Itinerary - India: from Rajasthan to the Taj Mahal

Roundtrip flights or transportation to reach the destination are not included in the package, so you can decide from where and when you want to leave! This gives you complete freedom of choice to adjust your travel itinerary to your needs.

Check-in at the hotel in New Delhi. The initial impact can be disorienting, between the humid heat and the convulsive traffic of the city... but at least we get an immediate taste of India as we get to know each other! Let's also immediately try Indian cuisine, which is for strong stomachs: let's go easy on the spices for the moment, perhaps we can try rice and curry, one of the many typical flavours we'll try during out trip.

We wake up early this morning: we have many things to do and see, so we don't want to waste any time! We explore the ancient city also known as Shahjahanabad - you can call it the old city, and that's fine too! We start at the Jama Masjd Mosque, pass by the Red Fort, and even admire a Sikh Temple - and who knows, maybe we'll have time to stop and eat right there! It will be the perfect time to get acquainted with Indian cuisine in the most authentic way possible - but we try not to fill our bellies right away because we will soon have to get back on the road to Agra, the final stop on this first day.

Tonight a truly local experience awaits us: we will sleep in a Haveli! Haveli are Indian townhouses converted into guest houses - the Indian version of a bed and breakfasts. It will be a unique opportunity to be the guest of a local family and live like them for a night.

It is still dark outside and we are already waiting: we are in the presence of one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the majestic Taj Mahal, the true treasure of Agra. Visiting it at this time of the morning, with the sun rising on the horizon and the light mist descending on the white marble will be a moment we will never forget. We enjoy these moments and breathe in the magic of this surreal place of eternal beauty.

We return to the hotel to recover from the early riser (and the excitement!) and then visit the Red Fort of Agra, another must-see here in the city, with its intricate architecture and impressive panoramic views, frescoed rooms, gardens with gilded pavilions and a few cute little monkeys passing through. Before lunch, however, we must get back on the road: the road to Jaipur is long but with a good playlist you will see that the journey will become a pleasure!

We'll have the full day dedicated to exploring Jaipur, known as the Pink City, the capital of Rajasthan. The facades of the houses are built of pink sandstone (hence, the nickname), and it appears to be surrounded by walls on which seven gates open. We will start with a visit to the Amber Fort: once on top, we will walk through the wonderful complex of courtyards and halls. On our itinerary, we will not fail to see the Hawa Mahal, a spectacular palace resembling a beehive, the City Palace, a complex of palaces and courtyards in Rajput style, and the spectacular Albert Hall.

After refreshments (we walked quite a bit without realising it!) we'll visit Jantar Mantar, the city's astronomical observatory built in 1700 - it will be interesting to discover the instruments used then! We then take a stroll through the market in search of spices and fine fabrics: we haggle to secure the most beautiful ones! Tonight, we have a crackling dinner to look forward to: we dine on typical Indian dishes - of course - but watch a curious cooking show. We are looking forward to it!

Another early morning: we have to face a transfer to Pushkar, in the heart of Rajasthan. This small town, a Hindu pilgrimage destination, has a very special charm: walking through its streets we'll hear the regular rhythm of prayers and sacred chants, but it is not only the ear that will be enraptured, the eyes will be too! We join the Hindu pilgrims who walk along the lake and descend the steps of the many ghats to bathe in its waters, respectfully witnessing this spiritual and sacred moment.

We also explore the bazaar - let's get ready to quickly learn how to haggle with the Indians! It will be the perfect time to buy some local handicrafts, especially fabrics, incense and perfumes - but let's try not to fill up the rucksack immediately, we are only halfway through the trip!

The day continues and we still have one last mission to tackle: ascent to the Savitri Temple! From there, the sunset is something exceptional - and we are ready to enjoy it to the full!

No need to set an alarm this morning! We will be free and we will have time to enjoy the atmosphere of Pushkar. Shopping, rejuvenating massage or yoga class: everyone is free to choose what they like best! We then say goodbye to Pushkar and set off for Jodhpur, our next and last stop - the hours in our minivan will be long but this is the last transfer of the trip and we wanted to end it the right way! Don't forget to bring some snacks - they will definitely come in handy. We arrive in Jodhpur in the late afternoon, just in time to enjoy the view of the city's illuminated houses.

After breakfast, we begin to explore the city: we are surrounded by huge fortifications and indigo-coloured buildings that make this place almost surreal. We visit the Jaswanth Thada, the white marble mausoleum reminiscent of the Taj Mahal - peace and tranquillity are breathed in here too, with its gardens, pond and sculptures depicting the rulers of Jodhpur who now rest here in marble tombs.

We then climb up to Mehrangarh, the fort that towers majestically above the town - it is one of the most distinctive buildings in India, seeming to rise directly from the rock and its decorations are incomparable, still intact despite the signs of time passed. We then return to town to find a little place to have lunch!

Let's get ready for this afternoon: it's local cooking! The chapati will have no more secrets for us and we will be able to recognise every spice used to create the famous masala... chilli pepper is included, of course, but this time we will decide how much of it we use. The important thing is to put in the effort because we will only dine on what we cook!

This morning the pace is more relaxed: we have plenty of time to explore Jodhpur and shop in the local market. We can have a leisurely lunch or sample as many street food delicacies as we can find. In the early afternoon, it is time to go to the airport to catch a flight, because it is already time to return to Delhi, where it all began! We close the circle - and, unfortunately, our journey - with our last dinner all together: we relive the moments we have shared over the last few days in front of our last Indian dish!

Check-out and goodbye – until your next WeRoad adventure!