BESTWAY TO RAJASTHAN
A cultural tour of India

India’s Rajasthan is a land of chivalry, where people live and die by their word, where age honored traditions remain a part of every daily life. With their simplicity and warmth, the most enchanting aspect of this region is the people. Exploring the small villages dotting the Thar Desert, on foot, car are on camel back, we are taken with the architecture of the havelis, forts, and village life. The storybook town of Mandawa brings forth colourful frescoes on a variety of subjects ranging from religious to the erotic; from copies of popular English prints to witty social satire rendered in the inimitable style of local artists. The tour culminates viewing the most well known wonder of the world – the Taj Mahal – on a full moon.

Tour Summary	Map
Day Place 01 Delhi 02 Delhi / Jaipur 03 Jaipur 04 Jaipur / Mandawa 05 Mandawa / Bikaner via Deshnoke Temple 06 Bikaner / Jaisalmer 07 Jaisalmer 08 Jaisalmer / Jodhpur 09 Jodhpur / Ranakpur 10 Rankpur / Udaipur 11 Udaipur 12 Udaipur / Kota 13 Kota / Ranthambore 14 Ranthambore / Agra 15 Agra / Delhi 16 Delhi	Incredible !ndia

Day 03: Jaipur
We are treated like the royalty of yesteryear with an elephant ride to the intriguing Amber Palace, a distinguished example of 17th Century Rajput architecture. Next we visit the old astronomical observatory, the Palace, home to a rare collection of Indian art and Hawa Mahal, the most prominent of the buildings in the pink city. We end the day at the colourful bazaar reflecting the Rajasthani way of life. (B, D)

Day 04: Jaipur / Mandawa (drive 4 hours)
After a lovely morning drive to Mandawa we enjoy lunch at Roop Niwas Palace Nawalgarh then enjoy a walking tour of Nawalgarh to see the finest of Shekawati Frescoes. Fresco making is an ancient art that dates back several centuries in India. This will be our day to get into the storybook town of Mandawa.
Overnight: Hotel in Mandwa. (1 night) (B, L, D)

Day 05: Mandawa / Bikaner (via Deshnoke Temple 4 hours)
A scenic drive to Bikaner on the way we visit Deshnokh to see the famous Temple of Rats. Mother Goddess is worshiped throughout India in various local forms. Consort of Shiva. Karnimata, the tutelary deity of Bikaner kings, is worshipped as incarnation of Durga or Parvati. it is believed, Rao Bika became the first king of Bikaner state;due to Karimata’s blessings.Rats reign the temple and thousands of mice, big and small of all colors run everywhere freely and fearlessly. Devotees feed these rats with milk and sweets believing that the rats form the army of Karnimata. Sighting of a white rat is considered auspicious. This afternoon we enjoy a tour of the city visiting the Fort, camel breeding farm and the Jain Temple.
Overnight:Hotel in Bikaner (1 night) (B, D)

Day 06: Bikaner / Jaisalmer (333kms,drive 7 hours)
Another day of the rural and colourful Rajasthan as we drive to Jaisalmer. Our first stop will be for breakfast at the opulent Gajner Palace from where we continue our exploration of village life before stopping at the Fort for lunch. We are now in the hinterland of the incredible Thar Desert.
Overnight: Hotel in Jaisalmer. (2 nights)(B, L, D)

Day 07:Jaisalmer
Almost 900 years old, Jaisalmer was a major post on the trade route across the forbidding Thar Desert, even today, glimpse of the honey colored walls of the fort, rising out of the hot and barren desert is magical, untouched by time, Jaisalmer, with its golden crenellated walls and narrow streets lined with exquisite havelies, has a medieval ambience The houses are decorated with beautifully carved facades, jali screens and oriel windows; each with an inner courtyard surrounded by richly decorated apartments. Our Jaisalmer experience starts with visits of some of colourful and striking Havelis followed by Gadi Sagar Tank, Fort and Jain Temples. This will be followed by visits to the Lodurva Temples and then we continue to enjoy the sand dunes and for a spectacular desert Sunset. (B, D)

Day 08: Jaisalmer / Jodhpur (drive 6 hours)
Today we drive to the second largest city, Jodhpur. Located at the edge of the Thar Desert, Jodhpur was once the capital of the Marwar state. It was founded in 1459 A.D. by Rao Jodha-chief of the Rathore clan of Rajputs who claimed to be descendants of Rama - hero of the epic 'Ramayana'. Dominating Jodhpur is the massive fortress, Mehrangarh Fort, which safeguards the Royal Palaces with their collections of arms and priceless jewels. We also visit the exquisite Jaswant Thada and the Mandore Gardens. In the afternoon we take a Jeep Safari to Bishnoi Village, to see the traditional lifestyle of rural Rajasthanis in their colorful dress.
Overnight: Hotel in Jodpur(1 night) (B, L, D)

Day 10: Rankpur / Udaipur (drive 2 hours)
If Jaipur is a study in pink then Udaipur is a vision in white. The City of Dawn, surrounded by the ancient Aravali Mountains and set on the edge of three lakes, is a brilliant kaleidoscope of narrow lanes flanked by bright stalls, gardens, lakes, palaces and temples. Eight marble porticos mark the spot where the Mewar sovereigns were weighed in gold. Within the City Palace are several architectural and artistic highlights such as the Mor Chowk, known for its stunning peacock mosaics and the Bhim Vilas Palace with its series of lovely wall paintings.
The most memorable parts of Udaipur are its lake palaces, shimmering like jewels on Lake Pichola. Jag Mandir, the other island palace with a marble dome, is a marvel in red sandstone. It was a refuge for the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan when he was in exile following a quarrel with his father, Emperor Jahangir.
Overnight: Hotel in Udaipur (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 11: Udaipur
We start the day with a city tour, visiting City Palace, Jagdish Temple, Fateh Sagar Lake, Seheliyon Ki Bari. This afternoon we visit Crystal and Tea display at the Gallery Restaurant after which we take a boat ride on lovely Lake Pichola.(B, D)

