Rajasthan Oberoi Luxury Safari and Spa Tour

Your flight lands at Indira Gandhi International Airport, and once you clear immigration and customs our representative will be waiting in the arrivals hall holding a name board. Your chauffeur loads the bags into an air-conditioned sedan or SUV, hands out chilled water and a local SIM card if you requested one, and drives you about forty minutes to The Oberoi, New Delhi. The hotel sits beside the Delhi Golf Club, and rooms on the higher floors look across the greens to the dome of Humayun's Tomb. Long-haul arrivals into Delhi tend to land late at night or very early in the morning, so we arrange early check-in where the hotel can offer it.

Nothing is scheduled for the rest of the day, which is deliberate. Jet lag from the United States or Australia is real, and the first evening is better spent resetting your body clock than ticking off sights. If you feel restless, the hotel pool is a calm place to stretch, and the concierge can book a table at one of the restaurants on site for a light first dinner. Your tour manager will call in the evening to walk you through the next two weeks, confirm safari timings and spa preferences, and answer any questions about money, tipping and dress codes at temples.

Overnight stay in Delhi.

After a relaxed breakfast your guide meets you in the lobby for a Delhi city tour that starts right next door. Humayun's Tomb, the red sandstone and marble mausoleum that inspired the Taj Mahal, is best seen around opening time at sunrise when the light warms the facade and the lawns are almost empty. Afterwards walk through Sunder Nursery, a restored Mughal garden with smaller tombs, lotus ponds and shaded pathways. From there your chauffeur drives along Rajpath, now called Kartavya Path, past India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan and the secretariat buildings designed by Lutyens and Baker, before lunch at a quiet restaurant in Lodhi Colony.

In the afternoon the city changes character. Your guide takes you into Old Delhi, where a cycle rickshaw threads you through Chandni Chowk, the spice lanes of Khari Baoli and the silver sellers of Dariba Kalan. Climb the steps of Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India, and look back across the rooftops towards the Red Fort; note that the Red Fort is closed on Mondays, so on that day we swap it for the Qutub Minar complex in south Delhi. If your second day falls on a Thursday, the evening qawwali singing at Nizamuddin Dargah is worth the short detour on the way back.

Overnight stay in Delhi.

Leave Delhi after breakfast while the traffic is still manageable and head south on the Delhi to Jaipur highway, crossing from the plains of Haryana into the low Aravalli hills of Rajasthan. Your chauffeur knows the clean rest stops, and a mid-morning coffee break near Neemrana gives you a look at the fifteenth-century fort palace on the hillside. The landscape grows drier and browner as you go, with camel carts on the service roads and women in bright odhnis carrying water pots. Expect to reach Jaipur in the early afternoon, depending on how long you linger along the way and how busy the outskirts of Gurugram are.

The Oberoi Rajvilas sits on thirty-two acres of gardens on the Goner Road, about twenty minutes from the old city, and the welcome is a garland, a cool drink and a short walk past reflecting pools to your room or villa. Spend the rest of the afternoon unwinding. The spa occupies a restored haveli in the grounds, and this is a good day to book your first signature treatment, perhaps an Ayurvedic abhyanga massage with warm herbal oil. As the sun sets, a priest performs aarti at the small Shiva temple on the property, and guests are welcome to attend quietly.

Overnight stay in Jaipur.

We start early to reach Amber Fort before the crowds, driving past Jal Mahal floating in the Man Sagar lake on the way. Your guide leads you through the Suraj Pol gate into Jaleb Chowk, then up to the Diwan-e-Aam with its double row of columns. The real reward is the Sheesh Mahal, where thousands of tiny convex mirrors set into the ceiling were designed to glitter in candlelight. Opposite is the Sukh Niwas, where water once ran through channels in the walls to cool the rooms. Climb to the zenana quarters, where the queens' apartments open onto a shared courtyard, and look down over the Maota lake gardens.

After lunch back at Rajvilas, the afternoon is yours for the pool, a yoga session on the lawn or a nap. Later in the day, your chauffeur drives up to Nahargarh Fort, the old hilltop retreat that guards the northern edge of Jaipur, for a sundowner view across the pink city as the lights come on below. The Padao restaurant on the ramparts serves cold drinks and simple snacks, and the breeze up there is a pleasant change from the heat of the plains. Return to the hotel for a candlelit dinner in the courtyard of the Surya Mahal restaurant.

Overnight stay in Jaipur.

