RAJASTHAN & HIMALAYA TOUR30 days with private car & driver – a route proposal

Route: Delhi – Agra – Jaipur – Pushkar – Udaipur – Ranakpur – Jodhpur – Jaisalmer – Bikaner – Amritsar – Dharamsala – Manali – Shimla – Chandigarh – Mussoorie – Rishikesh – Jim Corbett NP – Ranikhet – Kausani – Nainital – Delhi

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From the desert to the mountains

A month of North India in all its variety: after the Taj Mahal and a large loop through Rajasthan, this route proposal leads to the Golden Temple in Amritsar and up into the mountains – to Dharamsala, home of the Dalai Lama, to Manali and the former British summer capital Shimla. Via Mussoorie and Rishikesh on the Ganges you continue to Jim Corbett National Park and the hill stations of Kumaon before returning to Delhi.

A proposal – not a package

Like all our tours, this route is meant as inspiration. After your booking enquiry we send you a day-by-day proposal by e-mail. You decide where you would like to stay longer, what you want to leave out and which places you want to add – we revise the proposal until it suits you. Even during the tour you can change your plans in consultation with us. The price is calculated as soon as your route is fixed – see our prices.

Highlights along the route

• Delhi – start and end point of the tour: Old Delhi with Jama Masjid and Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Qutb Minar and India Gate – on request with a day of Delhi sightseeing.
• Agra – the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays), Agra Fort and the "Baby Taj" Itimad-ud-Daulah. Between Agra and Jaipur lies Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted Mughal capital of Emperor Akbar.
• Jaipur – the "Pink City": Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), City Palace and the Jantar Mantar observatory. Between Jaipur and Agra the Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri is worth a stop.
• Pushkar – holy town around a sacred lake with bathing ghats and one of the few Brahma temples in India; in autumn venue of the famous camel fair.
• Udaipur – the "City of Lakes" with its City Palace on the shore of Lake Pichola.
• Ranakpur – one of the most important Jain temples in India, built of white marble with a forest of intricately carved pillars.
• Jodhpur – the "Blue City" at the foot of the massive Mehrangarh Fort.
• Jaisalmer – the "Golden City" in the Thar Desert: a living fort of yellow sandstone, finely carved havelis and sunset in the desert.
• Bikaner – the mighty Junagarh Fort, the old town with its havelis, a camel farm and nearby the Karni Mata temple in Deshnok with its thousands of rats.
• Amritsar – the Golden Temple, holiest shrine of the Sikhs, and the border ceremony at Wagah.
• Dharamsala – with McLeod Ganj, residence of the Dalai Lama and centre of the Tibetan community in exile, below the peaks of the Dhauladhar range.
• Manali – mountain resort in the Kullu Valley, with the Hadimba temple amidst cedar forests.
• Shimla – former summer capital of British India with its Mall Road and colonial buildings; the historic Kalka–Shimla mountain railway is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Chandigarh – the modern city planned by Le Corbusier, with the whimsical Rock Garden.
• Mussoorie – the "Queen of the Hills", a hill station with views of the Himalayan peaks.
• Rishikesh & Haridwar – two holy towns on the Ganges at the foot of the Himalaya: the evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, and Rishikesh, the "yoga capital of the world", with its ashrams and temples on the river.
• Jim Corbett National Park – India's oldest national park, home to tigers, elephants and a great variety of birds.
• Ranikhet, Kausani & Nainital – peaceful hill stations in the Kumaon region with wide views of the snow-covered Himalaya; Nainital lies around a lake.

Good to know

• Rajasthan is best from October to March, the mountains are most pleasant in spring and autumn. In winter, snow can block mountain roads – we will plan the order of the route with you according to your travel dates.
• In mountain areas the air conditioning may not be available due to road or weather conditions.
• Distances in North India are long – have a look at our map with distances & driving times. For your safety we only drive in daylight.
• Less time? The Rajasthan & Rishikesh tour (21 days). Prefer the Ganges and Khajuraho? The 30-day tour Rajasthan & Varanasi.

What our guests say

• Four weeks from Rajasthan to Kumaon with driver Jeet
• Second trip: three weeks in the Indian Himalaya
• Family of five: Delhi to Nainital and Jim Corbett