Rajasthan's Palace Hotels: an 18-Day Luxury Journey in Suites at Rambagh, Umaid Bhawan and Udaivilas

Arrive at Rambagh Palace

Fly into Jaipur, usually on a short connecting flight from Delhi or Mumbai, and meet your TripRoutesIndia representative at arrivals. Transfer to Rambagh Palace, built in 1835 and later the residence of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and Maharani Gayatri Devi, now run by Taj. Peacocks wander its 47 acres of Mughal gardens, and the palace has been a hotel since 1957.

The rest of the day is yours, and after a long journey we suggest you use it gently. Have tea on the veranda, swim in the indoor pool or take a sundowner at the Polo Bar, decorated with the trophies of Jaipur's polo-playing royals. At dusk, walk the lawns as the peacocks call and the palace lights come on.

For dinner, keep it light if you are jet-lagged: a simple dal, fresh rotis and a mild vegetable curry are an easy introduction to Rajasthani food. Your guide meets you after breakfast tomorrow, so there is no early start.

• ArrivalMeet and greet and transfer to Rambagh Palace
• AfternoonRest, tea on the veranda or the pool
• EveningSundowner at the Polo Bar

OvernightJaipur, 3 nights at Rambagh Palace now and 2 at the end.

Amber Fort and a heritage walk through Rambagh

Drive out early to Amber Fort, the hilltop palace of the Kachwaha rulers and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before the crowds. On the way, pause for photographs of Jal Mahal, the water palace floating in Man Sagar Lake. We take you up to the fort by jeep. Walk through its courtyards, past the painted Ganesh Pol gateway and the pillared Diwan-i-Aam, to the Sheesh Mahal, the Hall of Mirrors, whose ceiling is set with thousands of small pieces of mirror glass.

Just below the fort, stop at Panna Meena ka Kund, a 16th-century stepwell whose criss-crossing staircases make a striking geometric pattern. Arrive early and it is often quiet.

Return to Rambagh for lunch. Rajasthani cooking is at its best in dishes such as laal maas, a fiery mutton curry, and ker sangri, made with desert beans and berries.

In the afternoon, join a guided heritage walk through Rambagh Palace itself, tracing its life from a royal guesthouse and hunting lodge to the Maharaja's residence and, from 1957, a hotel.

• MorningAmber Fort with your guide, Jal Mahal and the Panna Meena stepwell
• AfternoonHeritage walk through Rambagh Palace

OvernightJaipur.

The City Palace, polo and a private dinner

Visit the City Palace, begun in the 1720s by Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, and still partly home to the Jaipur royal family. When the family flag flies above the seven-storey Chandra Mahal, the Maharaja is in residence. Look for the two enormous silver urns in the Diwan-i-Khas, made to carry Ganges water to England for the coronation of Edward VII in 1902. Your guide can arrange a private viewing of the palace's textile and arms galleries.

Next door is the Jantar Mantar observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by the same astronomer king. Its giant stone instruments still work; the great sundial tells the local time to within a few seconds.

In the afternoon, season permitting, watch a match at the Rajasthan Polo Club, where Jaipur's royal family has played for generations. The season usually runs from December to March. Outside the season, the afternoon is free for the spa or the bazaars.

In the evening, enjoy a private candlelit dinner in Rambagh's Rajput Room, overlooking the illuminated fountains.

• MorningCity Palace and Jantar Mantar
• AfternoonPolo at the Rajasthan Polo Club, in season
• EveningPrivate dinner in the Rajput Room

OvernightJaipur.

Across Rajasthan to the Blue City

Drive west across Rajasthan, through farmland and small market towns, with a break for lunch on the way. The country slowly dries out as you go: in winter, green wheat and yellow mustard fields give way to scrub, thorny khejri trees, grazing goats and the occasional camel cart. Your driver stops for tea at roadside dhabas, and lunch is a simple Rajasthani meal at a clean highway restaurant. As you near Jodhpur, the great walls of Mehrangarh Fort appear on their rock above the city.

Check in to Umaid Bhawan Palace, one of the largest private residences in the world. Built between 1929 and 1943 in sandstone on a hill above the city, it was designed by the British architect Henry Vaughan Lanchester in a blend of Art Deco and Indian styles. It is still partly home to the Jodhpur royal family; the rest is run as a Taj hotel.

Watch the sunset from the palace terraces, with Mehrangarh glowing across the city. Jodhpur is known for mirchi bada, a large green chilli stuffed with spiced potato and fried in batter, and for makhaniya lassi, thick and scented with saffron; ask your guide where to try them tomorrow.

• DayDrive from Jaipur to Jodhpur
• AfternoonCheck in at Umaid Bhawan Palace
• SunsetOn the palace terraces

OvernightJodhpur, 3 nights, at Umaid Bhawan Palace.

