Sophie’s 19 days offbeat holiday to Rajasthan

Right at the heart of India, and with monuments in every corner of the city, Delhi provides one with the eclectic vibe of India’s rich heritage and culture that the country is so famous for around the world. What makes the capital city a favoured one amongst tourists is also it's close proximity to other tourist hotspots like Jaipur and Agra.

Agra carries with itself not only a comprehensive history but the entire culture of the Mughal dynasty in India. Places like Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikhri hold their own place in history and culture; but the crown jewel of this city is the magnificent Taj Mahal, one of the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’.

Along with Delhi and Agra, Jaipur is part of the ‘Golden Triangle Tourist circuit of India’. The Rajput Era forts and palaces are a huge part of Rajasthan heritage. The Jaipur City Palace complex, the Nahargarh Fort and the Birla Mandir, are all worth a visit; but the two most illustrious monuments are the Jantar Mantar and Amer Fort.

Devotees flock to Pushkar to worship Brahma, the Hindu God of Creation. The temples of Brahma and Saraswati are unlikely to be found anywhere else in India. The Pushkar Lake is also a spiritually significant lake with evening prayers taking place on the Varah Ghat. Since Pushkar is surrounded by a desert, camel safaris in the area are popular.

Also known as the blue city of Eastern Rajasthan, Bundi is mainly famous for its tourist attractions like mansions, forts, paintings, step wells, and palaces making it a perfect travel destination. A place known to take festivals too seriously, Bundi was the capital of a major princely state of the Rajput kingdom.

Chittorgarh is a fort to remember: with 6km width and surrounded by 150m plus cliffs it seems like a rock island in the plain landscape. It is not just one of the biggest of India but also site of tragedy and love stories that will make a visit most interesting.

Udaipur has numerous palaces and forts, but what sets the city apart from the rest of Rajasthan are its beautiful lakes. There are 5 major lakes and a lot of the palaces here have been built right on the banks of these lakes. The City Palace has been built on the banks of Lake Pichola. Other must-visit monuments are Badi Mahal and Amar Vilas.

Jodhpur has been given the title of ‘The Blue City’. Most of the houses in the older part of the city have been painted blue, so as to mirror the color of the sky. The best place to visit in Jodhpur is the Mehrangarh Fort. Umaid Bhavan Palace, Ghanta Garh, and the Jaswant Thada are some other monuments worth visiting.

Jaisalmer gets the name of the ‘Golden city’ because of the use of sandstones in many of their constructions. The biggest attraction is the Jaisalmer Fort, locally known as Sonar Kila. This beautiful fort glows in sunlight, which makes it appear as though it were made of gold. Camel safaris are the most popular activity in the city.

Even though Bikaner is used mostly as a stopover between Jaipur and Jaisalmer if one would like to avoid a night train, it has so much more to over: a fantastic fort, dessert outpost vibe as well as the famous and interesting rat temple situated nearby. Furthermore it has great traditional palace hotels one should not miss.

The Shekawati region is home to the small town Mandawa, famously known for its Havelis which are palatial mansions from the 19th century built by merchants and the noble society. Mandawa seems like a town stuck in time: simple small town life juxtaposed with gorgeous fresco paintings and intricate architecture.

Right at the heart of India, and with monuments in every corner of the city, Delhi provides one with the eclectic vibe of India’s rich heritage and culture that the country is so famous for around the world. What makes the capital city a favoured one amongst tourists is also it's close proximity to other tourist hotspots like Jaipur and Agra.