Day 01: Arrive Mumbai

Arrive Mumbai. You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 02: Mumbai To Bhavanagar

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Bhavnagar. You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. Founded as a port in 1723, Bhavnagar is an important trading post for the cotton goods manufactured in Gujarat. It has a beautiful old bazaar area with overhanging wooden balconies, thousands of little shops and ateliers. The Takhteshwar temple sits on the highest hillock, offering panoramic views of the city and out into the Gulf of Cambay. Overnight at Nilambag Palace.

Day 03: Trip To Palitana

After breakfast take a day trip to Palitana, which lies at the foot of the Shatrunjaya river flowing to its south. The sacred hill rises in a crescendo of magnificent temples, 863 in all, that soar in marble splendour to its top. The construction of these temples dates back to the 4th century AD. They were built, destroyed by marauding armies, then rebuilt by devout Jains, including rulers of nearby states. The oldest shrines that exist today are attributed to the 11th century. They are typical of Jain temple architecture and each feature appears to assert its indispensable part in the integral structure. The Shri Adishwara temple dedicated to Rishbhadev, stands on the apex of the northern ridge. Palitana is one of the most sacred of Jain shrines, and it is the ambition of every Jain to visit the hill at least once, and if possible to build a temple here according to his means. The devotion has been expressed in the most exquisite and inspiring forms. The superbly carved marble spires glisten like ivory towers of a fairy tale city in the sun and the craftsmanship and beauty of the sculpture compare with the finest anywhere. Return to Bhavnagar for overnight stay.

Day 04: Bhavinagar To Ahmedpur Mandvi

After breakfast depart on the 5-hour drive to the sleepy little town of Ahmedpur Mandvi, once a walled port town famous for shipbuilding. Overnight at Samudra Beach Resort.

Day 05: Trip To DIU

After breakfast visit the old Portuguese colony of Diu. The small island is separated from the coast by a narrow channel. Diu’s crowning glory is its huge fort, constructed in 1547 to the east and a huge city wall to the west, which sandwiches the town. The main gateway in the wall has beautiful carvings of lions, angels and a priest, while just inside the gate is a miniature chapel with an icon dating to 1702. The town is a maze of narrow, winding streets, with many well ornamented and brightly painted houses. The two remaining churches are St. Paul’s and St. Francis of Assisi. At the back of the town square, there is also a tiny but interesting bazaar where most of life’s necessities can be found. Return to Ahmedpur Mandvi for overnight at Samudra Beach Resort.

Day 06: Ahmedpur Mandvi To Gondol

After breakfast depart on the 4-hour drive to Gondol. En route visit Junagarh, which lies at the foot of the Girnar Hill, the second most sacred mount of the Jains. Junagarh literally meaning 'old fort' is today a picturesque city, an extension of the walled city of Uparkot. Among the magnificent Jain temples on Girnar hill are the 12th century Neminath Temple, the shrine of Ambaji, which is auspicious for newly-weds, Gorakhnath and Guru Dattaraya further up. Also of interest are a Shiva Temple and the tomb of a Muslim Saint. All these attract followers of Jain, Hindu and Muslim faiths. On the way to Girnar is the rock with Ashoka's edicts and inscriptions of Rudraman (150 AD) and Skandagupta (454 AD). Nearby is the sacred pond, Damodar Kund. An old Rajput palace, two stepwells and Buddhist caves are of special interest in this historic Uparkot Fort.

On arrival in Gondol check in at the hotel. Gondol was the capital of one of the most progressive, affluent and efficient princely states during the British period. The impressive 17th century Naulakha Palace with a sculpted façade, pretty jharokha windows and carved stone pillars has an impressive Durbar Hall and a museum of paintings, brass and silver. Overnight at the Orchard Palace Hotel.

Day 07: Gondol To Jamnagar

After an early breakfast depart on the 3-hour drive to Jamnagar. The district headquarters is a walled city with several gateways, typical of traditional towns. The older parts are bursting at the seams but many areas were scientifically planned, as recently as 1914, and have a systematic layout of facades, squares, circles and broad streets. Master craftsmen spend months tying intricate traditional designs on saris before dying them on a variety of brilliant colours. The Kotho Bastion of Lakhota Palace is located in the middle of a tank and is approached over a stone bridge. It could accommodate a thousand soldiers and now houses a fine museum. Jamnagar has a solarium, which was built in 1933. With the destruction of two similar solaria in France during the Second World War this is probably now the only one of its kind in the world, and certainly in Asia. Overnight at Hotel President or similar.

