India is truly an !ncredible country! After seeing some of Southern India, travelling with Exodus Travels, where we posed for multiple selfies (!), we moved north to Delhi for a taste of city life and a local wedding, and then toured through several national parks in Madhya Pradesh with Pugdundee Safaris, we continued north, beginning in Varanasi, and driving on through Rajasthan.
We worked together with Royal Expeditions, to put together a custom tour for us. Royal Expeditions offers some regular tours, but their expertise is in putting together a custom itinerary to suit the guest and their preferences. They can book you a charming local hotel, or 5 star luxury, or even a stay in a Maharajah’s home! We particularly enjoyed the glimpses into the past that we experienced. Royal Expeditions also offers transportation by private car and driver, which is definitely the way to go. It’s not as expensive as you might think, and gives you the flexibility to adjust your itinerary as it suits you. Our driver Devender was a really important part of helping to make our journey as smooth and pleasant as it was. Plus as he’s been doing this for years, he also has some good local restaurant recommendations! In each location that we stopped, Royal Expeditions had arranged for us to meet with a local guide who took us to, and guided us around, a good selection of not-to-be-missed attractions.
Indian travel:
I think that travel in India is designed to teach us patience! We had already had the experience of an overnight train being delayed for several hours, while we were touring southern India. Now, even before starting our northern India tour with Royal Expeditions, we had travel issues.
TOP TIP: when booking travel in India, consider the time of year and geography. Dense fog often causes delays and cancellations to airplane and train schedules during the winter, particularly in northern India.
After our wonderful wildlife and safari experiences with Pugdundee through Madhya Pradesh, we were transferred to Khajuraho airport, to catch a flight to Varanasi, to start our tour with Royal Expeditions. As we waited for the flight, we were first told it was delayed, then eventually that it was cancelled. Although there was another flight on a different airline, we learned there was no availability. Our options were to wait a day or two for another flight (!) or get a refund on the cancelled flight, and figure out an alternative way to travel the 400-odd kilometers to Varanasi.
TOP TIP: make sure you either have a good roaming plan on your phone or buy a local SIM card, so that you can easily alert local contacts when plans change!
I had already texted our Royal Expeditions contact, Deepika, that we had flight problems, and that I would let her know when we had alternative arrangements. While Chris and I were discussing what to do, I heard my name being called. Turns out that Deepika had been in touch with her local contact and asked them to find me at the airport and see if they could offer any assistance. Wow, what service, this wasn’t even part of the Royal Expeditions’ itinerary! We had decided to take a taxi to Varanasi, and Deepika’s contact confirmed that was probably the best idea, and the taxi company was reliable.
We set off on a crazy journey that took us through small towns, massive, dusty construction sites, quiet villages, deserted countryside, and dual-carriageway highways, that were completely full with traffic, mostly the ubiquitous highly-decorated lorries that fill most Indian roads. When our side of the road was completely jammed and the traffic was at a standstill at nearly midnight, our driver followed the lead of several other cars and crossed the concrete divider between the lanes (we had to get out and push the taxi over!) and proceeded to drive on the wrong side of the road. This is a common practice in India, you just have to grit your teeth and trust your driver!
Varanasi:
We finally arrived in Varanasi at 3.30 am, where the local rep, alerted by the well-organised Deepika, was waiting for us. We unloaded our bags from the taxi once we had driven as far as we could, and Anil guided us on the few minutes’ walk through the narrow alleys to our hotel. After passing through the open central courtyard, we could see that the back of the Suryaudur Haveli opened right onto the ghat on the banks of the river Ganges. What a splendid location! We were checked in quickly and escorted to our room, where we collapsed into sleep.
We changed our plans for the day, and arranged for a shortened afternoon tour, instead of the planned morning tour. And in fact I skipped the tour altogether after slipping and severely banging my toe in the shower (which resulted in me losing the nail several months later!)
The original plan was to spend two days in Varanasi and then take an overnight train to Agra. Our first day was cut short due to our long journey and delayed arrival. Our second day ended up being cancelled, as we soon learned that the planned train was delayed by several hours. Deepika advised that we change to a flight instead. I was sorry that we had much less time than planned in Varanasi, I would have liked to have the time to wander the streets, and learn about the history of the city. But it was not to be.
Amazing view from our hotel, over the banks of the holy River Ganges:
However, we did manage a planned evening boat trip on the river Ganges. It was fascinating to travel along the river, passing the many religious ceremonies at different locations along the river banks. I learned that the word “ghat” can have various meanings depending on context: river bank, or cliff edge, or shore or beach. Our guide explained that there are now only two locations on the ghats where the cremation ceremonies take place, cremations take place frequently, and we could see flames on the ghats from the boat.
From our boat we were able to watch the aarti ceremonies at the ghats. Offering lamps are lit and circled around by the priests, accompanied by singing, chanting, bell-ringing, and incense burning. The aarti ceremony takes place at several locations along the Ganges, and this one at Varanasi is highly choreographed upon a stage. Some people consider it to be more artificial and showy, rather than the spiritual ceremony that it usually is. It was however well worth seeing.
