Inspiring India – an escorted tour

Inspiring India – an escorted tour – Be inspired by the classic sights of the Golden Triangle, discovering delightful Udaipur and searching for tigers at Ranthambore. Add some of Rajasthan’s hidden gems and you have the ideal first-time holiday in India.

Inspiring India – destination information

Delhi

As the capital of India, Delhi is the third largest city with a population of approximately 18 million. Its strategic location along the north-south, east-west route has given it a focal position in Indian history and many great empires have been ruled from here. The monuments and ruins of these are scattered throughout the city, often side by side with modern structures and high-rise towers.

Agra

Home to the world famous Taj Mahal. Agra rose to fame in the medieval period as the capital of the Mughal Empire and was beautified with gardens, waterfalls, bathhouses and canals. In modern times, the city of Agra houses a thriving carpet industry.

Ranthambore National Park

Is one of the prime examples of Project Tiger’s conservation efforts in Rajasthan. The forest around Ranthambore was once the private hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur and is one of the largest national parks in Northern India. Ranthambore National Park is renowned for its tiger population, however you may also come across other wild animals such as leopard, nilgai, wild boar, sambar, hyena and sloth bear.

Bundi

A town that is dominated by its immense fort. Within the fort walls is a beautiful palace, Badal Mahal, famous for its painted murals.

Udaipur

The origins of Udaipur are based on a legend which tells of a holy sage that Maharaja Udai Singh encountered while hunting in the foothills of the Aravalli Range in Mewar. The sage told the King to build a palace in that exact spot and it would be well-protected and so with this advice, Maharaja Udai Singh built his residence there. At the time, Chittorgarh was the capital of Mewar state, however in 1568 Chittorgarh was attacked by the Mughal emperor Akbar, and so Maharaja Udai Singh moved the capital to Udaipur. Today, the City Palace of Udaipur is still home to Maharaja Udai Singh’s descendents who remain rulers of this independent state.

Pushkar

The village of Pushkar lies 11km from Ajmer on the edge of the Thar Desert. At its heart is one of India’s most sacred lakes, Pushkar Lake. There are 52 ghats around the lake and numerous temples. Apart from its religious significance, Pushkar is known for its ‘Cattle and Camel’ fair held every year in the festival month of Kartik (from October to November). It is one of the world’s largest camel fairs, and apart from the buying and selling of livestock, it has become an important tourist attraction.

Jaipur

Jaipur was founded in 1727 as Mughal power within India was declining. The then Maharaja Jai Singh moved his capital from Amer Fort down onto the plain below. The city is now the capital of Rajasthan State and commonly called the ‘Pink City’ because of the pink paint on all the buildings in the old city area. This was apparently done to imitate the magnificent, red sandstone buildings of the Mughals and in an attempt to impress the Prince of Wales when he visited Jaipur in 1876.