Day 08: Jamnagar To Bhuj

After and early breakfast depart on the 6-hour drive to Bhuj. En route visit the 16th century Halvad Palace, renowned for its fine wood and stonework. The journey is through interesting villages, giving you a glimpse of tribal life. On arrival in Bhuj drive to the District Collector's office to obtain the special permit required to visit this restricted area, before checking in at Hotel Prince or similar for overnight stay.

Day 9: Ajmer To Jaipur To Mumbai

Spend the day exploring this old walled town. The capital of the former Kutchh state, Bhuj is an arid land, having a predominant population of accultured tribal communities. Rao Pragmalji’s Palace, built in traditional Kutchhi style, in a small fortified courtyard in the old part of the town, is today a beautifully presented museum. The Maharao Sinh Madansinhji Museum has a varied collection of paintings, photographs and embroideries as well as a collection of old princely-state coins minted from the 17th century right up to 1948.

The Fuvara Mahal (Fountain Palace) is a room devoted entirely to decadence and leisure. Most of the floor area is an ornamental pool, lined with tiles, which were manufactured by the Maharao himself. In the centre of the pool is a small platform where the Maharao used to sit and be entertained by local musicians and dancing girls. The Hira Mahal (Diamond Palace) has some superb embroidery pieces. The beautiful inlaid wood and ivory door is particularly noteworthy. The Kutchh Museum was founded in 1877 by Sir James Fergusson, a governor of Bombay under the British Raj. It is the oldest museum in Gujarat and has an excellent collection of anthropological and archaeological finds, textiles, weapons, musical instruments and a picture gallery. Overnight at Hotel Prince or similar.

Day 10: In Bhuj

Spend the day exploring the villages around Bhuj to get a glimpse of various pastoral nomads, their lifestyle, arts and crafts. The region is renowned for its silverware, tie-and-dye fabrics, weaving, block printing and particularly its fine needlework. Banni is the Arabic name for needlework and legend has it that the inhabitants came from Saudi Arabia in the 10th-11th century to settle in this region. Return to Hotel Prince for overnight stay.

Day 11: Bhuj To Zainabad

Depart early in the morning on the 5-hour drive to Zainabad, situated at the edge of the Rann of Kutchh. On arrival check in at the Desert Coursers Camp.

There may be time to take a jeep safari into the sanctuary. The Little Rann of Kutchh lies south east of the Great Rann and large parts of it are flooded to depths of up to 2 meters during the monsoons. The vegetation is dry and thorny scrub, though some of the higher land supported rich stands of acacia until the trees were felled for firewood in the 1950s and 1960s. The Little Rann is the only place where the Asiatic Wild Ass is found. Herds of this highly endangered species roam this barren area, feed at night on the vegetation at the edge of the Rann, then retreat inland during the day. Other mammals found here include blackbuck, Nilgai (blue bull), wild boar, chinkara, wolf and desert cat. The rich birdlife includes a variety of water birds and the Rann is particularly known for its breeding colonies of flamingoes. and pelicans. Overnight at Desert Coursers Camp.

Day 12: Zainabad To Ahedabad

Take an early morning jeep safari into the sanctuary.

After breakfast, depart on the 5-hour drive to Ahmedabad. En route, visit Patan, an ancient Hindu capital before it was sacked by Muhamud of Ghazni in 1024. Now a pale shadow of its former self, it still has over 100 Jain temples and is famous for the manufacture of beautifully designed Patola silk saris.

Also visit the Sun Temple at Modhera which is a rare edifice of the Solanki era (11th century) when the art of temple building had reached its height. Anahil Patan, the capital of Gujarat at that time was known for gorgeous temples, imposing palaces and fine buildings of the kind seen at Modhera. On arrival in Ahmedabad check in at the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 13: In Ahedabad

Spend the day exploring Ahmedabad, founded by Ahmed Shah I on the site if the ancient city of Karavati in 1411 and today the great textile and commercial city of western India. Omnipresent is the Sabarmati River over which four bridges connect the old city with the new. On one side are the crowded streets leading to Manek Chowk, where rows of traders dealing in silver jewellery or printed fabrics lean against spotless white bolster-pillows, waiting for customers. The upper floors of the old havelis (family homes) have exquisitely carved wooden balconies, windows and doorways. The most beautiful ones stand in Doshiwala ni Pol. Sidi Saiyad's Mosque is one of the most eloquent examples of Indo-Saracen architecture, which blends Hindu and Muslim styles.