Varanasi to Delhi to Agra:
More fog, more delays to our travel plans! We changed from a train to a flight, due to the train being delayed by several hours. Guess what, the flight was also delayed by three hours.
Travel in India teaches patience!
At Delhi airport we were met by our driver Devender, who would continue with us for the rest of our northern India tour. We drove on to stay at the modern Trident hotel in Agra.
The Trident hotel is conveniently close to the big local attraction, the Taj Mahal. At this point you may be wondering why I’m not showing you my usual quantity of photos at each location. The answer is simple, I deleted them. Accidentally. When I was re-ordering files and folders and not paying attention, and didn’t have a backup. I managed to recover a handful, but every time I think about it, my heart sinks at how many extraordinary places are now just in my memory.
TOP TIP: always back up your photos before you start editing and deleting, just in case!
We’ve all seen photos of the Taj Mahal, and indeed it looks just as it does in the photos, but there is something about seeing a building, a location, that is visually so familiar, and yet still stunning. It was a misty day, and so the Taj was appearing and disappearing between the mist and the sun. There were of course hundreds of other people around, people queue up for ages to have their photo taken at the “Diana bench”, but nevertheless, it’s a beautiful and magical place.
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the building of the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum to house the remains of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their fourteenth child. Building started in 1632, and took around ten years to be fully completed.
We also visited another of Shah Jahan’s commissions, the Red Fort – the first of many forts we explored in northern India. Over the years the fort has inevitably suffered from damage and looting, but it’s still a magnificent structure, built of red sandstone.
Agra to Jaipur:
On our drive from Agra to Jaipur, we stopped at the fascinating Fatehpur Sikri.
UNESCO World Heritage site. “Built during the second half of the 16th century by the Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri (the City of Victory) was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only some 10 years. The complex of monuments and temples, all in a uniform architectural style, includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid.”
(click photos to view fullsize)
From Fatehpur Sikri, we drove on to the Chand Baori stepwell in the village of Abhaneri. Built in the 9th century, the Chand Baori is the largest and deepest stepwell in the country. Built to harvest water in this arid region, the well is both practical and stunningly beautiful. As water levels rise and fall, the well is still useable due to its step construction. Within the well are pavilions and courtyards to provide a cool respite for the court of King Chand Raja.
(click photos to view fullsize)
As you walk around the well, the play of sun and shadow on the steps is a fascinating geometrical sight.
Jaipur:
Known as the Pink City, Jaipur is a beautiful walled city, with most buildings painted the terracotta pink colour of traditional hospitality.
The Amber Fort has incredible views over the surrounding countryside, and some beautiful buildings in the fort complex. The convex mirror room is especially stunning, with endless light reflections.
One of the aspects of this tour that we really enjoyed was the opportunity to stay at local homes turned into small hotels. Dera Mandawa was built in the 1880s as the home of Thakur Jait Singh Ji of Mandawa, and is now run as a small boutique hotel by his great-grandson, Thakur Durga Singh and his family. Mr Singh is a charming host, full of engrossing stories of the history of the area and his family.
TOP TIP: when planning a stay in India, ask your tour operator or travel agent about staying in a heritage home/hotel. They’re full of character, history, and often unique experiences.
That evening we enjoyed a traditional puppet show in the courtyard, followed by a delicious home-cooked dinner, and a restful sleep in our comfortable room.
Chris really enjoyed flying kites on the roof of the home, and fighting and cutting kite strings with the youngsters next door!
Jaipur to Pushkar to Jodhpur:
From the pink city to the blue city! En route to Jodhpur, we stopped at Pushkar. Pushkar is famously the site of an annual camel fair, and although the fair wasn’t on when we visited, we still saw a number of camels! It was interesting to walk around the town, and I walked down to the lakeside and participated in a puja ceremony, tossing flowers in the lake.
(click photos to view fullsize)
Jodhpur:
In the beautiful blue city of Jodhpur, again we stayed in a traditional family home, belonging to a cousin of the pre-Independence Maharajah of Jodhpur. The Hotel Ratan Vilas is still the home of the Singh family, and is a beautiful, restful place to stay. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of traditional rajasthani mutton and ker sangri, or desert beans, which are not beans, but the fruit of the locally revered Khejri tree.
(click photos to view fullsize)
It was Christmas Day, and as well as wonderful local food, the hotel served Christmas cake and local rum or brandy after dinner. What an experience!
The next day we visited Mehrangarh Fort, described by writer Rudyard Kipling as the “creation of angels, fairies and giants…”
Mehrangarh is certainly one of the most impressive and beautiful forts in northern India. The imposing ramparts hide the beautifully decorated palaces inside. The museum in the fort is one of the finest in Rajasthan – displaying a vast collection of palanquins, paintings, jewellery, weapons and silk costumes. Jaswant Thada is an architectural landmark in Jodhpur, the royal memorial is built entirely out of intricately carved sheets of marble.
