Colours of Rajasthan

Discover the domain of the maharajas, exploring regal residences, seeing the Taj Mahal and searching for tigers

Immerse yourself in Rajasthan, known as the Land of Kings for its countless palaces, forts and monuments to warriors past. On this culture-packed adventure, we visit the imposing forts of Jodhpur and Jaipur, which bear testament to the battles that once raged here, visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise, and search Ranthambore National Park for another regal resident: the elusive Bengal tiger.

The departures starting in Delhi on 5 November 2024 and 26 October 2025 include a visit to the Pushkar Fair. See the itinerary here.

Join us to celebrate Exodus’ 50^th anniversary! Select departures of this trip feature extra inclusions to mark the occasion: a sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola, Udaipur, followed with dinner by the lake, a local birthday celebration and a special edition Exodus kitbag. The selected departures on this trip start in Delhi on 13 October 2024 and 15 December 2024.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and supporting other local enterprise.
• The hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff, this benefits the community by providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by.
• Our local partners share a commitment to projects that benefit their communities.
• This tour encourages guests to visit local cafes and restaurants and use markets to purchase traditional crafts.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• On this trip, we visit national heritage sites and the entrance fees included generate income used for the upkeep and development of these important monuments and nature parks.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.
• Where possible on this trip, paper bags are used as an alternative to single-use plastics.
• As part of our commitment to responsible tourism, Exodus supports the TOFTigers’ campaign to protect biodiversity and restore habitats across India’s national parks through the wise use of sustainable tourism.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• In some restaurants, there is the option to have plant-based meals.
• This trip favours locally owned and run accommodation.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Cultural respect

• It’s best to ask before photographing people, ceremonies or sacred sites.
• It’s polite to use only your right hand when eating something without cutlery and when handing money and small objects to someone else.
• Before entering a holy place, remove your shoes and give them to the shoe minder. When you collect your shoes again, give the minder a few rupees. You’re permitted to wear socks in most places of worship.
• Religious etiquette advises against touching the heads of local people, even children, or directing the soles of your feet at a person, shrine or image of a deity. You should not touch a carving of a deity.
• When visiting religious sites, dress and behave respectfully, don’t wear shorts and sleeveless tops – this applies to both men and women. Head cover for women and sometimes men is required in some places of worship.
• Generally, it is best to dress modestly throughout your time in India as a sign of respect.
• Making the effort to fit in is invariably appreciated so being aware of these aspects of cultural respect will assist you during your travels in India.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.  

Pace: This is a fast-paced cultural trip, jam-packed with the highlights of Rajasthan. It is not overly demanding, but some days can be busy and long, particularly where travelling is combined with sightseeing.

Journeys: The roads are generally pretty good, but traffic and/or road damage after the monsoon can sometimes slow us down. We travel mainly on comparatively quiet roads for at least half the journey. Longer distances are covered by private bus and should take around six to seven hours; however, delays are possible and journey times can increase. This trip does involve a lot of time on the road; however, this gives you the perfect opportunity to see the diversity of one of India’s most colourful states.

Weather: It can be quite hot and dusty (except December to February) and the bustle of the Indian cities can be tiring.

Monuments: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is responsible for the conservation of many monuments in India, including the Taj Mahal, and very occasionally this may mean that work is taking place at sites visited on this trip. The ASI schedule is never published so it is not possible to forewarn when work is taking place.

Festivals – Holi and Diwali: Some departures coincide with the festivals of Holi and Diwali. These can be quite local celebrations within communities and families and are not necessarily marked to the same extent throughout the country. We seek opportunities to see the festivities; however, we cannot guarantee what may or may not be going on in the area visited during the trip.

Holi celebrations typically involve people throwing coloured powders and water at each other and smearing powder on each other’s faces. This tends to be done in local communities and families so it is not always possible to be involved though you may see the colourful results of this boisterous festival left on the streets. During Holi, local monuments and markets close, so departures over Holi have a slight adjustment to the itinerary. Where possible, you will be offered a cultural experience with local musicians and dancers performing plus an opportunity to play with colours, dance, and enjoy food and drinks. You can also purchase locally the traditional white kurta outfit to look the part and avoid getting your own clothes covered in the coloured powders.

During Diwali, the festival of lights to mark the start of the Hindu New Year, people may illuminate their houses and shops and sometimes celebrate on the streets with fireworks. Lasting up to five days, it is difficult for us to predict what may be going on in the areas visited on our trips during Diwali. Where something is happening, we will endeavour to see how our groups can witness the festivities.

Pushkar Fair: Some departures are in Pushkar during the fair. These have a slightly amended itinerary. You have two nights in Pushkar (one night replacing a stay in Jodhpur). See the itinerary here.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

India

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

You will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Proof of a polio vaccination may also be required by some travellers. Please confirm all requirements and recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Additionally, dengue, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, is a known risk in India. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Some of our India trips spend time at altitude. In regions over approximately 6,560ft (2,000m), there is little risk of mosquito-borne diseases. For trips above 9,840ft (3,000m), there is a risk of being affected by acute mountain sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please see the Trip Notes for further information.

Visa

India

To avoid possible problems at immigration, make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of entry into India.

Travellers from the UK, US, CA and EU normally need a visa to enter India. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/india
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/india
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/India.html

Travellers eligible for an e-visa, which includes those from the UK, US, CA and EU, can apply at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html.

For more information on applying for your Indian Visa, including details required for your start hotel and local reference contacts, please click on this link: Indian Visa Information

Food & Drink

All breakfasts are included on this trip.

Where meals are not supplied, our tour leaders always encourage people to try local restaurants and street-food vendors − allow at least 1,400-2,400 Indian rupees (approximately US$20-US$35) per day for lunch and dinner. In Jaipur, Udaipur and Delhi, you can even see how food and drink, such as samosa (mashed potato snacks), jalebe (Indian doughnuts) and lassi (yoghurt drink), are made. In most towns, there is a good selection of restaurants and a choice between Indian and Western-style food. If you are vegetarian, India is probably one of the best destinations to visit. Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. A (large) bottle of beer is approximately 300-400 rupees (approximately US$4-US$5). Mineral water is available in the bus in large containers. Please bring a water bottle with you to refill. Please note, service in restaurants can be quite slow.

Weather

During October/November and February/March/April, the days are normally warm to hot and nights cool or mild. Humidity is very low with little or no rain. Evenings in Delhi can be surprisingly cool. It gets very cold in the early mornings and evenings in December and January and warm clothes are essential. Fog is also a real possibility during this period. Please note, night-time temperatures in Delhi can be very cold and only a little above freezing in December and January.