at Hotel Bhainsorgarh Fort.

the Bhainsorgarh Fort, Col Tod writes “the castle of Bhensorgarh is most romantically situated upon the extreme point of the ridge”, 230ft above the river Chambal on the east and the river Bamni on the west. Check into the Bhainsorgarh Fort

After breakfast take a jeep safari with visit the tribal villages, Later Picnic lunch will be organized on an island in the Chambal River. Dinner with royal family of Bhainsorgarh.

Day 09: Bhainsorgarh – Menal – Bijaipur

After an early breakfast, two hour drive to the 12th century temples dedicated to Shiva, situated on the gorge of the river Menal. Carvings of gods & goddesses, dancers, attendants, animals and beautifully carved doorways and torana archways adorn the complex. Tod devotes over eighteen pages to Menal in his book. Continue drive to Bijaipur.

Check-in at Hotel castle Bijaipur Set in the serene Vindhyachal Mountain Ranges this castle was built in the 16th century by the brother of Maharana Pratap, Rao Shakti Singhji. The castle was converted into a heritage hotel by the present owner Rao Saheb Narendra Singhji who shares stories and letters exchanged with James Tod and his forefathers.

After take walk to see the local Villages of Bijaipur.

Day 10: Bijaipur – Chittorgarh – Deogarh

After breakfast, an hours’ drive (42km) brings you to the awe-inspiring, battle scarred, 8th century, finest medieval Hindu fort in existence- Chittorgarh. Visit the architectural masterpieces ‘Vijaystambha”-Tower of Victory, ‘Kirtistambh’- Tower of Fame, Gau Mukh, Padminis’ and Rana Kumbha’s palaces.

After lunch continue your drive to Deogarh.

Check-in at Hotel Deogarh Khayyam, This will be tented accommodation and these tents are very luxurious and are water proof from outside and have mesmerizing interiors which originate from an old design.

Day 11: Deogarh – Todgarh – Deogarh

Morning after leisurely breakfast drive 18 km  into the interior of the countryside to explore the tiny village of Todgarh, to see James Tods’ bungalow and ancient church. Return to Deogarh for lunch.

Late afternoon get ready for Rural Rumble – The Rural Rumble is a drive through a pastoral setting where one explores the natural surrounding with people tending to their fields. We visit a cave tample- a cavernous rock in which is enclosed a shrine of Lod Shiva. The top of the rock offers a panoramic view of landscape of black volcanic rocks. The drive leads to a lake side where refreshments are served. These lakes attract millions of  migratory birds around the world.

Day 12: Deogarh – Kumbalgarh

Early morning check-out and transfer to railway station to board a rural train upto Phulad.

Rural Train Ride: A ride on the local meter gauge train, down a mountainous Ghat section is interesting for its panoramic views and of the scrub jungle, hills, tunnels 100-foot high bridges and Remote one-man stations. This journey ends at Phulad railway station.Our vehicle will pick-up group at Phulad railway station and then 2 Hours hour drive through mountainous roads leads us to the 15th century fortress of Kumbalgarh.

Check-in at Hotel Aodhi palace. Buffet lunch at Aodhi palace.

Kumbhalgarh was built by Rana Kumbha., it called the “eye of Mewar”, because of its commanding view and strategic location in relation to the aggressive neighbors of Gujarat and Marwar. It has massive fortifications, rounded bastions, tall watch towers and secret built in accordance with ancient Hindu treatise “Vaastu Shastra”. Reputed to be the most impregnable fort in Rajasthan, the outer wall encloses an area of 32 sq miles and its ramparts are wide enough for six horsemen to ride abreast.

Late afternoon trek up to the Kumbhalgarh fort through seven fortified gates and up a steep ramp. at the citadel visit the Badal Mahal, the view from here of the surrounding countryside is absolutely stunning.

Day 13: Kumbalgarh – Udaipur

Early morning proceed for jeep safari/jungle walk through surrounding forests of the Kumbalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, to see leopards, wolfs, flying squrrels and a variety of bird life.

After late breakfast drive to Udaipur Check-in at Hotel Shiv Niwas Palace.