Jaisalmer:
After a long drive from Jodhpur, we arrived in the living fort city of Jaisalmer, the Golden City! We stayed just outside the city walls, in the very comfortable, new-build with old Rajasthani style, 1st Gate Home Fusion. We had some gorgeous views, particularly at night when the city walls were illuminated.
Jaisalmer is a walled city, a living fort. People still live in homes, work in shops, and run hotels, within the walls of the old fort. The city was first founded in 1156 and is built from yellow sandstone. But the sandstone is crumbling and the city is in danger. The sewage system is very basic and under great pressure, especially with the growing numbers of tourists, and increasing water use. Smithsonian has a good article on this problem. Our guide in the city was very passionate about the situation, and the importance of responsible tourism.
(click photos to view fullsize)
Jaisalmer is a maze of connected buildings, with extraordinarily intricate carvings in the sandstone. Walls, balconies, windows, columns and temples. The exquisite work just goes on! This is certainly one of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen 🙂
(click photos to view fullsize)
Manvar Desert Camp:
From Jaisalmer, we travelled a short distance for a night’s stay at Manvar Desert Camp. After lunch at the resort, we drove by jeep into the desert. On the way we enjoyed seeing gazelles and nilgai in the stark Thar desert. We settled into our very comfortable tent, and wandered around the camp.
That evening the stage area was set up with low seating, snacks and drinks were brought out, and we settled down to enjoy some wonderful entertainment with musicians and dancers.
Deogarh Mahal:The next day we drove on to Deogarh to stay at the Deogarh Mahal. Again we found ourselves in a stunning heritage hotel. This place is pretty large, and we wandered around the different indoor/outdoor courtyards and rooms, enjoying the pretence that we were Indian royalty! Former Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi was a close friend of the family, and we stayed in the room that was hers whenever she stayed here.
We enjoyed a beautiful drive out into the surrounding countryside to a local lake for sunset views, and then returned to the hotel for a fun evening of song and dance followed by dinner.
Udaipur, via Ranakpur:
We had a lovely drive from Deogarh to Udaipur, as we headed into the last few days of our stay in India. The Adinath Jain temple in the village of Ranakpur is another stunning example of old Indian workmanship. Started in the 15th century, the temple is constructed from light-coloured marble, with a huge number of exquisitely carved columns, each one different, which hardly seems believable, but is a sight to see!
We were booked to stay two nights at the Fateh Garh hotel, outside the city centre. Unfortunately the hotel was overbooked, and despite the best efforts of Royal Expeditions and their local rep, we were taken to a nearby hotel for the first night, with a promise of a return to an upgraded suite for the second night. After settling in, we went for dinner. Later that night the scourge of travellers hit Chris badly.
The next day Chris rested while I went on our planned tour of Udaipur. I enjoyed learning that indigo or green painted front doors indicates that the house belongs to a Brahmin family.
Back to the hotel to pick up our bags and Chris and move back to the Fateh Garh. The hotel is very beautiful and situated high on a hill with wonderful views over the surrounding city and countryside. That evening was New Year’s Eve, and we were due to go to the hotel’s gala dinner. However, Chris was still feeling unwell, so we rested with some room service soup!
Mumbai:
We had a quiet New Year’s Eve, with the intention of relaxing the next morning and then flying to Mumbai. India alters everyone’s travel plans, again and again! Our intended flight was cancelled, so I spent some time scrambling for options, online and talking with Deepika. Finally we decided to drive to Ahmedabad and fly to Mumbai from there. There were a couple of possible flights, we decided not to try for the earlier flight, which ended up being delayed, and we could have caught it, but instead we booked the later flight, which of course was also delayed. We finally arrived at our hotel in Mumbai at 2 am. After that kind of travel day, and with Chris still not feeling 100%, we decided to cancel the planned tour of Mumbai the next day.
India had one final travel send-off for us. While waiting at Mumbai airport for our flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka, we were advised of delays. As we started chatting to fellow passengers, we learned that there were enormous traffic jams in the city due to demonstrations. The traffic jams caused the pilot to be delayed getting to the airport.
India teaches you patience!
Yes, we did have a fair number of travel delays and cancellations, but these things happen, and there are usually alternatives. Most people are friendly and helpful, and somehow things get sorted out. Apart from travel delays, India is a truly spectacular country. A land of contrasts and colours, rich food and the richness of history, stunning scenery and sociable people.
India is well worth the effort, and I’m so glad to have visited some of it. It’s a large country, and there’s so much more to see, I think a return visit or two will be in our future!
With many thanks to everyone at Royal Expeditions, but most especially to Deepika, who organised everything so well, answered all my questions so patiently during the planning stage, and helped immensely with hiccups during our travels; and to our outstanding driver, Devender, who knows this area like the back of his hand, is always patient, kind, on time, has great suggestions for local restaurants, keeps the car spotless and shiny, and is an all-round good person! (We were happy to pay the full market price for our tour!)
Don’t miss out on our new travel posts! Click below to get our guaranteed NON-spammy newsletter in your mailbox first!
2 comments