Today covers the walled city founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Begin at the City Palace, where the Mubarak Mahal displays royal costumes and the Diwan-e-Khas holds two enormous silver urns that once carried Ganges water to England. Next door, Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observatory built of stone and marble; your guide will explain how the Samrat Yantra sundial tells local time to within a couple of seconds. Then stand opposite Hawa Mahal, the five-storey screen of latticed windows through which royal women once watched street processions, and climb to a rooftop cafe across the road for the best photograph of its honeycomb front.

Lunch is at a traditional restaurant in the old city where you can try laal maas, a fiery Rajasthani mutton curry, or a milder thali with dal baati churma. In the afternoon visit a gem-cutting workshop to see emeralds and garnets being polished by hand, followed by a small block-printing studio where artisans stamp cotton with carved teak blocks. There is no pressure to buy anything. Back at Rajvilas, the evening is free, and many guests choose to book a second session at the spa, perhaps a body scrub using local rose and sandalwood. Your chauffeur waits nearby throughout, so there is no need to carry shopping bags around the old city.

Overnight stay in Jaipur.

A slower day. After a late breakfast, enjoy a morning of complete rest at the hotel; Rajvilas offers guided yoga and meditation in the gardens, and the lap pool is quiet before lunch. Those who prefer to keep moving can visit the Albert Hall Museum, set in Ram Niwas Garden, which holds a surprising Egyptian mummy alongside Rajput weaponry, carpets and miniature paintings. The museum building itself is a fine example of the Indo-Saracenic style. Lunch can be taken at the hotel or at a garden cafe in the Civil Lines neighbourhood, where several old bungalows have been turned into relaxed restaurants.

In the late afternoon your chauffeur drives east to Galta Ji, a cluster of temples and bathing tanks wedged into a narrow gorge in the Aravallis. The site is home to hundreds of rhesus macaques and is best visited around golden hour, when pilgrims come to bathe in the sacred kunds and the sandstone walls glow orange. Walk up to the Surya Mandir on the ridge for a view back over Jaipur. Return to Rajvilas for your farewell dinner in the city, with a menu of royal Rajasthani dishes served in the courtyard by lantern light.

Overnight stay in Jaipur.

Check out after breakfast and drive south-east through farming country to Sawai Madhopur, the small town at the edge of Ranthambore National Park. The road passes mustard and wheat fields, village markets and the occasional roadside stall selling fresh guavas in winter. Your chauffeur aims to reach The Oberoi Vanyavilas in time for lunch. The property is laid out as a series of luxury tents with teak floors, canopy beds and private walled gardens, and the main haveli has murals painted by local artists. An early lunch is served so you can rest briefly before the first game drive of the trip.

Your first gypsy safari leaves around mid-afternoon, roughly 2:30 or 3:00 pm depending on season, and returns at sunset. Ranthambore is divided into ten zones, and our team books permits in advance so you have the best chance of a core zone near the lakes. A naturalist from the lodge rides with you to read the forest: the call of a sambar deer, fresh scratch marks on a tree, or a pug mark in the dust can all hint at a tiger nearby. Even without a big cat sighting, the ruined chhatris and banyan trees make this a memorable drive.

Overnight stay in Ranthambore.

An early wake-up call with tea and biscuits at your tent, then the morning safari departs at around 6:30 to 7:00 am depending on sunrise. Mornings are cool and often the best time to see tigers patrolling their territories, as well as leopards, sloth bears, marsh crocodiles in Padam Talao and hundreds of bird species, from crested serpent eagles to painted storks. The park's own history adds to the scene: the lake palace of Jogi Mahal and the walls of the old fort appear through the trees. You return to the lodge at about 10:00 to 10:30 am for a full breakfast in the garden.

The middle of the day belongs to the spa. Vanyavilas has a peaceful treatment centre with an outdoor area set among trees, and the therapists here are skilled in deep tissue massage, which feels very welcome after a bumpy jeep ride. Lunch is light, followed by a second afternoon safari into a different zone. After you return, the lodge often arranges a talk by its naturalists on tiger conservation in Ranthambore, followed by dinner beside a crackling fire in the courtyard while the guides compare notes on the day's sightings. Keep binoculars and a light scarf handy, because the open gypsy gets dusty and the evening air cools quickly.

Overnight stay in Ranthambore.

Your fourth and final game drive leaves at dawn. By now you will have learned to spot the difference between a chital and a sambar, and you may be quicker than the guide at catching the flick of a tail in the long grass. Many guests say their best tiger sightings come on the last morning, when they have stopped expecting them. After the drive return to the lodge for breakfast and a quiet hour by the pool, or simply read on the veranda of your tent while peacocks wander the lawn and langur monkeys play in the trees. Sightings are never guaranteed, though.

