Rajasthan route that’s fit for a king

Gill Charlton reveals how to explore this captivating part of India on the perfect two-week trip – from visiting magnificent palaces and traditional villages, to finding the best places to stay

The romance, artistry and sheer magnificence of India’s cultural heritage is encapsulated by the Taj Mahal and the great forts and palaces of Rajasthan. Jaipur and Udaipur are stage sets that conjure up storybook India, a land where fabulously wealthy Hindu kings fought and loved and indulged their fondness for pomp and ceremony. Like Italian dukes, they vied with each other to build bigger and better, employing the finest artisans and eyewateringly expensive materials.

A journey to these remarkable sights and cities is on every traveller’s wish list. But it needs to be planned with care and imagination. Not only is it vital that your visit to the Taj Mahal isn’t marred by the crowds, but for a rewarding holiday you also need to do more than dash from one highlight to another.

To see Rajasthan in the most relaxing and enjoyable way possible, I have set out my perfect There are architectural treats to be found at Agra Fort, right, a set of 16thcentury palaces and pleasure gardens two-week itinerary based on travelling in your own chauffeured car. This is not nearly as expensive an option as it would be in Europe and it’s by far the most flexible and comfortable way to travel. The tour has also been planned to move at a sensible pace to avoid fort-andtemple fatigue and give plenty of opportunities to escape the tourist hordes.

In villages deep in the green Aravalli Hills, life has barely changed over a thousand years. Potters, carpenters, cobblers and silversmiths still ply their trades and farmers keep fine herds of cattle and goats. This tour includes visits to Chhatra Sagar and Narlai where you can engage with traditional village life while staying in comfortable heritage hotels. In doing so you’ll discover a modern India that is vibrant, spiritual, outgoing and perpetually fascinating.

I’ve selected some of the best guides too. Recently in Jaipur I walked out with Vineet Sharma, a former banker who loves his city and isn’t interested in taking you to be ripped off by local shopkeepers. On his religion-themed walk, I learnt more about the practice of Hindu worship and its competing sects than in all the books I’ve read. Along the way we sampled the city’s best street food and watched carvers working on life-size statues of Hindu gods in marble. It is experiences like these that you will remember long after the gem-encrusted ceiling of a maharaja’s palace has faded from your memory.