Mehrangarh Fort and Umaid Bhawan's museum

Visit Mehrangarh Fort, founded by Rao Jodha in 1459 and rising high above the city on a sheer rocky hill. Go in the cool of the morning. Beside the Loha Pol gate, look for the small handprints left by royal women of the past. Inside, the Phool Mahal is gilded from floor to ceiling, the Moti Mahal glows with coloured glass, and the galleries hold palanquins, elephant howdahs and fine Marwar miniature paintings. From the ramparts the old town spreads below in shades of indigo. The fort's audio guide is excellent.

Below the walls, the Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park has short trails through restored native desert plants, a quiet walk for nature lovers. For lunch, try Jodhpur's mirchi vada, a large stuffed chilli fritter, or the rich mutton dishes of Marwar.

In the afternoon, explore Umaid Bhawan's own museum wing, with royal memorabilia, clocks and a collection of vintage cars, then enjoy the palace's gardens. The palace was built between 1929 and 1943, partly to provide work during a long famine, and is still home to the Jodhpur royal family.

• MorningMehrangarh Fort
• MiddayOptional walk in the Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
• AfternoonUmaid Bhawan's museum and vintage cars

OvernightJodhpur.

The Blue City on foot

Walk through the blue-washed lanes of the old city with your guide, past small temples and courtyard houses, to the Clock Tower and Sardar Market, busy with spices, textiles and silver. Nobody agrees on exactly why so many houses are blue: some say it marked Brahmin homes, others that it keeps rooms cooler or deters insects. Either way, it makes for lovely photographs in the soft morning light.

Stop at Toorji ka Jhalra, an 18th-century stepwell built by a queen of Jodhpur and carefully restored, then cool down near the Clock Tower with a glass of makhaniya lassi, thick and saffron-scented, or a mawa kachori, a sweet pastry Jodhpur is known for.

The rest of the day is free to enjoy the palace's pool, spa and gardens. If you would like an outing, visit the Mandore Gardens, the old capital of Marwar, with its red sandstone royal cenotaphs, or take a village drive to meet Bishnoi families, a community known for protecting trees and blackbuck for centuries.

• MorningWalk through the blue old city and Toorji ka Jhalra
• AfternoonFree at the palace, or Mandore or a Bishnoi village drive

OvernightJodhpur.

Into the Thar Desert to the Golden City

Drive deeper into the Thar Desert, across a landscape of scrub, villages and grazing camels. The road is good and fairly quiet, and the villages grow sparser as you go, with round mud-walled huts, women in bright odhnis drawing water and herds of goats crossing the road. About halfway, Pokaran has a small sandstone fort if you would like to stretch your legs. Closer to Jaisalmer, rows of wind turbines line the ridges. Near the end, Jaisalmer Fort appears on the horizon, its honey-coloured walls rising from the sand like a mirage.

Jaisalmer grew rich on the camel caravans that crossed the desert between India and Central Asia, and its merchants spent their wealth on carved sandstone mansions. Check in to Suryagarh, a luxury hotel built from local stone in the style of a desert fort, just outside the city.

In the evening, enjoy the hotel's terraces and the desert silence. From December to February, desert nights can be close to freezing, so keep a warm layer to hand. Try ker sangri, a Rajasthani dish of desert beans and berries, cooked with spices; it is a speciality of this dry western corner of the state.

• DayDrive from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer, with an optional stop at Pokaran
• EveningCheck in at Suryagarh

OvernightJaisalmer, 3 nights, at Suryagarh.

The living fort and the merchant havelis

Walk up into Jaisalmer Fort, built in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal and one of the few living forts in the world: several thousand people still live and work inside its walls. Explore its lanes, the Raj Mahal palace and a cluster of intricately carved Jain temples from the 12th to 16th centuries. The Jain temples usually open to visitors only in the morning, and leather items such as belts and bags must be left outside. The lanes are narrow and stepped, so wear comfortable shoes.

In the old town below, visit the havelis built by the city's merchant families. Patwon ki Haveli is a group of five mansions with stone screens so fine they look like lace; Nathmal ki Haveli was carved by two brothers, each working on one half. Look up at Salim Singh ki Haveli, whose top floor flares out under a curved roof said to resemble a peacock.

Finish at Gadisar Lake, lined with small temples and shrines, as the late sun turns the city gold.

• MorningJaisalmer Fort, its palace and Jain temples
• AfternoonPatwon ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli
• Late afternoonGadisar Lake

OvernightJaisalmer.

Sunset on the Sam dunes and a private desert dinner

Enjoy a free morning at Suryagarh. If you are up early, Gadisar Lake, the old reservoir of Jaisalmer, is lovely at sunrise, with carved stone pavilions and temples reflected in the water. Or visit Bada Bagh, a hillside of royal cenotaphs north of the city with fine carved domes.