In the afternoon, instead of another safari, your chauffeur takes you up to Ranthambore Fort, a vast tenth-century hilltop citadel inside the park boundary. A stone path climbs through massive gates to the Ganesh temple, where devotees from across India post wedding invitations to the deity. The views from the walls stretch across the forest and lakes below, and you may spot crocodiles basking on the banks. Return to Vanyavilas for a private dinner in your garden, which the staff will set with lanterns if you request it in advance. Wear sturdy shoes, as the steps are uneven and can be slippery after rain.

Overnight stay in Ranthambore.

The drive from Ranthambore to Udaipur by road would take most of a day, so we route you through Jaipur for a short domestic flight instead. After breakfast your chauffeur drives you back towards Jaipur and straight to Jaipur International Airport, with a stop for coffee along the way. This is where you say goodbye to your Rajasthan chauffeur for a few days; a second driver meets you in Udaipur and the first rejoins later. The Jaipur to Udaipur flight takes about an hour, and our team checks you in online and prints your boarding passes in advance. Hand luggage limits are strict on domestic routes.

On arrival in Udaipur you are driven to the shore of Lake Pichola, where a private boat carries you across the water to The Oberoi Udaivilas. The hotel is built in the style of a Mewar palace, with domes, courtyards and pools that seem to spill into the lake, and many rooms open onto semi-private pools. In the evening, sit on the lakeside terrace as the City Palace lights up across the water and the call to prayer drifts over from the old town. Take a relaxed dinner at Udaimahal, the hotel's Rajasthani restaurant, with live music.

Overnight stay in Udaipur.

Start the Udaipur city tour with a short boat ride from the hotel to the City Palace complex, the largest palace in Rajasthan, built by successive Maharanas of Mewar over four centuries. Your guide leads you through the Fateh Prakash wing, where the Crystal Gallery holds furniture, chandeliers and even a bed made entirely of cut glass, ordered from England but never used by the ruler who commissioned it. The Durbar Hall below, with its massive chandeliers and portraits of the Mewar rulers, is still used for state banquets. Walk on to the Manak Mahal, decorated with mirrors and inlay, and the courtyards overlooking the lake.

Afterwards walk up to the Jagdish Temple, an Indo-Aryan temple with richly carved spires dedicated to Lord Vishnu, before lunch at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the lake near Gangaur Ghat. In the afternoon visit Saheliyon ki Bari, the garden of the maids of honour, with marble elephants, lotus pools and fountains fed by gravity from Fateh Sagar Lake. Return to Udaivilas for an afternoon spa treatment; the spa here has treatment rooms that open onto the lake, and the Kansa foot massage with a bronze bowl is a local favourite. Most guests find this the most soothing treatment of the trip.

Overnight stay in Udaipur.

Your chauffeur drives you about 22 km north of Udaipur through the Aravalli foothills to the temple town of Eklingji. The main shrine, dedicated to Shiva as the guardian deity of the Mewar rulers, has a four-faced black marble idol, and the complex contains more than a hundred smaller temples. Photography is not allowed inside, so take in the details with your eyes. A short drive further brings you to Nagda, where the tenth-century Sahastra Bahu temples, often called the Saas-Bahu temples, stand by a lake with some of the finest stone carving in the region, including dancers, musicians and floral patterns.

Return to Udaipur for lunch, then spend the afternoon at leisure or visit Shilpgram, a rural arts and crafts village on the western edge of the city, where traditional huts from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra are reconstructed and artisans demonstrate pottery, weaving and puppet making. Towards sunset, your chauffeur takes you up to the Monsoon Palace, also known as Sajjangarh, perched on a hilltop above the lakes. The palace was built to watch the monsoon clouds roll in, and the views over Udaipur at dusk are spectacular. Bring a light jacket in winter, as the hilltop can be windy after dark.

Overnight stay in Udaipur.

A full day with nothing fixed, which is the luxury of a seventeen-day schedule. Sleep in, enjoy breakfast on the terrace and spend the morning by your pool, swimming, reading or simply watching the boats glide past on Lake Pichola. Udaivilas offers yoga and pranayama breathing sessions at sunrise for early risers, and the spa's menu includes a full-day package that combines massage, a facial and a herbal bath. Your guide is available if you would like to spend an hour or two in the old town shopping for miniature paintings, silver jewellery or handmade paper. There is no schedule to keep, and your chauffeur simply waits for a call if you decide to head out.

