We did a 6 weeks trip to India last year and really enjoy it for several reason.
First of all, you can treat yourself with the best palace with the best service on the planet for a fraction of the price you will pay on an other part of the world. The landscape is not the most beautiful but it is compensate by the beauty of women colorful outfit, the culture, the kindness of people, the chaos, the delicious cuisine, the overall feeling of being in a totally different century and place, the flowers, the elephants , the Marawi horses, the wilde life .....
So we decide to do a road trip for 2 weeks in Rajasthan with a stop of couple of days in Delhi. We took a private car with driver do not even think about driving yourself in India.
As we visit all the important old stones last time, this time we discover an other face of Delhi starting by the Sikh temple. You need to remove your shoes and cover your head by respect. This is really worth going. You entering a very different world you use to. Especially, do not miss the kitchen. Every single days they cook fresh free meal for 10 000 people. This is just amazing and such a lesson of charity. The best time to go is around lunch time.
To feel the spirit of Delhi the best is to take a Rickshaw and cruise in old Delhi.
Visit the Hauzkaz Village, this is a street full of
Men Tailor : the best tailor in town is Vash at Rivoli
Hotel: The Imperial what else!
Restaurant: Lunch at Indian Accent which is located in a very nice residential neighbourhood in the Manor hotel. You can eat outside. I will highly recommend to take a degustation menu and specially taste the Chat which is what Delhi is famous for (street food). This restaurant is on the top 5 of city, the cuisine is modern Indian.
Diner at Varq at the Taj hotel. An other delicious modern Indian cuisine. Probably my best restaurant in India so far.
Of course, dine at the The Spice Route in Imperial hotel, for a travel through south asia cuisine.
Jaipur : the red city
By train it is a 8 hours journey, I really recommend to do at least one leg in train to immerse yourself in the country life.
The place to stay : Rambagh Palace, probably one of the best of the Taj propriety.
What to do: visit city palace, Amber fort, Monkey temple, Market, gem and jewelry stores.
Bikaner6 hours drive. Ok, I will be be honest here....skip Bikaner, there is absolutly no reason to go there. I much much prefer Jaisalmer. If you really want to go there stay at the Laxmi Niwas Palace sister hotel. The palace as 2 hotels, the Laxmi is gorgeous from outside but it is very faded inside the other one is much better.
What to do : visit the fort, camel center, and the Rat temple at a 30 km drive.
Pushkar
What a lovely place! Pushkar is one of the most important holy destination for the Hindus.
It is also well known for its Camel fair (which we miss).
Stay at the Pushkar Palace, which is a lovely hotel very well located on the edge of the water reservoir. The view from the room was absolutely amazing.
What to bright back: all those Mandala beens necklaces....
Have a Lassy at the Sunset café, watching the sunset and the acrobats.
Jodhpur: the blue city
5 hours drive from Pushkar
We first wanted to stay at the Taj Palace Umaid Bhawan, which is spectacular. This was the residence of the Jodhpur Maharaja, all decorated in Art deco style. Now, the Maharaja live in one part and the hotel host a Taj Palace. It was full, all booked for a wedding! We were right in the wedding season (according to the astrology). So we stay at the RAAS in the center of the city on the foot of the fort and mosque. Very very pretty hotel, modern boutique, great restaurants, fabulous location, amazing view on the fort, great service. This was a good choice after all.What to do: drink a Lassy on the main place, visit the market and of court the city fort which is one of the most beautiful.
Best restaurant the Darikhana at the Raas and in Umaid Bjawan Palace
Ranthambore
Tiger safari
Sher Bagh tents camp. Very nice small tents camp, good
service, you will have the pleasure to find hot bottle in your bed at night (the night can be chilly in December).
The park is manage by the state. It is very nice, you will see some mongooses, sambars, monkeys, a fort, and if you are lucky Tigers.
To be honest we have been very disappointed by the park but probably it is due to the fact that we did not saw any tigers when every body else did.
Udaipur
Long drive 8 to 9 hours.
We also witness several religion colorful processions in the old city.
Where to stay : of course Lake Palace
Where to eat :.
Upré 1559 AD an other roof top restaurant with a spectacular view on the lake palace
Ambhai at Amet Haveli.
I will not recommend to dine at the Jaiwana Haveli roof top it is very backpackers. I will highly recommend to stay away from Leela palace and Oberoi until you are sure they are full otherwise it is depressing as those to resort are enormous, and specially the Obeiroi lack of charm.
What to do: cooking class at lake palace,
Yoga, visit the very clean old city, city palace.
Go to gangaur boutique tailor and have some bespoke clothes made for you made in beautiful fabric.
I forgot to mention Udaipur is my favorite city in Rajasthan, it is nice to stay there a bit longer to relax, enjoy the swimming pool.
Namaste