In the late afternoon, drive out to the Sam sand dunes for a camel ride at sunset. The ride is short and gentle; lean back as the camel stands and kneels. Bring sunglasses and a scarf against blown sand, and wear closed shoes. If you would rather not ride, a jeep can take you to the top of the dunes.

Then sit down to a private candlelit dinner set up on the dunes, away from the standard tourist camps, with folk musicians and a sky full of stars. The singers are often from the Manganiyar or Langa communities, whose families have performed this music for generations. Desert nights are cold from December to February, so bring a warm layer.

• MorningFree at Suryagarh, or Gadisar Lake and Bada Bagh
• SunsetCamel ride on the Sam dunes
• EveningPrivate candlelit dinner in the dunes

OvernightJaisalmer.

Fly to the City of Lakes

Jaisalmer's flights are limited and seasonal, so you connect via Jodhpur, Delhi or another city depending on the day. On dates without good flights, we drive via Jodhpur instead and break the journey. Either way, your car and driver go ahead by road and meet you in Udaipur, so you travel light.

Udaipur, founded in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh II of Mewar, is the softest and greenest of Rajasthan's cities, ringed by the Aravalli hills and built around lakes. Lake Pichola, the largest of them, dates back to the 14th century.

In Udaipur, check in to the Oberoi Udaivilas, built in the style of a Mewar palace on the banks of Lake Pichola, with domes, courtyards and pools that seem to run into the lake.

Spend the evening on the terraces, with the City Palace lit up across the water. After a travel day, dinner at the hotel is the easiest choice.

• DayFlights from Jaisalmer to Udaipur
• AfternoonCheck in at the Oberoi Udaivilas
• EveningFree at the hotel

OvernightUdaipur, 4 nights, at the Oberoi Udaivilas.

The City Palace and Lake Pichola

Visit the City Palace complex, built over four centuries by the Maharanas of Mewar from 1559, and go early, before the tour groups. Walk through the Mor Chowk, a courtyard of glass-mosaic peacocks, the painted rooms of the zenana, or women's quarters, and the rooftop garden of Amar Vilas, with views across the lake.

In the Fateh Prakash Palace, see the Crystal Gallery, filled with crystal furniture ordered from England in 1877 by Maharana Sajjan Singh and never used: chairs, beds and even a crystal fountain.

Lunch on a lakeside terrace with a Mewari thali or gatte ki sabzi, gram-flour dumplings in a spiced yoghurt sauce.

In the late afternoon, take a private boat on Lake Pichola past the bathing ghats and the Lake Palace to Jag Mandir, the island palace, where the young prince Khurram, later Shah Jahan, is said to have stayed in the 1620s. Golden hour is the time to be on the water.

The evening is free at Udaivilas.

• MorningCity Palace and the Crystal Gallery
• MiddayLunch and the old city lanes
• Late afternoonBoat ride on Lake Pichola to Jag Mandir
• EveningFree

OvernightUdaipur.

A private dinner by the lake

A free day to enjoy the resort's spa, pools and gardens. Start with yoga at sunrise as the light comes up over the lake, then book a spa treatment: an Ayurvedic massage with warm herbal oils is a good way to unwind after two weeks of travel.

If you would like something hands-on, take a cooking class and learn to make dal, a seasonal vegetable dish and soft rotis, then eat what you cook. Or head out for a few hours: Saheliyon ki Bari, the 18th-century Garden of the Maidens, has fountains, lotus pools and marble pavilions; Shilpgram, a crafts village on the edge of town, showcases rural arts from western India; and the Maharana's vintage car collection is a short drive from the City Palace.

In the evening, a private dining experience under a lakeside dome at the hotel, with views across Lake Pichola to the City Palace and live traditional music.

• MorningSunrise yoga and the spa
• DayFree; cooking class, Saheliyon ki Bari or Shilpgram
• EveningPrivate lakeside dinner with live music

OvernightUdaipur.

The old city on foot

Walk through Udaipur's old city with your guide in the cool of the morning. Begin at the Jagdish Temple, built in 1651 by Maharana Jagat Singh I and dedicated to Vishnu, its walls covered in carved dancers, musicians and elephants. Shoes come off at the top of the steps.

Continue through the narrow lanes to the workshops of miniature painters, who still work in the fine Mewar style with mineral colours and tiny brushes; watching them is fascinating even if you buy nothing. The walk ends at Gangaur Ghat, beside the 18th-century Bagore ki Haveli, where women wash clothes and pigeons gather on the steps.

The afternoon is free to enjoy the resort. In the evening, you can watch the Dharohar folk dance show at Bagore ki Haveli, with puppets and the balancing dance of pots on dancers' heads, or drive up to the Monsoon Palace, built in 1884 on a hilltop above the city, for sunset over the lakes and hills.