Shiv Niwas Palace, residence of the Maharana of Mewar , now a heritage hotel. The Sisodia dynasty of Mewar is considered the oldest dynasty in the world, tracing its origins directly back seventy-six generations since AD 566. It is not only for their antiquity that the Sisodias are considered the first among Rajputs but also for the fierce zeal with which they upheld their freedom and their Rajput values through the centuries.

Evening: Enjoy a sunset boat cruise on the lake Pichola, to view the lakeside havelis, bathing ghats, the Jag Niwas (Lake Palace) onto the Jag Mandir.

Later enjoy Sound and Light Show at the city palace,  Dinner on own at leisure.

Day 14: Udaipur – Dungarpur

This fairy tale city with its marble palaces and lakes, is bounded by an amphitheatre of hills, the city was founded by Maharana Udai Singh in the year 1559 and became the capital of Mewar state after the fall of Chittorgarh.

After breakfast visit the City Palace and a collection of paintings of the Mewar school of Art followed by a visit to the Crystal gallery in the Durbar Hall at the Fateh Prakash. Buffet lunch at Hotel Shikarbadi. Later drive to Dungarpur . Check-in at Hotel Udai Bilas.

Day 15:  Dungarpur

After breakfast visit the Fort,  The Old Palace or Juna Mahal as it is locally known is no longer occupied.. Almost as old as the town itself, the construction of the palace was started sometime in the turbulent thirteenth century amongst the superb natural defenses of a rocky peak some fifteen Hundred ft from the Sea level.  Return to hotel for Lunch, Later free at leisure to explore Dungarpur.                     

Day 16: Dungarpur – Ahmedabad 

After breakfast drive to Ahmedabad. On arrival Check-in at Hotel Le-Meridien.

Day 17: Ahmedabad

After breakfast proceed with full day sightseeing of Ahmedabad.

Ahmedabad where we will visit beautiful Mosque of Siddi Saiyad along with fine stone carvings; then we go to see Calico Textile Museum considered as one of finest museums of its kind in the world and Sabarmati Ashram began by the father of the Nation – Mahatama Gandhi.,

The we go to visit Jain temple Hathee Sing’s Temple and Dada Hari Baoli has a spiral staircase leading down to three lower platforms with a well which has Arabic and Sanskrit letters carved at the bottom;

Day 18: Ahmedabad (Departure)

Having breakfast at Hotel and transfer to Ahmadabad airport to board flight to onward destination.

Inclusions

Hotel accommodation on Twin/ Double Occupancy on Bed & Breakfast basis inclusive of all taxes

All sightseeing, excursions and transfers using Deluxe Air-conditioned Vehicle

Accompanying English speaking National escort for entire tour (staying in same hotels)

Expert for sightseeing of Bundi & Kota Regions

2 Canter Ride rides inside Ranthambore national park including naturalist guide and Park entrance fees

Two hours boat ride at Chambal river in Kota

Jeep ride to Tribal villages in Bhainsorgarh

Rural Rumble activity at Deogarh

Rural train ride tickets in general class

Jeep safari into Kumbhalgarh Wildlife sanctuary

Boat Cruise at Lake Pichola in Udaipur

Sound & light at City palace in Udaipur

Train Fare for Delhi-Sawai Madhopur using in 2 Tier Air-conditioned sleeper

Assistance by our representatives at Airports and Railway stations

Government of India service tax

Exclusion

International airfare & Visa fee (If any).

Porter charges at Hotels, Airport and railway stations

Meals other than specified

Monument Entrance Fee as per itinerary

Any expense of personal nature like tips to guide, and at restaurants, hotels, laundry, table drinks, telephone calls etc

Domestic Airfare

Any other expense which is not mentioned in inclusions

Important Point

Standard check in and check out time at hotels is 1400 hrs.

Kindly note that names of hotels mentioned above only indicate that our rates have been based on usage of these hotels and it is not to be construed that accommodation is confirmed at these hotels until and unless we convey such confirmation to you.  In the event of accommodation not becoming available at  any of the above mentioned hotels  we shall book  alternate accommodation  at a similar or next best available hotel and shall pass on the difference of rates (supplement/reduction whatever applicable) to you.

Our offer is based on usage of base category rooms at the mentioned hotels (unless specified otherwise) and if this category of rooms is not available we shall try to confirm accommodation in next available higher category of rooms and shall advise supplementary cost involved while conveying the status.