The shaking minarets of Rajpur Bibi's Mosque at Gomtipur and Sidi Bashir's Mosque at Kalipur are interesting - pressure exerted on the inner walls of the minarets sets them vibrating. The Calico Museum houses a rich collection of fabrics and garments from all over India. Hridey Kunj, Mahatma Gandhi's austere Ashram, is set amongst mango trees where he experimented in non violent methods of political struggle.

In the evening, visit the Vechaar Utensil Museum, a 15-minute drive out of Ahmedabad, which houses a remarkable collection of metalware: utensils of every imaginable shape and size in bronze, brass and other alloys have been collected from every corner of Gujarat. A traditional Gujarati meal at the Vishalla Restaurant appropriately rounds off the visit to the museum. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 14: Ahedabad To Dungarpur

After breakfast drive 3 hours to Dungarpur., “the city of Hills. Founded in the early 13th century by Rana Dungar Singh, The Juna Palace and Udai Vilas Palace have some of the most well preserved wall paintings - largely due to the fact that the inaccessibility of the region did not allow invaders to deface them. ”. On arrival check in at the Udai Vilas Palace hotel.

The attractive and friendly village has two of the finest palaces in Rajasthan, Surrounded on three sides by Gaibsagar Lake and backed by green hills, the palace was built by Maharawal Udai Singhji in the 19th century. The older Palace of Dungarpur, situated above the village, was built in the 13th century and is now a museum. This seven-storeyed building has excellent frescoes, miniatures and mosaics, considered among the best in Rajasthan. Overnight at Udai Vilas Palace.

Day 15: At Dungarpur To Baneshwar Fair

After breakfast drive 70 km to the Baneshwar Temple. Spend the day at the Baneshwar Fair, a religious festival with simple and traditional rituals. This fair is the centre of attraction of a large number of tribals - particularly the Bhils - from the neighbouring states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, who join their brethren from Rajasthan in offering prayers to Lord Shiva at the Baneshwar temple and taking a dip on the full-moon night in the holy Baneshwar Lake. Return to Dungarpur for overnight stay.

Day 16: Dungarpur To Udaipur

After breakfast depart on the 4-hour drive to Udaipur. On arrival check in at the hotel. The afternoon is at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 17: In Udaipur

In the morning visit the City Palace, which stands on the crest of a ridge overlooking Lake Pichola. The largest palace in Rajasthan, it was built at various periods but still preserves the harmony of design, enhanced by massive octagonal towers surmounted by cupolas. Now a museum, it is a labyrinth of courtyards richly decorated with inlaid mirror-work, galleries covered with frescos, temples and roof gardens, which afford a wide panorama below. Sahelion-ki-Bari (Garden of the Handmaidens) is a good example of the Hindu art of landscape gardening on a princely scale. Ornamental pools with finely sculptured cenotaphs of soft black stone are surrounded by a profusion of fountains. The Jagdish Temple in the old town was built in the mid-17th century and has a remarkable bronze statue of Garuda, the mythical bird, facing his revered master Lord Vishnu. The shops and craftsmen's ateliers in the narrow bazaar streets justify endless walks.

The afternoon is at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 18: Udaipur To Kumbalgarh

After breakfast drive to Kumbhalgarh. En route visit Eklingji, a temple dedicated to the patron deity of the Udaipur Royal house, situated 24 km from Udaipur. As with all sacred buildings in the region, it is built entirely of white marble. The roof is decorated by hundreds of circular knobs and the whole is crowned by a lofty tower. To this day, the Maharana of Udaipur, who is the Diwan of the temple, makes it a point to visit it every Monday.

Continue on to Nagda. The temple here is believed to be established by Nagaditya, the fourth Mewar King. There are several temples here dating from the 4th century AD, ancient rock edicts, stone inscriptions and simple prehistoric shrines at which the Bhils still worship during the Mahashivratri festival in February. The Sas-Bahu (mother in law/daughter in law) temple dates back to the 11th century and is famed for its beautiful carvings. Adbhutji is an old Jain temple named after a somewhat odd statue of a Jain saint seated within. "Adbhut" means, quite literally - "peculiar".