• MorningJagdish Temple, miniature painters and Gangaur Ghat
• AfternoonFree at Udaivilas
• EveningOptional Dharohar dance show or Monsoon Palace sunset

OvernightUdaipur.

North to the holy lake of Pushkar

Drive north through the Aravalli hills to Pushkar. The road climbs and dips through rocky hills, small lakes and marble quarries, and the landscape turns drier and flatter as you near Ajmer. If you would like a long day, we can stop at Chittorgarh, one of the largest forts in India and a symbol of Rajput courage, adding about two hours. Its 15th-century Vijay Stambha, the Tower of Victory, is carved inside and out with Hindu gods.

Pushkar is a small, sacred town built around a lake that, in legend, formed where a lotus petal fell from the hand of Brahma, the creator. Check in to your hotel close to the ghats and take a little time to settle in. Pushkar is a pilgrimage town, so meat, eggs and alcohol are not served.

At sunset, sit by the lake as bells ring out from its temples and pilgrims float lamps on the water. Priests on the ghats may offer flowers for a blessing and ask for a donation; you are free to politely decline. Try malpua, a sweet fried pancake soaked in syrup, a Pushkar favourite.

• DayDrive to Pushkar, with an optional stop at Chittorgarh Fort
• SunsetEvening prayers on the ghats

OvernightPushkar, 2 nights, at a boutique heritage hotel.

The ghats and the Brahma Temple

Walk around Pushkar Lake's 52 ghats in the morning, when pilgrims bathe and pray. Your guide explains the rituals and the town's stories, including why so many Hindus come here to perform rites for their ancestors. Shoes come off on the ghats, and it is polite to ask before photographing people bathing or praying. Visit the Brahma Temple, one of the very few temples in India dedicated to the creator god, with a silver turtle set into the floor of the entrance hall. The present building is usually dated to the 14th century, although the site is far older.

Spend the afternoon in the bazaar and the rooftop cafés that have fed travellers for decades, browsing silver jewellery, bangles, textiles and rose products made from the flowers grown around the town. Or take the ropeway to the Savitri Temple for a view over the valley. Pushkar is a pilgrimage town, so it is vegetarian and alcohol-free.

In November, Pushkar hosts its famous camel fair, when the dunes fill with livestock traders, and the town is very busy. At other times, the pace is gentle, and an evening by the lake is the best way to end the day.

• MorningThe ghats and the Brahma Temple
• AfternoonBazaar, cafés or the Savitri Temple viewpoint
• EveningBy the lake

OvernightPushkar.

Back to Jaipur

Drive back to Jaipur, stopping if you like at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, just over the hill from Pushkar. Pilgrims of every faith come to the tomb of the 13th-century saint with roses and embroidered cloths. Shoes come off at the gate and heads must be covered; scarves are sold outside. The lanes are crowded, so your guide stays close.

Afterwards, see Ana Sagar, the lake beside Ajmer, with the white marble pavilions built along its embankment by Shah Jahan. The rest of the road passes Kishangarh, a town of marble yards and the home of a delicate school of miniature painting.

Return to Rambagh Palace for your final two nights, with the afternoon free. It is a good moment to sort out your purchases; the hotel can help you pack fragile pieces or ship larger ones home.

• MorningDrive to Jaipur via the Ajmer dargah and Ana Sagar
• AfternoonFree at Rambagh Palace

OvernightJaipur, 2 nights, at Rambagh Palace.

A last free day at Rambagh

A free final day at Rambagh Palace: the spa, the gardens, the Polo Bar. The point is to close the trip slowly rather than rushing towards departure.

If you would like one more outing, your car and driver are available. The Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur's oldest, sits in a grand Indo-Saracenic building in the Ram Niwas Garden. In Amber, the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing occupies a restored haveli, with block printers demonstrating their craft. On the edge of the city, the villages of Bagru and Sanganer still print cotton by hand with wooden blocks, and you can try it yourself.

In the late afternoon, drive up to Nahargarh Fort on the ridge for a final view of the Pink City as the lights come on, or visit the Galta temples in their rocky gorge, home to a large troop of monkeys. End with a quiet dinner at the palace. Your representative will confirm tomorrow's pickup time.

• DayFree at Rambagh Palace
• OptionalAlbert Hall Museum, Anokhi Museum or block printing in Bagru
• SunsetOptional Nahargarh Fort viewpoint

OvernightJaipur.

Fly home from Jaipur

Transfer to Jaipur International Airport for your onward or departing flight. If your international flight leaves from Delhi, we can arrange a short connecting flight of about an hour, or a private drive of five to six hours to Delhi's international airport.

If you are driving, we time your departure so you reach Delhi airport about three hours before an international flight. Keep your passport and ticket handy, as both are checked at the terminal entrance. Safe travels home.

• DepartureTransfer to Jaipur airport, or a connecting flight or drive to Delhi