The Alwar Detour

DURATION: 5 DAYS

Best for: birding, crumbling palaces and beautiful boutique stays

ROUTE: Bharatpur • Alwar • Bishangarh WHY GO? An off-the-track alternative to the standard Agra-jaipur stretch of the Golden Triangle, taking in two deserted palaces and some fabulous countryside. WHEN TO GO: Oct–mar

Following the well-trodden ‘Golden Triangle’ route from Agra along National Highway 21, most travellers approach the Rajasthani capital Jaipur from the east. A more interesting alternative, however, detours north through the wooded hills of the former princely state of Alwar, home to a couple of outstanding royal palace complexes where you probably won’t encounter a single tout or tourist.

Your first stop after Agra and Fatehpur Sikri will be Bharatpur. Although it is itself the site of a rugged fort (which repulsed a long siege by the British in 1805), the town is of interest primarily for the UNESCOlisted Keoladeo Ghana National Park on the outskirts. Even if you’re not a confirmed wildlife enthusiast, this reserve should be a compelling stop in the winter months, when its wetlands teem with birds and reptiles, including giant sarus cranes ( pictured top) and pythons. Safaris are typically conducted by bicycle and are a joy after the mayhem of the big cities.

An hour’s drive further north, Deeg is where the Bharatpur Maharajas used to spend the summer months luxuriating in ornately decorated palaces beside a pair of shimmering ornamental lakes. Few bother to visit the monuments these days, but their pierced-stone marble screens, filigreed pavilions and fountains are straight from the pages of a Mughal miniature painting.

Continue from there to Alwar, site of an even grander palace and fort, set against a backdrop of craggy peaks. If you like your Rajput monuments dilapidated and atmospheric, rather than crowded and polished, this superb pile should fulfil your expectations. An added incentive is the chance to stay in a particularly delightful heritage property called Dadhikar Fort (www.dadhikarhotels.com), hidden deep in the nearby hills.

If your budget can stretch to it, the ultimate place to wind up this itinerary would be a couple of nights at the recently opened Alila Bishangarh (alilahotels.com) – a Rajput palace that took nine years to restore and now boasts some of the most stylishly converted royal apartments in India, with sleek, contemporary interiors and cusp-arched windows framing glorious rural views.

Top tip

Wildlife lovers may wish to extend this trip west to Keechen, near the town of Phalodi, where thousands of demoiselle cranes gather in the winter months, attracted by a supply of free grain donated by local Jain priests.