The fort of Kumbhalgarh lies off a difficult rutted road. Its very inaccessibility ensured its security as a refuge for Mewar's rulers in times of strife. Built by the scholarly Rana Kumbha in the mid fifteenth century, the fort stands on the site of a more ancient fortress said to have been built by Samprati, a Jain prince, in the 2nd century AD. Within its crenellated ramparts spreading over eight miles are palaces, temples, humble dwellings, fields, water sources, farms and kitchen gardens - everything needed to withstand a long siege. Kumbhalgarh fell only once in its history, when the armies of Emperor Akbar, combined with those of the Rajas of Amber and Marwar, contaminated the water supply of the fort. Overnight at Kumbhalgarh Fort.

Day 19: Kumbalgarh To Rohetgarh

After breakfast drive to Rohetgarh, the 16th century stronghold of the Champavats, today a warm fortified home still alive with traditions of old. There is time to visit the family cenotaphs, wander around the village picking up bargains in leatherware, fabrics, metalware and silver jewellery. After lunch visit the Bishnoi villages. The Bishnois are a fascinating community, which follows the 29 (bish-noi) tenets laid down by the 15th century Guru Jambeshwar. They fervently believe in the sanctity of animal and plant life so all animals live near their villages without fear. When a Bishnoi dies, he is sometimes buried in the sitting position and often placed at the threshold of the house or adjoining cattleshed. A Bishnoi believes he will later be reincarnated as a deer, hence the herds of blackbuck often seen near their villages. Overnight at Rohetgarh.

Day 20: Rohetgarh To Jodhpur And Jodhpur To Jaipur

After breakfast depart on the 40-km drive to Jodhpur. This is the land of the valiant Rathore kings, whose courage was a match for the tyranny of the Thar Desert. Visit the Jodhpur Fort, its sheer walls reflecting the strength of its warrior builders. The fort is entered through seven gates, each a formidable barrier. The museum within the fort is one of the finest in Rajasthan and displays royal apparel, ancient paintings and manuscripts, fabled treasures of the royal household and an armoury. An interesting section displays folk musical instruments from different regions of Rajasthan. Delicately latticed windows and pierced screens worked in sandstone form the dominant motif within the rugged casket of the fort and the palaces are exquisitely decorated. On the road down from the fort, the splash of blinding white marble on the left is Jaswant Thada, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II's cenotaph, built in 1899 - all previous rulers have their cenotaphs at Mandore. As with the Taj Mahal in Agra, the marble is from Makrana.

Afternoon transfer to the airport for the flight to Jaipur. You are met on arrival and transferred to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 21: In Jaipur

Spend the day exploring Jaipur, one of the best planned cities in India, built of rose- pink sandstone by the great astronomer-king Jai Singh II in 1727. The City Palace stands in the centre of the city. Part of it is still the Maharaja's residence, while most of the complex has been developed into a museum containing rare manuscripts, fine specimens of Rajput and Mughal paintings, royal apparel and an armoury. Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) is the landmark of Jaipur. It stands on one of the main streets, a curious building, elaborate and fanciful, built of pink sandstone with a delicate honeycomb design. Rising five storeys high, it is composed of semi-octagonal overhanging windows, each with its perforated screen, which allowed the ladies of the court to look onto the main street without being seen. Also visit Jantar Mantar observatory, built by the founder of Jaipur, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. The huge stone instruments were devised to study the movements of the sun, moon and planets and are incredibly accurate. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 22: Jaipur To Delhi

In the morning visit Amber, the capital for 6 centuries before Jaipur was built, which lies 11 km north of Jaipur. Rising majestically on the slopes of a hill, this 11th century fort and palace complex is a blend of Hindu and Muslim styles - the earlier constructions in the inner apartments designed by the Hindu founder are austere, while later constructions abound in the rich flourishes characteristic of Muslim influence. The Diwani-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) affords a view of the strategic location of Amber. The Jai Mandir (Hall of Victory) is the finest example of the artistic exuberance of the day - panels of alabaster, fine inlay work, a shimmering Hall of Mirrors, renowned for its fine mirrorwork. The Sukh Nivas (Hall of Pleasure) has 17th century air conditioning. Elephants carry you up the ramparts of the fort.

Afternoon transfer to the airport for the flight to Delhi. Transfer to the international airport for the onward flight home.