Day 12: Udaipur / Kota (drive 7 hours)
We enjoy breakfast at our hotel and then set off for Kota. In Chittorgarh we visit the Fort then continue on to Bijaipur where we have lunch then continue on to Kota. En route we stop in Bundi, for a visit to Palace.
Overnight: Hotel in Kota (1 night) (B, L, D)

Day 13: Kota / Ranthambore (drive 5 hours)
After breakfast we drive to Ranthambore where we wander through the Park in an open jeep. On our journey we will see various indigenous animals such as: nilgai, chausingha, chital, chinkara, wild boar and TIGER! Other habitants of the Park include the muntjac, jungle cat, ratel, hyena, porcupine, the rhesus macaque and the black-faced langur. About 150 species of bird are also found here including migratory birds, like the steppe eagle, that arrive in winter.
Overnight: Hotel In Ranthambore. (1 night) (B, L, D)

Day 14: Ranthambore / Agra (drive 4 hours)
Our tour of Agra begins with the spectacular Taj Mahal, probably the most well known World Heritage Site in the world. Built by Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj is built of white marble, beautifully carved and inlaid with semi-precious stones. Next we visit Agra Fort followed by shopping in Agra town and bazaar. for replicas of the Taj, handicrafts and various other curios that the descendants of the builders of the Taj are famous for crafting. After an early dinner we again visit the Taj Mahal under Full Moon. The tour dates for this tour have been timed to coincide with the Full Moon.
Overnight: Hotel in Agra (1 night) (B, D)

Day 15: Agra / Delhi (Intercity (Road 4 hours)
Early morning we depart for Delhi in time to take a tour of Delhi including Humayun’s Tomb – a world Heritage site, Rajghat – the site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated and the majestic Red Fort – another of the wonderful and aesthetic Moghul buildings built Shah Jehan, We end our tour with a bazaar experience at Chandni Chowk, the street of silver and goldsmiths
Overnight: Hotel in Delhi (1 night) (B, D)

Departure Dates

2008 English Speaking Departures Jan 13, Feb 10, Mar 09, Apr 06, May 04, Jun 08, Jul 06 & Aug 03 * all dates timed to reach Agra in the Full Moon period

Inclusions

Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include Accommodation on twin-share basis in hotels as selected. International Airfare & Departure Taxes Daily buffet breakfast as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) Travel Insurances & Visa Fees Domestic/Regional Air/Trainfare Included Drinks/Beverages with meals Entrance Fees to museums and other sites: - Elephant Ride at Amber fort, Jaipur - Camel Ride at Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer - Boat Ride at Lake Pichola, Udaipur - Jeep Safari to Bishnoi Village, Jodhpur - Jeep safari at Ranthambhore National Park Tips/Gratuities to Drivers & Guides Transport in air-conditioned vehicle for all sightseeing tours, arrival and departure transfers as per the itinerary.   Assistance on arrival / departure and Porter's fee at the airport and railway station only   Local English speaking guides at each destination   All currently applicable taxes

Tour Price

We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.

Hotel Category Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement First Class US $ 2455 • CA $ 2455 US $ 840 • CA $ 840 Superior US $ 2695 • CA $ 2695 US $ 1030 • CA $ 1030 Deluxe US $ 3230 • CA $ 3230 US $ 1380 • CA $ 1380 Hotels City First Class Superior Deluxe Delhi (1 Night) Hotel City Park (Superior Room) Jaypee Siddharth (Standard Room) Vasant Continental (Standard Room) Jaipur (2 Nights) Alsisar Haveli (Standard Room) Park Plaza (Superior Room) Country Inn Suites (Standard Room) Mandawa (1 Night) Castle Mandawa (Standard Room) Castle Mandawa (Standard Room) Castle Mandawa (Standard Room) Bikaner (1 Night) Karni Bhawan Palace (Regular Room) Lallgarh Palace (Standard Room) Gajner Palace (Deluxe Room) Jaisalmer (2 Nights) Rang Mahal Jaisalmer (Standard Room) Gorbandh Palace (Deluxe Room) Fort Rajwada (Standard Room) Jodhpur (1 Night) Park Plaza (Superior Room) Park Plaza (Superior Room) Taj Hari Mahal (Superior Room) Ranakpur (1 Night) Fateh Bagh Palace (Deluxe Room) Fateh Bagh Palace (Deluxe Room) Fateh Bagh Palace (Deluxe Room) Udaipur (2 Nights) Hilltop Palace (Standard Room) Shikarbadi Hotel (Deluxe Room) Shiv Niwas Palace (Palace Room) Kota (1 Night) Umed Bhawan Palace (Exclusive) Umed Bhawan Palace (Exclusive) Umed Bhawan Palace (Exclusive) Ranthambore (1 Night) Pugmark (Cottage) Pugmark (Cottage) Pugmark (Cottage) Agra (1 Night) Howard Park Plaza International Holiday Inn (Deluxe Room) Jaypee Palace Hotel (Standard Room)

Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour

Canada - West Coast CA $ 1600 USA - West Coast US $ 1400 Canada - East Coast CA $ 1400 USA - East Coast US $ 1200

Participants

This tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum of 15 participants.

Notes

Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.