Thinking of booking Rajasthan tour packages? Here is our extract from the best of Rajasthan packages for your convenience. The sands blowing the tales of the bloodied skirmishes and Rajputana valour, the imposing forts looming atop the steep hills standing as guards of time, the opulence of palaces, iridescent lakes, the scenic hill stations, the stunning ungulates in the deserts, the land of the Maharajas and Maharanas – Rajasthan welcomes you like a royal with a warm hospitality and gives you a similar send-off for you to come back and rediscover the charm of the undisputed India’s gem. Its regal heritage aside Rajasthan is many things to many people and is visited for many reasons. Make sure to indulge in the following while planning a Rajasthan tour.
Forts, palaces and lakes
The biggest attractions of all in Rajasthan are the several specimens of its fortified excellence. The magnificent ramparts watching over the cities, gargantuan gates that offer ingress to the horses and elephants through the winding accesses of the forts. The insides decked with glittering giant chandeliers, intricate glasswork, chairs made out of the finest timber, halls full of gewgaws in iron, brass, copper, pearls, stones, brought in from across the globe, pillars carved out of marble, and an endless ceiling acting as a sanctum for these valuables. Rajasthan has a remarkable number of forts and palaces overlooking the lakes, moats and hills. Some of them forgotten with time while some have been restored and turned into world-class heritage hotels. Among the places to visit in Rajasthan are the marque set of Amber fort in Jaipur set in red sandstone, the spectacular Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur, the golden-hued bulwark in Jaisalmer, the pride of Chittorgarh, and the old fort of Junagarh. Apart from the impregnable might of the forts, the landscape of Rajasthan is dotted with grand palaces with stories of sybaritic lives of the kings and the rulers of the land.
Make sure to strike off from your list the Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur, the sheer splendour of which has been captured in many movies and is rented for ritzy weddings of the well-heeled. Have a dekko at the City Palace in Jaipur – striking yet gone trite with too much of commercial hardsell. And not to be missed is the picture postcard-perfect, lavish City Palace by the banks of the shimmering Lake Pichola in Udaipur.
The famous craftsmanship
The arts and handicrafts encouraged and patronised by the kings continues to exist and can be seen in various forms strewn across the streets of the state. Still an inspiration for many designers, the vibrancy of
Rajasthan is inescapable. The famous bandhini, the tie n dye style of which made it to the creative studios of fashion houses or the jutti which made it to the shoe closets of many. The bazaars here brim with colour and bustle. Head to Mirza Ismail Road in Jaipur for stunning pieces of pottery and intricate stone sculptures and other artefacts. Then there are centres for the complex work on gemstones and marble. A stopover to one such can be found in many Rajasthan packages. Precious stones and exquisite handiwork is available at tourist rates. Nehru Bazaar is where to find the best of textiles and local fabric. Get a bargain on juttis and some good old bandhini saris. For brasswork explore the Tripolia bazaar and discover rare finds on lac jewellery which is another Rajasthani takeaway. You can even encounter a lac bangle being made and feel the warmth of a freshly moulded one in your hands. Visit the Shilpgram in Sawai Madhopur for a diverse range of village art and craft.
