Plan a Family Trip to India, at the heart of North India's cultural heritage. From Delhi to Agra, admire the palaces of Jodhpur, the golden dunes of the Thar Desert at Jaisalmer, the temples of Ranakpur, the lakes of Udaipur and the traditions of Pushkar, Bikaner and Mahansar. Every stop on this North India journey reveals an authentic cultural heritage, warm and full of emotion. Here you will find peace and joy as a family.
DAY 1: Paris / New Delhi (Flight)
Flight to northern India – Departure from Paris to New Delhi. You arrive in New Delhi in the evening. Participants are met at Delhi airport by your guide and driver, then transferred to the hotel.
DAY 2: Delhi / Mahansar (250km/5hrs)
Breakfast and departure to explore the old city of Delhi. Visit India's largest mosque, Jama Masjid, built in 1650 by the emperor Shah Jahan. Continue with a rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, the 17th-century old market. Visit Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. Lunch at a restaurant in the city, then drive to the Shekhawati region. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 3: Mahansar / Bikaner (180km/3hrs)
Breakfast and a visit to the merchants' village, exploring their mansions, which are famous for their beautiful frescoes dating from the 19th century. These mansions (havelis) stand abandoned across the Shekhawati region as their owners left for India's big cities or foreign countries. The frescoes depict the stories of the gods Krishna, Ganesh and Rama, scenes of daily life and more.
Continue the journey towards Bikaner. Lunch, followed by a visit to Junagarh Fort, which holds superb sculptures, weapons, lacquered wooden objects and local handicrafts. The palaces of former Maharajas and several temples lie within this impressive citadel. Check-in, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 4: Bikaner / Jaisalmer (330km/6hrs)
In the morning after breakfast, departure for Jaisalmer. Arrival and lunch at a restaurant. Visit the beautiful mansions in the lower town, including the Nathmal and Patwa havelis. Then, in the late afternoon, visit the cenotaphs of the Maharajas of Jaisalmer. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 5: Jaisalmer / Thar Desert (150km/3hrs)
In the morning after breakfast, explore the beautiful city. Visit the fort and its lanes: a lovely walk through the narrow streets of the fort is truly striking, and from there you will enjoy a beautiful view over the lower town. Visit Gadi Sar Lake.
Departure for the Thar Desert. On arrival, lunch, then settle into your desert camp. Continue with a jeep safari over the sand dunes, where you will see animals such as gazelles and antelopes. You will stop to visit a local desert home and witness the opium ceremony. In the late afternoon you will take a camel ride for about 30 minutes and stop on a sand dune to watch the sunset. In the evening, settle in to enjoy the folk dance and music of the desert. Dinner and overnight at the camp (with a private bathroom).
DAY 6: Thar Desert / Jodhpur (100km/2hrs)
Breakfast in the morning and departure for Jodhpur, the blue city. On arrival, visit Mehrangarh Fort. Jodhpur is the most characteristic city of Rajasthan, dominated by its immense fort: Mehrangarh Fort, the "Fort of Majesty". The fortress holds several palaces that have been turned into a vast museum. You will visit the harem and the hall of cradles, the hall of mirrors, the hall of royal palanquins, and admire the "howdah" (a carriage used to ride on elephants). Lunch at a restaurant in the city. Check-in at the hotel. During the day, take a walk through Jodhpur's old bazaar; this city is known for its spices and handicrafts. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 7: Jodhpur / Ranakpur / Udaipur (280km/6hrs)
Breakfast and departure for Udaipur. Along the way, visit Ranakpur, known for its Jain marble temples. You will visit the Adinath temple and be captivated by the beauty and intricacy of its architecture and its 1,444 pillars, all in white marble. Lunch at a restaurant, then the road to Udaipur. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 8: Udaipur
In the morning after breakfast, explore the city. Udaipur, founded in the 16th century by Prince Udai Singh, is perhaps the most romantic city in Rajasthan, set between lakes and hills. In the morning, visit the City Palace (most of its courtyards, halls and galleries have been turned into a museum) and take a boat ride on Lake Pichola. Visit the gardens of Saheliyon Ki Bari (once the setting for royal celebrations) and a school of miniature painting. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 9: Udaipur / Pushkar (300km/6hrs)
Breakfast, departure for Pushkar. Along the way, visit the ancient Sas Bahu temple at Nagda, dating from the 10th century.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Explore the town of Pushkar, a Hindu holy city. Here you will see the only temple to Brahma in the world. Then visit the sacred Hindu lake, where you will see Sadhus and people bathing on the Ghats, the steps leading down to Pushkar Lake.
DAY 10: Pushkar / Jaipur (150km/3hrs)
Breakfast at the hotel, then departure for Jaipur. Arrival in Jaipur and check-in at the hotel. Lunch, then set off to discover the art of Bollywood cinema in Asia's most beautiful cinema, the Raj Mandir. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 11: Jaipur
After breakfast at the hotel, set off on an excursion to Amber Fort, the ancestral home of the Maharajas of Jaipur, with the option of an elephant ride up to the fort. On the way, a photo stop in front of the Palace of the Winds. Visit the Amber Palace, then return to the city to visit the royal City Palace and the Jantar Mantar observatory. Time for shopping. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
DAY 12: Jaipur / Fatehpur Sikri / Agra (250km/5hrs)
In the morning after breakfast, departure for Agra. Along the way, visit the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri, built in the 16th century in red sandstone. Inside you will see various palaces and beautiful stonework.
Continue towards Agra; on arrival, visit the Red Fort of Agra. Check-in at the hotel.
DAY 13: Agra / New Delhi (200km/4hrs) / France (Flight)
In the morning, breakfast and a visit to the Taj Mahal.
Departure for Delhi. On arrival, lunch and a city tour. Drive past the Presidential Palace and Parliament. Then visit India Gate. In the evening, a farewell dinner and transfer to the international airport for your return flight home.
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North India Journey
We wish you a wonderful trip
THE PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- 12 nights in double occupancy with breakfast in heritage and 3-star++ hotels / similar.
- All lunches and dinners.
- An A/C bus with driver, all state taxes, parking, the driver's accommodation and meals, etc. throughout the trip, and all transfers.
- A French-speaking accompanying guide throughout the trip.
- Monument entrance fees.
- The jeep and camel safari in the desert.
- The boat ride on Lake Pichola in Udaipur.
- The elephant ride in Jaipur.
- The folk dance in the desert.
- One bottle of water per day in the vehicle.
THE PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Drinks.
- Camera or video permits.
- Tips for meals, luggage porters, driver, guide, etc.
- The airfare.