Late in the afternoon the hotel arranges a private boat cruise across Lake Pichola, stopping at Jag Mandir, the island palace where Prince Khurram, later the emperor Shah Jahan, once took refuge. The boat then circles past the City Palace and the ghats of the old town as the sun sets behind the hills. The water is calm and the light turns everything pink and gold. Return to the hotel for a farewell dinner in Udaipur, perhaps at a private table set on a jetty by the lake, arranged by our team. It is a fitting end to the lake chapter of the tour.

Overnight stay in Udaipur.

After breakfast, the hotel boat takes you back to the shore where your chauffeur is waiting to drive you to Maharana Pratap Airport. The flight from Udaipur to Delhi takes about an hour and a quarter. Your original chauffeur from the first part of the tour meets you at the Delhi domestic terminal. From there, the drive to Agra follows the Yamuna Expressway, a smooth six-lane highway that bypasses the towns of the old Agra road. A clean food court midway at Jewar is a good spot for lunch or coffee before continuing south-east. Domestic flights in India allow one checked bag of about fifteen kilograms, so we will remind you to repack the night before.

You arrive at The Oberoi Amarvilas in the afternoon. The hotel stands about six hundred metres from the Taj Mahal, and every room and suite has a direct view of the monument across the trees. Spend the evening on your balcony watching the marble change colour as the sun goes down, or enjoy a drink on the terrace of the Bellevue lounge. Your guide will brief you on tomorrow's Taj visit and remind you that the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, which we have already factored into the schedule. Dinner can be served on your private balcony if you would rather not dress for the restaurant.

Overnight stay in Agra.

Wake before dawn for the most important visit of the tour. The hotel's buggy drives you to the east gate, where your guide is already in the queue, and you walk in as the sky begins to lighten. The Taj Mahal sunrise tour is the best time for photographs, with soft light and fewer people. Your guide explains the story of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, the pietra dura inlay of semi-precious stones, the calligraphy that grows larger as it rises so it appears even from below, and the four minarets that lean slightly outwards to protect the tomb in an earthquake.

After breakfast back at the hotel, visit Agra Fort, a red sandstone citadel on the banks of the Yamuna. Inside, the white marble Musamman Burj is where Shah Jahan was confined by his son Aurangzeb, and from its balcony he could see the Taj across the river until his last days. Walk through the Jahangiri Mahal and the Diwan-e-Khas. In the evening cross the river to Mehtab Bagh, the moonlight garden directly opposite the Taj, for a quieter view of the monument at sunset, then return to Amarvilas for a spa evening. The therapists at Amarvilas use warm oils infused with local herbs.

Overnight stay in Agra.

This morning your chauffeur drives about 40 km west to Fatehpur Sikri, the red sandstone city built by Emperor Akbar and abandoned not long after it was completed, probably because of water shortages. Your guide takes you through the Diwan-e-Khas with its carved central pillar, the Panch Mahal with five storeys of open pavilions, and the palace of Jodha Bai. In the Jama Masjid next door, the white marble tomb of the Sufi saint Salim Chishti is still visited by people who tie threads on the lattice screens when making a wish. Leave through the Buland Darwaza, one of the tallest gateways in the world.

Return to Agra for lunch, then visit the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah on the far bank of the Yamuna. Often called the Baby Taj, it was the first Mughal building to use white marble with pietra dura inlay and is a quiet, delicate place with very few visitors. The rest of the afternoon is for your final spa session at Amarvilas, perhaps a long Ayurvedic treatment or an aromatherapy massage. In the evening enjoy a farewell dinner at Esphahan, the hotel's Indian restaurant, where the chefs cook Mughlai dishes in the open kitchen. Dress is smart casual, and a table by the window gives a final glimpse of the floodlit Taj.

Overnight stay in Agra.

On your last morning, have a slow breakfast on the terrace with the Taj in front of you one final time. Check-out times are flexible depending on your flight, and if your departure is late in the evening our team can arrange a late check-out or a day room so you can rest and shower before the long flight home. Your chauffeur loads your luggage, now likely heavier with shopping from Jaipur and Udaipur, and drives you back to Delhi along the Yamuna Expressway, with a stop for lunch or coffee on the way. Expect to leave the hotel around five hours before your international flight.

Depending on your flight time, there may be time for a short stop in Delhi, perhaps at Dilli Haat for a last round of craft shopping, or at a cafe in Khan Market. Your chauffeur then drops you at Indira Gandhi International Airport in good time for your international departure, with help from our representative for the luggage trolleys and terminal entry. We hope the tigers of Ranthambore, the lakes of Udaipur and the dawn light on the Taj will stay with you, and we look forward to welcoming you back to India for another tour. Safe travels home. Until then, happy memories.